Capitol Theatre

Woodstock, Ontario

391-395 Dundas Street

, Woodstock, Ontario N4S Canada

(map)

Status:	Closed
Screens:	Twin
Style:	Beaux-Arts

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	1075
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

The Woodstock Opera House was located at 391-395 Dundas Street, where the Capitol is now.

Owned and operated by John Griffin's Griffin Amusement Company of Toronto, it opened in 1908 as a 1,480-seat theatre that included a balcony and balcony boxes, and could mount stage as well as silent-movie shows. In the early 1900's, it had the largest stage (23 x 60 feet) between Windsor and Hamilton. Although silent films were shown regularly, with a 6-piece orchestra in a pit before the stage to provide accompaniment, touring stage shows also made routine and very popular visits. Every summer a stock company would visit for several weeks, putting on a different play each night. The local YMCA also had a singing group, Y Beaver Minstrels, that performed there to packed houses. During the intervals, 11 and 12 year-old YMCA members would be drafted to walk up and down the aisles selling Crackerjacks, as a fund-raiser.

The same building had earlier housed the 1,075-seat Opera House, owned by a local businessman, Thomas Carter, and built in 1893.

In 1927, Famous Players Ltd. bought the Woodstock Opera House, renamed it the Capitol Theatre and soon began showing the first talkies. In 1940, The Capitol was sold to another local businessman, Tom Naylor, who made extensive upgrades, including adding an up-to-date sound system and fireproofing the projection booth: the nitrate-based film then used was very flammable, unlike the safety film in use today. However, live stage performances were still popular and vaudeville was a part of every Saturday evening show until 1956.

The last change came in 1975, when the balcony was converted into a second and separate theatre, Capitol 2. The Capitol closed in 1999.

Contributed by Brian Morton

YOUR COMMENTS

There is an amazing album of pictures of this theatre here.

http://flickr.com/photos/phrenzee/sets/72157603799200194/

posted by BrianMorton on Feb 29, 2008 at 3:30pm

Here is another photo. No date provided:
http://tinyurl.com/2tqxug

posted by ken mc on Feb 29, 2008 at 3:48pm

Make sure you look at those flickr pictures!

It looks like it's in pretty good shape. It just needs a lot of tender loving care. Anyone know of any plans for the theater?

"They showed the old movie theater,and half of it was gone." Scott Ward

posted by Ret. AKC(NAC) Bob Jensen on Mar 5, 2008 at 8:01am

Its use a cinema is likely gone. There is a multiplex in the area.

This however was live theatre long before the coming of motion pictures. I would hope that it could be restored to form some kind of summer stock theatre/performing arts venue. It has a full fly gallery although long abandoned.

posted by BrianMorton on Mar 5, 2008 at 9:25am

There is a Woodstock Opera House listed under Woodstock ON in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. The manager was Charles A. Pyne, the theater had 1,200 seats and ticket prices of 25 cents to $1. The proscenium opening was 27 feet wide and the stage was 24 feet deep. There were 8 members of the house orchestra. Local newspapers were the Sentinel, Review, and Times. Hotels for show folk were the Oxford, Royal and Commercial, and the local railways were CPR and Grand Trunk. The 1897 population of Woodstock was 10,000.

posted by Ron Salters on Mar 5, 2008 at 11:03am

Brian Morton and everyone else - live theater sounds great, but it's a shame for a theater to not be used in between productions. Special movies that wouldn't be shown at a multiplex could be the answer. There are cinemas around that are fairly successful showing special films in between live productions. These theaters need to be found and then copied.

Does the theater have landmark status? Who owns the building?

"A dark theater is terible thing to waste, any night of the week!"

posted by Ret. AKC(NAC) Bob Jensen on Mar 6, 2008 at 7:19am

I have no idea alas who owns the building. I live in Hamilton, ONT which is about 90 minutes away. I would see this building every time I drove up to Owen Sound or Blyth... So I was looking for it in the Cinema Treasures listings... and when I didn't find it I added the info myself. There have been a number of historic theatre's knocked down in Ontario this past five years (Uptown in Toronto, Lyric in Kitchener, Grand Opera Houses in Barrie and St Catherines, Capitol in and Century in London)....

There are also many under real threat - Century in Hamilton, Heritage in Brampton and this one.. So I was hoping that someone might read this and start to care...

posted by BrianMorton on Mar 6, 2008 at 10:19am

1982 photo of the Capitol Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=123&CategoryID=3281&Category2ID=3224&List=1&SortField=ProductName%2cProductName&Level=2&ProductID=36864

posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 5, 2009 at 11:29pm

This is a 2009 photo of the Capitol.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 23, 2009 at 10:33am

Its wild to see that the building is still there after being closed for some time.That the marquee is still there is amazing.Must be in a bad part of town.

posted by tlsloews on Nov 23, 2009 at 12:22pm

Does anyone know if the Capitol Theatre has to be redone as a theatre? Could some other form of entertainment go there? This building has been a part of woodstock way too long to be demolished! I have some ideas for the building IF it can be changed from a theatre. It may be the only way to keep this building standing is to make it something else but keep all historical value. lots of renovations need to be done! There is just so much potential for this building that i would hate to loose forever!
s clement, woodstock ontario

posted by sclement on Jan 12, 2010 at 6:23am

The Capitol Theatre had a manager who like most men in those days promoted movies.It is lost on Managers today. Mr. Gerry T. Wormald promoted a all out street ballyhoo for "CUSTER OF THE WEST". Feb 10 1969.

posted by MikeRogers on Jan 18, 2010 at 6:13pm

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