Long ago, Christopher Plumer performed at the Knowlton Theatre.
He played in The Royal Family, a comedy about the life of the Barrymore showbusiness family, at Brae Manor in Knowlton.
What started as a training school quickly turned into a high caliber professional theater. During its 21 years from 1935 to 1956, the Brae Manor Playhouse was arguably the most important summer theater and training school in Canada. Over 100 professional theatre productions have been staged in a repertory format
The theater was on St Paul Street
It was located next to 33 St. Paul Street, owned by the Sadler couple (Philmore and Marjorie), founders of the Brae Manor Playhouse. The house was on the left where the director, Philmore Sadler and his wife lived. He was the director and William Shatner spent time there. All the actors lived in their house as it was. The auditorium next to it has been demolished.
Testimonials
I remember my mom taking me to a puppet show there and how excited I was!
– Sharon Mullins Budd
My brother John, as a student, did theater there
-Margaret Pille
They demolished the theater in 1963 and a lot of the materials were used to build the bungalow that is now there.
– GaryandBev Crandall
At the old theater. I was a student there.
-Birgit Bélanger
I remember my mom taking me to a puppet show there and how excited I was!
-Sharon Mullins Budd
For more details, there is a booklet prepared by Deborah Howard and Marilyn Stairs 1996 at the BCHS museum.