Move means more participation

Auckland Theatre Company wants to get the community more involved. Photo / Supplied

As Auckland Theatre Company prepares to launch its new season, things are busier than usual behind the scenes. The company has moved into spacious offices at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall. For the first time in its history, it has all of its administration, box office, rehearsal studios, wardrobe and props stored under one roof.

In addition to staging up to eight plays a year - as well as touring some to other North Island centres and arts festivals - ATC includes a Literary Unit to commission new plays and support playwrights with works in development, and an Education Unit to nurture future theatre goers.

The move means it can host events run by these units, such as script readings, subscriber evenings, the Next Stage new play series, and workshops for teachers and school students in the building.

But perhaps most significantly, the company can now launch a new programme which expands on the work of both units.

Called Participate, it aims to develop closer links between ATC and the wider community, including Auckland neighbourhoods, individuals keen to learn more about theatre, amateur theatre groups and other professional performing arts organisations.

ATC artistic director Colin McColl says Participate was created for a number of reasons. "It is partly our response to rapidly changing demographics in Auckland and because we are also interested in where new stories are coming from. Because theatre can be a conduit for people from all backgrounds telling their stories, we want to encourage that."

ATC creative development and education manager Lynne Cardy, who oversees Participate, is clearly excited to be able to open the doors to a wider range of people and groups.

Cardy says open days and open access rehearsals, collaborations with other theatre companies and a greater range of "master classes" for professional performers are new features of the programme.

"It's about getting people involved and I think it's great that a theatre company can work with people rather than just creating stuff for them to watch. I also love the idea that it's not just about acting - people who want to learn more about what happens backstage can come along, too."

Cardy is keen to hear from neighbourhood theatre groups who might want to take part in workshops or join with ATC to develop community-orientated shows.

One of the collaborations she looks forward to this year is a school holiday show at the Mangere Performing Arts Centre developed by ATC and students from Unitec's Pacific Institute of Performing Arts. Cardy describes it as a contemporary, hip hop, Polynesian-oriented musical which re-works the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood.