Plaza Theatre

Situated in Ohakune (more specifically Ohakune Junction, near the railroad station) at the southern end of Tongariro National Park, in the North Island, it is thought that the Plaza Theatre opened around 1930 (it was certainly open by then – see the separate Cinema Treasures entry for the Kings Theatre, Okahune – and was equipped for the ‘talkies’, with the Simplex projectors having Tui soundheads).

It was a large wooden building, built across a stream with a culvert under the flooring. The beams across the roof, milled in the town, were said to be the longest, at that time, to be produced in the country. There were 280 seats in the stalls, and 50 in the circle. It was operated by Harry Thompson, and then, after his death in September 1947, by his widow, Emily. (They who also owned the Kings Theatre, Ohakune and the Royal Theatre, Raetihi: see separate Cinema Treasures entries.)

In the 1950’s CinemaScope was installed. Presumably this resulted in a reduced seating capacity, but I have been unable to confirm this.

The Plaza Theatre closed on 14th January 1967 with “Shenandoah”, starring James Stewart.

The extensive wooden balcony, around two sides of the building, was presumably added after it closed as a cinema. At some time, it was home to the Hot Lava nightclub, but it was disused when I visited the town in November 2024.

(With grateful thanks to Bruce Thompson, who gave me access to his book “Do Not Put Your Feet on Heaters”, which chronicles his family’s cinema history.)

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