New Home for The Performing Arts at Trinity is Almost Complete!

The new Trinity College Theatre will be an amazing addition to the College community and I am thrilled to announce it is on track for the College to take ownership late in Term 3.

The 2023 College Musical – Bring It On! will be our first major event in the theatre, so I encourage you to buy tickets to this show when they go on sale.

This substantial investment in infrastructure, combined with new areas of focus and enhanced teaching, will position the College to better achieve our goal of enriching desirable graduate qualities. We know a comprehensive Performing Arts program boosts confidence in students, enhances communication skills, fosters creativity, builds resilience and improves critical thinking. The amazing new theatre will provide an exciting and unique opportunity which will have a profound influence on students and the community alike.

The significant benefits and opportunities that the new theatre creates extend beyond the classroom. We know it will increase career paths for primary, secondary and adult students in arts, dance, drama or music studies. The theatre will help fill a void in the north of Adelaide for a modern ‘high end’ performance space. Of course, the theatre will accommodate and create unique opportunities for specialist dance, arts, drama or music academies.

With the College being located in a distinct geographical setting and its six schools spread across Gawler and local surroundings, I am delighted to reveal the name of our new Theatre will reflect this local geography, history and culture. There are three rivers that all meet nearby the College; the North Para River, South Para River and the Gawler River, with the connection point known as the Three Rivers site. Extensive consultation was undertaken with First Nations leaders, students and local historians. This meeting of rivers is reflected externally on the design of the building and in the landscaping, which has been developed in consultation with First Nations architects. Of course, we see the theatre as a special meeting place for our community, as was the Three Rivers for the local Kaurna people.

The new theatre utilises Kaurna language and will be known as the ‘Marnkutyi Parirna Theatre’ which in English translates to the ‘Three Rivers Theatre.’

This naming story is best told with the help of students and Uncle Mickey O’Brien.

Please enjoy this video about our Theatre name.

For such a significant building name, I can confirm the College has fully consulted and collaborated with the relevant bodies and therefore naming rights approval has been obtained.

This project, and by extension the name has been underpinned by guiding principles from

• the College Strategic Plan,
• our Reconciliation Action Plan,
• our Cultural Safety and Inclusion Enrichment Plan,
• and the Trinity Education Model.

We do hope that the Marnkutyi Parirna Theatre will be recognised as the leading performance arts hub in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. It will feature leading technology in acoustic, lighting and staging, providing an exceptional audience experience. I look forward to joining you one day soon in the Marnkutyi Parirna Theatre’ (Three Rivers Theatre) to watch our students shine on this impressive stage.

Nick Hately
Head of Trinity College