Kāpiti Playhouse: 76 years of theatre and community entertainment

The Kāpiti Playhouse puts on several shows each year.

If you are a fan of all things drama and theatre, you have probably visited the Kāpiti Playhouse in Ruahine St, Paraparaumu.

While rather unassuming from the outside, inside the building you can discover worlds of imagination and creativity.

The Kāpiti Playhouse originated 76 years ago, in 1948, when John and Marjorie Brooke-White decided to form a group of local theatre lovers.

At that point, meetings were held at John and Marjorie’s home in Raumati Beach, but only a year later they found the group was so popular they could not fit everyone in their home anymore, so they made the Raumati Community Hall its new venue.

Just a few years later the Kāpiti Playhouse staged its first production, Kenneth Horne’s A Lady Mislaid, over two nights and, after receiving an encouraging reception from residents, it decided to put on more shows.

Because TVs were rare in those days, theatre was a popular form of entertainment with 1200 Kāpiti residents attending each show, which typically ran for four days.

At the time most of its plays were comedies due to audience appeal, compared with the variety of genres performed nowadays.

Just over two decades after the playhouse was started, the group bought its own building.

The cast of one of the playhouse's shows.

In 1972, construction company Fletcher Building stopped using its warehouse premises in Ruahine St and, after a lot of effort from members of the playhouse, they were able to buy it for $10,500.

Many years of renovations and improvements followed, made possible by grants from the Todd Charitable Trust, Regional Arts Council and Kāpiti Coast Community Arts Council that helped cover the costs.

One of the most significant improvements occurred in 1985, when a new curtain was installed, and it wasn’t replaced until 33 years later.

Liz Alpine got involved in the Kāpiti Playhouse about 30 years ago when her daughter, Natalie, wanted to audition for a show.

Liz had studied to be a primary school teacher with a focus on drama, so when her daughter auditioned she had some pre-existing knowledge.

Both she and Natalie secured roles in that production, and Liz found she enjoyed it so much she wanted to stay.

“The hair lady at the time said, ‘you’ll like it here’ — she knew,” Liz remembers.

Since then, she’s had a couple of stints as president of the playhouse, but nowadays she works mainly backstage.

All the members are volunteers and Liz said they were all there because they shared the same passion — theatre.

The Kāpiti Playhouse has been around for 76 years.

“We just want to enjoy it and have fun, and put on good shows.”

And she says they certainly do put on good shows.

“People love our shows. I’m always getting people saying, ‘I’ve never been to a dud one’.”

Kāpiti Playhouse puts on three shows a year, chosen from several places.

Sometimes the director of a show will approach them, and the playhouse committee will decide whether to put on the play — although Liz said they approved most things.

Other times, a member of the playhouse will have an idea for a show.

The playhouse’s smaller shows are typically self-funded, and it applies for grants for the bigger ones, although sometimes they get sponsors.

Kāpiti Playhouse also hosts events such as Drag Bingo, which was held this year.

But if there is one thing Liz is sure of, it’s that the playhouse will continue to host brilliant shows for Kāpiti.

“We’ll continue to do great shows and involve the community — and entertain the community.”