About the space
What is
Chrysalis?
Chrysalis is a multidisciplinary performance space shaping the future of interactive and creative experiences to captivate new audiences.
The story
A theatre,
reimagined
Chrysalis is a historic 1,200-seat proscenium theatre — formerly Ryerson Theatre — reimagined by The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University as its research and development hub for live performance.
The walls between school and industry are deliberately porous here: students, faculty, artists, and technologists build, staff, and reinvent the space side by side. On any given week the stage might hold a concert, an e-sports tournament, new dance, or tech-forward theatre that doesn't fit anywhere else in the city.
The story so far · since Spring 2024
1,300
Public attendees
100
Artists on our stage
70
Students employed
Since 1948
From roadhouse to R&D hub
Eight decades of one stage — and the moments that turned a landmark theatre into Chrysalis.
1948
Opens as Ryerson Theatre
A 1,200-seat proscenium house opens at 43 Gerrard Street East — one of the largest stages in the city.
1950s–2010s
Toronto's roadhouse
For decades the theatre is one of Toronto's busiest roadhouse stages for concerts, film festivals, and convocations. refine this era with favourite moments.
2020
The dark years
The pandemic closes the building and the stage sits dark.
Spring 2024
Chrysalis emerges
The Creative School soft-launches the reimagined venue as Chrysalis, its hub for performance innovation and R&D.
Nov 2024
Public launch
Chrysalis launches publicly.
2026
A full season
A full season of residencies, public events, and training takes the stage.
The people
The Team
Core Team
Owais Lightwala
Director
Jasmine Au
Creative Producer
Scott Martin
Creative Technical Lead
TD Apprentices
Ashley Murray-Whitten
TD Apprentice
Nathan Gregory
TD Apprentice
Kit Norman
TD Apprentice
Mya Martínez
TD Apprentice
River Oliveira
TD Apprentice
Anna Simmons
TD Apprentice
Lola Harrington-Lopes
TD Apprentice
Chris Hird-Saunders
TD Apprentice
Antel
Head, Stage Carpentry
Dana
Head, Lighting (LX)
Nico
Head, Audio
Student Interns
Ella Ling
Design & Media Production Assistant
Steering Committee
Natalie Alvarez
Dean, The Creative School
Dan Greenwood
Director of Operations, The Creative School
Andrea Romero
Associate Director, Strategic Development & Hubs
Caroline O'Brien
Chair, School of Performance
Vicki St. Denys
Professor, School of Performance
Our Supporters
- Andy & Valerie Pringle
- William and Nona Heaslip Foundation