Theatre to be built next year

The Peninsula will gain its first purpose-built theatre mid way through next year.

The $700 000 performance based theatre will be used primarily by the Woy Woy Little Theatre group but will also accommodate seminars and chamber music recitals.

It will be located in McMasters Road with the community centre.

The architect is Don Neil, who designed the Laycock Street Theatre.

The peninsula theatre will be on a smaller scale than the Laycock Street Theatre and will have raised seating for 120.

Barbara Hickey, treasurer of the Woy Woy Little Theatre group says they have been "waiting 38 years for this to happen".

"We expect the theatre to be finished by about July or August 2000 but of course that depends on any red tape.

"Councillor Lynne Bockholt, with help from Councillor Judith Penton, has worked on our behalf.

"The building will start in about October this year," she said.

The group formed in 1962 and for the last 14 years has used the Woy Woy Primary School hall.

The hall has flat seating and little space for prop storage and dressing rooms.

Gosford Council set the land at McMasters Road aside in 1975 and plans were drawn up for a theatre at the time but the arrangements fell through.

The plan to incorporate the theatre with the community centre was revitalised two years ago and the new plan is, according to Barbara Hickey, "set in concrete".