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Civic Theatre 375 Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW

Photo - CASANDRA T. P.

The heritage-listed Civic Theatre & Newcastle City Hall were both designed by New-Zealand born architect Henry Eli White.

White is best known for the many theatres and cinemas (or ‘picture palaces’ as they were then called) he designed in Australia and New Zealand in the 1910s and 1920s. Many of the major surviving historic theatres in the two countries are White designs, including the St. James Theatre, Wellington, St. James Theatre, Auckland, the Capitol Theatre and State Theatre in Sydney, and the Palais Theatre and the interiors of the Princess Theatre and Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne.

The Civic Theatre was opened on December 15 1929. Although designed as a live-theatre, the Civic was immediately leased as a cinema to Northern Amusements (in association with Newcastle Theatres Pty Ltd and Greater Union). In 1941 Hoyts gained control and the Civic continued under this management until 1973.

The City Of Newcastle then decided to move towards more live productions and phase out cinema operations completely. This adaption to the building was undertaken over 1974-76.In June 1992, the Civic closed for a $10.4 million refurbishment and was re-opened in November of 1993 as Australia’s Premier Regional Theatre.

The Civic Theatre is now firmly established on the Australian national touring circuit and hosts a wide range of music concerts, theatre, comedy and dance events.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -