Imperial Theatre, Saint John

Imperial Theatre

Front façade of the Imperial Theatre
Address	12 King Square South Saint John, New Brunswick E2L 5B8
Coordinates	45°16′22″N 66°03′28″W / 45.272727°N 66.057729°W / 45.272727; -66.057729
Construction
Opened	1913
Reopened	1994[1]
National Historic Site of Canada
Official name	Imperial / Bi-Capitol Theatre National Historic Site of Canada
Designated	November 15, 1985
New Brunswick Heritage Conservation Act
Official name	Imperial Theatre
Type	Local Historic Place
Designated	March 18, 1982
Architect	Albert Westover

The Imperial Theatre is a historical theater at King's Square in Saint John, New Brunswick. It was designed by Philadelphia architect Albert Westover and built in 1912 by the Imperial Theatre by the Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation vaudeville chain of New York City and their Canadian subsidiary, the Saint John Amusements Company Ltd. It opened to the public on September 19, 1913.

One of Canada's first comedy troupes, The Dumbbells staged several of their first shows there. Many early stars of silent film had their films played in the Imperial, such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Fatty Arbuckle, Greta Garbo, and Harold Lloyd.

In 1928, the Imperial Theatre became home to Acadia Broadcasting's first commercial radio station.^[2] The theatre was designed as a modern adaptation of the Italian Renaissance, and was used both for live vaudeville acts as well as "talkies". In 1929, it was renamed the Capitol Theatre,^[3] and like most vaudeville houses across the continent, became a cinema.

From 1957 to 1982, the Imperial Theatre was used as a meeting space by the Full Gospel Assembly. In 1982 the Imperial was abandoned by the religious group.