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 2007



Master of Ceremonies
Tim Gordon
Directors
Rachel More & Tim Gordon
Judges
Laurie Atkinson - The Dominion Post
Lynn Freeman - Capital Times
Melody Nixon - The Lumière Reader
Harry Ricketts - New Zealand Listener
John Smythe - Theatreview
The Absolutely Positively Outstanding New New Zealand Play of the Year
Home Land by Gary Henderson
Also nominated:
The Hollow Men by Dean Parker, adapted from the book by Nicky Hager
Turbine by the SEEyD Theatre Company (Nick Dunbar, Rachel Forman, Emma Kinane and Tim Spite)
Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Playwright of the Year
Rob Mokaraka and Paolo Rotondo - Strange Resting Places
Also nominated:
Charlotte Simmonds - The Story of Nohome Neville and Unwholesome Clare Who Worked in Kitchens and Smelt Like a Dish
Brian Hotter - Pig Hunt
Production of the Year
Home Land
Also nominated:
The Hollow Men
Strange Resting Places
Most Original Production of the Year
Hotel - site-specific.co.nz
Also nominated:
Settling - A Slightly Isolated Dog and BATS Theatre
Turbine - SEEyD Theatre Company
Most Promising Male Newcomer of the Year
Michael Whalley - The Cape
Also nominated:
Aaron Cortesi - Settling
Martyn Wood - Sexual Perversity in Chicago
Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year
Jodie Hillock - Home Land
Also nominated:
Laurel Devenie - The Graduate
Kate Prior - The Winslow Boy
Most Promising New Director of the Year
Willem Wassenaar - Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches
Also nominated:
Rachel Lenart - A Bright Room Called Day
Leo Gene Peters - Strange Resting Places
Outstanding Performance
Rachel Forman - Blackbird
Outstanding Performance
Emmet Michael Kennedy - Shining City
Actress of the Year
Mel Dodge - Uncle Vanya
Actor of the Year
Grant Tilly - Home Land
Also nominated for acting awards:
Michele Amas - Home Land
Emma Kinane - Fat Pig
Tim Spite - Turbine
Supporting Actress of the Year
Jennifer Ludlam - Othello
Also nominated:
Erin Banks - King Lear
Lyndee-Jane Rutherford - The Hollow Men
Supporting Actor of the Year
Gavin Rutherford - Uncle Vanya
Also nominated:
Toby Leach - Fat Pig
Simon Vincent - Othello
Costume Designer of the Year
Gillie Coxill - Uncle Vanya
Also nominated:
Zoë Fox - Who Needs Sleep Anyway?
Paul Jenden - Monarchy the Musical
Lighting Designer of the Year
Martyn Roberts - Maui: One Man Against the Gods
Also nominated:
Jennifer Lal - Othello
P Marcus McShane - A Bright Room Called Day
Set Designer of the Year
Brian King - The Hollow Men
Also nominated:
John Hodgkins - Fat Pig
Daniel Williams - Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches
Sound Designer of the Year
Stephen Gallagher - Shining City
Also nominated:
Gil Eva Craig - Turbine
Emile De la Rey - A Bright Room Called Day
Outstanding Composer of Original Music
Gareth Farr - Maui: One Man Against the Gods
Also nominated:
Suzy Hawes - The Bowler Hat
Michael Nicholas Williams - Aladdin
Director of the Year
Jane Waddell - Home Land
Also nominated:
Jonathon Hendry - The Hollow Men
Conrad Newport - The Cape
Mayor's Award for Significant Contribution to the Theatre
Bill Guest - Associate Director and Head of Entertainment Technology & Performing Arts Management, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School
