About Imperial Theatre: With the rising competition from television during the 1950s, Capitol Theatre, like many other movie theatres throughout North America, closed its doors. The Davis sisters, from the United States, purchased the theatre for $166,000 and donated the building to the Full Gospel Assembly Pentecostal Church. Upon completing extensive renovations, it was used as a place of worship for next 25 years.
In August 1982, a local group decided that the building should again be home to the performing arts in Saint John.
In November of that same year, the Full Gospel Assembly signed an agreement with a group of devoted theatre patrons and the Bi-Capitol Project was born.
A one dollar down payment was made with the promise that a cheque for a further $999,999 would be signed in one year. With the overwhelming support of the community, this promise was kept. Over the next 11 years, the theatre was reconstructed to its original 1913 grandeur.
The official reopening of Imperial Theatre was held on May 24, 1994.