Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre

Infobox Theatre
name = Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre

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city = Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
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owner = Wagga Wagga City Council
capacity = 488
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opened = 1963
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website = www.civictheatre.com.au

Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre is located in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia at the Wagga Wagga Civic Centre. It is adjacent to Wollundry Lagoon, art gallery and Wollundry Amphitheatre. The Civic Theatre opened in 1963. It was renovated in 1999/2000, opening again in May 2000.

The main auditorium has a seating capacity of 488 and features an orchestra pit seating up to 38 musicians. The upstairs foyer, which is used for small functions, features a licensed bar and has a seating capacity of 132. The smaller basement theatre located at the rear of the building is the home of the School of Arts Community Theatre (SOACT).

History

The theatre was built after community demand for a large public venue and included in the budget of £165,000 were donations from the community. [http://www.civictheatre.com.au/theatre/index.aspx?item=home&sub=history]

The construction caused contoversy within the community due to the destruction of parts of the rose gardens to make room for the theatre, concerns about the adequacy of the seating capacity of 497 and criticism of the mural which adorns the front of the building.

The finished theatre was opened on Saturday 29 June 1963 by Ald. Ivan J. Jack during an official ceremony which featured a preview of "Oklahoma!" the first large production to be staged at the theatre.

Minor upgrades continued until the late 1990s when the theatre received a multi-million dollar upgrade as part of a Civic Centre upgrade. Upgrades in the project included new upstairs and downstairs foyers, complete refurbishment of the auditorium, new scenery loading dock, new sound system and other technical upgrades. However the backstage area remained largely untouched.

Following its re-opening in 2001, the theatre now presents an annual theatre season and hosts national and international touring productions with local professional and community users.

2007 season

In 2007 the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre presents a number different productions as part of its season, named "a mixed bag". These productions are a mixture of many styles of theatre, including shakespeare, comedy, dance, music and children's shows.These performances included:

*"The Shoe-Horn Sonata"
*"War Stories" with Darren Coggan
*"Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow"
*"Cafe at the Gate of Salvation"
*"LaLaLuna" by Wolfe Bowart
*"Educating Rita "
*"The Memory of Water"
*"Macbeth" by the Bell Shakespeare Company
*Bangara Dance Theatre's "Clan"
*"Mr McGee and the Biting Flea"

Also featuring at the Civic Theatre in 2007 are: Danny Bhoy, Ross Noble, Isla Grant, Australian Army Band Kapooka, Carl Barron, the Flying Tzars, the Australian Ballet, local school and community productions.

References

[1] [http://www.civictheatre.com.au/theatre/index.aspx?item=home&sub=history "History of the Civic Theatre" by Dennis L. Blackett]

External links

* [http://www.civictheatre.com.au Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre website]
* [http://www.civictheatre.com.au/theatre/viewfile.aspx?article=OSHKQ1MNNJ85C1C894N1&file=TechSpecs.pdf Technical Specifications]