Artword's Guide to the Arts: Theatre and Performance Venues in Toronto

Artword's Guide to Performance Venues in Toronto: Theatres, Dance and Concert Halls in Toronto,
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Artword's map of Theatre, Dance and Concert Venues in Toronto

Theatres in Toronto: Large Theatres in Toronto: under 400

Elgin Theatre and Winter Garden Theatre 189 Yonge Street, a Historic Site owned by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, has two restored vaudeville-era theatres.The Elgin seats 1500, the Winter Garden seats 992.
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts 145 Queen St. W., a 2000-seat opera and ballet house opened June 2006, new home to the Canadian Opera Company, (seven operas each season), and The National Ballet of Canada (classical repertoire and contemporary works).
Harbourfront Centre 235 Queens Quay West, on Toronto's waterfront, is home to Enwave Theatre flexible 350-420 seats, Premiere Dance Theatre (450 seats), Studio Theatre, 196 seats), Brigantine Room (flexible to 350 seats), Power Plant Art Gallery, York Quay Gallery.
Hummingbird Centre, 12 Front Street East, 3000-seat venue built in 1960, former home to the National Ballet and COC, now houses large-scale productions.
Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. 165 Front St. E. at Frederick, has a 468-seat mainstage, and a 115-seat studio theatre. Since 1966, the LKTYP, formerly Young People's Theatre, is committed to the development of young people through professional theatre.
Mirvish Productions has three theatres: The 1480-seat Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W., is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in North America. The Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W., a 2000-seat theatre built by David and Ed Mirvish in 1993, is the first privately owned and financed theatre built in Canada since 1907. Also operate the 2220-seat Canon Theatre (formerly Pantages), 244 Victoria St.
The Panasonic Theatre, 651 Yonge Street, (formerly the New Yorker Theatre), a 700-seat theatre renovated to house Blue Man Group (closed Jan 2007).
St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts 27 Front Street East, a theatre facility since 1970, has two theatres: the Bluma Appel (870 seats) and the Jane Mallett (497 seats), home to CanStage and five other Toronto performing arts, theatre and music companies.
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street (Sheppard or North York Centre subway) has 3 spaces for theatre and concerts: Main Stage Theatre (1727 seats), George Weston Recital Hall (1036 seats) and Studio Theatre (200 seats) (north of the 401, not shown on map)
Young Centre for the Arts (Distillery District) 55 Mill Street, Bldg 49, opened Jan 2006, houses the George Brown Theatre School, Soulpepper Theatre and rental productions, with 3 flexible spaces: 425-seat Baillie Theatre, 250-seat Michael Young Theatre and 120-seat Tank House Theatre (more on YC spaces).

Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street at Front St., a heritage site converted to 2 theatre spaces and courtyard, now operated by CanStage. The Downstairs Theatre seats 240, the Upstairs Theatre studio seats 100.
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre 12 Alexander Street at Yonge. Since 1979, Buddies is dedicated to gay, lesbian and queer theatrical expression. The Chamber mainstage is reconfigurable to 250-300 seats, Tallulah's, a cabaret space, seats 120.
Diesel Playhouse 56 Blue Jays Way (formerly Second City) operates a 400-seat main and a 115-seat cabaret space.
Factory Theatre 125 Bathurst Street at Adelaide, has two theatres: the Mainspace seats 200, the Studio Theate seats 100. Established in 1970 by Artistic Director Ken Gass, Factory Theatre devotes itself to producing Canadian plays.
Second City Toronto, 51 Mercer Street at Blue Jays Way), in their new cabaret space seating 320, offer topical comedy revues by an ensemble cast.
Tarragon Theatre 30 Bridgeman Ave. (north-east of Dupont/ Bathurst), has two theatres: the Mainspace seats 205, the Extra Space seats 100. Founded in 1970 by Bill and Jane Glassco as a playwright's theatre, to develop, encourage and produce new work.
Theatre Centre (Great Hall Downstairs), 1087 Queen St. W. at Dovercourt. The 150-seat theatre has a new owner, facilitated by the Theatre Centre. The TC, founded in 1979 by a co-operative of six independent theatre companies, focuses on theatrical exploration. (not shown on map)
Theatre Passe Muraille 16 Ryerson Avenue north of Queen, has two theatre spaces: the Mainspace seats 160, the Backspace seats 64. Founded in 1968 to create a distinctly Canadian voice in theatre with its signatory approach to collective creation.
Did You Know?
• The 12 Alexander building (now Buddies in Bad Times) was George Luscombe's Toronto Worksshop Productions, a key force in Canadian theatre, from the 1960s to 1988.
• The Berkeley Street Theatre was a 1887 gas factory saved from demolition in 1971 by the Greenspoons.

Dance Venues in Toronto Concert Halls in Toronto

Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis Street (north of Carlton), the National Ballet School's professional theatre, seats 297.
The Distillery District houses two studio spaces run by performance companies, both in The Cannery, Building 58, on the third floor: Dancemakers Centre for Creation, Studio #313 in the Cannery, seats from 60 to 96 for dance and theatre productions. Tapestry / Nightwood New Work Studio, Studio #315, can seat up to 100, is run jointly by Tapestry New Opera and Nightwood Theatre.
Harbourfront Centre 235 Queens Quay West, on Toronto's waterfront, Premiere Dance Theatre (450 seats),a theatre created in 1983 specifically for dance.
Toronto Dance Theatre operates the Winchester Street Theatre, 80 Winchester Street, east of Parliament, known in the dance community as "The Winch".

Massey Hall, 178 Victoria Street at Shuter, a concert hall built in 1893 by Hart Massey, is a heritage site (2753 seats).
Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. West at John St., 341 seats. CBC Broadcast Centre's concert venue is also a recording studio.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street at King, seats 2630, built in 1982 as Toronto's new concert hall, home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street (Sheppard or North York Centre subway) includes George Weston Recital Hall (1036 seats). (not on map)

Other Theatres in Toronto U of T Theatres in Toronto

Al Green Theatre in the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre 750 Spadina Ave. at Bloor, in the newly renovated MNJCC opened in 2003, seats 288.
Alchemy Theatre 133 Tecumseth St, is a small scale classical theatre company with a studio performance space seating 60.
Alumnae Theatre 70 Berkeley Street at Richmond St., seats 140 in its main theatre and 90 in its studio, in a renovated fire hall. Founded in 1919 as a drama club by women graduates of University of Toronto to produce theatre that focuses on plays by and about women.
Bathurst Street Theatre and the Annex Theatre, 736 Bathurst Street, south of Bloor, are now home to the Randolph Academy for the Performng Arts, with occaisional rental productions.
Palmerston Theatre, 560 Palmerston Ave. at Bloor, seating 110 in the lower level of the Palmerston Library, is one of the Toronto Public Library theatres.
Workman Theatre 1001 Queen St. W. at Ossington (Queen West art district), in the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Workman Arts has a 300-seat theatre, a gallery and fine arts studio, providing support to artists who have mental health and addiction issues. (not shown on map)

The theatres listed below are associated with the University of Toronto, in the area bounded by Bay, Bloor, College and Spadina.
George Ignatieff Theatre, 15 Devonshire Place, south of Bloor, is Trinity College's theatre and lecture hall, seating 181.
Glen Morris Studio Theatre, 4 Glen Morris St. at Spadina. The Studio Theatre (Graduate Centre for Study of Drama), a former Russian orthodox church, it is now a studio space seating 90.
Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Circle, seats 454. Opening in 1919, the theatre was a leader in the Canadian “Little Theatre” movement of the 1920's and 1930's. It has served as the training ground for some of Canada's most prominent actors and directors.
Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, 79A St. George St, a studio theatre seating 120, for the University College Drama Program.
Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St. W, at Queen's Park, is Victoria University's new theatre, opened in 2001, seating 500.
Robert Gill Theatre, 214 College St, at St. George, is a 170 seat theatre housing the Graduate Centre for Study of Drama.

Note: The Toronto Fringe posts a list of performance and rehearsal venues.

Theatres in Toronto: Large	Theatres in Toronto: under 400
Elgin Theatre and Winter Garden Theatre 189 Yonge Street, a Historic Site owned by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, has two restored vaudeville-era theatres.The Elgin seats 1500, the Winter Garden seats 992. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts 145 Queen St. W., a 2000-seat opera and ballet house opened June 2006, new home to the Canadian Opera Company, (seven operas each season), and The National Ballet of Canada (classical repertoire and contemporary works). Harbourfront Centre 235 Queens Quay West, on Toronto's waterfront, is home to Enwave Theatre flexible 350-420 seats, Premiere Dance Theatre (450 seats), Studio Theatre, 196 seats), Brigantine Room (flexible to 350 seats), Power Plant Art Gallery, York Quay Gallery. Hummingbird Centre, 12 Front Street East, 3000-seat venue built in 1960, former home to the National Ballet and COC, now houses large-scale productions. Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. 165 Front St. E. at Frederick, has a 468-seat mainstage, and a 115-seat studio theatre. Since 1966, the LKTYP, formerly Young People's Theatre, is committed to the development of young people through professional theatre. Mirvish Productions has three theatres: The 1480-seat Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W., is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in North America. The Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W., a 2000-seat theatre built by David and Ed Mirvish in 1993, is the first privately owned and financed theatre built in Canada since 1907. Also operate the 2220-seat Canon Theatre (formerly Pantages), 244 Victoria St. The Panasonic Theatre, 651 Yonge Street, (formerly the New Yorker Theatre), a 700-seat theatre renovated to house Blue Man Group (closed Jan 2007). St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts 27 Front Street East, a theatre facility since 1970, has two theatres: the Bluma Appel (870 seats) and the Jane Mallett (497 seats), home to CanStage and five other Toronto performing arts, theatre and music companies. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street (Sheppard or North York Centre subway) has 3 spaces for theatre and concerts: Main Stage Theatre (1727 seats), George Weston Recital Hall (1036 seats) and Studio Theatre (200 seats) (north of the 401, not shown on map) Young Centre for the Arts (Distillery District) 55 Mill Street, Bldg 49, opened Jan 2006, houses the George Brown Theatre School, Soulpepper Theatre and rental productions, with 3 flexible spaces: 425-seat Baillie Theatre, 250-seat Michael Young Theatre and 120-seat Tank House Theatre (more on YC spaces).	Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street at Front St., a heritage site converted to 2 theatre spaces and courtyard, now operated by CanStage. The Downstairs Theatre seats 240, the Upstairs Theatre studio seats 100. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre 12 Alexander Street at Yonge. Since 1979, Buddies is dedicated to gay, lesbian and queer theatrical expression. The Chamber mainstage is reconfigurable to 250-300 seats, Tallulah's, a cabaret space, seats 120. Diesel Playhouse 56 Blue Jays Way (formerly Second City) operates a 400-seat main and a 115-seat cabaret space. Factory Theatre 125 Bathurst Street at Adelaide, has two theatres: the Mainspace seats 200, the Studio Theate seats 100. Established in 1970 by Artistic Director Ken Gass, Factory Theatre devotes itself to producing Canadian plays. Second City Toronto, 51 Mercer Street at Blue Jays Way), in their new cabaret space seating 320, offer topical comedy revues by an ensemble cast. Tarragon Theatre 30 Bridgeman Ave. (north-east of Dupont/ Bathurst), has two theatres: the Mainspace seats 205, the Extra Space seats 100. Founded in 1970 by Bill and Jane Glassco as a playwright's theatre, to develop, encourage and produce new work. Theatre Centre (Great Hall Downstairs), 1087 Queen St. W. at Dovercourt. The 150-seat theatre has a new owner, facilitated by the Theatre Centre. The TC, founded in 1979 by a co-operative of six independent theatre companies, focuses on theatrical exploration. (not shown on map) Theatre Passe Muraille 16 Ryerson Avenue north of Queen, has two theatre spaces: the Mainspace seats 160, the Backspace seats 64. Founded in 1968 to create a distinctly Canadian voice in theatre with its signatory approach to collective creation. Did You Know? • The 12 Alexander building (now Buddies in Bad Times) was George Luscombe's Toronto Worksshop Productions, a key force in Canadian theatre, from the 1960s to 1988. • The Berkeley Street Theatre was a 1887 gas factory saved from demolition in 1971 by the Greenspoons.
Dance Venues in Toronto	Concert Halls in Toronto
Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis Street (north of Carlton), the National Ballet School's professional theatre, seats 297. The Distillery District houses two studio spaces run by performance companies, both in The Cannery, Building 58, on the third floor: Dancemakers Centre for Creation, Studio #313 in the Cannery, seats from 60 to 96 for dance and theatre productions. Tapestry / Nightwood New Work Studio, Studio #315, can seat up to 100, is run jointly by Tapestry New Opera and Nightwood Theatre. Harbourfront Centre 235 Queens Quay West, on Toronto's waterfront, Premiere Dance Theatre (450 seats),a theatre created in 1983 specifically for dance. Toronto Dance Theatre operates the Winchester Street Theatre, 80 Winchester Street, east of Parliament, known in the dance community as "The Winch".	Massey Hall, 178 Victoria Street at Shuter, a concert hall built in 1893 by Hart Massey, is a heritage site (2753 seats). Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. West at John St., 341 seats. CBC Broadcast Centre's concert venue is also a recording studio. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street at King, seats 2630, built in 1982 as Toronto's new concert hall, home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street (Sheppard or North York Centre subway) includes George Weston Recital Hall (1036 seats). (not on map)
Other Theatres in Toronto	U of T Theatres in Toronto
Al Green Theatre in the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre 750 Spadina Ave. at Bloor, in the newly renovated MNJCC opened in 2003, seats 288. Alchemy Theatre 133 Tecumseth St, is a small scale classical theatre company with a studio performance space seating 60. Alumnae Theatre 70 Berkeley Street at Richmond St., seats 140 in its main theatre and 90 in its studio, in a renovated fire hall. Founded in 1919 as a drama club by women graduates of University of Toronto to produce theatre that focuses on plays by and about women. Bathurst Street Theatre and the Annex Theatre, 736 Bathurst Street, south of Bloor, are now home to the Randolph Academy for the Performng Arts, with occaisional rental productions. Palmerston Theatre, 560 Palmerston Ave. at Bloor, seating 110 in the lower level of the Palmerston Library, is one of the Toronto Public Library theatres. Workman Theatre 1001 Queen St. W. at Ossington (Queen West art district), in the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Workman Arts has a 300-seat theatre, a gallery and fine arts studio, providing support to artists who have mental health and addiction issues. (not shown on map)	The theatres listed below are associated with the University of Toronto, in the area bounded by Bay, Bloor, College and Spadina. George Ignatieff Theatre, 15 Devonshire Place, south of Bloor, is Trinity College's theatre and lecture hall, seating 181. Glen Morris Studio Theatre, 4 Glen Morris St. at Spadina. The Studio Theatre (Graduate Centre for Study of Drama), a former Russian orthodox church, it is now a studio space seating 90. Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Circle, seats 454. Opening in 1919, the theatre was a leader in the Canadian “Little Theatre” movement of the 1920's and 1930's. It has served as the training ground for some of Canada's most prominent actors and directors. Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, 79A St. George St, a studio theatre seating 120, for the University College Drama Program. Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St. W, at Queen's Park, is Victoria University's new theatre, opened in 2001, seating 500. Robert Gill Theatre, 214 College St, at St. George, is a 170 seat theatre housing the Graduate Centre for Study of Drama. Note: The Toronto Fringe posts a list of performance and rehearsal venues.