The redevelopment of the 40-year-old theatre complex will be crowned by a new lyric theatre comparable in size to Sydney’s Theatre Royal,the new performing arts venue in Brisbane,Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide and Melbourne’s Princess Theatre.
The existing 760-seat Riverside Playhouse Theatre is to be refurbished and a new 420-seat black box theatre and rehearsal spaces built over the existing car park. But patrons must wait until 2025 before work begins,with doors to open in early 2028.
Theatre producer Rodney Rigby said:“Right now in my pipeline,as of today,I have three musicals that could play here in Parramatta,but there is no venue to accommodate them. The building of this theatre will allow producers like me to play shows after 2028.”
The winning design by Cox Architecture,3XN Architects,Aileen Sage,Turf Design studio and Bangawarra was selected from a shortlist of five architectural teams.
The handsome timber ribbed back building embraces the Parramatta River,and enhances public spaces providing a cafe,bar,cycleway and riverside community spaces. A different timber species is used in each of the four performance spaces. A rammed earth wall anchors the foyer space.
Cox’s design director Joe Agius said each space told a “a different story through the use of timber – a story of country and the story of place”.