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Our casual team are the heart of The PumpHouse – the Front of House team in particular! The vibrant Nicky has been part of The PumpHouse whānau for a few months now. If you have been to a show recently you’ll likely recognise her smiley face and bubbly, welcoming personality!

We asked Nicky 10 questions about herself so that you can get to know her better, enjoy!

1. Tell us five random facts about yourself

• I was born in Liverpool
• I became an NZ citizen last year
• I attended the royal garden party at Buckingham Palace
• My only sporting claim to fame was Javlin
• I’m enrolled to become a barber this year!

2. How did you come to work at The PumpHouse Theatre?

I saw an advertisement for casual theatre staff on social media.

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

At a young age, I participated in school but that’s it! However, I have an extremely talented daughter who attends NASDA in Christchurch studying for a 3-year degree.

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

Being part of the theatre team is just amazing. I love the support and friendship from the staff but mostly I get to meet lots of amazing people. I feel extremely grateful.

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

Meeting the guy from ‘Educators’ (lol), and sipping bubbles with the staff at Christmas.

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

Depends if I need to get up!

7. What is your favourite food?

Italian but partial to a homemade roast dinner 😊

8. What do you get up to when you’re not at The PumpHouse?

I love spending quiet time these days down at the beach with my two dogs. I volunteer once a week for Plunket.

9. Who inspires you?

John & Yoko, and Eckhart Tolle

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

School of Rock and Chicago

In a somewhat eerie reflection of 50-something years ago, when a community of theatre lovers rallied together to save The PumpHouse from demolition and turn it into the thriving arts venue we all know and love today, we are now seeing a repeat of this hard work and community comradery as our theatre community comes together to clean up our beautiful brick lady in the aftermath of severe flooding.

Thespians are resilient folk – they deal with more rejection than many other professions. They are accustomed to hard work, long hours, and keeping spirits high within their cast, their crew, their community, which inevitably becomes whānau.

Our team has not only been cleaning, mopping, drying, and salvaging what they can at the theatre, but also dealing with cancelled Shakespeare shows which result in a hefty amount of behind the scenes work including transfers, refunds, and ensuring our audience feel safe, loved, and listened to during this time.

On behalf of the entire team, I’d like to thank you all for your patience and support. It means the world!

We all hope you and yours are safe and dry. See you soon to create more memories at the theatre!

To find out which Shakespeare in the Park performances have been cancelled due to the flooding, click here.

Well, the season of The Bard is well and truly upon us!

During these school holidays, our Shakespearean mastermind Mags had the absolute pleasure of working with a fantastic group of young people who worked really hard to put on a performance of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in just four and a half days.

This is the fourth Shakespeare in a Week workshop, and some of the young actors have come every year, whilst new people have joined in along the way. The students come from all around Tāmaki Makaurau to take part and make new friendships that carry on after the week.

It’s fair to say we have some extraordinary young local talent in our midst. “Some of the young actors I worked with in Shakespeare in a Week performed better than some of the adult actors I’ve worked with!” Tutor Mags Delaney-Moffatt says. “As a result of coming to the workshop some of the actors have gone on to be part of Auckland Shakespeare in the Park.”

The stormy weather meant that the performance was taken inside rather than the planned performance in the amphitheatre. But the entertainment was still exceptionally good, and being able to borrow actual ‘Shakespearean Costumes’ from Shoreside Theatre gave the performance a bit more polish than the ‘put together out of the dress up box’ we’ve had before.

Shakespeare in a Week is not just for those who have drama experience but is for anyone who wants a chance to have a go at Shakespeare. We are hoping to be able to do some more workshops later in the year to keep the legacy going.

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!