Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Arts

The Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Arts — widely known as the Imperial Theatre — is a live-performance venue in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. It occupies a building originally opened in 1936 as The Capitol Movie Theatre, a movie house that served the community for roughly five decades. Between 1995 and 1997 the Capitol was restored in its Art Deco style and converted from a cinema into a modern live-performance theatre, reopening under the Imperial Theatre name. The venue is owned and operated by Theatre Sarnia, a community theatre organization established in 1927 and described as one of the oldest continuously operating community theatre groups in Canada. The theatre is a completely self-funded, not-for-profit registered charity. It is supported by ticket sales, venue rentals, sponsorships, donations and fundraising activity rather than by ongoing public subsidy. Its stated mission is to enrich, educate and entertain the community through the performing arts, and its vision is summarized as "Theatre Sarnia — A Role for Everyone." The organization emphasizes accessibility and audience experience: every seat in the house is said to provide an excellent view of the stage, with no seat more than sixty feet from the stage, and the venue has a state-of-the-art audio system and street-level wheelchair access. The Imperial presents a broad mix of programming. Its calendar includes touring tribute acts, ballet and family entertainment, community theatre productions, concert-association subscription series, and even municipal election debates. Examples drawn from its published schedule include tribute shows such as Thunder from Down Under, the Sarnia Beatlemania! production by The Liverpool 4, Destroyer: A Tribute to KISS, and The Highwaymen Show; a production of The Addams Family; a Sarnia Concert Association subscription series; and a Broadway-style Cinderella ballet performed by the United European Ballet and promoted by Classical Arts Entertainment. The venue also hosts the work of Theatre Sarnia's own stage and youth groups and is available for rentals. The box office operates seasonally, generally Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 5pm from September through June, with reduced summer hours in July and August. The theatre is a registered charity, and its cultural role is framed by its operators as critical to the social and cultural vitality of Sarnia and the surrounding communities. The name "Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Arts" reflects a naming association with Imperial Oil, while the venue continues to be marketed and known locally as the Imperial Theatre.

The building that became the Imperial Theatre opened in 1936 as The Capitol Movie Theatre, the premier movie house in Sarnia, Ontario. For roughly five decades it served as a cinema, operating from the 1930s through the 1980s. By the 1990s the Capitol had been acquired by Theatre Sarnia, a community theatre organization founded in 1927 and described as one of the oldest continuously operating community theatre groups in Canada. Between 1995 and 1997 the Capitol was lovingly restored in its original Art Deco elegance and transformed from a movie theatre into a modern venue for live performances. It was renamed the Imperial Theatre, and it has operated for more than twenty years in that role. The conversion preserved the building's Art Deco character while adapting it for live performance. The auditorium was configured so that every seat provides an excellent view of the stage, with no seat more than sixty feet from the stage, and the venue was equipped with a state-of-the-art audio system to enhance amplified performances. Street-level wheelchair access was provided from the theatre entrance. The venue is owned and operated by Theatre Sarnia, which is a completely self-funded, not-for-profit registered charity. Its operations are supported by ticket sales, theatre rentals, sponsorships, donations and fundraising activity rather than by ongoing government subsidy. The theatre's programming has evolved into a broad community and touring mix. It hosts Theatre Sarnia's own productions and youth group work, a Sarnia Concert Association subscription series, touring tribute acts, ballet and family entertainment, and community events such as municipal election debates. The published schedule includes shows such as Thunder from Down Under, Weston Silver Band, Sarnia Beatlemania! by The Liverpool 4, The Travelling Milburys, Destroyer: A Tribute to KISS, The Addams Family, The Highwaymen Show, and a Broadway-style Cinderella ballet by the United European Ballet promoted by Classical Arts Entertainment. The venue also markets itself for rentals and operates a seasonal box office, generally Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 5pm from September through June, with reduced hours in July and August. The name "Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Arts" reflects a naming association with Imperial Oil, while the venue continues to be known and marketed as the Imperial Theatre.

• 2026

  The venue publishes its 2026/27 season, including touring tributes, ballet and community productions.

• 1997

  The restored Capitol reopens as the Imperial Theatre, a modern live-performance venue.

• 1995

  Restoration of the Capitol begins, preserving its Art Deco elegance.

• 1936

  The Capitol Movie Theatre opens as Sarnia's premier movie house.

• 1927

  Theatre Sarnia is established; it becomes one of the oldest continuously operating community theatre groups in Canada.

A community-focused, not-for-profit performing arts venue and historic Art Deco landmark serving Sarnia and surrounding communities.

• Theatre Sarnia 2026/27 Season

• Sarnia Concert Association Subscription

• Thunder from Down Under

• Weston Silver Band

• Sarnia Beatlemania! by The Liverpool 4

• The Travelling Milburys

• Destroyer: A Tribute to KISS

• The Addams Family

• The Highwaymen Show: Great Outlaws Tribute Concert

• Cinderella by the United European Ballet

• 2026 Sarnia-Lambton Municipal Election Debates

1. 1Welcome to the Imperial Theatre Sarniaimperialtheatre.net
2. 2About Usimperialtheatre.net
3. 3Cinderella by The United European Ballet Companyimperialtheatre.net
4. 4Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Artswikidata.org