Capitol Theatre, Sydney facts for kids
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 Capitol Theatre
Location in Sydney
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| Location | 3–15 Campbell Street, Haymarket, Sydney central business district, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Coordinates | 33°52′47″S 151°12′24″E / 33.879675°S 151.206744°E |
| Public transit |  Capitol Square Light Rail |
| Owner | Foundation Theatres |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 2,094 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1893–1928 |
| Opened | 1916 |
| Architect | Henry Eli White and John Eberson |
| Website | |
| www.capitoltheatre.com.au | |
| Official name | Capitol Theatre |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 391 |
| Type | Theatre |
| Category | Recreation and entertainment |
The Capitol Theatre is a famous old theatre in Sydney, Australia. It's located in a busy area called Haymarket. This amazing building was designed by architects Henry Eli White and John Eberson. It was built between 1893 and 1928. The Capitol Theatre is so special that it's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means it's an important historical building. Over the years, it has been a market, a circus, and a movie theatre. Today, it's owned by Foundation Theatres, who also own the Sydney Lyric theatre.
Contents
A Theatre's Long History
The land where the Capitol Theatre stands has been used for entertainment for a very long time. In the early 1800s, it was a market where people sold fresh food and hay. This is how the area got its name, "Haymarket."
From Market to Circus
By the 1880s, Sydney needed a bigger market. So, in 1891, the city council decided to build a new covered market here. It was called the New Belmore Markets and opened in 1893. The building was designed by George McRae. It had many arched openings facing the streets.
However, the New Belmore Markets didn't do very well financially. It was too far from Darling Harbour, which was a main transport hub. Because of this, the council looked for other ways to use the building.
In 1912, a famous group called Wirth Brothers leased the market building. They wanted to turn it into a circus and hippodrome. A hippodrome is a place for horse races and circus acts. The building was changed to become the Wirth Brothers Hippodrome, and it opened in 1916. It hosted exciting circus acts with animals like elephants and seals, along with theatre and vaudeville shows.
Becoming a Movie Palace
Even though the Hippodrome was popular, it wasn't making enough money. So, in 1926, Wirth's decided to change the building again. This time, they wanted to turn it into a "picture palace" – a grand movie theatre.
Architect Henry Eli White designed the new theatre in 1927. He even visited America to see the latest theatre designs. While there, he worked with another architect, John Eberson. Eberson helped create a special "atmospheric" design for the inside of the theatre. This design made it feel like you were sitting in an outdoor Italian garden or piazza, with stars twinkling on the ceiling!
The building's roof was raised to make room for this amazing ceiling and a new sloped seating area. The Capitol Theatre officially opened its doors on April 7, 1928. A year later, it was updated to show "talkies" – movies with sound!
Changes Over Time
During the 1930s, the Great Depression caused financial problems, and the Capitol Theatre closed for a short time in 1932. It reopened in 1933, showing older movies. Over the years, some of its beautiful decorations were removed.
In 1972, the theatre was leased to Harry M. Miller for a big musical show called Jesus Christ Superstar. At this time, some of the unique "atmospheric" decorations were taken out.
However, in the 1990s, the theatre underwent a huge restoration project. It cost over $30 million to bring it back to its original 1928 glory. Today, the Capitol Theatre looks as grand and beautiful as it did when it first opened as a movie palace.
What the Theatre Looks Like
The Capitol Theatre is a brick building with fancy stone decorations. It also has beautiful terracotta details like ornamental capitals (the tops of columns), rosettes (flower-shaped designs), and tiled panels.
The inside of the theatre is designed to look like an Italian garden or courtyard. This special "atmospheric" style makes you feel like you're watching a show under the stars. The Capitol Theatre has the only surviving indoor imitation courtyard in Sydney. It's a truly unique place!
How the Building Has Changed
The Capitol Theatre has been modified several times throughout its history:
- 1893: The Belmore Markets were finished.
- 1913–1917: It was rebuilt and changed into the Hippodrome circus venue.
- 1927–1928: It was converted into the Capitol Theatre movie palace.
- 1933–1972: Some of the interior decorations were gradually removed.
- 1972: The special "atmospheric" decorations were taken out.
- 1990s: The theatre was beautifully restored and rebuilt to its original look.
Amazing Shows and Productions
The Capitol Theatre has hosted many famous shows and performers over the years. Here are some of them:
- 1972 – Jesus Christ Superstar (Australian premiere)
- 1982 – Iron Maiden (4 x)
- 1995 – West Side Story, Miss Saigon
- 1997 – West Side Story, Bruce Springsteen, Porgy and Bess, My Fair Lady
- 1998 – Stomp, Kylie Minogue, Jerry Seinfeld
- 1999 – Blondie, Billy Connolly, Chicago
- 2000 – Sting
- 2001 – Stars of the Bolshoi
- 2002 – The Royal Ballet
- 2003 – Hair, The Lion King
- 2005 – Fiddler on the Roof
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- 2006 – Diana Ross, Chris Isaak
- 2007 – Billy Crystal, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Barry Humphries: Back with a Vengeance, Paris Opera Ballet, Billy Elliot the Musical (Australian premiere)
- 2008 – High School Musical on Stage!
- 2009 – Guys and Dolls, French & Saunders Farewell Tour, Seth MacFarlane, Wicked
- 2010 – Fame
- 2011 – Tap Dogs, The Boy From Oz, Riverdance, Mary Poppins
- 2012 – Love Never Dies, The Nutcracker on Ice, Barry Humphries: Eat, Pray, Laugh!, The Eifman Ballet: Anna Karenina and Tchaikovsky, Jose Feliciano, Paul Kelly: Conversations with Ghosts, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- 2013 – The Paris Opera Ballet: Giselle, The Addams Family, The Lion King
- 2014 – 2014 Helpmann Awards, Wicked
- 2015 – Swan Lake, Les Miserables, 2015 Helpmann Awards, Lord of the Dance, Cats, The Sound of Music
- 2016 – Fiddler on the Roof, Arj Barker: Get In My Head, The Imperial Bells of China, Cabaret de Paris, Aladdin (Australian premiere)
- 2017 – Kinky Boots, 2017 Helpmann Awards, My Fair Lady, Madama Butterfly, The Sleeping Beauty, Alice's Adventure in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz
- 2018 – Mamma Mia!, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 2018 Helpmann Awards, Swan Lake on Ice, Stomp, Irish Celtic, Jersey Boys
- 2019 – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Australian premiere), Chicago, School of Rock
- 2020 – Anh Do: The Happiest Refugee Live! †, The Little Prince †, Penn & Teller †, Menopause The Musical †, Frozen (Australian premiere)
- 2021 – Come from Away
- 2022 – 9 to 5 (Australian premiere), Moulin Rouge!
- 2023 – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Comedians, Beauty and the Beast
- 2024 – Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Grease, Chicago, Sister Act (Australian premiere), Jesus Christ Superstar
- 2025 – Peter and the Starcatcher, Romeo and Juliet, Kitty Flanagan, Annie, The Book of Mormon
Indicates current production
†Indicates the production was cancelled due to indoor event restrictions as part of the Covid-19 outbreak
Getting There
It's easy to get to the Capitol Theatre using public transport.
- The closest light rail stop is Capitol Square. It's right behind the theatre.
- The closest train station is Central Station. It's about a five-minute walk from the theatre.
Why the Capitol Theatre is Important
The Capitol Theatre is very special because it's the only "atmospheric" theatre in Australia that is still mostly in its original condition. Its history is amazing, showing how it changed from a market to a circus, and then to a grand movie theatre.
It's also important because of its beautiful design. The buildings around it, including the Capitol Theatre, create a lovely old-fashioned area in Sydney.
