Fortune Theatre, Dunedin facts for kids
The Fortune Theatre in 2006
|
|
| Address | 231 Stuart Street (corner of Moray Place and Upper Stuart Street) Dunedin New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°52′25″S 170°30′05″E / 45.873689°S 170.50133°E |
| Owner | Fortune Theatre Trust |
| Designation | Historic Place – Category I |
| Capacity | 227 (Mainstage) 104 (Studio) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1973 |
| Architect | R A Lawson |
| Website | |
| www.fortunetheatre.co.nz | |
| Designated: | 22 August 1991 |
| Reference #: | 3378 |
The Fortune Theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand, was once famous for being the world's southernmost professional theatre. It was the only professional theatre group in Dunedin for many years. The theatre sadly closed its doors on May 1, 2018, after 44 years of shows. It closed because of money problems.
The Fortune Theatre regularly put on plays by local writers and hosted shows from other places. The building itself is very old and special. It's listed as a Category I historic place by Heritage New Zealand. This means it's important for its history and amazing architecture.
The building used to be a Methodist church. You can find it in the heart of Dunedin, at the corner of Moray Place and Upper Stuart Street. As of late 2019, the building was empty, with no new plans for its future.
In 2000, the theatre faced money troubles again. This almost caused it to close down. To save it, the building was sold to the Dunedin City Council. The Council then rented it back to the Fortune Theatre Trust, so the shows could go on.
Contents
How the Fortune Theatre Began
The Fortune Theatre company started in 1973. It was created by four people: David Carnegie, Alex Gilchrist, Murray Hutchinson, and Huntly Elliot.
At first, the theatre was in a small 105-seat room. This room was behind the Athenaeum building near the Octagon. In 1977, the company hired actors to work full-time. They soon realized their space was too small.
So, in 1978, the theatre moved to the old Trinity Methodist Church. This is where it stayed until it closed in 2018.
Amazing Shows and History
Over its 44 years, the Fortune Theatre put on 407 main stage plays. They sold more than 750,000 tickets! That's a lot of people enjoying live shows.
When the theatre closed in 2018, a theatre expert named Kate Prior said something special. She called the Fortune Theatre "an essential engine of new writing in New Zealand." She also said it was a place where many of New Zealand's best actors started their careers. It was truly a theatre home for the Otago and Southland areas.
Learning at the Theatre
The Fortune Theatre offered many cool things for schools. Students could take tours behind the scenes of the theatre. They could also talk to the actors and crew after a show.
The theatre also had special workshops for students. These workshops were often linked to the plays being performed. They were designed to connect with school subjects in the New Zealand Curriculum. This included helping students with their NCEA Drama exams.
The Fortune Theatre also had a "drama ambassador" program. This program helped students get more involved with the theatre. It gave them chances to watch rehearsals. They also received free tickets to shows. This program started in 2005 with 19 schools. It reached students in the Otago and Southland regions of New Zealand.
A Play at Larnach Castle
In 1994, the Fortune Theatre performed a play called "Larnach – Castle of Lies." This play was about the sad stories of William Larnach's family. It was performed for 100 special guests. The show took place in the ballroom of Larnach Castle itself.
Margaret Barker, who co-owns Larnach Castle, shared a memory about that night: "It was a night to remember. As the guests arrived a terrible storm blew up from nowhere. The smoke from the fires blew back down the chimneys so that you couldn't see – and your eyes hurt. Hail crashed on the iron roof so that you couldn't hear. Doors mysteriously opened by themselves and it got very cold. [...] at supper people were talking about the lightning strike [...]. I said `Oh no that was stage effects.' We asked the stage manager. He said `It was none of our doing, it was lightning.' I think that Larnach was present that night. He didn't like the play."
Spooky Stories at the Theatre
Not long after the Fortune Theatre moved into the old church, strange stories began to spread. People heard "sinister voices" backstage. Well-secured lights would fall from the ceiling for no reason.
Some theatregoers even reported seeing a "phantom audience member." These reports kept coming from many different people. Soon, the stories of the Fortune Theatre being haunted became a famous part of Dunedin's local legends.
In 2005, the theatre was featured on Ghost Hunt. This was a New Zealand TV show about haunted places. The Ghost Hunt team visited the theatre. They were shown a picture that some people believe shows the ghost of a young woman. She appears to be floating through a wall in the foyer, near a Gothic window.
During their visit, the team also spoke to people who worked at the theatre. These people claimed to have had paranormal experiences there:
A lighting technician said he was alone setting up the stage one day. He "glimpsed a person" over his shoulder at the edge of the stage. He thought they were an actor practicing lines. But he knew no actors were around. He turned on the stage lights, and "suddenly they were gone."
A man who worked in the box office had two "disconcerting" experiences. The first time, he saw a "young boy sitting in the corner." He didn't think much of it at first. Then he realized the theatre was closed. He turned back, but the boy had "disappeared." The second time, he heard a "strange noise." He looked up to the back corner of the audience seats. He saw a girl near where the sound engineer usually sits.
.jpg)
The Theatre's Amazing Building
The building that became the Fortune Theatre was originally the Trinity Methodist Church. It was designed by a Scotsman named R. A. Lawson. The church first opened in 1870.
The building is made from local materials like trachyandesite and Oamaru stone. It's a great example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style often features pointed arches and detailed stonework. Inside, there's a beautiful "Rose" stained glass window. This window is now at the back of the theatre's main stage. The building is very close to the city's center, the Octagon.
