The Canon Theatre
The Canon Theatre is one of Toronto's live entertainment venues. It was home to Phantom of the Opera from 1989 to 1999.
History
Built by Thomas Lamb for Canadian Famous Players Corporation and operated by Alexander Pantages under the Toronto Pantages name. Pantages ran vaudeville acts and silent movies at the Pantages from 1920 to 1929.
With the popular move towards movies with sound, Famous Players regained control of the theatre in 1930 and renamed it as The Imperial. The new theatre retained the original design, but in 1972, the theatre was chopped into a six screen theatre complex called The Imperial Six.
Arch rival Cineplex Odeon (under Garth Drabinsky) wrestle control of The Imperial Six from Famous Players in 1986. Drabinsky created Livent Productions and converted the theatre to live events venue. Completed in 1989, it was renamed the Pantages Theatre and brought the production of the Phantom of the Opera to Toronto. But the secretive control of Livent and Cineplex lead to the downfall of Drabinsky and theatre passed hands once again.
Under the new ownership of Clear Channel Communications. Phantom of the Opera's Toronto run ended in 1999 and the theatre was empty again. Mirvish Productions was brought in to manage day-to-day operation and lease of the theatre. The theatre was renamed The Canon Theatre in 2001.
Theatre specifications:
- Total seats (1920): 3373; (2005): 2200
- Seating: mezzanine , orchestra and boxes
- Entrance: 244 Victoria Street, Yonge Street
- Owner: Clear Channel Communications
- Leased to: Mirvish Productions
See Also
- Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre
- Princess of Wales Theatre
- Massey Hall
- Royal Alexandra Theatre
- Roy Thomson Hall
- Hummingbird Centre
- Bathurst Street Theatre
External links