The Imperial Theater

Saint John, New Brunswick, CAN

The scoop…

A little known gem…

The Imperial Theatre

The Imperial Theatre is often described as “the most beautifully restored theatre in Canada”. It is stunning, it is beautiful, it is lovingly restored. It owns a rich, full and fascinating history. Located in the city center of what is known as the “Uptown” section of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, I stumbled upon this gem while visting Saint John with my family. We saw that there was a live performance that night and we immediatley bought tickets to attend a live performance of Atlantic Canadian musicians playing traditional tunes of the 3 eastern maritimes. It was a wonderful and memorable experience which spurred me to write this little snapshot on the beautiful Imperial Theatre.

The Imperial Theatre with a seating capacity for ~700, was originally built in 1913 as a vaudeville venue. It was designed by Albert Westover, a noted American architech based in Philadelphia. He was well known for designing public buildings and theatres in the Beaux-Arts and revivalist styles that were very popular at that time. This was the golden age of vaudeville and silent film. His designs included lavish interiors of decorative plasterwork, murals, grand arches and facades that featured classical elements like opulent colums and pediments. Constructed by the Saint-John Amusements Company Ltd, it was known as one of the finest theaters in the Maritimes, featuring artists such as actrice Ethel Barrymore, band leader John Phillips Sousa, and illusionist Harry Houdini to name just a few. Then as cinemas grew to become more popular around 1929 The Imperial was leased by Famous Players and renamed “The Capitol”. It began transitioning to films as it continued to produce live performances. This continued until the mid 50’s when attendance declined due to the advent of television. It closed in 1957 and reopened after being bought by the Full Gospel Assembly Penetecostal Church. It remained a place of worship for the next 25 years as it gradually and eventually fell into a dire state of disrepair. In 1982 it faced the real threat of demolition when a local grassroots campaign raised in excess of 1 million dollars to restore this well loved city landmark.

Lovingly restored to its former grandeur it was offically reopened on May 24, 1994 and today continues to serve as Saint John’s vibrant performing arts center. You can take a historical tour of the Imperial for an intimate glimspe into its rich past and to view its stunning Neo Classical architecture.

If you ever find yourself in Saint John, go and experience the magic of this beautiful little theatre!

Uptown Saint John

23 Kings Square South, Saint John, NB