Toronto’s Entertainment District: A Journey Through Broadway & Culture

Toronto is considered by many to be one of the cultural capitals of Canada. The city offers a wide array of arts and cultural experiences that allow millions of people to experience the best of the Great White North, from Canadian productions of popular Broadway musicals to original works that make the city a crown jewel in playwriting.

About the Toronto Theater District

Many of Toronto’s popular theaters are located in the city’s vibrant entertainment district downtown. Encompassing the general area on King Street West between University Avenue and Spadina Avenue, the district is home to multiple live theater venues as well as nightclubs, restaurants and the Rogers Centre, where MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays play.

Iconic Theaters in the District

Toronto’s Theater District includes neighboring sister theaters located right next to one another along King Street West, plus the city’s dazzling concert hall, which is home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Meanwhile, some of Canada’s most beloved playwrights watch their work premiere at an intimate but influential space in the Tarragon Village neighborhood.

Below, Ticketmaster takes a tour through five of the best and most historic theaters Toronto has to offer when it comes to plays in Toronto.

Royal Alexandra Theatre

260 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1H9

The Royal Alexandra Theatre opened in 1907 in Toronto’s downtown entertainment district. Nicknamed the Royal Alex, the venue reportedly holds the title as the oldest continuously operating legitimate theater in all of North America. Built in the beaux-arts style with a proscenium stage, the theater welcomed stars like Lucille Ball, Mae West, Fred Astaire and Mary Pickford to Toronto throughout the 20th century.

In 2016, the Royal Alex underwent a major $2.5-million renovation, which included the refurbishing of all seating. Since then, the theater has staged major productions of Broadway favorites such as Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Girl from the North Country, Hadestown, SIX and more.

Princess of Wales Theatre

300 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1J2

One block east of the Royal Alex sits one of its sister venues, the Princess of Wales Theatre. Built in 1993, the theater’s name honors the late Princess Diana and is also tied to Toronto’s Princess Theatre, which was closed in 1931. The auditorium ceiling, proscenium arch, lobbies and lounges of the three-level theater are all covered with a series of original abstract expressionist murals by artist Frank Stella.

In 2006, the Princess of Wales Theatre was the site of the world premiere of a musical adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Other shows that have played at the venue include Canadian and touring productions of Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables, Hamilton, Cats, Mean Girls and more.

Ed Mirvish Theatre

244 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 1V8

The Ed Mirvish Theatre has been known by many different names since its opening in 1820: the Pantages Theatre, the Imperial Theatre, the Imperial Six (as a multiplex in the ‘70s and ‘80s), the Pantages Theatre (again), and the Canon Theatre before being re-christened after Toronto theater impresario Ed Mirvish in 2011.

After its reopening as a live theater in 1989, the venue was home to the Canadian production of The Phantom of the Opera for a full decade — including a months-long stint with KISS frontman Paul Stanley starring as the Phantom — before the show closed in 1999. Other touring productions that have graced the theater’s stage include Rent, Fiddler on the Roof, Cats, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Waitress, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hadestown and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Roy Thomson Hall

60 Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5J 2H5

 

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Roy Thomson Hall is Toronto’s premier concert hall, and home to both the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Erected in 1982, the building was envisioned by architect Arthur Erickson, and features a unique circular design with a sloping and curvilinear exterior made of glass. Inside, the hall contains a pipe organ designed and built by Ontario organ builder Gabriel Kney.

During construction, the site was originally called The New Massey Hall, but was officially named after Canadian-born Fleet Street newspaper mogul Roy Thomson after his family donated $4.5 million (in Canadian dollars) to the building’s fundraising efforts. Roy Thomson Hall is also used as a major location for the Toronto International Film Festival each year.

Tarragon Theatre

30 Bridgman Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 1X3

Located in Toronto’s Tarragon Village neighborhood since 1970, Tarragon Theatre has developed a reputation as one of Canada’s major playwriting centers. The theater contains two intimate performance spaces, known as the Mainspace and The Extra Space.

The very first production mounted at Tarragon Theatre in its opening season was David Freeman’s Creeps. The venue and its Playwrights Unit (established in 1982) have long championed the works of Canadian playwrights such as David French, Judith Thompson, Carole Frechette, Wajdi Mouawad and others, many of whom have premiered new works in the space.

Dining and Accommodations

Where to Eat in the Toronto Theater District

• PAI, 18 Duncan St, Toronto, ON M5H 3G8
• Minami Toronto, 225 King St W Suite 100, Toronto, ON M5V 3M2
• O&B Canteen, 330 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3X2
• Milagro Cantina, 5 Mercer St, Toronto, ON M5V 1H2
• District, 303 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1J5
• KŌST, 80 Blue Jays Way 44th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 2G3
• Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar, 200 Front St W Unit #G001, Toronto, ON M5V 3J1
• Chadwick’s, 268 Howland Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 3B6

Where to Stay Near the Toronto Theater District

• Shangri-La Toronto, 188 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5H 0A3
• Hilton Toronto, 145 Richmond St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2L2
• Hyatt Regency Toronto, 370 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1J9
• Sutton Place Hotel Toronto, 355 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1J5
• The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, 181 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3G7
• Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer, 30 Mercer St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6
• SoHo Hotel Toronto, 318 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3T4
• Bisha Hotel Toronto, 80 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON M5V 2G3