Less queues for loos as new Glasshouse Theatre declared ready to go
The completion of the Glasshouse Theatre makes QPAC the largest performing arts centre under one roof in Australia – and there’s good news on the queues for the loos.
One of the big attractions of QPAC’s new Glasshouse Theatre is a boost in the number of ladies loos. More details on that important innovation later in the week.
Ok, there is plenty else to celebrate but it’s quite a plus that those lengthy ladies loo queues will be greatly reduced.
You’ll be able to see for yourself soon because ahead of opening night of the first production to grace the new stage – Queensland Ballet’s massive Messa da Requiem – QPAC will be holding a community day so everyone can have a sticky beak at a public facility that is several years late (they’ve been building it since 2020) and way over budget costing more than $150 million.
Is it worth it? You will have an opportunity to form an opinion soon, because construction of the theatre is now officially finished and early Monday morning (today) Queensland Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek Minister announced that the doors to the architectural marvel and state-of-the-art venue would open to the public for the free Community Day on Saturday, March 7. From 9am to 4.30pm on that day visitors will be invited to explore Australia’s newest theatre, with a limited number of guided tours also on offer.
Audiences will also be treated to pop-up performances and the Glasshouse Theatre’s two bars will be open and, hopefully, so will the loos.
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Arts Minister Langbroek confirmed the Glasshouse Theatre was ready to be officially handed over to QPAC ahead of welcoming audiences at a highly anticipated opening season of events and performances, beginning in March. He said the new Glasshouse Theatre was a striking landmark that represents the State Government’s commitment to ensuring Queenslanders can access more of the best performing arts from across the state and the globe.
“The Community Day in March is an important opportunity to open Glasshouse Theatre’s doors for Queenslanders to see its stunning glass foyers, stage and orchestra pit, even before the first performance is held,” Langbroek said. “Completion of the Glasshouse Theatre delivers on our 10-year Queensland’s Time to Shine arts and cultural strategy and reinforces this state’s reputation as a cultural tourism destination that is home to exceptional arts experiences, ahead of Brisbane 2032.”
QPAC chief executive Rachel Healy says the opening of the Glasshouse Theatre is a momentous occasion for the arts in Queensland, and one to be celebrated with the entire state.
“The Glasshouse Theatre is a gift to the people of Queensland and our cultural sector, with the significant investment through the Queensland Government set to build on QPAC’s 40-year legacy,” says Healy.
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“This 1500-seat theatre gives us greater capacity to attract world-class talent and Australian exclusives to Queensland – such as global music icon Sting in The Last Ship – and forges our reputation as one of Australia’s biggest and busiest cultural precincts as we move towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Anticipation about the opening date of the Glasshouse has been building for a very long time, so we wanted to give our community the first opportunity to explore it. We expect the guided tours will book out extremely quickly, but our doors will be open for the whole day for anyone to explore our beautiful new theatre themselves and to experience small pop-up performances in the stunning light-soaked foyers. I encourage everyone to come and discover Queensland’s newest cultural superstar.”
Following the Community Day, Glasshouse Theatre’s opening season will showcase the best local, national and international talent and comprises Queensland Ballet’s Messa da Requiem (March 27 to April 4); the Australian exclusive season of The Last Ship, composed by and starring Sting (April 9 to May 3); and the world premiere of opera The Drover’s Wife by Leah Purcell with George Palmer.
The opening of the Glasshouse Theatre makes QPAC the largest performing arts centre under one roof in Australia, with the new venue paving the way for QPAC to increase its visitation by an extra 300,000 people to 1.6 million visitors per year.
Designed by Brisbane-based architects Blight Rayner in collaboration with Snøhetta (Oslo), the Glasshouse Theatre is an architectural feat with its already iconic curved glass façade. The waves and ripples of the glass reference the adjacent Brisbane River and is a nod to the flowing lines of theatre drapes and stage curtains.
Materials used in the Glasshouse Theatre take inspiration from many of the special characteristics of Queensland, including locally sourced grey Ironbark timber, green auditorium carpet that references the state’s rainforests, and gold foyer carpet and sand-coloured precast concrete, which is a nod to its beaches.
Brian Robinson’s Floriate, a 4m-high bronze sculpture inspired by Queensland’s native flora and its connection to First Nations Peoples, will take pride of place in the external entry plaza. Among the special touches visitors will notice better acoustics and you may feel a breeze from below – the theatre features displacement airconditioning (flowing from under seats rather than overhead) to allow for greater efficiency and control, further assisted by digital lighting.
While Community Day festivities will be free to the public, guided tours must be booked in advance. Numbers for the guided tours are limited with bookings open from February 6 at 9am. For more details about the Glasshouse Theatre’s opening program, go to:
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