The Elgin And Winter Garden Theatre
189 Yonge Street
(North of Queen Street)
(416) 314-2874
http://www.heritagetrust.on.ca
The stacked Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres are a national historic site and are the last operating Edwardian double-decker theatre in the entire world.
The pair were originally built as the centrepiece of Marcus Loew's theatre chain back in 1913. The entire building was designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb. The lower theatre (then Loew's Yonge Street Theatre) was more "ornate" and was the home to plays and Vaudeville productions that attracted talent from accross the globe. The upper level Winter Garden, which is decorated to resemble a forest, also previously was the home to popular Vaudeville productions.
In 1928 the Winter Garden Theatre closed after the decline of Vaudeville remaining closed for several decades. The lower theatre was eventually transformed into a cinema. Over time as the building gradually deteriorated and in 1969, Loews sold the Elgin to Famous Players. By the 1970's the home of Vaudeville was primarily showing B movies.
In 1981 the Ontario Heritage Foundation bought the structure from Famous Players and set about restoring the two theatres turning them into the heart of Toronto's thriving theatre scene. The building was closed in 1987 to be fully restored and then reopened in 1989.
Today vistors can not only catch a performance they can tour the building and see the world's largest surviving collection of Vaudeville props and scenery.
* Note: Guided tours at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre are available.
Year 'round individual and group tours are available of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre
Time: Thursday's at 5:00pm; Saturday's at 11:00am
