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 2001

Presenter
Oscar Kightley
Ceremony Director
Danny Mulheron
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
The Absolutely Positively Outstanding New New Zealand Play of the Year
Have Car, Will Travel by Mitch Tawhi Thomas
Also nominated:
Take Me Home Mr! by William Walker
Waterloo Sunset by Ken Duncum
The Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Writer of the Year
William Walker - Take Me Home Mr!
Also nominated:
Ryan McFadyen - Shootout
Kathryn Van Beek - Little Death
Production of the Year
On the Razzle directed by Elric Hooper
Also nominated:
Irish Annals of Aotearoa directed by David O'Donnell
Take Me Home Mr! directed by Steven Ray
Most Original Production of the Year
inSalt by SEEyD Theatre Company
Also nominated:
Irish Annals of Aotearoa directed by David O'Donnell
Wild Night American Dream by The Clinic
Most Promising Male Newcomer of the Year
Joint winners:
Christopher Brougham - Vick's Boy
Robert Mokeraka - Have Car, Will Travel
Also nominated:
Simon Vincent - Madame Melville
Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year
Nikki MacDonnell - Waterloo Sunset
Also nominated:
Dena Kennedy - Have Car Will Travel
Heather O'Carroll - inSalt
Costume Designer of the Year
Allan Lees - The Jungle Book
Also nominated:
Nicole Cosgrove - The Country Wife
Andrea Moore - inSalt
Lighting Designer of the Year
Jennifer Lal - Have Car, Will Travel
Also nominated:
Tony Rabbit - The Blue Room
Martyn Roberts - Man on the Moon
Set Designer of the Year
SEEyD Theatre Company - inSalt
Also nominated:
Nicole Cosgrove - Waterloo Sunset
Tony Rabbit - The Blue Room
Sound Designer of the Year
Craig Sengelow - Have Car, Will Travel
Also nominated:
Peter Edge - inSalt
Sebastian Morgan-Lynch - Man on the Moon
Outstanding Composer of Original Music
Chris O'Connor - Irish Annals of Aotearoa
Also nominated:
Peter Edge - inSalt
Laughton Pattrick - As You Like It
Outstanding Performance
Peter Daubé - The Blue Room
Outstanding Performance
Rima Te Wiata - Madame Melville
Actress of the Year
Grace Hoet - Take Me Home Mr!
Actor of the Year
Ray Henwood - Playing Burton
Also nominated for acting awards:
Christopher Brougham - Vick's Boy
Stephen Butterworth - On the Razzle
William Walker - Take Me Home Mr!
Supporting Actress of the Year
Anna McPhail - On the Razzle
Also nominated:
Nancy Brunning - inSalt
Nikki MacDonnell - Waterloo Sunset
Supporting Actor of the Year
Jonathon Hendry - As You Like It
Also nominated:
Christopher Brougham - On the Razzle
Brian Sergent - The Country Wife
Director of the Year
Rachel House - Have Car, Will Travel
Also nominated:
David O'Donnell - Irish Annals of Aotearoa
Steven Ray - Take Me Home Mr!
Significant Contribution to Theatre
Eric Gardiner
