State Theatre (Sydney) facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids State Theatre
The front of the building from Market Street
Location	47-51 Market Street, Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1926–1929
Architect	Henry Eli White, John Eberson
Owner	Event Hospitality and Entertainment; Claude Neon Pty Ltd

New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: State Theatre; State Building; Wurlitzer Organ
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	446
Type	Theatre
Category	Recreation and Entertainment

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The State Theatre is a famous old theatre in Sydney, Australia. It is located at 47-51 Market Street in the city center. The theatre was designed by Henry Eli White with help from John Eberson. It was built between 1926 and 1929. Today, it shows movies, live plays, and music concerts. Since 1974, it has been the main home of the yearly Sydney Film Festival. It is also known as the State Building and Wurlitzer Organ. The theatre is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 because of its important history and design.

History of the State Theatre
What Makes the State Theatre Special
Why the State Theatre is Important
Gallery
See also

History of the State Theatre

The grand staircase inside the State Theatre

The entrance lobby of the State Theatre

Building the State Theatre started in 1927. It was built where the Evening News newspaper offices used to be. The theatre was designed by Henry Eli White, a famous architect from New Zealand. He designed about 120 theatres in Australia and New Zealand. The State Theatre is one of his best works. He worked with American architect John Eberson on the design. White visited the US to see Eberson's theatres. This helped him design the State Theatre without any posts blocking the view from the balconies.

Grand Opening and Early Days

The State Theatre opened on 7 June 1929. Stuart Doyle, who owned Union Theatres, and architect Henry White wanted it to be "The Empire's Greatest Theatre." It was built as a "picture palace," a very grand cinema. On opening night, people saw "entertainment of unparalleled magnificence." The first show featured bandleader Will Prior. The Greater Union theatre company bought the land in 1926. The theatre cost over a million pounds to build. The first film shown was The Patriot. Price Dunlavy played the Wurlitzer organ.

The theatre could seat about 2,000 people. It was smaller than the State Theatre in Melbourne, but it was much more fancy. Henry Eli White designed it with ideas from John Eberson. The building has a Gothic style on the outside. Inside, it has a Gothic lobby, a Neoclassical stair hall, and fancy foyers. The main theatre room is in a rich Baroque style with three levels of seats and a domed ceiling. The first sound film shown was A Dangerous Woman on 29 June 1929. The last silent film was Evangeline on 6 December 1929.

Other acts included Australian singer Rene Maxwell and the State Beauty Ballet. The theatre became a place for many performers and films. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, it offered an escape. During World War II, people could watch the latest news through Movietone newsreels. The State Theatre helped people relax during the war, with actors like Cary Grant and Joan Crawford.

In 1932, a newsreel theatre opened in the basement. It was the first of its kind in Australia. It later became a screening room.

Post-War Entertainment

After 1945, the State Theatre continued to be a popular place in Sydney. Many new people came to Australia after the war. People had more money and new suburbs grew. Since television was not common yet, people went to the State Theatre to watch movies. New Hollywood and Australian actors became popular. Films like Bend of the River and A Town Like Alice were shown.

The 1960s brought big changes to Australia, like pop culture and protests against the Vietnam War. People often look to entertainment during changing times. The State Theatre continued to provide this. Films like "Once More with Feeling" were shown in 1960.

In the 1970s, society became more open. The State Theatre held premieres for big movies. One very successful film was Count Yorga, Vampire. In 1974, the theatre hosted the Sydney Film Festival for the first time. It has been held there ever since.

When television became popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s, filmmakers made "blockbusters" to bring people back to cinemas. Films like The Godfather and Jaws were big hits. Even a low-budget horror movie, "Count Yorga Vampire," was so popular that police had to control the crowds.

Modern Era and Renovations

The 1980s were a time of change for the State Theatre. After being restored, it reopened in 1980 with the concert film "Divine Madness" starring Bette Midler. Two years before, Bette Midler had performed live concerts there. In 1982, ET- The Extraterrestrial was shown. In this decade, the State Theatre returned to its roots with many live acts and musical theatre shows.

Sydney has lost many old live music places to new buildings. But the State Theatre stayed one of the top venues. It was renovated again in the early 1990s. Famous performers like Shirley Bassey, Whoopi Goldberg, and Harry Connick Jr. performed there. Musicals like Evita and The Secret Garden were also shown. In 2012-2013, there were plans to add an orchestra pit and backstage area for more live shows, but this plan did not happen.

What Makes the State Theatre Special

The upper front of the building

Gothic details on the building

The State Theatre is very special because of its design. You walk from a Gothic-style street front, through a 14th-century Gothic Hall, then into the fancy Baroque main theatre. This journey through different styles is amazing. It is unlike any other building in New South Wales from the 1800s or 1900s. The theatre was restored in the 1980s, making its beauty shine again. Even the public toilets have unique historical themes!

The Gothic design continues into the shopping area of the building. This was very high quality and unique for a shopping area in Sydney. You can still see many of these details, especially in the ground floor lobby with its glass display cases.

In 1937, the shop fronts on Market Street were changed to the Art Deco style. This was done to make the shopping area look new and exciting. Sadly, later changes have damaged some of this Art Deco design.

The bright shopfronts, many lights, and big signs make Market Street look very lively. The small cafe inside, mostly from the mid-1990s, has a modern Art Deco style. But it still has original Gothic ceilings and mosaic floor tiles.

The State Theatrette in the basement was a popular place to watch newsreels and special films before TV became common. Many people learned about world and national news there. The State Ballroom was also a popular place for dances for many years. The shopping area was popular at first but later lost out to bigger department stores.

In the early 1970s, the theatre was almost torn down for new buildings. But people fought to save it. Its protection under the NSW Heritage Act shows how much the community values it. The State Theatre is a well-known and loved entertainment place in Sydney. The small cafe is also a popular meeting spot.

The State Theatre has a 21 Rank Wurlitzer organ. It is one of only three in Australia. The other two were in the (now gone) Regent Theatre and the State Theatre in Melbourne. The theatre also has a Koh-i-Noor cut crystal chandelier. It is the second largest in the world, weighing over four tonnes. Inside, you can also see paintings by William Dobell and Julian Ashton. The 11 floors above the theatre were built as the State Shopping Block. It was a vertical shopping mall with 150 shops and 8 lifts, all in the Gothic style. These floors are now offices.

Why the State Theatre is Important

The State Theatre in Sydney is very important. It is a big part of how cinemas developed in Australia. It was one of the last grand cinemas built in the late 1920s, just before the Great Depression. It created an amazing fantasy world for moviegoers. Inside the State Theatre, everything was designed to make you feel like you were in a dream.

Its design is unique in Australia. The way you move from the Gothic street front, through the Gothic Hall and Empire Room, to the Baroque main theatre is special. The inside parts are very well designed and built. They are almost perfectly preserved and in excellent condition.

The Gothic details are unique and show amazing craftsmanship. The Gothic style is used everywhere, from the street front to the main theatre and even the upper floors of the shopping area. The original Gothic look on the outside set the scene for the fancy interiors. Most of these details are still there, except for some Art Deco changes made in 1937.

The 1937 Art Deco shopfronts are also important. They are a rare example of Art Deco design from that time. They were added when the shopping area needed a new look.

The State Theatre was the most important theatre for the Union Theatre company in Sydney. It was part of their big plan in the 1920s to build "Million Dollar Theatres." It is still the main theatre for the Greater Union company. It is connected to many people who worked there, especially its founder, Stuart Doyle.

When it opened in 1929, the State Theatre was the ultimate entertainment place in New South Wales. People loved how grand and exciting new cinemas were becoming. It was a popular movie place for many years. Many movie premieres were held there with big public events. The yearly Sydney Film Festival and other special screenings keep it popular today.

Other parts of the building were also important. These included the multi-storey shopping arcade, the ballroom, and the theatrette. While these don't operate anymore, they show how people were entertained in the mid-20th century.

The State Theatre Building is one of only two surviving theatres in Sydney designed by Henry E. White. The other is the Capital Theatre.

The main public areas inside have a lot of "scagliola," which is a fake marble finish. The plasterwork, especially in the main theatre and around the stage, is very high quality for the 1920s. The Chandelier in the main theatre is one of the biggest in Australia. There are also many original paintings and statues in the foyers. The Wurlitzer Organ, even though it doesn't work anymore, is a rare example of what used to be a big part of going to the movies.

The State Theatre was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Historical Significance

The State Theatre shows how entertainment changed in New South Wales. It was a key part of the "Million Dollar Theatres" plan by Union Theatres in the 1920s. It was different from other cinemas of its time and one of the last grand ones built before the Great Depression. Its use over the years shows how movies and theatre grew as popular entertainment. It is still the main theatre for Greater Union and is linked to its founder, Stuart Doyle. The shopping arcade and basement venues like the Ballroom and Theatrette also show how city retail and entertainment used to be.

Design and Artistry

The theatre's design is unique and of very high quality. It created an amazing fantasy world for people. The interiors are almost perfectly preserved. The Gothic style is used throughout the building, from the street front to the main theatre. This mix of Gothic and French Empire styles, along with rich details and clever use of materials, makes it very special.

Community Connection

Since it opened in 1929, the State Theatre has been a beloved entertainment spot. It was where thousands of people went to watch movies and attend big events. It continues to be a popular place for the Sydney Film Festival and other special screenings, showing its strong link to the community.

Unique Features

The State Theatre has many unique features. The main public areas have a lot of scagliola, a special fake marble finish. The plasterwork and other decorations are of the highest quality from the 1920s. The huge Chandelier and the collection of original paintings and statues are also very special. The Wurlitzer Organ is a rare example of what was once a big part of the cinema experience. There are also many old photos of the theatre that show how it looked when it first opened.

The State Theatre complex is unique in Australia. Its Gothic and French Empire interiors are of the highest quality. The Gothic details on the Market Street shop front are unique in Australia. The Gothic decoration in the ground floor lift lobby is also very rare. The overall Gothic design of the building's outside walls is rare in Sydney for a commercial building. Only Scots Church and the former Grace Building are similar. The Art Deco panels on Market Street are also rare for a shopfront in Sydney.