Canberra Theatre Centre facts for kids
ABC Classic FM live concert, Canberra Theatre; Artists: dominantSEVEN; April 2007
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| Location | Canberra's City Centre |
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| Coordinates | 35°16′54″S 149°07′50″E / 35.2818°S 149.1305°E |
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| Construction | |
| Opened | 24 June 1965 |
| Architect | Yuncken Freeman |
The Canberra Theatre Centre (CTC), also known as the Canberra Theatre, is a very important place for shows and performances in Canberra. It was actually Australia's very first performing arts centre built by the Australian Government! It opened way back on June 24, 1965, with a special show by the Australian Ballet.
You can find it right in the middle of Canberra city, next to the ACT Parliament building. It's also close to City Hill, which is part of the famous Parliamentary Triangle.
Contents
History of the Canberra Theatre Centre
When it first opened, the Canberra Theatre Centre was made up of two separate buildings. These were the Canberra Theatre and The Playhouse. A covered walkway connected them.
The Canberra Theatre was built to hold 1,200 people. It was designed for big national and international touring shows. The Playhouse was smaller, with 310 seats. It was meant for local arts groups and smaller touring performances. The Playhouse also had a small art gallery, a meeting room, and a restaurant.
- 1965: The Playhouse officially opened on August 18, 1965. The first show was Romanoff and Juliet by Peter Ustinov, put on by the Canberra Repertory Society.
- 1971: The covered walkway between the two buildings was closed in. This created more space for the Canberra Theatre's lobby and ticket office.
- 1975: The Playhouse got better storage space behind the stage. It also received new wardrobe areas and more dressing rooms.
- 1982: The Courtyard Studio was added. This space can be used as a rehearsal room or a small venue for about 90 people. New offices and a special workshop for building stage sets were also built. This workshop includes a rare electrically operated paint frame, used for painting large canvases for shows.
- 1988: The Canberra Theatre's main hall, lobby, and connecting areas were updated. This made them as good as other major performing arts centres in Australia.
- 1998: The Playhouse was rebuilt and reopened.
- 2006: A new library was built between the Canberra Theatre and the Playhouse. A new lobby also connected the two theatres.
- 2007: The Courtyard Studio's lobby and dressing rooms were updated. A lift was also installed to reach the administration offices on the first floor.
The Playhouse Rebuild
In the mid-1990s, there was a two-year plan to rebuild The Playhouse. The old building was taken down, and a new one was built. It had a "soft" opening in April 1998, and the official opening was on May 16, 1998.
Instead of a typical fan-shaped seating area, the new Playhouse has a unique design. It looks like a semi-circular drum with seats on the ground floor and two balconies. There are also special "boxes" for seating. It can hold 618 people. This design reminds people of old theatres from Greece and the Elizabethan period (late 1500s).
The theatre has dressing rooms on two levels, a wardrobe area, and a green room (a waiting area for performers). It also has a reception room and a lobby with a bar and cafe.
Famous Performances and Shows
Many amazing artists and groups have performed at the Canberra Theatre Centre over the years.
Canberra Theatre Shows
- In October 1970, the famous ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn danced with the Australian Ballet.
- From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, many international stars performed, including Dame Joan Sutherland.
- Canberra Opera put on a big show of La Traviata.
- The Canberra Theatre Trust presented a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore.
- Other performers included the Bell Shakespeare Company, the Black Light Theatre of Prague, and the Dave Brubeck Quartet.
- The band The Whitlams played here in the early 2000s.
- The Aboriginal Bangarra Dance Theatre performed in 2006.
- In recent years, local groups like Free Rain Theatre Company have put on popular musicals. These include The Phantom of the Opera (2013), Mary Poppins (2015), and The Little Mermaid and Wicked (both in 2016).
The Playhouse Shows
Local groups that have used The Playhouse include:
- Canberra Opera
- Prompt Theatre
- Meryl Tankard's dance company
- Canberra Dance Ensemble
- Canberra Little Theatre
- Canberra Children's Theatre
- The Woden Valley Youth Choir also held their yearly concerts here for many years.
The Playhouse is also used for other events. These include meetings and even naturalisation ceremonies for new Australian citizens.
Visiting companies have also performed at The Playhouse, such as:
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by the Old Tote Theatre Company.
- Plays by David Williamson, like Travelling North.
- Shows by the Melbourne Theatre Company.
- Concerts by Musica Viva.
- Performances by Robyn Archer and Pam Ayres.
- Shows by the NIDA.
- Various Bell Shakespeare Company performances with John Bell.
- Pianist David Helfgott.
- Many comedians and entertainers.
The Courtyard Studio Shows
The Courtyard Studio is a smaller, special performance space at the Canberra Theatre Centre. It's also used for rehearsals, parties, meetings, and art exhibitions. It can comfortably seat up to 90 people for a show. For parties, it can hold up to 140 people.
