CAA Theatre, Toronto

The theatre located on Yonge Street in Toronto, originally known as the Panasonic Theatre, has undergone various transformations over the years. It is currently named the CAA Theatre and is operated by Mirvish Productions. The renaming of the venue came about through a marketing partnership between Mirvish Productions and CAA South Central Ontario, which was announced on December 1, 2017.

The history of the building itself is quite intriguing. Originally constructed in 1911 as a private residence in the Second Empire architectural style, it was later converted into a movie theatre named The Victory in 1919. Over the years, it underwent several name changes, including The Embassy in 1934, and various other names such as The Astor, The Showcase, and The Festival.

During the 1970s, the Festival Theatre played a significant role as a venue for the Toronto International Film Festival, which was then known as the Festival of Festivals. In 1993, the building underwent renovations to accommodate live theatre productions and was renamed The New Yorker Theatre.

However, in 2004 and 2005, a large portion of the original building was demolished, leaving only the facade intact. A new, state-of-the-art live theatre and concert venue was constructed in its place, which became known as The Panasonic Theatre. Live Nation acquired the building in 2005, and Mirvish Productions took ownership in 2008.

The current owner, KingSett Capital, has submitted an application to the city for the redevelopment of the site. The proposed plan involves constructing a 76-story mixed-use building while preserving only the facade of the CAA Theatre building.