Grand Theatre (London, Ontario)
| Location | 471 Richmond Street London, Ontario, Canada N6A 3E4 |
|---|---|
| Type | Proscenium Arch theatre |
| Capacity | main auditorium (839); The McManus Theatre (150) |
| Current use | Professional and amateur theatre |
| Opened | September 9, 1901 |
| Years active | 1901- |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Grand Theatre is a professional theatre located at 471 Richmond Street just south of Dufferin Avenue in London, Ontario, Canada.
Its main auditorium has a seating capacity of 839 with a regular season running from September to May. In addition, it has a secondary venue called The McManus Theatre, located on the lower floor with a seating capacity of 150.
The theatre opened on September 9, 1901 under the ownership of the theatre magnate, Ambrose Small who reportedly considered this theatre his favourite of his numerous similar holdings. He disappeared mysteriously on December 2, 1919. That day, Mr. Small deposited one million dollars in a Toronto bank account, lunched with his wife and was never seen again. Weeks after his disappearance, the night watchman swore he saw Mr. Small entering The Grand Theatre. Despite this lead, police were never able to close the file. It is rumoured that he haunts the building to this day. This building was investigated in the first episode of "The Girly Ghosthunters" show in 2005.
With the rise of film entertainment, the theatre was equipped for film presentation when it was sold to Famous Players in 1924. In 1945, the theatre chain sold the building to the London Little Theatre company for a relatively modest price and the theatre became an amateur stage venue. It was one of Canada's most active and successful amateur theatre companies.
In 1971, the theatre began a three-year process to become a fully professional regional theatre. In 1975, the governing board decided to react to the deteriorating state of the building with a major reconstruction costing five million dollars that was completed in 1978. The reconstruction included reinforcement of the main stage's proscenium arch as the sole major component of the building's original design and the addition of the McManus Studio as a secondary venue. The architectural firm that undertook the renovations was awarded a Governor General's award for their re-design of The Grand.
The Grand is an excellent example of the Proscenium Arch Theatre and is one of the more traditional forms of theatrical design. It was designed to send music and sound from the stage into the audience.
Among the great actors who have performed under the magnificent proscenium arch of The Grand are: W.C. Fields, Sarah Bernhardt, Michael Redgrave, Donald O'Connor, Sidney Poitier, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Maggie Smith, Michael Burgess, William Hutt, Martha Henry, Karen Kain, Victor Garber, Sandra Oh, and Leonard Nimoy.
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