ABOUT PITT ST THEATRE
Pitt St Theatre has been used as a gym, cinema, rehearsal space and theatre for over 50 years.
The resident theatre group Pilgrim Productions closed down in 2016.
In 2018 Rev. Lynne Frith asked Geoff Allen to turn it into a theatre. After using over $20,000 from a music fund to buy equipment, and with voluntary work, cleaning and painting, a main auditorium, foyer, green room, toilet, wardrobe and tech area were created. It was launched on 23rd Nov 2019 with an official pōwhiri/whakatuwhera by Geoff and Rev. Lynne Frith.
The first show was 'A Real Goodbye.' by Galatea Theatre.
Pitt St's kaupapa is to provide an inner city low cost venue for the community to tell their stories.
In 2020 SEED theatre company were invited as a resident guest group.
In 2021 Pitt St started a new kaupapa of an annual Shakespeare with director John Goudge. Unfortunately the production of MacBeth had to be cancelled for the time being, after two postponements due to covid-19 restrictions.
SEED: Josh, Georgia and Queenie are welcomed to Pitt St.
SEED SO FAR: A HISTORY.
SUNRISE
Seed’s debut production which ran at the Pitt Street Theatre from October 23-31, 2020 after numerous postponements due to COVID19. Funded by the Mental Health Foundation as part of the Like Minds, Like Mine Community Grants, ‘Sunrise’ is an original play that tells the story of four young adults coming together in a support group in an attempt to better understand their struggles. The initial season sold out, and the show had a return season in the Loft at Q Theatre from February 24-27, 2021 as part of the Auckland Fringe Festival, where it won the Taurima Vibes Atawhai Award.
BAT BOY
A rock musical with a score by Laurence O’Keefe (Heathers, Legally Blonde) that tells the story of a half boy, half bat who’s found in a cave near a small town in West Virginia. After a postponement due to COVID19, Bat Boy ran from March 26-April 3, 2021 with an innovative black box-style staging at the Pitt Street Theatre.
THE END
An original musical that tells the story of a group of friends who find themselves in a mysterious town, and can’t figure out how to get home. After an initial workshop performance in 2020 was postponed due to COVID19, The End was rescheduled for a fully staged season that took place from July 16-23, 2021 at the Pitt Street Theatre.
PITT ST's
MANY SPACES
CHECKING
IT OUT
WHAT
WE PROVIDE
TIKANGA/PROTOCOL
If the theatre space is booked we have: the parlour, the Sunday School Hall, the 1st floor for rehearsals. Contact office.
Roberta does the bookings and arranges a quote. One of the kaiarahi will show you the space and find out your requirements. Usually one of us will be there for your opening night.
Stage space, green/costume rooms, box office,
eftpos, (hire charges)
lights, sound, billboard space provided at front.
You have to arrange your own techs and FOH. Also, we don't do ticketing. Most shows use Iticket. Our techs can be hired for your show. We'll promote your event on this site, FB, and our email database. But you have to send us image and info first.
Pitt St is the home of AA and is alcohol and drug free. Feel free to use the whare karakia for quiet time or song. Please respect this place and its many different peoples. Sunday Service is 10:30am if you want to share your event - kanohi ki kanohi/face to face. Please leave the theatre clean and ready for the next hirer.
THE PITT ST TEAM
KAIARAHI - GEOFF ALLEN KAIARAHI - JOHN GOUDGE BOOKINGS - ROBERTA HAMMOND REV. METUISELA TAFUNA
THEATRELIGHT 24 CHANNEL/300W PA Specs: Capacity now 80 seater TE WHARE KARAKIA O PITT ST
TECHS: DARCEY GRAHAM, ALYLAI FLYNN, THEO HAWES
small raised stage and large floor space
main audience seating
small stage and large floor space for performance
stage-right audience seating on angle
stage-left audience seating against wall
(piano available or can be moved)
THE PITT ST TEAM BIOS
GEOFF ALLEN
Ko Waitākere te maunga, Ko Amelia Thompson, nō Plymouth ki New Plymouth, te waka, 1841.
Artist, actor, kaiako, director, writer:
Training: Elam - 80, 83, 84.
Actors Space, (R. Hawthorne) 1993-5, Whitireia Writing course 2000. Level 6 Te Reo, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi 2020 . Resident Research Writer Auckland War Memorial Museum 2018. Published 'Fairies of Down Under.' Mākaro Press 2018. Playwright: Mrs Van Gogh, Sister Anzac, Broken String.
Director Pericles 2014, A.U.S.S. Director Devonport Drama 2002 - present. Director Galatea Theatre with Gina Timberlake. Operations Manager The Rose Centre 2021. Kaiarahi o te whare whakaari o Pitt St.
Began new Pitt St Theatre with Rev. Lynne Frith 2019. Producer September Shakespeare. NZSA, Equity NZ, playmarketnz.
JOHN GOUDGE
Director, actor, tutor & musician John Goudge lives a creative life of theatre, music, & teaching.
John’s directing credits include Hamlet for Galatea Theatre (2013), Fawlty Towers for Titirangi Theatre (2014), an award-winning season of Saturday Night Fever (2016), Serial Killers for Queenstown’s Remarkable Theatre (2017), & Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine (2018). In the last two years he’s been working with South Island theatre company SBZ Productions on the touring shows Dear Lupin in 2019, & Two in 2020.
Over the past 25 years, hundreds of performers have trained with John at his drama school in Oratia, at weekly classes he runs at Titirangi Theatre, or at workshops for schools or theatres.
John has had a career love-affair with Shakespeare spanning many productions, including playing Richard III in 1999. He is passionate about bringing Shakespeare to Auckland City at Pitt Street Theatre.
Director, actor, tutor & musician John Goudge lives a creative life of theatre, music, & teaching.
John’s directing credits include Hamlet for Galatea Theatre (2013), Fawlty Towers for Titirangi Theatre (2014), an award-winning season of Saturday Night Fever (2016), Serial Killers for Queenstown’s Remarkable Theatre (2017), & Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine (2018). In the last two years he’s been working with South Island theatre company SBZ Productions on the touring shows Dear Lupin in 2019, & Two in 2020.
Over the past 25 years, hundreds of performers have trained with John at his drama school in Oratia, at weekly classes he runs at Titirangi Theatre, or at workshops for schools or theatres.
John has had a career love-affair with Shakespeare spanning many productions, including playing Richard III in 1999. He is passionate about bringing Shakespeare to Auckland City at Pitt Street Theatre.