6. Theaters

Chateau Theatre Facade

The Chateau Theatre (1932) fuses Art Deco with 1920s movie palace flair (think: New York City’s Wonder Theaters). The work of architect René Charbonneau and sculptor Joseph Guardo, its exterior is ornamented with bas-reliefs, colorful stained glass windows, and a stylized arch.

Chateau Theatre: Bas-reliefs

Chateau Theatre

The Snowdon Theatre (1937) by architect Daniel J. Crighton, built five years later, is all Streamline Moderne. It is massed with vertical volumes and a central ziggurat, but the only facade detailing consists of horizontal stripes, a marquee, and a canopy.

Snowdon Theatre: Reconstruction July 2019

Prolific theater designer Emmanuel Briffa decorated the interiors of both theaters with intricate details beloved by local Deco enthusiasts.

Snowdon Theatre: Reconstruction July 2019

The Snowdon deteriorated due to abandonment and arson. The exterior is being preserved (“facadism“) while a new residential condominium is under construction behind and above it. Thankfully, the Chateau retains many of its original elements and is now used as an event venue and its former balcony is home to Le Château de Cirque, a circus school.