Join us at The Hannah on 6 December for the Wellington Theatre Awards, Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai 2026, celebrating excellence in theatre.
We are excited to announce our new creative team for 2026: Co-hosts Maeve O'Connell and Raureti Ormond, and Creative Director, Parekawa Finlay.
For more information, please go to News page.
Photography Credit: Renati Waaka
Nominations open for 2027 Judging Panel
We are seeking expressions of interest for three new judges to join our wonderful judging panel for 2027! This is a volunteer position. For more information, please go to Current Vacancies page. Or submit your nomination here:
Nominations open for 2026 Community &
Backstage Awards
⭐️ 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.
⭐️ Backstage Award: We invited you to submit your nominations to recognise the 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).
Community Award Nominations and Backstage Award Nominations also close at 10pm on Thursday 12th November 2026.
Submit your nomination here:

The 2026 Awards are proudly supported by:

Wellington Theatre Awards 2000

Presenters
Tandi Wright & Mark Hadlow
Scriptwriter
Gerald Bryan
Ceremony Director
Ken Blackburn
Judges
Mark Amery - Sunday Star Times
Laurie Atkinson - The Evening Post
Lynn Freeman - Capital Times
Timothy O'Brien - The Dominion
Harry Ricketts - New Zealand Listener
John Smythe - The National Business Review
Nelson Wattie - Theatre News
The Absolutely Positively Outstanding New New Zealand Play of the Year
No 2 by Toa Fraser
Also nominated:
The Candlestickmaker by Jacob Rajan
Flipside by Ken Duncum
The Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Writer of the Year
James Griffin - Serial Killers
Also nominated:
Bevin Linkhorn - Confessions of an Adolescent Stormtrooper
Gabe McDonnell - The Inept
Production of the Year
Flipside directed by Simon Bennett
Also nominated:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead directed by Colin McColl
Wit directed by Cathy Downes
Most Original Production of the Year
Seeyd by Tim Spite, Genevieve McLean, Richard Edge, Scott Macky
Also nominated:
BoxRoleDream directed by Vanessa Byrnes
Fragments directed by Peter Wilson & Nick Blake
Most Promising Male Newcomer of the Year
John Katipa - Haruru Mai
Also nominated:
Gareth Howells - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Gareth Reeves - Flipside
Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year
Tandi Wright - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Also nominated:
Luanne Gordon - Serial Killers
Loren Horsley - When Sun and Moon Collide
Costume Designer of the Year
Janet Dunn - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Also nominated:
Tracey Collins - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Nicole Cosgrove - Rutherford
Lighting Designer of the Year
Lisa Maule - Haruru Mai
Also nominated:
Jennifer Lal - Wit
Martyn Roberts - Rutherford
Set Designer of the Year
Andrew Thomas - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Also nominated:
Nicole Cosgrove - Rutherford
Lizz Santos - Flipside
Sound Designer of the Year
Peter Edge - Flipside
Also nominated:
Sebastian Morgan-Lynch - When Sun and Moon Collide
Conrad Wedde - Shudder
Outstanding Composer of Original Music
Gareth Farr - Wit
Also nominated:
Peter Edge - Seeyd
Victoria Kelly - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Outstanding Performance
Madeleine Sami - No 2
Outstanding Performance
Rachel House - Woman Far Walking
Actress of the Year
Helen Moulder - Wit
Actor of the Year
Tim Spite - Flipside
Also nominated for acting awards:
Rena Owen - Haruru Mai
Stephen Papps - Blowing It
Irene Wood - Secret Bridesmaids' Business
Supporting Actress of the Year
Tandi Wright - Rutherford
Also nominated:
Nancy Brunning - Blue Smoke
Alice Fraser - Wit
Supporting Actor of the Year
Peter Hambleton - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Also nominated:
John Katipa - Haruru Mai
Cameron Rhodes - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Director of the Year
Colin McColl - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Also nominated:
Simon Bennett - Flipside
Cathy Downes - Speaking in Tongues
Significant Contribution to Theatre
Dr. Raymond Boyce
