Vancouver Playhouse: history
The story of the Vancouver Playhouse.
Built in conjunction with the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Vancouver Playhouse opened in 1962 at a critical point in the development of the performing arts culture in Canada.
During this time, vaudeville was declining in favour of cinema as a more popular form of entertainment, and facilities for live theatre and musical groups were scarce. The Vancouver Playhouse and Queen Elizabeth Theatre were built out of necessity for auditoria where “important musical and dramatical events” could be staged for city patrons.
Today, the Vancouver Playhouse is home to DanceHouse, Friends of Chamber Music and the Vancouver Recital Society, in addition to a wide range of established and emerging local arts organizations.