Royal Theatre

Royal Theatre. . , The Royal Theatre, under various names and owners, was one of North Bay's most important cultural and entertainment venues for close to forty years. , Built in 1908 for $50,000 to a design by H. W. Angus, the Royal Theatre, also called the North Bay Opera House and the New Royal Theatre, was in business off and on until 1951 when the theatre was closed and the building was purchased from Famous Players by businessman C.B. Sibbitt, who ran an electrical supply and radio repair shop in the same building. Architect Angus' plans for the locally funded opera house resulted in a "nearly perfect playhouse" with a 70-foot wide stage, large enough to accommodate the largest of local or travelling companies of performers. On the outside, the Royal Theatre had a lit overhang and marquee at its central entrance. To this day, the form of the fly tower remains at the rear, offering a glimpse of the building's history. Angus and his associate L.O. Clarke not only supervised the design and construction of the building, they also had a hand in booking plays and other entertainment. , The Royal Theatre opened September 7, 1908 with a performance by the "Three Little Maids" Company. Over the following decade it hosted live theatre and musical entertainment provided by professional and amateur companies. The Dumbells played here and Gilbert and Sullivan operettas were always well received. In the teens and twenties, silent motion pictures held sway until the advent of "talkies". , During the 1925 Old Home Week celebrations, the Royal played a prominent role with a special Minstrel Show and a showing of the Paramount Picture "Old Home Week", specially ordered for the occasion. , Closed for a while in the early 1930's, The Royal was purchased by Famous Players in 1936, remodeled and renovated and the 800-seat theatre reopened in August 1937 under the direction of the Hansen Theatre Corporation. Over the years the theatre hosted various political rallies and served as the venue for numerous dramatic and musical presentations and civic events. In 1941 it hosted a "Patriotic Concert" featuring the T and NO Band with proceeds going to the Cigarette Fund for North Bay soldiers serving overseas. During and after world war two, the Air Defence Filter Centre worked out of the building, training civilian volunteers as members of Canada's Air Defence team. , Many large and small businesses have been tenants of 269 Main Street West over the years, including Imperial Oil, the Hudson's Bay Company, Crown Timber Agency, Angus and Taylor Contractors and Cherry Plumbing (a tenant for some thirty years.) , C and C Properties (Gordon Cardwell) purchased the property in 1988, restored the original brickwork, installed a new roof and modernized the interior., [photo captions] , . Sibbitt building (Royal Theatre) circa 1952. , . Royal Theatre circa 1943. , . Royal Theatre August 1948.