Birthday bash for Taihape’s theatre
Taihape’s Majestic Theatre celebrated its 100th birthday in style with well wishers passing through the door and old film reels flickering on the big screen.
The Tui Street theatre held an all-day celebration on Sunday that committee member Betty Tierney said saw ‘‘a great turnout coming through the door all day’’.
Visitors were greeted with oldtime music and a display of the theatre’s long history.
The downstairs cinema had been given a makeover and old films played on the big upstairs screen.
Visitor Winsome Smith said it was a ‘‘beautiful tribute’’.
‘‘The theatre is looking fantastic and what a good crowd of people,’’ Smith said.
The theatre was full for the official part of the day and Taihape’s Arcadian Singers were there to entertain the crowd.
Committee chairwoman Gail Larsen said it was a humbling sight seeing so many people in the theatre seats.
‘‘The Majestic almost didn’t make it and it’s fantastic that it did and that everyone is here to celebrate the centenary,’’ Larsen said.
The theatre’s history is a colourful one, with a demolition order almost condemning it to be a pile of bricks in 1997.
The late Pam Collier was instrumental in leading the Rangitı¯kei town to save the theatre.
Her husband Malcom Collier spoke at the celebrations.
Malcolm Collier said it was a wonderful and humbling thing to see the theatre looking so good.
‘‘This is what we all fought so hard for back then and it is great to see that it is all still being carried on,’’ he said.
❚ A look back at the history of Taihape’s Majestic Theatre, pages 8, 9