The Capitol Theatre in downtown Chatham is enjoying a record year.
Chatham-Kent Project Manager of Theatres Devon Hansen told CK News Today that over 50,000 patrons have come through the doors so far this year to attend nearly 195 events at the Capitol in downtown Chatham. Hansen said that’s a 30 per cent increase from 2023.
He credits the growth to a rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, a growth in the community, and the great shows that keep coming to the theatre.
"Audiences want to go out to theatre again. They feel safe, they feel comfortable. So, we're really seeing not only our audiences in Chatham-Kent, but even further on like Windsor and London are coming in to see certain artists, which is really good," said Hansen.
Hansen also credits his team at the Capitol Theatre for the great success, adding he couldn’t do it without them.
"We're seeing a huge increase in rentals and I think that's attributed to the great team we have. We always hear that we have one of the most gorgeous theatres that are on these tours, but our team is so great to work with. So, we're seeing a lot of repeat business," he said.
The events include weekly movies, commercial rentals, community rentals, and various popular Capitol Theatre presentations, such as The Sheepdogs, Big Sugar, and Mini Pops Kids.
"The big thing is that we have something for everyone. We have something for the older generation who wants to relive some of those great memories from the 50s and 60s, but then we start to get into that middle-aged crowd, and even stuff for the younger crowd," Hansen said.
Hansen noted Glass Tiger in November should be a great show to wind down a spectacular year at the Capitol Theatre.
He also noted the Kiwanis Theatre has also shown a huge increase in 2024.
Next season will be the Capitol Theatre's 15th anniversary and Hansen said he is looking forward to programming next year. He will only say it's a great time to celebrate and all the big details for next season are under lock and key for now. Hansen plans to start teasing the 15th anniversary season in the Spring.