Metro King's Cross 26-30 Orwell Street, Sydney, NSW -1950
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Taken on: December 14, 2021
Uploaded on: January 31, 2023
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Date time: 2023-02-01 09:00:27 +0000
Date time original: 2021-12-14 14:53:00 +0000
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The Minerva Theatre was converted to the Metro Cinema in 1950
The Minerva Theatre was a theatre located in Orwell Street in Kings Cross, Sydney. Originally a live venue, it was converted to the Metro Cinema in 1950, before returning to live shows in 1969. It ceased operating as a theatre in 1979. The Metro Minerva Theatre Action Group (MTAG) formed in 2019 is lobbying for its reinstatement.
History - In 1937, David N Martin, a theatrical publicity and advertising agent, formed a new theatre company named Minerva Centre Ltd to erect two live theatres on opposite sides of Macleay Street, Potts Point. An early design for the Orwell Street site by Bruce Dellit was rejected in favour of a more modest design by cinema specialists Crick & Furse, which opened on 18 May 1939 with a production of Robert Sherwood’s Idiot’s Delight. The site for the other proposed theatre site was acquired by the City of Sydney and is now the Fitzroy Gardens. The site in front of the Minerva facing Macleay Street was developed as the Minerva Cafe and Nightclub, with a vaulted roof.
In May 1941 it was leased by Whitehall Theatrical Productions, an independent production company. They remained in the venue for almost a decade, staging their last show there in April 1950.[citation needed]
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer purchased the building in 1950 and converted to a movie theatre, renaming it the Metro Cinema. Harry M. Miller returned the venue to live theatre in 1969 with a production of the musical Hair.
In 1979 the building was converted to a market. It subsequently became offices for the Kennedy Miller film production company.
In 2019, Kennedy Miller sold the building to the Abacus Group, amidst hopes it might again become a live theatre.
Heritage listed by the City of Sydney including the interior, it was nominated by them to the NSW Heritage Register in 2019.
The Metro Minerva Theatre Action Group (MTAG) was formed in 2019 to lobby and campaign for the reinstatement of the Minerva to a fully functioning theatre - Wikipedia
Contributed by Greg Lynch -
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