Evolution of the Avon Theatre

*    Special thanks to the Stratford-Perth Archives for most of the text and photos. Most of the news stories and photos were first published in the Stratford Beacon Herald from 1964 to 2002. 

After the fire, Mr. Brandenberger was left with no place to have shows so he  planned to build his own theatre.  His original plan was to erect an opera house on the property belonging to his family between Erie and Wellington Streets.  It would accommodate 800 people and there would be one gallery.  Frontage was to be on Wellington with the stage entrance on Erie. This theatre was to be designed by Stratford architect Harry .J. Powell who also  designed 28 residential buildings  in Stratford. Although these Wellington Street plans changed, Powell would design an even larger opera house theatre for Brandenberger on Downie Street. This information was reported in the Stratford Evening Beacon, December 3, 1897.  

In due course, Brandenberger acquired the building site at 99 Downie Street, purchased for $1600 from Mary Patterson, grandmother of Tom Patterson, who was the founder of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in 1953.

The construction of the building began in 1900. Brandenberger named the building  Theatre Albert after himself or maybe after Queen Victoria's consort or both. The new theatre, although not completed, opened on 1 January 1901 with A Female Drummer,  ( see below ) the first stage show in the city's first legitimate theatre. The theatre was run by Albert and his sister Millie known as Ab and Mil. 

H. J  Powell, as mentioned, of Stratford was contracted to design the opera house.  He was also one of ten competitors who submitted designs for the new City Hall. His proposal received First Prize and the contract for the construction of his design was awarded, but the local City Council could not obtain a quorum to vote on acceptance of his plan.  

The Herald carried this description. "The opera house will have a colonial front with three front entrances, the middle entrance to the auditorium and the others to the office and second balcony, respectively. There will also be entrances to two small stores one on each corner.  It will be decorated with four terra-cotta pillars and a cornice of galvanized iron projecting over the sidewall. Immediately over the main entrance will be a small balcony reached by way of the first balcony within. The building will consist of a basement, first floor and two balconies, with the two stories being underneath the first balcony . About 1500 people will be able to view the productions on the stage which will be 60' x 39‘ and fitted with the latest appliances. The dressing rooms will be underneath the stage and then we have two boxes, one on either side of the auditorium. The building will be heated with steam and ventilated in the most approved modern way and have the new electric lights."  Further details of the building itself and its early history were reprinted in the Stratford Beacon Herald, July 2, 1964. 

The gala opening was planned for the new opera house, but the death of Queen Victoria and a period of national morning interrupted the plans. The theatre opened January 4, 1901 with a performance of  The Female Drummer. Theatre Albert was now the largest and finest theatre in  western Ontario becoming a centre of entertainment and a regular stop for touring productions. The famous Canadian troop, the Marks Brothers ( not the American Marx Bros... see below), were regulars at the theatres . Others were  The Westminster Abbey choir of London, England;   John Griffith a noted Shakespearean actor in Macbeth, and Sir John Martin-Harvey  who was an English stage actor. Other greats of the day also performed at the theatre. They included  Maude Adams who achieved her greatest success as Peter Pan, and  Elsie Janis who was a headliner, comic and singer on Broadway and London in vaudeville.

By 1910, Brandenberger had enlarged and improved the building, giving most of his attention to the interiors  There was an orchestra pit of modest size, part of it taken up by a storm water culvert that conducted Romeo Creek diagonally under the building, as it does today.

The auditorium decor, as it emerged from the 1910 refurbishing, was vaguely akin to Edwardian style, with bas relief touches. Brandenberger commented that "my stage is one of the largest and finest in Canada" and explained that that the upholstered seats "were the best I can buy" and although the seats have been re-upholstered, they remain to this day. The exterior façade was of little architectural merit.  At this time there were stores on either sides of the theatre that eventually became part of the theatre in 1967. 

*      Interesting note: Ernest Marks  a descendant of the Marks Brothers and  Jack McClaren of The Dumbells were invited to the opening of the new renovation of the Avon theatre in 1967.

In 1964 renovation work was begun. The first stage concentrated on the extension of the stage facilities and the redesign of the auditorium, with  decor by Tanya Moiseiwitsch .

The theatre was officially opened in the same year by Mayor Meier (C.H. Meier Blvd. is named for him). Two operas were presented, "The Yeomen of the Guard " and  " The Marriage of Figaro". A major remodeling was done on the theatre's exterior in 1967.

Opening Ceremonies. July 3, 1967.

Although The Avon Theatre retains traces of its turn of the century building, it probably can rightfully claim title to that of Canada‘s newest theatre since within the last few years, and ending just this week, in fact, more than $1 million has been expended to provide the world famous Festival Theatre with a sister structure of beauty and importance. The ceremonies attendant on this important occasion, the grand opening of the newly renovated Avon, pay tribute to the colorful early days of Theatre Albert that was the largest in Western Ontario. The Avon is now an integral  part of the internationally-renowned Stratford Festival.

At 3 pm, July 7, 1967, the official party drove up in a one horse Hackney carriage reminiscent of the earlier era. The official party members were greeted by Mr. David Rae, Chairman of the building committee of the board of governors of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Mrs. Gertrude Alan, who had managed the theatre in its early years both as a legitimate and then a movie theatre will turn the key symbolizing the new importance of the theatre in the presentation of Stratford Festival productions.

The ribbon across the doors into the comfortable lounge in the foyer will be cut with the sword used by Douglas Rain in the 1966 production of Henry V by  a representative of one of Canada‘s best known theatre families. His worship Ernest Marks Q . C., Mayor of Oshawa, is a descendent of the Marks Brothers Company, ( see above) which toured much of Canada several decades ago . The power for the new theatre will be turned on by one of the original members of the world famous Dumbells, Jack McLaren, ( see above) who will use an original switch from the old 1911 theatre, which will activate the new electric control lighting board.

Other distinguished guests to be present: Floyd Chalmers, President of the board of governors, Charles Steel McNaughton, Provincial treasurer and Jean Gascon, Associate Director of the Strafford Festival. Stratford Beacon Herald, Saturday, July 8, 1967. 

The New Addition

In 1984,  6 million dollars was spent on expanding the service areas of both the Festival Theatre and  Avon Theatre.  A new  2067 sq. metre addition at the Avon provided a carpentry shop, technical and design studios and offices, a lighting design office, a paint shop, expanded dressing rooms, two new rehearsal halls, a substantial green room, expanded wig production space and costume and laundry facilities.

A major remodelling 2002

The Opening.  May 30, 2002.

One could go to see a double feature, a cartoon  and have popcorn and a coke for 35 cents. Smoking and necking in the balcony were quite popular.  We could not miss a serial at every Saturday matinee. Did Batman really go over the cliff?  Favorite shows were cowboy movies, the Three Stooges and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Curved screen Cinemascope arrived to present blockbuster movies such as The Ten Commandments and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.   3D movies were also a novelty where we had to wear cardboard glasses with a red and blue plastic lens. An Abbott and Costello 3D movie shown below was a hit.  Sometimes rats would scurry under our feet looking for popcorn. They came from the large culvert under the theatre where the Romeo Creek still runs.   Paul Wilker