Address: 224 Main Street, Picton

History

Located at 224 Main Street in Picton, Ontario, The Regent Theatre has been providing Prince Edward County with entertainment from the screen to the stage for over 90 years. Designed for George and Ellen Cook by architects Warrington and Page in 1918, the theatre was built on the 80 year old foundation of a former wear house. In its early years the Regent screened silent films, starring such actors as Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle. As the times changed, Vaudeville stage shows became quite popular and in 1922 the theatre was rebuilt as an Edwardian opera house. Featuring 1,100 seats, the Regent quickly became the place to be for theatre lovers all over the county. Over time and with the changes in the entertainment industry the theatre fell on hard times and eventually closed. The Regent had been passed down to the Cooks’ daughter, Louise, who in 1994 sold it to the not for profit community organization, the Regent Theatre Foundation. Since the Foundation took over, they have worked hard to restore the Regent to its original 1920’s look and feel. These days the 446 seat theatre shows films and screens live opera, theatre and ballet via satellite. Live musical performances and stage shows round out the performances at the vintage theatre.

"History", theregenttheatre.ca, Regent Theatre, 2021, theregenttheatre.ca/history/