Growing up in Tauranga, I'm one of thousands of locals who remember when the old Town Hall, with the wonderful Wurlitzer organ, was replaced with Baycourt Community & Arts Centre.
Located in the heart of Tauranga's city centre, Baycourt has been the Western Bay of Plenty's premier full service theatre and performing arts venue since opening in 1983. The multi-purpose complex has three prominent spaces – Addison Theatre, a 580-seat, tiered auditorium; X Space, the 200-seat ‘black box'; and the Terrace Rooms an 80-seat meeting/function space.
Experiences
In conjunction with the 40th anniversary of Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, Dr Bronya Dean and Professor Lynda Johnston, from the University of Waikato, are researching memories people have of their experiences at Baycourt as children or teenagers.
I remember being one of the first pianists lucky enough to play the Steinway grand piano, and experience the magic of being involved in Bob Addison's musicals. I posted a link to Facebook about the survey, and quickly people responded.
'I remember when I was about 10, I went to a magic show, it made my night because I got picked with three other kids to go on-stage and participate in their tricks and got a bag of goodies to go home with,” says Brooklyn Ihaka Corbett-Pitman.
Monique Baird Wagener modelled her own sewing during the Bernina Gown of the Year.
'[An] earthquake happened during the show and lots of people left. Also watched a ballet show from the lighting box with my friend who worked there at the time, and watched many Otumoetai College musicals.”
Community vision
The venue has been available to schools, arts organisations and theatre groups, which was part of the community vision music director and teacher Bob Addison originally had. He and wife Vhea are both remembered with a tribute in the garden to Vhea and the main theatre being named Addison Theatre in 2014.
Bob was chairman of the Tauranga Community Arts Council, an enthusiastic group of local residents responsible for the original proposal to establish Baycourt in 1974. Their work included nine years of planning and fundraising before it was built and officially opened in 1983. Bob was appointed manager in 1988 and produced shows such as ‘High Society', ‘Nunsense' and ‘Follies'.
Tauranga Primary Schools Music Festival has for decades brought together school choirs performing across five nights at Baycourt. Donella Wellington remembers performing with school choirs in the early-1990s and singing Bryan Adams' ‘Everything I do'.
Cee Fitter's first memory was performing and winning Smokefree Rockquest 97.
Kim Edwards remember a Tauranga Girls' College Ball held there in the mid-1980s.
'Someone I know fell down the stairs in front of the principal,” says Kim.
Stace Hogg's first ever show was Swan Lake. 'My grandmother told me to get dressed up to go do the shopping. I thought it was a bit strange to go food shopping in our Sunday best but she surprised me with Swan Lake. My children have also performed every year at primary for the primary schools' choir festivals. This place holds so many memories for my family.”
Baycourt has been well-balanced with national and international shows from ballets, orchestras, bands, to musicals and tribute shows. Funerals of community identities have been held there, including Bob Addison's.
Whether you're part of the fine arts fraternity, youth arts, interested in music, comedy or a proud parent watching a child perform, Dr Bronya Dean and Professor Lynda Johnston are keen to hear the memories you helped create at Baycourt. Add your memories to the survey at: https://tinyurl.com/4aep9pt9