York Theatre

Venue info

The modest theatre at 637 Commercial Drive, on the corner of East Georgia Street, has been known by many names, hosted many performers, and moved many hearts. At times it was called the Alcazar Theatre, the Palace Theatre, the Little Theatre, the York Theatre, and more recently, the Raja Theatre. An important early survivor of the city’s first generation of theatres, the venue has participated in nearly a century of Vancouver’s cultural history. Theatre and historical components: // One of the oldest surviving theatre buildings in Vancouver and a product of the first generation of Vancouver theatre-buildings // An adaptable theatre whose primary uses have included theatre, music and cinema // The home for 54 years of the Vancouver Little Theatre Association and one of the oldest community theatres in Vancouver and Canada // A venue that involved the broad community and provided a start for many of the city’s best acting and directing talent // A rock concert venue, known as the New York Theatre, that featured many important active punk bands of the 1980s and early 1990s including Nirvana, Metallica and Sonic Youth