The Canberra Theatre Centre, opened in June 1965, is Australia's premier theatre venue, furthermore a government-led initiative.
The Canberra Theatre Centre is a major Australian theatre venue.
The Centre is located in the heart of Canberra, close to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly and the Parliamentary Triangle (a complex of government buildings).
The Centre originally consisted of two separate buildings, the Canberra Theatre directly and the Playhouse, which were connected by an enclosed passageway. The Theatre, with a seating capacity of 1,200, was created as a performance venue for national and international companies, while the Playhouse Stage, with a seating capacity of 310, was designed for smaller local theatre groups. At one time the complex also included a small fine arts gallery and restaurant.
In the mid-1990s, a two-year consultation process between the Theatre Centre administration and architects began, culminating in the demolition of the old Playhouse Stage building and its rebuilding as a new venue. The new stage building opened in May 1998. Instead of the traditional fan-shaped auditorium and arc-shaped stage used in all theatres built in Australia in the 20th century, a semi-circular drum-shaped auditorium with parterres and balconies was built. The capacity almost doubled to 618 people. The design of the new playing stage was borrowed from Greek antique theatres and English theatres of the time of Queen Elizabeth (16th century). Utility rooms - dressing rooms, artistes' rooms, cloakroom and a foyer with a bar and café seem to envelop the "drum" of the stage.
Over the years of the Theatre Centre's existence, the greatest works of literary classics have been staged on its stage and the world's foremost theatre groups have performed there. The beginning of the 21st century has also seen traditional Aboriginal art appear on stage, for example in 2006 the Bangarra Aboriginal Dance Theatre performed here.
