From the goldfields to the guitar greats, Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat is ready for a resurgence.
It’s hard to believe that it has been almost two years since the stage was set, the curtains were drawn and the lights illuminated at Ballarat’s 1875 heritage home of arts and entertainment Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat.
With a rich history stemming from the Gold Field days under The Academy of Music title, seeing through the years of silent film, embracing the theatrical, introducing cinema and welcoming in a confetti of commercial tours, school concerts, dance recitals, and conferences, Her Majesty’s Theatre has held its position as the leading arts facility in the sovereign city. Undergoing multiple major renovations throughout its time, Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat has received the royal treatment during the most recent redevelopment. Now it’s ready for a resurgence.
Get ready Ballarat and regional Victoria – Australia’s most well-preserved theatre is ready to reopen its doors, welcoming in a new era of entertainment.
Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat
- When: Reopening 22 November 2024
- Where: 17 Lydiard St S, Ballarat Central VIC 3350
Stay up to date with what’s happening within the region’s art scene here.
The Redevelopment
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Over three stages commencing in 2018, the theatre has undergone a major redevelopment and refurbishment seeing a total investment of $23.6 million allocated to the construction project, $11.6 million of which was funded by the City of Ballarat. The redevelopment went towards the preservation and enhancement of the facilities of the theatre, thereby securing the future of the venue for generations to come.
Stages one and two of the redevelopment included the installation of new steel structural support beams, a complete stage reconstruction, roof restoration and external brick work. The financial input was divided between City of Ballarat who injected $5.3 million into the project and a further $2 million was received from the State Government’s Living Heritage Program.
The final stage of refurbishment got underway in March 2023 and were the most significant to the development, with $10 million from the State Government’s Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund and $6.3 million from the City of Ballarat committed to the project.
The result is monumental for the 149 year old establishment with the final phase of the redevelopment prioritising making the theatre accessible for all, with two internal elevators, an improved front-of-house area, new toilet facilities, a new administration area and improved back-of-house artist amenities among the notable highlights.
The Gala
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With works complete on the stunning theatre site, Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat is gearing up to reopen with a Gala to gather all!
Officially marking the completion of stage three of the project, a spectacular gala event, Resurgence, takes to the stage on the evening of Friday 22 November seeing the stage reactivated by a stunning display of arts, culture, performance and music, and the seats filled of eager entertainment-enthusiasts.
Following a star-studded red carpet arrival from 6.30pm, the Gala’s main entertainment will kick off from 7.30pm with a program bursting with brilliance as curated by Musical Director Sam Boom. The local lineup includes performances from Alice Skye, members of Ballarat Lyric Theatre and BLOC Music Theatre, Coda Chroma, deborahN, Epicure, Jason Wasley, Juan Alban, Owelu Dreamhouse, Rick Chew and Inscape Piano Trio and The Word of Mouth Ensemble from Federation University Arts Academy, Skyscraper Stan, Stella Angelico, plus an extraordinary 27-piece world-class orchestra and a very special Welcome to Country by Wadawurrung woman Dr Deanne Gilson.
Not only does the Gala spotlight the state-of-the-art facility, it highlights the vibrant local music and arts community that continues to thrive in the Ballarat region 149 years later.
The Program
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The Resurgence Gala event marked the start of a stellar program of live entertainment set to unfold in Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat across the coming months with their calendar of events filled with international influencers in the musicscape, world-class illusionists and Australian anthem makers.
The live program kicks off immediately on Saturday 23 November with beloved Australian radio presents, TV personalities, music enthusiasts and podcast hosts Myf Warhurst and Zan Rowe taking over the stage to present their award-winning podcast Bang On! in front of a live audience. A bittersweet one – the event marks the first official event to take place in the revitalised theatre but also marks the final show for the duo before the podcast goes on hiatus.
International superstar, guitar goddess and GRAMMY-Award-winning multi-disciplinary musician St Vincent will be jetting into Ballarat for a special, intimate performance as part of the packed ALWAYS LIVE program. As part of her All Born Screaming Tour and album celebration, Ballarat audiences are in for a treat in St Vincent’s long-awaited Australian return.
Two greats of the Australian music scene will be taking over Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat across the next two months. Pop music darling Marcia Hines will be celebrating her longstanding career with the Still Shining Tour and frontman of Sherbet and legendary ‘Horses’ soloist Daryl Braithwaite will be jumping up in December for his You Won’t Go Home Whistling The Lights national tour.
The current program also boasts death-defying displays from International Magician of the Year Cosentino, a dive into the music of 60’s landmark artists Fleetwood Mac during tribute show, Gypsy – The Australian Fleetwood Mac Story, a slide into the supernatural with Two Psychics and a Medium and acclaimed theatrical presentation, Vandemonian Lags: New Songs from the Prison Without Walls.
Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat is back in a BIG way! Purchase tickets to the special Resurgence Gala event here, and explore the full program here.
