Metropolitan Entertainment Centre
281 Donald Street,
Winnipeg,
MB
R3C 5S4
281 Donald Street,
Winnipeg,
MB
R3C 5S4
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 151 - 175 of 179 comments
Can anyone verify the Met was a changeover house its entire life? Anyone know if it had an automation system?
The chandelier was on 1 circuit and you are correct about the lowering of it. It was lowered from above it where, a basic boat winch dropped it to the level of the balcony seats from which point it was cleaned and relamped the lamps used were 25watt clear bulbs. The chandelier was dimmed during movies but remained on. The cove lighting around the chandelier was lit with blue 10w bulbs.
Is anyone actually interested in re-creating the Friends of The Met? I e-mailed CentreVenture earlier but have not received anything back.
If you’re interested, I’m setting up this e-mail address:
If there was more than the blue and white bulbs in the cove, they were not used. The only colors used were blue or white. There must have been (or still is) a full lighting board for control of the auditorium lighting as well as stage lighting, including dimmers for the house lights. The wall sconces did have several bulbs in each fixture on at least two circuits. Small amber bulbs in the lower part of the fixture remained on during performances. The candle portion of the sconces with clear bulbs lit up during intermissions, etc. I believe the main chandelier was totally dark during performances so I’m not sure if it contained more than one circuit of lamps or not. There were aisle lights on the end rows of seats, spaced out down the length of the aisles.
The seats might have been vintage, but they were replaced at least once as I recall and not original to 1920.
When I mentioned fittings I was referring to projection equipment, screen and sound system. As I mentioned previously there had been a complete set of stage draperies including teasers, legs, etc. It sounds as if these are gone. The stage was used occasionally in the FP years for live presentations so the stage lights were still there at that time. I don’t know if lighting control was moved up to the projection booth or not.
I have a vertical file for that fire incident. It was during Airplane II and the article is dated December 20, 1982.
grandcameo your dimensions if I remember correctly are very accurate. The screen you are talking about was installed in 1981/82, after a fire destroyed the existing screen.
As far as the curtains go, The curtains that were used were gold. I never did see a fire curtain used as mentioned above.
The secret passage was used to get to the top of the auditorium rather then disturbing patrons while they viewed a movie.
Didn’t the sconces have several different bulbs in them? A document I have here by the Friends says: “If you look up at the 4ft. dome, you can see a recess at the outside edge. There were over 100 [coloured] lights in that recess, White, Yellow, Orange, Blue and Red.”
Now that that comes up, if the dome was 40 feet, then the screen must have been a little larger… which seems impossible due to two things… This quote from the same document will help me explain my point: “With the distance from the projector to the screen being 102ft., the picture was 17ft. high.”
If the screen was maxed in CinemaScope with a ratio of 2.35:1, and that makes it a common height screen, then the picture would be 17' by 40' roughly. In Flat (1.85:1), the screen would be roghly 31' by 17'. Aswell, the screen frame was four sections (a rectangle with three pieces of wood running down the frame, in 10ft. intervals) so that would make it 40 feet. Does anybody know the actual size of the Met’s screen?
“I’m assuming that FP stripped the place of all equipment before they departed. I’m a little surprised that most other fittings are still inside.”
What fittings do you mean? The seats were real ‘old school’, so sometimes companies leave those behind. Cineplex left the seats in the Garrick, while FP threw out the ones from the NorthStar in a dumpster.
Well at least that’s some consolation knowing that the building is secured, heated and the leaking roof replaced (the downfall of many closed theaters). Since unused theaters are notoriously dark all the time, it’s a perfect venue for mold, mildew and even mushrooms to grow as well as plasterwork to deteriorate. The damaged decorative work could be replicated since the matching detail on the opposite side is still there. I’m assuming that FP stripped the place of all equipment before they departed. I’m a little surprised that most other fittings are still inside. Those are usually the first things that magically disappear.
The area where the current ticket lobby is located was once a store front matching the one at the other end under the marquee. Whether or not these areas were always stores or whether they were used by the theater, I do not know. Originally the box office was located dead center under the original marquee with doors into the theater on either side of it. I seem to think they were brass and glass.
The last time I was in the Met was 1999, three times suring the summer tours for the Pan Am Games. Its in pretty decent shape. The front stage wall, to the right by the loge has crumbled poorly, because of leaks. The theatre now has a new roof, so that will really help the theatre. When I was in there, all the seats and carpet were still in it, as well as drapes (in the 7 large windows). The ceiling in the lower lobby (the avadcado type planking) had been taken down quite a bit to expose the plaster detail underneath, which was alright look, but had many steel bars drilled into it to support the dropped ceiling. The tours did not let us see the booth or the hallways down either side of the auditorium, but there were stacks of music stands that they apparently found underneath the stage. All glass on the lower level has been covered by plywood, and inside the building, insulated with 2x4s and insulation and vapour barrier. The concession looked small but clean. I also learned of a secret passage way in the mezzanine that leads to the projection booth.
The theatre has four large industrial electric furnaces currently pumping warm air into the building to keep it dry and intact, and there’s also a really good security system on the building.
It may take a grass roots effort to save the Met, since the city is already heavily involved in owning and maintaining, (they say), the Pantages Playhouse as well as the Walker aka Burton Cummings. Things are moving very slowly at the Walker as far as restoration is concerned, so I’m sure the last thing they want is another house that needs extensive work and could possibly be dark much of the time too. I’m not sure how often the Pantages is booked either. Still, with every other downtown theater now history (and there were quite a few), it just might be worth the effort. Out of curiosity, when was the last time you were in it and what shape is it in?
I believe it is time to shake things up again. I’d like to see Friends Of The Met get back together. The former management (President Dieanna Armitage) didn’t really promote the group. After the Pan Am Games tours, the group dissolved. Maybe people here would be interested in bringing the group back to life, but maybe as “The Metropolitan Foundation” or something like that as the Friends may have left a sour taste is some people’s mouths (Thomas Sill Foundation donated $15,000, and the group dissolved shortly after). This method of community citizens restoring old palaces has been quite successful all over the world. Why would the city want to deter a group away from saving it? It would be a lot cheaper, raise a lot more awareness and would probably go over quite well, with the proper management that is!
As I recall there were at least two colors in the cove lighting. White during intermissions and blue (left on) while movies were being shown. The wall sconces were on at least two circuits because they were partially illuminated during movies. The fixtures hanging in the opera boxes had blue lights in them too and were left on during presentations. I believe that there were lights on the floor in the boxes because the draperies covering the organ grilles were lit from below.(like footlights). There was also a set of footlights on the stage apron as well as a complete lighting grid (leftover from the days of live stage presentations). There was (at one time a
full set of stage curtains. The set closest to the screen were opened and closed during presentations. The main (gold?) curtain was rarely used in later years but I recall it being used occasionally. The main curtain would open followed by the curtain covering the screen (that must have been the whitish one. It could take on whatever color lights that shone on it). I’m not sure if there ever
was a fire curtain or not. At one time there was an orchestra pit but I think it had been filled in. The organ console sat in the pit
as well but I don’t know if it was on a lift or not. I don’t ever remember the organ being there. Famous Players abandoned live stage shows early on and the Met was only used as a first run house for movies.
Is Friends of the Met still active? As the last remaining movie palace in the city and with the city dragging it’s feet on anything to do with, maybe it’s time to shake things up again.
The Met’s chandelier was on a pulley, so that it could be lowered and raised (for cleaning, etc.). When Friends Of The Met were in there, they only turned on the sconces and stage lights, and even in recent artciles, they never tunr on the chandelier or ceiling lights. Its fairly bright in that auditorium though. Measures have been taken to keep the chandelier from falling. I guess the wiring too old to trust?
Does anyone know about the Met’s presentation? When it was just running films as Famous Players in its later years, did the dome light up every colour, or did it just have white light bulbs? Did any of the sconces, stage, dome, chandelier or ceiling lights operate independently?
I believe the Met’s curtain was white. Its gone now, as is the screen (Famous Players usually just rips through the screen to take the speakers from behind). I believe older curtains (not sure if they’re original, but the Friends did mention something about gold) were found rolled up and tucked away up in the screen well, above the screen in the stage area.
Hmm, sounds like something out of the Phantom.
In regards to the Capiol’s chandelier, it fell to the floor one night and was never replaced.
Could possibly get a hint at what the chandelier might have been like by looking at other Allen theaters since C Howard Crane designed all of them for the Allens and they bore striking resemblances. The fixtures hanging in the two opera boxes were more art deco and may have been added when the organ was removed since the back of the boxes were heavily draped. I recall fluorescent lighting in the ticket area, and pot lights in the inner lobby around the concession stand. Also, they had a row of planter boxes in front of the lobby windows looking out to Donald St loaded with sanseveria plants (a la your local Chinese restaurant). Everything about that remodelling had 1950 written all over it.
The ceiling in the lobby was about 3" wide horizontal metal planks that covered the original plaster decoration. The original plaster is still up there in decent condition. They also installed flourescent lighting that was flush with this ceiling in the lobby.
Those recessed glass fixtures look like the ceiling lights that are currently manufactured (they look like a boob wearing a niple boustier). They’re still there.
As for the Met’s chandelier, its not original, although it is very spectacular. The original was more basic or simple, like the Capitol’s, and was probably put in in the 30’s, when Emmanual Briffa re-did the theatre.
For sure it had been repainted, since none of the decorating you mention was original, especially the avocado green ceiling. At one time the mezzanine lobby was intact as built and you could get a real feel for what the lower level had been like, since it still possessed the original furnishings and lamps. You’re right, I’d forgotten about the Capitol chandelier. Under the balcony there were recessed stained glass fixtures with a spiderweb pattern opaque glass in them. The Met’s chandelier had a lot more sparkle to it (when it was clean).
The Capitol had a ‘sunburst’ chandelier that was dismantled when it was divided. They were both beautiful theatres, but the Capitol seemed a lot more detailed and ornate. What really made the Met seem bland was how the walls were painted a pink-rust(ish) colour, and the ceiling was painted torquoise(ish). The detail of the figures on the ceiling suffered from this paint job. The avacado green dropped ceiling in the lobby looks pretty shabby as well.
Now that I think of it, pink and rust were not in the original color scheme. In fact the walls had inset panels of rose and gold damask. As far as I recall the dome was deep blue. Surrounding the dome were cartouches containing allegorical figures.
I suspect the Met suffered a ‘remuddling’ through the years. It’s been a long time since I was last inside, but it was very lavish originally and far from bland. There were boxes to either side of the proscenium (lacking in the Capitol) which fronted the organ grilles. Also, the Met had an enormous crystal chandelier in the dome with matching wall sconces throughout the auditorium as well as cove lighting, whereas the Capitol just had cove lighting in the dome (although the dome was gilded, casting a golden hue overall). The 1950’s remodelling to the Met’s ticket area, lobby and lower facade was considered the last word at the time but looks silly with the original Palladian windows above and classic facade of the rest of the building. It was sad to see the Capitol being demolished. We
can only hope that the Met can be brought back to life before it’s too late.
dwm, can you drop me an e-mail? I want to talk about the Met with you. Since you worked there, there’s some questions I have for you.
My e-mail is
I’m running through my arcieves again. Its very possible I’m confusing it with something else. I’ll update it as soon as I can.
As for the theatre itself. I’m too young to have visited the Met, but I did tour it during the Pan Am Games (3 times) and joined Friends of The Met, and I really liked it. The only thing about the Met is that its almost bland. Even when it first opened it didn’t have gold all over the auditroium, etc.
The Capitol was much nicer, in my opinion. Its sub-division was a horrible renovation, but even when I exclusively toured it in 2001 (already condemned) it still looked beautiful- and the whole “its gone too far” stuff turned out to be remarkably false. The only things that warranted those comments were the 70’s renovations that fell down, such as drop sheet rock ceilings. The winged angels and everything else glittered from the flashlight.
This was not to diss the Met, but its hard to talk about either one of these theatres individually- They both kind of go hand-in-hand.
I have it as being 1850 seats on opening in 1920. These could have been replaced with wider seats and more space between rows thereby reducing the capacity. Originally there had been an organ installed but no record exists that I’ve been able to find as to make, model, or when it might have been removed.
Also, the Green Blankstein & Russell remodelling consisted of relocating the ticket lobby to the north end of the building, installation of a concession island in the center of the original main floor lobby and replacing the original entrance and front with maroon vitrolite facing. A new marquee was installed (still there) as well as a new vertical. The original spelled out the name Metropolitan in individual bulbs. It was replaced with one that just read ‘MET’ with a bullseye above and below the name, radiating outward with chaser bulbs. It has been removed. The theater somehow avoided being divided, but it’s future is still uncertain and it remains shuttered. (condition unknown)