November 24, 2025

2025 Wellington Theatre Awards Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai Award Nominations!

Congratulations to all the exceptional nominees. Tickets are on sale now for December 7 at the Hannah Playhouse– 7.30pm: https://shorturl.at/PC71y .

• Most Promising Newcomer Award in honour of George Webby + Most Promising Newcomer Award in honour of Willem Wassenaar (Two awards)
  Lily Tyler Moore – Give Way – The Musical
  Simon Leary – Over and Out
  Tom Smith – Entry: Encounter, Over and Out, Buck Scourge: Living Nightmare, Run Coyote Run
  Grace O’Brien – The Aotearoans
  Raureti Ormond – He Ingoa
  Jackson Burling – Over and Out
  Peggie Barnes – Death, Ray.
  Te Ani Solomon – Papa, The Handlers
  
  Lighting Designer of the Year sponsored by Grouse Lighting
  Will Smith – The Handlers
  Jacob Banks – Over and Out
  Natasha James – The Sound Inside
  Izzi Lao – Aiga (with Rowan Pierce), The Circle
  
  Sound Designer of the Year
  Oliver Devlin – Over and Out
  Thomas Arbor – The Sound Inside
  Benny Jennings – Modern God
  Oliva ‘Spewer’ Luki – DARK!DARK!DARK!
  
  Outstanding Composer of Music in Honour of Constance Scott Kirkaldie
  Steven Page – Give Way – The Musical
  William Duignan and Andy Manning – Antonio!
  Raureti Ormond – He Ingoa
  Lila (LJ) Crichton – A Master of None: Brown Fala
  
  Set Designer of the Year in honour of Raymond Boyce
  Meg Rollandi – The Sound Inside
  Chris Reddington – 2:22 A Ghost Story
  Lucas Neal – The Handlers
  Ian Harman – Monument
  
  Costume Designer of the Year in honour of Paul Jenden
  Tony De Goldi – Give Way – The Musical
  Lindah Lepou – Aiga
  Steven Junil Park 박준일 – DARK!DARK!DARK!
  Jthan Morgan – The Handlers
  
  New Playwright of the Year in honour of Peter Harcourt
  Jackson Burling – Over and Out
  Zachary Klein – Death, Ray.
  Poata Alvie McKree – The Handlers
  Tamati Moriarty & Hariata Moriarty – Waenga
  
  New Aotearoa Play of the Year in honour of Renée
  The Handlers by Poata Alvie McKree
  Aiga by Lusi Faiva
  Over and Out by Jackson Burling
  A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre by Nathan Joe
  
  Most Original Production of the Year
  ROADKILL: The Uber-Cool Musical
  Running into the Sun
  Aiga
  A Short History of Asian New Zealand Theatre
  
  Acting nominations for the following:
  (Four Awards)
  Actor of the Year in honour of Grant Tilly
  Actor of the Year in honour of Dorothy McKegg
  Accolade for Outstanding Performance in honour of Ray Henwood
  Accolade for Outstanding Performance in honour of Michele Amas
  Kali Kopae – The Handlers
  Jackson Burling – Over and Out
  Carrie Green – Give Way – The Musical
  Hariata Moriarty – Waenga
  Dulcie Smart – The Sound Inside
  Regan Taylor – Re-Engineered
  Kieran Charnock – The Sound Inside
  Toatepi Rosalind Tui – The Handlers
  Sela Faletolu-Fasi – Love; Mum
  Liv Tennet – For You to Know and Me to Find Out
  Ngahiriwa Rauhina – ration the Queen’s veges
  ooshcon – DARK!DARK!DARK!
  
  Director of the Year in honour of Richard Campion
  Stella Reid – The Sound Inside
  Simon Leary – Over and Out
  Sepelini Mua’au and Carrie Green – The Handlers
  Moana Ete – Aiga
  
   Production of the Year in honour of Bill Sheat
  The Handlers
  Aiga
  The Sound Inside
  Over and Out
  
  Excellence Award for Ensemble
  Antonio!
  Running into the Sun
  The Handlers
  The Aotearoans
  
  Excellence Award – Movement
  Running into the Sun
  The Circle
  DARK!DARK!DARK!
  Ka Mua Ka Muri
  
  Backstage Production Award, presented by Grouse Lighting
  (Nominated by the sector)
  Michael Lyell-O’Reilly
  Pete Davison
  Emma Maguire
  Eilidh Hamilton
  Alexander Dickson
  
  Reminder that community awards are revealed on the evening of the awards.
  
  Join us for a night of laughter, legacy and celebration  
  at The Hannah, Sunday December 7, 7.30pm.
  Tickets on sale now: https://shorturl.at/PC71y
  
  Wellington City Council | Hannah Playhouse | Grouse Lighting Aotearoa | HardKase Audio