Theatre Royal, Sydney facts for kids
,_Theatre_Royal,_Sydney,_23_September_1938_-_photographer_Sam_Hood_(7947336946).jpg)
Opening night, "Hollywood Hotel Revue", Theatre Royal, Sydney, 23 September 1938, by Sam Hood.
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| Address | 25 Martin Place 108 King Street |
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| Location | New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°52′05″S 151°12′32″E / 33.868°S 151.2088°E |
| Owner | Dexus, NSW Government |
| Operator | Trafalgar Entertainment |
| Type | Performing Arts Venue |
| Capacity | 1,200 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1875 |
| Renovated | 2021 |
| Demolished | 1971 |
| Rebuilt | 1976 |
| Years active | 1875-1971, 1976-2016, 2021- |
| Architect |
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The Theatre Royal Sydney is a famous theatre in Sydney, Australia. It was built in 1976 and has shown many different kinds of shows since the 1990s. The theatre opened again in December 2021. Now, you can buy tickets directly from the theatre's own Box Office. It is open seven days a week.
Older theatres with the same name, Theatre Royal, stood on the same spot. The first one was built way back in 1833.
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History of the Theatre Royal
The Theatre Royal has a long and interesting history. Several theatres have stood on this spot over the years.
The First Theatre Royal
Work on the very first Theatre Royal started in 1827. It was built by Barnett Levey and opened on October 5, 1833. This theatre closed in March 1838. Just a few days later, a much bigger theatre, the Royal Victoria Theatre, opened nearby.
Sadly, Levey's Theatre Royal burned down completely in 1840. The Royal Victoria Theatre, which was right next to it, barely escaped the fire. However, the "Vic," as it was called, was also destroyed by fire later, on July 22, 1880.
The Second Theatre Royal
Another theatre, the Prince of Wales Theatre, was built in 1855. It also faced bad luck, burning down in 1860. It was rebuilt, but then burned down again in 1872!
After that, Samuel Lazar rebuilt it once more. It reopened in 1875 as the "Theatre Royal." This theatre was located between King and Rowe streets on Castlereagh Street. The famous Australia Hotel was built across the street in 1890.
A company called J. C. Williamson's leased this theatre for a very long time, from 1882 to 1978. On June 17, 1892, a large part of the inside of the theatre was destroyed by fire. This was the third fire on this site!
The theatre reopened on January 7, 1893. It had a much better electric lighting system this time. Its inside was greatly changed in 1921 by architect Henry Eli White.
The Current Theatre Royal
In 1971–72, this Theatre Royal was torn down. The Australia Hotel and much of the area around it were also demolished. This was done to build a new complex called the MLC Centre.
When the theatre closed, many people and construction workers fought to save it. Because of their efforts, the company building the MLC Centre decided to include a new theatre in their plans. This new theatre would have 1,180 seats.
The current Theatre Royal was designed by Harry Seidler. It has a simple, modern look, like the rest of the MLC Centre. It opened in 1976. You can enter it from King Street, between Pitt Street and Castlereagh Street.
This theatre has shown many different types of entertainment. It has hosted dramas, comedies, and musicals. Some famous shows include The King and I, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, War Horse, Cats (from 1985 to 1987), Les Misérables (from 1987 to 1988), and Phantom of the Opera (from 1993 to 1996).
The theatre closed in March 2016. At that time, there were talks about building a new, larger theatre.
In March 2019, the NSW Government announced that it had taken over the theatre's lease for 55 years. Their plan was to reopen the theatre with a private company running it.
It was announced that the theatre would reopen in late 2021. A company called Trafalgar Entertainment bought it. This company is owned by famous British theatre leaders Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire.
In November 2021, Theatre Royal Sydney officially opened its doors again. Its first show was Jagged Little Pill the musical. After that, Girl From The North Country and An American In Paris were also performed.
