Louisbourg Playhouse

Every seasonal night the best talent performers in Cape Breton Island perform at the Louisbourg Playhouse. People can enjoy an evening full of Celtic dance and songs with complimentary tea and oatcakes during intermission time at the mezzanine level of the playhouse. For a wide range of souvenirs and music, the playhouse offers an on-site gift shop.
The idea as a performing arts center for Louisbourg Playhouse started in 1990. This is when the town was planning for the revitalization of the downtown area. Part of the plan is to include an evening entertainment for the visitors of the town. The idea of an outdoor amphitheater was materialize and give birth to Louisbourg Playhouse.

Louisbourg Playhouse
Louisbourg Playhouse was previously located at the Fortress of Louisbourg. It was used in 1994, as props in the set of the Walt Disney motion picture entitled “Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale”. It was in year 1993 when this playhouse was donated by Don Carmody Productions to the community. However, during the fall of 1993, the playhouse was dismantled and moved to Elizabethan Theater along Aberdeen Street where it stands today.

 

The Louisbourg Playhouse is a theater operated by a registered and non-profit organization called the Louisbourg Playhouse Society. Its design was based on the original 1599 Globe Theater of Shakespeare in London wherein the center is open to the sky. Every season, the theater is the most intimate and historic performance venue at the Cape Breton Island. This is where outstanding comedy, dance, music, and theater performances are seen. The theater was publicly open in 1994 and been presenting hundreds of great performers every tourist season over the years.
Louisbourg Playhouse hosted many performances over the years since its launching. Among these are “The Margaret”, “Sea Puppet Theater”, and the “The Beryl Markham Story”. Notable musical performers like Lenny Gallant, Grand Derangement, Raylene Rankin, Men of the Deeps, Valdy, and John Allan Cameron are just few that have set the stage. The theater also hosted the “Sounds capes Series”, which features the best music and songs of Cape Breton Island. Toe-tapping musical events with more than 20 performers have graced the stage of the theater for audience delight.
Two hundred twenty seats are featured at the Louisbourg Playhouse. These seats are laid out in theater-in-the-round. The floors of the theater are also wheelchair accessible. The 17th century style theater of Louisbourg Playhouse is the most unique entertainment venue in the mainland of Nova Scotia. From the month of June to October, the theater is open every night whereas during regular season, the show time starts at eight in the evening. For nightly performances, reservations are highly recommended.
Event planning and key improvements are the necessary components of Louisbourg Playhouse to maintain its rustic charm. As a performing arts center, the facilities of the theater are fully operational. Every season, the theater put up a program of events and structural improvements for the extensive entertainment of the visitors. It surely brings many families and friends together to share live show experiences that will spark enthusiasm and energy.