This is a list of theatres in Melbourne in Victoria, Australia.

Melbourne City Centre

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The Melbourne City Centre has two distinct areas with concentrations of theatres: the East End,[1] situated in the Hoddle Grid, which contains many of Melbourne's historic theatres; and Southbank, which is home to the more contemporary venues of the Melbourne Arts Precinct.

East End, Hoddle Grid

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Name Address Opened Seats Use Notes Image
Athenaeum Theatre 188 Collins Street 1927 880 theatre, comedy Former hall remodelled as theatre in 1927[2]  
Capitol Theatre 113 Swanston Street 1924 600 films, comedy, talks, theatre Cinema purchased by RMIT in 1999[3]  
Comedy Theatre 240 Exhibition Street 1928 997 theatre, comedy Replaced one of Melbourne's earliest theatres, the Olympic Theatre[4]  
Deakin Edge Federation Square 2003 269–450 live music, events, talks
Forum Theatre 154 Flinders Street 1929 1,320 live music, comedy Downstairs Auditorium seats 800, Upstairs Auditorium seats 520[5]  
Her Majesty's Theatre 219 Exhibition Street 1886 1,700 theatre, opera Opened as the Alexandra Theatre[6]  
Melbourne Town Hall 100 Swanston Street 1887 1,990 theatre, live music Main Auditorium was rebuilt and enlarged in 1925[7]  
Princess Theatre 163 Spring Street 1857 1,488 theatre, comedy Opened as Astley's Amphitheatre in 1854, renovated as the Princess Theatre in 1857[8]  
Regent Theatre 191 Collins Street 1929 2,143 theatre, opera Former cinema reopened as a theatre in 1996[9]  

Arts Precinct, Southbank

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Name Address Opened Seats Use Notes
Beckett Theatre, Coopers Malthouse 113 Sturt Street 1990 198 theatre Converted from a brewery built in 1892[10]
Chunky Move Studio 111 Sturt Street 2002 144 dance Part of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art[11]
Fairfax Studio 100 St Kilda Road 1984 376 theatre Part of the Theatres Building of the Arts Centre Melbourne[12]
Hamer Hall 100 St Kilda Road 1982 2,466 live music, comedy, theatre Part of Arts Centre Melbourne.[13]
Hanson Dyer Hall 43 Sturt Street 2019 400 live music Ian Potter Southbank Centre, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
Iwaki Auditorium 120–130 Southbank Boulevard 1994 350 live music, events Part of the ABC's Southbank Centre[14]
The Lawler, Southbank Theatre 140 Southbank Boulevard 2009 150 theatre Home of the Melbourne Theatre Company[15]
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall 31 Sturt Street (cnr Southbank Boulevard) 2009 1,000 live music Melbourne Recital Centre[16]
Merlyn Theatre, Coopers Malthouse 113 Sturt Street 1990 512 theatre Converted from a brewery built in 1892[10]
The Palms at Crown 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank 1997 800 live music, comedy, theatre Casino showroom[17]
Primrose Potter Salon 31 Sturt Street (cnr Southbank Boulevard) 2009 136 live music Melbourne Recital Centre[16]
Federation Hall 234 St Kilda Road 221 live music, cinema Part of the Victorian College of the Arts[18]
Playhouse 100 St Kilda Road 1984 884 theatre Part of the Theatres Building of the Arts Centre Melbourne[19]
Sidney Myer Music Bowl Kings Domain, St Kilda Road 1959 2,030 live music Lawned area can hold an additional 10,000 patrons[20]
State Theatre 100 St Kilda Road 1984 2,085 theatre, opera, live music Part of the Theatres Building of the Arts Centre Melbourne[21]
The Sumner, Southbank Theatre 140 Southbank Boulevard 2009 550 theatre Home of the Melbourne Theatre Company[22]
Tower Theatre, Coopers Malthouse 113 Sturt Street 2005 99 theatre Converted from a brewery built in 1892[10]
Plenary Hall, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf 2009 5541 theatre, live music Can be divided into three smaller theatres[23]

Independent/fringe

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Notable venues for independent or fringe theatre in the Melbourne City Centre.

Name Address Opened Seats Use Notes
Athenaeum Theatre 2 188 Collins Street 1979 comedy, theatre Upstairs studio theatre at the Melbourne Athenaeum
The Butterfly Club 5 Carson Place 1999 76 cabaret, theatre, comedy
fortyfivedownstairs 45 Flinders Lane 2002 120 theatre, live music

Inner-Melbourne

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Name Address Opened Seats Use Notes
Alex Theatre St Kilda Level 1, 135 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda 2015 499 theatre, comedy Theatre 1 with 499 seats and Theatre 2 with 291 seats[24]
Brunswick Mechanics Institute 270 Sydney Road, Brunswick 1999 112 theatre
Chapel Off Chapel 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran 1995 255 theatre
Dancehouse 150 Princes St, Carlton North 1992 104 dance
Festival Hall 300 Dudley Street 1919 1,741 live music Up to 5,445 capacity standing
Footscray Community Arts Centre 45 Moreland Street, Footscray 174 theatre, music, events
Gasworks Arts Park 21 Graham Street, Albert Park 1992 192 theatre
La Mama Theatre 205 Faraday Street, Carlton 1967 40 theatre [25]
La Mama Courthouse 349 Drummond Street, Carlton 1987 90 theatre Former Carlton Courthouse built in 1887
Meat Market 5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne 1880 theatre, dance, live art Part of Arts House
Melba Hall Royal Parade, Parkville 1913 340 Music
Melba Spiegeltent 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood circus, cabaret
National Theatre cnr Barkly & Carlisle Streets, St Kilda 1972 783 theatre, dance Originally opened as the Victory Cinema in 1921[26]
Northcote Town Hall 189 High Street, Northcote 350 theatre [27]
North Melbourne Town Hall 521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne theatre, dance, live art Part of Arts House
Palais Theatre Lower Esplanade, St Kilda 1927 2,896 theatre, comedy, live music Largest seated theatre in Australia[28]
The Plenary, MCEC South Wharf 2009 5,540 live music, dance, events Also configurations seating 1,482, 1,484 and 2,468
Red Stitch Actors Theatre Rear, 2 Chapel Street, St Kilda East 80 theatre
Richmond Theatrette 415 Church Street, Richmond 80–120 theatre
Theatre Works 14 Acland Street, St Kilda 1985 144 theatre [29]
Thornbury Theatre 859 High Street, Thornbury theatre
Trades Hall 54 Victoria Street, Carlton 340

Suburban

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Name Address Seats Use Notes
Frankston Arts Centre 27-37 Davey Street, Frankston 800 theatre, events, live music Houses Victoria's second largest proscenium arch
The Bowery Theatre at St Albans Community Centre Princess Street, St Albans 202 theatre, dance, live music, events
Clocktower Centre 750 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds 503-545 theatre, conferences, events [30]
Whitehorse Centre Rear of, 379-397 Whitehorse Road, Nunawading 408 theatre, live music [31]
Karralyka Theatre Mines Road, Ringwood 430 theatre, live music [32]
Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre Cnr Bell Street & St Georges Road, Preston 385 theatre, events [33]
Wydnham Cultural Centre 177 Watton Street, Werribee 477 theatre, dance, live music [34]
Drum Theatre Lonsdale Street & Walker Street, Dandenong 521 theatre, dance, live music [35]
Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre 35 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang 497 theatre, events [36]
Robert Blackwood Hall 49 Scenic Boulevard, Clayton 1598 live music, events Part of Monash University's Clayton campus [37]
Alexander Theatre 49 Scenic Boulevard, Clayton 586 theatre, live music, dance [38]
George Wood Performing Arts Centre Yarra Valley Grammar School, Kalinda Road, Ringwood 895 live music, events, dance [39]
George Jenkins Theatre McMahons Road, Frankston 426 theatre, dance, conferences Part of Monash University's Peninsula campus [40]
Bunjil Place Theatre 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren 846 theatre, events, live music [41]
Bunjil Place Studio 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren 200 theatre, events [42]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Melbourne celebrates newly named East End Theatre District Archived 21 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine, TheatrePeople. Retrieved 19 August 2014
  2. ^ Athenaeum Theatre. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  3. ^ Capitol Theatre Archived 7 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Retrieved 17 February 2014
  4. ^ Comedy Theatre Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Marriner Group. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  5. ^ Forum Theatre, Marriner Group. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  6. ^ Her Majesty's Theatre. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  7. ^ Melbourne Town Hall, Epicure Catering. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  8. ^ Princess Theatre Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Marriner Group. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  9. ^ Regent Theatre Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Marriner Group. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  10. ^ a b c Malthouse Theatre. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  11. ^ "Chunky Move Studios Technical Specifications" (PDF). Chunky Move. 30 September 2017.
  12. ^ Fairfax Studio. Arts Centre Melbourne. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  13. ^ Hamer Hall. Arts Centre Melbourne. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  14. ^ Iwaki Auditorium, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  15. ^ The Lawler – Melbourne Theatre Company. Retrieved 20 May 2014
  16. ^ a b Melbourne Recital Centre. Retrieved 20 December 2017
  17. ^ "The Palms at Crown".
  18. ^ "Facilities — Victorian College of the Arts". vca.unimelb.edu.au. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  19. ^ Playhouse. Arts Centre Melbourne. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  20. ^ Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Arts Centre Melbourne. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  21. ^ State Theatre. Arts Centre Melbourne. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  22. ^ The Sumner – Melbourne Theatre Company. Retrieved 20 May 2014
  23. ^ Plenary Hall Retrieved 20 April 2019
  24. ^ "Introducing the Alex Theatre St Kilda". 12 November 2014.
  25. ^ La Mama Theatre. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  26. ^ National Theatre. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  27. ^ Hall, corporateName=Northcote Town. "Northcote Town Hall Homepage". www.northcotetownhall.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  28. ^ Palais Theatre Archived 21 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 February 2014
  29. ^ Theatre Works. Retrieved 20 May 2014
  30. ^ "The Clocktower Centre - The Clocktower Centre, Melbourne Australia". www.clocktowercentre.com.au. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  31. ^ "Whitehorse Centre - Theatre Hire". www.whitehorsecentre.com.au. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  32. ^ "Karralyka Theatre". www.karralyka.com.au. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  33. ^ "Darebin Arts Entertainment Centre". www.darebinartscentre.com.au. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  34. ^ "Venue Hire - Cultural Centre".
  35. ^ "The Drum". www.drumtheatre.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017.
  36. ^ "Theatre Hire - Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre". www.pracc.com.au. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  37. ^ "Robert Blackwood Hall - Monash Academy of Performing Arts". Monash Academy of Performing Arts. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  38. ^ "Alexander Theatre - Monash Academy of Performing Arts". Monash Academy of Performing Arts. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  39. ^ "George Wood Performing Arts Centre Venue Specs". 103.36.5.234. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  40. ^ "George Jenkins Theatre - Monash Academy of Performing Arts". Monash Academy of Performing Arts. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  41. ^ "Bunjil Place Theatre". www.bunjilplace.com.au. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  42. ^ "Bunjil Place Studio". www.bunjilplace.com.au. Retrieved 27 July 2022.