February 10, 2026

Dunedin Theatre Awards for 2025

Dunedin Theatre Awards for 2025 OUR 14TH ANNUAL ŌTEPOTI DUNEDIN THEATRE AWARD WINNERS!

January 15, 2026

Aroha Awarau

Playmarket is deeply saddened by the passing of playwright Aroha Awarau. A champion for Māori story sovereignty, Aroha built a career over more than two decades which spanned theatre, film and journalism, carving out authentic, community-anchored stories. Underpinned by deep compassion and pride, Aroha was a staunch advocate for uplifting and centring Indigenous voices in mainstream media.

December 10, 2025

WELLINGTON THEATRE AWARDS 2025

WELLINGTON THEATRE AWARDS 2025 [Links to reviews inserted by Theatreview] Most Promising Newcomer Awards (any gender or skill): Most Promising Newcomer Award in honour of George Webby Jackson Burling – Over and Out Most Promising Newcomer Award in honour of Willem Wassenaar Te Ani Solomon – Papa, The Handlers Lighting Designer of the Year sponsored by Grouse Lighting Natasha James – The Sound Inside

November 30, 2025

Leaving a light on for Jennifer Lal

Leaving a light on for Jennifer Lal She was tough. One of those hard-shell, soft-centre types. Laugh like gravel, heart like warm bread. Thick crust with baked in goodness kind. The “life’s a mess, so let’s fn get on with it” kind.

November 5, 2025

The 2025 PAYPA Awards

The 2025 PAYPA Awards Performing Arts & Young People's Sector celebrates Excellence Performing Arts & Young People Aotearoa (PAYPA) is delighted to announce the finalists for this year’s PAYPA Awards. PAYPA was set up in 2016 to support and champion professional artists creating performing arts work for rangatahi and tamariki. The PAYPA awards were initiated in 2022 to celebrate excellence in an often overlooked sector of the arts.

October 13, 2025

AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES 2026 SEASON OFSTAGE HITS INCLUDING A WORLD-RENOWNED MUSICAL

Auckland Theatre Company is thrilled to reveal our 2026 show line-up, featuring seven enthralling productions in a season that showcases two exceptional world premieres, the return to presenting a musical, plus a wellspring of stage-hits that includes a revival of a beloved Māori work, a powerful Pasifika piece, and the continuation of a Shakespeare work at scale.

September 1, 2025

ENDING FOR ACCLAIMED CHILDREN’S THEATRE

NZ puppeteer awarded prestigious international honour as children's theatre company he founded announces decision to close. The founder of the Little Dog Barking Theatre Company has been internationally honoured for his achievements in puppetry, just as the company announces its sad decision to close. The late (Lyndon) Peter Wilson has been named a Member of Honour of The Union Internationale de la Marionette (UNIMA), the oldest international theatre organisation in the world.

August 2, 2025

Donna PHILPOTT QSM Obituary

It is with sadness that the MTNZ Executive farewells one of our most prominent Life Members - Donna Philpott. Donna was an MTNZ Zone 3 rep for 23 years and a past Patron. Donna was instrumental in the very first consortium of Les Miserables and 42nd St. A well known personality in musical theatre, Donna will be missed and remembered with fondness. Moe mai rā Donna.

August 1, 2025

Philippa WARD

Philippa (Pippa) Ward passed away peacefully at Wellington Hospital on 24th July 2025, aged 84, after a short illness, surrounded by love, and listening to Brahms. A distinguished pianist, repetiteur (for opera companies) and accompanist, Philippa was also a gifted music teacher and adjudicator.

July 8, 2025

Moe mai rā Tim Bray QSM

By Richard Hills > Birkenhead and Northcote Community Even though we knew he was unwell it is still such shocking news that Tim Bray QSM has died, far too young, at the age of 61. The North Shore community, the arts community and the wider Auckland community mourn the loss of a true creative hero, someone who dedicated most of his life to others and was so successful at it too.

July 8, 2025

Moe mai rā, Rodney Bane

"Rodney Bane was a stalwart of the Wellington theatre community who will be sorely missed. BATS owes Rodney and David Austin eternal gratitude for forming BATS Theatre and keeping it alive for ten years before the current establishment took over. They had a vision of making theatre more accessible for emerging artists and providing a platform for practitioners to experiment and build their careers. A vision which is still at the heart of the BATS Kaupapa."

July 7, 2025

PACIFIC DANCE FESTIVAL 2025 PROVES COMMUNITY DEMANDAND DELIVERS ON CREATIVE NZ’S PACIFIC ARTS STRATEGY

After years of instability, shifting audience habits, rising living costs, and increased competition from digital entertainment, Pacific Dance NZ is proud to celebrate the conclusion of the 2025 Pacific Dance Festival. This season reconnected communities, revitalised live performance, and reaffirmed the powerful role of Pacific stories on Aotearoa’s stages.

June 3, 2025

AWARD-WINNER “KICKS YOU IN THE HEART AND MAKES IT SING”

Young playwright Viki Moananu (Vailu’utai, Faleatiu, Tufulele) has taken the top prize in Playmarket’s 2025 Playwrights b4 25 competition supported by Auckland Live, with his play Quitters. Viki’s new play Quitters is a dramedy which ruminates on the guilt and frustration that remains among the living when someone takes their own life. Brutally honest, this fascinating ride leads the audience through grief, sexuality and the New Zealand mental health system.

June 2, 2025

New Dance Editor for Theatreview – and how you can help

The Theatreview Trust is very pleased to announce the appointment of a wonderful new Dance Editor to temporarily fill the critical role of Dance Editor, Nationwide, since Lyne Pringle stepped down in May. The Board extends enormous thanks to Lyne for her dedication and passion for Theatreview's work. Our new Dance Editor is Claire O'Neill in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland.

May 26, 2025

BILLY T AND FRED AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2025 NZ INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FEST

After a month of side-splitting shows from the very best local and international comedians, the NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo wrapped up this evening at Last Laughs. After the performances, the New Zealand Comedy Trust honoured the brightest comedy talent of this year’s festival with multiple awards, including the coveted 2025 Fred Award for the Best New Zealand Show in the Festival and the 2025 Billy T Award for a comedian with the most outstanding potential.

May 13, 2025

Dr Kerryn Palmer’s speech at Parliament grounds Tuesday 13 May 2025

Kia Ora e te whānau. He mihi mahana tēnei  ki a koutou katoa i tēnei. Ko Kerryn Palmer tōku ingoa. The arts are not ‘Nice to haves’. Nice to haves in my opinion are having more than one house to live in, owning a pool, or perhaps receiving more pay than your colleague, who is a woman, while doing the exact same work. The arts are not nice to haves. Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa have been calling for signatures for our Reinstate The Creatives In Schools Programme since October 2024, after the government unexpectedly axed it, cancelling several projects already in progress, affecting many artists' livelihoods and denying 1000’s of children access to quality arts programmes.

April 13, 2025

24 YEAR OLD TAKES OUT NEW ZEALAND’S TOP PRIZE FOR A NEW PLAY

Playmarket is pleased to announce the winner of the ADAM NZ PLAY AWARD for 2025: Alex Medland for We’re Gonna Kill Billy. At just 24 years old, Alex is the youngest recipient of the award in its 18 year history. The Adam NZ Play Award recognises and celebrates the best in unproduced writing for the theatre. Playmarket Director/Tumuaki Murray Lynch announced the winners at Circa Theatre on 12 April.

April 11, 2025

Squeeze on arts education puts generation at risk

In 2024 the Government declared that arts in education are “nice to haves”. They did so while announcing new mandates of structured literacy and numeracy and delaying (again) a refresh of the arts curriculum. This was followed by further cuts to school arts programmes and the closure of several leading performing arts companies that create work for and with young people. In 2025 performing arts companies are reporting a drop in engagement with schools because they are squeezed for time as they grapple with the changes in the curriculum.

April 11, 2025

SILO THEATRE WELCOMES ITS NEXT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR A NEW ERA 

From July 2025, Sophie will join Executive Director Tim Blake as a co-leader of Silo Theatre, steering the company’s next four years of programming and feeding into its new strategic direction. Henderson has a long history with Silo, starring in some of its most iconic productions, including The Writer, Belleville, Private Lives, Tartuffe, The Scene, and The Little Dog Laughed. She made her professional debut with Silo in The Ensemble Project in 2007 and has been part of the company’s creative fabric ever since.

April 7, 2025

Renowned actor and theatre director Raymond Hawthorne dies aged 88

Actor and theatre director Raymond Hawthorne has died aged 88. Hawthorne became a member of the country's first major professional theatre company – the New Zealand Players – in 1955, and two years later he was granted a bursary to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

March 27, 2025

Dunedin Fringe Award Winners 2025

The Visual Art Award (sponsored by AJ & Adrian Woodhouse): Art at Heart: Kids Exhibition The Dance / Physical Theatre Award (sponsored by Dr Jane Malthus): Only Bones - Daniel Nodder The Comedy Award (sponsored by Inch Bar): Just Eat The Damn Sausage The Music Award (sponsored by Famously Fit Sports Nutrition): SPACE HOLE The Theatre Award (sponsored by WOW! Productions): Babyface Best Poster Award (sponsored by Better Creative): Ah, Jaysus! Outstanding Performance / Performer Award (sponsored by Penny Gwynne): Daniel Nodder (Only Bones)

March 27, 2025

VICTORIOUS PARTNERSHIPS

Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) needed a new partner when its previous one for 18 years was unable to continue to support its annual Shakespeare Festivals for rangatahi nationwide. How thrilled we were when Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Provost, Professor Bryony James, said that the University is delighted to take on sponsorship of this beloved and enduring annual event, saying, “The University is brimming with alumni of SGCNZ festivals, so this partnership is a natural fit.”

March 21, 2025

STELLAR CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE END OF THE GOLDEN WEATHER

3 May – 7 June A historic moment for New Zealand theatre: The Court Theatre's grand opening In just six weeks, New Zealand theatre will witness an extraordinary milestone! The Court Theatre, the country’s largest producing theatre company, is set to open the doors to its brand-new home in Ōtautahi Christchurch. To celebrate this momentous occasion, the theatre will stage a classic Kiwi play by one of our most cherished playwrights, featuring a stellar line-up of talent eager to be part of this historic event.