South African State Theatre, Performance center in Pretoria, South Africa.

The South African State Theatre is a performing arts center in central Pretoria with six performance spaces of different sizes, the largest of which is a full opera house. The smaller venues within the same building host drama, dance, and chamber productions, making it a self-contained complex for the arts.

Planning began in the 1960s under Transvaal administrator F. H. Odendaal, with an initial budget of R25 million. Excavation finished in 1969 and the theatre opened on 23 May 1981, costing about R46 million. In 1999 it was renamed the Spoornet State Theatre under a five-year agreement, closed in 2000 over financial mismanagement, and reopened on 4 April 2001.

The theatre's name changed in 1999 to Spoornet State Theatre under a five-year agreement with Spoornet, which funded the arts and exposed train passengers to performers' work. The 8-metre-high sculpture Applous by Danie de Jager stands on the forecourt and serves as the theatre's official emblem.

The theater is on Pretorius Street in central Pretoria and is easy to reach by public transport or on foot from nearby hotels. Booking tickets in advance is a good idea, as popular shows tend to sell out.

The 8-metre-high sculpture Applous by Danie de Jager stands on the forecourt and serves as the theatre's official emblem; it is described as the largest and most expensive of the artworks in the complex. The building also has one of the highest roof structures in the world, and its workshops are built into the theatre complex itself.