Location

630 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC

Seating

Total seating capacity:

• 2,765 standard seats
• 16 wheelchair spaces

Accessibility

• Wheelchair seating on the orchestra and mezzanine levels
• Wheelchair accessible washrooms on the orchestra and mezzanine levels
• Elevator access available from the main lobby to the mezzanine level and the upper balcony
• Hearing aid receivers and binoculars available at the main lobby coat check
• Accessible parking is available with an accessible parking decal

Children

Please note that as of January 1, 2012, Vancouver Civic Theatres requires that all audience members, including children, must have a ticket. There are no exemptions to this policy regardless of the child’s age.

Latecomers

If you are late to a performance, ushers will seat you during a break in the performance.

Out of consideration for patrons who arrived on time, you may be seated at the back of the Mezzanine or Balcony until the first intermission, when you can move to your seat.

For some performances, seating will not be possible until first intermission. While waiting, you can follow the action on stage on the video monitors in the theatre lobby.

Lost and found

• Phone 3-1-1. 

Parking

Enter the Queen Elizabeth Theatre parkade off Cambie Street. There is no guarantee of parking, even with a ticket to an event, unless you have an accessible parking decal.

To reserve accessible parking at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, call 604-665-2193 during the week, at least 24 hours before your event. Have your decal number and ticket information ready. An elevator operates from both floors of the parkade to the Plaza Level on Hamilton Street.

Art gallery

Curated by Emily Carr University, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Art Gallery features work by new or emerging artists. Exhibits change bimonthly.

Resident companies

The resident companies are non-profit groups who perform regularly at the theatre. They offer the finest in local theatre, music, dance, and opera.

Vancouver Opera

Vancouver Opera is the second largest opera company in Canada. Founded in 1958, Vancouver Opera quickly moved to the centre of the city’s cultural life as a major creative, educational, and collaborative resource in the community.

Ballet British Columbia

Ballet British Columbia was founded in 1986 as a reorganization of Pacific Ballet Theatre. Ballet BC is known for its contemporary ballet repertoire.

Rent the Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Rent the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (QET) for your production. The Queen Elizabeth Theatre is located in downtown Vancouver at 360 Hamilton Street.

The Queen Elizabeth is one of the largest theatres in Canada and hosts Broadway shows like Wicked and The Lion King.

Seating

• 2,765 standard seats (without orchestra pit)
• 16 wheelchair spaces

Fees

Rates in effect 1September 2012 to 31 August 2013.
All listed rates and fees - unless specifically exempted - are subject to taxes applicable to venue rentals.

Contact

Contact our booking manager to rent a theatre:

Phone: 604-665-3028

Email: peter.kendall@vancouver.ca

View detailed rental information

History of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre

The Queen Elizabeth Theatre opened on July 5, 1959, with a concert by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Later that month, Queen Elizabeth II attended a concert at the theatre and officially gave it her name.

The impact of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on the local live entertainment scene was profound. By 1962, major users of the QET included the Vancouver Opera Association, the Vancouver International Festival, the Vancouver Symphony Society, World Adventure Tours, and Famous Artists Limited.

Vancouver's proximity to Seattle helped American promoters extend their western tours of Broadway shows by booking at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Renovations

In the 1960s, serious efforts were made to correct some of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre's flaws. Studies were done to improve the acoustics and the air conditioning, and a new shell was built for the Symphony.

The City decided to move ahead with major renovations when Vancouver was named as the host of Expo 86. The work included altering some existing spaces, and creating new ones to modernize the technical facilities and public areas.

In 1985 and 1986, alterations changed the look of the lobby. The original clean, understated design was replaced with shimmering reflective surfaces, broader columns, and more textured finishes. The theatre lobby was further altered by the construction of the new control room and by banners installed to camouflage the beams beneath the mezzanine.

A number of improvements were made to the theatre's public amenities in 1991 and 1992. Washrooms were expanded, a new concession bar was built in the lobby, and the theatre restaurant was renovated.

A long range capital plan for the three civic theatres was authorized by Council in July 1994, and a strategic plan was prepared by the architects. In the work done in 1996, two elevators were added to the west lobby of the QET, and the entry off of Hamilton Street was redesigned. In 1999, the QET added the salons, which can be rented for conferences and other functions.