Christchurch’s Court Theatre has made its grand return to the city, more than a decade after losing its home due to damage caused caused by the February 2011 earthquake.
The original theatre, founded in 1971, was housed in the Arts Centre. A new location was found in Addington following the quake.
Today, people queued to get a look at its brand new forever home, that cost $61 million to complete.
The first reactions as people walked through the doors were all very positive.
“It’s beautiful. I’m really excited to see lots of shows here,” one theatregoer said.
“It’s just magical. It’s such a moment for the city,” another added.
The state of the art facility on Gloucester St houses two theatres – one large auditorium that seats 377, and a more intimate space that seats 150.
One of Christchurch’s newest residents, days-old Elias, stopped by with his family to give it a once-over.
“We thought we’d pop down and see the new opening, and I’m quite interested in architecture and was quite excited to see the building,” his father said.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger described the project as a turning point for the city.
“Its return to the CBD is more than symbolic – it’s a celebration of what we can achieve when we work together,” he said.
With the opening of its new home, the theatre is expected to grow significantly. It currently produces 20 shows annually with a combined audience of 120,000.
Court Theatre executive director Gretchen La Roche said the new building “represents a transformative moment for the city’s arts scene”.
The first production in the new building, The End of the Golden Weather, opened last night.
Artistic director Alison Walls called it symbolic and stirring.
“It feels beautifully fitting we open our new home with this deeply personal national story.”
