Interior of the Regent Theatre from the dress circle, showing the proscenium arch and stage curtain. The Regent Theatre opened 4 July 1930 as a cinema and theatre. It was designed by Charles Hollingshed for owners Williamson Films Ltd, and built of reinforced concrete by Julian and Co at a cost of £46,000. One of its features is a solid marble staircase. In the 1990s the theatre was purchased by the Palmerston North City Council and restored as the city's premier theatre. It is leased to the Regent Theatre Trust Board who run the facility.