Arts venue facelift gives Redland audiences a peek behind-the-scenes
While work is underway on the $3 million facelift to the forecourt of the Redland Performing Arts Centre, audiences get the thrill of entering the arts centre via the stage door – just like the stars do.
In Queensland, culture doesn’t just happen around the cultural complex on the South Bank of the Brisbane River. Luckily, we also have a thriving network of regional theatres from the Gold Coast to Cairns and on the fringes of Brisbane.
One of the most vibrant is the Redland Performing Arts Centre, known as RPAC (not to be confused with QPAC), and it’s now undergoing a $3 million forecourt transformation.
RPAC has been host to some great acts, including Kate Miller-Heidke (who reportedly loves this bayside venue at Cleveland), Ella Hooper, Marcia Hines, Bell Shakespeare, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and local soprano legend Mirusia, among others. Culture shouldn’t be confined to metropolitan Brisbane and clearly it isn’t, thanks to venues such as RPAC.
While the forecourt renovations are underway the venue is keeping its program alive with three weeks of exciting performances, starting in late January. The RPAC concert hall stage is being transformed into an intimate and sophisticated club setting where you can choose a front row table for an up-close performance experience or take in all the action from the tiered theatre seating.
Guests might also enjoy entering the venue like a star – through the stage door at the rear of the building while redevelopment work is underway on the RPAC forecourt and front entrance.
Redland City Mayor Jos Mitchell says the intimate performances have been dubbed the Stage Door Sessions.
“It will be a wonderful behind-the-scenes experience for guests to enter through the iconic stage door, like performers do,” Mitchell says. “They will be able to glimpse some of the backstage world and then enjoy these up-close and personal performances. With a fantastic range of shows to entertain and enthral, it’s the perfect way to kick off your 2025 in style.”
The Stage Door Sessions includes a line-up of comedy, cabaret and music beginning with Tahir: Comedy, Chaos and Compo Claims on January 31 and finishing on February 15 with Jamie MacDowell and Tom Thum.
Funded as part of the 2024-2025 Redland City Council budget, the forecourt facelift includes a revitalised entrance, covered alfresco area, permanent seating, a small outdoor performance deck, improved accessibility, increased lighting, new ramp and stair access and garden areas.
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“RPAC provides a much-loved home for Redlands Coast’s thriving local arts sector, as well as for artist development, school productions and events,” Mitchell says. “Once completed, this project will provide a wonderful community space and a new gateway to the home of performing arts on Redlands Coast.”
Local engineering firm Baroque Group will deliver the project that will dramatically improve the customer and visitor experiences for the 60,000-plus people who attend performances and events at RPAC each year. Detailed designs for the project were prepared by local project management and engineering consultancy company xburo and Anna O’Gorman Architects.
Redland City Council service manager creative arts Bradley Rush says the centre was determined to keep delivering a rich program of performances and events while the forecourt facelift is underway.
“With our front entrance expected to be out of action during some phases of the project, we look forward to offering visitors this glance behind the curtain with the Stage Door Sessions.”
The RPAC box office is temporarily operating from Council’s Customer Service Centre at Cleveland (on Quandamooka Country). Box office facilities, including ticket collection, will be available at RPAC an hour before performances commence. For more details about the shows, and to book tickets, go to rpac.com.au