14 Facts About Massey Hall

1.

Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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2.

Massey Hall was a gift to the people of Toronto from industrialist Hart Massey.

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3.

Massey Hall wanted to construct the building in memory of his son Charles, who loved music.

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4.

Ideally, once all expenses were paid, Massey Hall wanted tickets for a season of lectures to sell for $1.

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5.

In 1933, the Massey Foundation undertook further renovations to the hall.

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6.

In 2013, Massey Hall began a long-awaited major renovation with the demolition of the Albert Building and the preparation of the rear space for construction activities.

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7.

In July 2018, Massey Hall announced phase two of the renovation, entitled "Massey Hall Forever", which included extensive exterior and interior renovations, expanded stage, a new seven-story addition, two new smaller concert rooms and a new retractable seating system.

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8.

In May 1953, Massey Hall was the location of the notable Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie concert.

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9.

In conjunction with the concert, the band released the 2013 EP The Road to Massey Hall, comprising covers of songs by other musicians who had played the hall in the past.

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10.

Toronto-born comedian Russell Peters' April 2016 appearances at Massey Hall were recorded for his Netflix stand-up special Almost Famous.

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11.

In 2013, the Corporation of Roy Thomson and Massey Hall announced the closing of the performance space at Massey Hall for a revitalization project.

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12.

Phase one of the Massey Hall Restoration began in 2013 and was completed in 2017.

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13.

Renovation of the interior of Massey Hall incorporated upgrading the technology by the implementation of mechanized removable seating to provide space for a standing general-admission area during performances and enhancing the audio and lighting systems.

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14.

Two-phase restoration process of Massey Hall was led by Marianne McKenna of KPMB Architects and Christopher Borgal of GBCA Architects.

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