![]() ![]() Our first productions in The Upstairs Theatre were The Loves of Cass Maguire by Brian Friel, the Irish playwright followed by The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter in 1972.įor 22 years the Upstairs Theatre was the home of Townsville Little Theatre. When the Theatre Royal was pulled down to make way for the Townsville International Hotel (now the Holiday Inn), the City Council granted the new group the use of the cellar and top floor of the Arts Centre in Stanley Street, to be converted into an intimate theatre much loved by theatre patrons for many, many years and, aptly named The Upstairs Theatre. Some of the Townsville Little Theatre productions mounted there include: Lola Montez and Tom Jones (with 100 in the cast!). Many Townsvillians trod the boards of the Theatre Royal in such plays as: Bonaventure Johnny Belinda and The Deep Blue Sea. Initially in those early days, the newly formed Townsville Little Theatre performed in the old Theatre Royal. Children’s theatre was also produced in each Christmas holiday in the Arts Centre Theatre.Ī place to call ‘home’. The group increased its scope by producing Music Hall programs in the Civic Theatre and other plays. The Waltz of the Toreadors was our first full-length production. Our first productions as Townsville Little Theatre were two one-act plays La Musica and A Zoo Story, entered in the North Queensland Drama Festival. ![]() Our first productions were put on in the Methodist Centre Hall, Garbutt. So a meeting was called of the three groups and it was agreed to amalgamate The St James Players, The Genesians and The Theatrical Society and to call themselves Townsville Little Theatre. So they got together and staged Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park”.Īround about this time, with two other theatre groups, Townsville Theatrical Society and Townsville Genesians, all looking for directors and casts, and with the new Civic Theatre in the offing and TV beginning, the situation began to get rather desperate. ![]() The City Council suggested that the St James Players and the Stage Door Theatre should put on a joint play to mark its end. In 1969/70 it was learned that the Theatre Royal was to be demolished. ![]()
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