It comes as no surprise to leading English theatre operator and producer Sir Howard Panter that Civic Theatre successfully staged a Broadway production ... what shocked him was that it hadn't hosted more.
"It really is an absolutely first class venue and it's in a world-class environment," said Sir Howard, who owns and operates 16 European theatres and Sydney's Theatre Royal.
"It struck me straight away that it should be used much more for Broadway, West End and other major league productions. I'm bamboozled to why it's not."
That is something Sir Howard plans to change. His company Trafalgar Entertainment is planning to bring more shows to Newcastle off the back of February's Come From Away, including one that is just about secured.
The impresario visited Newcastle on May 17 scouting new locations for Broadway productions including Civic and the historic Victoria Theatre.
He will also attend the opening of Tina - The Tina Turner Musical at Theatre Royal on May 18, which is the calibre of show Mr Howard said Newcastle could host.
His vision is for Civic Theatre to trade with the Theatre Royal. He said he could conceive Trafalgar Entertainment bringing four or five shows a year to the venue.
"Jersey Boys could come here, Rocky Horror Show could come here," he said.
"We'd start things in Sydney and bring them here and start things in Newcastle and bring them to Sydney.
"I know people do travel into Sydney but it is a four-and-a-half hour journey back and forward, then you've got all the parking and the tolls.
"Why not go to a nice local restaurant, come to see our first class show here and then go home and not have all that hassle?
"So I think there's a place for both both types of venues - CBD in Sydney and here.
"But this is a major quality regional venue by any standards in the world."
His thinking is in line with City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath's hopes for the space.
"When a show is announced and is going to the capital cities, our goal is for it to also be coming to Newcastle," Mr Bath said.
"When you're talking about players like Trafalgar Entertainment and Sir Howard Panter in terms of their international reputation, they really don't get any higher or any better.
"So the fact that they reached out to us and and were interested in coming to the Civic Theatre with premium content that has only ever previously been run in Sydney and Melbourne, is an extraordinary feather in the cap of Newcastle.
"I think what it shows is just how far Newcastle has really come and the maturity in the local market."
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