Regent Theatre Greymouth

The Regent Theatre in Greymouth, a venue for live events includingcinema, live performance, and school performances, opened in February 1935 on a site formerly occupied by a merchant's warehouse. It was the latest addition to the JC Williamson Picture Corporation’s chain of theatres that extended from Whangarei to Invercargill. The architect, Llewellyn Williams, used steel and reinforced concrete in his design to create an earthquake proof building. Mr. H. Dreyfeldt of Wellington decorated the interior of the theatre. In later years the Foyer, Regency Room, and the Trowbridge room were built and revamped.

The ownership has changed hands several times; from Westland Theatres Ltd, to JC Williamson Picture Corporation, to Matai Industries (who gutted the interior to use the building as a metal ware factory), to the West Coast Theatre Trust.

Several community groups have performed at the Regent Theatre. One of these groups, the Greymouth Operatic Society, formed in 1945 and has used the Regent Theatre for many successful performances. The theatre was used for live shows from 1975, with the first show being the Greymouth Operatic Societies production of “Oliver”.

For many years, the Regent Theatre was in direct competition with St James Theatre as the local cinema. After the St James closed, the Regent Theatre became the official cinema of Greymouth as well as a venue for live shows and school performances.