#minervatheatre

[sydneynews]

The opening night of Minerva Theatre, Potts Point, 18th May 1939. Photo: Sam Hood.

[sydneyhidden]

Kings Cross was once crammed with theatres and cinemas. A surviving relic is the Art Deco Metro building, located on Orwell Street in Potts Point. Designed by Bruce Dellit in 1937, construction took one-year and the theatre opened in 1939. Previously known as the Minerva Theatre, it was part of a live entertainment complex called the Minerva Centre. This consisted of the Minerva Theatre, The Minerva Cafe and Nightclub (later the 2KY radio studios) and Metro Chambers, an office and apartment building. They were all designed to sit harmoniously on blocks of land fronted by Macleay Street and continuing down Orwell Street. In the 1960s it was the venue for the musical Hair. The musical opened in 1969 and had six African Americans in its cast including singer Marcia Hines, who was 16. The production ran until 1971 despite initial fears it would be censored or shut down. Greater Union bought the building in the 1970s and continued live performances with occasional film screenings. In 1979, the building was sold to become a supermarket and was stripped of its fittings. The supermarket failed in the early 1980s. The building remained empty until it was bought in 1982 and was converted into a soundstage and recording facility. It has been restored and is the headquarters of Kennedy Miller, makers of the Mad Max, Happy Feet and Babe movies. While you can no longer see films at the Metro, the building has been featured in various films and music videos #hiddensydney #PottsPoint #KingsCross #EastSydney #MetroTheatre #MinervaTheatre #OrwellStreet #theatre #ArtDeco #architecture #live #entertainment #cafe #nightclub #musical #hair #production #fears #controversial #censored #performances #restored #headquarters #films #movies (at 24 Orwell Street)