The history of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre is a long and fascinating one, spanning more than 80 years. It not only chronicles the magnificent design, architectural and entertainment highlights of an era, it also reflects the evolution and growth of our heritage and culture
Built in 1913, the complex was the Canadian flagship of Marcus Loew's legendary theatre chain. Designed by Thomas Lamb as a "double-decker" theatre complex, it contained the Winter Garden Theatre, constructed seven-stories above the Elgin Theatre (originally known as Loew's Yonge Street Theatre).
The two theatres were of distinctly
different personality: the Elgin was all gold leaf and rich fabrics, a
formal theatre of plaster cherubs and ornate opera boxes. The Winter Garden
was a botanical fantasy, its walls hand-painted to resemble a garden,
its ceiling a mass of beech boughs and twinkling lanterns. The theatres
played host to such greats as George Burns and Gracie Allen, Sophie Tucker,
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy and Milton Berle.
With the decline of vaudeville, the Winter Garden closed in 1928. It remained closed for more than half a century, becoming a time capsule of a bygone era. The Elgin, with its grand domed ceiling, continued on as a movie house, gradually falling into disrepair with the passing of each decade.
In 1981, the Ontario Heritage
Foundation purchased the building and in 1987 began a two and half year,
$30 million restoration. The gilt plaster detail work in the Elgin required
more than 300,000 wafer-thin sheets of aluminium leaf. The walls of the
Winter Garden had to be cleaned using hundreds of pounds of raw bread
dough to avoid damaging the original hand painted watercolour artwork.
Over 65,000 square feet of new space was created, including lobby and
lounge areas and an eight storey backstage addition.
In December of 1989, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres re-opened and have again become two of Canada's finest theatrical stages. Top shows that have been presented include: "Cats", "The Wizard of Oz", Kenneth Branagh's "King Lear", Robin Phillips production of "Aspects of Love", the North American premiere of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" starring Donny Osmond; "Napoleon", George F. Walker's "Nothing Sacred", "The Who's TOMMY", "STOMP", "Forever Tango" and various productions by the Canadian Opera Company. The theatres have also presented musical and comedy concerts, lectures, award presentations, gala screenings from the Toronto International Film Festival and a wide variety of special events.
