Growing up in Tauranga, I am 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, the new home of the Wurlitzer, 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 carrying out research looking at the memories people have of their experiences at Baycourt as children or teenagers.

The Addison Theatre at Baycourt Community & Arts Centre in Tauranga. Photo: SunLive.

On hearing this I remembered 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 had people adding their own memories.

'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.

The 'Mighty Wurli' being played at the International Youth Silent Film Festival finals at Baycourt. Photo: SunLive.

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,” says Monique.

Community vision

The venue has been available for local schools, arts organisations and theatre groups to hold shows and performances, which was part of the community vision music director and teacher Bob Addison originally had. He and his wife Vhea are both remembered with a tribute in the garden to Vhea and the main theatre being named Addison Theatre in 2014.

Bob Addison during his days at Baycourt Theatre. Photo: Supplied.

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 the school choirs in the early 90s and singing Bryan Adams' ‘Everything I do'.

Tauranga Primary School's Music Festival, now in its 66th year. Photo: Baycourt

Cee Fitter's first memory was performing and winning Smokefree Rockquest 97 and second memory was performing in the Boost Mobile Hook Up Tour.

Kim Edwards remembers the Tauranga Girls College Ball held there in the mid-1980s.

'Someone I know fell down the stairs in front of the principal,” says Kim.

Amy Britton worked at Baycourt in the early-2000s, doing front of house and ticketing.

'Was a great place to work, great people, and got to see some fantastic acts perform. Remember having a chat to Bret from Flight of the Conchords before his show, he was pretty cool,” says Amy.

Stage manager and secretary of Tauranga Primary School's Music Festival Adele Marsden, pianist and musical co-director Andrea Pooley, and conductor and musical co-director Carol Storey. Photo: Baycourt.

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,” says Stace.

'My children have also performed every year at primary for the primary schools choir festivals. This place holds so many memories for my family.”

Mount Maunganui Intermediate band YJK band members Joe Spiers, Noah Loye, Josh Henderson, Cade Churchward, Kaia Dorr, Jade Sullivan and Mabel Affleck. The band won third place in the 2015 Smokefree Rockquest competition in 2015 in the Addison Theatre at Baycourt. Photo: SunLive.

The community aspect of Baycourt has been well-balanced with national and international shows from ballets, orchestras, bands, musicals and tribute shows also presented.

Funerals of well-loved community identities have been held there, including Bob Addison's, and more recently Allison Stewart's life was celebrated.

'One of my Kuia passed away there at one of the Tauranga Moana Tangata festivals whilst watching her whanau on stage,” says Jimi Kuka.

Kokomo pkaying at the Tauranga Jazz Festival. Photo: SunLive.

The variety of top shows has been stunning. There has been the Smoke Free Rock Quest, numerous Tauranga Jazz Festival acts from big band to soloists, comedy shows, the International Youth Silent Film Festival, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Chelsea Winter, musicals like Chess and Shrek as well as the popular Tina Turner, Elton John, Queen, and Pink Floyd tribute shows.

The community has met and discussed the Treaty of Waitangi, Three Waters and crime in the city, amongst other topics over the years, as well as community initiatives involving singers raising funds for suicide prevention.

Baycourt. Photo: SunLive.

Helen O'Connor grew up performing on Baycourt's stage, mainly dancing, while her parents designed and built sets.

'Returned to Baycourt as an adult and now heavily involved in community musical theatre productions behind the scenes,” says Helen. 'Attended many shows at Baycourt throughout my life. I was there the year it opened.”

'I have been to a lot of country music shows there, some shows such as Isla Grant, Dinah Lee, plus lots of other functions. I have sung on that stage too. I was there when the then Prince Charles and Princess Diana opened it,” says Gloria Johnston.

Tanigiwai Manihera-Palmer and Liz East also recall the official opening with the royal pair.

The connection to royalty was again acknowledged in July 2013, when Baycourt was lit up in blue by technican Jordan Baldock to celebrate the arrival of Prince William and Kate Middleton's new baby boy.

Baycourt is Tauranga's returning point for many who have gone on to acting and musical careers, including NZ actor Tim Balme. In October 2023, Sam Hyde, who grew up in Tauranga attending Otumoetai College, will be bringing his ‘Elton John vs. Billy Joel NZ Tribute' from Wellington to Baycourt.

'I have a memory playing Flashdance on a grand piano with a 10-page sheet music sellotaped together. I would have been about 10 years old. I think it was the Yamaha School of Music end of year recital,” says Sam.

In October 2023, Sam Hyde, who grew up in Tauranga attending Otumoetai College, will be bringing his ‘Elton John vs. Billy Joel NZ Tribute' from Wellington to Baycourt. Photo: Supplied.

Whether you are 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 that have endured, enriched your life and forever offered a bit of magic. To add your memories to the survey go to https://tinyurl.com/4aep9pt9