About us
Welcome to the Star of the Sea Theatre.
The Star of the Sea Theatre is a state-of-the-art 307 seat training theatre located five minutes walk from the northern end of Manly Beach in the beautiful grounds of Stella Maris College. The Theatre opened in 2004 and we have a diverse and compelling program which underscores our philosophy of partnering vocationally oriented arts education with professional industry based practice. Our senior Entertainment students have the opportunity to work alongside professional practitioners in all aspects of the performing arts, giving them valuable industry experience and facilitating the early development of a formidable array of employability skills.
Apart from the College drama, dance and music groups, the Theatre is regularly used by other local schools, other theatre companies and by the local community. Past productions have included:
Rough Hewn Theatre Troupe
- The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Katie Johnson
- A Clockwork Orange, The Fantasticks, Parramatta Girls and Miss Julie, all directed by Geoff Cartwright
- Twelfth Night, directed by Hayley Schumann-Mitchell, a former Stella Girl now at the Actors Centre
- Blithe Spirit, directed by Chris Mackay
Factory Space Theatre
- Matilda Waltz by Deborah Mulhul
- The Hollow by Agatha Christie
- Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
- The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman
Manly Musical Society
- How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying
- Jesus Christ Superstar
- Chess, the Musical
- Evita
- Cabaret
Other performances by
- Stella Maris Dance Company
- The Song Company
- Manly Jazz Festival
- and many others
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Star of the Sea is a 307 seat lyric theatre with 167 seats downstairs and 140 seats upstairs. It also has:
- an orchestra pit for 20 musicians which when covered forms a thrust stage
- a flying tower with 8 bars rated at 350kg
- truck access to the stage from Iluka Avenue
- adjacent Drama Studio and Dance Studio, two dressing rooms and a toilet
- a hearing induction loop
- wheelchair access and designated wheelchair seating
- an impressive natural acoustic for unplugged voice and instrumentation
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Speakers:
six JBL Venue Series Speakers and 2x JBL EON Powered SpeakersAmplifiers:
six 500 watt amplifiers – one per speakerDesk:
20-channel Soundcraft K1Reverb:
Yamaha SPX990CDs:
two Denon DNC635 (cueable)Mics:
two Shure 57 3x Shure 58
two Audiotechnica (instrument mics)
two AKG (drop down mics)
four Shure 58 wireless handhelds
four Shure lapels
two Shure lecturn micsMic stands:
eight mic stands and five upright mic standsFoldback:
four 250watt JBLMP212 4 channel foldback amplifierComs:
Multiple coms stations throughout the Theatre as well as squawk boxes to dressing roomsLeads:
four 5m Speakon leads
two 10m Speakon leads
four ¼ inch leads
four 10m mic leads
ten 5m mic leads -
Lumieres:
twenty Selecon Pacifics
six PC’s
two par cans
two 1K follow spotsDimmers:
six 12-channel dimmer racksDesk:
LSC MAXIM 72-channel digital desk
Contact us
Star of the Sea Theatre is located near the northern end of Manly Beach at Queenscliff, on the corner of Collingwood Street and Iluka Avenue. Parking is available at the northern end of the beach or in the surrounding streets.
Mitchell Smith
Theatre Manager
+61 2 9977 5144 or 0403 453 077
Email the Theatre Manager