Royal Theatre

Address: 805 Broughton St.
Phone: (250) 361.0800
Fax: (250) 361.0805
Email: marketing@rmts.bc.ca
Website: Royal Theatre Victoria BC

The Royal Theatre opened in 1913 as a privately built and operated roadhouse. It has seen many of this century’s great performers on its stage, including Sarah Bernhardt, Carlos Montoya, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Luciano Pavarotti, in spite of having been used in part as a cinema from 1917 until 1981. The Royal Theatre was designated a site of national historic significance in 1987, and received a commemorative plaque from the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1990. The original foyer has been augmented by lobby extensions completed in 1991, while the auditorium retains its original Rococo/Renaissance Revival style decor. Extensive technical upgrades, restoration work to the auditorium, and refurbishment of the dressing rooms took place in 2002. The award winning exterior renovations were completed in 2006.

The Royal is home to the Victoria Symphony and Pacific Opera Victoria, as well as being Vancouver Island’s premiere venue for touring attractions.

The Royal Theatre operates as a licensee/rental venue, under the administration of the Royal & McPherson Theatres Society.

Belfry Theatre

Address: 1291 Gladstone Avenue
Phone: (250) 385-6835
Email: info@belfry.bc.ca
Website: Belfry Theatre

The Belfry is Victoria’s largest, contemporary theatre, producing up to 12 plays per year from its beautifully restored heritage church. The Belfry Theatre was founded in 1974 as the Springridge Cultural Centre (renamed the Belfry Theatre in 1976) by a group of community minded individuals. Its original focus was as an alternative venue for touring theatre productions, concerts and community arts events.

The company began producing plays in 1976 with a focus on contemporary work, especially new Canadian plays. In the past 30 years the Belfry has become one of Canada’s most successful and respected theatre companies.

Productions
From August to May each year the Belfry produces up to twelve plays: four Mainstage productions - our season ticket series; one or two Bonus productions, popular fare that assists with fundraising for the company; and each spring, a festival of innovative and alternative work from across Canada.

The company’s productions have won awards in Calgary (Betty Mitchell Awards), Vancouver (Jessie Richardson Awards) and Toronto (Dora Mavor Moore Awards). Many of the plays that have premiered at the Belfry have gone on to acclaim across Canada, in the US, Europe and London ’s West End.

Langham Court Theatre

Address: 805 Langham Court
Phone: (250) 384-2142
Email: boxoffice.langhamcourt@shaw.ca
Website: Langham Court Theatre

The original buildings (ca. 1880) were the carriage house and barn of the Robert Ward family estate on elite Belcher Street (now Rockland Avenue). Over the years they have changed hands several times and been, by turns, part of The Collegiate School for Boys, part of St. George’s School for Girls, a meeting hall and the home of the 1930 Victoria Operatic Society.

In 1938-40 the buildings were changed to a fully functional theatre known as The Victoria Little Theatre & Dramatic School.

The name was changed in 1950 and the buildings were joined in 1951. The last half-century has seen many more improvements, renovations and expansions, making this Victoria landmark the quaint and intimate neighbourhood theatre we have today.

The Guild began as The Mimes’ and Masquers’ Guild in 1929, became The Victoria Little Theatre Association in 1931, and The Victoria Little Theatre & Dramatic School in 1938 (matching the theatre’s name). Half of the membership split away in 1949 as The Victoria Players’ Guild, but the groups reunited in 1950 as The Victoria Theatre Guild & Dramatic School and renamed the facility Langham Court Theatre.

Since 1929, over 27,000 Guild volunteers have presented nearly 3,000 performances of more than 500 shows to over a quarter of a million patrons. Thanks to our current complement of members and audience support, the Victoria Theatre Guild & Dramatic School continues to be one of Western Canada’s few community theatre success stories.