Circa Theatre, Wellington, New Zealand

Circa Theatre Inc: 1 Taranaki Street, Wellington, New Zealand.
P.O.Box 968 Wellington. Phone (04) 801-7992. Fax (04) 801-7993.

www.circa.co.nz

Circa Theatre from Museum Plaza

Circa Theatre was formed in 1976 by a group of people, mostly actors, who were dissatisfied with the current state of Wellington Theatre (and the Downstage Theatre Co. in particular). Their philosophy was centred on the idea that a co-operative group of people could mount theatre of professional standard themselves, without administration and other overhead of a permanent company, the profits of the show being paid directly to the practitioners.

They took up residence in the old Ilott chambers, at 1 Harris St. The ground floor of the office building was converted into a small "black box" theatre space with an auditorium seating 100 patrons.(see right)

By the 1990s they were a vital force within Wellington Theatre, but it was all too clear that the Harris St premises were in a state of rapidly deteriorating repair and Circa had to look for new premises.

With the opportunity to create a purpose built theatre on a new site at 1 Taranaki St., Grant Tilly, one of the original Circa members, worked as theatre consultant with Ampersand Architects Ltd. An important brief for the new theatre was to maintain the intimate atmosphere of Harris St.

Apart from the historic brick Westport Chambers facade facing the Museum Plaza all new construction is timber.The kite shaped auditorium is a flexible staging space with movable seating units. The walls and floor are plywood and are intended to be screwed into and have scenery fixed to them as appropriate. Several years after the building was first opened a steel lighting grid was installed within the steel girders holding up the roof, 5.000m from the stage floor. There is approx. 2.000 metres clearance here, and technicians can reach all parts of the auditorium at this level.

The main auditorium can seat around 250. The theatre also has a smaller studio space, not unlike the old Harris St venue, seating 100, but with seats fixed in a permanent block

The new theatre opened in November 1994 with a production of ‘Angels in America’. Circa continues to operate under the co-operative system.

PLAN DOWNLOADS - revision date 08/03

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Lower floor

Circa Seats

Main Theatre

Studio

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	Lower Floor A1 - 1:100
	Circa Seats A2 - 1:50
	Main Theatre A2 - 1:100
	Main Theatre A0 - 1:50
	Studio A4 - 1:100
	Studio A2 - 1:50
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