The Civic Isoneof the Few Remaining Intact Atmospheric Theatres in the for Patrons Attending the ‘Talkies’

Thomas O’Brien entertainment symbolising theprogressive spiritof our beautifulcity.” fellow citizens theconsummation of anideal–thecreating of aplace of to thosewhohave toiledwithmeinthisgreat endeavour, Ipresent tomy “With supreme confidence inthefuture of Auckland, andwithgratitude and a favourite place to visit for live entertainment andfilm. treasures architectural Auckland’s world, andiswidely regardedof asone Today, The Civic isoneof the few remaining intact atmospheric theatres in the for patrons attending the ‘talkies’. The Civic openedin1929asapicture palace, a truly glamorous experience CREATOR,CIVIC THE and international live productions. Nederlands Dans Theater, The Illusionists, the Royal New Zealand Ballet andmany local CATS andPriscilla Queen of the Desert. Audiences have flocked toalsoexperience including Jersey Boys, Mary Poppins, WICKED, MammaMia!, Phantom of the Opera, Someof the world’s major award-winning musicalshave hadseasonsat The Civic Brooke Fraser andStan Walker. Sam Neill. Local musicianshave included Don McGlashan, Hollie Smith, Bic Runga, Michael Hurst, Morgana O’Reilly, Antony Starr, Ian Mune, Lucy Lawless, Rhys Darby and Astar-studded roster of New Zealand actorshave alsograced The Civic stageincluding 1966, the ninesongsetconcluding with(ICan’t Get No) Satisfaction. many don’tknow, is that The Rolling Stones played two shows at The Civic on1March Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Jethro Tull, Erykah Badu, Sufjan Stevens andmany more. What The Civic hasbeenapopular musicvenue withshows by international actssuchas Joan Collins, Julie Andrews and the Dalai Lama to namea few. Charlton Heston, Bob Hope, Eleanor Roosevelt, FieldMarshallBernard Montgomery Over the years The Civic hasbeenvisited by many celebrities, includingBette Davis, resurfaced in theatre again. a bankrupted Thomas O’Brien fled to Australia, andnever Williamson FilmsLtd took over the housemanagement and and within two years itwas insevere financialdifficulties. The openingof The Civic coincided with the Great Depression a domedbluesky with twinkling starsandfloatingclouds. panther statuesandasoft-top ceiling whichgives the effect of courtyard turrets, minarets, spires, tiled roofs, Abyssinian and domedceilings. The mainauditorium features Spanish in the public foyer includingseatedBuddhas, twisted columns O’Brien chooseanEastern theme, withIndian-inspired motifs have cost £200,000. upon anexceedingly lavish scale.” The project isestimated to furnishings modelledon the latestpractice abroad provided would be the “largest in the Dominion (with) equipment and of the landandcommissioned the designof anewbuilding that Enterprising entrepreneur Thomas O’Brien secured the lease scheduled asaCategory Ahistoricbuilding. cinema, andisoneof the finestexamples worldwide. It is The Civic was builtinjusteight months asanatmospheric Restoration other events. Now itis the homeof musicalsaswell ashosting theatre, concerts andmany restoration whichincluded the additionof the stageandbackstageareas. on its70thbirthday, 20December 1999, following acomprehensive two year After a tumultuous history and the threat of demolition, The Civic reopened army of specialistsduring the refurbishment of the theatre. recreation of the 1929original,crafted from a2,000-piece patternby an The flamingocurtain–used for specialoccasions –isalovingly embroidered April at10pmevery year. the night sky sequence ison,you’ll see the Auckland sky asit appearson20 are now 1,000purpose-designedfibre optic lightheads. If you lookupwhen tiny lightbulbs in1929(imaginehaving the jobof changing the lightbulbs!) The starsin The Civc auditorium’s famous night sky, whichwas created with The Early Days

Notable Visitors

Fever of the Fleet

The Civic American servicemen. the Fleet’ becauseof her popularity with the In her heyday, Freda was nicknamed‘Fever of being akey witnessinamurder trial. Freda andher lovers, whichincludedher number of scandalsandrumoursaround and covering of goldpaint! There are a dancing wearing only aheadpiece, aG-string was Freda Stark, whowon notoriety by The most famous of The Civic personalities with relief from the anxietiesof war. and women, The Civic was closely associated entire generation of Aucklanders, servicemen popular duringWorld War II andso, for an The Civic cinemaandcabaret were especially #thecivic |@aucklandlive Peter Jackson wait toseewhenKong justtrashes theplace!” or doanything todamageit....All thetimeIwas thinking,Ican’t a place thatisvery precious andwe were careful nottoscratch it “The irony isthatwe were socareful with The Civic.Obviously it’s smashes up the place. chained Kong isrevealed to the audience, getsstage fright, and the Alhambra Theatre onBroadway, New York City, where the the only non-computer generated partsof the set.It doubledas For Peter Jackson’s 2005movie, KingKong, The Civic was oneof were three Minis parked in the foyer. In 1997, at the premiere of Rowan Atkinson’s movie Bean there long-running movie was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 1960s, In the New Zealand International FilmFestival. Each year in July, The Civic becomes aniconic destination for DIRECTOR The Soundof Music ran for 18months andanother

Film History the 01

“The creating of a 03 place of entertainment symbolising the progressive spirit of

our beautiful city.” 01 Jean Kim (2016) Abyssinian Panther The Civic Thomas O’Brien 02 Unknown (2011) Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horrors New Zealand International Film Festival with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra

03 Unknown (1946) Navy Blues

04 Sacha Stejko (2016) The Civic Buddha

05 Sacha Stejko (2016) The Civic Foyer