Centaur Theatre facts for kids
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| Address | 453 St François-Xavier Montreal, Quebec Canada |
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| Designation | Local authority |
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| Architect | Designed by George B. Post, Construction supervised by Edward and William Maxwell |
The Centaur Theatre Company is a famous theatre group in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It puts on plays in English for people of all ages. It was started in 1969 by Maurice Podbrey. Today, Eda Holmes is the artistic and executive director, and Michael Baratta is the chairman of the board. The Centaur Theatre is known as Montreal's main English-language theatre company.
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The Centaur Theatre Story
The Centaur Theatre Company was co-founded in 1969. Maurice Podbrey started it with The Centaur Foundation for the Performing Arts. He was the leader of the company for many years.
Leaders of the Theatre
Maurice Podbrey retired from the company in 1997. Gordon McCall then took over as the artistic and executive director. From 2007 to 2017, Roy Surette was the third person to hold this important role. In 2017, Eda Holmes became the fourth artistic and executive director. She still leads the theatre today. Michael Baratta was also named chairman of the board in 2017.
The Theatre Building
From 1969 to 1973, the Centaur Theatre Company rented a part of a historic building. This part was being renovated at the time. In 1974, the company bought the building. They spent $1.3 million to make it even better. Architect Victor Prus designed these big changes.
The building officially reopened in 1975. It now had a second performance space. The first theatre was named "C1." It is a "black box theatre," which means it's a simple, flexible space. It can seat about 245 people. The newer theatre was named "C2." This space is a more traditional "proscenium stage." It has a clear stage area with an arch around it. About 425 people can sit in C2.
The Old Stock Exchange Building
The Centaur Theatre is located in a very old and important building. It is called the Old Stock Exchange Building. This building used to be the home of the Montreal Stock Exchange (MSE). The Montreal Stock Exchange was a place where people bought and sold shares in companies.
Building History
The building was constructed in 1903. It was designed by an American architect named George B. Post. The Montreal Stock Exchange used this building until 1965. After that, the Centaur Theatre Company moved in and made it their home.
