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Gisborne New Unity Theatre
The Gisborne Unity Theatre's new home in Derby Street was officially opened recently by Mr A. M. Singer, acting on behalf of his father, Dr A. L. Singer, the Unity Theatre's patron, who was Indisposed at the time of the ceremony.
The theatre, which will fill a long-awaited gap in Gisborne dramatic circles by providing a place in which smaller-scale plays can be produced, was constructed by extensively renovating a house. The result is a compact little theatre, with a cosy auditorium seating up to 100 people, and an adequate stage for one-set plays.
Such was the enthusiasm of the Unity Theatre group, that they were rehearsing for forthcoming plays in the building while it was still uncompleted, and actually staged a play for four nights in their new home more than a week before it was officially declared open.
A capacity house watching a scene from "The House by the Lake" on the first night the theatre was used. Players on stage are: Bruce McMillan, Derek Bird, Leone Small, and Margaret Crawforth
A portion of the audience enjoying the play. Following complaints by patrons of poor viewing, the seats were raised on wooden rostrums rising to the back
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The official party at the opening ceremony were, from left: Mr G. E. Law (president), Mrs H. H. Barker, Mr R. C. Parker (chairman of Cook County), Mrs A. L. Singer (wife of patron), Mr A. M. Singer (on behalf of his father, the patron), Mrs E. I. Tombleson M.P., the Mayor, Mr H. H. Barker, and Mrs F. T. Swindell (vice president).
Muriel Jones and her husband, Duff Jones, preparing scenery for the opening play
Producer of the play, Mrs Bae Skyrme, making up her husband, Harold Skyrme, in the theatre's new dressing rooms.
Surrounded by carpenters' tressels and equipment, players in "To Dorothy a Son" rehearse their parts in the uncompleted auditorium. They are: Muriel Swindell (producer), Gwen Hayes, Diane Cooper, and Kevin Cull.
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, Mrs H. H. Barker, Mr R. C. Parker (chairman of Cook County), Mrs A. L. Singer (wife of patron), Mr A. M. Singer (on behalf of his father, the patron), Mrs E. I. Tombleson M.P., the Mayor, Mr H. H. Barker, and Mrs F. T. Swindell (vice president).\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 97 : July 12, 1962'); void 0){kind=link}
, Mrs H. H. Barker, Mr R. C. Parker (chairman of Cook County), Mrs A. L. Singer (wife of patron), Mr A. M. Singer (on behalf of his father, the patron), Mrs E. I. Tombleson M.P., the Mayor, Mr H. H. Barker, and Mrs F. T. Swindell (vice president).\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 97 : July 12, 1962'); void 0){kind=link}
, Mrs H. H. Barker, Mr R. C. Parker (chairman of Cook County), Mrs A. L. Singer (wife of patron), Mr A. M. Singer (on behalf of his father, the patron), Mrs E. I. Tombleson M.P., the Mayor, Mr H. H. Barker, and Mrs F. T. Swindell (vice president).\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 97 : July 12, 1962'); void 0){kind=link}
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![](javascript: window.photonews.share.email('GPN97_19620712_037d.jpg', 'Gisborne Photo News - No 97 : July 12, 1962', 'Surrounded by carpenters tressels and equipment, players in "To Dorothy a Son" rehearse their parts in the uncompleted auditorium. They are: Muriel Swindell (producer), Gwen Hayes, Diane Cooper, and Kevin Cull.\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 97 : July 12, 1962'); void 0){kind=link}