Regent Theatre, Melbourne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Regent Theatre

The Regent Theatre in 2023
Address	191 Collins St Melbourne, Victoria Australia
Coordinates	37°48′56″S 144°58′03″E / 37.8155°S 144.9675°E / -37.8155; 144.9675
Owner	Marriner Group
Designation	National Trust of Australia, Victorian Heritage Register
Capacity	1,573 (Intimate) 1,751 (Musical) 2,262 (Concert)
Current use	musicals, opera, pop concerts, etc.
Construction
Opened	15 March 1929
Reopened	17 August 1996
Architect	Ernest Vogel - Original Interior

The Regent Theatre is a famous old building in Melbourne, Australia. It first opened in 1929 as a "picture palace," which was a grand cinema. After closing in 1970, it was beautifully restored and reopened in 1996. Today, it's a busy live theatre on Collins Street. It's part of Melbourne's special East End Theatre District. The theatre has amazing designs, including a Gothic-style lobby and a fancy Louis XVI-style main hall. There's even a Spanish Baroque-style ballroom called the Plaza in the basement! Because of its history and beauty, it's listed by the National Trust of Australia and on the Victorian Heritage Register.

A Grand Opening in 1929

The idea for the Regent Theatre came from Francis W. Thring, who owned Hoyts Theatres. He wanted it to be the most important theatre in his chain. A talented architect named Cedric Ballantyne designed it. He had designed other theatres for Thring and got ideas from grand cinemas in the United States.

The Regent Theatre was built to be one of Victoria's biggest and most luxurious cinemas. It had a very ornate and palatial (like a palace) style. The lobby looked like a Gothic castle, the main theatre hall was designed in the fancy Louis XVI style, and the Plaza Ballroom in the basement had a Spanish Baroque look.

The opening day on March 15, 1929, was a huge event. The Lord Mayor of Melbourne was there and said the theatre was an "architectural asset" for the city. The theatre had 3,250 seats! It also had a special Wurlitzer organ and a live orchestra. Back then, they played music for silent films. The first movie shown was The Two Lovers.

What was really unique was that there was a second theatre, called The Plaza, located right below the main one. It opened a bit later, on May 10, 1929, showing the movie Alias Jimmy Valentine.

Facing Challenges: Fire and Closure

On April 29, 1945, a big fire badly damaged the Regent Theatre. The main theatre hall, the organ, and the roof were destroyed. Luckily, the lobbies and the Plaza Theatre below were mostly saved. After the war, the Regent was rebuilt almost exactly as it was before. It reopened on December 19, 1947. Some small changes were made, like the stage arch becoming square instead of rounded. A beautiful crystal chandelier from Czechoslovakia was also added.

In the 1950s, the Regent's screen was made bigger to show new film formats like CinemaScope. The epic movie The Robe was the first to be shown this way in 1953. Later, in 1958, the Plaza Theatre was changed to fit a special Cinerama screen. The movie How the West Was Won played there for two years!

By the 1960s, these huge "picture palaces" were becoming less popular. On July 1, 1970, the Regent Theatre closed its doors for the last time. The Plaza Theatre closed a few months later. Everything that wasn't permanently attached was sold off in an auction.

Saving the Regent Theatre

After the theatre closed, many people were worried it would be torn down. A group called "Save the Regent" was quickly formed. They wanted to protect the building. The Melbourne City Council bought the theatre, planning to redevelop the area for a new City Square. This actually helped save the theatre, as public pressure could influence the council more than a private owner.

In 1974, the National Trust of Australia first said the theatre wasn't important enough to be protected. The Lord Mayor at the time even wanted it demolished. But the "Save the Regent" group kept fighting. They gathered 2,000 signatures on a petition!

Later, another Lord Mayor also supported demolition. However, a powerful union leader named Norm Gallagher announced a "green ban." This meant that his workers would refuse to demolish the building.

In 1975, the Victorian Premier, Rupert Hamer, set up a public inquiry to decide the theatre's future. The inquiry decided that the Regent should be saved and used as a theatre and concert venue. The government even offered money to help restore it, but nothing happened right away.

In 1979, the National Trust changed its mind and officially recognized the theatre's importance. But it wasn't until October 12, 1988, that the Regent was added to the Victorian Heritage Register. The theatre remained empty for 26 years.

A New Beginning: Restoration and Reopening

A businessman named David Marriner, who had already restored another historic theatre, came up with a plan. He proposed restoring the Regent Theatre for musicals. In return, he would develop a large hotel on part of the City Square. The State Government and the City Council agreed to help fund the restoration.

The restoration project began in September 1993 and took three years. It cost $25 million! The entire theatre was carefully repaired and updated. They added new stage equipment and recreated many of the beautiful decorations and furniture. The Plaza Theatre was also fully restored to its original ballroom look, using old photos to make it perfect.

The Regent Theatre had a grand reopening event on August 17, 1996. On October 26, the famous musical Sunset Boulevard had its first show there.

Modern Upgrades: The 2019 Makeover

In April 2019, the Marriner Group, along with the Victorian State Government and the Melbourne City Council, started another big renovation. This makeover included cosmetic upgrades, like new carpets with old designs and paint repairs. A major part of the project was extending the Dress Circle balcony. This brought the seats four meters closer to the stage, making the audience feel more connected to the show. They also changed the seating layout to give everyone better views of the stage.

This project took eight months and cost about $19.4 million. The Regent Theatre reopened on January 11, 2020. The first show after the renovation was War Horse, which was the first play ever performed at the theatre in its 90-year history!

What's On Stage: Famous Shows

The Regent Theatre is mostly used for big musicals. Many famous shows have been performed there over the years: