Embassy Theatre
10 Kent Terrace,
Wellington
10 Kent Terrace,
Wellington
6 people
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Opened October 31, 1924 as the 1749-seat Deluxe, the Embassy is believed to have one of the largest screens in the Southern Hemisphere. Its exterior is stripped classical, and the interior is classic Greek Revival hardtop. The lobbies are mosaic floor, and the theater contains a Sicilian white marble staircase, blue tiled walls, and bronze fittings.
The original screen and proscenium is hidden but preserved behind an enormous 70mm screen and proscenium installed in 1965. The downstairs is closed but not damaged, reducing seating to 852. Renovation revealed original paintings hidden behind 1960s false ceiling. Work was completed on December 19 2001 for the premiere of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings.
Contributed by
Alistair Stewart
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
This is the official site for the Trust that owns the building. Lots more pictures here.
http://www.theembassytheatretrust.org.nz/
I am trying to see if I got this right. When 70mm was installed the screen was hung high and the orchestra was not used? Then they built two new cinemas under the balcony?
This lovely theatre is protected by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust with a Grade 1 listing.
A recent exterior photograph of the Embassy Theatre with a “Lord of the Rings” ‘extra’:
View link
Here is a photo of the Embassy Theater. I hope they caught the guy trying to sneak in through the roof. LOL
This is an interior view of the Embassy Theater.
Another photo of the Embassy Theater can be seen here.
Now operated by Sky City Cinemas, still only one screen.
More historical information and photos on the Embassy here:
View link
Just to correct the info given above, the 70mm screen and proscenium was installed in 1960 not 1965.
The first 70mm film shown was “Porgy and Bess”.