For those who love live music or theatre, Richmond has two major performance venues: the River Rock Show Theatre at the River Rock Casino Resort, and the Gateway Theatre in Minoru Park.
Gateway Theatre
Since 1984, the Gateway Theatre (6500 Gilbert Rd.) has offered a wide range of contemporary plays and classic musicals for theatre-lovers. It is the only live professional theatre in Richmond. It's easy to spot with its big glass windows overlooking the lawns and duck ponds of Minoru Park. The 548-capacity MainStage has featured everything from Hello Dolly and Forever Plaid to adaptations of The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan. The smaller studio theatre, Studio B, often showcases the works of modern Canadian playwrights.
Get tickets at the Gateway Theatre box office (open afternoons, hours vary seasonally) or via the official Gateway Theatre web site.
River Rock Show Theatre
With its brightly lit marquee and fine acoustics, the River Rock Show Theatre at the River Rock Casino (8811 River Rd.) caters to fans of classic pop and rock acts, comedians, and live boxing, among other events. Croon along with the likes of Paul Anka or Richard Marx, or rock with Styx or Collective Soul. Comedians who have yukked it up at the 950-seat venue include Liza Minnelli, Chelsea Handler, and Craig Ferguson. The theatre sometimes brings in guests of honour for boxing, such as Sugar Ray Leonard or Joe Frazier. For event tickets, go to the River Rock Show Theatre box office (open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily) or contact Ticketmaster.