Our Story

The Palace Theatre Our Story Begins in 1929…

From your first step inside, patrons walk back in time to the grandeur of early theatre styles. The chandeliers, tiled flooring and replica ticket booth set the classic tones of this iconic landmark.

Our story begins in 1929 when technology made it possible to project visual moving images on a screen. This innovation changed the course of storytelling for decades to follow. The silent movie was borne with Londoners swarming to our Dundas St. location to catch the 1929 silent comedy, ‘Synthetic Sin’. Sadly, as the Depression loomed, our doors closed.

Always unrelenting, the entertainment world was not about to remain still. The 1930s and 40s experienced rapid changes as technology unveiled the motion picture miracle-the ‘talkies’. A decade later, yet another era of change as we reopened as the Park. Audiences flocked to see blockbusters such as Ben Hur and Star Wars, while munching on popcorn before the wide cinemascope curved screen.

The story continues to unfold….

Unable to survive the increasing trend towards multi-plex theatres, the Park bade farewell to its movie history. The doors closed in September 1989, but our story did not end there.

1991 witnessed a rebirth when the building was purchased by London Community Players (LCP) and renamed the Palace.

Now more than 30 years later, the dream has continued to unfold. The decades have brought pure magic to our stage-all through the work of volunteers. Renovations revived failing plaster, thousands of volunteer hours went into ripping up carpets, patching floors, building counters, repainting the front lobby, priming and painting the backstage area, removing the acoustic tiles from the auditorium walls to create the Palace as you see it today.

Today, our doors open in revitalized splendour. The years of renovations reflect the care given to maintaining the grandeur of this cultural landmark.

Designated in 1991, by the City of London, as an historic site under the Ontario Heritage Act, this iconic structure continues to attract theatre enthusiasts and tourists. Walk in and enjoy a step back in time.