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Coordinates: 43°38′49″N 79°23′22″W / 43.64694°N 79.38938°W / 43.64694; -79.38938
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{{Short description|Toronto, Ontario Theatre}}
{{Infobox Theatre
{{Infobox Theatre
|name = Princess of Wales Theatre
|name = Princess of Wales Theatre
|image = Princess of Wales Theatre 2009.JPG
|image = Princess of Wales Theatre 2023.jpg
|caption = Princess of Wales Theatre
|caption = Princess of Wales Theatre
|address = 300 King Street West<br />[[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]<br />M5V 1J2
|address = 300 King Street West<br />[[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]<br />M5V 1J2
Line 23: Line 24:


==History==
==History==
[[Ed Mirvish|Ed]] and [[David Mirvish]] built the theatre as a state-of-the-art facility to stage large-scale musicals for long runs. <!-- dubious: At the time of construction, it was the first privately-owned and financed theatre built in Canada since the Princess Theatre was rebuilt in 1917, and the first such to be built in North America in over thirty years.{{Citation needed|date=May 2018}} --> The family's [[Mirvish Productions]] owns Toronto's [[Royal Alexandra Theatre|Royal Alexandra]], [[Ed Mirvish Theatre|Ed Mirvish]] (formerly the Canon), and [[Panasonic Theatre|Panasonic]] theatres. The Mirvish family owns the former [[Honest Ed's]] department store and the Markham Street "Markham Village" retail district, which are currently being rebuilt.
[[Ed Mirvish|Ed]] and [[David Mirvish]] built the theatre as a state-of-the-art facility to stage large-scale musicals for long runs. <!-- dubious: At the time of construction, it was the first privately-owned and financed theatre built in Canada since the Princess Theatre was rebuilt in 1917, and the first such to be built in North America in over thirty years.{{Citation needed|date=May 2018}} --> The family's [[Mirvish Productions]] owns Toronto's [[Royal Alexandra Theatre|Royal Alexandra]], [[Ed Mirvish Theatre|Ed Mirvish]] (formerly the Canon), and [[CAA Theatre|CAA]] (formerly the Panasonic) theatres. The Mirvish family owned the former [[Honest Ed's]] discount store and the [[Mirvish Village]] retail district, which are currently being redeveloped.


Construction began on August 6, 1991. The project architect was Peter Smith, of the Toronto firm Lett-Smith. Smith was also responsible for the duMaurier Theatre Centre in Toronto and for the restoration of the [[Grand Theatre, Ontario|Grand Theatre]], in [[London, Ontario]].
Construction began on August 6, 1991. The project architect was Peter Smith, of the Toronto firm Lett-Smith. Smith was also responsible for the duMaurier Theatre Centre in Toronto and for the restoration of the [[Grand Theatre, Ontario|Grand Theatre]], in [[London, Ontario]].


For the Princess of Wales Theatre, David Mirvish commissioned a series of murals by American [[abstract expressionist]] painter and sculptor [[Frank Stella]]. The paintings—{{convert|10000|sqft|m2|-3}}—cover the auditorium ceiling dome, the proscenium arch, the walls of lounges and lobbies on all four levels of the theatre and the outside back wall of the fly tower. They are believed to comprise one of the largest mural installations of modern times. Stella also designed the decorative fronts of the boxes and balconies and the decorative end-caps of the each seating row. The theatre has seating on three levels—orchestra, dress circle and balcony—with elevator access to all levels and is configured as a traditional 19th century English proscenium theatre. Further, the entire theatre is barrier-free, enabling wheelchair access to all levels — not a common occurrence in Toronto considering the age of many of its theatres. The Princess of Wales Theatre is designed to incorporate both traditional and contemporary design elements. The ''[[Toronto Star]]'' described it as "...a glittering glass jewelry case, a sparkling glimpse into a spectacle of total design." It is often used for study by architecture, engineering, design, and theatre students.{{Citation needed|date=May 2018}}
For the Princess of Wales Theatre, David Mirvish commissioned a series of murals by American [[abstract expressionist]] painter and sculptor [[Frank Stella]]. The paintings—{{convert|10000|sqft|m2|-3}}—cover the auditorium ceiling dome, the proscenium arch, the walls of lounges and lobbies on all four levels of the theatre and the outside back wall of the fly tower. They are believed to comprise one of the largest mural installations of modern times. Stella also designed the decorative fronts of the boxes and balconies and the decorative end-caps of the each seating row. The theatre has seating on three levels—orchestra, dress circle and balcony—with elevator access to all levels and is configured as a traditional 19th century English proscenium theatre. Further, the entire theatre is barrier-free, enabling wheelchair access to all levels — not a common occurrence in Toronto considering the age of many of its theatres. The Princess of Wales Theatre is designed to incorporate both traditional and contemporary design elements.


The theatre opened on May 26, 1993, with a Canadian production of the megamusical ''[[Miss Saigon]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/toronto-theatre-gathers-tributes-to-princess-diana-com-71410|title=Toronto Theatre Gathers Tributes to Princess Diana|last=Viagas|first=Robert|work=[[Playbill]]|date=September 6, 1999|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> Subsequent productions in the Princess of Wales have included the musicals ''[[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|Beauty and the Beast]]'', ''[[The Lion King (musical)|The Lion King]]'', ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'', ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'', ''[[Chicago (musical)|Chicago]]'', ''[[Oliver!]]'', ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'', ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|The Phantom of the Opera]]'' and ''[[The Sound of Music]]''.
The theatre opened on May 26, 1993, with a Canadian production of the megamusical ''[[Miss Saigon]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/toronto-theatre-gathers-tributes-to-princess-diana-com-71410|title=Toronto Theatre Gathers Tributes to Princess Diana|last=Viagas|first=Robert|work=[[Playbill]]|date=September 6, 1999|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> Subsequent productions in the Princess of Wales have included the musicals ''[[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|Beauty and the Beast]]'', ''[[The Lion King (musical)|The Lion King]]'', ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'', ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'', ''[[Chicago (musical)|Chicago]]'', ''[[Oliver!]]'', ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'', ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|The Phantom of the Opera]]'', ''[[The Sound of Music]]'', and ''[[Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]]''.


A stage production of ''[[The Lord of the Rings (musical)#Toronto production|The Lord of the Rings]]'' made its world premiere in the facilities on February 8, 2006, losing money owing to terrible reviews and a lack of public interest. The original stage was gutted and replaced with a complex stage surface that includes three interlocking turntables and 17 independent elevators for this production.
A stage production of ''[[The Lord of the Rings (musical)#Toronto|The Lord of the Rings]]'' made its world premiere in the facilities on February 8, 2006, losing money owing to terrible reviews and a lack of public interest. The original stage was gutted and replaced with a complex stage surface that includes three interlocking turntables and 17 independent elevators for this production.


The [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre's]] production of ''[[War Horse (play)|War Horse]]'' opened at the theatre on February 10, 2012.<ref>{{Cite web| title=War Horse| access-date=2018-03-12| url=http://www.mirvish.com/shows/warhorse| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811230929/http://www.mirvish.com/shows/warhorse| archive-date=2012-08-11}}</ref>
The [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre's]] production of ''[[War Horse (play)|War Horse]]'' opened at the theatre on February 10, 2012.<ref>{{Cite web| title=War Horse| access-date=2018-03-12| url=http://www.mirvish.com/shows/warhorse| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811230929/http://www.mirvish.com/shows/warhorse| archive-date=2012-08-11}}</ref>


On September 29, 2012, after operating for only 19 years, Mirvish Productions announced a plan to demolish the Princess of Wales Theatre in favour of [[Mirvish+Gehry|a multi-purpose complex]] designed by [[Frank Gehry]] and which would include an extensive artwork collection available for public viewing, as well as museums, condominium units, and retail spaces.<ref>{{cite news| first=Chris| last=Atchison| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/preservation-not-on-the-playbill-at-princess-of-wales-theatre/article9035294/| title=Preservation not on the playbill at Princess of Wales Theatre| newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]| location=Toronto|date=March 4, 2013|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> However, in response to criticism from city planners, Mirvish and Gehry announced a revised plan in May 2014 which would spare the structure.<ref>{{cite news| title=Revised Mirvish-Gehry design saves Princess of Wales Theatre: Hume| first=Christopher| last=Hume| url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/05/27/revised_mirvishgehry_design_saves_princess_of_wales_theatre_hume.html| access-date=May 28, 2014| newspaper=Toronto Star| date=May 27, 2014}}</ref>
On September 29, 2012, after operating for only 19 years, Mirvish Productions announced a plan to demolish the Princess of Wales Theatre in favour of [[Mirvish+Gehry|a multi-purpose complex]] designed by [[Frank Gehry]] and which would include an extensive artwork collection available for public viewing, as well as museums, condominium units, and retail spaces.<ref>{{cite news| first=Chris| last=Atchison| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/preservation-not-on-the-playbill-at-princess-of-wales-theatre/article9035294/| title=Preservation not on the playbill at Princess of Wales Theatre| newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]| location=Toronto|date=March 4, 2013|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> However, in response to criticism from city planners, Mirvish and Gehry announced a revised plan in May 2014 which would spare the structure.<ref>{{cite news| title=Revised Mirvish-Gehry design saves Princess of Wales Theatre: Hume| first=Christopher| last=Hume| url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/05/27/revised_mirvishgehry_design_saves_princess_of_wales_theatre_hume.html| access-date=May 28, 2014| newspaper=Toronto Star| date=May 27, 2014}}</ref>

==Notable productions==
Productions are listed by the year of their first performance.<ref>{{cite web |title=Princess of Wales Theatre Show Archives |url=https://www.mirvish.com/learn/show-archives?k=&s=&v=Princess+of+Wales+Theatre&y= |website=Mirvish Productions |access-date=17 February 2023}}</ref>

*1993: ''[[Miss Saigon]]''
*1995: ''[[Beauty and the Beast (musical) | Beauty and the Beast]]''
*1997: ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest]]'', ''[[Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story]]''
*1998: ''[[Slava's Snowshow]]'', ''[[Chicago (musical) | Chicago]]''
*1999: ''[[The Pajama Game]]'', ''[[Fame (musical) | Fame]]'', ''[[Les Misérables (musical) | Les Misérables]]'', ''[[Cabaret (musical) | Cabaret]]'', ''[[Oliver!]]''
*2000: ''[[The Lion King (musical) | The Lion King]]''
*2004: ''[[The Hollow Crown (anthology) | The Hollow Crown]]'', ''[[Hairspray (musical) | Hairspray]]''
*2005: ''[[Da Kink in My Hair]]'', ''[[Evita (musical) | Evita]]'', ''Les Misérables''
*2006: ''[[Lord of the Rings (musical) | Lord of the Rings]]''
*2007: ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical) | The Phantom of the Opera]]'', ''[[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Sweeney Todd]]''
*2008: ''[[Twelve Angry Men]]'', ''[[The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby]]'', ''[[The Sound of Music]]''
*2010: ''[[Young Frankenstein (musical) | Young Frankenstein]]'', ''[[Mamma Mia! (musical) | Mamma Mia!]]'', ''[[Legally Blonde (musical) | Legally Blonde]]'', ''[[Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (musical) | Priscilla, Queen of the Desert]]''
*2011: ''The Lion King'', ''[[Hugh Jackman: in Concert | Hugh Jackman in Concert]]'', ''[[Chess (musical) | Chess]]'', ''[[Mary Poppins (musical) | Mary Poppins]]''
*2012: ''[[War Horse (play) | War Horse]]''
*2013: ''[[The Book of Mormon (musical) | The Book of Mormon]]'', ''[[Anything Goes]]'', ''Les Misérables''
*2014: ''The Lion King'', ''The Book of Mormon''
*2015: ''[[Blithe Spirit (play) | Blithe Spirit]]'', ''[[Titanic (musical) | Titanic]]'', ''[[Motown: The Musical]]'', ''The Phantom of the Opera''
*2016: ''[[If/Then]]'', ''[[A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder]]''
*2017: ''The Book of Mormon'', ''[[Strictly Ballroom (musical) | Strictly Ballroom]]'', ''[[The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (play) | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time]]'', ''[[The Illusionists]]''
*2018: ''[[An American in Paris (musical) | An American in Paris]]'', ''[[The King and I]]'', ''[[Ain't Too Proud]]'', ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (musical) | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]''
*2019: ''[[The Last Ship (musical) | The Last Ship]]'', ''[[Beautiful: The Carole King Musical]]'', ''The Lion King'', ''[[Cats (musical) | Cats]]''
*2021: ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]''
*2022: ''[[Room (play) | Room]]'', ''[[& Juliet]]'', ''[[Singin' in the Rain (musical)|Singin' in the Rain]]'', ''[[Mean Girls (musical)|Mean Girls]]'', ''[[Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]]''
*2023: ''[[Hamilton (musical) | Hamilton]]'', ''[[Jagged Little Pill (musical) | Jagged Little Pill]]'',''[[42nd Street (musical) | 42nd Street]]''
*2024: The Book of Mormon, ''[[Aladdin (2011 musical)|Aladdin]]'', ''Les Misérables'', ''[[Wicked (musical) | Wicked]]'', The Lion King


==See also==
==See also==
Line 47: Line 77:


==External links==
==External links==
* {{official|https://www.mirvish.com/theatres/princess-of-wales-theatre|mirvish.com/princess-of-wales-theatre}}
* {{official|https://www.mirvish.com/theatres/princess-of-wales-theatre}}


{{Theatres in Toronto}}
{{Theatres in Toronto}}

Latest revision as of 05:43, 16 December 2024

Princess of Wales Theatre
Princess of Wales Theatre
Map
Address300 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 1J2
Coordinates43°38′49″N 79°23′22″W / 43.64694°N 79.38938°W / 43.64694; -79.38938
OwnerMirvish Productions
Capacity2,000
OpenedMay 26, 1993
Website
mirvish.com/princess-of-wales-theatre

The Princess of Wales Theatre is a 2,000-seat live theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on King Street West, in Toronto's downtown Entertainment District. The theatre's name has a triple meaning: it honours Diana, Princess of Wales, with whose consent the theatre was named; it links the building to its sister theatre, the Royal Alexandra, one block to the east, also named – with Royal assent – for a former Princess of Wales; and it recalls the Princess Theatre, Toronto's first "first-class legitimate" playhouse, that stood three blocks to the east until 1931.

History

[edit]

Ed and David Mirvish built the theatre as a state-of-the-art facility to stage large-scale musicals for long runs. The family's Mirvish Productions owns Toronto's Royal Alexandra, Ed Mirvish (formerly the Canon), and CAA (formerly the Panasonic) theatres. The Mirvish family owned the former Honest Ed's discount store and the Mirvish Village retail district, which are currently being redeveloped.

Construction began on August 6, 1991. The project architect was Peter Smith, of the Toronto firm Lett-Smith. Smith was also responsible for the duMaurier Theatre Centre in Toronto and for the restoration of the Grand Theatre, in London, Ontario.

For the Princess of Wales Theatre, David Mirvish commissioned a series of murals by American abstract expressionist painter and sculptor Frank Stella. The paintings—10,000 square feet (1,000 m2)—cover the auditorium ceiling dome, the proscenium arch, the walls of lounges and lobbies on all four levels of the theatre and the outside back wall of the fly tower. They are believed to comprise one of the largest mural installations of modern times. Stella also designed the decorative fronts of the boxes and balconies and the decorative end-caps of the each seating row. The theatre has seating on three levels—orchestra, dress circle and balcony—with elevator access to all levels and is configured as a traditional 19th century English proscenium theatre. Further, the entire theatre is barrier-free, enabling wheelchair access to all levels — not a common occurrence in Toronto considering the age of many of its theatres. The Princess of Wales Theatre is designed to incorporate both traditional and contemporary design elements.

The theatre opened on May 26, 1993, with a Canadian production of the megamusical Miss Saigon.[1] Subsequent productions in the Princess of Wales have included the musicals Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Les Misérables, Hairspray, Chicago, Oliver!, Cabaret, The Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

A stage production of The Lord of the Rings made its world premiere in the facilities on February 8, 2006, losing money owing to terrible reviews and a lack of public interest. The original stage was gutted and replaced with a complex stage surface that includes three interlocking turntables and 17 independent elevators for this production.

The National Theatre's production of War Horse opened at the theatre on February 10, 2012.[2]

On September 29, 2012, after operating for only 19 years, Mirvish Productions announced a plan to demolish the Princess of Wales Theatre in favour of a multi-purpose complex designed by Frank Gehry and which would include an extensive artwork collection available for public viewing, as well as museums, condominium units, and retail spaces.[3] However, in response to criticism from city planners, Mirvish and Gehry announced a revised plan in May 2014 which would spare the structure.[4]

Notable productions

[edit]

Productions are listed by the year of their first performance.[5]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Viagas, Robert (September 6, 1999). "Toronto Theatre Gathers Tributes to Princess Diana". Playbill. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "War Horse". Archived from the original on 2012-08-11. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  3. ^ Atchison, Chris (March 4, 2013). "Preservation not on the playbill at Princess of Wales Theatre". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  4. ^ Hume, Christopher (May 27, 2014). "Revised Mirvish-Gehry design saves Princess of Wales Theatre: Hume". Toronto Star. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  5. ^ "Princess of Wales Theatre Show Archives". Mirvish Productions. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
[edit]
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