There's Something About the Engineered Air Theatre

When you step into the lobby of the Engineered Air Theatre, you’re greeted by a harmonious blend of past and present. Historical artifacts sit comfortably alongside 1990s design elements and thoughtful modern updates, creating a space that feels like a well-preserved time capsule. 

For over a century, this site has hosted a performance space. Echoes of the original Empress Theatre can still be found in the salvaged ceiling tiles, the stone bench at the entrance, and the intricate iron scrollwork gracing the balcony, testaments to the venue’s enduring legacy. 

Opened in 1994, nearly a decade after the main building’s inauguration, the Engineered Air Theatre exudes warmth, charm, and familiarity. Despite being tucked below street level, with its main floor aligned with P2 of the Werklund Centre parkade, the soaring ceiling and thoughtful design make the space feel anything but subterranean. 

A longtime user of the space, Fire Exit Theatre has been imagining its ambitious visions in the space for 24 years, taking full advantage of its fluidity.  

“We have built the largest and most complex sets that the venue has ever held. Although relatively small, we have utilized every square inch of the stage, often spilling into the audience with our designs,” says Val Lieske, Artistic Director of Fire Exit Theatre. “I love the intimacy of the space. The actors and audience truly are partners in the performance.” 

One show in particular, Sacrament, was designed and built by Fire Exit’s Head Carpenter, Kacie Killaly. She did a forced perspective and pushed the church arches into the audience, then the first few rows of seating were removed and replaced with wooden church pews. 

“Many of our audience members thought that EAT had been renovated!” 

Image: the set of Fire Exit Theatre's production, Sacrament.

In Manual Cinema’s production of Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster, they performed a live puppet show while simultaneously opening up the set so that audience members could see how the effects were done in real time. It’s hosted blues royalty like Watermelon Slim, James “Blood” Ulmer, and Buddy Guy, drag shows, and emerging artist showcases, and is currently home to Calgary’s best underground after-party experience, Scratch. 

What’s the secret to its success? The Engineered Air Theatre is packed with modern technology, from its state-of-the-art sound system to its highly adaptable LED lighting system and mounted projector system. The open main floor can be utilized for theatre seating or cabaret table set-up for something completely different. It also benefits from a legacy of dedicated staff who have “tuned the space,” tweaking the speakers and settings to create the perfect presets for each style of show. 

Named in Avenue Magazine’s 9 Great Calgary Theatre Venues, this little space has gotten some warm recognition over the years. But for the most part, it remains one of Werklund Centre’s best-kept secrets. 

To experience the Engineered Air Theatre for yourself, Claire Butler Trio returns to perform A Charlie Brown Christmas on December 10 & 11, 2025.