The world’s tiniest theatre is seeing plenty of foot traffic as events return to Stratford.
“From the moment you walk in you are transported back in time to that unique theatre experience that happened decades ago,” said Cheyenne Prins, assistant manager of the Little Prince Theatre.
Stratford’s Little Prince Theatre, a 13-seat venue, was awarded a Guinness World Record for smallest purpose built cinema. Leigh Cooney designed and built the micro theatre in 2019 alongside family, friends, filmmakers and other artists.
Prins said the award created a surge in visitors interested to see just how tiny the micro theatre was. With the return of the Stratford Festival, the venue is seeing a wave of excitement from both locals and visitors.
“Tons of people are coming in and looking at the space,” she said. “The foot-traffic, the people coming in, taking pictures - it's all there. People are very excited about it.”
The record-holding title created a frenzy. Dozens of media stations across Canada reported the win. The theatre received a moment of recognition on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
“We were put on the map that is for sure,” said Prins.
At the moment, the theatre is available for private events such as birthday parties, micro weddings, corporate events, gaming nights and special screenings. The intimate micro theatre allows family and friends to gather safely.
The tiny theatre was forced to close in 2020, offering movie theatre popcorn and concessions snacks for pickup and delivery, said Prins. Doors have officially been reopened since October.
“Bookings have gone up a lot. On weekends, there are about four bookings per day,” she said.
On Wednesday, moms and toddlers can drop in at 10 a.m. for “Whippersnapper Wednesdays.”
The theatre is a social enterprise meaning the establishment operates on a community-before-profits model.
