CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre — Attraction in Toronto

As Americans were hitting the election polls, my family and I walked up to the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, to watch a performance of the hit Broadway Musical 'Mamma Mia'. Although the musical was energetic, lively and fun, I can not express how saddened I was by the new/current interior decor of the theatre itself! In 1989 (when I was 10 yrs old) the then Pantages Theatre underwent a MASSIVE restoration project to restore the facility to its original grandeur for the Canadian production of The Phantom of the Opera. As a child, The Toronto Phantom of the Opera was such an important aspect of my education as, in grade 7, we studied the Pantages, the original novel, older movies and then finally, visited the city to experience the musical itself which was amazing. A huge part of my experience was the grand Pantages Theatre; It shimmered with gold leaf details, bright colourful murals, decadent royal blue velvet draperies, seat upholstery, and natural stone hues which were all set against the bright and cheerful beige coloured walls. A week ago, when I entered the lobby, my mouth dropped; What was once a glorious bright space was now a dim and dark venue with a colour scheme that I can only describe as "rancid toilet water blue" .. or "basement fungus green!" My disappointment only increased when I entered the actual theatre and once again was confronted with a DARK and DISMAL environment. On top of this, the regal 6 boxes were now covered by 4 FAKE monstrosities which completely hid the original and lavish details of the once magnificent Theatre. My brain (dare I say my common sense) can not conceive why such a glorious theatre would be "redecorated" in such a sad and dismal way!?!? Whoever gave the go-ahead for this new decor should have their heads roll. Although the performance of Mamma Mia was fantastic, I left the theatre feeling sad and depressed as, I have clear memories of how splendid the theatre was restored to be. When I showed my nieces boyfriend a book I have of the 1989 restoration process, he was dumbfounded too; "Why would they do this to the Theatre?" he asked!!!! Anyhow, the Ed Mirvish Theatre is in a great location, and has it's original (1989 quality) restored Yonge Street entrance. As for the new look of the majority of the theatre, I have to FAIL it miserably and can only hope that one day soon, it will be brought back to how it was intended to be. I will post a picture of the theatre as it was in my youth, followed by the shipwreck dungeon which I encountered last Tuesday...

🎭 Betelgeuse the Musical at CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre — A Delightfully Wicked Night Out! 🎭

I had the pleasure of seeing Betelgeuse the Musical at Toronto’s historic CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre (a magnificent venue since the 1920s), and wow—what a show!

From the opening number, the energy was electric. Justin Collette absolutely owned the title role, delivering zinger after zinger with the perfect balance of mischief, charm, and spooky charisma. The production design is top-notch—hauntingly goth yet playful, with jet-black-and-white visuals, inventive projections, stunning puppetry, and theatrical illusions that pay homage to Tim Burton’s original aesthetic.

Emilia Tagliani’s Lydia was a powerful highlight. Her vocals, especially in “Dead Mom,” were emotional and piercing—deeply resonant and heartfelt. The supporting cast, puppets, and ensemble all rallied behind her beautifully. And of course, “Day‑O” and “Jump in the Line” brought squeals of delight with audience participation and Broadway-caliber delivery.

Yes, the show moves at breakneck speed—but that’s part of it's charm. A pure theatrical spectacle: loud, cheeky, joyfully and dark. It's utterly entertaining.

And let’s not forget the venue! The CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre itself is a gem—ornate, classic, and steeped in Toronto’s history. The audience was fully engaged—screaming, clapping, and even dressed in costume. I left feeling electrified, emotional, and completely satisfied.

Bottom line: If you’re craving wild laughter, wickedly fun songs, jaw-dropping visuals, and a nostalgic yet fresh take on the Beetlejuice story—don’t miss this. A night at Betelgeuse the Musical is a night well spent.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly...

I recently visited the Mirvish Theatre to see Riverdance 30, and while the building itself is stunning, there were a few aspects that affected my overall experience.

The architecture of the theater is absolutely beautiful, especially the intricate ceiling, which adds a lot of charm to the space. The theater itself is spacious, which is great, but unfortunately, the sound quality was lacking. At times, the music was so loud that it drowned out the voice of the singer, who had a beautiful voice. It was a bit disappointing not to be able to hear the vocals clearly due to the overpowering music.

Another issue I had was with the audience—specifically, the noise from food. I understand people enjoy snacks, but allowing food (especially popcorn) into the theater was a mistake. The sound of crinkling popcorn bags and the chewing was really distracting, especially during a show where the performers are singing. It really took away from the experience.

Additionally, I felt that Riverdance isn't quite suited for children. There were quite a few kids in the audience, and many of them were bored and restless, which made it hard to focus on the performance. The child sitting in front of me was constantly moving, blocking my view, and it was just distracting. If I had known there would be so many children in the audience, I probably wouldn’t have bought the tickets. Perhaps the theater could consider offering separate shows for adults and children to ensure a more enjoyable experience for all.

That said, the show itself was fantastic, and the dancers were incredibly talented. It's just a shame that the overall theater experience didn’t quite match up to the quality of...