About the Parade Upgrade
The Parade Theatre is the centre of activity at NIDA, supporting the creative education of thousands of young people each year. Over decades, NIDA students have developed their performance, design, technical and making skills utilising a professional standard theatre venue, the Parade.
The Parade Theatre is where they gather during Welcome Week, and then joyfully (and sometimes tearfully) say goodbye at Graduation. The Parade is home to many school-aged performers showcasing their talents at end-of-year school concerts, dance and performance showcases and community theatre events.
The Parade annually hosts over 80,000 audience members, performers, creatives and crew enjoying the magic of our Parade Theatre.
The current Parade Theatre was built 25 years ago, but a Parade Theatre has been a part of NIDA since 1969.
In order to provide professional excellence to both students and community, the Parade needs an upgrade. We want to make the Parade more accessible, ensure technical requirements are reflect our contemporary performance environment, and update the front-of-house facilities for our audience.
We have commenced the planning stage, with works to be carried out from 2027- 2029.
The upgrade will be done in stages and depending on funding will include:
- New seating in the stalls and galleries, including additional accessible wheelchair and bariatric spaces improving sight lines, accessibility and patron experience.
- Replacement of carpet in stalls and galleries.
- The addition of stair-nose lighting and new handrails, to improve accessibility and our patron experience.
- Improving dressing rooms and back-of-house spaces with paging and monitoring systems, replacing joinery and painting.
- Upgraded lighting and sound technology, improving learning outcomes and offering best-in-class design potential with new lighting and sound consoles, processors, speakers, lighting battens, fixtures and infrastructure.
- Assisted listening improvements – upgrading our assisted listening infrastructure so all patrons can experience the full show via induction loops, or modern Bluetooth systems.
- Orchestra pit upgrades and safety net – structural modification to the orchestra pit improving facilities for artists and sightlines for performers, and installation of a taut cover over the orchestra pit to improve safety of performers and reduce light spill – also improving audience experience.
- Fly system monitoring cameras and screens – closed-circuit ultra-low-light cameras and monitoring screens for theatre practitioners (Stage Managers, Fly Operators, Mechanists) to see flown elements in the grid or critical show features improving safety and performance reliability.
- Replacement of stage stairs for accessing the stage from the stalls – to improve modularity and aesthetics.
- State-of-the-art stage management console integrated with wireless comms, BOH and FOH paging as well as video and audio monitoring, cue light systems and timers.
- Upgrade house lighting to energy efficient LED improving coverage, reducing maintenance and reducing our carbon footprint while increasing control and automation.
- Foyer Digital Displays – addition of digital displays facing ANZAC parade to advertise NIDAs activity increasing street appeal and engaging with the thousands of general community members using the light rail
How you can help
The costs associated with this upgrade exceed our government funding allocation. We need the support of our creative community to ensure the Parade Theatre continues to be the place to create.
We will acknowledge your tax-deductible donation of $2000 or over with a plaque on a stalls level seat – in your name, your company name or as a dedication.
Please consider donating today – our fundraising goal is $600,000 by the end of 2027.
Make a Donation
Contact us
Contact the Development team directly to discuss.
Ph: +612 9697 7594 or email.