September 25, 2021

EMILY CAMPBELL SCHOLARSHIP

New Zealand performer Emily Campbell tragically passed away last year before taking up her Equity Foundation Scholarship at the Atlantic Acting School in New York. Emily was chosen by an industry judging panel from hundreds of applicants, who praised Emily’s empathy and emotional connection to her work. With permission from the Campbell family, the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), together with private donors, will award the Emily Campbell Scholarship (valued at $13,250) to an acting student to attend The Actors’ Program (TAP) in 2022.

September 20, 2021

THE NZ IMPROV FEST IS BACK, IN SPITE OF BLOODY COVID

It’s been a hellish couple of years for live performance all across the world, but next month, the New Zealand Improv Festival returns with its 2021 programme, “Throw Away the Script”, from the 4th - 16th of October.

September 17, 2021

THE DELTA DIFFERENCE: Why Aotearoa’s Performing Arts and Events need support now – and what you can do.

James Wenley, Theatre Scenes, explains why targeted support for Aotearoa’s performing arts and events sector is urgently needed to help see us through the Delta outbreak.We know that Delta is different. And so is the impact of Delta on Aotearoa’s performing arts and live events sector this year.Despite the move to level 2 outside of Auckland, our performing arts sector largely remains mothballed nationwide.

September 17, 2021

The Theatreview Trust PROFILE “As an almost daily user of Theatreview, I am impressed by the professional way in which it is run.

"There is no other organisation or publication that does this work for the theatre community. … I share the widely held enthusiasm among theatre audiences and practitioners that Theatreview makes an invaluable contribution to our community.” David O’Donnell, Professor, School of English, Film, Theatre, Media Studies, and Art History. Victoria University of Wellington, Te Herenga Waka Theatreview was created by John Smythe with web designer Emily Walker-Wright, and went live on 2 April 2006.

September 15, 2021

THE BIG AMBITION OF TOI WHAKAARI’S TANEA HEKE

E te Tī, e te Tā, tēnā koutou katoa Ka tika kia mihia ō tātou tino mate e ngaro atu nei ki tua-o-te-ārai, rātou kua whetūrangitia. Kei ngā mate hūhua, haere, whakangaro atu rā ki te pō, oti atu ki te pō. Tātou o te ao ora e pakanga tonu nei i te mate urutā o te wā, i te mate kōwheori - tēnā rā tātou katoa. As Toi Whakaari reopens this week, and importantly during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori / Māori Language week, one thing for certain is that the lockdown has not slowed the ambition or optimism of its Tumuaki Tanea Heke (Ngā Puhi).

August 23, 2021

Many Happy (re) Turns by Jennifer Shennan Anne Rowse is a well-known and much-loved figure in the New Zealand dance scene. Her 90th birthday was recently celebrated in style at…

A tribute from Jennifer Shennan https://michellepotter.org/articles/many-happy-returns

August 17, 2021

WELLINGTON PERFORMING ARTS WIKIPEDIA EDIT-A-THON SATURDAY 21 AUGUST Lisa Maule is running a free workshop this coming Saturday at Te Whaea for people who want to improve performing arts on…

Wikipedia suits people who are passionate about the subject area, like the politics of open source knowledge and like researching.

July 8, 2021

FIVE THEATRE PRACTITIONERS AWARDED OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT THEATRE AWARD

Five theatre practitioners are to be awarded an Out of the Limelight theatre award, set up with funds from the Sir Roger Hall Theatre Fund which is handled by the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi. This group of Awards of $5,000 each will be made in alternate years with the Sir Roger Hall Theatre Arts Foundation Laureate Award (first awarded in 2020). These new Awards give recognition to those theatre practitioners without whose work most theatre productions could not take place, yet who rarely get the sort of recognition that is given to playwrights, directors and those who tread the boards.

June 25, 2021

THE PERFORMANCE ARCADE 2022 open wānanga through July; apply by 27/8

WHAT IS PERFORMANCE ART IN AOTEAROA? WHAT IS PERFORMANCE ART IN A POST-COVID ENVIRONMENT? The Performance Arcade announces its open call to artists from Aotearoa and around the world for its 2022 programme of works (open from 17-27 February). Also, for the first time ever... we will be running a nationwide series of wānanga for public and artists interested in the event over the following month.

May 24, 2021

NZ iNTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2021 AWARDS BILLY T AND FRED AWARD WINNERS FOR 2021 ANNOUNCED

The NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo honoured the outstanding talent on show in the 2021 programme at Electric Kiwi Last Laughs, rewarding excellence with the New Zealand Comedy Trust awards: The FRED, for the best New Zealand Show in the Festival, and the Billy T Award.

March 30, 2021

Vale PETER WILSON

March 28, 2021

CIRCA THEATRE SUBMISSIONS FOR 2022 ARE OPEN!

Your scripts and applications will be read this year by members of the Circa Council including: Linda Wilson, Salesi Le'ota, Carrie Green, Jamie McCaskill, and Heather O'Carrol.

March 27, 2021

Neil Edward Gray: lawyer, arts patron, died February 25, 2021

Rising from humble beginnings to become one of Wellington's sharpest legal minds and a respected patron of the arts, Neil Gray leaves a legacy that will long be remembered.  

March 25, 2021

Vale PETER WILSON After a long battle with cancer, Lyndon Peter Wilson, known to all as Peter, died peacefully at home in Paekakariki on Monday 22 March 2021

A service to farewell Peter will be held at St Peter’s Village Hall, Beach Road Paekakariki, on Friday 26 March at 11am.

March 22, 2021

NZ FRINGE 2021 AWARDS

New Zealand Fringe Festival announces award winners and closes biggest, most successful Fringe Festival to date, despite momentary pivot to level 2. The New Zealand Fringe Festival came to a triumphant close last night in Pōneke with a celebration of the best and brightest at the NZ Fringe Awards Ceremony hosted at Te Auaha: NZ Institute of Creativity. Eighteen award winners were celebrated by a full house of artists, sponsors and audiences, with the ceremony itself also live streamed into the adjacent cinema within Te Auaha for everyone to see.

March 11, 2021

Bernard Esquilant, 1926-2021 (As published in the Otago Daily Times, 11 March 2021) Bernard Leslie Esquilant – after a full and wonderful life, Bernard passed away, peacefully, at home, on…

Bernard Leslie Esquilant – after a full and wonderful life, Bernard passed away, peacefully, at home, on March 2, 2021; aged 94 years, with his loving partner of 65 years, Bill Menlove, at his bedside.

March 1, 2021

2021 TAHI: New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance Expressions of Interest are now open!

Here are some things we will be requesting then: Script, Production History, Reviews, Tech specs and importantly something in words or images that evokes the show.

March 1, 2021

DUNEDIN PLAYWRIGHT WINS SECOND BIG AWARD WITHIN MONTHS

PLAYMARKET is pleased to announce the ADAM NZ PLAY AWARD winner for 2021 is Emily Duncan for her play & Sons. The Adam NZ Play Award recognises and celebrates the best in new unproduced writing for the theatre. Emily also won the award for Best Play by a Woman Playwright and the McNaughton South Island Play Award which is awarded to a play written by a South Island resident in memory of Professor Howard McNaughton,1945–2014.

February 15, 2021

Peter Vere-Jones, ONZM: 21 October 1939 – 26 January 2021. Highly respected Wellington actor – radio, stage, film, television – has died, aged 81.

February 6, 2021

ADAM NZ PLAY AWARD 2021 Playmarket is thrilled to celebrate the shortlisted plays and playwrights for the 2021 Adam NZ Play Award.

ADAM NZ PLAY AWARD 2021 Playmarket is thrilled to celebrate the shortlisted plays and playwrights for the 2021 Adam NZ Play Award.

January 25, 2021

BILL SHEAT. William Newton Sheat CNZM OBE 1 May 1930 – 20 January 2021

Bill Sheat was Patron of The Theatreview Trust (since its inception in 2011) and Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ . “He was a man, take him for all in all. I shall not look upon his like again.” – Hamlet, I, 2 “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince...” Hamlet, V, 2

December 31, 2020

2020 WRAP UP: How the Performing Arts Sector Negotiated COVID-19 A personal statement from the Managing Editor.

With so much commentary calling 2020 ‘horrendous’, I feel compelled to recall what happened with Aotearoa New Zealand’s professional-level performing arts practice over what has turned out to be a remarkably impressive year. Despite COVID-19 and the levels of Lockdown, Theatreview commissioned and published 443 reviews plus 48 teasers and links to other reviews: 491 in total – an average of 1.3 per day. And that’s without Auckland Theatre in the mix (dropped, initially at least, due to limits on available funding), although Dance has continued to be reviewed nationwide. The year began with a fertile flourish.

December 8, 2020

Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai // Wellington Theatre Awards 2020

On Sunday the 6th of December, the community got together at St Peter’s Church, Willis St, to celebrate our achievements with colleagues and friends at the annual Wellington Theatre Awards. The hosts were Hannah Kelly and Sepelini Mua'au. This has been a tough year for the Theatre industry but we have shown how resilient our community is at adapting to the changing world.