A Stage Built for Story

On a typical blustery evening at the height of the performing arts season, a passerby might not realize just how much is unfolding inside the many venues of Werklund Centre. From the tiny but mighty Motel Theatre to the magnificent Jack Singer Concert Hall, creativity is turned all the way up.

Located on the southeast corner of the building, the Max Bell Theatre is the largest theatre venue in Werklund Centre, with nearly 800 seats. It is the main presenting venue for Theatre Calgary, having called the space home since the building first opened in 1985.

“There is a grandeur to the theatre that speaks volumes,” says Stafford Arima, Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary. “It looks and feels like a big theatre; however, it is also a beautifully intimate space. There’s really not a bad seat in the house. Even the seats in the balcony might look far away, but when you sit there, the stage feels extremely close. That duality of grandness and intimacy is what makes the Max Bell Theatre so unique.”

Taking its cues from Shakespearean venues such as the Globe Theatre in London, the Max Bell Theatre’s wraparound, three-level tiered seating ensures no audience member is more than 60 feet from the stage. Sets for the many productions that have brought life to the stage are often built in the adjoining scene shop, then rolled directly onto the stage. The Max Bell Theatre also has the highest fly tower in Western Canada at 78 feet, allowing an entire set to disappear into the ceiling during a scene change. This versatility has made it ideal for some of the more complex and large-scale productions Theatre Calgary has undertaken over 40 years of shared history.

“The Max Bell Theatre is a venue that has a tremendous amount of Theatre Calgary’s theatrical history embedded in the walls, on the deck, in the carpets, and in the backstage areas,” says Arima. “Thousands of performers, designers, directors, choreographers, technicians,musicians, crew members, stage managers, and even some animals have graced the stage in our shows and brought their artistry to the Max Bell. That’s special, and we must never forget the history of theatre-making that has been brought to life by Theatre Calgary within the Max Bell in the past, the present, and the future.”

Though it may appear not to have changed much over its lifespan—new seats here, a fresh coat of paint there—pulling back the curtain reveals a state-of-the-art performance venue. Fully automated lighting, a multi-million-dollar speaker system, and a cutting-edge rigging system come together to make it the envy of its peers. The fact that the average audience member doesn’t notice these upgrades means the Max Bell Theatre is doing its job.

“When the theatre, the stage, and the story all work in tandem with each other, it is wonderfully special.”