I'm thrilled to share with you all about the recent ribbon cutting ceremony that I had the honor to attend at the Capitol Theatre in Moncton, NB. The theatre just opened its new permanent exhibit, commemorating its 100 years of existence, and I'm excited to have a few of my photographs featured in the exhibit.
The exhibit — which will be on display at the Capitol Theatre for a minimum of 10 years — was beautifully designed by Skyline Atlantic, using a mix of old historical photographs and artefacts as well as recent performances and current images of the theatre.
Walking through the exhibit, you will be taken on a journey through the theatre's rich history. From the early days of silent films to the modern-day performances, the exhibit captures the essence of the theatre's evolution. It's an incredible experience to see how far this iconic theatre has come.
The most unique component of the exhibit is the giant mosaic, which features hundreds of photographs of performances from the past few decades. The base photo is a wide-angle shot that I captured from the balcony. Next to this piece is an interactive touch-screen display that allows people to zoom in and view every individual image from the mosaic. Super cool feature!
Time Capsule
But that's not all - during the event, the theatre also showcased the items that will be buried in a time capsule underneath the theatre. These items include a variety of memorabilia, including photographs, ticket stubs, programs, posters, and even a N-95 mask.
It's a fascinating collection that represents the time we're currently living in, and I'm sure it will be just as fascinating to those who uncover the time capsule 100 years from now. I was humbled to find some of my photos of the theatre to be included in this time capsule.
Behind the Scenes — Creating the Photographs
Even though my part in this project was very small, it was really fun to shoot the beautiful theatre, and especially exciting to see some of the hidden nooks and crannies of this historic building.
I got to visit the basement, which has a special vault that used to be the storage area for highly flammable film reels. Apparently, many theatre fires at the time were caused by film reels that would burst into flames!
I also got to visit the attic, another area very few visitors of the Capitol Theatre get to see. Up there is an old wooden beam from the building's original structure. The beam is clearly burned, a sad reminder of the 1926 fire that unfortunately took the life of a Moncton firefighter.
When the curtain goes down, what the audience doesn't see is the back side of the curtain. Over the years, artists have signed the back of the curtain after performing on stage. There are lots of gems on there, including my favourite: Mr. Dressup!
Being able to contribute in a small way to the exhibit is something I'm very proud of. It's a privilege to be a part of something that will be remembered in the community for generations to come.
Below are some of the images that were shot in winter of 2023 for this project.
I encourage everyone to visit the Capitol Theatre's new permanent exhibit and experience the rich history that's on display. It's a remarkable tribute to a true Canadian treasure, and I'm grateful to have been a part of it.