Raetihi’s theatre project under way

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 591, 20 June 1995, Page 5

Raetihi’s theatre project under way

By

Amiria

Teki

The New Zealand Employment Service have come to the party providing a Taskforce Green working group to demolish the interior of the Raetihi theatre in readiness for converting it to a community gymriasium. Young people from Raetihi have been employed on this project and although it is only temporary employment, they said there were positive points about the work: They are getting paid for what they do; they are learning new skills; and they have found relics from former days of theatre and films that have some history which makes the job they are doing more interesting. It is hoped to have the job done in preparation for renovating and painting both inside and out within the next two or three months. Two groups have an interest in the building, the Youth and Fitness Trust bought the building and they hope to put a mezzanine floor in for the gym, which currently is being run in the Te Aroha building in Ward Street. Some members of the Town Hall Trust would like to purchase the building and use the ground floor as a town hall. Discussions are at hand, with ideas to use or make the hall available for both public and private functions. As developments progress information will be made public, said organisers. Quinne Henare, Clayton Henare, Andy Tamatea and Hiona Hawkins are working with Chris Melody who is supervising the demolition of the interior of the theatre. Some of the relics they have come across in the process of this work are: posters promoting films including the 1918 film 'The Barrier', a silent movie written by Rex Beach starring Mabel Julienne Scott and Russell Simpson; a poster promoting the return boxing fight of Sugar Ray Robinson against Randolph Turpin.