{"id":2324,"date":"2022-11-07T08:46:45","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T14:46:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/?p=2324"},"modified":"2025-03-12T08:26:07","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T14:26:07","slug":"the-history-of-edmontons-first-sound-cinema-capitol-theatre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-2324-the-history-of-edmontons-first-sound-cinema-capitol-theatre","title":{"rendered":"The History of Edmonton\u2019s First Sound Cinema: Capitol Theatre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The development of movie theatres in Edmonton<\/strong> has a long and fascinating history. Early theatre founders faced many challenges, but they managed to establish the city\u2019s first sound cinema<\/strong>, significantly shaping Edmonton\u2019s cultural scene. Learn more on edmonton-trend<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Creation of Edmonton\u2019s First Sound Cinema<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Capitol Theatre<\/strong> building was originally opened in 1918<\/strong>. It was a two-story structure<\/strong> designed by the well-known firm H.L. Gage<\/strong>. The construction primarily used concrete and brick<\/strong>, with special attention given to its decorative features. Above the two entrance arches<\/strong>, intricate moldings, decorative diamonds, and concrete windowsills<\/strong> added elegance to the facade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flat roof<\/strong> was framed with a prefabricated cornice<\/strong>, topped with a brick finish<\/strong>. Inside, the curved layout of the auditorium<\/strong> was strategically designed to ensure that every seat had a clear view of the screen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1929<\/strong>, the theatre underwent a major renovation and rebranding<\/strong>, which took three months<\/strong>. The upgrades included the installation of state-of-the-art sound equipment<\/strong>, transforming it into the first theatre in Edmonton to screen talking films<\/strong>. A balcony<\/strong> was added, expanding the seating capacity by 500 additional seats<\/strong>. The renovations also introduced an electric marquee<\/strong> and a canopy<\/strong>. The redesign was led by renowned Montreal-based designer Briff<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new lavish interior<\/strong> featured antique gold accents<\/strong> on the walls and ceilings<\/strong>, a beautifully decorated staircase<\/strong>, and a spacious lounge<\/strong> beyond the balcony section. The box office was relocated and expanded<\/strong>, making the lobby more spacious and efficient<\/strong>, reducing wait times for guests. After the renovation, the theatre was officially renamed Capitol Theatre<\/strong>, marking its place in history as Edmonton\u2019s first sound cinema<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1938<\/strong>, another major renovation was carried out, led by Magoon & MacDonald<\/strong>. This time, air conditioning<\/strong> was installed, along with a massive 2,000-light marquee<\/strong>, which became the largest in Western Canada<\/strong>. The theatre also added a prominent vertical neon sign<\/strong> in an Art Deco style<\/strong>. The Capitol\u2019s impressive lighting system<\/strong> featured 2,000 600-watt bulbs<\/strong>, which generated so much heat<\/strong> that snow and ice rarely accumulated in front of the theatre during winter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1954<\/strong>, another remodel and modernization<\/strong> took place, this time under the supervision of Dewar-Stevenson & Stanley<\/strong>. However, by the 1970s<\/strong>, large theatres were no longer profitable. As a result, the original Capitol Theatre was demolished<\/strong> and replaced with a new cinema, designed to resemble the original<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capitol Theatre in the 21st Century<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Today, the Capitol Theatre stands in Fort Edmonton Park<\/strong>, rebuilt to replicate<\/strong> the historical venue while integrating modern technology<\/strong>. The reconstruction project preserved authentic architectural elements<\/strong> of the original theatre while incorporating mechanical and electrical enhancements<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The redesign was managed by Williams Engineering<\/strong>, with the Visual Terrain team<\/strong>, led by renowned lighting designer Lisa Green<\/strong>, crafting a comprehensive architectural lighting plan<\/strong> to preserve the theatre\u2019s historical authenticity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new Capitol Theatre<\/strong> officially opened in 2011<\/strong>. It now serves as a multi-functional entertainment venue<\/strong>, offering 4D experiences, dynamic seating, and live performances<\/strong>. The 1,250-square-meter<\/strong> facility accommodates 250 guests<\/strong> and features a spacious box office<\/strong>, a large entrance lobby<\/strong>, backstage areas<\/strong>, and a projection room<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A particularly unique feature of the theatre is its motion-enhanced seating<\/strong>, which vibrates during thrilling or suspenseful movie scenes<\/strong>. Additionally, snow machines<\/strong> are installed in the auditorium to create a gentle snowfall effect<\/strong>, while a steam pipe replicates the sound and feel of a passing locomotive<\/strong>, enhancing the realism of certain scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its blend of historic charm and cutting-edge technology<\/strong>, the Capitol Theatre continues to offer a unique cinematic experience<\/strong>, ensuring its place as a treasured landmark in Edmonton\u2019s entertainment history<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The development of movie theatres in Edmonton has a long and fascinating history. Early theatre founders faced many challenges, but they managed to establish the city\u2019s first sound cinema, significantly shaping Edmonton\u2019s cultural scene. Learn more on edmonton-trend. The Creation of Edmonton\u2019s First Sound Cinema The Capitol Theatre building was originally opened in 1918. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":417,"featured_media":2329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[154],"tags":[1450,1452,1447,1453,1445,1448,1449,1454,1446],"motype":[160],"moformat":[20],"moimportance":[35],"class_list":{"0":"post-2324","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kino","8":"tag-capitol-sound-cinema","9":"tag-cinema-reconstruction","10":"tag-first-sound-cinema","11":"tag-history-of-cinema","12":"tag-history-of-cinema-in-edmonton","13":"tag-history-of-sound-cinema","14":"tag-history-of-the-first-edmonton-sound-cinema","15":"tag-how-the-capitol-was-created","16":"tag-sound-cinema","17":"motype-eternal","18":"moformat-vlasna","19":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/417"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2324"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2328,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324\/revisions\/2328"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2324"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=2324"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=2324"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=2324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}