The Grand Theatre
On September 9, 1901 the New Grand Opera House welcomed its first patrons, who watched an opening nigt performance of the popular melodrama Way Down East.
In 1924, the theatre was purchased by Famous Players Inc. and became a movie house. Between 1945 and 1971, the building was owned and operated by the London Little Theatre. It was one of Canada’s most active and successful amateur theatre companies.
The theatre began a three-year process to become a fully professional regional theatre in 1971. The building itself was beginning to show signs of age and in 1977 it underwent a $5 million renovation. It reopened in 1978 to reclaim its status as one of the most beautiful theatres in Canada. 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.
The Grand Theatre believes that we have an important responsibility to enrich, engage, entertain and transform the lives of our community members, and considers it vital to nurture community partnerships that will grow our city.
