Grand Theatre

Calgary, Alberta

608 First Street SW

, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

(map)

403.205.2922

Status:	Closed/Renovating
Screens:	Twin
Style:	Beaux-Arts

Function:	Dance, Live Performances, Live Theater, Movies (Film Festivals)
Seats:	1400
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

Opened in 1912, the Grand was designed by Calgary architect L.R. Wardrop. With 1500 seats the Grand was then the largest theatre in the Canadian west. Operated first as an opera, concert and stage house, then as part of the Orpheum vaudeville circuit until 1925, it became part of the Famous Players circuit in 1926.

A decade later, it was leased to J.D. Barron's Trans-Canada Theatre Company. By then it was primarily a movie house, though it still occasionally presented vaudeville, stage plays, and concerts.

Renovations were made in 1936, 1947, and in 1965, during the course of which most of the theatre's original decoration was either removed or encased. In 1969, The Grand was sold to Odeon Theatres, which twinned the auditorium in 1972. Another major renovation took place in 1985, after which the theatre was reopened by Cineplex Odeon as the Showcase Grand, with two redesigned auditoriums, both equipped for 70mm projection. The combined seating capacity was 1200.

The Grand has now been sold to Theatre Junction, which is extensively remodeling the venerable house once again, this time as a flexible venue for theatre, dance, music and film. The first phase of the project, with a ground-floor restaurant and a second floor theatre, is scheduled to open early in 2006.

Related Websites

Theatre Junction (Official)

Contributed by Joe Vogel

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University of Calgary Press has published a book about the city's history from 1912 to 2005, in which the Lougheed Building and the Grand Theatre are prominently featured: Calgary's Grand Story. (The page displays a very small picture of the interior of The Grand, as featured on the book's cover.)

posted by Joe Vogel on Oct 14, 2005 at 7:56pm

It's great to hear that they are redoing this theatre. I was only in it a few times during the late '80 and early '90s, but I have relatives who told me how "grand" the Grand was when they were kids in the 1940s.

posted by Kirk J. Besse on Nov 10, 2007 at 2:32pm

Just a quick note

This was not a restoration but rather the creation of a black box type studio theatre space within the physical space that once was occupied by the Grand's ornate interior. Elements of plaster work found in the original lobby area have been preserved, all that is original from the original auditorium are the brick walls/exterior.

I guess it saved them the cost of building a new structure.. but it certainly was not a "restoration" by any means. The Grand Theatre (1902) in Kingston Ontario is in the middle of doing the same thing.

posted by BrianMorton on Apr 20, 2008 at 4:03pm

More information and a photo can be found here and here.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 8, 2008 at 11:29am

As a twin, seating was 561 and 568. Total seating of 1129.

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 26, 2008 at 3:19pm

Does anyone have information on the Capitol Theatre in Calgary, it was in operation during at theast the early 70's.

posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 4, 2009 at 8:49pm

Link to a photo of the Grand Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=123&CategoryID=3281&List=1&SortField=ProductName%2cProductName&Level=1&ProductID=36585

posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 4, 2009 at 9:40pm

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