Originally, the Bayview Theatre, later a live theatre venue known as The Playhouse/Bayview Playhouse, was once located at 1605 Bayview Ave (two blocks south of Eglinton Ave E on the east side) in the Leaside neighbourhood of Toronto.
Bayview Theatre
In June 1936, construction began on the 750-seat theatre, designed by architects Kaplan and Sprachman in the Art Deco style. Ads for the air-conditioned theatre first appeared in a December 1936 edition of The Toronto Daily Star, where the theatre was featuring two hit movies: “To Mary With Love,” starring Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy, and “A $1000 A Minute,” starring Roger Pryor and Leila Hyams. The Bayview Theatre closed in 1961.
The Playhouse/Bayview Playhouse Theatre
In 1965, the Mann family purchased the old Bayview Theatre. After extensive renovations that transformed it into a 496-seat live performance venue, the half-million-dollar theatre reopened as The Playhouse in November of that year. The opening show was the musical “She Loves Me,” starring Barbara Hamilton. In 1967 and 1968, the popular Peanuts musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” delighted audiences at the theatre.
In September 1972, Godspell, “a fun-and-games version of the Gospel according to St. Matthew”, moved from the Royal Alexandra Theatre to The Playhouse. Godspell ran at The Playhouse through to the summer of 1973 and featured several actors who have since become comedic legends, including Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, and Martin Short. In 1978, the Bayview Playhouse, a venue known for its musicals, was sold, and its productions expanded to include dramatic performances. The theatre closed its doors in 1993.
The Building Today
The building eventually housed a variety of shops, including grocery and furniture stores. Since 2011, it has been home to a Shoppers Drug Mart.
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Bayview Theatre Photos
SOURCE
- The Toronto Daily Star Newspaper Archives: May 29, 1936, pg 6
- The Toronto Daily Star Newspaper Archives: Dec 29, 1936, pg 11
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: May 5, 1965, pg 1
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Oct 23, 1965, pg 17
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Nov 13, 1965, pg 17
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jan 25, 1968, pg 12
- The Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Aug 24, 1972, pg 36
- The Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: May 11, 1973, pg 32
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Feb 10, 1978, pg 16
- The Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Nov 4, 1993, pg E2
- The Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: May 28, 2022, pgs C10 & C11
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives
- Toronto City Directory 1950 from the Toronto Public Library
Does anybody remember Spellbound at the Bayview, January, 14-20, 1973?
Hi Brian, Funny enough but I just happen to come across an ad in the Globe and Mail from Dec 30, 1972 about Godspell at the Playhouse. Prices ranged from $5 to $8.50 a ticket.
What about “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”? 1967-68.
Hi Jim, Thanks for adding that one!
The number of theatres/cinemas/auditoriums in the 1950 directory is stunning. Where did they all go? What happened?
Hi Jim, An article in the April 7, 1955 (pg 20), edition of the Globe and Mail, titled ‘Movie Theatres Hit by Expansion of Canadian TV’, noted that “the opening of additional TV stations in 1954 caused a decrease in theatre attendance.” Another article from April 7, 1964 (pg B1), titled ‘Movies Rallying From Slump’, began with the statement: “The drastic decline in moviegoing that began with the introduction of television in 1953…”
From the big screen/stage to the small screen to the “smart” phone; there’s nothing like watching 2001; A Space Odyssey on a 4 1/2″ screen with a 1/2 inch speaker.
😂
Love this! For the record, Gilda Radner wasn’t Canadian.
Glad you enjoyed the article! Thanks for letting me know and I have made the update.