Mercury Theatre, Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mercury Theatre |
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The Mercury Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand.
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| General information | |
| Type | Theatre, formerly a movie theatre. |
| Architectural style | Edwardian Baroque architecture |
| Location | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Address | 9 Mercury Lane, Auckland |
| Coordinates | 36°51′30″S 174°45′32″E / 36.85821°S 174.75875°E |
| Completed | 28 November 1910 |
| Renovated | 1926, 1956, 1968, and 2022–2024 |
| Cost | £7,777 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Edward Bartley |
| Designated: | 13-Dec-1990 |
| Reference #: | 5296 |
The Mercury Theatre is a famous historic theatre in Auckland, New Zealand. You can find it on Mercury Lane, just off the busy Karangahape Road. It is the oldest theatre still standing in Auckland.
The theatre was built in 1910 by an architect named Edward Bartley. It has a fancy style called Edwardian Baroque. When it first opened, it was called the Kings Theatre. For more than 20 years, it was home to a group of actors called the Mercury Theatre Company. Because of its importance, the building is protected as a historic place.
Contents
A Theatre's Long History
From Movies to Plays
The theatre first opened its doors on November 28, 1910. For its first 16 years, it was a place for live shows.
In 1926, it was changed into a cinema to show movies. To make it easier for people to get in from the main street, a new entrance was built on Karangahape Road. This entrance is now part of a separate building.
The Mercury Theatre Company
In 1966, a group called the Auckland Theatre Trust was formed to turn the building back into a professional theatre. Two years later, in 1968, it reopened as the Mercury Theatre. The first play they performed was The Admirable Crichton.
From then on, the theatre was very busy, putting on at least 12 shows every year. They performed everything from fun shows for kids to serious plays by famous writers like Shakespeare.
Many famous actors from New Zealand started their careers on this stage, including George Henare, Michael Hurst, and Ian Mune. Raymond Hawthorne, a well-known director, worked at the theatre for over 20 years.
Changes and a New Beginning
Even though many people came to see the shows, it was very expensive to run the theatre and put on big productions. Sadly, the Mercury Theatre Company had to close in 1992.
After it closed, the building was sold. In the early 2000s, the Equippers Church bought the theatre. For a while, they thought about selling it, but in 2012 they decided to keep it.
In April 2022, the church closed the theatre to begin major renovations. The goal was to make the building stronger and more modern, while still keeping its historic look. The work, which finished in 2024, restored the theatre to its original size and created new spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Famous Shows at the Mercury
Over the years, the Mercury Theatre hosted hundreds of plays and musicals. Here are some of the well-known shows that were performed on its stage:
- Winnie the Pooh (1968)
- Alice in Wonderland (1970)
- As You Like It (1971)
- Guys and Dolls (1972)
- The Wizard of Oz (1974)
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1975)
- Oliver! (1981)
- Jesus Christ Superstar (1982)
- The King and I (1983)
- The Pirates of Penzance (1984)
- Sweeney Todd (1985)
- West Side Story (1986)
- Peter Pan: The Musical (1986)
- The Sound of Music (1987)
- South Pacific (1988)
- Fiddler on the Roof (1989)
- Carousel (1990)
- Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1990)
Images for kids
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The Norman Ng Building was once an entrance to the Mercury Theatre. It was added to give people easy access from the main street.
