To mark the opening,  the Arts Council presented Lerner and Loewe’s witty, ironic and irresistible musical My Fair Lady produced by Mal Kiehne and musically directed by Barry Rutledge. Comments from the official party suggested that this production matched many professional performances that had been seen in much larger centres. 

Opening night went smoothly. My Fair Lady started a little late after the seating of the audience of official guests and donors but the cast and crew of seventy-nine proceeded with good pace and voice in fine costumes and stage sets.

There were excellent performances by Sister Katherine Tyrrell as Eliza Doolittle a common flower transformed into a fine young lady, Dr Ron Newman as Eliza’s teacher and sometimes tormentor Professor Higgins, John Croft as Higgins’ lovable and bumbling colleague Colonel Pickering and Philip Cramer as Eliza’s rowdy and philosophising father Alfred P. Doolittle.

After the show, the Premier made a gracious speech, and Tim Hall, President of the Arts Council of NSW awarded Monica Rutledge Life Membership of the Arts Council of NSW.

The theatre opening caused a considerable stir in the town. The Municipal Council undertook new road works in the vicinity; Sister Katherine Tyrrell was given permission by the bishop to appear as Eliza Doolittle and Glen Innes and the theatre and show were promoted nationwide. 

1984 was an exciting and ultimately gratifying year not only for the culmination of many years planning and hard work to build the Chapel Theatre but it was also the 40th Anniversary of the Glen Innes Arts Council . 

2014 now sees the 30th year of the Chapel and the 70th Year of the GIAC, the longest continuously run Arts Council in NSW.