Dale Allison marks 50 years of live performance, as Wagga Civic Theatre approaches 60th anniversary.

Celebrating his own 50^th anniversary of playing shows this year, Mr Allison's fairly typical journey as a garage guitarist was interrupted by his first taste of theatre life.

After playing the guitar in local rock bands as a teen, he undertook what he describes as an "apprenticeship" as the second guitarist in a John Rosengren production of Grease in 1979.

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He said the experience had him addicted to the theatre from the beginning.

"It's a fabulous atmosphere," he said.

"Whether it's a cast romance, or just the fun of being in a big production.

"Once you've done one show in the theatre, you're hooked."

Mr Allison played nearly every musical at the theatre from Grease to Les Miserables in 2004.

He said that for many years, Wagga had an impressively credentialed local theatre and music scene that offered professional entertainment at the theatre - shows that were at the vanguard of creativity at the time.

"The director was very artistic, and he just punched it because all the cast, all the actors were professionals," he said.

"You know, they'd come here because there was a professional theatre company, and there were five or six productions a year ... it attracted professional actors to the town.

Mr Allison will celebrate his 50 years of performing at the venue in typical fashion - by playing a show at the Civic Theatre. His band Groove Factorie will at the Civic Theatre with singers Meredith Adams, Brent Dolahenty and Talei Wolfgramm.

In a three-way tribute to his own 50^th, the Civic's 60^th, and a recently lost musical legend, they will perform the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

Bacharach and David were the songwriting duo behind hits including Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head, What's New Pussycat?, and I Say a Little Prayer.

"Unfortunately we lost Burt recently, so we thought we should do a tribute to him, and something celebrating the theatre anniversary at the same time," Mr Allison said.

"Those songs go back to the '60s with Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick, but we're playing them how we'd play them today.

"It's sort of like our own little musical."

While he doesn't regularly perform music theatre shows anymore, Mr Allison isn't thinking about hanging up his guitar any time soon.

"We've been recording our own songs, with the idea that we like them, we'll finish them up and put them out there," he said.

"I have another duo with a fiddle player, and we do a whole bunch of different stuff ... it's a real challenge for a guitar player.

"I'm happy to stay here for now, and work on the projects that I enjoy."

The Civic Theatre opened on June 29 in 1963. In the tradition of many major works in Wagga, it was plagued by delays and controversies.

When plans were made public in the early 60s, some locals were outraged to find it was being built on what was then a rose garden by the Wollundry Lagoon. People also complained it had insufficient seating for a community the size of Wagga, and expressed displeasure that the mural on the front of the building.

Unable to fund the project alone, Council partnered with local organisations including the Wagga School of Arts, who sold a building to help fund the project. The gala opening featured Wagga Wagga School of Arts and The Wagga Theatre Club, including songs from Oklahoma.

Renovations were carried out in the 90s to correct many long-standing problems, including raising the orchestra pit, and new lighting facilities.

Groove Factorie will perform the music of Burt Bacharach and Hal David at the Civic Theatre with singers Meredith Adams, Brent Dolahenty and Talei Wolfgramm on July 21 and 22.

Wagga Civic Theatre's 60^th anniversary on June 29 celebrations include a gala concert featuring Darren Coggan, Australian Army Band Kapooka, musicians from the Riverina Conservatorium, Ivy and Geoff Simpson and more.

Tickets for both shows are available at civictheatre.com.au.

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