Bohemian Embassy facts for kids
The Bohemian Embassy was a famous coffeehouse and cultural spot in Toronto, Canada. It first opened in June 1960 and kept going in different places and ways until the early 1990s. A comedian and actor named Don Cullen was a big part of it for its whole life. The Embassy was a place where many kinds of art and entertainment were shown. This included jazz and folk music, poetry readings, and theatre shows. Many well-known artists performed there, such as Milton Acorn, Margaret Atwood, Sylvia Tyson, and Gwendolyn MacEwen. The story of the Bohemian Embassy was even featured in a 2010 documentary called Behind the Bohemian Embassy. Today, the name "Bohemian Embassy" is used by a building and a rock band in Toronto.
Contents
How the Bohemian Embassy Started
The idea for the Bohemian Embassy came from some young employees at the CBC. They wanted a new place to hang out, different from the Celebrity Club they usually went to.
The First Idea
Five friends each put in one hundred dollars to start the new place. These friends were Don Cullen, David Harriman, Ted Morris, Peter Oomen, and Steven Thomas Quance. Another person, "Larry," offered to help too. But his ideas didn't match what Cullen wanted, which was a place for culture and art. So, Larry decided not to join.
Finding a Home
The partners rented a space on the third floor of an old building at 7 St. Nicholas Street. This street was close to the University of Toronto and near an artsy area called the Gerrard Street Village. The name "Bohemian Embassy" was already used by a flat where three writers lived nearby.
The club's walls were painted white, and the floor was dark red. At first, they had two big coffee makers. Later, they got a fancy Gaggia espresso machine, which was one of the first in Toronto. It cost twenty-five cents to become a member and one dollar to get in. Within a year, about 3,000 people had become members of the Bohemian Embassy!
What Happened at the Embassy
The Bohemian Embassy opened its doors on June 1, 1960. The first performers included folk singers Karen James and Bob Wowk, and a jazz duo. The jazz musicians later led groups that played late-night shows every other Saturday.
The Bohemian Embassy quickly became a very important place for young artists in Toronto. It was known for poets, musicians (especially folk, jazz, and blues), and new kinds of theatre and comedy shows.
Poetry and Music
- On Thursday evenings, people would read poetry.
- On Fridays, folk music was played.
- On Saturdays, there was jazz music, including a show at midnight.
- On Sunday nights, there was a hootenanny, which is a casual gathering with folk music.
Often, poetry readings would also have musical performances.
Gwendolyn MacEwen started reading her poems at the Bohemian Embassy when she was still a teenager. Other young poets who were part of the club included George Miller, Dennis Lee, and John Robert Colombo. Older poets also visited, like James Reaney and Margaret Avison. Raymond Souster even held poetry workshops there.
Folk Music Stars
Folk music was a very important part of the Bohemian Embassy. It was popular at the time and helped the club make money.
- Mary Jane and Winston Young played there every Friday night for several years.
- Ian and Sylvia (Sylvia Fricker and Ian Tyson) performed often. They even brought their future manager, Albert Grossman, to hear them.
- Gordon Lightfoot played at the club as part of a duo called the Two Tones.
- Joni Mitchell also performed at the Embassy.
The Bohemian Embassy also hosted famous performers from other places, like the Reverend Gary Davis and Mike Seeger from the United States, and Canadian singer Bonnie Dobson.
The Embassy's Later Years
In 1991, the Bohemian Embassy moved to a new spot on Queen Street West. This area was a busy center for art and music in Toronto. Don Cullen worked with other artists to open this new version of the club.
A New Beginning
The new performance space could hold about 275 people. It opened on June 20, 1991, with a poetry reading by Al Purdy. The ticket price was five dollars. Other well-known writers, like Margaret Atwood, also read there. When Margaret Atwood launched her book Wilderness Tips in August 1991, about 150 people couldn't get in because it was so full! However, the club mostly focused on showing new and younger talent.
The Final Chapter
The lease for the Queen Street location ended in less than a year. The Bohemian Embassy closed on May 9, 1992. The poetry readings moved to the Spadina Hotel. Don Cullen hoped to find a new location for the Embassy, but this turned out to be the very last time the Bohemian Embassy operated as a coffeehouse and cultural center.
