Showplace Performance Centre has been Peterborough’s regional centre for the performing arts since October 1996 and has a mission to present, promote, and sustain the performing arts; encourage and support active community involvement; maintain its facility; provide opportunities for local and touring artists to perform in a professional-quality venue; entertain, inspire, nurture, educate, and empower artists and audiences alike. Join us, as our organization strives to enrich the cultural fabric of our community with its continuing arts celebration.

The opening of Showplace Performance Centre on October 5, 1996, truly was a night of celebration. When the glittering show began with the song This is the Moment, it spoke for everyone in that sold-out house. After decades of frustrating attempts to establish a theatre, Showplace marked the beginning of a new era of entertainment for the Peterborough area.

The theatre at 290 George Street was created from what had been built in 1947 as the Odeon movie theatre. The J Arthur Rank Organization had opened the state-of-the-art space with the mystery thriller Green for Danger and showed, as well as the recent Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten. Newspapers of the day gave the new movie house rave reviews.

In 1979 the theatre was divided into two spaces and although it was under different ownership (Trent Cinemas), it was still operating in that form when the newly formed Showplace Board of Directors purchased it in 1995.

Architectural firm Lett/Smith was selected to design the 650 seat space. The building was totally gutted and reconstructed into the beautiful theatre it is today. 

290 George Street North, Peterborough ON