Paradise Announces Entertainment Programming Ahead Of Opening

Paradise today revealed the first installment of its programming calendar, running from its highly anticipated reopening on December 5 to the end of January 2020. Entertainment lovers around the city can go to paradiseonbloor.com to see the full schedule and purchase tickets to select films, theatrical events, comedy shows, musical experiences and more.

Highlights from Paradise's newly announced lineup include:

The Best of Second City series: What do Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray and Tina Fey have in common? They all studied at The Second City, the world's most influential improv institution, which turns 60 this December. To celebrate the legacy of the talent that The Second City shepherded into all genres of comedy, we've curated a romp of a season with classic alumni films including Waiting for Guffman and Mean Girls, and a special The Best of Second City live show, which will inspire you to live by improv's golden rule: 'Yes, and...'

When: begins Saturday, December 7 with The Best of Second City, a history of greatest hits presented by The Second City's touring company

Toronto Plays Itself series: See how our city has been cast over the decades, and how the skyline has changed, with this diverse selection of Toronto-set films. Screenings will feature Q&As with the homegrown talent who worked behind and in front of the camera to bring these films to life, and will be enhanced by a talk series, Toronto on Screen, led by film critic, author and programmer, Geoff Pevere. The lineup includes defining Canadian classics such as Goin' Down the Road, Last Night and I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, along with other rarely-screened gems, such as the thought-to-be-lost 1959 Sidney J. Furie feature A Cool Sound From Hell and Allan King's ground-breaking documentary A Married Couple.

When: Ongoing film series beginning January 1, 2020

The Basement Revue: For over 10 years, The Basement Revue has been a Toronto staple of cross-arts pollination, showcasing some of Canada's brightest musical and literary talents. Hosted and curated by Broken Social Scene singer/songwriter Jason Collett, The Basement Revue has orchestrated many special and unexpected collaborations over the years, such as Feist backing up Michael Ondaatje or Margaret Atwood performing with The Sadies. As is tradition, each night's line-up isn't revealed to the audience or participating talent until each performer takes the stage, creating an exciting atmosphere and adding an extra element of surprise to the evening. Paradise is thrilled to host the series in its thirteenth year.

When: Thursday Nights throughout December, 9 p.m.

For more information on shows, events, tickets and more, check out paradiseonbloor.com.

A 1937 heritage-designated Art Deco venue in Toronto's Bloorcourt neighbourhood, Paradise reopens in 2019 following a highly anticipated renovation. Paradise offers a unique, welcoming experience through food, drink and the arts. The complex includes: Paradise Theatre, a state-of-the-art venue presenting a curated mix of newly released films, older classics and undiscovered gems, as well as live music, talk series and multi-arts events; Osteria Rialto, a full-service restaurant offering up fresh, seasonal ingredients in dishes that innovate on classic Italian cuisine; and Bar Biltmore, where spritzes, sours and negronis are enjoyed alongside small bites.The building on this site has operated as a cinema since 1910, and we are proud to continue its century-long tradition of bringing Torontonians together.

The 208-seat venue at the heart of Paradise, situated in Toronto's Bloorcourt neighbourhood, offers the ultimate in comfort and state-of-the-art technology. Presenting a curated mix of newly released films, older classics, undiscovered gems, themed seasons and event cinema, Paradise also features live music, comedy, talk series and multi-arts events. Both cinema and live performance are serviced with leading audio-visual systems working cooperatively in the space. The ground level has 182 seats from global seating specialists Figueras, 63 of which can be folded into the floor. The balcony has a fully functioning bar and limited in-seat dining menu, available for patrons at the 20 fixed seats and 68 standing spaces adjacent to high-top tables and along two catwalks.

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