Refurbishing the Playhouse

The Playhouse Theatre is nearly 150 years old and badly needs a full refurbishment to endure for the long-term.

The Repertory Society has been working on plans to upgrade it since 2021, with lots of professional help and community consultation along the way. We have some great designs drafted that would make the theatre warmer, drier, safer, more accessible - not only for the Children's Theatre but for a much wider range of performing arts endeavours.

In 2025, the Dunedin City Council approved a grant of $3.35 million towards our refurbishment project! We were humbled at the support the community showed for the Playhouse through their submissions to Council, and delighted in Council's unanimous decision to provide cornerstone funding.

Council also gave the community a challenge - come up with the remaining $2.44m.

Through this project, the city has an opportunity to lay foundations for a new era of performing arts and theatre in Ōtepoti Dunedin.

We would love your support for this once-in-a-generation project. Our fundraising team would love to discuss larger donation or sponsorship enquiries with you - please contact playhousedunedin@gmail.com to be put in touch with our Fundraising Leads. We would also love any donation you can afford to give through our Givealittle page. Every dollar truly will help.

You can also support us by coming to see our shows, telling your friends about us, and helping spread the word about our project.

PROJECT HISTORY

In 2021 the Dunedin Repertory Society (the building owners) commissioned a feasibility study looking at what a refurbishment would involve, how much it might cost, and whether was needed by the community. The study found strong support for the Playhouse, both for the role our Children's Theatre plays in the community, and as a uniquely sized theatre within the city.

The feasibility study included concept sketches of a design to demolish our 1960s extension (the stage and backstage areas), and rebuild it bigger and better - which would allow the front part of our main building to be reconfigured for much improved accessibility and circulation space. Our auditorium and large social space above would be retained, strengthened and improved, and special attention would be paid to preserving the building's character and heritage. The theatre would be fitted out with new technology too.

In 2022 we joined up with fellow venues the Athenaeum Building and the Mayfair Theatre to explore a concept for refurbishing all three venues in sequence. Our "theatre network" approach was a collaborative solution to the city's struggle for fit-for-purpose performing arts venues, with the added advantage of saving three heritage buildings across the north, centre and south of the city, and supporting the amazing activities already going on inside those buildings. Over 2022 to 2024 we produced three reports outlining the value of this project to the city:

Stage 1: Concept for Discussion (2022)

Stage 2: In More Detail (2023)

Stage 3: With Costed Concept Designs (2024).

The costed concept drawings, engineering plans and QS estimates for the Playhouse project that were done in 2024 are provided below:

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Thank you for your support - let's ensure we can keep this treasure going for many years to come!