Queen’s Theatre
Address: 90 King St. W
Toronto Directory, for 1876. Containg an Alphabetical Directory of the Citizens, and a Street Directory, with Classfiied Business Directory and a Miscellaneous Directory..." Fisher & Taylor, 1876. Toronto Public Library.
static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/pdfs/1316821003.pdf
History
Queen's Theatre
An early theatre existed on the north side of King Street West, ambiguously knows as the Lyceum Theatre, until another theatre replaced it at that location, opening on 11 May 1874 under the name of the Queen's Theatre. By opening with Lady Audley's Secret plus a variety program, the Queen's sponosrs clearly intended the new house to be a variety theatre. According to the Toronto Mail of 29 April 1874, the theatre was 'constructed entirely without stairs, the whole occupying a spacious ground floor.' Audience capacity was reported to be 1,000, arranged in a parquette, dress circle, and amphitheatre, addressing a stage of sixty by forty feet. Destroyed by fire on 23 April 1883, the Queen's had caatered to abundant tast for the mroe popular forms of theatrical entertainment, which could have accounted in some measure for its more egalitarian floor plan. (pp.222)
Fairfield, Robert. "Theatres and Performance Halls." Early Stages: Theatre in Ontario 1800-1914. Edited by Ann Saddlemyer. University of Toronto Press, 1990. pp. 214-287.
Cf. pen & ink drawing 189? by W. J. Thomson reproduced in Landmarks of Toronto v.1, p.490, and also pen & ink drawing, ca 1888? reproduced in Evening Telegram series 'Landmarks of Toronto' 16 May 1889. Former printed JRR caption referred to the present as 1913, and described the building as "Originally Second Drill Shed in City."
Thomson, W.J. "Queen's Theatre, King St. W., n. side, betw. Bay & York Sts." Virtual Reference Library. Baldwin Collection, Toronto Reference Library, JRR 858. Accessed June 21, 2017. www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMDC-PICTURES-R-5399&R=DC-PICTURES-R-5399&searchPageType=vrl
