Hobart Repertory Theatre Society is marking 100 years since its formation, celebrating a century of volunteer-run community theatre and nearly 700 productions.
The society was founded on July 21, 1926, when a group of theatre enthusiasts gathered at Hobart Town Hall to establish what would become one of Tasmania’s oldest continuously operating theatre companies.
President David Clements said the centenary was an extraordinary milestone for a volunteer-run company.
“For 100 years, Hobart Rep has been creating opportunities for people to participate in live theatre and bringing quality productions to Tasmanian audiences,” he said.
“We’ve navigated changing entertainment trends, economic challenges, the responsibility of maintaining a historic theatre building and, more recently, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“What has never changed is our commitment to live theatre and the sense of community that comes from people working together to tell stories.”
It attracted 256 members early on and staged its first production, Mice and Men, at the Theatre Royal in February 1927.
A major turning point came in 1938 when the society purchased and redeveloped a former chapel and cinema at 106 Bathurst Street, opening it as The Playhouse Theatre.
It was recognised as the first amateur theatre company in Australia to own its own premises.
Since then, Hobart Rep has staged 692 productions, from Shakespeare and contemporary drama to musicals and new Australian works.
It now produces four to six major shows each year and hosts Onefest, an annual festival for one-act plays, along with a traditional children’s pantomime at the end of each year.
The society has around 350 members and became a registered charity in 2021.
Thousands of volunteers have kept it running over the decades, from performers and directors to set builders, costume makers and front-of-house teams.
Secretary and centenary coordinator Karen Fahey said the milestone was a chance to celebrate the people behind the organisation.
“When you look back over 100 years, the constant has been our volunteers and members,” she said.
Another milestone lies ahead in February 2027, when Hobart Rep will mark 100 years since its first production hit the stage.
“One hundred years of productions and 692 shows is an incredible achievement for a community theatre company,” Fahey said.
