State Theatre

The Lyric Theatre was one of Auckland’s early cinemas which opened in 1911. It was a picture palace which had Auckland’s first ‘blinking’ electric sign on the building. It had a ladies orchestra to accompany the silent films. Seating was provided in stalls and circle levels. In 1931 it was taken over by the Kerridge Theatres chain and was renamed State Theatre. It was closed in 1960 and was sold, with a proviso that it could not be used to screen films for 10 years.

It became a Chinese Community Centre known as the Oriental Ballroom. In 1972 it reopened as the State Theatre screening action films on Sunday evenings, possibly using the seating in the circle, as the stalls had been leveled for dancing. It became a skating rink and was closed and demolished in 1983.

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robboehm on August 24, 2026 at 2:58 am

Located at 160-162 Symonds Street the Lyric opened in 1911. Of the 1,400 seats only those in the upper circle were upholstered.

The premiere of New Zealand’s first dramatic film, Hinemia, was here.

A provision in the sale of the theatre by Kerridge-Odeon was that it could not be used for commercial exhibition of films for 10 years.

As the Oriental Ballroom dances were presented twice each week featuring well know orchestras.

After serving as a skating rink, it was abandoned and demolished in 1983.

I have uploaded photos as the Lyric and the Chinese Hall.

Multiple venues in Auckland have been known as the State. There is currently one other on CT.