St. James Theatre, Wellington facts for kids
St. James Theatre on Courtenay Place after 2007 facelift
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| Address | 77 - 87 Courtenay Place Wellington  New Zealand |
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| Coordinates | 41°17′36″S 174°46′48″E / 41.293213°S 174.779912°E |
| Capacity | seats 1,550, has space for a cocktail function of 500 and hospitality areas for banquets of up to 400. |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1912 |
| Architect | Henry Eli White |
| Website | |
| www.stjames.co.nz/ | |
| Designated: | 27-Jun-1985 |
| Reference #: | 3639 |
The St. James Theatre is a famous stage theatre in Wellington, New Zealand. It is located on Courtenay Place, a lively street known for entertainment. The theatre was designed in 1912 by Henry Eli White, a well-known theatre architect.
This historic building is officially recognized as a "Category I" place. This means it has very special historical or cultural importance to New Zealand.
Contents
The History of St. James Theatre
The St. James Theatre has a long and interesting past. It started with great success. Then, it almost got torn down in the 1980s. But it was saved and brought back to life in the late 1990s.
How the Theatre Began
Before the theatre, the land was used for a church and a community hall. A famous entertainer named John Fuller bought the land in 1899. He was known for building over 60 theatres in New Zealand.
Fuller improved the old hall in 1903. He called it "His Majesty's Theatre." People also nicknamed it "Fuller's." The hall hosted many shows, like pantomimes. One show even brought the first and last snakes into New Zealand! Fuller rarely allowed opera shows there. He usually sent them to Wellington's Opera House.
The old hall was used until 1911. Then, it was declared a fire risk and torn down.
Building a New and Better Theatre
After the old hall was gone, Fuller promised to build the best theatre in New Zealand. He asked Henry Eli White to design it. White had already designed other theatres for Fuller.
The St. James was special because it was the first theatre in the world built entirely with a steel frame and reinforced concrete. The plans made sure that over 650 people could safely leave the building in a fire. The design also had very few pillars. This meant everyone had a great view of the stage. The seats were arranged in a curve to face the stage.
The theatre was decorated with beautiful things. It had marble, carved face masks, and angels called cherubs on the ceiling. The plaster work was made by William Leslie Morrison. He used his grandson as a model for the cherubs. The wooden floors were made from rimu and jarrah wood. Totara was used for window frames.
Construction began in March 1912. White even designed two electric cranes to lift the heavy steel. The St. James cost £32,000 to build. It took only nine months to finish!
From Silent Films to Live Shows
The theatre officially opened on Boxing Day, 1912, at 8 PM. The Mayor of Wellington, David McLaren, opened it. At first, the new theatre mostly showed silent movies.
Nine months later, it changed to host live performances. But in 1930, it started showing movies again, along with occasional live shows. This happened after the nearby Opera House began showing movies too. On May 3, 1930, "His Majesty's" closed and reopened as the St. James Theatre.
Over the years, the St. James slowly went back to showing mostly live performances. Many different shows were performed there. These included plays by Shakespeare, minstrel acts, and ballet. After John Fuller passed away, the theatre had many different owners.
Decline and Restoration
After many successful years, the St. James Theatre started to decline in the 1970s. It almost closed down completely. Other places like the Michael Fowler Centre became more popular. There were even rumors of ghosts haunting the theatre. This made its reputation worse.
On May 7, 1987, the St. James showed its last movie, 'Wanted: Dead or Alive'. Only a small group of people came to see it.
Months before this, a group started a "Save the St James" campaign. They worked hard to convince people to save the theatre. The building was then left empty and seemed useless.
The theatre was almost torn down in the 1980s and 90s. The owners wanted to destroy it. But a group of people fought against this. They managed to save the St. James and restore it. A photographer named Grant Sheehan found out about the demolition plans. For almost ten years, a wrecking ball was ready to tear down the theatre. But it was never used.
The company that wanted to build on the site, Chase Corporation, was upset. So, a deal was suggested. Chase would be allowed to build a taller tower in Wellington. In return, the committee could save the theatre. This offer caused a lot of debate.
The city council said no to the taller tower. Chase then asked for a demolition permit. But the council delayed this. This gave the Historic Places Trust time to add the St. James to its list of protected buildings. A special protection order was placed on the theatre. Now, Chase could only demolish it with the Trust's permission.
There was a rush to get Chase to sell the building to the council. Fundraising events were held to collect money for the "Save the St. James fund." Finally, after tough talks, the plan to sell and restore the theatre went ahead. The theatre was in a good location. Also, more people wanted to see live shows. The Opera House alone couldn't handle the demand.
The council agreed to let Chase build their tower in another street. In return, Chase would give $7 million to fix up the theatre.
However, bad luck struck again. The financial crash of 1987 affected many companies, including Chase. The building deal was stopped. Chase had not found a tenant for its new tower. The council started to wonder if they should spend millions on one theatre.
When the protection order ended, Chase promised not to demolish the theatre. Eventually, Chase went out of business. All its properties were put up for sale. The St. James was listed for $7 million. The council said no. The price dropped a lot because no one wanted to buy it.
The council still said no. A huge campaign to save the theatre started again. Finally, on September 22, 1993, the council bought the theatre for $550,000. The council gave the St. James to a new group called the St. James Theatre Charitable Trust. Soon, the theatre was busy with live performances.
In 1995, an $18.5 million plan was made to restore the theatre. This was a big risk, but it was thought the theatre would bring over $3.6 million into the local economy. In 1996, the council gave $10.7 million. Other groups and the public also donated money. This money allowed the Trust to start restoring the theatre.
Current Situation
The restoration work finished in late 1997. Many parts of the theatre were updated. A cafe called "The Jimmy" was added on the ground floor. "The Jimmy" was a nickname for the theatre used by technicians. In 2016, a Mojo cafe replaced "The Jimmy."
Today, the St. James hosts many shows. It is a big part of the New Zealand International Arts Festival. The Royal New Zealand Ballet also performs there. Art shows and conferences are often held on the second floor. The theatre also has an orchestra pit. This pit is located deep below the stage.
From 1997 to 2007, the bank Westpac had the naming rights to the theatre. In 2007, the Westpac name was removed from the front of the building.
Since 2011, Positively Wellington Venues has managed the theatre. They also manage five other venues in Wellington.
In 2015, engineers checked the building. They found it was not strong enough for earthquakes. So, earthquake strengthening work began in April 2018. The building is expected to reopen in 2022.
Paranormal Happenings
Many people have reported seeing or hearing ghosts at the St. James Theatre. These stories are not confirmed, but they are often told.
Yuri, the Russian Performer
The most famous ghost is said to be Yuri. He was a Russian performer. The story says he fell to his death from high above the stage. Another version says a female performer named Pasha pushed him.
People claim they have seen Yuri playing with the lights. He supposedly turns them back on after cleaners have left for the night. One projectionist even claims Yuri saved his life twice! Once, the lights went out on stage. As he looked for the switch, he felt a push. The lights came back on, and he realized he was very close to falling into the orchestra pit.
The second time, he was on stage with his baby son. He heard a beam collapse above them. He insists Yuri pushed him back. He also says his son was "carried" through the air for about 3 meters.
Other Ghosts of the Theatre
Besides Yuri, other ghosts have been reported. People often talk about the "Wailing Woman." She is said to be the ghost of an actress who wails throughout the theatre. The story goes that she was booed off stage and then ended her life. She is also blamed for strange things happening to lead actresses. Many have sprained ankles, one fell from a ladder, and another suddenly lost her voice.
Another ghost is Stan Andrews. He is often heard wheezing backstage at night. He is supposedly checking on his ushers.
A boy's choir is also said to haunt the auditorium. The choir performed their last song at the St. James during World War II. Then, they sailed off on tour, but their ship was never seen again. Workers often hear their music in the seats. But when they check, the sound moves to another part of the theatre.
Why So Many Ghosts?
No one knows for sure why there are so many ghost stories at the theatre. Some people claim the old hall was built on a cemetery. However, this has never been proven.
The paranormal activity at the St. James was investigated in 2005. It was featured on the New Zealand TV show Ghost Hunt. The investigators took strange photos and saw many orbs (glowing balls of light). The elevator also started to malfunction. This is something workers often experience when moving instruments. The show also featured other haunted places in New Zealand.
Events Held
In 2017, TEDxWellington held an event at the St. James Theatre. There were 13 speakers and 1,000 people attending.
See also
In Spanish: Teatro St. James para niños
