Prince of Wales Theatre, Hobart
The Prince of Wales Theatre was a theatre on Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania from 1911 to 1987. It was originally known as the Grand Empire Theatre or Empire Theatre. As the "Prince of Wales" the cinema was managed by Louise Lovely and her second husband Berty Cowan in the 1940s and 1950s. The building was demolished in 1987.
The Grand Empire Theatre, designed by architect Douglas Salier, was opened by the Hon. J. W. Evans on 31 December 1910 in the presence of the Governor of Tasmania, Sir Harry Barron, and Lady Barron. The opening night was also attended by the Premier, Sir Elliott Lewis and many other Hobart notables.
The theatre, which took less than six months to build, was designed to seat 1,000 in the stalls and pit, with a further 500 in the dress circle. It was fitted with tip-up seats of modern design, with plush upholstery for those in the dress circle.
