A new era for Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat

Cherished by generations of Ballarat residents, the redeveloped Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat is a place where the entire community is welcome and can be part of collective experiences that bring people together and build connection.

Most Ballarat residents have a story about Her Majesty’s Theatre. From delivering a recital at the Royal South Street Eisteddfod, to watching a favourite performer on the sloping stage, City of Ballarat Manager Cultural Venues Kristy Witmitz says the theatre has a deeply personal connection with many members of the community.

“We recently heard a story of a young girl falling off the dress circle balcony into the arms of, what would turn out to be, the love of her life,” Kristy says.

“The couple are in their eighties, still happily married and living in Ballarat to this day.”

These stories, and others like them, are why the redeveloped Her Majesty’s Theatre — which is owned and operated by the City of Ballarat — re-opened its doors with a performance that showcased the musical talent that is alive and thriving within the local community.

Kristy and her team commissioned a new “breathtaking” orchestral work, Resurgence, directed by Ballarat-born, ARIA-winning multi-instrumentalist, musical director, composer and arranger Sam Boon, which opened to much fanfare. The performance featured Deb Lowah-Clark, Juan Alban and the reformation of his nationally successful touring act Epicure, Coda Chroma, members of Federation University's Arts Academy, performers from Lyric Theatre and BLOC Music Theatre, and Royal South Street Eisteddfod alumni Jason Wasley.

Now open to the public, Her Majesty's Theatre has an exciting suite of shows lined up for the summer period with the full program available at hermaj.com

While Her Majesty’s Theatre has a long and proud history, Kristy believes the theatre is ultimately a place for the community to gather and share experiences.

“At the end of the day, people are looking to hang out with their friends and see something interesting, intriguing or just plain fun which you don’t really get in any other way as you do with live performance,” she says.

“Similarly to sporting clubs, this is where people find their place, their community and their safe space to participate in activities they love the most — a Lyric Theatre season is like the footy grand final!”

The upgrades to the theatre play an important role in making it a welcoming space for all, with dramatic improvements to the accessibility of the venue. These include a clear path of travel from the front doors to the stage door, the installation of a lift, and changing places toilets — larger than standard, accessible public toilets with a range of features to support people living with disabilities.

Kristy says the redevelopment works at the theatre will ensure the joy of experiencing live performance is accessible to everyone.

“It’s where we all get to see our most favourite artists and performers that give life its special sauce — the stuff that gives you goosebumps or makes you laugh until your cheeks hurt,” Kristy says.

“We’re so fortunate as a City that both the State Government and council have dedicated significant investment into Her Majesty’s Theatre.”

Beyond bringing people together, Her Majesty’s Theatre, and by extension the City of Ballarat, plays an important leadership role in the region.

In terms of the economy, the provision of shows at local government-run facilities, such as Her Majesty’s Theatre, improves local lifestyle options and has significant economic flow-on effects for local businesses.

“Ballarat itself has one of the highest proportions of artists and creative workers in Australia, similar to Brunswick and Castlemaine,” Kristy says.

However, the City of Ballarat and Her Majesty’s Theatre also play an important role in connecting the residents of the western region of Victoria to the arts and enabling participation.

“We give people their first experience with performing arts and live music, and create opportunities throughout their lifespan, be it for enjoyment or if they want to pursue a career,” Kristy says.

"We also have a role, unlike commercial venues, to make sure all of our community members are able to participate in these experiences regardless of background.”