About us.

A brief history of the Academy Theatre.

Built in 1892, the Academy Theatre was billed as the most technically perfect theatre in Canada and is the second oldest live theatre house in Ontario. Based on designs by architect, W. Blackwell of Peterborough, the Academy Theatre’s large stage, 900 seats, crescent-shaped gallery, private boxes, frescoed ceiling, rich decor, and beautiful proportions left visitors speechless.

As part of the vaudeville circuit in the early part of the twentieth century, the Academy Theatre hosted famous performers such as Marie Dressler, Sammy Davis Jr. and the Marx Brothers. In 1931, the Academy Theatre became primarily a movie house and built a new stage, auditorium, orchestra pit, ceiling, and balcony.

In 1955, due to stiff competition from another local movie theatre, the Academy closed its doors. When it came up for sale in 1962, a group of concerned citizens, fearing that the theatre might be demolished, began a community initiative to raise funds to buy the building. There was overwhelming support from service clubs, businesses, and many individuals, which raised over $65,000.

The Academy Theatre for Performing Arts, as it is known today, is a busy social and cultural centre year-round. However, unlike theatres in comparably sized communities, the Academy Theatre does not receive operating funding through the municipal, provincial, or federal government and must rely on community support to cover daily operations. As a result, it is staffed largely by dedicated volunteers and operates as a publicly owned non-profit organization. The Academy Theatre hosts over 50,000 patrons a year proving that age doesn't have to slow you down!

Source: Early Stages in Ontario, 1800-1914, OHSS Toronto.

Legend has it that a woman, rushing down the stairs, had a bad fall in the theatre and died before reaching the hospital. It is her spirit that is said to haunt the theatre to this day. Mary, as she has been named, is a friendly but mischievous ghost, who, according to theatre employees, moves or hides objects, lowers seats, makes light go on and off, opens and shuts doors, and so forth. If you want to feel her presence, sit in seat thirteen in any of the rows when the theatre is silent and empty.