Annapolis Royal's
Kings Theatre

The theatre is operated by the not-for-profit Kings Theatre Society, which was formed in 1988 for this purpose. This Theatre has comfortable seating for 179 patrons and is open year round. It averages 50 - 70 live shows a year along with approximately 120 film showings.

During the winter months the theatre features Hollywood movies almost every weekend along with other events. The spring and fall is busy with non-mainstream movies and films by the Kings Film Society. The Kings Summer Theatre Festival is held every Tuesday and Wednesday during July and August and provides a wide arrange of top-notch performing arts that celebrates the diversity of our area. Also during the summer months this theatre houses the Kings Art Gallery.

This historic theatre has been a predominate landmark in Annapolis Royal since 1921, but the history of performing arts goes back to 1606 when Marc Lescarbot produced "The Theatre of Neptune" to entertain the small colony of men at the Port Royal Habitation.

In 1892 eight local entrepreneurs got together to construct the Academy of Music, which was located about halfway down on St. James Street. The Academy of Music provided a venue to showcase community productions such as the Annapolis Concert Band under the direction of Paul Yates. Travelling troupes and roving thespians also frequented the Academy of Music to provide various performing arts in this bustling seaport town.

Gradually seven of the owners sold out their shares of the Academy of Music to Arthur M King making him the sole owner of the property. The new motion picture show became more and more popular and the Academy was soon equipped to handle these shows and its name was then changed to the Bijou Dream Theatre. But unfortunately the Bijou Dream Theatre became a victim of the furious fire of September 7, 1921 that claimed a major part of the town. Hearts were heavy in the stricken town with the destruction all around them and not even the theatre left to give them a reprieve.

But neither the town nor the theatre were to be put down for long. Arthur M King purchased the Corbitt property, (the present location) and rebuilt his theatre, finished a short ten weeks later. He named this brand new theatre Kings Theatre after his own name.

What a grand building this new theatre was. It was a two-story wooden frame structure that boasted a very modern wooden metal ceiling, hardwood floors and an interior trim of Douglas fir. Inside it was equipped with a stage, dressing rooms, orchestra pit and seating for 400. There were office rentals on the ground floor with the Oddfellows hall and a dance hall located on the second floor.

The first major event to be held in the new theatre was a political rally, which was held on November 26, 1921. Guest speaker for this rally was the Honourable George Murray, Premier of Nova Scotia. That same year on the 15th of December the first feature shown was Alice Brady in The Land of Hope along with four reels of comedy. The Annapolis Royal Jazz Orchestra provided music for this event.

The Kings Theatre continued to play a vital role in the social and commercial life of Annapolis Royal. After the death of Arthur M. King the theatre was operated as a movie house by a number of different owners. For a while it was renamed to the Capital Theatre. However the building was getting run down and by the late 1970's the doors were closed and the building was left to rot.

But this was not to be, new life was to be pumped into the old theatre. This came when the Annapolis Royal Development Commission purchased the building at a sheriff’s sale in 1981. On March 11, 1982 a completely renovated Kings Theatre opened its doors again.

The Town of Annapolis Royal took over the operations in 1987 and in 1988 the Kings Theatre Society was established with the Societies Board of Directors becoming it's initial members. Since then the Kings Theatre has featured many performers and such companies as The Neptune Theatre, Danny Grossman Company, The Mermaid Theatre and the Mulgrave Road Theatre.

The Annapolis District Drama Group was founded in 1951 by Donald Wetmore along with local companies and high school groups. Today it is the second oldest continuing drama group in Nova Scotia, surpassed only by the Theatre Arts Guild of Halifax.

The Annapolis District Drama Group has promoted and performed live theatre in Annapolis Royal to the pleasure of its audiences. The first live production in the new Kings Theatre was shown on March 24 & 25 of 1982. The Annapolis District Drama Group presented the play "Ten Little Indians" under the direction of Shirley Kerr. By the end of 1984 Kings Theatre had hosted over two hundred live performances.

The group is still going strong today as they perform many plays of a historical nature written by local playwright Peggy Armstrong. Peggy has been writing plays for the group since the 1970's. Some of her plays include The Landing of the Loyalists and The Landing of the Scots and a special feature she wrote for the 400th Anniversary of the Acadian settlement of Port Royal.

To find out more information about Kings Theatre and it's schedule of events you can call them at 902 532 7704 or email them at kingstheatre@ns.sympatico.ca.

You may also call their 24 hour hotline for up to the minute schedule of events at 902 532 5466 or visit their website www.kingstheatre.ca.

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