Dancers practise during rehearsal for "Billy Elliott the Musical" at the Canon Theatre on Feb. 17, 2011.
The late theatre impresario and businessman "Honest" Ed Mirvish was honoured on Wednesday at a special ceremony in Toronto at which his son David announced that the Canon Theatre (previously the Pantages) will henceforth be known as the Ed Mirvish Theatre.
"This may be the most personal and the most important announcement I have ever made in my professional career," David Mirvish told a packed house inside the newly minted theatre on Yonge Street.
The ceremony saw video tributes from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, clear signs of how influential Ed Mirvish was in Toronto theatre.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford attended the ceremony and proclaimed Dec. 6 to be "Ed Mirvish Theatre Day." As well, a host of theatre luminaries performed, including Shirley Douglas, Michael Burgess, Ted Dykstra, Richard Greenblatt, Molly Johnson, Louise Pitre and Camilla Scott.
David Mirvish said he discussed naming the Princess of Wales Theatre after his father when it was built in 1993. But, the younger Mirvish recalled, "He really didn't want it named after someone who was alive."
Ed Mirvish died in 2007. When the 10-year sponsorship agreement with Canon expired earlier this year, David Mirvish finally had the chance to pay tribute to his father.
"I think my father would be pleased," Mirvish said.