Regent Theatre, Dunedin facts for kids
The Regent Theatre, Dunedin in 2007
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| Address | 17 The Octagon Dunedin New Zealand |
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| Coordinates | 45°52′29″S 170°30′14″E / 45.874649°S 170.503988°E |
| Owner | Otago Theatre Trust |
| Designation | Historic Place - Category I |
| Capacity | 1,684 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1 June 1928 |
| Architect | James Hodge White |
| Website | |
| www.regenttheatre.co.nz | |
| Designated: | 26 November 1987 |
| Reference #: | 4363 |
The Regent Theatre is a famous theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand. It can seat about 1,650 people. You can find it right in The Octagon, which is the city's main square. It's across from the Dunedin Town Hall and near the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
Contents
History of the Regent Theatre
The Regent Theatre first opened its doors on 1 June 1928. It was originally a large cinema with 2,000 seats. The inside of the theatre is beautifully decorated in a style called "Baroque." This fancy style was popular in big cinemas of that time.
Design and Architecture
The theatre's design was inspired by another Regent cinema in Brighton, England. That cinema was built in 1921 but was later taken down. The Dunedin Regent is special because it's one of the few old cinemas like it that still looks almost the same as when it was built.
Many of these grand cinemas were designed after the famous Paris Opera house. James Hodge White was the architect who oversaw the building of the Dunedin Regent. The theatre was built behind an older building in The Octagon. That front building was changed in 1928 to create the theatre's entrance we see today.
Changes Over Time
In 1973, the Otago Theatre Trust bought the building. They changed it so it could be used for live shows, not just movies. Even today, it still shows films during movie festivals each year. The Dunedin City Council now owns the theatre.
At the end of 2010, the theatre started a big upgrade. They spent $7.5 million to improve things like the stage equipment, seats, and carpets. The theatre reopened on 30 July 2011. They held a special concert to thank everyone who helped pay for the upgrades.
Annual Book Sale
The Regent Theatre is run by a charity. This means it needs help from the local community to keep going. A big way they get support is through the Regent 24-hour Book Sale.
New Zealand's Largest Book Sale
This book sale is the biggest sale of second-hand books in New Zealand. Some people even say it's the largest in the Southern Hemisphere! Since 1979, people have donated books. Volunteers then sell these books to raise money for the theatre.
Each year, over 200,000 books are for sale. Most of them cost just NZ$1 each. There are also some special books that cost more. The sale brings in about $100,000 every year. People travel from all over New Zealand to attend this popular event.
Changes to the Sale Format
For many years, the sale was held at the theatre itself. It usually happened in May and lasted for 24 hours straight. Other donated items, like DVDs and CDs, were sold at a separate event.
In 2023, the book sale moved to the Edgar Centre in South Dunedin. This new location is much bigger. Now, all donated items are sold together. The sale is still called the "Regent 24-hour Book Sale." However, it now takes place over two 12-hour sessions on one weekend in March. In 2024, the sale raised a record $NZ 114,885.70.
Claimed Hauntings
The Regent Theatre has some fun ghost stories connected to it. Some people who visit the theatre say they feel like someone is kicking the bottom of their seats. Others have reported taps turning on by themselves or clocks stopping. The theatre was built where other buildings once stood. These older buildings were destroyed in a big fire in The Octagon in 1879.
