Opera House

Joe Vogel on May 19, 2015 at 2:25 pm

Writer Doug Taylor’s web site Historic Toronto has a page for La Plaza Theatre with many period and modern photos of the house. Taylor says that plans for La Plaza were submitted to the city in February, 1915.

La Plaza Theatre is listed in the 1917 edition of The Toronto Annual as a moving picture and vaudeville house with 885 seats, with the proprietor being a Mr. Welsman (this might have been either Charles, Clarence, or William Welsman, all of whom are mentioned as early Toronto theater operators in various sources.)

Though it might have begun as a movie and vaudeville house, in 1919 and 1920 La Plaza is mentioned in The Billboard as presenting shows with long runs. The issue of July 5, 1919, says that the Luther, Kelly & Gates' Music Comedy Revue was soon to close a six-month run at La Plaza. The January 10, 1920, issue says that Parker’s Musical Comedy Revue was in the 19th week of its third season at La Plaza, which suggests that the company had been appearing at the house annually since 1918.

Although I can’t find any period documentation for the claim, the Wikipedia article on architect Kirk Hyslop (b. 1889) says that he worked on La Plaza, but it isn’t known if he was the original architect or merely designed alterations that were made in 1932.

CSWalczak on June 15, 2008 at 1:04 pm

Sorry; I hit ‘Submit’ before ‘Preview" – I meant to delete the second URL as that picture had been posted previously, and correct “additional”.

rivieraservices on May 26, 2007 at 11:39 pm

The Opera House is the most amazing club I’ve ever been in. It has a very special atmosphere and has hosted some of the most spectacular music events ever. From Nirvana to Rage against the Machine, the list goes on and on.

Check out their website:

www.theoperahousetoronto.com