The Plaza Theatre was opened on Hay Street on 17 September 1937[2][3] with a seating capacity of 1,275 divided into lounge, circle and stalls.

[9] It opened a year in advance of the rival development of the Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade, located 60 metres further to the west on Hay Street.

[11] Further renovations, including the refurbishing of the interior and the installation of a Todd-AO sound system, were completed before the opening of South Pacific in 1960, which established a new long-run record for Perth of 45 weeks.

With increased capacity, a new screen and plusher appointments, the Plaza became Hoyts' premier theatre in Western Australia.

[9] With the advent of the multi-screen central city and suburban complexes, the theatre was closed permanently in 1984, briefly becoming a youth disco.

The $5 million redevelopment[12] featured new Italian terrazzo mall tiles, modern ceiling works, new facade lighting and glass panelling, and was completed in October 2006.

The auditorium was rather simple in fibrous plaster, striated lines and straight ceiling coves accentuated the long dimension of the room.