Saraton Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saraton Theatre |
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| Location | 95 Prince Street, Grafton, Clarence Valley Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1925–1940 |
| Architect | Mr F. J. Board (1926) & Mr George Rae (1940) 1940: Mr George Rae; architect; from Brisbane |
| Owner | Notaras Bros Entertainment Pty Ltd |
| Official name: Saraton Theatre; Saraton Theatre complex including 4 shops | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 9 June 2000 |
| Reference no. | 1401 |
| Type | Theatre |
| Category | Recreation and Entertainment |
| Builders | Mr. J. Walters (1926) & Goddard & Goddard (1940) 1940: Messrs Goddard & Goddard from Grafton |
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The Saraton Theatre is a special historic building located at 95 Prince Street in Grafton, Australia. It's a heritage-listed theatre, meaning it's protected because of its important history and unique design. Today, it works as both a movie cinema and a place for live shows.
The first building was designed in 1926 by F. J. Board. Later, in 1940, the inside was completely redesigned by George Rae. The Notaras family has owned the theatre for a very long time. The Saraton Theatre was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on June 9, 2000, recognizing its value.
Contents
A Look Back: Saraton Theatre's Story
Key Moments in Time
The Saraton Theatre has a long and interesting history. Here are some important dates:
- 1905: John Notaras arrived in Australia from Greece. He joined his father, who ran a food shop.
- 1908: John's brother, Tony Notaras, also came from Greece to join his family.
- Later: The Notaras brothers opened their own cafe in Grafton.
- 1926: The Saraton Theatre officially opened on July 17. The Mayor, Ald. W. T. Robinson, praised the Notaras brothers for investing in Grafton.
- 1932: A fire on the stage on August 20 damaged parts of the theatre, including the roof and screen.
- 1932-1933: The theatre wasn't used for movies for a while. Instead, it hosted dances and social events.
- 1935: A new sound screen was installed, and the theatre started using RCA equipment for movies.
- 1937: The screen and projection equipment were removed again.
- 1938-1939: No films were shown. The theatre was used for dances and concerts.
- 1939: World War II began on September 3.
- 1940: The theatre's inside was completely updated to be a modern, luxurious space. It had fancy carpets, new lighting, and beautiful curtains. The cost was almost £4000. Sir Earle Page, a Member of Parliament, reopened the theatre. He said entertainment was important during wartime to keep people's spirits up.
- 1944: Another fire happened on the stage on May 10. The screen and curtains had to be replaced.
- 1951: New South Wales had 385 movie theatres in country towns.
- 1955: A new, wider screen was installed for Cinemascope movies.
- 1963: Television became popular in country areas. Around this time, the Saraton Theatre closed for a while.
- 1982: The Saraton reopened on December 10 after being repainted and refurbished.
- 1989: A fire on January 13 destroyed the projection equipment. Movies were temporarily shown using smaller projectors.
- 1999: Only 13 country movie theatres in New South Wales were still operating in good condition. The Saraton was one of them.
Greek Immigrants and Cinemas
The Saraton Theatre's story is also about Greek immigrants in New South Wales. Many Greeks, especially from islands like Kythera, came to Australia and started businesses. They often opened food shops or cafes in country towns.
After a while, some of them, like the Notaras family, also started running movie theatres. This helped them become more involved in their communities. Between 1915 and the early 1960s, 66 Greek immigrants ran 116 country theatres in New South Wales. They built 34 new theatres.
The Notaras brothers fit this pattern. They started with a food business, then built the Saraton and took control of other theatres. Even though they leased their Grafton theatres to another company for many years, a family member, Irene Notaras, took over again in 1982 and still runs it today.
In the "golden age" of movies (before TV), going to the cinema was a huge part of people's lives. Greek theatre owners played a big role in providing entertainment and bringing news to rural areas.
Saving and Renewing the Saraton
By 1999, the Saraton Theatre was getting old and worn out. The Notaras family wanted to knock it down to build a car park. But Hazel Hawke, who led the Heritage Council of New South Wales, visited Grafton. She learned about the theatre's possible demolition and quickly put a temporary heritage order on the building to protect it.
Spiro Notaras, one of the owners, later said that even though they were upset at the time, they now realize it was a good thing. The theatre received a permanent heritage order in June 2000. The family even offered to sell it to the Grafton City Council for just $1, hoping the council would fix it up, but the council said no.
So, Spiro, Angelo, Mitchell, and John Notaras decided to renovate the theatre themselves. They closed it in 2008 for a huge multi-year project.
- They added two smaller theatres next to the main one.
- They installed new equipment for live performances.
- They put in a beautiful marble foyer, a modern sound system, and more comfortable seats.
- The main theatre's capacity changed from 1200 to about 1050 seats.
- They replaced all the plumbing and restored small details, like the original bathroom signs.
After some delays, the renovated Saraton Theatre reopened on September 2, 2010. An official reopening was held on November 23, showing a silent movie that was first screened on the theatre's opening night in 1926. The renovation won a National Heritage Award in 2011. The first live music show, by The McClymonts, happened on May 7, 2011.
What the Saraton Theatre Looks Like
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The Saraton Theatre building also includes four shops. It stands out on Prince Street because it's one of the few old buildings that hasn't been changed too much.
The building has two main parts to its design: the outside, which is from 1926, and the inside of the theatre, which was redone in 1940.
The Outside Look
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The building is very solid, made of brick with a steel roof. The front has a unique awning that sticks out over the footpath. This awning has a deep, flat front covered in square panels. Above the awning, the brick facade of the shops and the theatre's front look much like they did in 1926. Many of the original windows are still there.
The underside of the awning has a cool pressed metal design from the 1940s. The shop fronts themselves have changed over time.
The pavement area in front of the theatre is from the 1940 renovation. The four sets of double doors are made of varnished wood with heavy chrome handles. Above the doors, there's a very large sign that lights up to show what movies are playing. This type of sign was popular in the late 1930s and is still used today.
The Inside Before 2008-2010 Changes
When you walked in, you entered a large, carpeted foyer. The design had a simple Art Deco style with buff and brown colors.
Unlike many old cinemas, the main staircase at the Saraton was right in the middle, leading from the front door to the main theatre area. This grand staircase led up to the dress circle (the upper seating area). On either side of the stairs, there were doors to the stalls (the lower seating area). The toilets had cool illuminated frosted glass panels above their doors, showing men or women dressed in old-fashioned evening wear.
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The ceiling was made of fibrous plaster with different decorative patterns, including flat ribs and fluted sections. It was painted cream.
The candy bar area had been changed over time, but the foyer, its lower wall panels, and the doors were still great examples of a fancy theatre foyer from the late 1930s. Most similar foyers in Sydney have been demolished.
The dress circle lobby was narrow, with windows and more toilets with the same illuminated signs.
The main auditorium, which once seated 1166 people, felt very grand. Most of it was original from 1940. The stage opening was about 10 meters wide, big enough for live shows.
The 1926 interior was simpler, with the roof supports visible. The 1940 architect, George Rae, cleverly covered the ceiling under these supports, creating a complex design of steps and patterns. This ceiling design is a rare and excellent example of its kind in New South Wales.
The side walls had unique decorative grilles covering old ventilation openings. The walls leading to the stage had an Art Deco design with three half-urn shapes that looked like flames rising from them. There was also an orchestra pit in front of the stage.
The front of the dress circle was one of the few parts left from the 1926 interior. It had a curved shape with a pattern of stylized "stalks" and flower motifs.
Why the Saraton Theatre is Important
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The Saraton Theatre building is very important because it's a rare and well-preserved example of a movie theatre from a time when going to the cinema was a huge deal. It shows how Greek immigrants helped run cinemas in New South Wales. The Notaras family has owned it for over 70 years.
It's one of only a few country theatres built before World War II that are still operating and look mostly original. Both its 1920s outside style and 1930s inside style give us a rare look into what the main leisure activity of that time was like.
The Saraton Theatre was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on June 9, 2000, for several reasons:
- It shows important history: It's linked to the "movie-going" trend of the 20th century, which was a big social and cultural event. Going to the movies was almost as popular as sports. It influenced fashion, design, language, and behavior.
- It has beautiful design: The theatre is known for its beautiful design, both outside (1926) and inside (1940). It's considered one of the most decorative and architecturally handsome theatres in New South Wales.
- It connects to a community: The Saraton shows the important role Greek immigrants played in showing films in country towns. It's possibly the last theatre still run by the family of the original Greek owners, marking over a century of the Notaras family's involvement in Grafton.
- It helps us learn: The theatre is a physical record of how people spent their free time when going to the movies was a regular activity for almost everyone. It helps young people today understand what it was like for past generations.
- It's rare: This type of building and style was once common but is now very rare. In 1951, there were 385 enclosed movie theatres in country towns in NSW. By 1999, only 14 were still operating in their original condition. The Saraton is one of these rare examples.
- It shows key features: The Saraton clearly shows the main features of movie theatres built in larger country towns during the 20th century, where people watched films, news, and documentaries.
Images for kids
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The theatre's foyer
