[1] It is located on Courtenay Place, the main street of Wellington's entertainment district, opposite the Reading Cinema complex.

[4] The St. James has had a long history, with its success in its early years, a near demolition in the 1980s and to its return to the city's cultural light in the late 1990s.

The theatre's land had been used as a church and volunteer hall prior to it being bought by the famous entertainer John Fuller on 23 December 1899.

The St. James was the first entirely steel frame and reinforced concrete theatre in the world and plans made sure over 650 people could escape the auditorium in the event of a fire.

The St. James was then adorned with marble pieces, carved face masks and cherubs to be placed on the ceiling and coloured glass.

[3] The wooden floors of the St. James were made of rimu and jarrah, along with tōtara for window frames and deal for doors.

Shows began performing at the Opera House and newer venues such as the Michael Fowler Centre, Downstage and the restored town hall.

[3] Months prior to this last showing a "Save the St James" campaign had been launched by a group including Peter Harcourt, Grant Sheehan, Ann Pacey, Rex McNichols and John Saker, They, along with family members, had lobbied, and pamphletted patrons to that end and continued in their endeavours.

The alarm had been risen after a photographer, Grant Sheehan, was told by the theatre's curator that the St. James was set to be demolished by the Chase Corporation.

For nearly a decade, a wrecking ball sat poised above the theatre, but it was never used after the owners were finally persuaded to save the property.

However, the council slowed progress on getting the report so the Historic Places Trust could add the St. James to its list.

Knowing that the protection order would only last for a limited time (in fact only until 31 March 1988), there was a frantic rush to get Chase to sell the building to the council so they could restore it.

Owing to the increasing number of theatre-going public, the Opera House would not be able to support the demand, especially when the Wellington Festival of the Arts arrived.

[2][3] However, once again bad luck fell upon the deal, when the financial crash of 1987 struck most companies in New Zealand, including Chase.

Chase had not secured a tenant for its new tower and the council began to doubt whether it should spend millions on a single theatre.

After the finish line for the protection order over the St. James ended, Chase gave their word that the theatre would not be demolished.

[2]: 54–61 In 2005 the St James Theatre was featured in an episode of the New Zealand television show Ghost Hunt.

Three investigators captured allegedly "paranormal" photographs and numerous "orbs" inside the building, and the elevator began to malfunction during filming, a commonly reported occurrence when moving instruments between the orchestra pit and the loading bay.