The Wellington Theatre Awards

11/05/2026

📣 This is your opportunity to guide the future of The Wellington Theatre Awards! 📣

We are looking for new Trustees - The Wellington Theatre Awards Trust is seeking to appoint up to two additional Trustees to join the current four Trustees in guiding the Trust in the years ahead. The Trust is responsible for organising and presenting the annual Wellington Theatre Awards.

The role requires someone of maturity, business and governance experience and integrity. A familiarity with the Wellington theatre scene is desirable.

This is a volunteer, part-time position. Trustee appointments are for 3-year renewable terms.

Interested? Please send a cover letter and CV through to [email protected]

For more info please visit our website! Nga mihi!

This role is responsible for supporting the Theatre Awards Trust in organising and presenting the annual Wellington Theatre Awards.  

01/05/2026

📣We're looking for a new Administrator!📣

Are you organised? Work well with a tīma? Have a passion for Theatre?

🤩 The Wellington Theatre Awards Trust Administrator is responsible for supporting the core team to organise and present the annual Wellington Theatre Awards.

This is a paid part-time position, running from May to December.

👀 Interested? Please send a cover letter and CV through to [email protected]

For more info and a full job description please click below

This role is responsible for supporting the Theatre Awards Trust in organising and presenting the annual 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