Mark is our brilliant, multi-tasking Venue Operations Coordinator. His intelligence, wit, and natural handyman skills along with his passion for the Performing Arts is a massive asset to our PumpHouse whānau!

Read more about the remarkable Mark below.

Tell us five random facts about yourself!

1. I am an only child.
2. I am allergic to meat.
3. The most famous person I have met is Jackie Chan.
4. I like to play guitar and sing sometimes when no one is watching.
5. I have never been to the South Island… yet!

How did you come to work at The PumpHouse Theatre?

I have always wanted to work at a theatre. Theatre and The PumpHouse have always been a big part of my life. I asked if there were any jobs going, and to my fortune, there was one!

What did you study and has it helped you in the role?

I studied Software Engineering. There is an incredible amount of crossover between coding and operations in a theatre! Lighting uses a lot of machine code as does sound. Gardening and maintenance not so much ????

When did you start getting involved in the Performing Arts?

The first show I ever did was a school musical for Bayview Primary School called ‘Antics’. It was a musical about ants looking for food for their queen. I scored the role of mould number 1. Some of the best performing I have ever done.

What do you like about working here?

There are many reasons to love working here, but the number one reason: the team. Every day is filled with laughter, happiness and support. I am really blessed to be working with these people.

Do you have a favourite memory/memories of The PumpHouse?

My first paid gig as a solo musician was at The PumpHouse. The PumpHouse hired me to play music for the opening night of a show called Ship Songs. One of the best plays I have seen to date!

What’s the coolest thing you’ve done in your job recently?

Any job I have to do in the catwalk/roof of the PumpHouse is the coolest thing I will do. Seeing all the old wood and structure paints a wonderful picture of just how old this building is.

What time do you wake up in the mornings?

7:00 am, to promptly slap my phone’s sleep button.

What do you do behind the scenes that people don’t know?

Most of my job is behind the scenes. Lots of maintenance, a sprinkling of meeting with hirers and understanding their needs and a dash of health and safety to make sure no one gets hurt (It is a lot of health and safety but I had a theme going)

What do you get up to after hours?

I like to digest a lot of TV and Cinema with my partner, snuggle with my bunny, Cous Cous and play DnD with my friends!

What do you get up to on your lunch breaks?

Think about how I forgot to bring lunch.

What’s your all-time favourite show?

Used to be Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead… but I think the new favourite is Mosquitoes.