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On 15 September 2015, the Empire Theatre in Bowral, NSW, (see images at foot of previous page) celebrated its centenary, the oldest regional
cinema in Australia. Located in the main street of Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands, the Empire opened as a two-level cinema seating 946.
It was also used regularly for other community and social functions. On nights when films were not being screened, the seating was removed to allow
the theatre to be used as a roller skating rink. The Empire was also the venue for the civic farewell to cricketer, Don Bradman, when leaving on his
1930 Ashes tour. Talkies arrived in the 1930s, and Cinemascope in the mid 1950s. Many changes took place during its life. The stalls area was
converted to shops and offices, and a new 350 seat cinema was created in the former dress circle. With the arrival of colour television in 1976,
declining audiences caused closure of the cinema for a period in 1979. In 1993, the Empire was converted into a twin cinema with total seating
capacity of 341. In 2005, two more cinemas were added, bringing total seating capacity to 550, but a further refurbishment to Cinema 1 in June 2010
slightly reduced the total seating capacity to 513. In both 2003 and 2015, the Empire was awarded Best Independent Regional Cinema.

The St. James Theatre, Wellington, NZ. The St. James Theatre today.
The St. James Theatre at 77-81 Courtenay Place, Wellington, New Zealand was originally built for John Fuller & Sons Ltd in 1912 after the first
Her Majesty's was condemned and demolished. The new theatre was designed by noted theatre Architect, Henry E. White, as a 3-level auditorium
of steel construction in a Rococo Louis XV style. It seated a total of 2355 over the three levels. Films initially screened until 15 September 1913,
then hosted live performances until theatre was wired for sound in 1930, having been redecorated and reseated in around January 1929. “Talkies”
commenced on 8 February 1930. The theatre was renamed the St. James on 3 May 1930. Fullers controlled the theatre until 1945, when the
Kerridge-Odeon chain took over. It still was utilised for live shows as well as film, even under the Kerridge-Odeon control after 1945. The theatre
was listed as Category 1 Heritage on 17 June 1985 when purchased by Amalgamated Theatres in that year. The last film screening took place on 7
May 1987. Following a public outcry, the theatre was saved from demolition by the Chase Corporation, was purchased by the Wellington City
Council in September 1993 and, following a $17-22 million sympathetic restoration/rebuild/extension in 1995-'97, it became a “live” show and
festival centre, controlled by the City Council in association with other bodies and sponsors. The St. James had a facade restoration in 2007.
Earthquake strengthening works commenced in April 2018, with a reopening planned for 2019.

The Princess Theatre, Spring Street, Melbourne c. 1910. The Princess Theatre today.
In 1854, Melbourne’s Princess Theatre in Spring Street originally opened as Astley's (Royal) Amphitheatre, a circus and equestrian centre. In
1857, it was renamed as the Princess Theatre, only to be demolished and replaced by the present Princess Theatre building in 1886. Built over
eight months in 1886, the 3-level auditorium was lit by electricity, and ventilated through a central sliding section of the ceiling dome, rising to a
sliding segment of roof. The original exhibitors were Williamson, Garner & Musgrove from 1886-1915. The open terraces were enclosed in leaded
glass in 1901, but the Italian Renaissance style with French overtone exterior is still almost intact today. The Fuller Bros. purchased the theatre in
1915 and, in 1922, entered into a partnership with H. Ward to undertake the auditorium rebuild in order to eliminate the columns. On 26 December
1922, after the interior refurbishment to a design by Henry E. White, the Princess re-opened. In 1929, Fuller’s leased the theatre to Union Theatres
for "talkies". The lease then passed to F.W. Thring Snr for musical comedies as well as for screening of his Efftee films. After WW 2, the Princess
returned to “live” theatre. Garnet H. Carroll took over from 1951-1986. Thereafter, the theatre was occasionally used as cinema (e.g. West Side Story
in 1960.) Marriner Theatres/Princess Theatre Holdings assumed control in 1986. In 1990, there was a major stage rebuild, including a new flytower,
with the remainder of the theatre being refurbished and restored to design by Architects, Axia and Greenhatch in association with Allan Lovell and
Associates. The new Princess re-opened with the hit musical Les Miserables. In 2018, new seating and air conditioning was installed and the facade
restored.

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