Seville Theatre

The Seville Theatre was a historic single-screen cinema and live-performance venue on Sainte-Catherine Street West in Montreal, Quebec. Built in 1929, it occupied a busy downtown location between Lambert-Closse and Chomedey streets, in an area now generally associated with Shaughnessy Village. The theatre seated approximately 1,148 people and was one of a small number of atmospheric theatres constructed in Canada. The building was designed by architect Cajetan L. Dufort, whose work also included Montreal's Corona Theatre, while the interior decoration was created by Emmanuel Briffa. Its Spanish-inspired design gave the venue its name. The auditorium featured a ceiling painted to suggest a night sky, with illuminated stars and a mechanism that could create the impression of moving clouds. Commercial premises, including an ice-cream parlour and a drugstore, occupied the front portion of the building. Although originally built for film exhibition, the Seville became a live-entertainment venue during the 1940s. Performers associated with its stage included Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, the Four Aces, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong. The interior was substantially redesigned around 1950 by Oscar Glas in a pastel colour scheme. Much of the original decorative material was removed, with some elements reportedly transferred to the monastery of St-Bernard-de-Lacolle. The venue returned to cinema operations in the 1960s. One of its best-known engagements was The Sound of Music, which played there for approximately two years from 1965 to 1967. In 1978, the Seville was converted into a repertory cinema, presenting films outside the mainstream first-run circuit. Its operation ended in 1985 after the owners said that the rent had quadrupled. The final screening was Stop Making Sense on October 31, 1985. After closing, the building remained vacant for roughly 25 years. Its deterioration became a continuing concern for preservationists and the city. Montreal designated the building an historic site in 1990, but the protection primarily covered the exterior rather than the auditorium's interior. A major section of the east wall collapsed onto the sidewalk in 1994, accelerating the loss of the structure. In 1998, the interior was gutted for a proposed two-storey retail and office development, but the redevelopment did not proceed. Various preservation and redevelopment proposals followed. Heritage advocate Phyllis Lambert publicly supported restoring the building as a live-performance venue, while later plans contemplated an environmentally oriented residential and commercial project. In 2009, Claridge Properties announced plans to demolish the remaining structure as part of a large real-estate development. After further delays and renewed assurances in 2010, the theatre and surrounding buildings were demolished during the summer and autumn of 2010. The site was subsequently redeveloped under the name Le Seville, with plans for a condominium and commercial complex.

The Seville Theatre opened in 1929 on Sainte-Catherine Street West in Montreal, only a few years after the nearby Montreal Forum. It was designed by Cajetan L. Dufort, also known by his full name Louis-Joseph Cajetan Dufort, and its interior was created by Emmanuel Briffa. The venue was a single-screen theatre with seating for about 1,148 people. Its Spanish decorative concept reflected the name Seville and made it distinctive among Montreal cinemas. The auditorium was designed as an atmospheric theatre, a style intended to give patrons the impression of sitting outdoors rather than inside a conventional building. Its ceiling represented a night sky, complete with illuminated stars. A mechanical system could also create the appearance of clouds moving across the ceiling. The street frontage incorporated shops, including an ice-cream parlour on the east side and a drugstore on the west. During the 1940s, the building was used for live entertainment rather than solely for motion pictures. Its stage hosted prominent performers from popular music and entertainment, including Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, the Four Aces, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong. Around 1950, Oscar Glas redesigned the interior in pastel colours. This intervention removed much of the original Spanish-themed decoration; some of the discarded material was reportedly sent to the monastery of St-Bernard-de-Lacolle. The Seville returned to film exhibition during the 1960s. Its most notable film engagement was The Sound of Music, which remained on the programme for approximately two years between 1965 and 1967. In 1978, the venue changed format again and became a repertory theatre, showing a curated selection of films rather than operating primarily as a conventional first-run cinema. The theatre closed in 1985. Its owners attributed the closure to a reported quadrupling of rent. The final film shown was Stop Making Sense on October 31 of that year. The building then stood unused for approximately a quarter-century. Its condition worsened steadily, and a number of developers expressed interest without completing a viable project. The building received historic-site designation from the City of Montreal in 1990. The designation helped protect the exterior but did not preserve the interior, which was already vulnerable after years of vacancy. In 1994, a large portion of the east wall collapsed onto the sidewalk. The resulting opening exposed the structure and contributed to further weather damage and interior decay. Preservation efforts continued alongside redevelopment proposals. In 1997, heritage advocate Phyllis Lambert wrote publicly in favour of saving the theatre and restoring it as a live-performance venue. The following year, the interior was gutted to make room for a proposed two-storey retail and office building. The project was announced with considerable public attention, including the presence of Montreal mayor Pierre Bourque, but it was never completed. The theatre's decline was later characterized as demolition by neglect: prolonged vacancy and inadequate maintenance left the building without its most important interior features and made meaningful restoration increasingly difficult. Another proposal envisioned an environmentally friendly residential and commercial development. In February 2009, Claridge Properties announced that the remaining structure would be demolished for a major real-estate project. The project stalled, and further preservation intervention led to renewed promises in April 2010 that development would proceed. Those efforts did not save the building. The Seville Theatre and neighbouring structures were demolished during the summer and autumn of 2010. The site was intended for a condominium and commercial development known as Le Seville, planned in phases and described as including approximately 450 residential units. The theatre therefore survives primarily through historical accounts, photographs, and its place in Montreal's architectural and entertainment history.

• 2010

  Building demolished

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The remaining theatre structure and surrounding buildings are demolished for a planned condominium and commercial redevelopment.

• 1998

  Interior removed for failed redevelopment

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The auditorium interior is gutted for a proposed retail and office project that ultimately does not proceed.

• 1994

  East wall collapses

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  A large section of the east wall falls onto the sidewalk, worsening the building's exposure and decline.

• 1990

  Historic-site designation

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Montreal designates the building an historic site, although the designation does not fully protect the interior.

• 1985

  Theatre closes

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Seville stops operating after a reported rent increase; Stop Making Sense is shown as its final film on October 31.

• 1978

  Converted to repertory cinema

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The venue adopts a repertory-film format, presenting a curated selection of films.

• 1965

  The Sound of Music begins extended engagement

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Sound of Music plays at the Seville for approximately two years, from 1965 to 1967.

• 1950

  Interior redesigned

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Oscar Glas gives the auditorium a pastel-themed redesign, replacing or removing much of the original Spanish-inspired decoration.

• 1940

  Venue shifts toward live entertainment

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1940s, the Seville hosts live performers including Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong.

• 1929

  Seville Theatre opens in Montreal

  [1]Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  A 1,148-seat single-screen atmospheric theatre opens on Sainte-Catherine Street West, with architecture by Cajetan L. Dufort and interior design by Emmanuel Briffa.

A historic Montreal entertainment venue that operated successively as an atmospheric cinema, live-performance theatre, first-run movie house, and repertory cinema.

• Cinema · 1929

  Atmospheric cinema auditorium

  The Seville's original offering was a large single-screen cinema auditorium seating approximately 1,148 people. Its Spanish-themed interior used a night-sky ceiling, illuminated stars, and a cloud-effect mechanism to create an outdoor atmosphere inside the theatre.

• Live performance · 1940

  Live entertainment programme

  During the 1940s, the Seville operated as a live-performance venue and presented touring music and entertainment acts. The performers associated with the venue included major American popular-music figures such as Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, and Sammy Davis Jr.

• Cinema · 1978

  Repertory cinema

  From 1978 until its closure in 1985, the Seville operated as a repertory theatre, offering curated film programming rather than functioning solely as a standard first-run movie house. The format ended when the venue ceased operations.

• 2009

  Demolition and real-estate redevelopment proposedStrategy

  Background

  After prolonged abandonment and structural deterioration, Claridge Properties proposed replacing the remaining theatre structure with a major residential and commercial project.

  Action taken

  Complete demolition was announced as part of the planned redevelopment of the site.

  Aftermath

  The project was delayed, but the theatre was ultimately demolished in 2010.

  Source

• 1998

  Interior gutted for redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The vacant theatre had deteriorated, and a retail and office redevelopment proposal was advanced after years of unsuccessful interest from developers.

  Action taken

  The historic interior was removed to prepare the site for a proposed two-storey retail and office building.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment failed to proceed, leaving the remaining structure increasingly compromised.

  Source

• 1978

  Adoption of repertory-film programmingStrategy

  Background

  After returning to movie exhibition in the 1960s, the theatre changed its operating model in 1978.

  Action taken

  The Seville was converted into a repertory cinema presenting selected films.

  Aftermath

  The format continued until the theatre closed in 1985.

  Source

1. 1Seville Theatreen.wikipedia.org