BackChat 46 1 Summer 2023 TitleThe title image of this edition is from the 2024 TheatreFest ShowCase:
Wairarapa Theatre Group – Falling, photo courtesy of Mark Perry

Table of Contents

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President’s Message
Spotlight on: Blaise Barham
ShowCase Flyer
TheatreFest Dates
Awards and Festival Structure
What is TheatreFest all about?
TheatreFest Youth NCEA
Summer Theatre Intensive Flyer
Spotlight on: David O’Donnell
Spotlight on: Angie Farrow
Spotlight on: Sean Coyle
Profile: Tama Smith
Youth Theatre Germany


Youth Theatre Spotlight on: Deborah Percy
IATA World Festival of Amateur Theatre
Dargaville to Monaco
Age on Stage
Regional Round Up
Playmarket Recommended Scripts
Performing a David Mamet play
Jane Austen
Playwrights Association of New Zealand
The Play Bureau
Associates
Our Supporters
Renew Your Membership
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President's Message

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He Kōrero nā te Perehitini ki te Whānau Toi

President’s Message

Tēnā koutou katoa, e te whānau whānui o te ao whakaari,

I write today with both purpose and conviction, mā te ngākau pono me te ū ki te Kaupapa, to reaffirm our shared vision, and to speak about the direction Theatre New Zealand is taking as we navigate a pivotal moment in our history.

As a national organisation rooted in mahi ngātahi (collaborative work), whanaungatanga (relationship-building), and artistic excellence, we are not simply responding to change, we are leading it. We are reshaping the landscape of theatre education, training, and festival practice, one voice, one artist, one kaupapa at a time.

This transformation is deliberate. It is strategic. And it is grounded in our collective desire to see community theatre in Aotearoa thrive, kia tipu, kia puāwai te ao toi ā-iwi i ngā hapori katoa o te motu.

Te Whakapapa – Our Living Legacy

This new chapter does not emerge from nowhere. Ehara tēnei i te tīmatanga, engari he wāhanga o te haerenga roa. We walk a path laid by many, the tireless advocates, educators, adjudicators, directors, actors, technicians, and visionaries whose passion for performance carved out space for community theatre to flourish in Aotearoa.

From our early days as the British Drama League through our evolution as the New Zealand Theatre Federation, to our current form as Theatre New Zealand, this organisation has stood as a whare for the arts, a place where amateur theatre could grow, connect, and inspire. Our members, our life members, patrons, and those who have served on national and regional committees are not just names in minutes or photographs in archives. They are the very foundations of our Whare.

Their work echoes in every stage lit, every costume sewn, every child who finds their voice, and every audience moved by a story told well. Mā rātou i para te huarahi – they paved the way.

Te Tūāpapa Hou – A New Foundation

Our newly proposed festival framework reflects this desire. It is centred   around pono (integrity), māramatanga (clarity), and educational value, while upholding the mana of performers, directors, and creatives across all levels of experience. This creates national consistency while allowing room for artistic diversity, from devised ensemble works to kapa haka-influenced theatre, youth performance, musical theatre, children’s theatre and beyond.

He Taunakitanga Katoa – A Full Commitment to the Craft

Our investment in growth spans the whare tapere in all its forms, from the kākahu (costume) to the whakaaturanga (performance), from whakarite (production planning) to rama me te oro (lighting and sound).

That is why we are proud to announce the development of a refreshed national programme of workshops and training intensives, including:

  • He kura Raumati hou, a reinvigorated Summer School programme, purpose-built to serve not only performers, but directors, technicians, designers, producers, and educators. This new school builds on the foundation laid by those who came before, including the significant contribution of Mr Bryan Aitken, whose dedication to educational outcomes has long enriched our theatre community.
  • Regional training opportunities, designed in partnership with MTNZ and local theatre communities to meet the specific needs of their rohe;
  • Specialist workshops in adjudication, stagecraft, vocal development, movement for the stage, cultural integration, and festival management, all led by respected industry professionals and kaiako ahurea (cultural advisors);
  • A deeper integration of Te Ao Māori and bicultural practice into our learning spaces, resources, and teaching delivery, kia ū, kia tika, kia Māori.

These are not one-off events. They are part of a long-term strategy to support lifelong learning and professional development within our community theatre sector.

Whether you are just starting out or have decades of experience, these offerings are for mā tātou katoa. Every aspect of our craft matters. Because a strong theatre community is one where every role, whether on stage or off, is respected, resourced, and celebrated.

Ngā Rautaki o Mua – Looking Ahead Together

As we prepare to gain hosting rights for the AITA/IATA World Festival in Wellington in 2027, Theatre New Zealand is focused not only on the international stage, but also on strengthening the foundations here at home, te tūāpapa o te whare tapere ā-iwi o Aotearoa.

This work is not mine alone, ehara tēnei i te mahi takitahi. It is ours, nā tātou katoa. And it cannot be done in isolation or opposition. It must be grounded in true collaboration, whilst reflecting our whakapapa and where we have come from, i te mahi ngātahi, i te kotahitanga.

Mahi ngātahi is the cornerstone of Theatre New Zealand’s kaupapa.

We are committed to working with others, not being spoken to, but being listened with.
Not guided by ego, but by values. Not divided by politics, but united by purpose, kia ū ki te tika, kia ū ki te kaupapa.

To all of our members: your stories, your service, and your courage to create are the heartbeat of this organisation, ko koutou te manawa o tēnei rōpū.

I invite you to be part of this new chapter. To help build from the past into something enduring and meaningful, hei painga mō ngā reanga kei te heke mai. Let us lead with pono, learn with ngākau māhaki, and lift each other with aroha. Let us continue to change the landscape of theatre in Aotearoa, not by tearing down, but by building up.

“Together” – Ngā ringa raupā o te ao toi.

Ngā manaakitanga nunui,
Paul Percy
Perehitini
Theatre New Zealand

 

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 TheatreFest Dates

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Awards and Festival Structure 

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What is TheatreFest all about?

Maybe the videos below will answer your questions.

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 TheatreFest Entry Forms 

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 TheatreFest Youth NCEA 

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Web 2026 Summer Flyer

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Are you interested?

You can fill out the expression of interest form by clicking HERE!

 

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IATA/AITA World Festival of Amateur Theatre

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 Dargaville to Monaco

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Support our team today.
Link to givealittle page:  https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-dargaville-little-theatre-get-to-the-world

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 Age on Stage

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 Regional Round Up

Region 1

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Region 1 White Circle

 TheatreFest Entries open 1st March 2025, close 30th June 2025

 Click here for the TheatreFest Entry Form for Auckland and Northland

 Click here for the Playmarket Award Entry Form

 Click here for the Poster Exhibition Entry Form

LaraBrownie

 I've been busy making videos promoting TheatreFest.  Hopefully you saw them earlier, if not you can view them below.

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Lara Brownie
Region 1 Representative
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https://www.facebook.com/TNZRegion01/

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 Region 2

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Region 2 White Circle

 TheatreFest Entries open 1st March 2025, close 30th June 2025

 Click here for the TheatreFest Entry Form for Waikato, Boy of Plenty, Taranaki

 Click here for the Playmarket Award Entry Form

 Click here for the Poster Exhibition Entry Form

Toni S

Region 2 is heading towards a busy time of year! School productions are getting ready to groove onto the stage and our amateur theatre groups are helping their towns fill winter nights with some lively theatre!

Tauranga Musical Theatre have Prom on currently until the 10th of May, Finding Nemo Jr is in rehearsals and will hit the stage on the 28th of May, and to top it off they have the banger of a musical “Jersey Boys” later in the year! Otumoetai College is bringing you Mamma Mia, while combined Tauranga Girls and Tauranga Boys High Schools have Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. A personal favourite for me is “The Importance of Being Earnest” for Detour Theatre, this has been brought back to life at the National Theatre in the UK and a new generation are seeing it’s erm… importance! This is in rehearsals and will be on stage in June.

Rotorua Little Theatre are in rehearsal for “Tomb with a View” going on in June so keep your eyes out for those tickets coming on sale. Rotorua Musical Theatre and bringing “Ladies in Black: The Musical” to the stage, this is an adaptation of the book “Women in Black” - this will be on stage in July and an exciting new production. Rotorua girls this year are performing “Freaky Friday” a production that will be enjoyed by all ages, tickets on sale now and on stage from 6th of June.

2025 05 R2 JATGPHamilton Playbox have just closed a brilliant season of James and the Giant Peach (photo courtesy of Kerry Blakeney-Williams) and have cast their next show - The Mysterious Disappearance which will go on stage 28th June. Plus their 24 hour Play Festival in July - if you haven’t been a part of this on been along to see the plays that get on stage in just 24 hours, then I highly recommend you do this year! Hamilton Musical Theatre has “Bonnie and Clyde” treading the boards from May 10th, while the Lin Manuel Miranda Musical “In The Heights” is in rehearsal coming to us in August.

Taupo has a production of Mamma Mia by Taupo nui a Tia College in late May, they have been working hard on this production and it will be absolutely stunning. With some new Improv Teams starting up at Centre Stage in Taupo - you can guarantee that you will see some hilarious improv experiences this year, along with hosting a Local Theatrefest and a wonderful collaboration of a “Speak Easy” with the Taupo Concert Band in August.

New Plymouth Operatic Society have the classic “Chicago” coming to TSB Showplace from 3-9th of July. 4th Wall Theatre are bringing “Stones in his Pockets” to you from the 10th -15th of June, an incredible play where two actors take you on a journey while taking on 15 different personas throughout the production. To top it off Hawera Repertory Theatre have “Checkout Girls” a musical comedy coming your way in July.

So many volunteer hours go into all of these productions from on stage to front of house, the technical crews that make it all happen, so you can experience the joy, connection and emotion of live theatre, there is nothing quite like it so get out and support your local theatres and schools by getting your tickets to the shows and telling all your friends to do the same. They don’t have a show if they don’t have an audience. You won’t regret it.

Toni Sullivan
Region 2 Representative
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https://www.facebook.com/TNZRegion02/ 

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 Region 3

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2025 05 R3 Regent TheatreREGENT’S LIGHTS ARE BIGGER, BRIGHTER AND BETTER

The next show that opens at the Regent On Broadway will be lit like never before.

Lighting installed in the theatre’s roof in 1998 has finally been removed and replaced by 12 Chauvet Professional Ovation REVE E3 profiles and nine Chauvet Professional Maverick Silens 2X Moving lights which will offer illumination far greater than the Regent has provided in the past.

Venue technician, Kieran Peters, describes the new lights as creating “an improved level of brightness” that will benefit touring productions and the Regent’s audience.

Read more..... follow this link.

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Adrienne Hurley
Region 3 Representative
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https://www.facebook.com/TNZRegion03/

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 Region 4

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Region 4 White Circle

 TheatreFest Entries open 1st March 2025, close 30th June 2025

 Click here for the TheatreFest Entry Form for Wellington, Wairarapa, Horowhenua

 Click here for the Playmarket Award Entry Form

 Click here for the Poster Exhibition Entry Form

Linda Voice

A fantastic line up of shows for the region.

Stagecraft with a firm favorite. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Simon Stephens, based on the novel by Mark Haddon
Directed by Paul Kay and Joy Hellyer
Gryphon Theatre, 30th April - 10th May
Tickets from iTICKET.
Wellington Rep have Dial M for Murder. Which opens on May 21st at the Gryphon Theatre.

Kapiti Playhouse
Get excited!!! The Full Monty. Tickets on Sale Soon, coming to a stage near you in July and August 2025. You don't wanna miss this

And meanwhile in the Wairarapa.
Masterton Theatre Company.
Death and Taxes By April Phillips 22nd till 30th May Harlequin Theatre Masterton.

Wairarapa College Chicago - show dates are Thursday 15th May - Sunday 18th May.

A call out for Directors.

Greytown little theatre.We are on the lookout for Directors for our 2026 programme and our first show back in our refurbished Studio 73 in November this year. If you are interested, please contact us by emailing, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling or texting John on 027-458-6126 and we'll send more information.

Audition calls

Coasters musical Theatre.
Legally Blonde Pre Audition Meeting - happening at Coasters Musical Theatre, Sunday May 18th 4pm!

Stagecraft
Iron, a play by Rona Munro, directed by Campbell Wright.
Auditions will be held on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18, 2025. Callbacks will be on Monday 19 May 2025.
Performance Dates: Wednesday 27 August - Saturday 6 September 2025

New Players Theatre Company.
Are you keen to be part of our upcoming show!? Check out our upcoming events and keep an eye on our social media for more information. You can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register your interest.
A Community Theatre production of Crazy Ladies written by Devon Williamson by special arrangement with The Play Bureau. Directed by Maria Schrader.
Our show dates will be 18 - 27 September 2025 at the Gryphon Theatre.

Hutt Valley Musical Theatre
MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT!
Hutt City Musical Theatre is thrilled to announce our next production… THE WEDDING SINGER!
Get ready to crank up the ’80s, big hair, big dreams, and even bigger laughs — this hit musical comedy is coming your way!
Auditions: June 14 & 15
Mark your calendars — you do not want to miss your chance to be part of this high-energy, feel-good show!

Also of course we are accepting entries for Theatrefest 2025. Contact us for more details

Linda Voice
Region 4 Representative
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 Region 5

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Region 5 White Circle

Marlborough Repertory Society

Welcome To Our Theatre

At the confluence of the Taylor and Ōpaoa rivers lies the Boathouse Theatre, home to the Marlborough Repertory Society since 1971. Created out of a storage shed for rowing skiffs and wholly owned by the society this wonderfully intimate theatre was designed by Raymond Boyce of Wellington. It has been the location for upwards of 100 productions encompassing full length and one act plays, musical theatre, theatre festivals, touring productions, book festivals and members club nights.

Rooted in the community the theatre has been one of the powerhouses of the amateur theatre scene in Marlborough driven by the commitment and passion of its members and the generous support of the theatre going public.

However it didn't start there. On August 10 1948 the decision was made to form a local amateur dramatic group and the Marlborough Repertory Society was born. The minutes of the foundation meeting recorded numbers attending at 72 with 24 apologies which was certainly a promising start. Without a permanent home (until 1950) early productions were staged in the Springlands Hall, Blenheim Town Hall and His Majesty's Theatre.

Amateur theatre is not really about the bricks and mortar, nor is it about the drive and enthusiasm of the dedicated souls who perform, direct, run light and sound, build, paint, provide refreshments and usher patrons to their seats. Rather it's about you, the theatre going public – you are the harshest critics and the lifeblood of the local theatre scene so this website is really your curtain call and the applause is yours...thank you.

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Keep up to Date Here:

Marlborough Repertory Theatre 
https://www.boathousetheatre.co.nz/ 

Nelson Repertory Theatre 
https://nelsonrepertory.org.nz/ 

Nelson/Marlborough Theatre Scene on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nelsonstheatrescene/

Nelson Musical Theatre
https://nmt.org.nz/

Havelock Community Theatre
https://www.havelocktheatre.nz/

Paul Percy
Region 5 Representative
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 Region 6

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Region 6 White Circle

 TheatreFest Entries open 1st March 2025, close 30th June 2025

 Click here for the TheatreFest Entry Form for Canterbury, Buller West Coast

 Click here for the Playmarket Award Entry Form

 Click here for the Poster Exhibition Entry Form

Marilyn Ollett

April was as always, a busy month for Christchurch community theatre groups as the lack of venues forces some societies to work in the school holidays. Having 3 or 4 groups all performing over the same two weeks, generally affects audience numbers – people can’t afford to see all of them or are in fact tied up with their own productions. Having said that, full houses were enjoyed by both Riccarton Players with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and Elmwood Players with Hold the Arsenic, proving that the audience is out there!

The solution would be to have a purpose built community performance venue and we were hoping there may be a way of getting ‘The Shed’ when the Court Theatre vacated it and moved into their permanent home, but sadly not. So unless we find a philanthropic donor….

On a happier note – there has been a good sharing of props and sets around the groups. If you don’t already know about it, check out the Theatre set, props and costume share Christchurch Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/568048001868417/

What’s on May/June July

Christchurch
Court TheatreThe Last of the Golden Weather by Bruce Mason (May – June)
Canterbury Repertory Society - Killer Boobs by Tim Hambleton (May)
CentreStage RollestonBlackadder goes Forth by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis (July)
DramasocThe Arsonists by Max Frisch (May)
Elmwood PlayersPopcorn by Ben Elton (July)
Kirwee Players – In rehearsal for The Wizard of Oz
Riccarton Players‘Stubbies’ One Act play season (July)

Mid Canterbury
Ashburton Variety TheatreMary Poppins (Musical – May)

South Canterbury
South Canterbury Drama LeagueThe Secret Lives of Extremely Old People by Rachel McAlpine - ⭐CONGRATULATIONS on a Sold Out season ⭐
Waimate Theatre Company - The Sound of Music (May)

North Canterbury
North Canterbury Musical Society Catch Me if You Can (May)
Hurunui Theatre Group The Addams Family (Musical – July)

Please get in touch if I’ve missed any group out or if you just want to chew the fat.

Maz Ollett
Region 6 Representative
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 Region 7

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Region 7 White Circle
 
EricaWIt is with sadness that we announce Erica Ward will be stepping down from her role as Theatre New Zealand’s Region 7 (Otago–Southland) Representative due to an increasingly demanding workload as Head of the Arts Department at Trinity Catholic College. Erica has brought energy, insight, and deep commitment to her regional role, and we extend our heartfelt thanks for her outstanding contribution.
 
We’re pleased to share that Erica will continue to be actively involved in TheatreFest 2025, helping to coordinate the regional festival alongside a strong and experienced team. Leadership of Region 7 now transitions to Brent, our newly appointed representative, who brings fresh momentum and a deep commitment to community theatre.
 
Brent is supported by former Executive member Jake Hansen, and Theatre New Zealand Vice President Blaise Barham, both of whom offer valuable continuity and leadership. Together, this team is well-positioned to deliver an exciting and inclusive festival season for the Otago–Southland region.
 
We thank Erica once again for her service and look forward to her continued involvement in Theatre New Zealand’s wider kaupapa.
 

Theatre New Zealand proudly introduces Brent, the 2024 representative for Region 7: Otago–Southland. A passionate advocate for community-driven performance and creative education, Brent brings both professional experience and local insight to this role.

A primary school drama teacher and former tumuaki (principal), Brent recently completed a BA Honours in Theatre at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, the University of Otago. His recent highlights include writing and directing Red Mist Descending at Allen Hall Theatre and receiving an Outstanding Actor nomination at the 2023 Dunedin Fringe Festival.
 
Brent’s diverse stage credits include Chicago, The Bear, Out at Sea, Legally Blonde, and The Cherry Orchard. In 2024, he has appeared in Artist Descending a Staircase and The 39 Steps at The Globe, played Trinculo in SBZ’s The Tempest, and directed Wind in the Willows at The Playhouse. Last December, he directed Twelfth Night at the Globe Theatre, Dunedin.
 
Deeply rooted in community theatre, Brent strives to create inclusive, meaningful productions that celebrate the unique voices and stories of Aotearoa’s south. He is also a member of the Improsaurus improv troupe and hosts Get in Ōtepoti, a video podcast showcasing Dunedin’s creative talent and innovation.
 
Brent’s work and regional leadership reflect Theatre New Zealand’s vision of empowering local theatre and fostering artistic excellence across the motu.

2024 was a huge year for the Globe Theatre.  Six unique shows: Artist Descending a Staircase, Yellow Hut, The 39 Steps, Break A Leg, Bothered and Bewildered and Twelfth Night (Or What You Will)  showcased the talents of our creatives, casts and crews.   The committee that oversaw this season is to be congratulated for delivering Globe patrons a vibrant and varied programme that will live long in the memory.

Click here to view  retrospective video of the 2024 season.

The Globe Theatre Dunedin’s  first production of 2025 is Crunchy Silk by Aotearoa’s own multi award-winning playwright Jess Sayer, was directed by Jackson Rosie. This gripping, poignant play was a thrilling journey into family, grief, and secrets.

Read the full ODT Review Here

A New Year and a New Committee
The new  Committee met for the first time last month. Returning to serve in 2025 are Globe regulars Sheena Townsend, Nicola Bell and Kieran Power.  They, along with Nic Turner, Chris Cook, Christal Allpress-Jenkins, Jackson Rosie and Brent Caldwell, look forward to building upon the legacy of all those who came before us. 

Vote of Thanks
The Globe Theatre wishes to acknowledge the sterling work of the outgoing members at the AGM were Lorraine Te Rohe Johnston, Adam Dempsey, Patrica Pantleon. Special thanks to our former secretary, Lorraine, for all her work in preparing the handover to the new committee. Her mahi has ensured a smooth transition for us all.

Brent Caldwell
Region 7 Representative
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 RECOMMENDED SCRIPTS

 
 

Extreme Circumstances:

Three Feet Under by Helen Vivienne Fletcher (2f, 2m)
Libby and Jax have been best friends forever. Ride or die, cradle to grave — no matter what, they will support each other… Which is how they found themselves outside, late at night, burying a body in their backyard. Sammy, Libby’s cousin and Jax’s ex, has met an untimely end. As Libby breaks down, Jax furiously tries to cover up what happened. The pair bicker, freak out, and generally create a mess of hiding evidence, pushing their bonds of friendship to the limits. But when they finally pause their haphazard burial long enough to take a breath, they realise they’ve forgotten to ask one very important question. Who exactly killed Sammy?

2025 05 Playmarket Picture1 titleFallen Angels by Emily Duncan (2f, 4m)
Taylor and Jayden had their fifteen minutes of fame on the reality TV programme Max’s Angels, but the outcome was not what they bargained for when their daughter is removed from their care. To right their perceived wrongs and to get revenge on the show’s host, Max Angelis, they decide to take him hostage along with his teenage children, Nicole and Brendon. Assisted by their friend Levi, Taylor and Jayden are intent on getting back their daughter as well as giving Max a ratings boost. When things don’t go to plan events turn sinister and the show has to play out to its deadly end.

The Plague by Dean Parker, Adapted from the novel La Peste by Albert Camus (2f, 3m)
Set in the 1940s, a doctor, a holidaymaker, a journalist, a civil servant and a small-time crook are trapped in a town which has had to be sealed off from the world. A deadly virus has been spreading contagion. The entire town is under quarantine...

Intimacies by Stephen Sinclair (3f, 4m) Full Length
It's too late for therapy!
Two thematically linked one act plays set in the near future explore the ways in which new technologies are changing our lives and relationships.
Sweet Thing opens with Sally having a frank and intimate discussion with her Mum. The two appear to have a beautiful close relationship -- that is, until Sally's brother Philip storms in, throws Mum out of the room, and demands Sally get rid of her for good. For Mum is not exactly what she seems; she's a clone that Sally made of her mother upon her death – a way for her to address all the unresolved issues from her childhood.
In I'd Rather Be The Pope we meet Rod, a hard-core gamer who spends his conscious life inhabiting the amoral universe of virtual reality. A borderline sociopath prone to violent outbursts, he is an outcast and marginalised by society. However, when he assaults his counsellor, her reaction isn't what you might expect ...

Quick-witted comedies:

Crazy for You by Neil Troost (2f, 2m) Full Length
As David is about to go for the biggest job interview of his life, Bob, his childhood imaginary friend decides to resurface and creates havoc in his new relationship with Karen and his job prospects with his new boss, Elise.
The pills prescribed by the psychiatrist that cured David as a youth eventually sort things out – or do they?

2025 05 Playmarket Picture2 titleThe Birthday Boy by Carl Nixon (3f, 2m) Full Length
A contemporary comedy of modern manners, following two couples and the life choices they make over 25 years. What happens to friendships when life takes the friends in completely different directions?
David and Kathy and Stuart and Elizabeth – all friends since school – seemingly have it all, but when Kathy announces she is pregnant on her husband’s 40th birthday, the foursome’s decades of elegant dinner parties and holidays come to an end.

An Unlikely Season by Carl Nixon (2f, 3m) Full Length
In January 2016 middle-aged, overweight, electrician Jim Sullivan is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He’s given five months to live. Jim is a life-long supporter of Leicester City Football Club, perennial battlers in the English Premier League. Accompanied by his old friend, Gary Webster, Jim travels to England to see for himself the five-thousand to one miracle of Leicester winning the Premier League. The question is what will win first, his team or the cancer? (Based on a true story - the Football, anyway).

Domestic Drama-dies:

2025 05 Playmarket Picture3 titleSunny Jim by Richard De Luca (2f, 2m) Full Length
Gary and Maggie are settled into middle-aged life on their farm in Central Otago. Married only 6 years, it’s starting to feel a lot longer. Maggie’s concerned that Gary is neglecting his responsibilities on the farm, but he doesn’t seem worried, happier reading a good book than fixing the fences. Neil, visiting from America with his partner Helen, is looking to buy a large property in the area. On a routine trip to town to get supplies, Gary runs into Neil at the pub and makes a fateful offer to show him the lie of the land. When Neil and Helen immediately take him up on the offer, they all face some uncomfortable truths and decisions must be made on what they individually and collectively want from their lives.

Boys at the Beach by Alison Quigan and Ross Gumbley (2-4f, 4-6m) Full Length
A holiday for the boys turns into a lifetime bond when they buy a section at the beach. Spanning 23 years of Christmas/New Years, we see the blokes (and later their families) drink, sing, play cricket and hang around the barbie.

Trees Beneath the Lake by Arthur Meek (3f, 3m) Published – Full Length
Financial wizard William Campbell returns to his family home in Central Otago to salvage his golden reputation. It was there, when William was young, that the Campbells’ lost their battle to save the family orchard from being flooded in the creation of the Clyde Dam. Under scrutiny by the Financial Markets Authority, William is forced to enact an audacious plan to save his marriage, fortune and reputation. But as the family reconvenes to fight for their future, a devastating new light is shone on their past.

With a subscription to Playmarket, most manuscripts of plays are available for free download from our website. A subscription costs only $45 annually for full access to download unlimited different scripts: Subscribe here.
Published scripts must be purchased in hardcopy from our bookshop.
To request any plays and/or musicals, contact Īhaka Martyn
Script Coordinator / Kairuruku Whakaari: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

  

2025 05 Hapai David Mamet

 

 2025 05 Jane Austen 1
 2025 05 Jane Austen 2

  

Playwrights Association of New Zealand

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Playwrights Association of New Zealand (PANZ) holds regular readings of members’ plays via Zoom.

The next PANZ Zoom play readings will take place on Monday 26 May at 7pm, featuring the following plays:

A Playwright Writes a Play
(2nd place, PANZ One-Act Play Competition 2024)
by Lindsey Brown

The Interview
by Dolly Varden-Chambers

Don’t Open The-
by Madison Wade

The readings are open to everyone. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the Zoom link.

 

The Play Bureau

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ThePlayBureauSearchPage20 Rua St
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Gisborne, 4010
New Zealand

Phone: 021-258-3998

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playbureau

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm

  

Associates

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Musical Theatre New Zealand

ETNZEntertainment Technology New Zealand  DNZ Drama New Zealand PANZ Playwrights Association of New Zealand

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Association of New Zealand Drama Adjudicators

 VDL

Victoria Drama League - Melbourne

 Opendoek

Opendoek Belgium

 PAYPA NZ

Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa

GoDA UK

Guild of Drama Adjudicators - United Kingdom 

 AITAIATA

The International Amateur Theatre Association

 Creative Comminuties NZ

Creative Comminuties New Zealand

 WCC

Wellington City Council

 RTAC

Riverlea Theatre and Arts Centre

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The Drama Development Trust 

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Time to renew your membership

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Membership forms for the 2025 year are now here!

By joining Theatre New New Zealand you are supporting the growth of Community Theatre.

TNZ is an umbrella organisation so you will have access to a wide range of theatre expertise from advice on funding avenues and copyright to advice on technical issues associated with theatre. A nation-wide TheatreFest is held annually, giving you the opportunity to receive informed adjudications that will help directors and actors alike.

Quarterly, you will receive Backchat a newsletter that will keep you up to date as to what members are doing around the country.

Click here.

 

 Hāpai/Backchat, May June July 2025, Volume 48 Issue 2

Copyright © Theatre New Zealand 2025

Compiled by Mark Perry
Edited and Guided by Paul Percy, Anna McKay & Toni Sullivan

Deadline for Winter/Spring edition of Hāpai/Backchat
20 July 2025

Communications to
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