IT'S been 100 years since the Empire Theatre was opened in Toowoomba and as always, the show must go on.

The Empire Theatre's Centenary Ball on Saturday was both a fitting tribute to the theatre's involvement in the local community over the past century and a celebration of a future filled with potential.

Actor and patron of the Patron of Empire Theatres Foundation Geoffrey Rush sent a letter of congratulations for the occasion, honouring the theatre's resilience during its highs and lows.

“Not even a crippling depression and a devastating fire or years of abandonment and accumulated pigeon poo could stop the Empire marching on,” Mr Rush wrote.

The ball was also an emotional time for Don Stevens who announced he was retiring from his position of Empire Theatre Foundation chairman after four years in the role.

Mr Stevens was made a life member of the theatre.

The Centenary Ball was sponsored by The Chronicle, which is celebrating its own milestone in 2011 of 150 years in the Toowoomba community.

The Chronicle's video presentation was a highlight of the evening.