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Pantages (Playhouse) Theatre
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The Pantages Theatre was the second Canadian theatre in
a chain of lavish vaudeville playhouses owned by the famous
impresario Pericles (Alexander) Pantages of Seattle, Washington.
Winnipeg had grown rapidly, from a pioneer hamlet in the
1870s to an urban centre in the 1880s, and local demand
was high for access to professional drama, music and dance
in a safe, comfortable facility.
Entrepreneurs attracted touring artists to the city by building
facilities such as the Princess and Grand opera houses, and
Victoria Hall (Winnipeg Theatre). More elaborate venues,
such as the Dominion, Bijou, Walker, and Orpheum theatres,
were developed to house regular touring circuits of live
entertainment, including popular vaudeville or variety shows.
