Now the really special thing about the Elgin is that it's two theaters in one! Back then (and even today), real estate was expensive on Yonge Street so the original owner built upwards - there is actually a second theatre right above the Elgin and it's called the Winter Garden. We were told during the presentation that there are only a few of these "double-decker" Edwardian type theatres left in the world and Toronto is lucky to have one of them! In the vaudeville days, the lower theatre would be an open-seating type show with tickets costing around 10 cents while the upper theatre was slightly more refined with assigned seating and tickets costing 25 cents or more.
I only wish my photos did this space justice because the atmosphere was really something. Those wonderful leaves hanging from the ceiling are real (although they have been treated with some kind of preservative) and you get a wonderful feeling as soon as you walk into the space. I hope to come back here one day to see a show.
6 comments:
How lucky for you to see this special space.
This is magnificent! I've never seen anything like it. The name, "Winter Garden," is apt! Maybe if I "leaf" now, I can get to Toronto to see it before my golf game on Sunday?
Fabulous! Quite a crowd there.
Fantastic! Those leaves sure add a different feeling to the space, don't they?
I agree with Kate.
Interesting.
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I hate the new word verification. Since I have trouble reading those "words", I am assuming others do too.