Napier Municipal Theatre

The Napier Municipal Theatre is Napier's main performing arts venue, at 119 Tennyson Street in the city centre. Napier City Council owns and operates it. The theatre pairs Art Deco architecture with modern theatre facilities, and hosts touring and local productions as well as conferences, presentations and functions.

Spaces and capacities

• Theatre – 985 seats over two levels: 662 in the Stalls and 323 in the Circle. It has an orchestra pit, full staging, lighting and rigging, and backstage access.
• Pan Pac Foyer – a circular foyer for functions, exhibitions and conference breakouts, with full bar service. It seats 200 theatre-style or 80 banquet-style.
• Westpac Meeting Room – a smaller room with a projector, screen and kitchenette, for meetings, workshops and small conferences.

The theatre also has two regularly serviced pianos: a Steinway Model D concert grand, bought in 2002 through local fundraising, and a Yamaha upright.

Meeting and event capability

The venue offers:

• Full bar and catering facilities
• A dedicated events team
• In-house technicians covering audio, lighting, theatre rigging and stage equipment
• Technical specifications and a seating plan online for planners
• Marketing support for hirers promoting to Hawke's Bay audiences

With a large auditorium and a separate foyer function space, the theatre can host a plenary session followed by a reception or dinner in the same building.

History

The original Municipal Theatre opened in 1912. Australian architect William Pitt designed it in the Italian Renaissance style. The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake destroyed it. A rebuilt 1,154-seat theatre opened on 3 June 1938. The theatre was redeveloped in two stages from 1992, led by local architect Guy K. Natusch, adding modern facilities while keeping the Art Deco character.

The Napier Municipal Theatre suits conferences, award ceremonies, product launches and performances that need a large, fully equipped auditorium in central Art Deco Napier.