Grand Gerrard Theatre

1035 Gerrard Street E,
Toronto, ON M4M 1Z6

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Additional Info

Functions: Live Performances, Movies (Classic), Movies (Independent)

Previous Names: Bonita Theatre, Athenian Theatre, Wellington Theatre, Sri Lakshmi, Gerrard Cinema, Projection Booth

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This was a neighborhood theatre from approximately 1913 to 1964. It then took on a succession of names and may have endured periods of closure.

It became the Athenian Theatre soon after its initial closure. Sometime after 1970, it became the Wellington Theatre, and then, according to various local business directories, the Sri Lakshmi, and then the the Gerrard Cinema or Gerrard Theatre, depending on the local source. It showed Tamil movies, consistent with the current ethnic character of the neighborhood.

In July 2011, it came under new owners and was renamed Projection Booth. Programs consisted of art, schlock, foreign and independent movies. It was closed at the end of 2014. It reopened on April 1, 2019 as the Grand Gerrard Theatre, presenting independent films and live performances.

Contributed by Christopher Walczak

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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)

JCharles on April 8, 2011 at 4:57 pm

A 2009 article on the Gerrard:
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And a 2011 one:
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JCharles on January 25, 2013 at 7:11 am

It has been announced that, starting Feb. 1st, 2013, there will be a name change to Big Picture Cinemas. The new website URL is http://www.bigpicturecinema.com/

The two locations will be known as Big Picture Gerrard (the address noted above) and Big Picture Metro, the old Metro Theatre. Not clear yet whether there will be another attempt to introduce mainstream programming into the Metro, whose Cinema Treasures listing is here: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/896

JCharles on July 9, 2013 at 4:39 pm

Article about a conflict between the owners of the cinema:

http://www.blogto.com/city/2013/04/projection_booth_cinema_mired_in_internal_conflict/

gordonmcleod on July 9, 2014 at 12:22 pm

It was built in approximately 1913 as what appears as an extension to the back of an existing storefront In the late seventies and early 80’s it was called the Krishna Theatre and was operated by the same peron who ran hindi product at the parliment (ex gay theatre) on parliment and dundas he later ran the Donlands Theatre

JCharles on September 27, 2016 at 8:17 am

This theatre closed at the end of 2014.