Eternity Playhouse
Burton Street Tabernacle transformed
The Burton Street Tabernacle, on the corner of Burton and Palmer Streets, Darlinghurst, is being converted into Eternity Playhouse, a 200-seat theatre and creative arts centre with a gallery, bar and café.
Work started at the end of 2011 and includes:
- Developing the basement level into a theatre box office, café and bar
- Preserving heritage features while making the building more sustainable through energy efficient lighting, solar roofing, and rainwater collection and reuse
- Creating a new backstage area, dressing rooms, performers facilities and offices
- Installing new stairs, lift and foyer to improve accessibility.
The Tabernacle is earmarked to become the new home of a local community theatre and host a range of performances, classes, exhibitions and events. This important project is part of our plans to develop the Oxford Street Cultural Quarter which will support artists and designers to develop their practices.
Once completed, the theatre will be leased to the Darlinghurst Theatre Company, a community organisation embracing and nurturing emerging artists, including people who are homeless.
The Tabernacle was reportedly the source of inspiration for Arthur Stace, who famously scribed ‘Eternity’ on Sydney streets and landmark buildings over a period of 35 years.
Council resolved to rename the Tabernacle Eternity Playhouse at its meeting on 5 December 2011. The story of Arthur Stace chalking “Eternity” in Sydney streets is well loved, and the image of his script is iconic. It was hugely popular when used on the Harbour Bridge during for the New Year’s Eve celebrations in 1999.
Replicating the script in signs for the new theatre will look stunning and mark the building’s adaptive reuse as a new theatre and new cultural destination for Sydney.
Contacts
Samantha Carroll
Project Manager 02 9265 9333scarroll@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.auLast updated: Wednesday, 17 April 2013