Massey Theatre
Located in the geographic centre of the Metro Vancouver area, the Massey Theatre is a cherished space to experience the arts. Massey Theatre has hosted musical theatre hits, international music and dance forms, children’s entertainers, orchestras, choirs, ballets and stars of music like Nick Cave, Tom Jackson, Jann Arden, and Michael Kaeshammer. Its capacity of 1,260 seats makes it the largest proscenium theatre in the region outside of Vancouver.
A jewel of local heritage architecture in vibrant, history-rich New Westminster, the Massey opened in 1949, and its original streamlined pasterwork of parallel lines and curved planes remains elegantly intact. The atmospheric venue was designed by E. Evans and Son and W.M. Bow Associate Architects of Vancouver. It stands as one of the few operating “hemp houses” in North America, referring to the rigging system that uses woven fibre to secure scenery in the fly tower—using many knots and techniques from old sailing ships. It was named for Vincent Massey, the first Canadian Governor General of Canada and author of the 1950s’ Massey Report that set Canada’s arts and culture policy and created the Canada Council.
Governed as a registered Non-Profit Charitable Society by an independent board of directors, Massey Theatre is neither a civic nor a school facility but a professional arts organization which works to support the performing arts throughout the Metro Vancouver. An array of stunning professional performances as well as community, festival, and student performances are among the over 200 events presented at Massey each season. Amid its best-known local production companies is the Royal City Musical Theatre, whose large-scale productions attract about 10,000 audience members each year to the venue.
The Massey Theatre Society manages Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces, an arts complex that comprises over 35,000 square feet of dynamic and creative spaces. It hosts everything from artists-in-residence to expressive community nights and hands-on worshops. Eighth & Eight is also home to Plaskett Gallery—named for the New West-born painter who is considered to be one of Canada’s most talented painters—plus four multipurpose studios including a performance studio and dance studio, and digital labs.
Find the Massey Theatre at
735 8th Avenue
New Westminster
