Theatre Royal Sydney

Last updated

Theatre Royal
Opening night, "Hollywood Hotel Revue" (taken for Fuller's Theatres Ltd), 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.
Theatre Royal Sydney
Address 25 Martin Place
108 King Street
Location New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 33°52′05″S151°12′32″E / 33.868°S 151.2088°E / -33.868; 151.2088
Owner Dexus, NSW Government
OperatorTrafalgar Entertainment
TypePerforming Arts Venue
Capacity 1,200
Construction
Opened1875
Renovated2021
Demolished1971
Rebuilt1976
Years active1875-1971, 1976-2016, 2021-
Architect
Website
www.theatreroyalsydney.com

Theatre Royal Sydney (TRS) is a theatre in Sydney, Australia. Earlier theatres also called the Theatre Royal, on the same site, date back to 1833. The current building, designed by modernist architect Harry Seidler, was built in 1976 and has offered a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. After being closed in 2016, the theatre reopened in December 2021 under parent company Trafalgar Entertainment.

Contents

Earlier theatres

First Theatre Royal

Construction by Barnett Levey of the first Theatre Royal commenced in 1827 and was opened on 5 October 1833. It closed in March 1838 and a few days later Joseph Wyatt's Royal Victoria Theatre, a much larger building, was opened, with an entrance on Pitt Street. Levey's Theatre Royal burned to the ground in 1840 with the "Vic" (Royal Victoria), which abutted the rear, having a narrow escape. However, the "Vic" was itself totally destroyed by fire on 22 July 1880. [1]

Second Theatre Royal

The Prince of Wales Theatre was built in 1855 and destroyed by fire in 1860, rebuilt and burned down again in 1872. It was rebuilt by Samuel Lazar and, as the "Theatre Royal", opened in 1875 between King and Rowe streets on Castlereagh Street, on the other side of which would in 1890 be built the famous Australia Hotel. The theatre was leased by J. C. Williamson's from 1882 to 1978. On 17 June 1892 the auditorium was largely destroyed by fire. [2] This was the third theatre fire on the site.

It reopened on 7 January 1893 with a much improved electric lighting system. [3] Its interior was substantially remodelled in 1921 by architect Henry Eli White. [4]

Current theatre

In 1971–72 the theatre, along with the Hotel Australia, and much of the block on which it was situated, was demolished to construct the MLC Centre. Public agitation and action by construction unions once it was closed to save it resulted in the developer Lendlease incorporating a replacement 1,180-seat theatre into the design.[ citation needed ]

Designed by Harry Seidler in a plain modernist style, along with the rest of the complex,[ citation needed ] the current Theatre Royal opened in 1976, [5] with entry from King Street, between Pitt Street and Castlereagh Street.[ citation needed ]

Theatre Royal Sydney (TRS) [5] has hosted a mix of entertainment, with notable productions such as The King and I , The Rocky Horror Picture Show , War Horse , Cats (1985-1987), Les Misérables (1987-1988), and Phantom of the Opera (1993-1996).[ citation needed ]

The theatre closed in March 2016 amid development of the MLC Centre and calls for a new larger lyric theatre to be built. [6] [7] [8] [9]

In March 2019, the NSW Government announced it had taken on a 55-year lease of the theatre from the MLC Centre developers, with the intention to reopen the venue with a private operator. [10] The theatre was acquired by Trafalgar Entertainment, the company of British theatre impresarios Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire, and reopened in 2021. [5] [11]

In November 2021, Theatre Royal Sydney opened with its first production, Jagged Little Pill the Musical.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darling Harbour</span> Harbour adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Darling Harbour is a harbour adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia that is made up of a large recreational and pedestrian precinct that is situated on western outskirts of the Sydney central business district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Seidler</span> Austrian-Australian architect

Harry Seidler was an Austrian-born Australian architect who is considered to be one of the leading exponents of Modernism's methodology in Australia and the first architect to fully express the principles of the Bauhaus in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bondi Junction</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Bondi Junction is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 6 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Waverley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Tower</span> Tall architectural structure in Sydney, Australia

Sydney Tower, also known as Westfield Tower and formerly as Centrepoint Tower, is an observation and telecommunications tower that is the tallest structure in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, as well as the second-tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. Sydney Tower has also previously been known as AMP Tower, and colloquially as Flower Tower, Glower Tower, and Big Poke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">25 Martin Place</span> Skyscraper in Sydney, Australia

25 Martin Place is a skyscraper in Sydney, Australia. Originally named the "MLC Centre" after MLC Limited, and still commonly referred to by that name, in 2021 the name was removed by its owner, Dexus, which now refers to the building simply by its street address of 25 Martin Place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killara</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Killara is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Killara is located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. East Killara is a separate suburb and West Killara is a locality within Killara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Place</span> Pedestrian mall in Sydney, New South Wales

Martin Place is a pedestrian mall in the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia. Martin Place has been described as the "civic heart" of Sydney. As home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Bank, Westpac and other corporations, it is also a centre of business and finance. The Sydney GPO is also located on Martin Place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MLC School</span> School in Burwood, New South Wales, Australia

MLC School is an independent Uniting Church single-sex early learning, primary, and secondary day school for girls, located in the inner western Sydney suburb of Burwood, New South Wales, Australia. The school enrols students from early learning, through kindergarten to year 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capita Centre</span> Office in Sydney, Australia

Capita Centre, is now known as 9 Castlereagh St Sydney, is a skyscraper in Sydney, Australia. Located at 9-11 Castlereagh Street, it is 183 metres (600 ft) tall from spire and 158 metres (518 ft) tall from roof. The building was designed by Harry Seidler & Associates in 1984 and completed in 1989. The building won Royal Australian Institute of Architects (NSW) merit award 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowe Street, Sydney</span> Street in Sydney, Australia

Rowe Street is a narrow laneway in the central business district of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Originally, Rowe Street ran between Castlereagh Street and Pitt Street, parallel to Martin Place. However, it now runs east–west off Pitt Street. Rowe Street was named in honour of Thomas Rowe, a prominent architect in New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doris Fitton</span> Actress and stage director (1897–1985)

Dame Doratea Alice Lucy Walkden Fitton, was an Australian pioneering theatre entrepreneur, actress of stage and film and theatrical director and producer who established with 19 other actors The Independent Theatre Ltd. in North Sydney, New South Wales in 1930, which operated for forty-seven years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Australia Hotel</span> Former hotel in Sydney, Australia

The Australia Hotel was a hotel on Castlereagh Street, Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. From its opening in 1891 until its closure on 30 June 1971 and subsequent demolition, the hotel was considered "the best-known hotel in Australia", "the premier hotel in Sydney" and described itself as "The Hotel of the Commonwealth". The hotel was situated in one of Sydney's important thoroughfares in the Sydney central business district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MLC Limited</span> Australian financial services company that was acquired by National Australia Bank in June 2000

MLC was an Australian business that provides investments, insurance and superannuation solutions to corporate, institutional, and retail customers. Due to divestments in the early 21st century, there are now two businesses, with no ownership links, that both use "MLC" in their branding:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney</span>

Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Australia, refers to three theatres of the same name none of which remain standing. They were located in central Sydney on either Pitt Street or Quay Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Tivoli Theatre, Sydney</span>

The New Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, previously known as the Adelphi Theatre and the Grand Opera House, was a theatre and music hall at 329, Castlereagh Street, Sydney, Australia, which was long at the heart of the Tivoli circuit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garrick Theatre (Sydney)</span> Former theatre and music hall in Sydney, Australia

The Garrick Theatre was a theatre and music hall at 79–83 Castlereagh Street in Sydney from 1890 to 1929. The theatre was renamed the Tivoli Theatre in 1893 and operated as a popular vaudeville venue. It was destroyed by fire in 1899 and rebuilt. The theatre closed in 1929.

Joseph Wyatt was a theatre owner and manager, in the early years of theatre in Sydney, Australia.

The Royal Lyceum was a small theatre in York Street, Sydney founded in 1854, which was redeveloped and renamed many times, finally as the Queen's Theatre, by which name it closed in 1882.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Wales Theatre, Sydney</span>

The Prince of Wales was a theatre in Castlereagh Street, Sydney, New South Wales. It was destroyed by fire and rebuilt twice; the second time as the Theatre Royal.

The National Amphitheatre was a boxing stadium and entertainment venue at 73–75 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, New South Wales. Rebuilt as a theatre for vaudeville productions by the Fuller brothers, it was refurbished and renamed several times.

References

  1. Sydney Harbour Bridge Official Souvenir Book Sydney, 1932, p.123-4.
  2. "Fire at the Theatre Royal". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 16, 923. New South Wales, Australia. 17 June 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 8 June 2021 via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Stage, Song, and Show". The Australian Star . No. 1590. New South Wales, Australia. 7 January 1893. p. 11. Retrieved 8 June 2021 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Theatre Royal". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 "Box office assistant" (PDF). Theatre Royal Sydney. June 2023.
  6. "Theatre Royal". cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 6 April 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  7. "Theatre Royal". theatreroyal.net.au. Archived from the original on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  8. "Theatre Royal". goaustralia.about.com. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  9. "Producers push for new lyric theatre in Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  10. "The Show Goes On for Sydney's Theatre Royal". The Urban Developer. 18 March 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  11. "Sydney's Theatre Royal Will Reopen in 2021 with a Globally Renowned Company at Its Helm". 7 May 2020.