The Forge Theatre
Highlights
- Experience live theatre in a beautifully designed Proscenium Arch space with seating for 362 people.
- Discover a vibrant hub for community and culture, featuring local productions and international touring acts.
- Enjoy flexible meeting spaces in the McKean Room, perfect for workshops and small performances.
- Appreciate professional staff and high-quality technical equipment, ensuring memorable events in a welcoming atmosphere.
The Forge Theatre is a place where community and culture unite. It’s one of those rare venues where the arts truly bring people together, with a diverse program that ranges from local productions to national and international touring acts. Whether you’re a dedicated theatregoer or simply curious to try something new, there’s always something worth experiencing on its stage.
The main theatre is a beautifully designed Proscenium Arch space with a thrust forestage, orchestra pit, and seating for 362 people. It’s an intimate yet professional setting, perfectly suited to live music, drama, dance, and musical theatre, as well as seminars and conferences. Many local dance schools and theatre companies call it home, making it a vibrant hub for the community as well as visiting artists.
Alongside the main auditorium, the McKean Room provides a smaller, flexible space. With carpeted floors, curtained windows and dimmable lighting, it works equally well for meetings, training sessions, workshops, and small-scale performances.
Audiences and event organisers alike appreciate the theatre’s professional staff, high-quality technical equipment, ample free parking, and full wheelchair accessibility. More than just a venue, The Forge Theatre is a place where creativity thrives and people come together to share unforgettable experiences.
Images and Video
Accreditations
- Australian Museums and Galleries Association
Features
Actively welcomes people with access needs.
General access
- Offers multiple options for booking – web, email, phone is available.
- Offers a range of contact methods for receiving complaints.
- Companion Cards are accepted.
- Staff are trained in disability awareness.
- Asks all visitors if there are any specific needs to be met.
- Advise tour guides of the access needs of guests at the time of booking (includes pick up and drop off requirements)
- Assistance with booking arrangements (includes providing clear itineraries with written instructions on what to do at various destinations)
Communication
Welcomes and assists people who have challenges with learning, communication, understanding and behaviour. (includes people with autism, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, acquired brain injury (ABI), dyslexia and dementia)
- Uses Plain English / easy read signage and information (includes menus and emergency information)
- A quiet space is available at the venue/ facility.
Hearing
Caters for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
- A hearing loop is available.
- A low noise reception areas with hearing loss friendly acoustics and adequate lighting for viewing facial expressions (includes common areas which are free of background noise, background music) is available.
Physical – Mobility
Caters for people with sufficient mobility to climb a few steps but who would benefit from fixtures to aid balance. (This includes people using walking frames and mobility aids)
- Uses floors/coverings which are slip resistant, firm and smooth
Physical – Wheelchair
Caters for people who use a wheelchair.
- A step free main entrance to the building and/or reception area (includes ramps or slopes with a maximum gradient of 1:14, otherwise are too steep for wheelchairs)
- Step free access to restaurant, lounge and bar
- Step free access to the conference or function room
- Accessible seating areas in theatrette
- A wheelchair accessible toilet / shower and change room is available.
- At least one wheelchair accessible parking space with wheelchair accessible signage clearly displayed (International standards are 3200mm wide x 2500 mm high).
Physical – High support needs
Caters for people with high support needs who travel with a support person.