Wharf Theater, also known by the present name, Bruce Ariss Wharf Theater is one of the most well known theater houses in Sydney. This theater house was founded Bruce Ariss and has till date changed its location twice. It was originally built in the Fisherman's Wharf, then shifted to the site of the Old Monetary Opera House and again back to its old locale. The sponsors of the first theater were Barbara Blair and Virginia Blair, two sisters, who had been acquaintance to Dan Totheroh and Keen Smith.
The Wharf Theater was established in 1950 and the first theater was held on May 18th, 1950. The first theatrical performance to be held in this theater hall
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was 'Happy Birthday'. A year later this theater was leased out to The Wharf Players, Inc. Bruce Ariss himself had directed the ' Point of Departure'. This theater had made Ariss popular to the Hollywood producers and Ariss moved to Hollywood for the following five years.
The original theater of Wharf was completely destroyed by a fire on the night pf December 1st, 1959. This was the reason why the venue was shifted to the Monetary Opera House in 1960. Fifteen years later, the old venue of the Wharf Theater was reconstructed and the first theater to be held in this venue was the 'Guys and Dolls'.
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