Regent on Broadway

Last updated
Regent on Broadway
Regent Theatre, Palmerston North in New Zealand (47).JPG
Regent on Broadway
Location Palmerston North, New Zealand
Owner Palmerston North City Council
Capacity 1393
Construction
RenovatedMay 1998
ArchitectCharles Hollinshed
Designated11 November 1989
Reference no.5104

The Regent on Broadway is a large theatre in Palmerston North, New Zealand, named so because it is the Regent Theatre on Broadway Avenue.

Contents

History

Designed in 1929 by Charles Hollinshed of Sydney, the theatre complex was officially opened to the public on 4 July 1930. [1] [2] Its original use was as a cinema and opera house, but, with the decline of the movie over the decades, the Regent closed in 1991.[ citation needed ] The Palmerston North City Council acquired the building in 1992 by swapping it with the previous owner for the Opera House. [2] In 1993 money was raised to fully restore the building, with the PNCC to contribute the sum of NZ$ 10,000,000, followed by a community donation of NZ$1,700,000, and NZ$1,000,000 from New Zealand Lotteries Grant Board. [2]

The auditorium has painted panels on the roof, all of which were cleaned during the renovations of the 1990s. The staircase leading up to the mezzanine floor is carpeted in the centre, with marble on the sides. The lobby is carpeted, with a special weave being manufactured by Feltex carpets, an exact copy of the linoleum, [3] still lying underneath the carpet. The mezzanine floor has carved kowhaiwhai panels in the ceiling. [2]

The building is listed as a Category 1 Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand. [1]

Today

Regent On Broadway is described as being "among the top four performing arts centres in New Zealand",[ by whom? ] alongside Wellington Town Hall, Christchurch Town Hall and Auckland Town Hall. The auditorium can seat 1393 people; 721 on the ground floor and 672 in the circle (upstairs).[ citation needed ] Some of the downstairs seating can be removed for functions such as dinners and ballroom dancing. Adjacent to the auditorium are several small dressing rooms, and larger dressing rooms are up a flight of stairs. The venue boasts a large function room, upstairs from the mezzanine, and a rehearsal studio, which is used for a variety of activities, ranging from ballet dancing to stage rehearsals. Because of the wide range of activities available, it is one of New Zealand's busiest venues. It remains the only large theatre in the greater Palmerston North area.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pahiatua</span> Town in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand

Pahiatua is a rural service town in the south-eastern North Island of New Zealand with a population of 2,840. It is between Masterton and Woodville on State Highway 2 and along the Wairarapa Line railway, 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Masterton and 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Palmerston North. It is usually regarded as being in the Northern Wairarapa. For local government purposes, since 1989 it has been in the Tararua District, which encompasses Eketāhuna, Pahiatua, Woodvillle, Dannevirke, Norsewood and the far east of the Manawatū-Whanganui region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sondheim Theatre</span> Theatre in the West End of London

The Sondheim Theatre is a West End theatre located in Shaftesbury Avenue on the corner of Wardour Street in the City of Westminster, London. It opened as the Queen's Theatre on 8 October 1907, as a twin to the neighbouring Hicks Theatre which had opened ten months earlier. Both theatres were designed by W. G. R. Sprague. The theatre was Grade II listed by English Heritage in June 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rangiora</span> Town in Canterbury, New Zealand

Rangiora is the largest town and seat of the Waimakariri District, in Canterbury, New Zealand. It is 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of Christchurch, and is part of the Christchurch metropolitan area. With an estimated population of 19,600, Rangiora is the 30th largest urban area in New Zealand, and the fifth-largest in the Canterbury region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Theatre (Detroit)</span> Theater and former movie theater in Detroit, Michigan, US

The Fox Theatre is a performing arts center located at 2211 Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, near the Grand Circus Park Historic District. Opened in 1928 as a flagship movie palace in the Fox Theatres chain, it was at over 5,000 seats the largest theater in the city. Designed by theater architect C. Howard Crane, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Theatre, Leeds</span> Theatre in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

The Grand Theatre, also known as Leeds Grand Theatre and Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, is a theatre and opera house in Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It seats approximately 1,500 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent Theatre, Dunedin</span> Theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand

The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand with a seating capacity of about 1,650. It is in The Octagon, the city's central plaza, directly opposite the Municipal Chambers and close to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palmerston North Boys' High School</span> School

Palmerston North Boys' High School is a traditional boys school located in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roxy Theatre (New York City)</span> Former movie theater in Manhattan, New York

The Roxy Theatre was a 5,920-seat movie palace at 153 West 50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, just off Times Square in New York City. It was the largest movie theater ever built at the time of its construction in 1927. It opened on March 11, 1927 with the silent film The Love of Sunya starring Gloria Swanson. It was a leading Broadway film showcase through the 1950s and also noted for its lavish stage shows. It closed and was demolished in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent Theatre, Brisbane</span> Heritage-listed cinema in Brisbane, Queensland

Regent Theatre was a heritage-listed cinema at 167 Queen Street, Brisbane, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey, Charles N Hollinshed and Aaron Bolot and built from 1928 to 1929 by J & E L Rees and A J Dickenson. It was one of the original Hoyts' Picture Palaces from the 1920s. It is also known as Regent Building. The auditorium interior was largely lost when it was converted into a 4 screen complex in 1979–1980, but the building, including the surviving entrance and main foyer, was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts</span> Concert hall

The Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts is a concert auditorium in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It serves as an entertainment, cultural, educational, and assembly center for the citizens of El Paso County, the Pikes Peak region, and the surrounding area.

There are different types of theatres, but they all have three major parts in common. Theatres are divided into two main sections, the house and the stage; there is also a backstage area in many theatres. The house is the seating area for guests watching a performance and the stage is where the actual performance is given. The backstage area is usually restricted to people who are producing or in the performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swampfest</span> New Zealand annual musical festival

Swampfest is an annual musical festival that showcases Palmerston North bands. Swampfest was originally timed to coincide with New Zealand Music Month (May), but in 2009 switched to September to match the 21st birthday of The Stomach's, which is a music performing and rehearsal space in the city. Swampfest showcases local up-and-coming and established artists who play original music. The genre of music played at the festival varies depending on the artists, but Rock, punk, ska, electronic, hip hop, metal, pop, solo and acoustic have all featured in the festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ames Center</span> Performing arts venue in Burnsville, Minnesota

The Ames Center, formerly the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, is a performing arts venue in Burnsville, Minnesota, adjacent to Nicollet Commons Park, which features green space, water fountains, and a 250-seat outdoor performance amphitheater. The Ames Center features an eclectic range of performances on the main stage and the black box theatres including: dance, theatre, concerts, comedians, and written word. Past performances include the Girl Singers of the Hit Parade, Larry Carlton, Louie Anderson, Lori Lane, Richard Marx, Church Basement Ladies, Melissa Manchester, Bill Engvall, Nick Colionne, Celtic Crossroads, Twin Cities Ballet of Minnesota, Elizabeth Gilbert, Rob Lake, Tommy Emmanuel, Sinbad, Ralphie May, Dakota Valley Symphony, Chameleon Theater Circle, Miss Minnesota USA/Teen USA, and Cirque D’Or. Additionally, productions of Mame, A Christmas Carol and Peter Pan were presented utilizing sets created for the Kennedy Center, the Kodak Theatre and the original Cathy Rigby Broadway production respectively.

Aberdeen has been the host of several theatres and concert halls through history. Some of them have been converted or destroyed over the years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutherford Hotel</span> Hotel in Nelson, New Zealand

The Rutherford Hotel is a luxury accommodation hotel in Nelson, New Zealand. It is the biggest hotel in Nelson and the city's tallest building. It is part of the chain company Heritage Hotels, which have hotels based in many locations around New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burton Cummings Theatre</span>

The Burton Cummings Theatre is a theatre located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Built by local impresario Corliss Powers Walker, it was originally known as the Walker Theatre. The building was renamed after singer-songwriter and Winnipeg native Burton Cummings in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent Theatre, Wollongong</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Regent Theatre is a heritage-listed former theatre and cinema at 197 Keira Street, Wollongong, City of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Reginald J. Magoffin with an interior by Marion Hall Best and built from 1950 to 1954. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 9 May 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circa Theatre</span> Wellington theatre company

Circa Theatre is a professional theatre company in Wellington, New Zealand, that was established in 1976. They present a number of plays each year in their two auditoriums, and have a unique partnership and funding model with incoming shows underpinned with a cooperative principle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oamaru Opera House</span> Opera house and former town hall in New Zealand

The Oamaru Opera House and former Town Hall in Oamaru is a historic building and current performance venue on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The building is classified as a "Category I" historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, previously known as the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand performing arts venues</span>

New Zealand performing arts venues are places in New Zealand that are set up to host performing arts and music events such as theatre, dance and concerts.

References

  1. 1 2 Koledin, Alicia (2004), "Regent Theatre", Heritage New Zealand, vol. 115, no. 5, p. 2479, Bibcode:2004ASAJ..115W2479K , retrieved 2024-02-02
  2. 1 2 3 4 Harris, Rosemary; Tate, Margaret; Scrivens, Pat (2013), "Historic Places in Palmerston North" (pdf), Manawatu Heritage, Palmerston North City Council, pp. 5–6, retrieved 2024-02-02
  3. "The Lobby", Regent on Broadway, retrieved 2024-02-02

40°21′14″S175°36′46″E / 40.35389°S 175.61278°E / -40.35389; 175.61278