Theatrical twist to Playhouse seating

As the Playhouse Theatre’s fundraising campaign to replace its seating comes to a close this Saturday, the question of what to do with the current seats has had a theatrical resolution – they are ‘going home’ to the Embassy Theatre in Maryborough.

When Maryborough’s Embassy Theatre closed as a theatre in 1966, the committee of the Bundaberg Amateur Players (as the group was then known as) bought most of the seating from Embassy Theatre with the intention of installing them in their own theatre which they were in the process of designing.

Bundaberg Players’ current President Nigel Dick recalls stories of the time when his father Gordon (who had just become President of the Players at the time) was organising for a truck to make its way to Maryborough to load hundreds of seats which the group had acquired from a theatre that was closing down.

“This was quite a coup for the Players as they would be able to use 180 of the seats in its new purpose-built theatre which would open in 1968,” he said.

It was not until 1976 when the current auditorium was opened, that all 254 seats were installed.

The seats were re-covered in 2000 and have been sitting in place for the last 25 years.

“The committee is extremely excited with the impending installation of brand new seats in our theatre for the first time, but equally thrilled that the old seats begin a new chapter in their history,” Nigel said.

Simon and Csilla Gall, whose company bought the former Embassy Theatre last year, are excited to bring back part of the theatre’s history.

“We have purchased the theatre with the intention of restoring it and reopening it as a performance, live music and exhibition venue,” Simon said.

“Our company works in the cultural heritage space, including the management and preservation of built heritage and my wife and I are passionate about re-establishing the Embassy as a venue at the heart of Maryborough’s cultural life that will provide opportunity and support for local artists and performers and help revitalise the town centre.

“When we purchased the theatre, one of the main original features that was missing was the theatre seats from the balcony, which were permanent, fixed seating.

“A key financial and physical obstacle to the restoration of the theatre was the lack of seating on the balcony and we had not been able to find a viable solution before discovery that a large number of the original seats had survived at the Playhouse and are now available for us to bring home to the Embassy.”

The story of how Simon found out about the seats is a fascinating one.

“We had been researching the history of the Embassy and had come across information that the original balcony seats had ended up at the Playhouse Theatre,” he said.

“However we had no idea whether they were still in use or existence.

“On a Sunday evening a few weeks ago, for no particular reason, I had an urge to revisit the fate of the balcony seats and ended up on the Playhouse website.

“It was then that I saw that the theatre was planning upgrades and replacement of its seating.

“I recall waking my wife up at almost midnight when I saw that the seats were for sale in my excitement.”

Simon then contacted the Bundaberg Players who let him know that the seats were indeed the original seats from the Embassy.

“When President Nigel Dick told us that we would be able to purchase 225 of them, we were beyond ecstatic – we just couldn’t believe that it was happening and it gave us hope that our dream was one significant step closer to being achieved,” he said.

It is difficult not to feel that the way the planets aligned was a sign that we were doing the right thing.”

Simon is hoping that fate might have more good news in store.

“We are still trying to track down what happened to the wrought iron lobby gates and the large chandeliers that were removed at some time in the past,” he said.

“We would also love to see any photos that people may have of the interior or exterior and we are also keen to purchase or receive donations of any memorabilia from the theatre that people may have.

We are hopeful that we will be able to open the theatre within two years, however this depends on finances and the completion of other projects we are currently working on which include the opening of a Jazz Club and Cocktail Lounge in the former Kings Café in Adelaide Street.”

Anyone with information can contact Simon Gall on sgall@convergehc.com.au.

Meanwhile, the deadline is looming for tax deductible donations for the Playhouse Theatre’s BUTTS campaign, which closes this Saturday, 31 May.

“We have been delighted with the response from our members, patrons and supporters,” President Nigel Dick said.

“We are so close to our goal and are hoping to get to our total by this Saturday.”

Donations for the theatre upgrade, including all new seats and other major auditorium improvements can be made here.