Regent Theatre, Dunedin
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The Regent Theatre is a major theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is in The Octagon, the city's central plaza, directly opposite the Municipal Chambers and close to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
Originally a cinema, the theatre opened on June 1, 1928, and the interior is extensively decorated in 1920s style. The building was designed by James Hodge White (1896-1970), one of the founders of the architecture firm Miller White & Dunn.
Purchased by the Otago Theatre Trust in 1973, the theatre has since operated as a live theatre, although it is still also used as a cinema during film festivals every year. It is now run in conjunction with the Dunedin City Council.
[edit] Annual book sale
As it is run by a charitable trust, the theatre relies on the support of the local community for its continued existence.
A major part of this support is the Regent 24-hour Book Sale, the largest sale of second-hand books in New Zealand and reputedly the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Every May since 1981, books donated by the general public are sold at the theatre by volunteers over the course of 24 hours. Up to 350,000 books are on sale each year, many of them priced at 50 cents each (although a smaller number of specialist books are on sale at a higher price). Buyers come from throughout New Zealand for the sale, which has become a major event on Dunedin's calendar, and raises $80-100,000 annually.
[edit] External links
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