The building was constructed by Nicholas and Edward Fitzgerald, with their managing director J.B. Perrins to establish the South Melbourne Branch of the Castlemaine Brewery.

The then owners Carlton & United Breweries in 1986 donated the building to Playbox Theatre Company to refurbish as their permanent home.

These included John Beckett (designer), Hannie Rayson (playwright), Julia Blake (actress), Robert Taylor (production manager), Ailsa Piper (Board Member), Serena Burchell (Box Office), David Roberts (actor), Richard Jeziorny (designer), Ross Murray (stage manager), Stuart Greenbaum (composer), Jill Smith (CEO), and Carrillo Gantner (Artistic Director & Co-Founder).

Malthouse Theatre's scenic workshop is located in the neighbouring ACCA building, completed in 2002, which also includes rehearsal spaces for Chunky Move, a Melbourne-based contemporary dance company.

The Malthouse venue hosts over 100 external hirer events annually ranging from festivals, performances, conferences, rehearsals and workshops.

[2] The Importance of Being Earnest, Grey Arias*, Macbeth (This Ignorant Present)*, K-BOX*, Is This A Room: Reality Winner Verbatim Transcription*, Do not go gentle…*, The Return*, Prima Facie*, Go To Hell*, Loaded[5] ( *Season 2020 productions cancelled as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.)

Underground Railroad Game, Barbara and the Camp Dogs, The Temple, Cloudstreet, Wake in Fright, Solaris, My Dearworthy Darling, Australian Realness, Apocalypse Meow: Crisis is Born [6] Picnic at Hanging Rock, Good Muslim Boy, A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer, Bliss, Going Down, Brothers Wreck, Blackie Blackie Brown: The Traditional Owner of Death, Melancholia, Blasted, Ich Nibber Dibber, Trustees[7] The Encounter, Little Emperors, The Homosexuals or ‘Faggots’, Piece for Person and Ghetto Blaster, Away, Wild Bore, Revolt.

Revolt Again., Heart is a Wasteland, You're Not Alone, The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man, Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets, The Testament of Mary[8] Meow Meow's Little Mermaid, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Every Brilliant Thing, The Glass Menagerie, The Events, Come Away with Me to the End of the World, Edward II, The Fiery Maze, Gonzo, War and Peace (Around a Kitchen Table), Blaque Showgirls[9] Blak Cabaret, Wot?

!, Depth of Field, Nothing to Lose, Do You Speak Chinese?, Love and Information, Meme Girls, Timeshare, Antigone, I Am a Miracle, A Social Service, They Saw a Thylacine, The Listies Ruin Xmas[10] The Government Inspector, Frankenstein, Night on Bald Mountain, Ugly Mugs, The Witches, The Good Person of Szechuan, The Book of Loco, Walking into the Bigness, The Riders, Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday, Calpurnia Descending[11]