Civic Theatre marks 120 years by opening every door, from the basement to the roof, for a free open day

For 120 years the grand building on Tay Street now known as the Civic Theatre has been where Invercargill goes to be entertained. Today, to mark the anniversary, staff say every one of its doors will be unlocked.

The Civic's free community open day runs from 10am until 4pm, and visitors can join a guided tour or simply wander. Ryan Sycamore, who manages venues and events for Invercargill City Council, said in a statement reported by the Otago Daily Times that nothing would be off limits. "We're going to open every door in the place," he said. "You'll have free rein to go basically everywhere, from the front of house, to backstage, down to the basement, and up to the roof."

He also acknowledged that a Category 1 heritage building can feel a little grand for some. "The Civic is an elegant Category 1 heritage venue filled with wonderful stories and a history dating back to 1906, but this comes with a level of prestige that can be a bit intimidating," he said, adding that the theatre "belongs to the people of Invercargill".

There is plenty to see beyond the corridors. A short film and a set of displays tell the building's story, local historian Senga White is giving a series of talks, and Invercargill City Libraries and Archives has put together a collection of historical items. Local artist Tienkie Venter has made a miniature of the theatre out of Lego bricks.

According to the Southland Tribune, people will also be invited to have a go at the stage lighting and fly systems, and to play with sound and music from the control booth that sits high above the auditorium. A Southland Oral History Project station will record people's memories of the theatre, and archives staff will be on hand to digitise programmes, posters and other memorabilia that visitors bring along, or to accept them as donations.

The building has its own folklore, too. Josh Clive, the Civic's operations and technical lead, told the Tribune the theatre was built where a fire station once stood, and that the station burned down in 1903. The theatre's supposed ghost, Freddie, is said to be a man who died after falling into a well back in the fire station days. Clive said he believed he had encountered Freddie himself in recent weeks. "It doesn't haunt the place; it just shows up every now and then," he said.

A mummified bird has watched over the stage from high above since the 2005 redevelopment, and the plaster decoration includes the face of a young girl, a niece of the building's Invercargill architect ER Wilson. Clive told the Tribune a woman who recently came in for a look turned out to be that girl's daughter.

The official opening in 1906 was performed by the Governor, Lord Plunket, and the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, when the building was called the Invercargill Town Hall and Theatre. It has been a Category 1 Historic Place since 1984.

The anniversary will leave something permanent behind. Sycamore said a new work by artist Kimberley Birchfield, titled Jewel of the city, would hang in the foyer for good. "It's a beautiful piece of art that captures the essence of the Civic at 120 years old," he told the Tribune.

Sycamore said the stories that had surfaced during the anniversary research all pointed the same way. "What comes through in all these stories is how much people love the Civic," he said.

The open day is at the Civic Theatre, 88 Tay Street, from 10am to 4pm today. Entry is free and everyone is welcome, though Freddie, by all accounts, keeps his own hours.