A century of entertainment: The history of Anita’s Theatre

By Laragh Michael and Bella McCann

Over the last century, Anita’s Theatre has seen great change, however its significance within the Illawarra has remained intact. At each stage, one thing has stayed the same. The venue has been a significant cultural hub for the local community, holding the melodies and memories of patrons and performers alike.  

Opening on 22 October 1925 as the King’s Theatre, the iconic building nestled in Thirroul’s main street has lived many lives. From its establishment, the venue joined other theatres within the Illawarra such as the Crown Theatre and the Regent Theatre to bring performing arts to the forefront of Wollongong’s culture.

The venue was host to theatre productions, town meetings, and served the community as a movie cinema until a downturn in ticket sales saw its closure in April 1965. The theatre was briefly reopened the following year, however continued financial issues made the revival unsuccessful.

In 1966, the theatre was transformed to Thirroul Skating Rink, a hall that would become a meeting place for young people from all over the Illawarra for the next three decades. The rink was home to competitive rollersport teams, as well as social events complete with a canteen stall and local DJs.

Wollongong resident Colin Coakes worked at Thirroul Skating Rink in the late 1970s.

“It was more of a you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours type thing. We didn’t actually get paid, but we got free training and free skating sessions because we worked behind the counter and did that sort of stuff. That was pretty much how that worked back then,” Mr Coakes said.

The skating rink brought young people together and served as a social centre within the community. 

“It was a place where you met people. Where you met a girl or you met a guy or whatever. It was a meeting place for teenagers who did not like the club scene,” Mr Coakes said.

“It’s been a central hub of Thirroul, being a place for people to meet and to go and to be entertained or to enjoy a night out.”

Godfrey and Violet Mar owned the rink from 1982 until 2003, prioritising the venue as a space for Wollongong youth to have fun, with the addition of skate ramps and local sport. Catered birthdays, school holiday programs, and even gigs from local bands such as Tumbleweed and The Meanies, kept community support high for the family business.

Their son, Randolph Mar, worked alongside his parents during their ownership of the venue, and he recalls the popularity of the activities. 

“We never made a lot of money out of the place, it wasn’t a big cash generator, but my mum loved it because it gave the kids somewhere to go,” Mr Mar said.

“The place stopped hosting those activities more than 20 years ago now, and people still to this day make mention of it when I see them on the street.”

The rink was more than an entertainment venue for Thirroul during its glory years, serving as the heart of the community for owners, staff, and customers alike.

“I’ve got a lot of fond memories of there. I’ve got a lot of good mates that I made out of the patrons because they were all around my age. I still talk to them today,” Mr Mar said.

In 2003, the venue was purchased from the Mar family by John Comelli, and was completely renovated. Through this, Anita’s Theatre was born. Named after Comelli’s late wife, the building was fitted with ornate ceilings and antique furnishings, and stepping into the venue feels like a trip back in time. 

The historic venue has become home to countless performances from iconic international and domestic artists such as Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins and Cold Chisel. The theatre also provides a space for local talent to grow within the community.

Illawarra performer Erin Purser began performing with Southern Lights Vocal Academy in 2010 at age 7, kickstarting a career in the local creative arts community. She performed on the Anita’s Theatre stage numerous times throughout her adolescence.

“Getting the opportunity to perform on a big stage like that makes a difference because you get to see how it feels and you kind of get used to it,” Miss Purser said.

“I think it’s so interesting how the building has transformed over 100 years and it means so many different things to so many different people.”

Although the venue is predominantly known in 2025 as Anita’s, the 100 years of history within its walls is not lost on young people in Wollongong. 

“For my generation, it’s been a performance venue and somewhere to see concerts and other performers, but for other generations, it’s been a skate rink or a cinema, and that has been the memory of the building, and it’s a different memory for so many different people,” Miss Purser said.

Alongside the theatre, the iconic building is also home to numerous other local businesses in 2025, including boutique shopping, property management and North Illawarra’s sole bookstore.

Sisters Amanda Isler and Deborah Thompson opened the doors of Collins Booksellers in 2018. The bookshop features the same mesmerising decor fittings but shines the spotlight on a different kind of creative art – the written word. 

“Customers who come in always notice that the shop has retained some of the original features of the building. It’s all connected back to the sense of identity of the community. People recognise Thirroul because of Anita’s, so it’s substantial,” Ms Thompson said.

Collins publishes a monthly newsletter to over 9000 ‘Collins Club’ members, promoting events in conjunction with the theatre in recent months. This collaboration between local businesses remains a steadfast reminder of the central community spirit in Thirroul. 

“It’s important to have theatres and bookshops for future generations. I think it would be a shame to lose that face-to-face interaction with music and culture, it is important to keep it alive in regional towns as well as big cities,” Ms Isler said.

In 2022, Live Nation purchased Anita’s Theatre in the midst of a financial uncertainty to to keep the historical venue open and evolving. The American multinational entertainment company funded structural upgrades, as well as introducing a smaller internal venue called ‘The King’s Room’. 

To commemorate the centenary, Anita’s hosted a week-long celebration featuring performances from a range of Australian favourites including Radical Reels and Hindley St Country Club, with Lime Cordiale headlining the birthday celebrations on October 22nd. 

A time capsule was also sealed to be opened in 2125, ready for another century of culture at Anita’s Theatre. The capsule features old and new memorabilia from beloved events, as well as hopes and well wishes for the future of the venue from performers, staff, and the supporting community of Thirroul.