News

Written by Mags Delaney-Moffatt

The PumpHouse has a long history with VOLUNTEERS.

Without them and their tireless work, we wouldn’t actually be here – the building would have been long gone.

The nature of volunteering at The PumpHouse may have changed over the years – the projects may vary from the days of clearing soot off bricks or making cushions to sit on but are no less important to us.

Whether you come to usher or help evict our eight-legged ‘friends’ we appreciate and value everyone who comes to volunteer for us.

This is National Volunteers Week and we want to celebrate ALL our volunteers who have helped us over the last year whether it was a one-off or an ongoing project.

Why is volunteering important?

As well as helping others, volunteering has been shown to improve volunteers’ wellbeing too.

It’s human nature to feel good after helping someone out. Volunteering can also help you gain valuable new skills and experiences, and boost your confidence.

If you wish to volunteer at The PumpHouse contact Mags mags@pumphouse.co.nz

The tasks vary throughout the year and depend on which hirers are using our space.

Some of our community hirers also seek volunteers. If you have an interest in helping out with shows then Mags can put you in touch with the right people.

Written by James Bell

Rangitoto by Geoff Clendon

Many people are surprised to learn that The PumpHouse doesn’t create the events at the theatre. Much like The Civic or Bruce Mason Theatre, we’re privileged to welcome almost 50 different groups each year – from professionals like Tim Bray Theatre Company and Tadpole Productions to community groups like the North Shore Concert Band and Shoreside Theatre – to share their performances with the community.

Whale Rider by Tim Bray Theatre Company

While these groups do the hard mahi of rehearsing, designing, and perfecting the performances you see on stage, we focus on making sure The PumpHouse is welcoming, safe, and well-equipped for the performers and audiences who visit.

North Shore Concert Band

Our own team runs the box office too, which means the producers keep more of the box office proceeds, and you speak to a real human who knows the theatre if you need seating advice or to transfer your tickets to another performance.

Sugung-Ga

And the great thing about The PumpHouse is that literally anyone can perform here. If you have a story to share, we’ll try and find a date in the calendar that suits. Thanks to funding contributions from the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, Foundation North, and Lion Foundation, venue hire costs are discounted for community groups and not-for-profits.

Educating Rita by Crossfade Productions & Act One Productions

Each year, we ask for expressions of interest from anyone interested in performing at The PumpHouse and try to fit as many diverse events as possible into the calendar. Along with the regular shows that everyone loves, we try to make space for something new and ensure that communities who don’t always get to share their stories are also given the opportunity.

Di and Viv and Rose by Fusion Productions

We hope that each year we can present a vibrant range of events that reflect what’s unique about our community and the performing arts in Tāmaki Makaurau that we love so much.

Photo by LK Creative: The Biggest Drag Carnival Circus audience

If you are interested in performing at The PumpHouse in 2025, Expressions of Interest are now open at https://pumphouse.co.nz/2025Booking/

.co.nz for Matariki by Chocolate & Carnage Theatre

While our permanent team members are the backbone of The PumpHouse, it’s our Front of House and Tech superstars who are the heart! They breathe life into every audience experience with incredible warmth and hospitality. In this blog, you’ll get to know some of our remarkable Front of House and Tech superstars – our PumpHouse whānau – and the attributes that make them truly amazing. Next time you’re at the theatre, be sure to look out for their friendly faces!

We are excited to have two one-woman shows coming to The PumpHouse Theatre this May and June!

Each production brings its own unique flavor: from the uproarious comedy of My Brilliant Divorce featuring the legendary Jackie Clarke, to the poignant depths of Prima Facie masterfully performed by Cassandra Woodhouse.

I had the privilege of interviewing Jackie & Cassandra to delve deeper into their experiences performing in a one-woman show. Let’s meet them!

JACKIE: The show is My Brilliant Divorce written by Irish playwright Geraldine Aron. It’s a very, very funny & moving one-woman play that’s been performed all over the world, with great success. Essentially it’s about emotional resilience I guess? Angela, a middle-aged woman gets her act together after her husband goes through a mid-life crisis and leaves her for a much younger woman. Her journey is madcap, messy, occasionally brutal and always entertaining. The play has been described as being a stand-up tragedy or a kind of mid-life Alice in Wonderful. It’s very honest, deliciously daft and I get to lean into my physical comedy bones- which so far in rehearsals has been great fun. But it also contains a lot of truths that I know will resonate hugely with the audience. I love the fact it gives a voice to an often invisible, often trivialised sector of our society; middle-aged women!!

CASSANDRA: Prima Facie explores socially impactful themes of sexual assault, the justice system, law, gender discrimination, power, patriarchy, consent, truth, survivor versus victim, and a call to action.

Jackie Clarke

JACKIE: I had the pleasure of doing Shirley Valentine 4 years ago, here at the Pumphouse. It was one of the most satisfying but petrifying experiences of my performing career. I’m more used to singing than acting, so even doing a non-musical was a challenge for me- let alone a one-woman show. But I find comedy pieces are very musical- once you figure out the rhythms of the various scenes and the ‘melodies’ of the themes and the ’tonal ranges’ of the characters etc, I could make sense of it. I’m always joking to my friends that I’m keeping Alzheimer’s at bay by taking on another solo show – but its kinda true. At 58, I want to keep doing work that challenges me and scares me. There is no one to catch you if you falter but I loved the experience. I could never relax a second, never take the arc of the play and Shirley for granted, BUT if you live like a monk during the season of the play and do NOTHING else, you have enough energy to give it its due. Through Shirley Valentine, I found a great team in director Janice Finn & producer Louise Wallace. We have a lot of faith/trust in each other, so I’m happy to go on another exhausting, petrifying but exhilarating journey with them for My Brilliant Divorce.

CASSANDRA: Yes, I produced and performed HANNA from 2022 – 2023 all across NZ. The experience was the greatest challenge and growth opportunity as it was my first one woman show and nothing can quite prepare you for the bravery, commitment and passion it takes to carry a show on your own. What really supported me was knowing the story is always in the room and that I am holding that experience up for others who have had the lived experience, of whatever the themes are that the play explores, and I’m providing a place for their stories to feel seen and heard. And for those who don’t directly resonate with the piece, through empathy they are opened to a world they may not have known before. Art really does have a tremendous healing power.

JACKIE: The benefit of the one-woman show is it’s like climbing Mt Everest- so if you knock the b’…ard off, it’s immensely satisfying. In the end, though, it’s never a one-woman work – there is a team behind you helping build the performance and shape the character and the production- you’re the only one on stage, but you’ve had the benefit of a trusted inner sanctum getting you to the peak of the Mt. What you miss of course is having fellow performers to bounce off. As a harmony singer, I’m naturally someone who likes to surrender to an ensemble to make something more beautiful than the sum of its parts. And in an ensemble there are the dual satisfactions of settling into a scene and having it ‘play’ to perfection, but also playing a scene and letting something unexpected from a fellow actor take you somewhere new. In a solo show, you can still surprise yourself though – allowing the text to come out of you with different nuances.

Cassandra Woodhouse

CASSANDRA: The benefits are that you can spend a lot more time on the show perhaps than you would with an ensemble piece. You’re not reliant on others to rehearse with so you can inoculate yourself in your own creative world and build the show which is what I really love. I have beautiful rituals around my creative process so I love the sacredness of being able to enter that world whenever I want.

The challenges would be, because it is only you, there is no one else to get you on that stage! Mindset work becomes vital as you are your own team – motivating yourself, cheering yourself on, reflecting on the show. Again though, the audience becomes a vital part of the experience as they are the ones who were out there with you, in that moment of time, sharing that experience so like life, it becomes a special shared experience.

CASSANDRA: Great question as I am deep in the process of this now with Prima Facie!
I think a big part of being emotionally accessible to the demands of the story is really doing the work to understand and uncover the stories behind the emotion that is being called upon. For example, we don’t feel an emotion first, we experience or tell ourselves a story which then creates the emotion. Emotions are a byproduct of the stories we tell ourselves. So doing the work to create those stories in our hearts, often dictated by the writer within the story is key to finding access to the emotional demands of the play.

CASSANDRA: Jennifer Ward Lealand, who directed HANNA, shared with me early into our rehearsals together that the responsibility of a one-person show is that you are holding the audience’s energy in the palm of your hand and therefore have to manipulate that energy to keep them engaged. The story holds a big part of this but craft plays a massive role. Vocal variation, diction, energy, fresh thoughts, being in the right here, right now, telling the story as if for the first time, earning your pauses, all these things hold an audience’s attention and the actor really must keep that ball of energy in the air for its audience to stay engaged.

JACKIE: Well I love talking to an audience directly – the feeling that this is a one-on-one conversation taking place simultaneously with every individual in the room – a one-woman play allows you to do this. Fourth wall schmourth wall!!! And when it’s really working, you can feel the connection with the audience. It’s an utterly delightful and very powerful feeling.

CASSANDRA: The intimacy differs greatly as the audience of a one-person show becomes the other characters of the story. One of the big creative questions of a one-person show is who the audience is to you. Who are they in relation to the story? As a performer, this is so crucial to know as it dictates much of the storytelling.

JACKIE: Go for it! Every actor should have a one-person play in their repertoire! But give yourself as much time as you need to get the text into your mind and body before you start fleshing out the performance. I have to start WAY before scheduled rehearsals in order to have a chance to get the words under my belt. Everything else flows from there.

CASSANDRA: My advice would be that you must do it at least once in your career! Nothing will challenge you more but as with all great challenges comes the most growth so knowing that reward lies on the other side of the experience is priceless. The empowerment you will gain from both creating your own opportunity and stretching yourself creatively will carry you strongly through your career. I also think one-person shows are a reminder of the vital importance of this art form and the stripped-back reminder of how impactful and important that connection with the audience and storytelling is. In a world where we have become so disconnected, creating art that brings people back together is vital to our well-being and to creating change.

Click on the posters to be taken to ticketing info for these shows.

Written by Mags Delaney-Moffatt

Every year World Art Day on April 15th celebrates the fine arts and promotes awareness of creativity worldwide. The International Association of Art and UNESCO founded World Art Day in 2012. They chose the date of April 15th as it coincided with Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday. Known as one of the most famous artists in history, Leonardo da Vinci has become a symbol of peace, freedom of expression, tolerance, and brotherhood.

Anything where humans use their creative skills and imagination to create something in visual form is called ART. Some of the most popular types of art include painting, sculpting, drawing, photography, and calligraphy along with theatre, dance, and music.

Art has many benefits to offer including:
• generating a love for learning and creativity.
• strengthening focus, improving hand-eye coordination, and helping develop problem-solving.
• supporting emotional intelligence and helping people express complex feelings.
• reaching across racial stereotypes and religious barriers and helping to build communities.
• building self-esteem, increasing motivation, and improving holistic health.
• awakening the senses and helping people experience the world in new ways.

Dabbling in lots of different art forms like theatre, photography, and writing has helped me in so many ways to grow my confidence and improve my well-being over the years as well as being fun to do. The best advice I could give anyone would be to get involved with art in some way whether it is as part of a group or just for your own satisfaction.

Painting of The PumpHouse by Lynette Jolicoeur

Written by Mags-Delaney-Moffatt

World Theatre Day is on March 27th every year. On this day, founded in 1961, theatre arts are celebrated to raise awareness about their importance in entertainment and the changes they bring to society. Additionally, it helps to promote theatre in all its forms across the world and to make people aware of the importance of theatre.

The theme promoted for World Theatre Day is the same each year: Theatre and a Culture of Peace.

Photo by LK Creative: The Biggest Drag Carnival Circus audience at The PumpHouse

Ever since the Greeks, theatre has been one of the most popular forms of entertainment. Live performers, actors, and actresses use different forms of fine arts to present a real experience before an audience in a particular place or on stage. This day provides theatre communities with the opportunity to spread the word about their work to governments and opinion leaders so they are aware of the value and importance of the arts in its various forms.
We at the PumpHouse know how vital getting the word out to the decision-makers and purse-string holders is.

Every year, a World Theatre Day Message is crafted by a different “figure of world stature” and circulated globally. The first World Theatre Day Message was written by Jean Cocteau, a leading artistic figure, in Paris in 1962.

Written by Mags Delaney-Moffatt, Helena Easey and Meg Andrews – three of the powerhouse women who work at The PumpHouse!

Mags, Helena & Meg

MAGS: “The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’ which is pretty apt for The PumpHouse.
Even in its early days, it was women like Peg Escott, Peg Nicholson and Genevieve Becroft who were spearheading the project to save our building and turn it into our now beloved iconic space.

The legacy carries on through the staff who currently work there – 3 fifths of the permanent staff are women (and pretty feisty ones at that!) and most of our casual staff are too!

The arts, like many industries, is overrepresented at the top level by men despite the workforce being mostly women – we like to think we at The PumpHouse go some way to equal things out!

A lot of our Creative Talks programme has featured Women in the Arts who have been successful in their particular disciplines. They all have in common a strong work ethic and a modesty about their achievements – maybe we should shout a little louder!”

HELENA: “It’s great to have a day to celebrate women especially those who have come before us and helped alter our path. As it’s International Women’s Day it’s important to acknowledge those women worldwide who still don’t have a voice, are not allowed an education, and do not have free will.

Plus it would have been my Mum’s birthday today (8th March) – Happy Birthday Mum 😊 miss you.”

MEG: “I adore women, I love celebrating every inch of them! To me, being a woman requires a beautiful kind of resistance, it means overcoming adversity. It is strength and empowerment. It is Trans and Cis, Queer and Straight. It is all-inclusive. It is unapologetic. Being a woman is whatever you want it to be!

The most inspiring wāhine in my world are my Mama & Gramma. They are remarkable humans with unwavering strength, worldly wisdom, immense beauty and unique humour. Their laughter is the most beautiful sound in the world!”

If you’ve been missing the magic of musicals at The PumpHouse Theatre, you’re not alone. We were lucky to have Bravi Theatre present the incredible Spring Awakening last year, but apart from that we haven’t had as many of those toe-tapping, heart-swelling musical productions in recent years. That’s why we’re absolutely pumped to announce that this March, we’re shaking things up and bringing not one, but two fantastic musicals to our theatre! 

We interviewed some of the talented individuals who are bringing to life North Shore Music Theatre’s Next to Normal and Masked Productions’ In Pieces, and we are lucky that they have given us a sneak peek into their creative worlds. Let’s meet them!

We had a chat with these talented artists and threw some questions their way. Check out their answers, all in their own words!

REBEKKAH: Musical theatre has always meant storytelling to me. In many ways, it’s all my favourite ways of telling stories at once, singing, dancing and acting with added theatrical elements. It’s a medium through which I can express myself best, as I love all aspects of Musical Theatre.

DAVID: Musical theatre has always been important in my life, starting from a very young age as a child in local pantomimes and it has been calling to me ever since. Whether a local production or a Broadway extravaganza, a comedy or tragedy, the combination of music, dance and story combine to entertain us, educate us and take us away from our own world for just a few hours. In these challenging times, it feels even more important than ever…

ADEEL: Musicals are my preferred form of escapism! As a veterinarian, I appreciate the opportunity that theatre gives me to step out of my often high-stress clinical role, and take on a new character with an entirely different point-of-view. On top of that, I don’t have to pick because I get the best of three worlds; singing-acting-dancing! Finally, getting to experience an audience light up and respond to what you perform can be very addictive.

ELINOR: Musical theatre is a beautifully unique way to tell a story, in the way it links the emotions of a song to the story you’re watching. I have always loved music, but musical theatre holds an incredibly special place in my heart, likely because of the deep-rooted emotion in each piece. It’s so versatile and there are so many subgenres to explore. The community that the shows form is unmatched as well. I love the Musical Theatre community!!

REBEKKAH (In Pieces): My role is the director but also a performer. The production team asked me to direct and perform, which is very lucky for me, as I love to do both roles. My character, Alex, has a few songs mostly separate from the rest of the cast, allowing me to step out and see the bigger picture as the director. As director, I’m in charge of making it all happen on stage and, most importantly, ensuring that the rehearsal process is fun and engaging for everyone so that we can bring out our best work on stage.

DAVID (Next to Normal): I am the Director of the show, which means that I am responsible for all of the creative aspects that you see. I collaborate closely with the Music Director, Choreographer and Vocal Coach’s to create a shared vision which is then imparted to the cast and technical depts, and then eventually through them, to the audience.

ADEEL (In Pieces): In this production, I get to be on stage as Charlie and you will get a few glimpses of different relationships and memories from his life. Charlie’s coming of age and first relationship with Grey (played by Karlo Valdez), is a significant part of his story. Charlie’s a bit of a geek who wears his heart on his sleeve and I’m quite excited to bring him to life.

ELINOR (Next to Normal):  My role in Next to Normal, Natalie Goodman, is the daughter of Diana, a mother with bipolar. Before Natalie was born, Diana and their family faced a tragedy, triggering her disorder. Natalie feels like she is constantly living in her brother’s shadow, even when she is doing all she can to succeed and get approval from her parents. Her story is bittersweet in the end, but heartbreaking throughout.

REBEKKAH: This is not your “normal” musical; it’s a contemporary one. I like that it only shows small pieces of people’s lives, allowing the audience to connect the emotion of the moment. I like that this doesn’t have an interval and is stripped back from your normal flashy musicals; it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles to tell the stories; the stories are told solely through the songs and engagement with the audience. It’s unique in that respect.

DAVID: I was a latecomer to this particular show entering the fray only 5 weeks from opening, but was immediately struck by the powerful messages and deep characterisations required. It is unusually complex for a musical (and I adore the music) and I have loved getting to grips with the story and exploring with the cast how they affect the story and how the story affects them.

ADEEL: The music! It’s got a really fun range of musical styles and is very catchy and easy to get into. Beyond that, I love that I get to be a part of an ensemble cast with many different stories and voices equally woven into one production.

ELINOR: I loved Next to Normal far before I got the role, due to the show’s unique style of music- Very contemporary and rock, but also at moments, heartbreaking and ballad-like. The plot is also incredibly important to me, as my family has a history of mental illness, and seeing the experience recorded through such beautiful music and characters is really special. But the show isn’t all melancholy, as you still see parts of the “normal” life of the characters and the almost “supernatural” presence of the dead son. One of my favorite moments is the closing number of the show, where you see the family in the end, out the other side of the darkness. “There will be light” is the last line of the show, purveying the message that- even in the darkest moments, there will be something good. There will be light.

REBEKKAH: One of my favourite musicals is “Once.” It relies heavily on music and is set in Ireland, with performers serving as the musicians. It creates a raw atmosphere told from both sides of a situation, and the music is so lovely! I think it’s a musical that not many people know of, and I will always shout it’s brilliant from the rooftops.

DAVID: I’m afraid that my Favourite Musical is always the one I’m working on at the time!

ADEEL: It would have to be Joseph! At 11 years old, that was my first ever musical theatre role, and it was also the first show I did outside of school as an adult. A lot of sentimental value!

ELINOR: This question haunts me… I listen to an ungodly number of musicals, with many different genres and stories. I think it depends on my mood? When I want something dramatic I love the musical Bandstand, but when I’m looking for something chaotic and interesting, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 is a great one! When I want something comedic, any of the Starkid shows are perfect, but when I’m looking for something innovative and groovy Songs for a New World is incredible. I could go on and on, but there are a few…

REBEKKAH: A dream role would be playing an ensemble in “Hamilton” because of the storytelling that choreography creates and the show’s brilliance, but the choreography draws me to this role. I also love that indigenous people from all walks of life can connect through this show; being Māori, there aren’t many places to be Māori in a Musical theatre space, so I love it when this is celebrated. But my ultimate ‘dream role’ would be Mary Poppins, given her iconic character and physicality. She’s very to the point but out of love, and I think that side of her also resonates with who I am. It’s one of the first Disney films that really made me go WOW, so the child in me would be happy and privileged if given the chance.

DAVID: I’m kind of living it! I work with a variety of organisations, I get to travel the county directing musicals, I get to work on shows as a production manager, and I get to teach, coach and mentor new directors as they start down their journeys – who could ask for more?

ADEEL: I’ve been quite lucky to have already done a couple of dream roles! Beyond these, maybe Akaash from Bombay Dreams. I’d also have heaps of fun as Shakespeare in & Juliet, and, maybe, a gender-bent K Howard in Six…..

ELINOR: Just like the previous question, there are SO many depending on how i feel, and the genre in question. (let me just refer to my notes-app list of roles: ) I LOVE Sondheim, so anyone in his musicals (Sunday in the Park with George & Sweeney Todd are my favorites) Eurydice in Hadestown (though I’m not the type-cast for it) Natasha from The Great Comet, Veronica from Heathers, and (purely for the beautiful vocals) Francesca from The Bridges to Madison County. (Natalie Goodman was one of my dream roles, so I checked that box!)

REBEKKAH: My advice would be to see lots of different shows, talk to people in the industry, and research what fascinates you. Theatre as a storytelling medium is so huge that there’s so much to discover. But also, No amount of workshops alone will get you a career in musical theatre. You must put in the work and love what you do, be curious, and the right things will come along. There are times when it’s tiring but then you remember you have been given the gift to make people feel and teach through this platform, and it’s all worth it. Stay curious 🙂

DAVID: Train, watch, listen and build experience any way that you can. There are numerous New Zealanders working professionally at a very high level in Australia, The West End and Broadway – most of whom started in amateur theatre, so the opportunities are there if you are prepared to undertake the work – and accept the risks along the way. But don’t expect it will always be easy, or that work is just out there waiting for you – you may have to create your own opportunities first or in between.

ADEEL: Step out of your own way. Also, if you’re not having a good time…you’re probably doing something wrong!

ELINOR: In truth, I am still an aspiring actor and singer. Along with simply getting involved in local theatres (or theatres far away, in my case) Listening to as many musicals as you can and finding your niche is really helpful. Not only does it get you more audition material, but it widens your understanding of musical theatre and the different shows that fall under that umbrella. You don’t necessarily have to be a triple threat to get a role (god knows i can’t dance…) you just have to keep an eye out for auditions, sing (and/or dance) loads and put yourself out there! I think there is a misconception that ensemble is a bad thing, but up until this show I was always in ensembles, and it grows your dance, singing and acting skills while getting to be involved in a great show.
If you love musical theatre, don’t let your physical abilities hold you back. The only way to get better is to do. Go do a show!!!

Rebekkah Schoonbeek-Berridge

Elinor Coghlan

Adeel Surendran | Ally Weir (Wired Photography)

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR UPCOMING MUSICALS HERE