Description of the attraction
The Canberra Theater Center, opened in June 1965, is Australia's premier theater venue, and a government-sponsored one.
The center is located in the heart of Canberra, close to the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory and the Parliamentary Triangle (a complex of government buildings).
Initially, the Center consisted of two separate buildings - the Canberra Theater itself and the Game Stage, which were connected by a closed passage. The 1,200-seat theater was designed as a venue for national and international troupes, while the Play Stage, with a capacity of 310, was designed for small local theater groups. At one time, the complex also included a small art gallery and a restaurant.
In the mid-1990s, a two-year process of consultations between the administration of the Theater Center and architects began, which ended with the demolition of the old building of the Game Stage and its rebuilding as a new site. The opening of the new stage building took place in May 1998. Instead of the traditional fan-shaped auditorium and arched stage used in all 20th century Australian theaters, a semicircular drum-like hall with parterres and balconies was built. The capacity has almost doubled - up to 618 people. The design of the new playstage was borrowed from Greek ancient theaters and English theaters during the time of Queen Elizabeth (16th century). Ancillary rooms - dressing rooms, rooms for artists, a wardrobe and a lobby with a bar and a cafe - seem to envelop the “drum” of the stage.
Over the years of the existence of the Theater Center, the greatest works of literary classics have been staged on its stage and the leading theater groups of the world have performed. The beginning of the 21st century was marked by the emergence of traditional aboriginal art on the stage, for example, in 2006, the Bangarra Aboriginal Dance Theater performed here.
