In Winnipeg, The Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts (known in previous incarnations as the Walker Theatre and the Odeon Cinema) is a 1646-seat theatre built expressly for quality live entertainment in 1907 by C.P. and Harriet Walker. The theatre was built for the then astronomical price of $330,000.00 1907: The official opening night of the Walker Theatre was February 18th, 1907, with Henry Savage and the New England Opera Company’s production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. Florence Easton played the title role and went on to perform at the Royal Opera House later in her career. 1909: Ben Hur, the ultra-successful 1899 stage play based on the novel by Lew Wallace, came to Winnipeg, the Phantom of the Opera of its day. The star of the show was Conway Tearle, who went on to become a matinee idol in Hollywood mere years later. One dozen real horses pulled chariots on a treadmill, enacting the famous chariot race scene. 1919: Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers appeared on a double bill. Chaplin had first met Groucho Marx during an appearance at the Walker, while apprenticing with Fred Karno in A Night in the London Music Hall Harry Houdini also appeared at the Walker, while his brother, Hardeen, played the same night at Winnipeg’s Pantages Playhouse. 1920’s: Winston Churchill spoke to a capacity crowd at the theatre during his visit to Winnipeg. 1922: The World Famous Dumbells, a popular comedy troupe of the WWI era, entertained at the Walker 1927: Prior to his success as a comic (and under the name Leslie Townes Hope), Bob Hope appeared at the Walker. During his stay in Winnipeg, The Diamond Brothers, a juggling troupe, took Hope for his first golf game on one of Winnipeg’s civic golf courses. Bob Hope developed a life-long love of golf. Late 20’s – Early 30’s: Louis Armstrong and Vladimir Horovitz both play the Walker and the second wave of Vaudeville brings performers like Sophie Tucker, Jimmy Durante and Georgie Jessel to the stage. 1933: The effects of the Great Depression and brutal competition from the film industry cause the Walker to close. Motion picture companies in North America had gone on a buying spree, purchasing and shuttering vaudeville theatre 1936: The Walker Theatre was seized for back taxes owed, by the City of Winnipeg. 1945: On November 3rd, 1945, the Walker reopened as the Odeon Cinema with ";Blood on the Sun" ; starring James Cagney. 1981: Burton Cummings made his motion picture debut in Melanie, co-starring Glynnis O’Connor, Paul Sorvino (Sopranos) and Don Johnson (Miami Vice) at the Odeon. The theatre was the site of the Gala Preview Screening. 1990: The Odeon closes and is purchased for $700,000.00 by the Walker Theatre Performing Arts Group, Inc.” - a volunteer, not-for-profit Board of Directors that sought to restore the building to its original condition. 2002: In August, the Walker Theatre is re-christened the Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts, in recognition of one of Winnipeg’s most outstanding singer/songwriter/entertainers, who has distinguished himself on the world’s stage and continues to make his home in Winnipeg. Since the theatre’s re-opening as a live performance venue in 1991, its stage has been graced by some of Canada’s and the world’s biggest stars: Celine Dion, Sarah McLachlan, Nelly Furtado, N’Sync, The Tragically Hip, Melissa Etheridge, Prince and Burton Cummings. Information copied from Burton Cummings Theater Website

Wow. I slept for twelve hours. Guess I needed it. ...I missed my first day on 365. Hmpft. That sucks. I almost pulled myself out from under the covers to snap a photo and load it but I just couldn't. I do feel great this morning! Ever since the whole house process started I haven't been able to sleep past two a.m....four a.m....so I guess this girl needed some sleep. Still sucks that I missed day though.