To overstate the obvious, Calgary is a city bursting at its seams in a constant state of flux. Driving through downtown, something being torn down or built up on nearly every street and avenue seems to be par for the course in our fair city. A lot of moaning – present company included – is often made about all this restructuring; What is happening to our older, more historic buildings and the loss suffered at the hands of these ”new and exciting projects.”

Then a company like Theatre Junction comes along and blows all this complaining out of the water. Instead of rebuilding, they revitalize important monuments of Calgarian history like The Grand.

History of the Grand

The GRAND is Calgary’s original ’culturehouse’. Built in 1912, it was the biggest and best theatre in the Pacific Northwest, attracting stars like Sarah Bernhard, Fred Astaire, Ethel Barrymore, the Marx Brothers, George Burns, Arthur Rubinstein, Paul Robeson, among others.

The GRAND was the centre of our arts and cultural life for over 50 years with genesis of the opera, the ballet, the symphony and professional theatre all taking place at The GRAND. Betty Mitchell directed one of the last five performances in The GRAND. The GRAND also became a hothouse for social and political change. Political rallies, debates and speaking engagements, including Nellie McClung of the “Famous Five”, were held here.

Over the past 50 years, the Grand has been a cinema, a golf centre – and now – a theatre coup d’etat!

The GRAND is a 400 seat, flexible performance venue for theatre, dance, music and film. Combining high art, pop culture, classical performance, and “rock and roll” under one roof – this is our idea of a contemporary culturehouse. The GRAND is not only the new home of Theatre Junction, but also partners with a wide range of local, national and international companies to present a continually evolving range of work.

The seeds of creation will begin in The Studio at The GRAND. It is a fully equipped laboratory for experimentation and performance with seating for 50 where the creative process can be nourished and shared. Theatre Junction will be creating work in The Studio at The GRAND that will explore and define our unique Western Canadian voice. We will provide a rare opportunity to show our works in progress. Our process will be an open book for the public. We hope to involve you in our adventures, our trials and tribulations.

Theatre Junction is the heart of The GRAND. It is the artistic and administrative body that breathes life into this historic building.

We will continually strive to create exciting and challenging works that stimulate dialogue. We will interpret contemporary plays from the national and international repertoire. We will engage with artists from all varieties of disciplines and communities to nourish and cultivate new ideas. Walls and geography will not bind Theatre Junction; we will bring our work to other performance spaces, both within Canada and abroad.

Not only that, but The GRAND will also feature culinary delights to excite and tempt the palate along with the mind and emotions with the opening of Velvet, The Grand’s restaurant and lounge which provides top notch dining and cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere. Featuring a sommelier designed wine list, home made pastas and regional delicacies such as elk and buffalo.

Theatre Junction is proud to present, as their inaugural production in their incredible new location, Caryl Churchill’s Far Away.

A brilliant and chilling play of a society desiring safety and stability while making choices that perpetuate an increasingly unstable world. Having sold out premieres in London and New York, FAR AWAY has gripped audiences around the world with its unapologetic humanity.

Far Away plays March 21st – April 8th, 2006. Ticket prices vary between $20-40, with group discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

We at Theatre Junction are so indebted to all of the people who contributed money, time and resources to rejuvenate The GRAND, and beyond that, we are indebted to those people that dreamt it, built it, and performed in it long before we came along.

Let us prove it to you! Come in, relax. Enjoy a drink in the Velvet lounge and prepare yourself to be blown away. Life – eating, drinking, reflecting, talking with friends – exists side by side with art. This is The GRAND. Come play with us!

Theatre Junction
The GRAND
608-1 Street SW Calgary
Ph: (403) 205-2922
info@theatrejunction.com

For information about Velvet Restaurant and Lounge, please email events@velvetgrand.com or call (403) 244-8400

Text quoted from www.theatrejunction.com
(403) 243-6642