The Empire Theatre is a heritage-listed Art Deco theatre at 56 Neil Street in the Toowoomba CBD, with a main stage that seats up to 1,561 people and three smaller venues around it. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1933 and restored in the 1990s.
This guide covers how to book, where to park, what the building is like and how the historical tours work.
The venues inside the Empire Theatre
The main Empire Theatre holds up to 1,561 and has a grand proscenium arch, decorative sconces, original brick foyer walls and Art Deco lighting. Around it sit the Armitage Centre, a black box performance space for up to 351 with retractable tiered seating, the heritage-listed Church Theatre for up to 288, and the Studio directly behind the main stage for up to 108.
The Supper Room (up to 70) and Lounge Bar (up to 50) are function spaces. The Church Theatre was built in 1877 and hosts cabaret, comedy, music and jazz. The Armitage Centre opened in September 2014 and also takes weddings and functions, and the precinct has an outdoor lawn venue as well.
A short history of the Empire Theatre
The theatre opened in June 1911 as a silent movie house. A fire nearly destroyed it in 1933, and it was rebuilt in Art Deco style and reopened that November. The Queensland Government bought the building in 1975, and Toowoomba City Council later bought it and restored it to its 1933 styling, reopening it in June 1997.
The rebuilt theatre reused surviving brickwork from the 1911 building. Highlights include the proscenium arch with colour-changing lighting and the neon-lettered Empire sign above the entrance.
Tickets and the ticket office
You can choose your seat when you book online, by phone or in person. The Ticket Office is at 56 Neil Street and is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 3 pm and for one hour before performances. The phone number is 1300 655 299 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 3 pm).
On the night the foyer and Ticket Office open one hour before the show, and the doors to the auditorium open 15 minutes before.
Drinks and snacks
Snacks and drinks are sold in the foyers from one hour before the show and during interval, and you can pre-order interval drinks so they are ready for you. Bars take EFTPOS and there is no ATM inside the theatre. The nearest is a Westpac ATM on Ruthven Street, a few minutes’ walk away.
Parking at the Empire Theatre
There are two car parks on Neil Street opposite the theatre and one on Julia Street, reached via Neil Street, all with wheelchair-accessible spaces. More parking is at the Neil Street Bus Interchange. Parking is free after 5 pm Monday to Friday, after 11.30 am on Saturday and all day Sunday.
On foot or by bike, shared paths and laneways lead to the theatre, with bike racks on Margaret Street and Ruthven Street. Local Bus Queensland services run around Toowoomba City, Highfields and Crows Nest.
Accessibility at the Empire Theatre
All venues are wheelchair accessible, with specially designed seating. Wheelchair seats are booked through the Ticket Office or by phone on 1300 655 299, not online. Tell staff about any mobility needs when you get your tickets. A hearing loop covers rows A to M of the Empire Theatre, and Companion Cards are accepted for events that offer them, in limited numbers.
Before or after the show
On the day of a show, ticket holders get 10% off at Toowoomba Central Plaza (accommodation) and at The Rock and Press’d Coffee & Wine (dining) when they show their ticket.
Empire Theatre tours
Behind-the-scenes theatre tours are available by appointment, and the theatre lists Empire Historical Tours as a venue tour on some dates. Details, prices and dates change, so check the Empire Theatre website or call the Ticket Office before you plan around one.
Getting to Toowoomba
By road it is about 125 km and about 1 hour 50 minutes from the Brisbane CBD without traffic. The theatre says it is about a 90-minute drive, so allow for road conditions. It also lists the Gold Coast at under 2.5 hours and the Sunshine Coast at about 3 hours by the scenic country route. Long-distance buses to Toowoomba are run by Greyhound, Murrays and Bus Queensland.
Nearby
- Strand Theatre Toowoomba – the city’s other historic theatre.
- Toowoomba City Hall – history, clock tower and visitor guide.
- Toowoomba Railway Station – history and the Westlander.
- Cobb and Co Museum – tickets, hours and kids activities.
- Queens Park Toowoomba – gardens and playgrounds.
- Toowoomba Farmers Market – Saturday markets.
- More in the Toowoomba and theatres and live music pages.
You might also like
- Ipswich Civic Centre
- Eatons Hill Hotel (Moreton Bay)
- Riverstage (Brisbane City)
Quick answers
Where is the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba?
At 56 Neil Street, Toowoomba City, in the CBD. The Ticket Office is at the same address.
How many seats are in the Empire Theatre?
The main Empire Theatre holds up to 1,561. The Armitage Centre holds up to 351, the Church Theatre 288 and the Studio 108.
Is there free parking at the Empire Theatre?
Parking in the Neil Street car parks is free after 5 pm Monday to Friday, after 11.30 am on Saturday and all day Sunday.
What time do the doors open?
The foyer and Ticket Office open one hour before the show, and the auditorium opens 15 minutes before.
Is the Empire Theatre wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All venues are wheelchair accessible with special seating, booked through the Ticket Office on 1300 655 299.
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