But the ASB-sponsored event highlighted the lack of a purpose-built civic centre in the resort, with gigs spread across the central business district.
Organisers of this year's Winter Festival responded to the lack of a recognisable public hub for events by erecting the temporary Kawarau Falls Station Pavilion in June.
JazzFest director Harvey Maguire said there was not a balanced distribution of funds by Queenstown Lakes District Council, and the community was "crying out" for a dedicated civic centre.
"Council's emphasis is placed on commercial aspects of the district and little weight has been given to the real food of the community, the arts.
"If the arts weren't sponsored by local and central government, they wouldn't exist.
The arts do not do well in the free market."
Mr Maguire said he would like to see a 1000-seat theatre built in Queenstown or Frankton that would be a focal point of the Wakatipu community and enable touring live acts to cover their costs.
About 80 Wakatipu High School pupils and staff staged the musical Fame in the Queenstown Memorial Hall last June.
Teacher in charge of drama Becs McArthur said three of the four nights were sold out and organisers had been concerned they would have more than the permitted numbers.
"In terms of the stage, from a director's perspective, I found it to be small compared with Invercargill.
"Queenstown's arts culture is big enough to be deserving of a bigger and more professionally kitted-out performance venue."
Miss McArthur said she would personally like to see an auditorium on or near the school grounds for the use of pupils and the community.
The auditorium would feature removable tiered chairs and seat an audience of 400 to 1000.
Showbiz Queenstown attracted capacity crowds almost every night of the 10 performances of Grease: The Musical in the memorial hall in May this year.
The non-profit incorporated society has staged at least one production per year since 1975 and was preparing for Les Miserables in May next year.
President Marty Newell said while the restrictions of the hall did not limit their ambitions, Showbiz Queenstown members would like to see a dedicated community arts centre and theatre built in the resort.
He said a 250 to 300 seat auditorium that could expand to 1000 seats would be ideal.
It could be paid for by a combination of corporate sponsorship, ratepayers and the groups who would use it.
"The ideal theatre would feature good acoustics, a fly-floor above the stage, large stage wings for cast and sets to manoeuvre and changing rooms for casts of 30 to 40," he said.
The society used the former ambulance station on Isle St for rehearsals, and the rugby club rooms and memorial hall bar areas had been used as makeshift changing rooms in the past.
Showbiz was hiring the Qpact rooms for Les Miserables auditions next month.
One of the resort's largest developments will include conference facilities, though it was not known if they would be suitable or available for stage productions.
Kawarau Falls Station spokesman Klaus Sorensen said it was too early to be specific about the complex's conference facilities.
However, the billion-dollar station would have "significant" conferencing and entertainment facilities, "certainly much larger than any single venue in Queenstown at present".
Mr Newell said while Showbiz Queenstown would not rule out any venue that could suit its purpose, "it's difficult to get a theatrical atmosphere in the events centre or conference room".
A dedicated venue would open the door to theatrical companies touring the country, although Queenstown's traditional inability to book tickets early enough had not encouraged companies to play away from the main centres, he said.
Mr Maguire said the memorial hall was limited and the Queenstown Events Centre was "a dog as far as the arts were concerned".
"The memorial hall's stage is small and it doesn't have the production capabilities you would expect in even a modest venue."
"The events centre was "a basketball court and it's an acoustic desert".
Anika Moa performs with the backing of the Frank Gibson Quartet in the Queenstown Memorial Hall on Friday.
