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It seems like just yesterday that our wonderful intern from Germany, Lena joined us at The PumpHouse Theatre! She has been an incredible, vibrant asset to the theatre.

We asked her if she could write a little something to reflect on her time here, and here it is in her own words!

Lena – we will miss you so very much. You will forever be a special part of The PumpHouse whānau!

Mā te wā ????

Time flies by… and so did my time here at the PumpHouse. After nine amazing weeks, my internship is over and I‘m going to leave Auckland to explore the rest of the beautiful country.

Looking back, it‘s all been really interesting and fun. Whether it was welcoming our guests – especially all those excited children – for the Santa Claus show, witnessing the madness and shenanigans during a production week and looking at everything that‘s going on backstage during a show like Di & Viv & Rose, helping with setting up the light rig and walking along the catwalk (the walkway above the auditorium to reach the lights), re-painting the stage with Mark and Christmas music or our little Christmas BBQ – there was always something exciting going on and new things for me to learn.

If I had to pick one Highlight, it would be the Christmas market. I was there while everything was being set up and helped where I could since our team was reduced down to James, Meg, and myself, but in the end, everything was ready in time for everyone to stroll along the stalls and have a good time. The weather was wonderful and even though having Christmas and summer at the same time is still veeery weird to me (I‘m a summer person, though Christmas is just a winter thing to me – but I‘m not complaining!) it was a cool experience to not freeze all day during a Christmas market. After our market, I (or should I say Lena the Elf?) got to be part of the annual (and sold-out) Christmas Carols in the amphitheater, which was absolutely amazing and a lot of fun. It was an exhausting and sometimes overwhelming day, but also really great.

And last but not least, something that I will probably remember most was meeting all those lovely people. The way I was welcomed into the PumpHouse family really means a lot to me and whenever I‘ll be near Auckland, I‘m definitely going to stop by again. I‘m really grateful for all the laughs and stories shared, coming here for work was something I always looked forward to.

I‘ve had a truly amazing time here and I‘m really glad I got to do my internship here – this place and its people will be missed!

A quick sketch Lena did of The PumpHouse Theatre

???? Drumroll please… introducing our wonderful intern from Germany, Lena!

Lena’s interest in all things creative (plus her desire to travel Aotearoa) made The PumpHouse the perfect place for her to do her internship! She’s been helping with all aspects of theatre – production week, backstage, front of house, marketing, and more! She has been working closely with Mags and Meg and giving a helping hand to the amazing theatre companies that hire our space.

We are lucky enough to have Lena with us at The PumpHouse until Christmas. Find out more about her below ????

Tell us five random facts about yourself!

1. I‘m born in July, so in Germany, that’s in the summertime (which I love)

2. I love the ocean, even though I don’t live anywhere near a beach

3. My favourite kind of pasta is tagliatelle

4. I love music and going to concerts

5. I never watch the German version of movies and tv shows, always the original/English one

How did you get to intern at The PumpHouse Theatre?

I’m interested in art and the production of movies and theatre plays, and since I don’t know what to study yet I thought an internship would be a good option. I always wanted to go to another country after finishing school to do some work and travel, so I combined those and decided to do an internship before travelling around New Zealand. When I signed up at New Zealand Internships, The PumpHouse chose me as an intern which I’m really happy about!

Were you involved in the Performing Arts in Germany?

Sadly not really, since we don’t have a theatre near my village. I used to be part of the children’s Christmas plays in our church every year as a kid though, which was always fun.

What is your favourite thing about New Zealand so far?

I’m getting to know so many new and different people, which is a nice change after two years of covid. I also love how it’s spring here, I’m definitely not complaining about two summers in a row!

What do you like about interning here?

The way everyone welcomed me here, everyone is really nice. Since we’re such a small team it’s a really familiar feeling and I have much fun working here. I also really adore the building and where it’s located, it’s so beautiful.

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

I’ve done an Instagram takeover, which was pretty cool. I also was allowed to shadow one of the productions (Di and Viv and Rose) during production week, so I got to see what it’s like backstage and during the preparation of the play.

What do you get up to after hours?

I love meeting up with people, going for walks, and reading.

What is your favourite food?

Pasta, because there are so many options – as a salad, with a sauce, pesto, olive oil, etc. And garlic bread, I love garlic bread.

Who inspires you?

Anyone who’s passionate about something and follows their dreams and goals, no matter how hard it may be or what others might say. (Also Harry Styles, I really love his music)

What’s your all-time favourite theatre show?

I don’t know if this counts, but I saw the musical The Lion King in Hamburg once and it really stood out to me, absolutely stunning.

What village in Germany do you live in? Describe it for us!

It‘s a tiny village in northern Bavaria (Frankonia) near Bamberg. We have about 300 inhabitants (like I said – tiny) and the houses were built around a medieval castle ruin on a hill, which is why we actually have some tourists during the summertime and an amazing view over the landscape. We also have an open-air swimming pool and a football field for local clubs. We’re surrounded by forests and meadows, so it’s absolutely amazing for going on walks. I adored being able to spend my childhood there with most of my relatives next door since me and my cousins used to spend a lot of time outside.

Small businesses are the backbone of our community – in particular arts and culture hubs like The PumpHouse Theatre. Without our wonderful, dedicated community, we would not exist. And without theatre, art, and culture – what would life be?! We hate to think.

There are many ways in which you can support us as a small business. Here are five FREE ways you can ensure we not only survive but thrive, plus one bonus way you can support us which will only cost you 66c a week!

1. Sign Up For Our Fortnightly Newsletter! Not only will you be the first to know about new shows and events, but you’ll also get updated on the exciting day-to-day life of our theatre, be treated to nostalgic stories of the history of our building, and be in to win tickets to shows. You can sign up to our newsletter here
2. TripAdvisor Review: Reviews help us out immensely – especially for people who don’t visit Takapuna often! Let people from far and wide know why they can’t visit Takapuna without a trip to The PumpHouse here
3. Google Maps Review: You can also review us on Google Maps! People want to know they can trust they’ll have a good time before visiting a place, so share your thoughts and five-star reviews here
4. Follow Us On Facebook! We have a pretty loyal following on good ol’ Facebook – and why wouldn’t we!? This is the first place we announce upcoming shows, plus we share lots of other fun theatre-related things too. Join the Facebook fun here
5. Like Us On The ‘Gram! Yes, we are even cool enough to have an Instagram (not quite cool enough for TikTok yet – but watch this space ????). We sometimes have cast and crew takeovers which prove to be a lot of fun for viewers and a great sneak peek into the backstage shenanigans of our theatre. Like us here
6. Be Our Friend! I mean, we are all already friends right?! But imagine being our friend AND benefiting from discounted tickets, regular competitions, and invitations to VIP events – now that sounds like the best kind of friendship! For just 66c a week you can support us (or even less if you’re a student/senior!) Find out more about our membership program here

We shared and celebrated our achievements over the last year at the North Shore Theatre and Arts Trust Annual General Meeting last week.

Despite Covid, we hosted over 150 performances in the theatre and created 200 hours of online content when the theatre was closed. We also completed the 75-month project to design, fund, and build our new courtyard canopy.

Board Chair Peter Burn thanked the staff, volunteers, and hirers for their perseverance and dedication to keeping The PumpHouse going through trying times.

Retiring Board Member Emma Poyner was honoured with life membership of the Trust. After a career in law, and 13 years as a Trust Board member, Emma is embarking on a new journey and training as a secondary school teacher.

Peter Burn with Emma Poyner

The meeting closed with a talk from noted author and Devonport local, Tessa Duder. Tessa was involved in the early PumpHouse committees and shared her memories of PumpHouse picnics, restoring the theatre, and the secrets of just what is inside the iconic chimney to this day!

Peter Burn with Tessa Duder

Below is a summary of some of our key results for the year – we’re looking forward to bigger and better things in 2023!

Māori events are those led by Māori or telling stories informed by te ao Māori

If you have been down to any of the evening shows at The PumpHouse lately you may have noticed how much brighter the lighting is on the deck.

Thanks to a grant from Devonport-Takapuna Local Board we have been able to replace the old fluorescent lights with energy saving LED ones.

Both offices have benefitted from a lighting upgrade too with LED lights meaning not only are we making an environmental impact whilst we work but our actual work environment has improved 100%.

As a not-for-profit charitable trust, we do rely on the generosity of funding groups like The Devonport-Takapuna Board to be able to make positive changes for the benefit for those working at The PumpHouse on a daily basis as well as you – our patrons!

The PumpHouse Theatre values our brilliant volunteer team who go out of their way to help with various fun activities which support the longevity of our thriving arts hub. They are the heart of our theatre – which prides itself on being for the community by the community.

Flora is one of our amazing community networkers. She helps to spread the word about The PumpHouse in her neighbourhood, Long Bay. When she’s not doing that, she works as a radio broadcaster on Chinese Radio in the mornings! Read more about the lovely Flora here.

1. Tell us five random facts about yourself

• I love singing and travelling
• I enjoy plays and movies
• Fell in love with New Zealand after the first visit and decided to move here
• Started a new career as a radio broadcaster
• Have recently become a dog person (finally!)

2. How did you start volunteering at The PumpHouse Theatre?

I was looking at the ‘Volunteering Auckland’ website and suddenly came across this Community Networker role at The PumpHouse Theatre. I attended a few events before at the theatre and found myself loving it a lot. Without any hesitation, I applied and luckily came on board!

3. When did you start getting involved in the Performing Arts?

It was back in my intermediate school, we used to do short plays in our English classes. After moving to New Zealand, I joined the Felix Creative Theatre and have been looking forward to having the chance to perform in a play!

4. What is your favourite thing about The PumpHouse Theatre?

It provides so many different types of events to everyone in the community. Plays, workshops, movies, and creative talks… we meet great people here and enjoy the beauty of arts together.

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

I assisted in rehearsals of the Play ‘Dearest Stranger’ presented by Felix Creative Theatre at the PumpHouse Theatre and watched the first show of it. This experience and memory were so touching and remarkable.

6. What time do you wake up in the mornings?

About 6:10 am… as I need to prepare for the morning show on the radio.

7. What is your favourite food?

Auckland is amazing in different types of cuisine…I love all of them and really hard to pick one!

8. What do you get up to after hours?

Taking care of my little puppy Evan and doing some video shooting about my life.

9. Who inspires you?

I love to watch a TV show hosted by a famous Chinese MC, Wentao Dou. Always feel inspired by his talk with the guests on the show.

10. What’s your all-time favourite theatre show?

Les Misérables! It’s just amazing!

Our theatre booking calendar is now open for performances at The PumpHouse Theatre in 2023!

From Shakespeare to musicals, classical concerts to rock bands, we’re accepting expressions of interest from anyone interested in performing at The PumpHouse next year.

With three performance spaces to choose from, and experts on hand to help with marketing and promotion, technical assistance, and health and safety, we are here to support everyone with a story to share.

For more information and to book your show, visit https://pumphouse.co.nz/2023booking/

During the school holidays, we hosted our third Shakespeare in a Week workshop for ages 12 – 18. These workshops are proving to be very popular, and the progress seen in the workshop attendee’s on-stage skills is incredible and inspiring.

Tutor and Shakespeare nut, Mags Delaney-Moffatt spent the week focusing on The ‘Scottish Play’ – Macbeth. With so many returning students, Mags decided on this famous play to give them all more of a challenge as Macbeth is wordier than previous productions they have been part of.

The group of 15 talented actors, with Mags guiding them, created an amazing performance under the lights of The Genevieve Becroft Auditorium.

“I was blown away by the talent on display yet again,” said facilitator Mags Delaney-Moffatt, “The group had only four and a half days with scripts but the standard of performances they produced far exceeded some adult actors who usually have longer rehearsal periods. It just goes to show how inspiring Shakespeare still is.”

If you know any young, aspiring actors who would benefit from this 5-day workshop, keep an eye out for the next Shakespeare in a Week workshop dates which will be announced on our Facebook page or via our email newsletters.

More photos here:

Last week we celebrated our brand-spankin’ new courtyard canopy at The PumpHouse Theatre with the official opening ceremony.

The idea for a canopy came to life many years ago and was commissioned in 2017 to celebrate 40 years of theatre at The PumpHouse.

The canopy covers the area between the theatre, amphitheatre, and café buildings, and will provide shelter from Aotearoa’s classic ‘four seasons in one day’ weather for people attending the theatre.

Just under $75,000 was raised for the project with significant contributions from Genevieve Becroft and the Becroft Foundation, and from Milford local and PumpHouse Trust Board member, Peter Baird, plus nearly 1,000 generous supporters who contributed smaller sums by adding a couple of extra dollars when they bought a ticket.

The PumpHouse worked with local North Shore businesses including Shade Systems, Dave Pearson Architects, Brite Sparx Electrical, and Landscape Creations.

We welcome you to come down and check out the courtyard canopy anytime, day or night!