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 2002




Presenters
Loren Horsely, Miranda Manasiadis, Jermaine Clement, Taika Cohen
Ceremony Director
Danny Mulheron
Judges
Mark Amery - Sunday Star Times
Laurie Atkinson - The Evening Post
Lynn Freeman - Capital Times
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
Trick of the Light by Ken Duncum
Also nominated:
The Daylight Atheist by Tom Scott
The Pickle King by Jacob Rajan & Justin Lewis
The Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Writer of the Year
Peter Cox - The Plum Tree
Also nominated:
Megan Huber - Gravity
Tom Scott - The Daylight Atheist
Production of the Year
The Pickle King by Indian Ink
Also nominated:
Copenhagen directed by Ross Jolly
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? directed by Colin McColl
Most Original Production of the Year
SAnD
Also nominated:
A Perfect Plan by Jealous
The Pickle King by Indian Ink
Most Promising Male Newcomer of the Year
Ben Barrington - East
Also nominated:
Aaron Alexander - East
Jarod Rawiri - The Prophet
Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year
Erica Lowe - Hamlet
Also nominated:
Ansuya Nathan - The Pickle King
Ellen Simpson - The Underwatermelon Man
Costume Designer of the Year
Alice Tinning - Richard III
Also nominated:
Marilyn Sainty - The World's Wife
John Verryt - The Pickle King
Lighting Designer of the Year
Martyn Roberts - Copenhagen
Also nominated:
Jennifer Lal - A Perfect Plan
Nick Reeves - Gravity
Set Designer of the Year
Ross Gibbs - Gravity
Also nominated:
Tracey Monastra - A Perfect Plan
David Thornley - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Sound Designer of the Year
Peter Edge - Gravity
Also nominated:
Jeremy Cullen - Trick of the Light
Craig Sengelow - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Outstanding Composer of Original Music
Don McGlashan - The World's Wife
Also nominated:
Flane Flaws & Peter Dasent with Arthur Baysting - The Underwatermelon Man
Michelle Scullion & Sarah Delahunty - Lifelines
Outstanding Performance
Grant Tilly - The Daylight Atheist
Outstanding Performance
Jacob Rajan - The Pickle King
Actress of the Year
Jennifer Ludlam - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Actor of the Year
Peter Hambleton - Copenhagen
Also nominated for acting awards:
Michele Amas - Trick of the Light
Ansuya Nathan - The Pickle King
Sally Stockwell - Proof
Supporting Actress of the Year
Donna Akersten - The Birthday Party
Also nominated:
Hera Dunleavy - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Alison Quigan - Leah
Supporting Actor of the Year
Toby Leach - Trick of the Light
Also nominated:
Nick Black - SAnD
Scott Wills - Ranterstrantum
Director of the Year
Colin McColl - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Also nominated:
Nick Blake - Black Comedy
Katherine McRae - Trick of the Light
Significant Contribution to Theatre
Red Mole
