UXBRIDGE LIVING

The Uxbridge Music Hall

BY ANDREW HIND PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JOEL MYSLIKL

A thriving cultural hub with history.

Standing firm and proud in the heart of historic Uxbridge Ontario, the Uxbridge Music Hall has been a much loved gathering spot, and entertainment hub since its opening in 1901.

Uxbridge, just 45 minutes north of Toronto, is a close-knit community with an astonishing dedication to both the visual arts and the performing arts. While many community theatre programs fail to thrive due to lack of support, Uxbridge is teeming with successful and much-loved theatre groups, musicians and choirs, all of which rely on the Music Hall as a place to shine.

Built on a budget of $4000, the Uxbridge Music Hall was designed by James Walker Jr., of Buffalo, to replace the previous firedamaged hall. Officially opened on December 19th, 1901, to an enthusiastic crowd, the new Uxbridge Music Hall would serve as a community hub where ideas could be shared, and locals could be entertained.

Today this much-loved Uxbridge landmark is a thriving cultural centre with a state-of-the-art sound, light, and projection system bringing it bang up to date and able to host everything from concerts and musicals to author readings and business conferences.

Of course, it takes a village, or in this case a town, to keep a grand old building looking and operating well. The board of directors and a team of dedicated staff ensure that everything is kept up to date, from hall bookings, maintenance, custodial duties and in-house sound and lighting.

There are no bad seats at the Uxbridge Music Hall. Whether you are watching a band from the floor or a play from the balcony, you will be able to soak in the welcoming atmosphere, great view and fabulous sound.

As visitors walk through the doors they are greeted by smiling staff behind the window of the hall’s traditional box office.

Walking through the front entrance of the Uxbridge Music Hall is like stepping back in time. Though the hall is always being updated and maintained, every effort has been made to ensure that the décor remains true to the building’s heritage. The original chandelier still hangs proudly from the centre of the wood paneled ceiling, and the intricate railing at the front of the balcony looks as spectacular now as it did when the music hall opened. Needless to say, over the past 120 years the hall has seen a lot of performances and been visited by a number of famous faces including Glenn Gould, Graham Greene, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and, more recently, by favourites such as best-selling writer John Irving, actor Ken Welsh, and singersongwriter Leah Daniels.

But of course, the question on everyone’s mind when talking about a fabulous old building is whether there are any ghosts inside. There have certainly been convincing tales told by people who work at the music hall, and a visiting clairvoyant once claimed that indeed there were not just one, but three ghosts wandering the aisles and climbing the stairs. But have no fear, the grumpy spirit was sent on his way and the two remaining spirits (should such a thing exist) are said to be very friendly, and perhaps even helpful.

To learn more about upcoming performances or to book the Uxbridge Music Hall visit: uxbridgemusichall.com

Uxbridge Music Hall, 16 Main St S, Uxbridge Ticket Booking Line: StarTicketing 1 866 808 2006 Karen Ryl, Booking Clerk (at Uxbridge Arena): 905 852 6761 uxbridgemusichall@gmail.com