HOLIDAYS AT THE CAPITOL
Red!…A Big Bad Wolf Panto
November 20 ~ December 27, 2026
Red!…a Big Bad Wolf panto
This years panto features an all-star cast including: Zoë O’Connor as Red, and Paul Bates as Wolf, with Gabi Epstein, Nicky Nasrallah, Colin Asuncion, Alex Furber, Malinda Carroll, and Griffin Hewitt.
November 20 to December 31, 2026
In addition to the panto, Holidays at the Capitol includes the 30th Annual Festival of Lights and Trees. Since its inception in 1997, this annual fundraising initiative has been a community favourite, becoming a yearly tradition for guests of all ages, while also raising essential operating funds for the Capitol Theatre. Visitors can enjoy a winter wonderland of holiday wreaths and Christmas trees decorated by local businesses and community organisations, and enter to win the decorations through the theatre’s popular yearly raffle.
A series of festive concerts will also take place at the Capitol this winter, including The Good Lovelies: Christmas 2026 on December 20 at 7:30 p.m., and Tim & Tina: A Country and Rock Extravaganza on December 31 at 7:30 p.m.
COMING SOON
2027 Season Announcement
October 8, 7:30 p.m.
Free with registration, join the Capitol Theatre team and special guests and be the first to learn about next year’s season, and to access exclusive day-of deals and early-bird subscriptions.
Learn more: https://capitoltheatre.com/events/2027-season-announcement-2026-10-08-730-pm/
I’m Every Woman: The Whitney Houston Songbook
October 23-26, 2026 (five performances)
The final original concert of the 2026 season is the world premiere of I’m Every Woman: The Whitney Houston Songbook written and performed by Taylor Lovelace, developed through the Capitol’s Creators’ Unit, the home for New Play Development at the Capitol since 2023.
Learn more: https://capitoltheatre.com/events/im-every-woman-the-whitney-houston-songbook-2026
Learn more: https://capitoltheatre.com/holidays-at-the-capitol/
ABOUT PORT HOPE: Located one hour east of Toronto, Port Hope is a heritage community situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario. An urban and rural paradise with the perfect mix of heritage charm, modern vibrancy and cultural allure, the town boasts miles of waterfront trails, sandy beaches, a heritage conservation district downtown, quaint surrounding villages and scenic country driving routes. The friendly people of Port Hope welcome you to visit for the day, stay awhile or perhaps join us and stay for the rest of your life.
For more information about Port Hope please visit our tourism centre, conveniently located next to the Capitol Theatre Box Office, the Port Hope Tourism website: www.visitporthope.ca, or call 1.888.767.8467.
ALL EVENTS CHECK THIS LINK https://capitoltheatre.com/events/
The Capitol Theatre – National Historic Site
The Capitol Theatre, designated as a National Historic Site in 2016, debuted in 1930 as a premium Canadian entertainment venue.
Built at the beginning of the Great Depression in a rural community, the theatre is known as a “rare architectural gem” inspired by Hollywood that marks the “beginning of an era” in Canada’s entertainment history.
Built at the dawn of the sound film era, any theatre of this vintage might be expected to evoke the social, political and economic conditions of the decade. Yet the theatre was built at the cost of $80,000.00 and designed by the former President of the Ontario Association of Architects. The building was the first to use steel girders in its construction and at a time in history where many budgets were being slashed, the Capitol theatre did not spare any expense to ensure long-lasting, innovative results.
The Capitol is exceptionally well preserved with much of its original exterior and interior detail remaining after eighty years of almost continuous operation. As one of the last remaining North American examples of an “atmospheric” theatre space, the Capitol is an outstanding illustration of the era of its origins.
Atmospheric Theatre and The Brenograph
The Brenograph was one of many hallmarks attributed to the atmospheric theatre experience. The machine was used by theatres to project clouds over ceilings painted blue to simulate an “outdoor” effect.
In addition to the cutting-edge Brenograph effects, The Capitol incorporated other “low cost, highly visual” techniques to create an outdoor, medieval atmosphere for patrons to enjoy. A twilight sky, hanging vines, forest murals and castellated battlements added to the illusion and can still be found in the theatre today.
During the early years, the Capitol boasted two Brenograph Junior cloud projectors, each hidden from view behind foliage high up on the castle walls of the auditorium. The two motor driven units projected a slowly rotating series of images of clouds on the midnight blue plaster ceiling of the auditorium, completing the courtyard effect and creating an atmosphere where the audience waited like members of a royal court attending a command performance.
Art Deco
The Art Deco influence of the 1930s can be seen in the theatre’s paint colours, stencil work, furnishings, and fine details found in both the lobby and auditorium. During the theatre’s restoration period, a drive to preserve as much of the Art Deco style ensured that these depression-era elements were not lost.
Closure, Restoration and 1995 Re-Opening
In 1987, after years of operation as a modernized movie theatre, The Capitol was closed. A group, named the Capitol Theatre Foundation, formed in 1993 to begin restoration of the historic site. Photographs provided a record of the original theatre that assisted in the museum-quality restoration of the interior and exterior of the building. The theatre was re-opened in the summer of 1995 with necessary upgrades to become a multi-purpose theatre rather than just a movie theatre. After re-opening the theatre became a year-round performing arts facility and movie theatre that has continued to flourish to this day.
The Capitol Arts Centre
The Capitol Theatre Foundation board purchased the neighbouring property on Queen Street when it became available. In April 2003 construction began to create the Capitol Arts Centre and expand the theatre site. The building integrates the historic Capitol Theatre with an addition that houses a spacious box office, licensed reception area, additional washrooms, the Sculthorpe Studio Theatre, and an adjacent green room. The addition also allowed the theatre to make necessary upgrades to become completely handicap accessible.
