Smile Theatre is the only professional theatre company in Ontario (Canada) dedicated to performing for senior citizens.

For most of us, going to the theatre simply means picking up the phone, booking tickets, and showing up at the time of the performance.

Now imagine what it would be like to be confined: bedridden, in a long-term care facility, or hospital, or restricted by physical difficulties, or too financially burdened to buy a ticket. As physical restrictions keep many of us from experiencing a rich outer life, so too do these barriers close in on our minds, spirits and imaginations.

Smile started to address this need. And, as they say, a smile goes a long way.

For over 30 years, The Smile Theatre Company has been bringing professional musical theatre to seniors in Ontario -- audiences that, because of physical or transportation difficulties, cannot attend regular performances. (Click here for photos and "A history to Smile about".)

Each year, Smile tours five original productions to hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other seniors’ facilities in Ontario. The company performs, often twice a day in over 400 shows over an eleven month season to approximately 40,000 seniors.

The power to transform doesn’t just happen in performance halls. Theatre resounds with equal force on smaller stages.

The actors, stage managers, choreographers and designers at Smile are active professional theatre artists who share our unique and compelling vision of theatre for senior citizens. These artists combine their talents to create work that is endearing, captivating and entertaining.

The company is headed by Cathy Reid, General Manager, Jim Betts, Artistic Director, and an active and committed Board of Directors:

Board of Directors: Bob Johnstone, President, David Beirnes, Peter Fenton, Brian Rhodes, Marlene Smith, Harriet Stairs, Danielle Waters

Advisory Board: Isabel Bassett, Pat Keenan, Nancy Lockhart, John McKellar, David Mirvish, Donald & Gretchen Ross, Alan Slaight.

“Smile Theatre has always been the easiest, most professional and pleasant people to work with. I’m always pleased with their choice of performances/themes. It’s well suited for the residents of our lodge and they enjoy it so much that there are some residents who reserve this date just to be able to see the performance. Also some residents who never participate in any other activities come down for Smile Theatre. Thank you and keep up the good work” -- Central Park Lodge-Spadina

What We Do

Since it began, Smile has reached hundreds of thousands of seniors -- bringing professional music, song and dance to audiences who are denied the pleasure of attending regular theatre performances.

Each Smile production is:

-- Designed to be performed under challenging conditions (in limited spaces, such as hospital settings and long-term care facilities).
-- Portrayed with sensitivity to be meaningful and appealing to its audiences
-- No more than 1 hour in length
-- An original Canadian work

Smile is not only unique in the work we do, but also in the way we do it. After each performance, our cast and crew come out to meet our audience face to face, and chat about the performance and the memories evoked by the songs and stories (or to exchange muffin recipes!). We see this as an important and integral aspect of our work.

Most plays are based on a Canadian subject: well-known people (Deanna Durbin) or places (Niagara’s Oban Inn; The Royal Alexandra Theatre) -- while others uncover lives lesser known but still interesting -- for example, the Birdsall Sisters, who taught 10,000 Toronto children how to dance.

Each September, the upcoming season of the five separate plays is rehearsed. During the following nine months, the Company works six days a week, often travelling to two different venues a day. The physical demands of travelling, setting-up, performing the play and striking the set are rigorous and challenging.