Kwai Tsing Theatre

Kwai Tsing Theatre (Chinese: 葵青劇院) is a major performance venue in Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is located in Kwai Fong, near Kwai Fong MTR station. It was built by the Regional Council and opened in November 1999 to provide a medium-size venue for performances. It has an 899-seat auditorium, a black box theatre, and various smaller function rooms.

Kwai Tsing Theatre
葵青劇院
Overview of the theatre and forecourt
Kwai Tsing Theatre Location within Hong Kong
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Performing arts venue
Address	No. 12 Hing Ning Road Kwai Chung, New Territories Hong Kong
Opened	November 1999
Cost	HK$468 million
Design and construction
Architect	Architectural Services Department
Structural engineer	Ove Arup & Partners
Quantity surveyor	DG Jones & Partners (HK) Ltd
Main contractor	China International Water & Electric Corporation
Website
lcsd.gov.hk/ktt

Kwai Tsing Theatre
Traditional Chinese	葵青劇院
Simplified Chinese	葵青剧院
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Kuíqīng Jùyuàn Yue: Cantonese Jyutping kwai4 cing1 kek6 jyun6*2

History

A working group appointed by the Recreation and Culture Select Committee of the former Regional Council presented a report, on 13 May 1989, that observed "a dearth of purpose-built, well-located, medium-sized civic centres" in the council's service area. As a result, the council began studying building such a venue within Kwai Tsing District.[1]

On 31 May 1990 the council approved, in principle, the provision of a new civic centre in Kwai Tsing District.[2] In the planning stages it was called the Kwai Tsing Civic Centre.[3]

Construction began in 1994. The theatre was planned and designed by the Architectural Services Department, a department of the Hong Kong Government. It was engineered by Ove Arup & Partners and built by China International Water & Electric Corporation.[4]

The theatre was officially opened by Lau Wong-fat, chairman of the Provisional Regional Council, on 18 November 1999. It cost HK$468 million.[5] Since 2000, the theatre has been managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD).

In early 2008, the exhibition gallery was converted into the LCSD's first black box theatre.[6] The renovation was completed in response to local arts groups concerned by the shortage of smaller performance venues in Hong Kong.[7]

Features

• Auditorium (899 seats)[8]
• Black box theatre (130-160 seats)
• Dance studio
• Lecture room (98 removable seats)
• Outdoor plaza
• Rehearsal room
• Restaurant

Notable events

On 2 September 2010, following the Manila hostage crisis, the Hong Thai Travel Services organised a public memorial service at the theatre for killed tour leader Masa Tse Ting Chunn (謝廷駿), who was posthumously awarded the Medal for Bravery (Gold) for gallantry during the standoff.[9][10]

Transport

The Kwai Tsing Theatre is located opposite Kwai Fong Station of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR).

See also

• Culture of Hong Kong

References

1. "Provision of Civic Centre Facilities in Kwai Tsing". Regional Council. 4 May 1990.
2. "Kwai Tsing Civic Centre - Inclusion of a New Item in the Regional Council Capital Works Programme". Regional Council. 13 September 1990.
3. "3CE - Kwai Tsing Civic Centre Upgrading to Category III". Regional Council. 8 July 1992.
4. "Theatre without compromise". Building Journal. April 2000.
5. "Grand opening for Kwai Tsing Theatre". Hong Kong Government. 18 November 1999.
6. "New Black Box Theatre at Kwai Tsing Theatre". Hong Kong Government. 22 May 2008.
7. Chow, Vivienne (19 May 2008). "New black box theatre shows that small can be beautiful". South China Morning Post. p. 3.
8. "Auditorium". Kwai Tsing Theatre. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
9. Leung, Paggie (3 September 2010). "Agency pays tribute to tour guide". South China Morning Post. p. 2.
10. "2011 Honours List". Hong Kong Government. 1 July 2011.

External links

• Official website