January 2024 update
We are closer than ever! The building is looking to be completed in February/March 2024 and the theatre group hopes to be in during April. Currently the group is working on the lease with the City of Armadale, working through the details. As a not for profit community theatre group it is a balancing act between having a venue (as many other metro community theatre groups do) and finances!
August 2023 Update
The current expected completion timeline for the Roleystone Theatre building is early 2024. We are working with the City of Armadale on our lease currently and the finer points of the fit out as we inch ever closer!
March 2023 update
Well, it now has been 5 years since the Roleystone Theatre building was closed. It has been an incredibly challenging five years - from the initial campaign to save the theatre, to moving into our temporary home at the Roleystone Hall, to being moved out of that venue with no alternative, and having no fixed end date to the rebuild.
The end date has moved from November 2021, to July 2022, to December 2022, and currently is said to be June 2023 (as of January 2023).
We continue to work on the lease agreement and the finer details of the rebuild to ensure that the end result is one that works for community theatre, as we are a different beast to a professional theatre group with different needs and wants!
July 2021 update
We have seen the demolition of the necessary parts of the old theatre, and are eagerly awaiting the announcement by the City of Armadale of the chosen building company to get the re-build on the go.
It will no longer be an end of 2021 opening, and we can only say at this stage that it will be 'sometime' in 2022.
The Roleystone Theatre re-build is going ahead in 2021!
On Monday 10th August the City of Armadale formally adopted their 2020/2021 budget and included is the full amount for the re-build of the Roleystone Theatre! This means the project is fully funded and detailed plans are in the works as you read this.
Thanks must go to our amazing councillors (past and present) who worked on this, and especially to our Hills ward councillors Caroline Wielinga and Grant Nixon for the sustained commitment to making this a reality.
This could not have been achieved without the enduring support of the public, our local community, theatre members and some very committed individuals.
I have been reflecting on the journey so far since receiving the news last night, and the sheer amount of work from so many quarters getting to this point has been just amazing.
We are confident that the re-development will result in one of the best small theatres in the state being located in hills of the City of Armadale, whilst retaining a building of significant cultural and historical heritage.
It’s incredible what a focussed, committed and passionate community can achieve with the support of local government.
Thank you everyone for supporting the arts, and our community.
Bree
(Bree Hartley - Roleystone Theatre Inc. President)
A side note on the cost of the redevelopment -
While we all have differing views on what is most important in a community - it's important to remember the arts have a really important place in human society.
The Roleystone Theatre building alone has been a hub for thousands and thousands of people, for almost 100 years, to come together, engage in the arts (whether as part of the performance or in the audience) and build community.
With the redevelopment this can continue for another 100 years.
This redevelopment is a great investment for community connection, mental health, the arts, local heritage and for Roleystone as a 'locale'... that means a high initial outlay with a valuable long-term return - one that is not able to be measured in dollars alone.
Wednesday 8th July, 2020
We are eagerly awaiting news of when the Theatre rebuild may be funded and ready to begin.
We hope to have news in the very near future.
WE DID IT!
17th December 2018
An amazing vote result at the Full Council Meeting tonight about the Roleystone Theatre building.
ALL the recommendations from the Community Services meeting on the 4th December were passed unanimously by the Council, with an additional part about the use of the Roleystone Hall as our temporary home.
It has been a crazy few months since the campaign began but tonight was so worth all the time and effort.
Funding is the next step but Councillor Mark Geary spoke of many avenues to explore, as part of his fabulous speech, to assist the Council find the funds as required. In addition we will need to work closely with the Council about our temporary home while consulting on the re-instated Roleystone Theatre building. We welcome members to join the committee, or be part of a working group, to assist as we move into the future.
What an amazing amount of work and commitment from our City of Armadale Councillors and Council Officers. Our ward Councillors in particular, Caroline Weilinga and Grant Nixon, have worked tirelessly on this and we can not thank them enough. Grant Nixon made a wonderful statement about the amazing Roleystone community and our place in it.
As a theatre group we are incredibly thankful for the community support and the Save the Roleystone Theatre campaign group. We could not have done it without you.
This is a major victory for our local community, our theatre community and everyone down through the years who we were representing with our fight to not lose what they had built through blood, sweat and tears.
The Roleystone Theatre and Theatre Group live to fight another day.
Bring on the 100 year centenary of the building (1922-2022)!
November 2018
Your voice matters...
Your voice may just make the difference we need to convince Council to put a re-built Theatre Venue on their project list!
We need to convince the powers-that-be that we have a strong history, strong support base and a strong desire from the community to have our Theatre Group have a suitable home (a re-built Roleystone Theatre is our aim!)
Letters covering positive accounts of your experiences and your support to save the Theatre.
Firstly, in ALL correspondence please address a copy to:
info@armadale.wa.gov.au
The City of ArmadaleAttn: Wendy Stanley7 Orchard Avenue, Armadale 6112
secretary@roleystonetheatre.com.au
City of Armadale Councillors:
River WardRuth Butterfield (Deputy Mayor) 9390 1459 crrbutterfield@armadale.wa.gov.auHenry Zelones (Mayor) 0428 954 073 crhzelones@armadale.wa.gov.auHills WardGrant Nixon 9397 6939 crgnixon@armadale.wa.gov.auCaroline Wielinga 0488 900 307 crcwielinga@armadale.wa.gov.auHeron WardJim Stewart 9497 9524 crjstewart@armadale.wa.gov.auDonna Shaw 0439 593 620 crdshaw@armadale.wa.gov.auLake WardMichelle Silver 0406 011 431 crmsilver@armadale.wa.gov.auCarole Frost 0401 119 749 crcfrost@armadale.wa.gov.auMinnawarra WardGary Smith 0403 124 749 CrGSmith@armadale.wa.gov.auKerry Busby 0419 948 866 crkbusby@armadale.wa.gov.auRanford WardJeff Munn 0418 958 493 CrJMunn@armadale.wa.gov.auMark Geary 9498 3416 crmgeary@armadale.wa.gov.auPalomino WardColin Campbell 0432 382 863 crccampbell@armadale.wa.gov.auLaurie Sargeson 9399 4002 crlsargeson@armadale.wa.gov.au
Alyssa Hayden MLA(State Liberal) Darling Range: Alyssa.hayden@mp.wa.gov.auTony Buti MLA(State Labor) Armadale: tony.buti@mp.wa.gov.auDonna Faragher
(Liberal) Upper House: faragher.eastmetro@mp.wa.gov.auMatt Swinbourn
(Labor) Upper House: Matthew.Swinborn@mp.wa.gov.au Swinbourn.emetro@mp.wa.gov.auAndrew Hastie
(Federal Liberal) Canning: Andrew.Hastie.MP@aph.gov.auMatt Keogh
(Federal Labor) Burt: matt.keogh.mp@aph.gov.auThe State Minister responsible for the Arts and Culture is David Templeman -Minister.Templeman@dpc.wa.gov.auTim Clifford (Greens) MLC East Metro - Tim Clifford (Greens) MLC East Metro - tim.clifford@mp.wa.gov.auThe Premier - Mark McGowan
wa-government@dpc.wa.gov.auLeader of the Opposition Mike Nahan
admin.nahan@loop.wa.gov.auRita Saffioti (she was born in Karragullen)
Rita.Saffioti@mp.wa.gov.au
Dot Points
- Your own personal experience at the Roleystone Theatre (audience or theatre member) and what it has meant to you
- The importance of the arts in the community, and the support it requires.
- The imbalance of Coucil spending between Sport Facilities and Arts & Culture Facilities.
- The importance of activities for our youth that are engaging, creative and safe
- Live theatre can draw in customers for local business owners and it promotes tourism in the area.
- The Roleystone Theatre have spent the last 85 years producing plays and musicals, back to basics pantomimes, locally written productions, children’s theatre, youth theatre, skills workshops, concerts and one act plays.
- This Community Theatre needs a purpose built building with tiered seating, comfortable chairs, fly tower for sets and props, green rooms and acoustic treatment.
- Amateur Theatre Groups need the facility for long periods of time (often months) so that volunteers have several weekends to build sets and rehearse. Local Halls are not adequate and cannot be booked for the required length of time needed to build a theatrical prodcution.
