CAA Theatre
 The Panasonic Theatre | |
 | |
| Address | 651 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario Canada |
|---|---|
| Owner | Mirvish Productions |
| Capacity | 700 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1911 |
| Rebuilt | 2005 |
| Website | |
| http://www.mirvish.com/theatres/panasonictheatre | |
The Panasonic Theatre is a live theatre owned and operated by Mirvish Productions in Toronto, Canada.
Early years
The theatre was built in 1911 as a private residence and then converted as a movie theatre in 1919 known as The Victory.[1] It was renamed The Embassy in 1934 and a host of other names over the next 60 years:
- The Astor
- The Showcase
- The Festival
In the 1970s the Festival Theatre was a key venue of the Toronto International Film Festival (then known as the Festival of Festivals).[1]
Rebirth
In 1993 the building was renovated for live theatre productions and renamed The New Yorker Theatre.[1]
Second rebirth
In 2004 and 2005, most of the building was demolished with only the facade preserved and became the new state-of-the-art live theatre and concert venue known as The Panasonic Theatre. In 2005, the building was acquired by Live Nation and in 2008 by Mirvish Productions.
A list of theatrical productions at the Panasonic:
- Forever Plaid
- Blue Man Group
- We Will Rock You (musical)
- The Most RACES Show on Earth! (live stand-up comedy)
See also
With the complete rebuilding of the Panasonic, Toronto is left with a handful of early 20th century theatres (both movie and live):
- Ed Mirvish Theatre 1920
- Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres 1913
- Revue Cinema 1911-1912
- Bloor Cinema 1905
- Royal Alexandra Theatre 1907
A list of lost or rebuilt theatres:
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto) built in 1920 and was demolished in 2003
- University Theatre (Toronto) built in 1949 and like the Panasonic only the facade was preserved; it is now a retail store
- Standard Theatre (Toronto) opened 1921 and operated as a theatre until the 1990s; now a retail store
References
- ^ a b c The Panasonic