Citadel Theatre facts for kids
Exterior view of venue c. 2012
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| Address | 9828 101A Avenue NW Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3C6 |
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| Coordinates | 53°32′33″N 113°29′18″W / 53.54250°N 113.48833°W |
| Public transit |      Churchill station |
| Capacity | 20 (Lee Pavilion) 90 (Tucker Amphitheatre) 215 (Zeidler Hall) 250 (The Club at Citadel) 651 (Shoctor Theatre) 705 (Maclab Theatre) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | November 10, 1965 |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Architect | Barton Myers |
The Citadel Theatre is a very important place for theatre arts in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is located right in the city's downtown area, on Churchill Square. It is the third largest regional theatre in all of Canada.
Contents
Discovering the Citadel Theatre's History
The Citadel Theatre started in an old Salvation Army Citadel building. This building was bought by Joseph H. Shoctor, James L. Martin, Ralph B. MacMillan, and Sandy Mactaggart. They created a local non-profit group to run the theatre.
How the Theatre Began
The very first play performed at the theatre was Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. The theatre officially began on October 12, 1965. Its first show opened on November 10, 1965. The Citadel is special because it's the only place where the musical Pieces of Eight by Jule Styne was ever performed.
Moving to a New Home
The theatre moved to its current building near Churchill Square in 1976. The construction of the new building took almost two years. The new Citadel Theatre complex officially opened on November 12, 1976. The famous architect Barton Myers designed this building.
What's Inside the Building
The building has several different theatres, including the Maclab, Shoctor, and Rice Theatres. It also has Zeidler Hall, the Tucker Amphitheatre, and the Foote Theatre School. Besides the theatres, which can seat many people, the Citadel also has an art gallery, a lounge, and a restaurant. The building's design is very unique, with lots of glass panels. It looks like a "waterfall of glass."
The Maclab and Tucker theatres are part of the Lee Pavilion. This pavilion is right in the middle of Edmonton.
The Citadel Theatre and Inclusivity
The Citadel Theatre has always been a strong supporter of Edmonton's diverse community. It has been a welcoming place for everyone. The theatre has had artistic directors who are part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. It has also shown many plays written by playwrights from this community.
Plays with Diverse Themes
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was the first play shown by The Citadel Theatre in 1965. It was written by Edward Albee. The Citadel Theatre has also produced many other plays that explore diverse themes. These include The Glass Menagerie, Hosanna, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and The Gay Heritage Project.
Community Events at the Theatre
In 2006, The Citadel Theatre hosted its first "Queer Prom" event. This event was a special celebration for young people. By 2009, this yearly event brought over 100 youth to the theatre. It was a fun way for them to celebrate the end of their school year.
Meet the Artistic Directors
The Artistic Director is like the main leader of the theatre. They decide which plays to show and guide the theatre's artistic vision. Here are the people who have held this important role:
- John Hulburt (1965-1966)
- Robert Glenn (1966-1968)
- Sean Mulcahy (1968-1973)
- John Neville (1973-1978)
- Peter Coe (1978-1981)
- Joseph H. Shoctor (1981-1984, as Producer)
- Gordon McDougall (1984-1987)
- William Fisher (1987-1989)
- Richard Dennison (1989-1990, as Producer)
- Robin Phillips (1990-1995, as Director General)
- Duncan McIntosh (1995-1999)
- Bob Baker (director) (1999–2016)
- Daryl Cloran (2016 - Present)
Exciting Productions at the Citadel
The Citadel Theatre always has a great lineup of shows. They bring many different types of stories to the stage.
Upcoming Shows for 2025—2026
The theatre has announced its exciting plays for the 2025—2026 season.
- Legally Blonde — A fun musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, and a book by Heather Hach.
- Life of Pi — This play is based on the popular novel by Yann Martel. It was adapted for the stage by Lolita Chakrabarti.
- Vinyl Cafe: The Musical — Based on stories by Stuart McLean, with songs by Colleen Dauncey and Akiva Romer-Segal. It was adapted for the stage by Georgina Escobar.
- Death of a Salesman — A classic play written by Arthur Miller.
- The Wizard of Oz — Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg.
- Casey and Diana — Written by Nick Green and directed by Lana Michelle Hughes.
- Cyrano de Bergerac — A famous play by Edmond Rostand, adapted by Jessy Ardern.
- Big Stuff — Created by Matt Baram & Naomi Snieckus, and co-created and directed by Kat Sandler.
- Burning Mom — Written and directed by Mieko Ouchi.
Special Holiday Shows
The Citadel Theatre also puts on special shows for the holidays.
- A Christmas Carol — A beloved story by David van Belle, based on the novel by Charles Dickens.
- Bear Grease (Holiday Special) — A fun production by LightningCloud.
