While it may offer some nostalgia for the city’s theatre buffs, Toronto’s agingis no longer a match for the world-class entertainment that graces its stages.
So, the long-time theatre, which sits in the city’s iconic St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood at Front and Scott Streets, will soon be demolished. Back in 2020, the City of Toronto decided it was time to replace the historic theatre, which has been a city staple since 1970 and features a total of 1,367 seats across two performance spaces. The space houses the Bluma Appel Theatre — which was the long-time main stage for Canadian Stage Company shows — and the Jane Mallet Theatre.
The building was designed by Gordon S. Adamson and Associates as part of Canada’s Centennial celebrations and has undergone a few renovations in recent years. Now, five future-forward proposals have been shortlisted and are under consideration. The proposals were chosen through an international design competition hosted by TO Live, the agency that manages Toronto’s major civic theatres, andEach shortlisted team includes an Indigenous design partner, and developed a concept based on a detailed project design brief. until March 3.