Hidden away from the store fronts along 10th Ave SW is a small bar, serving Calgary’s LGBT community. A neon sign, "Backlot", can be seen shining brightly when entering the walkway leading to the door.

Ken Schultz, Rudy Labuhn and Lorne Doucette opened the bar in 1996. As Ken worked full time at the Backlot and became the face of the establishment, many of his customers started calling the Backlot "Ken’s Bar". Indeed, he eventually became the sole owner. Recently, after 13 years, Ken made the decision to retire and in June of 2010, Mark Campbell and Ward Sobry assumed ownership. While making some changes since taking over the Backlot, Mark and Ward continue to serve customers and greet newcomers with a warm Calgary welcome, as Ken did for so many years.

However the neon sign at the door hints at a history long before any of this. In fact, the "Backlot" sign was once located at another gay venue known as the Myrts/ Backlot complex on 9th Avenue and 7th Street SW. Myrt’s Beauty Parlor was one of the early commercial gay "bars" in Calgary, however in the 1970’s , the term "bar" wasn’t used in public. To have a visible gay bar on 9th Avenue might have caused a real uproar, but it was quite acceptable for the public to see a sign for a "Beauty Parlor" instead.

When entering the single storey building, one would see a large rectangular dance floor surrounded on both sides by tables and chairs, appearing more like a night club than a bar. A hallway behind the dance floor led to a 150 seat theatre in the back of the building known as the "Backlot". In fact, this gay friendly theatre and the QR Center to the west, which housed Theatre Calgary, were the beginnings of Calgary’s "theatre district."

In LGBT publications, Myrts was advertised as a quiet bar/lounge format private club until 9pm, and after 9pm, a disco/dance bar. Ads from 1977 show it was only open Friday from 9pm to 3am, and Saturday from 11pm to 4:30am. It was licensed to sell alcohol only on Friday nights, when wine and beer were available at the bar, served by Jack Loenan and "Boo". As time passed, Myrts stayed open for longer hours and, by July 1981 it was open Monday to Saturday. In those early years, the music came from a juke box with two speakers, playing popular tunes by ABBA and The Village People. Meanwhile, the lesbians particularly enjoyed their polka music.

For Myrt’s to be a viable business, the owners encouraged writers and directors to produce stage plays at the Backlot. Although you could walk between Myrts and the theatre, the Backlot had its own address and entrance at 815 7th Street SW. Well known Sun writer, Louis Hobson remembers Backlot owner Vance Campbell encouraging him to use the Backlot venue. Louie directed and produced "Norman is that you?" at the Backlot in July of 1981, and later directed "P.S. Your Cat is Dead." Additionally, Louie and Murray J Mcrae wrote and produced the play "When the Hustle is not a Dance" about male prostitution. During the intermission audience members could walk down the hall to Myrts to get a cocktail.

While many of the productions put on at the Backlot were for a general audience the ICCA (precursor to the ISCCA) sponsored drag shows. On July 4th, 1981, the ICCA advertised "Showtime" with Barri and Mardi, in a publication called "Gay Calgary". During Stampede Week, (July 10th, 1981) Myrts sponsored a Mr. Butch Calgary and Slave Auction at the Backlot. Mr. Butch Calgary contestants walked around the stage without their shirts and the audience voted for the candidate they thought was the butchest. Prior to the slave auction, Myrts had given coupons to patrons who purchased drinks at the bar, which were used for the slave auction. Many fetishes were represented in the slave auction, and several slaves went for many a coupon!

Halloween was always a special time at Myrts. People wore costumes and entered various competitions for prizes. One year, someone dressed as "the Queen" of England won the grand prize; true to her role, she took her time and regally came forward to accept her prize.

Reverend Lloyd Greenway and Norm Collins, originally from Toronto, started the Metropolitan Community Church in Calgary in September 1977. Church services were held Sunday evening at the Unitarian Church on 16 Ave NW. On June 11th, 1978, MCC moved to the Backlot for a morning service at 11am. Such well known MCC ministers as founder Troy Perry, Freda Smith from San Francisco and Charlie Earhart from Denver spoke at the Backlot. If the Backlot was being used for a play, the MCC congregation met on the dance floor of Myrts - so it was possible to be dancing on Saturday night and attending church Sunday morning in the exact same place.

As the evening came to an end at Myrts, Kermit the frog would sing "The Rainbow Connection". If a production was taking place at the Backlot, the crowd would disperse - and if not, the Backlot became an afterhours bar where the party would continue.

Myrts later moved to 17th Avenue for a short time, in the building that now houses "The Republic", however the Backlot theatre wasn’t part of the new club. On the final night at its old location, bartender Jack dressed up as the widow Myrts in a big black dress and veil, and "Boo" wore a black tux and high hat. The place was packed, although it was a sad time for everyone.

The Myrts/Backlot complex was a meeting place for many LGBT folk, at a time when "coming out" was a lot harder than it is today. For many, it provided one of their first experiences in a gay environment. How amazing, yet fitting, that the "Backlot" name and sign is still part of Calgary’s gay community today.