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Updated June 27, 2008
T.O.TIX is now located in the newly opened Dundas Square (Dundas and Yonge Streets). As of November 29/04 it will be available online at T.O. TIX - There are usually up to 25 shows available, but unlike the New York and London agencies, the major shows do NOT appear, and have to be purchased at the boxoffice. The hours of operation are Tuesday to Saturday: 12:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Sunday and Monday are sold on Saturdays. To see what's available you can call: (416) 536-6468 EXT. 40 for a list of shows.
Some productions are noted for a theatre, other than theatres like the Royal Alexandra and The O'Keefe Centre (now The Hummingbird Centre) as I have seen hundreds of productions in these theatres, similarly with Stratford and The Shaw Festivals.
The listing of theatres includes current, demolished and abandoned theatres. This is not intended to be a listing of current theatres. The theatres still in operation are marked with an asterisk * . Toronto has more than 120 professional companies performing on more than 40 stages - Toronto has earned the nickname "Broadway of the North." Only New York and London sell more theatre tickets in a year.
Even in the days of vaudeville, Toronto was a major player with Keith's Theatre chain, which included some 34 theatres East of Chicago and in Eastern Canada, as well as the Loews chains, which had 63 theatres throughout 18 U.S. States and Canada.
TORONTO THEATRES
Roofed theatres erected for performances came late in theatrical history. Open-air theatres date back to the 5th Century, B.C., but it was not until the Renaissance that plays were produced indoors.
Toronto is recognized as the third-largest theatre centre in the English-speaking world, after New York and London. In 1962, there were only two professional live theatres in Toronto. There are now over 200 professional theatre and dance companies and in 1924 Toronto had over 100 theatres. I have included film theatres as well as there is/was a great crossover from movies to legitimate and vice versa, especially in the days of vaudeville. Credits for some of these are included on the title page of my site.
MAP OF EARLY TORONTO THEATRES

LEGEND
*still in existence
A-1889 - Academy of Music/Princess - 1909 Church and Adelaide Streets
B-1875 - Albert Hall - Queen and Yonge Streets
C-1910 - Shea's Victoria - 19 Richmond Street at Victoria
C-1919 - Allen/Tivoli - 13 Richmond Street East at Victoria - across street from Shea's Victoria
D-1886 - Toronto Opera House/Ambrose Small Grand Opera House/Majestic/Regent/ - Adelaide Street West of Yonge, beside Grand Opera House
E-1897 - Robinson's Musee/Moore's Musee Theatre/Hippodrome/Sheas Hippodrome (originally at SE corner of Yonge at Adelaide - opened as Wonderland Museum - 1914) before moving to Bay Street - City Hall Square - 400 bay Street (across from old City Hall on Bay Street)
F-1939 - Casino Theatre/Civic Square - 87 Queen Street West of Bay
G-1960 - *O'Keefe Centre/Hummingbird Centre - 1 Front Street West
H-1970 - *St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts - 27 Front Street West
I-1842 - Deering Theatre - Front Street (Berczy Park)
J-1910 - *Shea's Yonge/Star Burlesque/Empire/Loew's Vaudeville/Elgin/Winter Garden/Yonge/Elgin - 189 Yonge Street above Queen
K-1912 - Star Burlesque/Empire Theatre - 31 Yonge Street
L-1874 - Grand Opera House/Regent - South side of Adelaide, just West of Yonge St.
M-1913 - *Pantages/Imperial/Imperial Six/AT & T Centre for Performing Arts-Pantages/Canon - 263 Yonge Street, above Queen (also entrance at 244 Victoria Street)
N-1840s -Russell's Hotel - Church and Front Streets
O-1851 - *St. Lawrence Hall - King and Jarvis Streets
P-1848 - Temperance Hall/Empire - Temperance Street - 1 block North of Adelaide off Yonge
Chronological Listing of Major Toronto Theatres By Dates Opened
Film theatres: (AA) Alliance Atlantis; (AMC) AMC Theatres; (C) Cineplex Odeon; (FP) Famous Players; (Festival) Festival Cinemas; (I) Independent; Rainbow Cinemas
As of June, 2005 Cineplex (775 screens) is slated to buy Famous Players for $500 million (787 screens) and could own 63% of the market (167 theatres across the country although company said it has agreed to sell 35 cinemas to comply with government regulators. That would leave Cineplex with 1,300 screens in 132 theatres; this will open doors for exhibitors like AMC Theatres (which operates 231 theatres with 3,560 screens worldwide will become number 2 chain) and Alliance Atlantis to expand, although it depends on who buys the 35 cinemas being offered; Viacom (which owns CBS and Paramount Pictures) had bought Famous Players in 1994; As of June 21/05 - Cineplex put 35 theatres up for sale, while in the U.S., No. 2 U.S. movie theatre chain AMC Entertainment said it will buy its next largest competitor, Loews Cineplex Entertainment.
QUICK GUIDE - A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z
Academy Theatre 1286 Bloor St. West near Lansdowne (1934-1965) between larger Lansdowns and Kenwood 498 seats - still standing but with different uses
Academy of Music - (1889-1895) King Street West - - provided venues for large-scale foreign touring companies - rebuilt and changed to Princess
Ace see Photodrome
Ace 603 Danforth Ave (1945-1954) 585 seats now a Shoppers Drug Mart
Acropolis (1964-1975) 904 seats
Acting Up Stage Theatre Company - first production Tick...Tick...Boom! (05)
Actors' Colony Theatre - under direction of John Holden - 1934 to 1941 - summer seasons held in Bala, Muskoka and from 1936 to 1940 winter sessions in Winnipeg's Dominion Theatre
Adanac Queen St. West
Adelaide Court Theatre opened in a converted heritage courthouse (Old York County Courthouse) (1979 - 1990) housing the Adelaide and Cort Theatres - Automatic Pilot 1980 - transferred to Bayview Playhouse; Curse of the Starving Class - closed
Adelaide Theatre - old York County courthouse has been renovated at a cost of 2.3 million and houses both the Adelaide and Cort Theatres
Adelphi 1008 Dovercourt Road North of Bloor opened as Cum-Bac (1936-1956) 343 seats now a church
Adult Cinema - see Loft 18
Afterlife - 250 Adelaide West - nightclub
Aidan's Memorial Hall - 70 Silverbirch
*Air Canada Centre - 40 Bay Street (19,800 seats) - the new replacement for Maple Leaf Concerts
Ajax 10 (CO) 248 Kingston Road E. 10 cinemas 1997
Aladdin Theatre - 1975
Albert Hall - (1875-1890) - Yonge Street and Shuter St - popular music hall of it's day
Albion 2 Kipling and Albion Road, Etobicoke 1964
Al Green Theatre - Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina at Bloor - Toronto-based Capri Releasing has leased the 288-seat Al Green Theatre in the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre at Bloor St. W. and Spadina Ave., it announced June 27/05
Alhambra 568 Bloor St. West at Bathurst 944 seats (1925-1969) renamed Eve - demolished 1989 - now a Swiss Chalet restaurant
Alianak Theatre Productions - 556 Palmerston Ave
Al Khaima Dining Theatre - 767 Dovercourt Road
Allenby 1215 Danforth Ave, East of Greenwood (1936-1970) art deco -770 seats became Avalon, Roxy and then operated as the Grand currently for rent/sale three theatres for live entertainment/fully furnished/all contents and restaurant
Allen Theatre - 147 Danforth Ave built 1916-18 vaudeville and theatrical revues - changed to Century Theatre played Greek films for several years and then became The Music Hall
Allen Theatre - 19 Richmond Street East - changed to Tivoli - Christmas pantomimes; Peter Pan - demolished 1970s
Alley Theatre Workshop - new venue (November 2004) at 12 Ossington Avenue (first alley West off Ossington North of Queen) - through the alley behind Lennox Contemporary Art Gallery on Ossington, just off Queen Street 55 seats Chinese Art of Placement 2004
Alliance Atlantis - Cumberland Street
All Nations see Playhouse
Alto Basso - 718 College Street - nightclub
*Alumnae Theatre - 70 Berkeley Street - for 30 years this theatre, housed in Toronto's old Fire Hall Number 4, constructed in 1905 - corner of Berkeley and Adelaide Streets - theatre group founded in 1919 by women graduates of University College, University of Toronto - saved from demolition in 1971-72 - main auditorium is located in the former engine room and the two engine room doors form the lobby windows. The theatre audience now uses the lockers formerly used by the fire fighters. The fire fighters recreation hall on the third floor was converted for use as a studio theatre - Cripple of Innishmaan (03); Real World (03); Beauty Queen of Leename;
Alumni Hall - St. Michael's College
Ambrose Small Grand Opera House Adelaide Street West converted to Regent
AMC Courteney Park 16 401 and Highway 10 16 cinemas
AMC Entertainment International Inc - Kansas City based - operates 7 Canadian cinemas - more than 60 percent of AMCs theatres are megaplexes with at least 14 screens that feature stadium-style seating
AMC Interchange 30 30 Interchange Way, Vaughan 1999 30 cinemas
AMC Kennedy Commons 20 401 and Kennedy Rd 1998 20 cinemas
AMC Metropolis 24 Dundas and Yonge see Metropolis for updated news - projected for 2006
AMC Yonge and Dundas 24 - Toronto Life Square, NE corner of Yonge & Dundas Sts - long-planned entertainment mecca at Yonge and Dundas Sts. - to open officially March 28, 2008, after weekend of free films to public
AMC Whitby 24 401 and Thickson Road 1999 24 cinemas
AMC Winston Churchill 24 QEW and Winston Churchill Blvd 1998
American Youth Centre Theatre - 50 Hallcrown Place, North York (Victoria Park & Hwy 401)
Andy Poolhall - 489 College St - nightclub
Anthonys Villa former Toronto cabaret Blue Champagne 1976
Apollo 2201 Dundas Street West - 1934
Apollo 2901 Dundas Street West (1936-1954) 551 seats - built as the Crystal and changed to Apollo in 1930s now a hair salon
Apollon 1969 - 700 seats
Arabesque Dance Company 20 College Street, 2nd Floor
Arcade Yonge Street (1961-1962)
Arcadian 10 Queen St. East, beside Town Tavern 370 seats (1935-1950) opened as the Variety now a hair salon
Arrow Hall cabaret type venue - 6900 Airport Road
*Art Gallery of Ontario - Dundas Street - used for an occasional play - The Chairs, Zoo Story - newly designed gallery to be completed 2007
Arts and Letters Club - housed in St. George's Hall which opened 1892, the club itself founded in 1908 as meeting place for writers/actors/musicians 1910 opened in back of York County Courthouse on Adelaide St. East cabaret performances - Old Court Minstrels 1918; Interior 1911 1920 moved to 14 Elm Street from 1930 Spring Revue annual event; Most Happy Fella (02);
*Artword Theatre - 75 Portland - small studio space, being lost to developer in March 2005
Ashbridges Bay - see Home Depot Theatre - Shakespeare Works - see Shakespeare Works - inaugural season Summer 2004 in a tent
Assembly Hall - 3121 Lakeshore Road West
A Space - St. Nicholas Street - art, photographic and performance space in the 1960s and early 1970s
Aster Ossington and Dundas see Pix (1928-1942)
Astor Theatre built as Embassy 1950 651 Yonge Street below Bloor 646 seats - became the New Yorker
*AT & T Centre for the Performing Arts - see Pantages
Athena Palace see Rex Danforth
Athenion (1964-1970) 507 seats
*Atlantis Theatre - 955 Lakeshore West in Ontario Place (1-888-449-4463)- 450 seats
Auditorium see Pickford
Aurora Cinemas - opened late 2005 - Wellington St. E & bayview Ave - 10 screens
Avalon (see Allenby, Grand) 2921 Danforth 944 seats (1937-1955)
Avenue see Pickford
Avenue Theatre - 331 Eglinton Avenue West, W of Avenue Road (1937-1955) 680 seats - originally a movie theatre Optomist (Robert Goulet) 1956; became home to annual review Spring Thaw demolished 1957 to become parking lot
Avon 1092 Queen St. West & Dovercourt opened as Kings Playhouse 325 seats owned by Nathan Cohen (1949-1955) now a sign shop
Axis comedy club 3rd year 2005
Backstage 1 (151 seats) & 2 (126 seats) 31 Balmuto Street (at Bloor) (1971-2000) built in backstage area of Loew's Uptown demolished late 2003 Dec 8/03 10:35 a.m., building collapsed while being demolished and l man killed in the attached Yorkville English Academy when the roof caved in
Bad Dog Theatre small storefront at 138 Danforth Avenue with 2 theatre spaces 2006 is 3rdd Anniversary previously Theatresports
Bamboo Cabana cabaret type venue 245 Queens Quay West
Bamboo Tavern - Queen Street West club - closed its doors November 2/02
Bar Italia - 584 College Street
Baronet Bloor and Bathurst 745 seats (1969-1972) currently the Regent
Basin Street Cabaret - 1970s former Queen Street cabaret Indigo 1978; Let My People Come 1981 (censorship problems), Shimmytime
*Bathurst Street Theatre - 736 Bathurst Street at Bloor - which had been built in 1862 as Methodist and later changed to United Church circa 1888 - theatre was built from the converted church in 1924 - mid 1960s became a legitimate theatre - houses the Annex Theatre, which resembles the Globe in London, England - a 110 seat theatre, the 500 seat Bathurst Street Theatre, three dance studios and DaCosta Talent Agency -Bent (81), Binge, Born of Medusa's Blood, Hosanna, I Wanna Die in Ruby Red Tap Shoes, Wozzeck, Eddy Izzard (00); Making Porn (01); Hedwig and the Angry Inch (01); Steel Pier (02)
Bahaus - 31 Mercer nightclub
Baronet - 568 Bloor St and Bathurst Sts 1969-1972 745 seats currently the Regent
Bay 43 Queen St. West, across from old City Hall (1919-1960) (477 seats) - opened as Colonial is now Simpsons Tower
Bayridges Pickering (1964-1979) indoor auditorium of Drive-in
Bayview Playhouse 605 Bayview Ave below Eglinton see also Fine Arts - art deco - East Side (1936-1961) - originally a cinema 674 seats - in 1960s and 1970s it became a legitimate theatre, now site of Bruno's Fine Foods - Godspell (Victor Garber, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Gilda Radner); Your Own Thing (68); Jacques Brel is Alive and Well (68); Praise 1978 (Brent Carver,Doug Chamberlain); Bistro Car on the CNR (79), Musical Evening With Joshua Logan (80); Cloud 9 (84)
Bayview Village 4 (AA) Bayview Village Plaza 1977 - has abruptly closed its doors May 2007
Beach 1971 Queen St. East built as Allen East of Woodbine 1288 seats (1919-1970) now the Beach Mall
Beach Cinemas 6 (AA) - 1651 Queen Street East - 6 theatres 1999
Beaver 2942 Dundas St. West near Pacific 1142 seats (1913-1961) now retail stores
Bedford (847 seats) see Park
Bellevue 360 College St at Brunswick art deco 800 seats (1937-1958) changed to Electra and then Lux, a burlesque house now retail stores
Bell Festival Centre - see also Festival Centre - new permanent home of Toronto International Film Festival group - will also anchor Festival Tower - King and John Streets - to include Tower Cinema (55 seats), Cinema Lounge, Tower Lounge - open for sale Sept 2007 - see Bell Lightbox
Bell Lightbox - will be the name of the Toronto International Film Festival Group's new home, which is soon to rise over a former parking lot at King St. W. and John St
*Belmont Theatre/Toronto Truck Theatre - 94 Belmont Street Toronto Truck Theatre was forme in 1971 as touring company moved in 1973 to Colonnade Theatre (200 seats), then to former church on Belmont seating 170 also purchased Bayview Playhouse (520 seats) the former art deco cinema in 1978 - Brecht on Brecht - now running The Mousetrap (over 8,000 performances in this tiny theatre)
Belsize 551 Mount Pleasant Rd, North of Davisville 1927-1950) 835 seats became the Crest Theatre, Regent Theatre
Ben Wicks 424 Parliament Street local jazz club
*Berkeley Street Theatre - see also Canadian Stage, and St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts 1971 conversion from an abandoned Consumers Gas pumping station built 1887, features 2 theatre spaces (241 & 150 seats) with courtyard and rehearsal hall - Outrageous (00); Happy (01); Tillsonburg (01); Lost Boys (02); Adam Baum and the Jew Movie (02); Last Romantics (03); This is Our Youth (03); Ride Down Mt. Morgan (04); 10 Naked Men (04)
Bermuda Onion - jazz club - closed early 1990s
*Betty Oliphant Theatre - 404 Jarvis Street - 297 seats
Bettys - King Street East comedy club
Beverly Yonge and St. Clair (1932-1942)
Beverly Tavern Queen Street West closing Dec 27/03 from 1976 to early 1980s the second floor hosted the likes of the Dishes, the Cads, Johnny and the G-Rays, the Country Lads, the Biffs and Cardboard Brains, and Martha and the Muffins and a second wave of talent the likes of Cowboy Junkies, Rent Boys Inc., Fifth Column, Dave Howard Singers, Breeding Ground by the 1980s the focus shifted to the Cabana Room and the Cameron
*Bickford Theatre Centre - 777 Bloor Street West
Bijou Morningside Plaza, West Hill 700 seats (1971-1978)
Biltmore 1831 Weston Road, South of Lawrence now a church
Biltmore New Toronto 676 seats (1947-1964)
Biltmore Theatre - cinema 319 Yonge Street above Dundas 929 seats - showed double and triple features - put to other uses over the years (1948-1977)
Biltmore Weston 800 seats (1949-1964)
Birchcliff 1485 Kingston Road, East of Warden (a former streetcar barn) (1949-1974) (865 seats) - now an ambulance station
Birdland Theatre - new non-profit theatre company founded by Zorana Kydd - presenting plays at Berkeley Street and Jane Mallett Theatres - The Ride Down Mount Morgan (Canadian Premiere) 2004; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune 2004; Pillowman 2007; Last Days of Judas Iscariot (reprise in 2008);
Black Bull Tavern - there in 1829 - still standing at Queen and Peter Streets
Black Cat former Toronto cabaret
Boa-Redux - 270 Spadina Avenue one block South of Dundas - converted dinner theatre, converted cinema - international disc jockeys
Bohemian Embassy - 7 St. Nicholas Street - in addition to jazz and folk fare, the Embassy introduced cabaret-style revue to Toronto audiences - weekly reading series - introduced modern dance in one of its 30 premiered productions. The Maids by Jean Genet received its North American premiere upstairs at 7 St. Nicholas Street. The first production of a David French play at the Embassy eventually bloomed into a successful career - 1960s meeting place for local poets - The Iceman Cometh closed
Boiler House - see Distillery District - 55 Mill Street - restaurant with live music on weekends
Bollicine - 127 Strachan - exotic cabaret on weekends (10:00 p.m. to 3 a.m.)
Bonita 1035 Gerrard St. East - 542 seats still in operation became Athenian Theatre, Wellington Theatre
Bramalea 3 Dixie Road and Hwy 7 (1973-1988)
Brighton 127 Roncesvalles Avenue north of Queen Street 418 seats opened mid 1950s and lasted into the 1980s still in existence as High Park Mini Mart
Broadview Broadway at Gerrard (1941-1945)
Broadway 75 Queen St. West, next to Casino Theatre 486 seats - opened as the Globe and later became the Roxy (1941-1965)
Brock 1585 Dundas St. West built as the Dundas 612 seats (1933-1955) was Torontos first burlesque house - now a restaurant
Brown Derby - north east corner of Dundas and Yonge - Frankie Valli (1950s); Ronnie Hawkins
Brunswick - rep cinema - being closed late 2007 and destined to become office space - plans to relaunch in another location - see Poor Alex
*Buddies in Bad Times - 12 Alexander Street - gay theatre founded in 1979 by Skye Gilbert, Matt Walsh & Gerard Ciccoritti - originally Toronto Workshop Productions - Eyecons, My Own Private Oshawa, We're Funny That Way, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told (00); Snap (02);
Burnhamthorpe Auditorium - 1350 Burnhamthorpe Rd E., Mississauga
Burnhamthorpe Library Theatre home to Mississauga Players
*Burton Auditorium - see York University
Cabana Room former entertainment tavern
Cabaret EastDinner Theatre former Toronto cabaret - mid 1980s
Cafι des Copains former Toronto cabaret
Cafι Soho former Toronto cabaret
Cahoots Theatre Project - 174 Spandia Avenue, Suite 610
Cameo 989 Pape Ave North of Danforth 750 seats (1934-1957) art deco sold to Loblaws, and now Canada Trust
Camera - 1028 Queen Street West
Cameron House - 408 Queen St. West - 2006 celebrates 25 years - opened 1981 - Blue Rodeo, Jane Siberry
Canada Square Cinema (FP) - 2200 Yonge Street below Eglinton (1985-2001) - recently reopened as cinema 2001
*Canada's Wonderland - opened 1981 - see Paramount Canada's Wonderland
Canadia dell'Arte Studio Theatre - 186 Munro
Canadian Actors' Equity Association - opened 1955 - in 1976 became independent of the American Actors' Equity
*Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) - created in 1936 (Church and Jarvis Streets) - now located in new building on Front Street which houses the Glenn Gould Studio - an important organization for the development of Canadian stage talent in the early days
*Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)- started in 1879 as the Toronto Industrial Exhibition - Magnificent Spectacular Production 1896; Stars of the Hippodrome & Circus World 1917; Georgeous Cleopatra Spectacle & Grand Opera in $1,500,000 Coliseum (1923); CNE Chorus performed in Colisseum 1927 & 1932; Benny Goodman,Guy Lombardo,Glen Gray,Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey 1939; (As a teenager and before, I can remember my parents taking me to the Exhibition where the highlights were the spectacular Grandstand Shows (produced by Jack Arthur from 1952 to 1967). I have seen (from a great distance), the wonderful Midge Arthur's Canadettes, Bob Hope (appeared here a total of 5 times) 1976; Danny Kaye, Marilyn Bell 1984; Victor Borge, Bob Hope, Womenfolk and Midge Arthur's 50 Canadettes 1955; Bob Hope, Scottish World Festival Tattoo, Charley Pride, Dolly Parton, Burton Cummings, Osmonds, Bill Cosby, Shaun Cassidy, Englebert 1994; Jimmy Durante; Olson and Johnson 1947; Ed Sullivan, Marilyn Bell, Lassie and the Four Lads 1965; Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Phil Silvers, Geoffrey Holder, Alan and Blanche Lund, Howard Cable and his orchestra, a helicopter landing on stage as well as various vehicles driving across the huge stage, laden with breathtaking sets and costumes - Scottish Tattoo - solo singers as well - Tina Turner (85), Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers (83) - demolished in 1999 - see Exhibition Stadium
*Canadian Opera Company - acquired two neighbouring buildings on Front Street. One, the former Standard Woollen Mills (built 1882), was converted to administrative offices, a box office, library, archives and workshops for the company. The other, the former Consumers Gas Purifying House (built 1887-88), now houses the 450-seat Imperial Oil Opera Theatre and facilities for rehearsal, coaching, workshops and receptions - the company was founded in 1950 and has used various venues from Eaton Auditorium, Royal Alexandra, presently Hummingbird Centre and soon a new 2,000 seat theatre which it will share with the National Ballet of Canada
Canadian Players - 1954-1966 formed in Stratford, Ontario, with a nine month season in Torontos Central Library Theatre became Theatre Toronto - used various theatres
*Canadian Stage Company (Canstage) - 26 Berkeley Street - located in a turn of the Century factory and refinery built in 1887, it features 2 theatre spaces, 241 & 150 seats) - originally Toronto Free Theatre in the early 1970s - Canadian Stage itself was formed 1988 with the merger of Toronto Free Theatre and Centrestage - see St. Lawrence Centre - Angels in America see also Dream in High Park
Canadian Ukrainian Opera Association 1974 used MacMillan Theatre to 1984, as well as presenting concerts at Massey Hall, Roy Thomson Hall, Hamilton Place and Carnegie Hall (NYC)
Canasian Artists Group
Canon Theatre - 244 Victoria St - see the Pantages Theatre - March 2007 L.A.-based entertainment giant Live Nation is in the process of selling off its theatre properties, including Toronto's Canon and Panasonic theatres
Canstage - see Canadian Stage Company
Capitol Fine Arts see Capital 2294 Yonge Street (1026 seats)
Capitol New Toronto 777 Lakeshore Road - 1100 seats (1929-1975)
Capital Theatre/Capital Event Theatre - 2492 Yonge Street at Castlefield (1924-1998) 1079 seats 1918 opened as vaudeville house and later a film theatre in the mid 1930s and closed in 1998 - now used for a rental hall, was also known as Capital Fine Arts
Capri see Madison, Bloor Cinema and Midtown 1089 seats
Carlos Bulosan Cultural Workshop - community-based professional theatre reflecting on social issues affecting the Filipino and broader community - CBT is also committed to creating work that is new, innovative, and reflective of a vibrant, new generation of Filipino-Canadian artists -CBT seeks to encourage and develop Filipino-Canadian writers, performers, and other artists within the community
Carlton 509 Parliament Street, North of Carlton 1000 seats (1930-1954) - became CBC TV studio and currently the Canadian Childrens Dance Theatre school, after having been the Danny Grossman Dance Theatre previously
Carlton - see Odeon Carlton 2318 seats
Carlton Cinemas 9 (C) 20 Carlton St and Yonge Streets 1981 renovated 1988
Carlu Theatre - opening May, 2003 - formerly Eaton Auditorium - 444 Yonge Street, 7th floor - originally opened March, 1931 - Marian Anderson, Kirsten Flagstad, Lotte Lehmann, Elsa Lanchester, Joyce Grenfell, National Ballet etc., all appeared here during its 46 year history - closed 1977
Cascade Theatre - 39 Strathmore Boulevard
Casino-on-the-Beach - Centre Island - had big bands and dancing
Casino Theatre - burlesque house at 87 Queen Street West of Bay opened 1939 as The Vaudeville Theatre 1121 seats - demolished in 1957 - to house Sheraton Centre - I spent many, many hours at the Casino seeing name entertainers like Johnny Rae, Patti Page, Gene Nelson, Frankie Laine,the exciting Sally Rand with her fans, a bevy of female strippers with some class in those days, not just bumps and grinds, the Crewcuts, the Four Lads, Billy Daniels and Rosemary Clooney- turned into a legitimate house - The Civic Square Theatre for a short time - Rhinoceros
CBC - see Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
CBC Opera Company - 1948
Cedarbrae 8 Cinemas Lawrence and Markham Road (1969-2002)- demolished
Celia Franca Centre - 400 Jarvis Street - opened Nov/05 - new site for the National Ballet School, formerly at 105 Maitland Street - features classrooms and 12 studios, one the size of a professional stage
Cellar Club - 169 Avenue Road popular 1960s hangout
Centennial 3 Brampton (1981-2000)
Centerpoint Yonge and Steeles renamed from Towne & Countrye in 1991 and closed in 1999
Central Library Theatre - College Street - opened in 1961 (209 seats) Six Days and a Dream 1962 - was closed as Library has moved to Yonge and Bloor Streets - 1977, now called the Robert Gill Theatre was home to Canadian Players/University Alumnae - All the Way Home; Beauty and the Beast 2098), Capful of Pennies, Departures, Ecstacy of Rita Joe, Eh, Entertaining Mr. Sloane; Firebugs, Fortune and Men's Eyes 1967 (15 weeks), Here Lies Sara Binks, Importance of Being Earnest, In His Own Write; Jacques and Jill, Just For Love, Loot; Mr. Joyce is Leaving Paris; Small Craft Warnings; Sweet Eros; Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd
Central Parkway Cinemas 4 Hwy 10 and 377 Burnhamthorpe Rd. E, Mississauga (1980-2000) and reopened in 2001
Centre Theatre 772 Dundas St. West opened as the Duchess 500 seats (1935-1977) now retail stores
* Centre for Indigenous Theatre - founded in 1974
Centre Stage 1970 resident producing company of St. Lawrence Centre opened with Man Inc 1970 - until a 1988 merger with Toronto Free Theatre
Century Theatre built as Allen Theatre 147 Danforth Ave, East of Broadview (1919) 1338 seats currently the Music Hall
C'est What - Church Street - live music being discontinued as of Aug 21/04 - has housed such groups as Sarah Harmer, Tea Party, Barenaked Ladies, Ron Sexsmith and Hawksley Workman, as well as Jewel, Wilco and Jeff Buckley - only the half without music is to continue
Chateau 550 Queen St. West at Bathurst 331 seats (1949-1955)
China Cinema 785 seats (1974-1980)
Chinese United Dramatic Society of Toronto performing Catonese opera since 1933
Christie 665 St. Clair Ave West 877 seats (1926-1963)
Church of the Holy Trinity - rear of Eaton Centre - Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You
Church on Berkeley - 315 Queen Street East - Sondheim Tribute, Jack and Jim's Wedding Party
Cinecity - Yonge and Charles Street 261 seats (1967-1975) - showed art and underground films - was located in old post office complex - currently Gold Gym upstairs and a MacDonalds on main floor
Cineforum - 463 Bathurst Street
Cinema see Oriole
Cinema at Toronto Dominion Centre King and Bay Streets 690 seats (1967-1983)-abandoned
Cinema The Theatre Beautiful 2061 Yonge St (1942-1946)
Cinema Lumiere 290 College Street 260 seats (1969-1978)
Cinema 2000 329 Yonge Street at Dundas (1969-1983) reopened as Cinema 2002 - porno palace
Cinematek 2637 Yonge Street 136 seats (1973-1974)
Cinematheque Ontario - Toronto
Cineplex Galaxy LP - sells 27 cinemas in, 3 in Greater Toronto Area as of Sept 30/05 - in July 2005 Cineplex purchased 81 Famous Players Theatres from Viacom Inc. - under terms of agreement Cineplex must still sell 7 theatres in Quebec - once deal is complete, Cineplex Galaxy will remain Canada's biggest movie theatre chain with 132 theatres
Cineplex Odeon - Eaton Centre Cinemas - Yonge and Dundas Streets - now closed
Cineplex Odeon - Oakville Mews - built circa 1987 by Garth Drabinsky - closed 2001 when chain declared bankruptcy - location is now a church called The Meeting House
Cineplex - Mississauga - plans for 2 proposed cinemas have been abandoned as of 2004
Cineplex Odeon Promenade - see Rainbow 6
Cinespace Film Studios - Queen's Quay East - films Studio 54, Chicago, The Recruit, Blade II - closes Feb 20/07 for waterfront revitalization
Cinesphere Ontario Place built 1972 worlds oldest IMAX theatre
Circle 2567 Yonge Street North North of Sherwood Ave 750 seats (1932-1956) now strip plaza
City Centre Theatre - now in their fourth year - established 2001 - use George Ignatieff Theatre as their venue
City Playhouse Theatre - 1000 New Westminster Drive, Vaughan
Civic Light Opera Company - 27th season 2006 - see Fairview Library Theatre, Don Mills Road & Sheppard Avenue
Civic Square Theatre - see Casino Theatre
Civilized Theatre - #1 - 189 Huron Street
Classical Stage Productions (1972-3)
Classic Theatre - built 1914 - 1300 Gerrard St. East (just East of Greenwood) - built as vaudeville house film theatre from 1930-1956 when it became a warehouse and discount store - 1997 restored as performance space and cafe
Cliftcrest Community Centre - 1 McCowan
Clown Hall - 68 Broadview, Suite 201A
Club Varadero - 1305 Dundas Street West
CNE - see Canadian National Exhibition
Coach House Theatre - now closed - The Birthday Party, Eccentricities of a Nightingale, Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunicks, Mister Mister, Viet Rock
CODCO 1973 opened with Cod on a Stick - company never had permanent space was was disbanded in 1979
Colborne Street Theatre - Front and Church Streets, then Colborne St (starting at Yonge and ending at Market Street)- 1820s - destroyed by fire in 1883
Coliseum Mississauga (FP) 309 Rathburn Road W Square One 1997 13 screens
Coliseum Scarborough 12 (FP) Scarborough Town Centre 1998 12 screens
College 350 seats (1979-1985)
College 960 College St at Dovercourt, built as Allen 1499 seats (1921-1967) now retail stores
Colonial see Bay
Colonial Tavern - Yonge Street (above Queen) former Yonge Street tavern with entertainment - opened 1947 and closed 1987 - Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Billie Holiday, Wayland Flowers and Madame, Peter Allan - building demolished
Colonial Theatre - Queen Street opposite City Hall - demolished in 1957
Colonnade Theatre built 1964 190 seats originated for lunch theatre - no longer used - Black Comedy; Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Marat Sade (77); Six Tales of Canterbury, Staircase, The Good Doctor
Colony 1801 Eglinton Ave West & Dufferin 838 seats (1939-1958) demolished and now office building
Colossus and Imax (FP) Hwy 400 & 7, Weston Road in Vaughan 1999 18 screens
Coloured Stone - see Dream
Comedy Theatre - Richmond Street, West of Yonge Street
Comedywood Downtown - 194 Bloor St. West
Comedywood Uptown - 800 Steeles St. West
Community 1202 Woodbine Ave art deco - 742 seats (1937-1955) became a TV studio now retail stores
Compagnia dei Giovani - (1969-82)
Company of Lost Souls - works in collaboration with Fishbowl Theatre
Company Theatre - new company to launch January 2005 with "Whistle in the Dark," to premiere at Berkeley Street Theatre
Comus Music Theatre (1975-1986) - started by Michael Bawtree opened with Harrys Back in Town 1976 - dissolved
Continental 456 seats
Convocation Hall (University of Toronto) - Alfred Hitchcock (1970s); Janis Ian (80); Rufus Wainwright (02)
Cooksville West Hill also see Roxy (1956-1960)
Coq D'Or - Hawk's Nest upstairs - Ronnie Hawkins - 1950s
Coronet Theatre - cinema - 399 Yonge St at Gerrard - played double features (1963-1980) 800 seats known as Savoy at some period - now a Jewellry Exchange
Cort Theatre - see Adelaide Theatre
Cosmopolitan Hotel - new luxury venue at 8 Colborne Street 2005
Courthouse - The decision by the operators of Live@Courthouse to permanently close the 150-seat, Adelaide St. E. venue as a jazz club means local scene is once again without large capacity room
Courtney Park 16 (AMC) - 110 Courtney Park E. at Hurontario
Creation 2 (1969-1977) - theatre company
Credit Port Credit 395 seats (1974-1975)
Crescent 2265 Dundas St. West (West Toronto Junction) (1932-1945)
Crest Theatre - Mount Pleasant Road and Eglinton Avenue see also Belsize Cinema 1922 a former vaudeville house then movie theatre built in 1927 (822 seats) - refurbished and established in 1953 by Donald and Murray Davis, and their sister Barbara Chilcott, further renovations in 1958 and 1963 - they mounted more than 150 productions, some original, presented works by Malcolm Black, Leo Ciceri, Robertson Davies, Marcel Dubι, Bruno Gerussi, Amelia Hall, Martha Henry, John Hirsch, Charmion King, Tom Kneebone, Mavor Moore, Barry Morse, Kate Reid, Bernard Slade, Herbert Whittaker, and among many others, such directors as Malcolm Black, Douglas Campbell, Marigold Charlesworth, Robert Gill, John Hirsch, Allan Lund, Leon Major, Mavor Moore, Barry Morse, Kurt Reis, Jean Roberts, Herbert Whittaker, and gave work to many Canadian performing artists (Jackie Burroughs, Barbara Chilcott, Donald and Murray Davis, Jack Duffy, Amelia Hall, Barbara Hamilton, Martha Henry, Frances Hyland, Charmion King, Marilyn Lightstone, Richard Monette, Kate Reid), many of whom went on to international fame theatre was closed in 1966 basically due to refusal of Canada Council grant - the company produced over 90 plays including Albert R.N.; Antigone 1956; Arms and the Man 1963; Born Yesteday 1963; Caesar and Cleopatra (Frances Hyland) 1964; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Charley's Aunt, Christmas Carol 1963; Come Back Little Sheba 1952; Crest Revue, Deputy 1964; Double Image, Emmanuel XOC, Epitaph for George Dillon, Evelyn 1964 (Tom Kneebone), Four Faces, The Glass Cage 1957, Hay Fever, Hedda Gabler 1966 (final production); Hunting Stuart 1955; Jig for the Gypsy 1954; King Lear 1961; Krapp's Last Tape, Living Room (Frances Hyland) 1954; Marriage Go-Round 1961; The Matchmaker 1959, Me Nobody Knows; The Mousetrap 1958, Mr. Scrooge 1963, Murder in the Cathedral 1954; Othello 1955; Ottawa Man, The Physicists 1965, Poor Bitos, Prisoner 1955; Private Ear and the Public Eye, Pygmalion (Frances Hyland) 1958; The Rainmaker, Richard of Bordeaux 1954; Roots and Roar Like a Dove 1962; Salad Days 1958; Spring Thaw 1961 & 1962; That Hamilton Woman 1963, This is Our First Affair 1959; Thunder Rock (Robert Goulet), Three Sisters 1956; Tiger and the Typist, Tiny Alice 1965, Twelfth Night 1955; Visit to a Small Planet, Witness for the Prosecution; Me Nobody Knows (early 1970s); Little Shop of Horrors 1985 - this and Tarragon are/were probably Toronto's most important and influential theatres
Crest Theatre - room in Performing Arts Lodge - 110 The Esplanade
Criterion Queen Street West
Crown Finch and Weston Road 410 seats (1979-1982)
Crown 591 Gerrard St. East 724 seats (1930-1956)
Crows Theatre - 69 Massey Street
Cry Baby - see Footwork
Crystal Ballroom - see King Edward Hotel
Crystal Palace - 1860 - King Street West - moved to ground of the CNE and used occasionally as concert venue - destoryed by fire in 1906
Cube - 579 Yonge Street - performance venue - closed April 2005 after operation of just one year
CUM-BACK see Adelphi
Cumberland 4 Cinemas (AA) - (see also Alliance Atlantis) - 159 Cumberland Street at Avenue Road - 1980
*Curtain Call Players - Fairview Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall Drive (Don Mills and Sheppard Avenue East)
Curtain Club Theatre - 400 Newkirk, Richmond Hill
Da Da Kamara - 401 Richmond Street West, Suite 363
Dancap Productions - newest entry in theatre game as of 2007-2008 season - using various venues, Elgin, Winter Garden, and Toronto Centre for the Arts for subscription season of Broadway musical fare, eventually planning on producing musicals and plays here, like the days of Livevent
Dance Cave - 529 Bloor St West - nightclub
Dancemakers Studio - 927 Dupont Street\
Danforth see Music Hall
Danforth 147 Danforth at Pape had theatre organ - 1946 see Century, Odeon Danforth (1330 seats)
Danforth Mennonite Church - 2174 Danforth Avenue
*Danforth Music Hall - see Music Hall
*Danny Grossman Dance Company - 1975 - Parliament Street - season held at Harbourfront
Darrell Kent Cultural Centre - 454 Parliament Street
Dave and Busters - 120 Interchange Way
Deering Theatre - 1842 - Front Street (Berczy Park) - financial problems and converted into restaurant
Dell Tavern - demolished - cabaret type entertainment - Hollywood Blues, Noel Coward Revue
Deutsches Theatre of Toronto
Direct Energy Centre - new name for Exhibition Place's National Trade Centre
Distillery District - Historic district (circa 1832) (spanning Mill Street to the Gardiner Expressway and Parliament Street to Cherry Street), formerly the Gooderham and Worts distillery complex of 44 buildings with a mix of artists spaces, retail outlets and residences - four theatre complex (from 80 to 400 seats) to be called the Young Centre for the Performing Arts - opening Fall/Winter 2005 housing Soulpepper Theatre Company (beginning Dec/05) and George Brown Theatre School (beginning Sept/05), as well as classrooms and administrative offices, 250 seat theatre will be the Michael Young Theatre (see also Young Centre for the Performing Arts); also site for Distillery Jazz Festival featuring 7 stages - The Glenlivet Cabaret in the Stone Distillery Building - largest of the indoor venues; The Chivas Regal Grand Stage - under the big top; The Pure Spirits Patio - dining, entertaining under the stars; Gibsone-Jessop Gallery - intimate art gallery with piano recitals; Tank House Nine - large ensembles; Tapestry/Nightwood Studio - studio performance space - located on 3rd floor of the Cannery; Dancemakers Studio - located on 3rd floor of the Cannery;;
Dixie 5 Dundas at Dixie 383 seats (1972-1984)
DK Productions - 30 Gloucester Street, Suite 309
*Dominion Club - 1 King St West - new private club open to members only
Dominion Drama Festival (1932-1978)- adjudicated festival held in various regions for high school and college productions 1970 renamed Theatre Canada, but discontinued in 1978
Donlands 397 Donlands Ave 838 seats (1949-1969) still there but in use as Pie in the Sky Studios
Don Mills - see Odeon Don Mills Don Mills Centre 857 seats (1963-1988)
Doric Theatre 1094 Bloor St. West and Gladstone 527 seats (1919-1955)
Doris Theatre
Dovercourt Church in the Great Hall Dovercourt
Downtown 285 Yonge Street 1059 seats (1948-1972)
Doyle's Tavern - King and Simcoe Streets - habited by actors
Drake Hotel cabaret type venue 1150 Queen Street West, near Gladstone Hotel
DramaWay - six year old as of 2005 performing in various venues - schools, camps, community centres, churches and corporations
Dream - 205 Richmond St. West - to be housed in space that was NYC Dance Boutique, previously Red Square and before that was Coloured Stone
Dream in High Park sponsored by Canstage as of 2004 the 22nd Anniversary
Duchess Dundas Street West see Centre
Duke of York Hotel - Queen Street at Leslie built 1868 as an Inn currently bachelor apartments
*DuMaurier Theatre Centre - 231 Queens Quay West 400 seats 0 changed to Harbourfront Centre Theatre see also Harbourfront Centre
*DuMaurier World Stage Festival - founded 1986 - held at Harbourfront and other theatres
Dundas see Brock
D.V. Theatre Company - Latvian company - active for over 30 years
DVXT Theatre - uses various theatres i.e. Canadian Stage, Buddies in Bad Times, DuMaurier World Stage
Earl Grey Players formed 1946
Eastern Theatres Ltd 248 King St. East
Eastminster United Church - 310 Danforth Avenue
East Side Players - Pottery Road
Eastwood 1430 Gerrard St. East, West of Coxwell Beaux Art design 770 seats (1927-1966) became Naz Theatre then India Theatre - now India Centre Mall
Eaton Auditorium - see also Carlu - Eaton's 7th Floor Art Moderne Auditorium and Round Room with domed ceiling, two bars and space for up to 300 persons) designed by Jacques Carlu (Yonge and College Streets) - Art Deco style 1400 seat Art Deco concert hall and restaurant, 1928-31 recital hall in the old Eatons College Street store - Yonge and College Streets - top floor 1275 seats - closed in 1977 when the store closed - Portia White (Nov. 7, 1941); National Ballet of Canada started season here 1951; then transferred to the Royal Alexandra Theatre (they are now in their 50th year); Billie Holiday; Emlyn Williams as Charles Dickens; Joyce Grenfell 1955; Elsa Lanchester; Ages of Man (John Gielgud) 1960; Glenn Gould made his stage debut here in 1945 and did all his recordings here from 1970 to 1981 - even after it closed in 1977 - site is being restored and will reopen with 2 new bars at the rear of the theatre, a new VIP room, vintage phone booths - hopefully reopening in the Fall of 2002 under the working name of the "Carlu" (named after the architect)
Eaton Centre Cineplex Dundas St. West of Yonge St 18 cinemas (1979-2001)- 1600 seats - Garth Drabinsky & Nathan Taylor's baby - formed 1979 - most screens in the world at the time - by 1981 Cineplex had opened and planned 146 screens in 46 locations across Canada - moved into U.S. with Beverley Center Mall in Los Angeles in 1982 - most screens of any theatre in U.S. at that time
Eaton Theatre - see Rogers Communication Centre
Eclipse 387 Parliament St, South of Dundas 561 seats (1947-1951) now Regent Park
Eden see Madison, Bloor Cinema and Midtown 947 seats (1973-1979)
Edward Jackman Centre - 947 Queen Street East, 2nd Floor
Eglinton Theatre - 402 Eglinton Avenue West at Avenue Road West - built 1936 Art Deco, with 1,080 seats - vintage, single screen theatre, possibly finest movie house left in Toronto, with THX sound, recently renovated, classic decor make this favorite of discerning movie goers, frequent location for festivals and special screenings - closed April 1, 2002 due to nonincorporation of handicapped facilities to the theatre - being reopened soon (Fall 2003) as the Eglinton Grand, after restoration will be yet another "special events" theatre like the York and Capital
Elgin Theatre - built as Loew's Vaudeville, Yonge Street in 1913-14 - 189 Yonge St. - designed by Thomas Lamb, at a cost of $500,000 (1600 seats) part of the vaudeville circuit - from 1913 to 1928 vaudeville acts and silent films minimum of three continuous shows a day - Webber and Fields, Bill (Bojangles) Robinson, appearing without white face for first time (late 1920s), George Burns and Gracie Allen, Sophie Tucker, Milton Berle and Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy - fire 1928 - 30,000.00 damage showed movies from 1930 - the Elgin later became a cinema renamed Yonge in 1969 and ran until 1982 - in 1985 the both theatres were renovated - opened with Cats (1985 to 1987); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (1992); Napoleon 1994 - cost 40 million dollars, in 1989 - the last remaining operating double decker theatre complex in the world - Winter Garden is 7 stories above the Elgin (see also Winter Garden); The Full Monty 2001 (run cut short re reviews)
El Mocambo - 464 Spadina Avenue (at College) - October 2001 ends the gritty and bristling character of the El Mocambo - which perhaps embodied the spirit of rock 'n' roll. The music of the Rolling Stones and Lou Reed (late 1970s), Elvis Costello (1978); Steve Ray Vaughan (1983); Alex Chilton (1995); Galactic Cowboys (1999); Pepper (2001); Donnas - still echos through this legendary club - although the second floor was not used as often recently, it still showcased a few fine performers, while the downstairs stage operated seven days a week - reopening November 2002 with beautifully restored space ; reopening New Year's Eve 2001 at 549 College Street West
Elmore's Hall - 188 1/2 Lowther Avenue - converted chapel of Walmer Road Baptist Church
Embassy see Astor 651 Yonge Street 1934 see New Yorker, Panasonic
Empire 408 Queen Street East 528 seats (1926-1955)
Empire Theatre - 31 Yonge Street - 1912-1923 (or perhaps built in 1899?)- repertory companies at Temperance Street North of Adelaide off Yonge Street - housed the New Empire Players (1932-1933)(see Temperance Hall) formerly Star Burlesque - torn down
Empire Theatres Ltd - Stellarton, NS - purchased 27 cinemas from Cineplex in Ontario and Western Canada, including Cineplex Odeon Elgin Mills in Richmond Hill, Cineplex Odeon Square One in Mississauga, and Silver City North York in Toronto - Empire is Canada's second largest theatre chain operating 28 theatres in Atlantic Canada and four others under a joint venture in Western Canada - their holdings also include Sobeys supermarket chain - when deal closes Sept 30/05 they will have 59 theatres with 403 screens
Encore Central Parkway - Mississauga
Encore Upper Canada Place - Burlington
ENRIGHTS THEATRES OF TORONTO 1940
Enwave Theatre - 231 Queens Quay West - new 2006 name for Harbourfront Centre Theatre - built in 1926, the Ice House, as it was first known, and its sister building the Power Plant (now an art gallery), provided heating and cooling for North America's largest food warehouse, which is now Queens Quay Terminal - this theatre has hosted over 475 different performance groups
*Equity Showcase Theatre - Performing Space, 651 Dufferin Street - Camino Real, Knuckle, Vieux Carre, Pippin (98), Sunday in the Park With George (00); Into the Woods (01) - cash crisis has forced the closure of Equity Showcase Theatre after 47 years of serving the theatre community (March,2008) - Founded in 1960 by group that included Charmion King, Amelia Hall and Christopher Newton, created to keep actors in the game when performing jobs were hard to come by. Equity Showcase Theatre put on as many as four productions a year of mostly well-known plays
Erindale Studio Theatre - 3359 Mississauga - University of Toronto at Mississauga - see also Theatre Erindale
Erin Mills Town Centre 5 Mississauga (1984-2001) 5 screens
Esquire 2290 Bloor St West at Durie opened as Lyndhurst now a Shoppers Drug Mart
Esquire 408 Queen St. East 512 seats (1937-1955)
Essence - 287 Richmond St West - nightclub
Ettore Mazzoleni Concert Hall - 273 Bloor Street West - see Royal Conservatory of Music
Eve see Capri 717 seats (1972-1986)
Evergreen Commons - proposed site replacing old Don Valley brickworks (16 buildings from the 1950s to 1980s)- to be commercial garden centre, food, arts complex, winter skating, Jamie Kennedy restaurant at a cost of 40 million - opening Spring 2007
Eves Paradise Bloor and Bathurst (1986-1990) porno house
Exhibition Place - city-owned selling rights to National Trade Centre - to be known as Direct Energy Centre - also new soccer stadium to be built in deal with owners of Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors - 20,000 seats for professional soccer team and recreational programmes - to be completed by June 2007 - located east of Queen Elizabeth building
Exhibition Stadium - demolished 1999 - formerly home of Canadian National Exhibition spectacular grandstand shows - produced annually during the Exhibition - mid August to Labour Day, with featured performers i.e. Jimmy Durante, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Midge Arthur's Canadettes,Howard Cable and his orchestra, Alan and Blanche Lund, Ed Sullivan, Marilyn Bell, Olson and Johnson, Bob Hope, Danny Kaye - new 20,000 seat stadium being built to open May 1, 2007 - buildings are being flattened for the new stadium - see BMO Field
Fabrik - 134 Peter St - nightclub
*Factory Lab Theatre (formerly Factory Theatre Lab)and Studio - 125 Bathurst Street & Adelaide theatre - celebrating their 36th Anniversary in 2006 - founded in 1970 by Ken Gass in former candle factory at 374 Dupont Street (100 seats) opened with Act of Violence and We Three, You and I 1970 - now Factory Theatre - bought its theatre in March 1999 Creeps 1970; Brussels Sprouts 1971; Strawberry Fields 1972;Winter Offensive moved to Adelaide Court Theatre until 1982 and in 1984 moved to its present location, with 230 seats; Factory Late Shift late 1980s (Brent Carver) - now in its 29th season
Fairlawn, Odeon Fairlawn 3320 Yonge St. at Fairlawn 1165 seats twinned in 1977 (1946-1985) demolished - now a bank, which is completely different structure
*Fairview Library Theatre - also home to Amicus Productions - 35 Fairview Mall - 260 seats - now in its 26th year
Fairview Mall Don Mills Road and Sheppard 6 screens (1969-2001)- see Rainbow Cinema 6 taken over by Rainbow 2002
Family 2173 Queen St. East at Lee 1914 renamed the Lake now a Royal Bank
*(Google)Famous People Players - 110 Sudbury Street 2004 will be their 30th season - dinner theatre - founded 1974
Famous Players Theatre (to be named) - Famous Players will replace the Loew's Uptown with a 10 screen state-of-the-art movie centre across the street as part of a condo plus retail complex at 1 Bloor Street East
Famous Players Theatres - stable includes Colossus, Famous Players, Paramount and Silver City Theatres - Canadas top grossing theatrical exhibitor - company operates a total of 81 locations with 787 screens across the country, including theatres in its joint venture with IMAX and its partnership with Alliance Atlantis
Far East Dundas Street West 647 seats (1989-1999)
*Feast of Fools Theatre - see Village Playhouse, 2190 Bloor Street West
Festival (1964-1965)
Festival 651 Yonge Street - 516 seats (1978-1982) see New Yorker
see Bell Festival Centre - King and John Streets - proposed site for screenings, exhibits, and workshops and new home for Toronto International Film Festival - five-storey podium-style $122-million Festival Centre will be part of a complex in the Entertainment District - building will include a 41-storey tower. The festival will occupy the lower five floors with 36 levels of condo units above it - centre will include four screening rooms and a large exhibition space, as well as office space for festival staff and housing the festival's reference library - scheduled opening 2008
Filmport - studio complex being built in Portlands, just east of Cherry St, near waterfront - one of largest sound stages in world, in addition to shops and restaurants, effects and costume companies - phase 1 scheduled to open March 2008
Finch 3 Finch and Dufferin (1976-1999)
Fine Arts 622 seats (1977-1984)
Finnish Social Club 1932 at Community Hall in Scarborough
Firehall Theatre/Old Firehall Theatre - 110 Lombard Street - 1886 constructed as firehall - 1974 became home to Second City for 24 years (Dan Ackroyd,Gilda Radner,Andrea Martin,John Candy,Eugene Levy,Martin Short), until 1997 when they moved to Blue Jays Way - no longer in use - Lemon Sky, Old Times, Sea Horse, Shelter, Unexpected Guest - now rennovated as branch of Gilda's Club (Gilda Radner)
First Canadian Place - Waterfall Stage - small stage area near HMV store, towards Sheraton Centre - Paul Potts 2007;
First Markham Place (C) 3275 Hwy 7 E. between Woodbine and Warden 10 screens - 1998
Fishbowl Theatre - uses other theatres i.e. Alumnae Theatre, Toronto Fringe Festival, and collaborates with Company of Lost Souls
5ive - 5 St. Joseph St - nightclub
5 Drive-In Oakville (I) - 2332 9th Line at Hwy 5
519 Church St - a century ago an annex of Granite Club - later 48th Highlanders Hall - Jim Carey did comedy in basement - 1976 it was home to Yuk Yuks before they moved to Bay Street - used to be bowling alley in basement
Fly - 8 Gloucester - nightclub
Footwork - 425 Adelaide Street West - previously Crybaby, and before that Matrixx - club venue
*Ford Centre for the Performing Arts (now Toronto Centre for the Arts) - 5040 Yonge Street, North York - was the home of Livent Productions (founded in 1989 - opened 1993) - (Main Hall 1780 seats - George Weston Recital Hall 1030 seats, Studio Theatre 200 seats), in Vancouver the new Ford Centre for the Performing Arts (1,849 seats) plus the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts in New York (1,839 seats) - *Ragtime (530), Showboat, Fosse: A Celebration in Song, Sunset Boulevard (977); Swingstep 1999- changed to North York Performing Arts Centre after bankruptcy - My Fair Lady 2008; Jersey Boys 2008;
Fort Rouille - on the grounds of the CNE - 1720 first European theatrical performance in region
Forum 678 Mt. Pleasant Road (1948-1949)
Forum - open concert hall at Ontario Place - Ella Fitzgerald (75); Jane Oliver - see Molson Amphitheatre at Ontario Place
401 & Morningside (C) 785 Milner Avenue, Scarborough 1997 11 cinemas
410/7 Centre 150 West Drive (1990-2001)
Four Seasons Centre for the Arts - see Opera House - new five tiered horseshoe shaped theatre being built to house the Canadian Opera Company and National Ballet of Canada - three storey glass building with 2000 seats; R. Fraser Elliott Hall - opening June, 2006 (only such facility dedicated to opera in Canada)
Fox Cinema (Festival) - 2236 Queen St. East 546 seats - 1913 opened as the Theatre Without a Name also named Pastime, and Prince Edward before becoming the Fox now a repertory cinema with 250 seats - probably will be shut down - getting new lease on life from Napoleonic Theatres Ltd - to be refurbished 2007 reopening Sept 29/07 - official launch Oct 1/07
Fox Weston see Weston
Franks Hotel - (West Market Street) now Front Street at Jarvis - 1820 - first theatrical performance in York of local actors - took place in Ballroom on 2nd floor, The School For Scandal put on by local actors, Little Pickles, and in 1825 the earliest known opera performance "The Mountaineers" (1925)- now Dominion store
Frog and Nightgown Theatre - 93 Raglan Avenue
Funhaus - 526 Queen West - nightclub
Galli Theatre - 96 Spadina Avenue, Ste. 202
Garden 290 College St, West of Spadina 526 seats (1937-1965) now a computer outlet and Exclusive Paints
Garden Centre Theatre see Prudhomme
Garret Theatre (1967-1970) - small intimate theatre - 35 seats - no longer in use - Incident in Rosedale, Stranger Unto My Brethren - used by playwright John Herbert (Fortune and Men's Eyes) to present his works
Gasworks former Yonge Street tavern with entertainment
Gate 403 403 Roncesvalles local jazz club
Gateway 6 Gateway Blvd, Brampton 6 plex (1988-2001)
Gatsby's - 504 Church Street at Alexander - cabaret performances with dinner, restaurant closed but reopening in 2002
Gay 309 Parliament and Dundas Streets 512 seats (1954-1964) see Blue Bell
Gayety Theatre - (1909-1927) a burlesque house
Gem (1955-1957)
George Brown Theatre - 530 King St. East - Angels in America Pt I (03)
*George Ignatieff Theatre - 15 Devonshire Place (180 seats)
George's Spaghetti House - jazz club - closed 1992
(Le)Germain Hotel - Mercer Street
Gerrard 1908 Gerrard St. East at Woodbine 768 seats (1927-1953)
Gladstone Hotel cabaret type venue - 1214 Queen St. West near Dufferin restored and reopened 2005 as series of artists studios one of Torontos hotspots 116 years old in 2005
Glendale Avenue Road, above Lawrence (1947-1975) 995 seats and Cinerama screen i.e. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Battle of the Bulge now a car dealership
Glen Morris Studio Theatre - 4 Glen Morris (90 seats)- (just East of Spadina Avenue) - built 1916 and once a Russian Greek Orthodox Church - has been home of the Graduate Centre for the Study of Drama since 1968
Global Theatre - Beginning November 24/03, The Mike Bullard Show will be seen five nights a week at midnight on the Global Television Network. The show will be taped nightly, in front of a studio audience, at the new Global Theatre at 98 The Esplanade in Toronto, in what was formerly the News Theatre - Bullard Show cancelled as of March 12/04; new host Jebb Fink as of June 2004 space available for lease again July 2004
Global Village (1969-1975) - 17 St. Nicholas Street - theatre ran by Robert and Elizabeth Swerdlow, managed by Roy Fleming - Facad 1969 Toronto's first full-length drag queen variety show(transferred to run at Royal Alexandra Theatre), Eyes, Fables, Hey Justine, Jubalay, Justine 1970 (ran off Broadway as Love Me,Love My Children for 7 months, Nuts and Bolts and Rusty Things, Outcry, Peter and the Wolf, Rats, Spring Thaw, The Truth Behind the Dykes, Tubstrip; Paul Van Vliet - theatre presently being used for skateboarding
Globe -Queen Street, West of Yonge - 1880s to 1930s - Burns and Allen; Tommy Burns and his Big Bathing Girl Revue (from Showcard) - see Broadway - replaced with Four Seasons Hotel complex when new City Hall built in 1957
Golden Classics 706 seats (1994-1995) Chinese films
Golden Dragon 498 seats (1984-1985) Chinese films
Golden Harvest - see Standard, Victory
Golden Horseshoe Players - 3809, 44 Charles Street West
Golden Mile Eglinton and Pharmacy 995 seats - 2 cinemas (1954-1986)
Golden Princess 1985 renamed Royal in 1995 736 seats Chinese films
Graffiti's - 170 Baldwin Street
Granada 415 Danforth Avenue at Logan 500 seats across street from the Model (1935-1960) now restaurant
Grand see Allenby (1909-1925)
Grand Danforth opened and closed in 1999 see Roxy
Grand at Orion Gate 410 and Steeles, Brampton 1999 10 screens
Grande at the Sheppard Centre (C) 1998 10 screens Hwy 410 & Steeles
Grande Yonge (C) - 4962 Yonge Street
Grand Opera House -(1874-1927) 11 Adelaide St West, South side, just West of Yonge St. 2,196 seats - lavish interior opened with School For Scandal 1874 (Nickinsons Stock Company (1874-78) - Tony Pastor 1875 - destroyed by fire in 1879, new one reopened in 1880, with 1300 seats - gas lighting - by 1905had declined to 2nd class status - redesigned by Thomas Lamb in 1916 and reopened as the Regent - Abie's Irish Rose 1916; Maurice Barrymore, Sir Henry Irving, Sarah Bernhaardt 1881, Giuseppe Del Puente, Antonio Galassi - School For Scandal - torn down in 1927 after being empty several years, and many fires - only hint is the laneway running off Adelaide Street which bears its name
Grant 522 Oakwood Avenue at Vaughan Road 672 seats (1929-1956) renovated and reopened as the New Grant
Grasshopper Bar 460 Parliament Street local jazz club
Great Hall - 1087 Queen St. West see also The Great Hall
Greenwood see Guild
Grossmans Tavern Spadina Avenue entertainment spot of the 1960s
Grove (1944-1945)
Grover 2714 Danforth Avenue near Dawes Road 794 seats (1927-1956) closed in the late 1950s then became a nightclub, Spectrum and Thunder and today is a homeless shelter, Cyclepath
Guild 1275 Gerrard St. East at Greenwood opened as the Greenwood 435 seats (1940-1951) now retail store
Guild Inn Gardens - 201 Guildwood Parkway
Guvernment/Kool Haus cabaret type venue 132 Queens Quay East
Harborfront 198 seats - 1984
*Harbourfront Centre - York Quay Centre - houses the du Maurier World Stage Festival - 235 Queen's Quay West - founded in 1986 - 231 Queens Quay West - du Maurier Theatre Centre (400 seats); Premiere Dance Theatre - (400 seats) - 207 Queen's Quay West
Harbourfront Centre Theatre - 231 Queen's Quay West - formerly the DuMaurier Theatre Centre 400 seats - Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God (04)- name being changed Dec 2006 to Enwave Theatre
Harbourfront Studio Theatre - 235 Queen's Quay - see Harbourfront Centre
Hard Rock Cafe - 279 Yonge Street
Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company - starting March 2008, 2 play season including Rose (Martin Sherman), starring Lally Cadeau; and Sisters Rosensweig; also considering in concert versions of The Rothchilds, and Milk and Honey
*Hart House Theatre - (University of Toronto) - 7 Hart House Circle (500 seats) - began in 1913 and finished in 1919 first season The Queens Enemies; The Farce of Master Pierre; Patelin; Alchemist; The Nativity and the Adoration; Trojan Women; New Sin and Loves Labours Lost - (actors passed through includes Donald Sutherland, Charmion King, William Hutt, Kate Reid and Donald Harron) Town Tonics 1934; America Hurrah,Arsenic and Old Lace (1444); Saint Joan (Charmion King) 1947; , Caste, Changeling, Children of Darkness, Clap Hands, Dark of the Moon, Devils, Emperor, Emperor Jones, Endgame, Fan, 15 Miles of Broken Glass, Ghosts, John Gabriel Borkman, Mame, Man's a Man, Maquettes, Mourning Becomes Electra (69), Next Time I'll Sing To You, Promise, Salad Days 1956 (Eric Christmas,Jack Creley,Norma Renault,Mary Savidge - transferred to Royal Alex); Saved, Sweet Bird of Youth, Tango, Temps des Lilas, Touch of the Poet, La Turista, Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd; West Side Story (01) - talk currently (April, 2000) of tearing the theatre down. This, despite its reputation as a Canadian Theatre Shrine - fortunately the theatre continues to operate
Healeys cabaret type venue 178 Bathurst Street
*Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse - 79A St. George St. (seats 115)
Heliconian Hall - 35 Hazelton Avenue
*Herongate Barn Theatre - Whitevale, Ontario
High Park Amphitheatre - over 20 years of outdoor theatre - see Canstage
Hillcrest 285 Christie Street 428 seats (1943-1952)
Hillcrest 9350 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill 5 screens (1980-1998)
Hippodrome City Hall Square (1924-1925) - 3,665 seats - Bay Street - site of new City Hall - see Sheas
His Majestys Feast started 1978
Hollywood Cinema (North and South) 1519 Yonge Street above St. Clair Avenue duplexed (1930-2000) 1709 seats - now closed
Hollywood Theatre at Sick Kids - opened May 2007 - over 230 seats
Holman Opera House - 1883 now site of Paramount cinema at John and Richmond Streets which also doubled as skating rink
Home Depot Theatre - opening June 2004 at Ashbridges Bay Park - 500 seats, all weather facility - Romeo and Juliet 2004 - failed endeavour - currently for sale April 2007
Honestman Productions - 205 Vaughan Road, Suite 35 - South
Horseshoe Tavern 370 Queen Street West @ Spadina Avenue 60th Anniverary year (1947-2007) - built 1861 as blacksmith shop - 1947 becomes Horseshoe - sometimes used for cabaret - From its post-war origins as a honky-tonk hosting the likes of Willie Nelson, Conway Twittie, Charlie Pride, Waylon Jennings and Loretta Lynn, through its Canadiana years as Stompin Tom Connors (25 consecutive nights) stomping ground in the late 1960s, 1971, Carter Family, Bruce Cockburn, Ian & Sylvia, Good Brothers, Hank Williams: the Show He Never Gave 1977, name changed to Stagger Lee's and is even turned into strip club for a couple of months and then to its punk glory days a decade later, to its ascendancy as the birthplace of Canadas new rock heroes (The Tragically Hip, Watchmen, The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Rough Trade, Prairie Oyster, B-52's, Moxy Frόvous, Barenaked Ladies) in the 80s and 90s, and since then as a showcase for an astonishing array of diverse emerging talent from across Canada and around the world - In 1997 we started booking really pink stuff, like Blue Rodeo, Nickelback, Billy Talent, the Tragically Hip (late 1980s), Barenaked Ladies, Foo Fighters, Rolling Stones (1997), Police, the Band, Ramones, Arcade Fire, Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd, Matchbox 20, Vic Chestnutt, Goldfinger, Therapy, Ash, Nada Surf, Spoon, Kathleen Edwards, Thrush Hermit, Strokes
Horticultural Pavillion in Allan Gardens - used for occasional concert
House of Hambourg - Toronto jazz club -extinct - The Connection
Hudson 675 Mt. Pleasant Rd Mt. Pleasant Theatre (1928-1948)
Hughs Room cabaret type venue 2261 Dundas Street West
Humber 2442 Bloor St. West and Jane Streets 1946 1203 seats - 2 cinemas still operating at Cineplex multi-screen - last film shown July 20/03 and now has a for sale sign Odeon Humber
Humber Studio Theatre - Kipling, South of Lakeshore Blvd.
*Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts - 1 Front Street East - opened in 1960 as the O'Keefe Centre (3,150 seats) home to Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada (50th Anniversary Year)(O'Keefe/Hummingbird from 1964 to 2006) - Name changed to Hummingbird Nov. 30, 1996 - Theatre has become a white elephant, talk of renovation and building a condo at the west side of the theatre (2000) - Beauty and the Beast (01); Copacabana (00); Burn the Floor (01); Mandy Patinkin (01); Blast (02); Last Empress (04); Bombay Dreams (06); - April 15/06, the Canadian Opera Company brings down the curtain for the last time after 45 years at the Hummingbird (formerly O'Keefe) Centre - opera company moved there in 1961 to 2006 - also National Ballet moving to new Four Seasons Centre for the Arts in Sept/06 theatre to be closed for 2 years as of August 2007 after revival of Camelot - 2007 to be renamed Sony Centre for the Arts
Hungarian Art Theatre formed 1958
Hush - 457 Richmond St West - nightclub
Hyland Theatre 1501 Yonge Street above St. Clair 1357 seats - (1948-2001) - see Odeon Hyland
Ideal 210 Main St. at Gerrard 480 seats (1941-1952)
IMAX - Ontario Place
IMAX - Ontario Science Centre
Imperial built as Pantages - became Imperial 1930, Imperial 6 in 1973 - closed 1986 - became single screen Pantages 1987 - closed August 1988 to films but continues as live theatre venue, first as Pantages then as Canon - 263 Yonge Street at Dundas (1920-1988) - featured Jack Arthur's Imperialettes 3206 seats
Imperial (Oils) Players Guild
Imperial Room - see Royal York Hotel
Imperial Six see Pantages
Indian Theatre 1430 Gerrald near Coxwell 1998 films in Tamil
Inn on the Park - Eglinton and Don Mills - built 1963 - emolished May 2006 for car dealership
Interchange 30 (AMC) - 1975 30 Interchange Way, Hwy 400 & Hwy 7
International Cinema built as Oriole 557 seats - an art cinema on 2061 Yonge Street above Davisville and below Eglinton Avenue (1946-1987)
Iola Theatre
Island Centre Island 705 seats (1949-1955)
Jabberwock & Sons Full Theatre Company - 1980
Jane Mallett Theatre - see St. Lawrence Centre
Jeff Healey's Roadhouse - 56 Blue Jays Way
Jiri Schuberts former Toronto cabaret on Pears Avenue
Joe - 250 Richmond St West - nightclub
John Bassett Theatre - metro toronto convention centre - 255 Front Street West - 1330 seat multi-purpose auditorium
Joker - 318 Richmond St West - nightclub
Joseph G. Green Studio Theatre - see York University
Joseph Workman Theatre - 1001 Queen St. West - (in Queen Street Mental Facility) - to be demolished in near future
Joy 1130 Queen St. East near Jones 380 seats, built as the Rex (1943-1953) now a restaurant The Indian Maharaja
Jupiter Theatre 1951 group of CBC radio actors i.e. Lorne Greene used the Museum Theatre of the Royal Ontario Museum, as well as the Ryerson, and Royal Alexander theatres 41 performances of 4 plays in Museum Theatre Galileo; Biggest Thief in Town; Socrates; Crime Passionel - company disbanded
Kaneff Centre - see University of Toronto at Mississauga - 3359 Mississauga Road
Kays Puppets
Keating's Coffee House - Church and Front Streets - site of York's 3rd theatre - 1833 - barnlike structure with stable in back, in this stable York's 3rd theatre was born - no gallery - seats arranged on ground floor for 200 to 300 people - comedy team Mr. & Mrs. Thorne
Kennedy Commons 20 (AMC) - Kennedy Rd & 401
Kensington 565 College St at Bathurst 524 seats see King (1972-1975)
Kensington Karnival - 96 Spadina Ave., Suite 705
Kensington Youth Theatre - 466 Bathurst Street
Kent Theatre - located on 1488A Yonge Street, just above St. Clair 520 seats (1942-1963) demolished
Kenwood 962 Bloor St West near Dovercourt 599 seats (1930-1957) now Emin Centre
Kew Beach United Church Auditorium - 140 Wineva
King 565 College St and Manning renamed from King 2 (1934-1951) - became the Studio - closed 1970
King Edward Hotel - by 1925 featuring jazz orchestras like Romanelli and his celebrated King Edward Hotel Radio Suncopaters - Crystal Ballroom opened in 1922 on top of the new addition - closed to the public a few years ago but can still be visited on the annual Doors Open weekend
King Lung 496 seats (1984-1985) - Chinese films
Kings Playhouse 1082 Queen St. West see Avon (1941-1942)
Kingsway Theatre (Festival) - 3030 Bloor Street West, west of Royal York Road 1936 697 seats - repertory cinema - closing end of June 2006
Kingswood 922 Kingston Road (1929-1938)
*Kingswood Music Theatre - see Paramount Canada's Wonderland (16,000 seats) - Bette Midler (83), Johnny Mathis (83)
Kitchener see Paradise
Knights of the Masonic Temple - see Russell's Hotel
Koffler Centre of the Arts - Koffler Gallery/Koffler Centre of the Arts is located at the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre, 4588 Bathurst Street - see also Leah Posluns Theatre - 250M Jewish centre on the way called Sherman Campus to be completed 2011 to house centre for Jewish Heritage, rebuilt Koffler Centre for the Arts, 500 seat Leah Posluns Theatre, and 6,500 square metre athlectic and social centre
Krishna 423 seats (1979-1980)
Kum-C 1288 Queen St. W., West of Dufferin 596 seats (1933-1964) now martial arts studio
Labyrinth Lounge
*La Cage - 279 Yonge Street - second floor-now closed
Lake see Family 2173 Queen St. East 531 seats (1948-1953)
Lakeshore 1474 Queen St. West renamed from Odeon (1965-1980)
Lakeview Drive-In (I) - 11 Polson
Landsdowne 683 Lansdowne Ave at Bloor St 904 seats - built as Park and in 1937 became the Lansdowne home of Ken Soble Amateur Hour (1936-1958)now retail stores
La Plaza - 1930s 735 Queen St. East, E. of Broadview 787 seats (1931-1958) known as Acropolis in late 1950s Mama Let Me Sing; 1962 became Dundas and in 1965 Cinema Ellas - now the Opera House
La Reta Pape and Downsview (1937-1938)
La-Salle 526 Dundas St. West 681 seats (1947-1955)
*Leah Posluns Theatre (founded 1977- ) - part of a huge Jewish Centre on 4588 North Bathurst Street - Minnie's Boys 1979 - see also Koffler Centre
Le Coq dOr former Yonge Street tavern with entertainment
Lee's Palace cabaret type venue - 529 Bloor Street West
Leigha Lee Browne Theatre - 1265 Military Trail
Lester B. Pearson Theatre - 150 Central Park, Brampton
LeTHAL (Le Theatre de L'Homme Actors Laboratorium) - 9 Inkerman Street, Unit 3
Liberty Grand - Entertainment Complex - 25 British Columbia Rd., Exhibition Grounds
Lido 698 seats - 1974
*Limelight Dinner Theatre - 2026 Yonge Street - opened in 1979 in a church on Yonge Street and still running today in a different location Curtains Up; Mame (1508)
Little Yonge Street Arcade
*Living Arts Centre , 4141 Living Arts Centre Drive, Mississauga - houses the Hammerson Hall (1,315 seats), Royal Bank Theatre (300 seats), and the Rogers Theatre (100 seats)
Little Red Theatre - touring childrens theatre
Live@Courthouse - 57 Adelaide St. E., 2nd & 3rd floors, 150 seats - opens March 2007
Loews see Loews Uptown
Loew's Uptown - opened 1920 - 3000 seats - 764 Yonge Street at Bloor Street the dance choreographer was Leon Leonidoff, who along with partner Jack Arthur, created a chorus line with showgirls of the same height forming a precision number, and Leonidoff wound up at Radio City Music Hall where he created The Rockettes - theatre gutted by fire in late 1960s and in 1970 the theatre was divided into 5 auditoriums, the main theatre with 900 seats with 2 backstage cinemas I and II added (31 Balmuto Avenue at Bloor Street in rear of the theatre)- closed and the Uptown is slated to be closed on September 13, 2003 following screening of the 28th Annual Toronto International Film Festival, due to nonincorporation of handicapped facilities to the theatres building has been sold to a developer for 50 storey condo tower Famous Players will replace the Uptown with a 10 screen state-of-the-art movie centre across the street as part of a condo plus retail complex at 1 Bloor Street East theatres (Uptown, Backstage I and II) demolished late 2003
Loew's Yonge Street 189 Yonge Street above Queen (2096 seats) 1913 - atmospheric style - provided venues for large-scale foreign touring companies - last vaudeville played here in 1930 - and for next 48 years survived as film theatre - see Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres, also Yonge Theatre
Loew's Vaudeville Theatre - see Elgin Theatre
Loew's Yonge Street - see Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres
Loft - 235 Queens Quay West
Loft 18 + Adult Cinema - beside AOV Video - south of Gerrard on E side of Yonge
Long Shong 2 4350 Steeles Ave East (1998-2001) Chinese films
Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People - see Young Peoples Theatre 2006 is 40th Anniversary season
Lot 332 - 332 Richmond St West - nightclub
Lotus Nightc lub - 26 Lombard Street
Loud Mouth Asian Babes - dedicated to the development and production of new Canadian works by, for and about Loud Mouth Asian women who may or may not be Babes, Loud Mouth Asian Babes who may or may not be women, and Loud Mouth Babes that we really dig - Theatre Centre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto Fringe
Lucid - 126 John Street - large 53,000 square feet nightclub - opened summer 2004 - closed doors July 2005
Lula Lounge cabaret type venue 1585 Dundas Street West
Lux Theatre 743 seats became burlesque house
LyceumTheatre (ran 1846-1847) located near the Royal Alexandra Theatre - seated 1,149 former stable had resident company led by John Nickinson with 34 member company seventy pieces staged over 31 nights - changed to film house in 1930 - demolished
Lyndhurst see Esquire Bloor ST. near Runnymede (1927-1937)
Lyric Theatre - Yiddish theatre built in a converted Methodist church - later became the National
QUICK GUIDE - A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z
*MacMillan Theatre -80 Queen's Park - University of Toronto
Madison 506 Bloor St West (1919-1939) - see Bloor Cinema, Midtown, Eden, Capri and Eve
Madison North York (1939-1940)
Madison 5 4950 Yonge St. near Sheppard 5 screens (1986-1998)
Majestic - (1903-1930) - 1175 seats - vaudeville house at 27 Adelaide Street West, just West of Grand Opera House - assumed location of Toronto Opera House which burned down 1903 - later renamed the Regent converted to film house - provided venues for large-scale foreign touring companies - torn down
Majestic Music Hall built as a vaudeville theatre (1909-1915)
Major Theatre 435 Rogers Road 663 seats (1927-1955)
Major Theatre 1780 St. Clair Ave West (1927-1955) Cinema Italia - now a church
Malton Mississauga 312 seats (1979-1982)
Manor 202 Kingston Road (1938-1940)
Mansion House - 1825 - north side of King Street, just east of Sherbourne Street, performance by a travelling American company with an evening of song - Richard III 1826
Maple Leaf Queen Street West
*Maple Leaf Gardens - 60 Carlton Street - (at Church Street) - (15,700 seats) - opened in 1931 Maple Leaf Gardens, legendary home to the Toronto Maple Leafs who captured 11 Stanley Cup Championships here - it was home to legends Charlie Conacher and Dave Keon - the hockey arena stretched some 350 feet along Carlton and Wood Streets, and 300 feet on Church Street - also housed the Hot Stove Lounge - architects Ross and Macdonald who were responsible for Eaton's College Street, Union Station, Royal York Hotel and a former bank building at the northeast corner of King and Yonge - The Gardens are now abandoned for the new Air Canada Centre - also house circuses, ice shows, rock concerts - even ballet - Royal Ballet; Mazowsze; Moiseyev; Royal Danish Ballet; Bolshoi Ballet; Robert Iglesias; Ballet Espagnol and opera like the Metropolitan Opera before the O'Keefe Centre/Hummingbird Centre was built - artists like Neil Young 1973; Bob Dylan, the Moscow Circus (77), Victor Borge's Comedy in Music; Elvis Presley 1957; Beatles 1964; Little Richard; John Denver; Neil Diamond (76-78)currently the site is on the market and the decision should be made by around July - hopefully the facade can be saved - The Gardens is to become a Loblaws Super Store, complete with gym, etc. as of decision June/04 - opening September 2007
Maple Leaf Square - $350 million public square adjacent to Air Canada Centre - to be completed 2009 - will include two condo towers (40 and 44 storeys), restaurants and a 2,000 seat concert venue, broadcast studio, retail complex and a 171 room hotel
Market Square 6 Cinema - 80 Front Street East (6 cinemas - Odeon Cineplex) (1983-2001) - now closed but planned reopening June 20/03 as the Rainbow Cinema playing 6 firstrun films
Markham Theatre - Town Centre
Markville Hwy 7 and McCowan 6 screens (1982-2000)
Marquee Event Theatre - 280 Coxwell Ave at Gerrard St
Mary Pickford Theatre - (1916-1947) Northwest corner of Queen and Spadina see the Pickford, and also Auditorium, Avenue, Variety
Masonic Hall - built for a secret society in 1918, one of Canada's most legendary music venues, The Masonic Temple has hosted concerts by Frank Sinatra, R.E.M, David Bowie, The Pogues, Ike and Tina Turner, Led Zeppelin, The Ramones, The Tragically Hip and Public Enemy; it was recently used as a rehearsal space for The Rolling Stones. The concert hall itself is now the set for MTV's flagship show, MTV Live
*Massey Hall - 178 Victoria Street - started building in 1889 in honour of Charles Massey and opened in 1894 as Massey Music Hall with a performance of Handel"s Messiah - later called Massey Hall - acts from the Great Enrico Caruso 1920, Nellie Melba, Jeanette Macdonald, Eleanor Roosevelt to wrestling - (2765 seats) - replaced by the new Roy Thompson Hall, but still used for concerts and one-man type shows - Restless Underwear, Paul Simon, Bob Newhart, Carol Channing, Cleo Laine, Paul Williams, Joan Sutherland, Edwin Hawkins Singers; Chad Mitchell Trio; Rough Trade; Divine; Rod McKuen; Neil Young 1971; Cat Stevens (76); Roger Williams (76)
Matrixx - see Footwork
Mavety see West End
Mayfair 347 Jane St. below Annette 478 seats (1929-1959) now a bank
McLaughlin Performance Hall - see York University
McMaster Hall - historic space which is to be restored to its former grandeur
*Meadowvale Theatre - 6315 Montevideo Road, Mississauga
*Medieval Times - dinner show and adventure - permanent location at Exhibition Place at the Dufferin Gates
Melody 344 College Street 453 seats - see Playhouse (1963-1964)
Melody Fair theatre in the round - run in Toronto from 1951 to 1954 in 1,600 seat tent at Dufferin Park Raceway (1951-52); CNE Grounds (1953) but closed 4 years later then housed for a time in the Mutual Street Arena - 10 to 12 productions mounted each summer - leading roles were taken by U.S. performers, and supporting roles by Canadians, many at the beginning of their careers, i.e. Kathryn Albertson, Glenn Gardiner, Robert Goulet, Sylvia Grant, Alexander Gray, Joan Maxwell - among the 43 productions - Bigadoon; Carousel; Desert Song; Finian's Rainbow; Kiss Me Kate; Oklahoma; Roberta; Rose Marie; Showboat; Song of Norway (1951)
Meta-Physical Theatre - PO Box 404, Station C
Metro 679 Bloor St. West at Manning 696 seats - (1938-1967) art deco reopened 1978-1982 as porno house - still showing porn 7 days a week but has been on market for 3 years and is in bad shape so death may be imminent
Metro Central YMCA - 20 Grosvenor Street
Metropolis - entertainment facility on the north side of Yonge and Dundas, the builders anticipate two years of construction - facility will feature retail space, restaurants, and AMC Megaplex 24 movie theatres, will be partly built over the Ryerson parking garage. Ryerson will have access to 12 of the 24 theatres to use as classrooms weekday mornings - was supposed to be completed by Summer 1999 - now looking at 2006
Mezzetta Cafι 681 St. Clair Avenue West local jazz club
Mezzrows 1546 Queen Street West local jazz club
Midtownn 506 Bloor St. West at Bathurst 1089 seats opened as the Madison (1941-1966) now operating as the Bloor Cinema, a repertory house also was known as the Capri and Eden
Mighty Brave Theatre - productions presented at Equity Theatre Showcase, Cameron House etc.
Millers Assembly Room 1809 refurbished from a former coffee house visit by British actors Potter and Thompson (May 7,1809) theatrical performance of songs, recitation and ventriloquism
Mime Theatre Unlimited - 1975
Mimico Presbyterian Church - 119 Mimico Ave, Etobicoke - home to Sirius Theatrical Company
Mimico Rex
Mink - 150 Pearl - nightclub
*Minkler Auditorium - see Seneca College
Mirabel 465 seats (1979-1980)
Mississauga Players
Mixed Company - a Toronto-based theatre company that uses the techniques of Augusto Boal and the Sweet Medicine teachings of the Deer Tribe to educate and bring focus to pressing social issues
Mod Club Theatre 722 College Street cabaret type venue - East Village Opera Company 2005
Model 416 Danforth Ave (1929-1933) was across street from the Granada - now restaurant - see also Granada
Modern Times Stage Company - 96 Spadina Avenue, Suite 705
*Molson Amphitheatre - Ontario Place (16,000 seats)- opened 1994 - celebrating 10th summer of great music 2004 - originally opened as The Forum with topnotch entertainers - Ella Fitzgerald, Jane Oliver, National Ballet of Canada
*Molson Indy - Exhibition Place (70,000 per day)- see Canadian National Exhibition
Monarch 720 College St.
Money - 199 Richmond St West - nightclub
Moore's Musee Theatre - see Sheas Theatre
Montreal Bistro 65 Sherbourne Street 120 seats - local jazz club - closed July 2006, after 25 years - was Toronto's oldest jazz venue - Oscar Peterson, Diana Krall - comparable to NYC's Village Vanguard
Morningside - Scarborough
Moss Park see Regent
Mt. Dennis Weston - 661 seats (1929-1975)
Mt. Pleasant Theatre (I) - 675 Mount Pleasant Road 459 seats 1949 still operating
MoVIPlex 9 Pickering 1994-2002
Musee - see Robinson's Musee
Museum Theatre in the Royal Ontario Museum
Music Fair (1958-1960) - summer musical shows in a 2000 seat tent at Dixie Plaza - Goodbye Charlie, Most Happy Fella, Redhead, Silk Stockings, Song of Norway (860)
Music Hall - in Mechanics' Institute on Church Street
*Music Hall - 147 Danforth Avenue - Completed in 1918, over the years the Music Hall has been a playhouse, a cinema and a concert hall - see Allen Danforth and the Century Theatre renamed 1977 from Danforth 1200 seats - 19702 was an all-night theatre before turning to stage shows - Barbara Cook (79); A Rose for Mr. Tango (Dec 1988 to Apr 1989 - 6 mos); The Police, James Brown, Duran Duran used for second run films for many yearsVagina Monologues -- closed September 1/04 renovated and refurbished and reopened with Song and Dance May 2006
Music Hall of Fame - new permanent home being built at Yonge and Dundas Square scheduled to open summer 2007 three floor hall will be part of 10 storey Metropolis entertainment centre already under construction on Northeast corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets 57 Canadian artists have been inducted since 1978
Mutual Street Arena see Melody Fair
Mynah Bird Club - 114 Yorkville Ave popular nightsport in the 1960s - Neil Young 1966, Rick James
Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre - 2026 Yonge Street see also Limelight Dinner Theatre
Naaz 750 seats opened and closed in 1979
Nathan Phillips Square - City Hall - Queen Street West at Bay Street
National 287 Spadina Avenue built as home for Yiddish theatre torn down and became the Victory
National Yonge and Gerrard - see Rio - 1934
*National Ballet of Canada - now in their 51st year (2002) - see also Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts and Royal Alexandra Theatre - the company was formed in 1951 under the direction of Celia Franca, first performances at Eaton Auditorium, rehearsals at St. Lawrence Hall, with principal dancers Brian MacDonald, Grant Strate, Yves Cousineau, Angela Leigh, David Adams, Lois Smith, Lawrence Adams, Lilian Jarvis, Robert Ito, Earl Kraul, Veronica Tennant, Nadia Potts - in the late 1950s a 6 week season at the Royal Alexandra, plus touring -- 1960s the season was at the O'Keefe Centre where it still presents its season -- early 1970s European tour as well as major U.S. cities
National Ballet School - 105 Maitland Street - moving to Jarvis Street Nov/05 in newly developed former CBC property, add a new training facility, and to renovate and refurbish some of its existing facilities - Jarvis Street campus is two storeys made of Northfield House, built in 1856 and the restored former Havergal Ladies College (1898 and 1901)
National Film Board/NFB Mediatheque - 150 John St.
National Theatre - see Lyric
National Trade Centre - see Direct Energy Centre
Native Canadian Centre - 16 Spadina Road
Native Earth Performing Arts - 55 Mill Street, case goods bldg #74 - formerly at 720 Bathurst Street, Suite 503
Necessary Angel - now in their 21st season - co-founded by Stratford Festival's Richard Rose
NDWT (1975-1982) a Toronto group set up to tour Canada Donnellys Trilogy; Hamlet - active until 1982 home was the Bathurst Street Theatre left there in 1980
N.E. Drive-in Theatre - Willowdale
Neutral - 349A College Street - nightclub
New Bijou Theatre - 26 Queen St. West
New Broadview Hotel - NW corner of Queen and Broadview built 1891 currently strip club called Jillys
New Czech Theatre founded 1970
New Edwin Hotel - circa 1910
New Globe Theatre - 357 Lonsdale Road
New Grant see Grant
New Play Society 1946 used the 450 seat ROM theatre Playboy of the Western World; Lady Precious Stream; Circle; Ah Wilderness; Spring Thaw was their baby, which ran from 1948 to 1971, literally every spring, at various theatres Royal Alexandra,Boris Volkoff building on Yonge Street,Eaton Auditorium and the Avenue Theatre
New Princess - 1917 - see Princess
New Royal Lyceum see Royal Lyceum
New Strand Theatre
News Theatre - former rental space on The Esplanade, used for promoting commercial ventures - now the Global Theatre
New Theatre (1971-1980) formed group which used the Colonnade Theatre and then Bathurst Street Theatre (220 seats)
*New Yorker Theatre -to become the Panasonic Theatre early 2005 - 651 Yonge Street below Bloor Street - originally built as a private residence in 1911 - converted to film theatre The Embassy in 1934 - 522 seats - changed to the Astor Theatre in 1950 - became Festival Theatre in 1978 - 1984 changed name to Showcase and became part of Cineplex Odeon chain - converted to New Yorker in 1993 - Forever Plaid - 1993, My Own Private Oshawa - theatre closing July 4/04 being purchased by Clear Channel Entertainment - opening summer 2005 with Blue Man Group - seating to become 900, along with name change to Panasonic Theatre
*Nightwood Theatre Studio - 55 Mill Street, Ste. 301, Case Goods Building
North York Centre for the Arts - see Ford Centre, Toronto Centre for the Arts
Nortown 875 Eglinton Avenue West and Bathurst Street 959 seats (1948-1973) demolished
NYC Dance Boutique - see Dream
Oakville Town Centre 6 closed 2002
Oakwood 165 Oakwood Ave, North of St. Clair 1400 seats (1919-1962) demolished now apartment building
Oakwood Village Library Theatre - 341 Oakwood
Odeon 1474 Queen St. West 752 seats - renamed Lakeshore 1968
Odeon Brampton 710 seats (1949-1983)
Odeon Carlton next door to Maple Leaf Gardens restaurant on Mezzanine level 20 Carlton St opened 1948 as the Odeon Toronto Showplace of the Dominion" and renamed the Carlton in 1956 featured organ and 2318 seats - largest of its type in North America - tremendous curtain - glorious film and legitimate house demolished in 1974 (City of Toronto could have bought for $1.00 but reneged as OKeefe Centre was losing money) and space left vacant for many years
Odeon Carlton - 20 Carlton Street, East of Yonge Street - Cineplex Odeon with 8 small cinemas
Odeon Don Mills -
Odeon Elaine - converted to the Royal, but closed soon afterwards (circa 1986)
Odeon Fairlawn - twinned 1977 - completely demolished so bank that is there is now a completely new structure
Odeon Hyland see Hyland
Odeon Oakville Mews - see Cineplex Odeon Oakville Mews
Odeon Theatre 1473 Queen St. West
Odeon Toronto 20 Carlton St at Yonge renamed Carlton 1956 2318 seats
Odeon Weston 801 seats (1964-1982)
Odeon Hyland - Yonge Street above St. Clair Avenue - two theatres - now closed
Odeon Richmond Hill - 408 seats (1966-1980)
Odeon Weston
O'Keefe Centre for the Performing Arts l Front Street East - (***pre Broadway) - opened in 1960 as the O'Keefe Centre (now Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts)- (3,150 seats)- presently home to Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada (50th Anniversary Year)- situation will change when the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts opens in 2006 - Opened with the pre-Broadway production of ***Camelot, with Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Perry Como (77); Robert Goulet, Roddy McDowell, Mel Dowd (873 perf, on Broadway) among the greats appearing here who are no longer with us: Peter Allen (83,85,86), Louis Armstrong (65,65), Baker Street (65); Jack Benny (63), Victor Borge (62,64,68), Carpenters 72,75,76), Johnny Cash (75), Harry Chapin (81), Maurice Chevalier (63); Nat King Cole (63), Sammy Davis Jr. (66,68,77), Marlene Dietrich (60), Duke Ellington (66-72); Judy Garland (61,65), Doug Henning (85), Bob Hope (65,81), Danny Kaye (63,68), Liberace (61,65,67,70,72,73,75,77,82,84), Beatrice Lillie (62), Vera Lynn (63), Jim Nabors (76), Anthony Newley (69), Red Skelton (90), Sonny and Cher (77) - and the talents of Ann-Margret (83); Charles Aznavour (71-77-83-84); Shirley Bassey (72-80); Harry Belafonte (13 visits between 1960-90); Tony Bennett (62-71-74); Bill Cosby (68-69-70-80-81-82); Mitzi Gaynor (70-87); Lena Horne (61-74-84); Tom Jones (10 times in the last years); Eartha Kitt (61-76); Cleo Laine (78-89); Beatrice Lillie (62); Shirley MacLaine (76-78-90); Tony Martin (61); Johnny Mathis (60-64-67-70-79-82); Liza Minnelli (71-78-79-83); Yves Montand (62); Jane Morgan (68); Debbie Reynolds (70); Joan Rivers (82-83-87-88); Diana Ross and the Supremes (66-69); great musicals like Anne of Green Gables (70,72,74,79,81,86), Annie (78,81,86), ***Annie Get Your Gun (66), Anything Goes (90), ***Baker Street (65), Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (81), Big River (87), Bubbling Brown Sugar (75), Bye Bye Birdie (61), Cabaret (68,88), Cage aux Folles (85), Can Can (77,88), Canterbury Tales (70), Carnival (61), Carousel (65), Chorus Line (81,83,89), Coco (71), ***Come Summer (69), Destry Rides Again (61), Do Re Mi (62), Dreamgirls (86), Drood (88), Evita (82,85,86,89), Jane Eyre (71), Fiddler on the Roof (66,69,70,75,76,84,90), Fiorello (61), Flower Drum Song (61), 42nd Street (87), Funny Girl (66), Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (64), ***Gay Life (61), George M (69), ***Gigi (73), ***Girl Who Came to Supper (63), Godspell (76), ***Good News (74), Grease (81), Great Expectations (76), Guys and Dolls (62), Gypsy (61,78), ***Half a Sixpence (65), Hallelujah Baby (68), Hello Dolly (65,67,71,75,77), How to Succeed in Business (63,65), I Can Get it For You Wholesale (63), I Do I Do (70,76), ***Illya Darling (67), Ipi Tombi (75), Irma La Douce (62,68), Jesus Christ Superstar (73,75,77,90), Johnny Belinda (74,83), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (83), King and I (68,84,89), Kismet (65), Kiss Me Kate (68), Kronborg: 1582 (75), ***Kwamina (61), Land of Smiles (67), La Plume de Ma Tante (62); Little Me (64), London Palladium (68-71-72-73-74-75-76-77-78); ***Lorelei (73), Lost in the Stars (72), Mame (69,70,90), Man of La Mancha (67,69,70,71,76,79,88), ***Married Alive (67), Mary (72), Me and My Girl (88), Merry Widow (64), Milk and Honey (63), ***Miss Moffat (cancelled 74), Most Happy Fella (62), Music Man (78), My Fair Lady (60,62,63,77), My One and Only (86,87), ***New Faces of 1962, ***No Strings (62), ***No No Nanette (70), Oklahoma (90), ***Oliver (62-65), On a Clear Day (67), Once Upon a Mattress (61), 110 in the Shade (65), Pajama Game (73), Peter Pan (82,90), Porgy and Bess (76,83), ***Pousse Cafι (66), Raisin (75), Roar of the Greasepaint (65), Robert and Elizabeth (77), Rocky Horror Show (80); ***Rugantino (64), Seesaw (74), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (78), Show Boat (66), Singin in the Rain (86), Song and Dance (87); Sophisticated Ladies (83), Sound of Music (61,63,72,79,87), South Pacific (64,77,86), Starlight Express (90), ***Sugar (72), Sugar Babies (83,84), Sweet Charity (68,71), 10 Stout Hearted Men (Carol Channing) (70); Tommy (73); Two by Two (73), Two Gentlemen of Verona (73), Unsinkable Molly Brown (62), West Side Story (61,87), Zorba (70,85); plays, like After the Fall (64), Andersonville Trial (61), As You Like It (74), ***At the Drop of a Hat; ***Beatrice Lillie; Becket (61), ***Beyond the Fringe; Birds on the Wing (69), Blithe Spirit (71), Cactus Flower (68), Chalk Garden (71), Cowardy Custard (74), Dame of Sark (75), Dance of Death (67), Delicate Balance (67), Don Juan in Hell (73), Dylan (64), Flea in Her Ear (67), Forty Carats (71), Front Page (70), Grand Kabuki (88), ***Hamlet (64), Hay Fever (68), Sherlock Holmes (76), Hostage (61), ***Hostile Witness (66), Ideal Husband (77), In the Matter of Robert J. Oppenheimer (69), ***Ivanov (66), Lady Windemeres Fan (79), ***Lena Horne; Light Up the Sky (71), ***Love for Love (67), Lovers (69), Macbeth (88), Man For All Seasons (64), Mark Twain Tonight (72-75-77-89); ***Maurice Chevalier; ***Midsummer Nights Dream (71), Move Over Mrs. Markham (73), My Fat Friend (75), ***Nichols and May; Noel Coward in Two Keys (75), ***Number Ten Downing Street (67), Odd Couple (75), On Approval (77), Play It Again Sam (70), Plaza Suite (76), Present Laughter (75), Rosencrantz & Guildenstern (69), Royal Hunt of the Sun (66), ***School for Scandal (63), School for Wives (72), She Stoops to Conquer (78), Spofford (69), ***Treasure Island (61), Two and Two Make Sex (74), You Know I Cant Hear You (68) home of both the National Ballet of Canada and the Canadian Opera Company, as well as appearances by DOyly Carte (63-67-68-78), Metropolitan Opera (61,84); Metropolitan Opera National Company (65,66); Metropolitan Vancouver Festival Opera, Ballets Africains, Alvin Ailey (79-80-87-88-90), Australian Ballet (71), Ballet Africains (67); Ballet Folklorico de Mexico (63-67-69-78-82); Ballet of the 20th Century (74), Bolshoi (72-74-79), Cuban National Ballet (78), Dutch National Ballet (75), Feux Follets (65); Grands Ballets Canadiens (71-73-76-80-81-82-83-84-88), Inbal Dance Theatre of Israel, Karmon Israeli Dancers (63); Kirov Ballet (64-87-89); Martha Graham Company, Kirov, New York City Ballet (66-70), Paris Opera Ballet (64), Pennsylvania Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet (73-75-77-78-82-83-84-86-88-89), Royal Ballet (61-63-67-81-83); Sadlers Wells, Shanghai, Stuttgart, Vienna State Opera Ballet (72); Orchestras like Cleveland Orchestra (62); National Youth Orchestra (63-64-65-67-68-69-70); New York Philharmonic (61); and our own Toronto Symphony (70-72) - auditorium was designed to serve a wide range of performing arts, and has seen such artists as Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Yul Brynner, Carol Channing, Pearl Bailey, Petula Clark, Duke Ellington, Marlene Dietrich, Diana Ross, Shirley MacLaine, Judy Garland, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, Liberace, Placido Domingo, Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Vivien Leigh, Christopher Plummer, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn and Michael York (Camelot 2007)
Old Angelos - cabaret review 1961 through mid 1970s - closed Well Rehearsed Ad Libs 1961; Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter; El Grande de Coca Cola
Old Mill Dinner Theatre - 21 Old Mill Street - started 1914 as Old Mill Tea Garden, on site of working mill opened in 1793
Ontario Film Theatre - 1968 started with Gerald Pratley at the helm, at the Ontario Science Centre
*Ontario Place Cinesphere - 955 Lakeshore Westopened May, 1971 - see Molson Amphitheatre
Ontario Place Cinesphere - 955 Lakeshore Blvd. West see Ontario Place
*Ontario Science Centre Omnimax - 770 Don Mills one time home of the Ontario Film Theatre under Gerald Pratley - many major films premiered here, along with the directors, stars etc.
Open Circle Theatre (1973-1982) - founded by Ray Whelan and Sylvia Tucker opened with No Way Jose 1973; Cop 1973; Business as Usual 1974; Mackerel, Primary English Class 1977 closed
Opera Atalier - 2005 is their 20th season (founded 1985) - holds a unique place in the North America theatre community, producing opera, ballet and drama from the 17th and 18th centuries, various venues including Elgin Theatre, first season held at the Art Gallery of Ontario
Opera House cabaret type venue 735 Queen Street East
Opera House see La Plaza
Opera House (see Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts) - being built at Queen and University - cost a probable 100 million - land donated by the City of Toronto, and Federal government have promised 25 million as of 2002 - capital funding program being scheduled - official opening probably Fall, 2005
Oriole 2061 Yonge Street at Manor Road (1933-1942) - 1920s changed to the Cinema and then in 1949 after renovation, became the International Cinema open well into 1980s as art house now retail stores
Orpheum 600 Queen Street West, west of Bathurst- 645 seats (1949-1975) closed in 1970s now a furniture store
O2 a.k.a. Octapus - 293 Palmerston - new nightclub venue
Oxford 1512 Danforth Ave 803 seats (1933-1955) now retail stores
Pagoda 477 seats (1974-1985)
Palace Theatre 664 Danforth Ave, E of Pape 1,485 seats 1921 was bingo parlour torn down and now stores
Palace Theatre