The Wellington Theatre Awards

21/12/2025

Oh Mandy.... The Wellington Theatre Awards Trust is seeking expressions of interest for new judges to join our wonderful judging panel for 2026.

We are looking for 4-5 new judges to join the current panel this year, supporting the Wellington Theatre Sector. This is a volunteer position - looking for committed and reliable individuals to attend productions across Pōneke and to contribute to the Wellington Theatre Awards Judging sessions.

Tickets to shows and the awards evening will be complimentary, and judges will be required to attend an initial meeting, midyear catch up and judging session in October/November. If you are interested, please submit an application through the form below.

📌Applications close before midnight on Friday 16th January. https://form.jotform.com/253500800136848

📷 Photograph by Lewis Ferris - 2024 award ceremony. Cast of TRANSMISSION: BETA singing 'Mandy'

18/12/2025

Wrapping up another year of the Wellington Theatre Awards, Ngā Whakarākei o Whātaitai.

Enjoy these photos from the evening taken by the incredible Lewis Ferris - That showcase our community continuing to make space for joy, legacy, and remembrance.

⭐️ Thank you to our sponsors, supporters and donors
Adam Foundation
BATS Theatre
Circa Theatre
Grouse Lighting Aotearoa
HardKase
Kaine Thompson and Josh Bruderer
McCabe and Company
Playmarket New Zealand
Suzanne Snively and Ian Fraser
Taki Rua
TĀWHIRI
Hannah
The Woodbury Family
Thomas and Juliet Broadmore
Wellington City Council

⭐️ Our fabulous hosts for 2025!
Aimée Sullivan
Bronwyn Turei

⭐️ Our Performers
Waikamania Seve
Monēt Faifai-Collins
Jade Merematira
Taipuhi King
Shenazzar Kiana Sta. Lucia
Parekawa Finlay
Raureti Dion Ormond
Terry Liu
Sarah Lawrence
Hayden Taylor

⭐️ Our guest speakers
Mitch Tawhi Thomas
The Kirkup Family
Stephen Blackburn
Andrew Little

⭐️ Leading our mihi whakatau
Adrian Tangaroa Wagner

⭐️Thank you to
The Hannah team
Our Lighting suppliers - Grouse Lighting Aotearoa
Our Audio suppliers - Hard Kase Audio

⭐️ Thank you to the Wellington Awards Trust
Chair: Peter Dengate Thrush
Kaine Thompson
Mike Woodbury
Suzanne Snively
Thomas Broadmore

⭐️ The Theatre Cluster
Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts
Barbarian Productions
BATS Theatre
Circa Theatre
Hannah Playhouse
New Zealand Fringe Festival
PAYPA - Performing arts and young people Aotearoa
Playmarket New Zealand
TAHI Festival - New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance
Taki Rua Productions
Te Auaha
The Conch
Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School
Tāwhiri festivals and Experiences
Wairarapa Events Centre

⭐️ Our judges
Brianne Kerr
Brynne Tasker-Poland
Heather O'Carroll
Izzi Lao
Jthan Morgan
Lucas Neal
Marshall Rankin
Regan Taylor
Sameena Zehra
Simon Howard
Stevie Hancox-Monk
Arbiter
Tim Gordon

⭐️ Wellington Theatre Awards core team
Producer, Administrator - Kate Pomeroy
Artistic Director - Ben Tucker-Emerson
Marketing, Graphic Designer and Photographer - Maeve O’Connell
Production Manager and Lighting Designer - Jacob Banks

⭐️ Wellington Theatre Awards team
Assistant Ceremony Director - Raureti Dion Ormond
Audio Engineer - Kase Walker
Our Operator - Jamie Harford
Our Stagehand - Maeve Burns

and to everyone who shows up to celebrate one another! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

18/12/2025

08/12/2025

Last night was The Wellington Theatre Awards, Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai for 2025.

Thank you to Aimée Sullivan and Bronwyn Turei for hosting a fabulous evening and for all those who were in attendance! 🌈

Let's continue celebrating each other - you can read the full list of winners below:

✨ Most Promising Newcomer Awards

⭐️ Most Promising Newcomer Award in honour of George Webby (any gender or skill):
Jackson Burling – Over and Out

⭐️ Most Promising Newcomer Award in honour of Willem Wassenaar (any gender or skill):
Te Ani Solomon – Papa, The Handlers

⭐️ Lighting Designer of the Year sponsored by Grouse Lighting
Natasha James – The Sound Inside

⭐️ Sound Designer of the Year (sponsored by HardKase Audio – tbc)
Thomas Arbor – The Sound Inside

⭐️ Outstanding Composer of Music in Honour of Constance Scott Kirkaldie
William Duignan and Andy Manning – Antonio!

⭐️ Set Designer of the Year in honour of Raymond Boyce
Meg Rollandi – The Sound Inside

⭐️ Costume Designer of the Year in honour of Paul Jenden
Jthan Morgan – The Handlers

⭐️ New Playwright of the Year in honour of Peter Harcourt
Poata Alvie McKree – The Handlers

⭐️ New Aotearoa Play of the Year in honour of Renée
The Handlers by Poata Alvie McKree

⭐️ Most Original Production of the Year
ROADKILL: The Uber-Cool Musical

✨ Actor of the Year / Accolade for Outstanding Performance Awards

⭐️ Actor of the Year in honour of Grant Tilly:
Kali Kopae – The Handlers

⭐️ Actor of the Year in honour of Dorothy McKegg:
Jackson Burling – Over and Out

⭐️ Accolade for Outstanding Performance in honour of Ray Henwood:
Dulcie Smart – The Sound Inside

⭐️ Accolade for Outstanding Performance in honour of Michele Amas:
Toatepi Rosalind Tui – The Handlers

⭐️ Director of the Year in honour of Richard Campion
Stella Reid – The Sound Inside

⭐️ Excellence Award – Movement
Running into the Sun

⭐️ Excellence Award for Ensemble
The Handlers

⭐️ Production of the Year in honour of Bill Sheat
The Handlers

⭐️ Mayoral Awards of Significant Contribution to Theatre
Allan McShane

Community Awards
✨ Carol Fifield – Bright and Curly Positively Supportive Award
✨ Anita Hunziker – Dancers’ Delight Award
✨Campbell Wright – Legendary Technical Wrangler Award
✨ Shifting Centre – Rose Kirkup Community Rage Award

✨ The Backstage Production Award, presented by Grouse Lighting
Michael Lyell-O’Reilly

📸 Lewis Ferris

The complete photo gallery will be posted soon keep an eye out! e

05/12/2025

🎭 This Sunday is The Wellington Theatre Awards, Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai for 2025!

Doors at The Hannah Playhouse open at 7:00 PM and the Awards begin at 7:30 PM

It’s time to celebrate, so come dressed in your best, from femme fatale fashion to a chic runway ready ensemble. 🎩These awards are your excuse to wear that very outfit you’ve been waiting to debut!

Remember, our spotlight this sunday is on respect! 🔦 Zero tolerance for any inappropriate behaviour. Let's create a space at the Wellington Theatre Awards and after party where everyone feels safe, included, and respected.

After the awards the fabulous BATS Theatre is hosting this year’s post awards party where we can continue to celebrate our community.

⭐️ Last few tickets can be purchased here: https://events.humanitix.com/wellington-theatre-awards-2025/tickets

Photograph by Lewis Ferris of The Tīwhas - Our 2024 hosts!

28/11/2025

Two legendary captains, Bronwyn Turei (Ngāti Porou) and Aimée Sullivan, will be steering the ship as hosts of the 2025 Nga Whakarākei o Whātaitai Wellington Theatre Awards. Fresh from their pantomime whirlwind. ⚓️

Both Bronwyn and Aimée are actors, singers, creatives, and all-round powerhouses.

Aimée’s recent work includes The Heiress, Lizzie the Musical, Robin Hood – The Pantomime, and Sense & Sensibility, to name a few! She was nominated for Actor of the Year/Outstanding Performance at the Wellington Theatre Awards in 2024.

Bronwyn is no stranger to the stage, with recent credits including The Valentina, Hine Te Rēhia, Sense & Sensibility, Give Way The Musical and Robin Hood – The Pantomime. On screen, her work includes Ahikāroa, The Gone, End of the Valley, and Go Girls. Last year, she was awarded Actor of the Year in honour of Dorothy McKegg.

💋🗝️ Do we need say more?

Get your tickets now and come celebrate the magic, the mayhem, and the Wellington theatre community on Sunday December 7 at Hannah Playhouse. https://events.humanitix.com/wellington-theatre-awards-2025

📸 Maeve O’Connell

21/11/2025

All aboard for the biggest celebration of the year.🎩

Announcing the highly anticipated 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 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!, No Pity

✨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 on December 7.

Tickets on sale now: https://shorturl.at/PC71y

Wellington City Council Hannah Playhouse Grouse Lighting Aotearoa HardKase Audio

04/11/2025

Call for Nominations for the 2025 Wellington Theatre - Community Awards + Backstage Award!

⭐️ Community Awards: We invite you to submit your nominations for individuals or companies that have made a significant and positive impact on our community in their work and practice across the last year for a

Especially those whose efforts are behind the scenes and sometimes go unnoticed - from Ushers, Volunteers, Publicists and all our unsung heroes across Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

Community Award Nominations close at 10pm on Friday, 15th November 2025.

⭐️ Backstage Award: is specifically to recognise the hard-working and skilled theatre practitioners that work backstage and have demonstrated excellence vital to the success of theatre in Wellington this year. The Backstage Award is open to nominations from the wider sector and the winner is selected by the judges.

The specific roles that are eligible are Operators, Production Managers, Stage Managers. This can be summed up as: Excellence in the fields of Technical Operation (Sound, Lighting, Vision) or Arts Management (Stage, Production or Technical).

The Backstage Award Nominations also close at 10pm on Friday, 15th November 2025.

A reminder that we still have our judge's awards voted for by our fantastic volunteer judges for the traditional awards (Best Production, Newcomers, etc.)

⭐️ Further information about Community Awards and Backstage Award are within the nomination form: https://form.jotform.com/253062146133851

05/02/2025

The Wellington Theatre Awards Trust is seeking expressions of interest for new judges to join our wonderful judging panel for 2025. 🎭🎟✨
We are looking for 2 new judges to join the current panel this year, supporting the Wellington Theatre Sector. This is a volunteer position - looking for committed and reliable individuals to attend productions across Poneke and to contribute to the Wellington Theatre Awards Judging sessions. Tickets to shows and the awards evening will be complimentary, and judges will be required to attend an initial meeting, midyear catch up and judging session in October/November.
If you are interested, please submit an application through the following form or via email to [email protected].
https://form.jotform.com/240678317350861
Applications close before midnight on Sunday 16th February.

13/01/2025

Want your show to be judged in the 2025 Wellington Theatre Awards? ✨🎭
Our fantastic judging panel is ready and available to come and attend your shows! 🖊️
Fill out our brand new jot form for 2025 below with all your show information or email [email protected] with any questions or queries 🌟
https://form.jotform.com/wgtnta/WTA2025JudgingForm

17/12/2024

💎 As we wrap up The Wellington Theatre Awards, Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai for 2024 we want to thank everyone who made this event possible.

⭐ Thank you to:

Your hosts The Tīwhas:
Slay West, Pania, Tina Coco Couture & Dame Jthan
Ngāti Tīwha: Hayden Taylor, Tom Knowles and Kree Matthews

Wellington City Council
The City Council Events team
Grouse Lighting Aotearoa
HardKase Audio
Tānemahuta Gray
Marcus & Rowan McShane
Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera
Stephen Blackburn
Hannah Kelly
Dawn Sanders, Chris Taylor, Dame Carolyn Henwood,
Cathie Sheat and their families
Footnote Dance Company for the amazing screen!
The cast of Transmission Beta:
Sophie Hambleton, Nigel Collins, Simon Leary, Carrie Green & Sepelini Muaau

⭐ Thank you to our sponsors, supporters and donors:
Grassroots Trust
The Woodbury Family
Suzanne Snively and Ian Fraser
Adam Foundation
Footnote Dance Trust
BATS Theatre
Playmarket
Taki Rua Productions
Circa Theatre
The Hannah Playhouse

⭐ Our incredible judges:
Brianne Kerr
Brynne Tasker-Poland Heather O'Carroll
Izzi Lao
James Wenley
Jthan Morgan
Lucas Neal
Matt Loveranes
Regan Taylor
Simon Howard
Stevie Hancox-Monk

Arbiter
Salesi Le'ota

⭐ Wellington Theatre Awards Trust
Thomas Broadmore
Suzanne Snively
Kaine Thompson
Peter Dengate Thrush
Mike Woodbury

⭐ Wellington Theatre Awards core team
Ann Foster
Ben Tucker-Emerson
Jacob Banks
Maeve O’Connell

⭐ Wellington Theatre Awards team
Rowan McShane
Kase Walker
Cam Jones, Italy Collings, Jacob Hemsley, Chris Bouzaid
RV Quijano and Logan Tahiwi
Grouse Lighting Aotearoa
Genevieve Poppe
Clark, Sasha, Bob, Kirsten, Florence

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and lastly, to each and every artist and audience member that has supported Wellington theatre this year. Thank you and a very happy holidays

️ 📷 Photography by Lewis Ferris