Metro Theatre (1969-1979)

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Metro Theatre (1969-1979)

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Venue	Metro Theatre (1969-1979)
Other Names	Minerva Theatre 1939 - 1950 Metro Cinema 1950 - 1969 Metro Theatre 1969 - 1979
Address	Corner Macleay and Orwell Streets Kings Cross NSW 2011 Australia
First Date	1969
Last Date	1979
Notes	The former Minerva Theatre and Metro Cinema in Kings Cross was returned to live performance in 1969 with the Australian production of Hair. It remained a theatre until 1979 and was then converted to a shopping centre.
Related Venues	Also known as Metro Cinema (1950-1969) Also known as Minerva Theatre (1939-1950)
Map
Latitude \| Longitude	-33.872092 \| 151.225159
Events	Date Contributor Organisation
	The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Ginger Rogers Show, 5 June 1976 Saturday Night at the Tiv, 1976 Applause, 2 December 1975 Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!, 7 September 1973 Nuclear, March 1973 Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 Hair, 5 June 1969
	Aztec Services Pty Ltd Hair, 5 June 1969 CKC Theatres The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Dinara Productions Applause, 2 December 1975 Harry M. Miller Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!, 7 September 1973 Harry M. Miller Attractions Pty Ltd Hair, 5 June 1969 Michael Butler Hair, 5 June 1969 Quadrant Productions Pty. Ltd. Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 Tully Hair, 5 June 1969 Williamson-Edgley Theatres Limited Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972
	Ronne Arnold - Choreographer, Director Applause, 2 December 1975 Nuclear, March 1973 Terry-Thomas - Actor Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!, 7 September 1973 Valentino - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Prue Acton - Costume Designer Applause, 2 December 1975 Inez Amaya - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Eve Arden - Actor Applause, 2 December 1975 Colin Baker - Producer The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Michael Barnes - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 Robina Beard - Assistant to the Director Nuclear, March 1973 Vikki Biggins - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Brian Blain - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 John Blake - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 John Bonney - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Chelsea Brown - Performer Saturday Night at the Tiv, 1976 Michael Carlos - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 Russell Carson - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Ron Challinor - Actor Applause, 2 December 1975 John Chapman - Playwright Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Colleen Clifford - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Charlene Collins - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Betty Comden - Book and Lyrics Librettist Applause, 2 December 1975 Judi Connelli - Actor Applause, 2 December 1975 Olwyn Cook - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Peter Cook - Comedian, Writer Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 Ian Cookesley - Stage Director Hair, 5 June 1969 Ray Cooney - Playwright Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Burt Cooper - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Carmelia Corowa - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Allan Cossey - Stage Manager Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 Sue Costin - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Wayne Robert Cull - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Jennie Cullen - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Stephen Cummings - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Lynette Curran - Actor The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Clive Doak - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Roy Dotrice - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Wallace Douglas - Director Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!, 7 September 1973 Jon Ely - Director, Lighting Designer, Producer, Set Designer Applause, 2 December 1975 Dolores Ernst - Actor Applause, 2 December 1975 Barbara Farrell - Actor Applause, 2 December 1975 Tomay Fields - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Patrick Flynn - Musical Director Hair, 5 June 1969 Michael Furber - Actor Nuclear, March 1973 Tony Geappen - Actor Applause, 2 December 1975 Geoff Gilmour - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Keith Glass - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Margaret Goldie - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Bill Goodwin - Costume Designer Applause, 2 December 1975 Denni Gordon - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Tony Gordon - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Adolph Green - Book and Lyrics Librettist Applause, 2 December 1975 Stefan Haag - Executive Producer Hair, 5 June 1969 Brian Harding - Performer Saturday Night at the Tiv, 1976 Andrew Hepburn - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Karolynn Hill - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Marcia Hines - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Tim Hughes - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Gillian Jones - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Jane Kean - Actor The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Shirley-Anne Kear - Actor Nuclear, March 1973 Audrey Keyes - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Chris Keystone - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Tyrone Kinlaw - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Alwyn Leckie - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Allen Leonard - Producer Applause, 2 December 1975 Moira Lister - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Charles Little - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Helen Livermore - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Reg Livermore - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Richard Lockwood - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 Galt MacDermot - Composer Hair, 5 June 1969 Jack Manuel - Dance Director Hair, 5 June 1969 Berys Marsh - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Graham Matters - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Wayne Matthews - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Paula Maxwell - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 David H McIlwraith - Director Saturday Night at the Tiv, 1976 Sandra McKenzie - Stage Director Hair, 5 June 1969 Colin McLennan - Entrepreneur, Producer Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 Harry M Miller - Producer Hair, 5 June 1969 Dudley Moore - Comedian, Writer Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 Suzie Mylecharane - Costume Designer Hair, 5 June 1969 Terry O'Brien - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Bernice Parrish - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Fred Payne - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 Michael Pertwee - Playwright Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!, 7 September 1973 Karen Petersen - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 James Rado - Lyricist, Writer Hair, 5 June 1969 Gerome Ragni - Lyricist, Writer Hair, 5 June 1969 Sharon Redd - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Peter Rice - Designer Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 David M Riddick - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Ginger Rogers - Performer Ginger Rogers Show, 5 June 1976 John Sangster - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 Ernest Sarracino - Director The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Peter Saunders - Producer Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Sean Scully - Actor The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Colin Setches - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Jim Sharman - Designer, Director Hair, 5 June 1969 Jon Sidney - Actor Applause, 2 December 1975 Michael Angelo Gerald Springfield - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Creena St Clare - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Rodney Stewart - Writer Nuclear, March 1973 Keith Stirling - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 Charles Strouse - Composer Applause, 2 December 1975 Jules Tasca - Playwright The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Kay Taylor - Actor The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Robert Taylor - Musician Hair, 5 June 1969 Roger Thomas - Tour Manager Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 David A Toben - Stage Director Behind The 'Fridge, 22 October 1971 Mike Treloar - Costume Designer Applause, 2 December 1975 Peter Wagner - Stage Director Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 Sue Walker - Actor Move Over Mrs Markham, 1 November 1972 John Waters - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Dolore Whiteman - Actor The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Kym Wilhelm - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 David Williams - Actor The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977 Teddy Williams - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Terrance Paul Wilson - Actor Hair, 5 June 1969 Keenan Wynn - Actor The Mind with the Dirty Man, 27 January 1977
Resources	Ross Thorne, Minerva Theatre, Companion To Theatre In Australia, 1995, 369 Theatre in Orwell Street, Kings Cross, opened 18 May 1939, seating 1016 on two levels. Architects: Guy Crick and Bruce Furse; Bruce Ward. Became cinema as Metro Theatre 29 April 1950. Returned to live theatre 5 June 1969. Converted to shopping market 1979. Now film studio. Possibly the finest modern theatre built in Australia in the 1930s, the Minerva Theatre was intended to have a companion but this was never built. Minerva Centre Ltd aimed to build two theatres on facing sites at Kings Cross, according to the Sydney Morning Herald on 27 August 1937. The company's managing director was David N. Martin, formerly managing director of Imperial Theatres Ltd, which owned the Liberty Theatre, designed in 1934 by C. Bruce Dellit, an exponent of the fashionable Art Deco style. A share prospectus published on 7 September 1937 showed Dellit' s design for the Minerva Theatre. It would be erected in Orwell Street opposite the rather monumental Paradise Theatre Building, which would face Macleay Street and include a dance hall and a restaurant as well as a theatre. Other architects, Guy Crick and Bruce Furse, prepared the Minerva Theatre drawings that were submitted to the Sydney City Council and the licensing authority, but the two designs showed similarities of style. Crick's Moderne interior demonstrated his interest in German expressionist theatre design. The resulting theatre was very comfortable, with lounge chairs throughout a cocoon of sweeping, wide plaster troughs washed with indirect lighting. The foremost lighting trough curved down to the stage floor on each side of a striated proscenium frame. The stage apron extended to a rarely used small side stage on each side. The theatre, grandly opened with Robert E. Sherwood's play Idiot's Delight on 18 May 1939, brought the number of professional theatres in Sydney to three-the others were the Theatre Royal and the Tivoli Theatre. It was initially managed by David N. Martin Pty Ltd in association with J. C. Williamson's. Then there were several changes of management until Martin's company resumed control. Some 25 plays were performed, including Shakespeare at matinees, until 1 May 1941, when Whitehall Theatrical Productions took over the lease. Under this management the Minerva became the only commercial playhouse in Sydney producing comedies, thrillers and mysteries, usually starring actors who were well known on radio, such as Lyndall Barbour, Neva Carr Glyn and Lloyd Lamble. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought the building and used it as the Metro cinema from 29 April 1950 and later sold it to the Greater Union Organisation. It was not a success as a cinema and on 5 June 1969 Harry M. Miller reopened the Metro as a live theatre with the rock musical Hair. It had a long run but the theatre generally would have been unprofitable for large-cast shows. In 1979 Greater Union flattened the floor of the stalls and converted the space to a shopping market. This was also unsuccessful and the Kennedy-Miller organisation finally took over the building as a film studio. Article: Ross Thorne, Minerva Theatre, Companion To Theatre In Australia, 1995, 369 Websites / Online media: Sydney Architecture - Minerva Theatre / Metro Theatre, Sydney Architecture
Data Set	AusStage
Venue Identifier	3025

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