Ko Te Pou Whakamahara a Māui Tikitiki a Taranga te tohu o te kaha, o te kōrero, o te whakapapa o tēnei wāhi, o tēnei whare.
Nau mai e te tī, e te tā ki te whare kōrero, ki te whare whakaari o ASB ki te tahatika o te moana.
Mauri tau, mauri ora!
Pouwhakamahara a Māui-Tikitiki-a-Taranga
The Memorial Post of Māui the Topknot of Tāranga
Robert Jahnke ONZM (Ngāi Taharora, Te Whānau a Iritekura, Te Whānau a Rākairoa o Ngāti Porou), 2016
Laminated tōtara and Corten steel
Proudly commissioned by Auckland Theatre Company for ASB Waterfront Theatre
The symbols of support, of strength and of guardianship stand fast and proud.
The waters of Waitematā ebb and flow against the shores here at Waikōkota, the land upon which we stand.
The pou of remembrance to Māui Tikitiki a Taranga stands tall as a beacon of courage, of stories passed down and of the history that connects us all to this place and to this space.
We welcome you all from near and far to this house of stories, to the ASB Waterfront Theatre.
Daryl Wong – Production Videographer, Auckland Season
Matt Grace – Production Photography, Auckland Season
Michelle Lafferty, Elephant Publicity –Publicist
Nī Dekkers-Reihana, Sean Rivera –Teaching Artists
Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland premiered on 15 March 1996 at Downstage Theatre, Hannah Playhouse, Wellington, as part of the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts, directed by Murray Lynch ONZM.
In 1997, the production returned to Wellington, before touring in 1998 to Whakatāne, Auckland and Brighton, United Kingdom. In 1999 it toured to Tauranga, Gisborne, Auckland, Whangārei, Palmerston North, Dunedin, Christchurch; and O’ahu, Kaua’i, Maui and Honolulu, Hawai’i.
In August 2016, Hone Kouka directed a revival of Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland at The Court Theatre, Christchurch.
In June 2018, a production of Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland originally performed by students at Whangārei Girls’ High School transferred to the Hannah Playhouse, presented by Wāhine Works and directed by William Walker, as part of the Kia Mau Festival.
This production of Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland is a collaboration between Auckland Theatre Company, Tawata Productions, Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival and Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts. It opened in Te Whanganui-a-Tara at the Opera House on Friday 27 February 2026. The production had its ASB Waterfront Theatre preview on Friday 6 March and opened its Tāmaki Makaurau season on Saturday 7 March. It is the second production in Auckland Theatre Company’s 2026 Season.
This production is 2 hours and 5 minutes long, including interval. It includes strobe lighting, haze, loud and sudden sounds, racist and strong language, depictions of physical violence and family harm, and themes of colonisation and its impact on iwi Māori and whānau Māori.
Please remember to switch off all mobile phones and noise-emitting devices. Filming and photography are strictly prohibited.
Haere Mai from Auckland Theatre Company & Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival
He hokinga mahara. He whakapapa. He kōrero. He whakaari.
There are works of art that leave an impression on a person’s thoughts and memories for years, and this is certainly one of them.
Thirty years on from its premiere at the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts (now Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts), Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland stands as one of the most impactful works written for our stages. This play by Hone Kouka MNZM has lost none of its power; if anything, its resonance feels sharper, its questions more urgent, its emotional truth more deeply felt and, sadly, its relevance more present. The story’s exploration of whānau (family), tātai hono (belonging) and tuakiri (identity) continues to speak directly to who we are and to the conversations we are still having as a nation.
Presenting this work now is both an artistic imperative and a responsibility: to honour a landmark work and to offer it anew to audiences who may be encountering it for the first time.
The force and clarity of Hone Kouka’s storytelling have shaped contemporary theatre in Aotearoa. The way he wields language with care, precision and mana reminds us of the critical importance of ensuring that language does not merely survive, but thrives. The leadership displayed by Hone has continued to set a benchmark for bold, rigorous storytelling, grounded in place and lived experience. It is a privilege, as a collective of Auckland Theatre Company, Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival and Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, to work closely with Tawata Productions to present this work together for a new generation.
This production is carried forward by a new generation of performers who honour the legacy of Waiora Te Ūkaipō –The Homeland while driving it into the present. Their voices, presence and commitment breathe fresh life into this story of whānau and home, ensuring it remains living, urgent theatre that ignites conversation. We are proud to stand alongside them, and alongside Hone Kouka and Tawata Productions, in sharing a work that continues to define, challenge and nourish our theatrical landscape.
Mauri ora!
Note from Tawata Productions
Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland is the work of a young artist, who carved this play in the shadow and light that grief and love creates. The loss of a parent or a loved one can tilt one’s world upon its axis – and this is the place from which this play was written.
Waiora Te Ūkaipō reflects a son’s love for his father, an artist’s love for their whānau and one’s love for their people.
In 2026, we are at work on a production that has been 30 years in the making. Amongst the collaborators there are a myriad of relationships: those who were part of the original collaboration; a father and daughter; a father and son; a mother and daughter; two cousins born in the south but who whakapapa to Te Tairāwhiti; and three generations of artists who have made a commitment to being part of a legacy known to many as Waiora Te Ūkaipō.
This is a story about the effects of colonisation on tāngata whenua and the displacement of Māori communities throughout Aotearoa. The loss of land, the loss of language and the loss of Māori belief-systems impacted tāngata whenua for generations. We continue to see the impact of colonisation and imperialism upon Māori today.
However, like the shadow and light that inspired the young artist to write this play, today we see the resilience
and resistance of tāngata whenua in Aotearoa and throughout the world. We see a new generation of rangatahi Māori, who stand upon the shoulders of the giants who came before them: they are artists, teachers, scientists, composers, astronomers, navigators, farmers, linguists, carvers, diplomats, mothers, healers.
We acknowledge our partners –Auckland Theatre Company, Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival, Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts – who have stood side by side and shoulder to shoulder with us. They, too, have made a commitment to this work alongside us, in partnership. We must acknowledge Creative New Zealand and Wellington City Council for providing the vital support that keeps our creative company moving forward.
To our collaborators – the actors, directors, designers, production management, stage management, technical specialists, producing team, filmmakers and photographers – we are grateful for our ongoing work together.
Finally, to the young artist who wrote Waiora Te Ūkaipō, we acknowledge you and hope that this work inspires young artists throughout Aotearoa.
Ka ora tonu mātou! Kia manuia! Hone Kouka and Mīria George
About Tawata Productions
Founded in 2004, Tawata Productions is a creative company based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Specialising in the development and presentation of new performance experiences, Tawata blurs the lines between text, movement and image. We are committed to the development of new stories from Te Moana-nui-aKiwa, the South Pacific Ocean.
Led by writer, director and producer Te Tumu Toi Arts Laureate 2022 Hone Kouka MNZM and theatre and filmmaker Mīria George, Tawata celebrates 22 years of creativity in 2026.
Our work includes the dance theatre farce Ngā Rorirori, the award-winning short film fire in the water, fire in the sky, the annual Indigenous playwriting festival Breaking Ground and our most recent work, the short film Open Looks. Tawata is currently in development of a feature film of Open Looks, and On Springfield Road is the new play in development from Hone Kouka.
About Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival
Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival is a melting pot of shared experiences, whakaaro, live entertainment and kōrero, every March.
The Festival’s lifeblood is arts and culture in contemporary Tāmaki Makaurau. We care deeply about celebrating artists both here in Aotearoa and from around the world, serving the creatives and communities behind the works we present, honouring te reo and te ao Māori in all that we do, and contributing to a better city and society. That’s us. Every March, you’ll see a big reunion with our city’s arts community – many of whom we consider our whānau whānui, our extended family – alongside our mahi towards better accessibility and education opportunities for our audiences. We’re also passionate
about the works we curate and our collaboration with the many people who make those experiences happen. We strive to celebrate with generosity; human connection and manaakitanga will always be at the heart of what we stand for.
When we’re on, we’re on a mission to make Auckland an amazing place to socialise and be entertained in. Whether you’re discovering the city for the first time or rekindling your love for its hidden gems, we truly believe there’s something for everyone at the Festival.
Playwright & Director
Hone Kouka MNZM
Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu
RETURN TO THE HOMELAND
WAIORA TE ŪKAIPŌ 1996/2026
Tēnā koutou katoa,
In late 1994, I was approached by then Executive Director of New Zealand International Festival of the Arts Carla Van Zon ONZM to write a new commission for the 1996 festival. I had to reply with a short brief. My reply was one line: “Everyone is from somewhere else.”
Waiora Te Ūkaipō is based around my own whānau and the move from Te Tairāwhiti to the Catlins in Southland in 1965. I was not on the scene until 1967. Our father had been asked to be lead hand on a native sawmill in Chaslands and, eventually, we made our way up the island to settle in Rangiora, north Canterbury.
While I was writing the play in 1995, our father Hone passed from a prolonged illness. I decided to name all of the characters after my whānau: Hone, Wai, Rongo, Amiria. Boyboy became an amalgam of two of my older brothers (Boydie and Ivor) and Mahurangi represented my eldest brother Philomel. The play then became my means of grieving for my father and the sacrifice he and our mother made for us.
The play premiered on 15 March 1996 at Hannah Playhouse, Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington). It toured nationally and internationally for the next four years.
Since that time, people who were instrumental in the original production and subsequent tours have passed: my mother Wai Te Atatu Kouka, our kaumātua Bob Wiki, Musical Director Laughton Patrick, original chorus member Toni Huata and original cast member Nancy Brunning. Moe mai rā e nga rangatira. Moe mai rā.
In 2023, Jonathan Bielski, Anna Cameron, Mīria George and I met to kōrero about creative work. It was at this time the possibility of a new production of Waiora Te Ūkaipō was first mentioned. In late 2024, Dolina Wehipeihana and Tama Waipara MNZM from Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, and Ataahua Papa from Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival were invited into this partnership.
I resisted. Why would anyone want to see this again? How would it be relevant? Returning 30 years later to The Homeland that is Waiora Te Ūkaipō has at times been emotional and surreal.
Rereading the script, I was concerned it may come across as a dusty period piece, dragged out to show what we did in the olden days. Thankfully for me, this was far from the case. The script still held its physicality, the longing and tactile nature in the dialogue and deep, deep emotional care. Thematically, the play still resonates: the effects of colonisation and urban drift on Māori, cultural isolation on a migrant
community, longing for home and aroha –sibling, parental, cultural and spiritual. Emotionally, it could stand strong.
The surreal element has come from people approaching and saying they saw Waiora 30 years ago in Dunedin or Hawai’i or Whakatāne or the UK and how deeply it affected them. Students, who have studied the work in high school or university, speak to me of their excitement in at last witnessing it, and literally generations of theatre-makers know only the reputation of the work to shake your foundations and affect your soul.
Waiora Te Ūkaipō has always been more than a play for me. It has been a collection of like-minded souls who became whānau. I feel the 2026 iteration will be no different. Thirty years on and with the remount fast approaching, I am most excited about this new production. I needed the grit and renewed vision to present this work. Four things stand out for me: hearing those words from the mouths of a new group of actors; having original cast member Anatonio Te Maioha reprising his role; original composer Hone Hurihanganui teaching his haka and waiata to the cast; working with our daughter Maarire Brunning-Kouka in designing the sound for the production. Her mum is Nancy Brunning. This circular resonance has been a recurring theme working towards the new production, adding yet another layer.
I am thankful to those who initially brought this work to light and, now, to this new courageous cast, brilliant crew and producers, and our partners who have supported us in this new production, who will hand this kōrero out to the world.
Ngā mihi mahana, Hone Kouka
Hone is a father, a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, an acclaimed Māori writer, producer and director, the youngest winner of the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award and a multi-award winner.
In 2022, Hone was named an Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate, receiving the Sir Roger Hall Theatre Award.
His plays have been produced in South Africa, Britain, Hawai’i, Canada, Australia, Japan and New Caledonia, as well as throughout New Zealand, with three plays being translated into French, Japanese and Russian. Hone’s plays include Ngā Tangata Toa, Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland, The Prophet and Bless the Child.
In 2004, Hone co-founded the production company Tawata Productions focusing on the development and presentation of new theatre by Māori and Pasifika artists. Hone became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to contemporary Māori theatre in June 2009.
Hone is the Artistic Director, Chief Executive and co-founder of Kia Mau Festival, a Māori, Pasifika and global Indigenous contemporary arts platform, created in 2015 and based in Te Ūpoko o te Ika a Māui.
Hone’s work also extends to the film industry, with two films screening at the Berlin Film Festival: Born to Dance (Screenwriter) and Mahana (Executive Producer). Hone’s earlier work across short films includes being Executive Producer for a series of successful short films, including Nature’s Way, Run, The Graffiti of Mr. Tupaia and Fog.
Hone is a multi-award-winning playwright and his most recent works include the dance theatre production Ngā Rorirori and the new play in advanced development, On Springfield Road.
Cast
ANATONIO TE MAIOHA
Porourangi, Ueroa, Tokerau-wahine, Iwipūpū, Kahungunu, Kahukuranui, Rākaihikuroa, Tūpurupuru, Te Rangitūehu, Tūaka, Māhinaarangi, Raukawa, Rereahu, Maniapoto, Te Kawa Irirangi 1, Runga Te Rangi, Uruhina, Te Kawa Irirangi 2, Te Kanawa, Parenga Ope, Rangi Mahora, Te Kaahurangi, Rongomate
Tīpuna
TRAINING:
Bachelor of Performing Arts, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (1993).
THEATRE INCLUDES:
Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland (1996); Manea: Footprints of Kupe.
In theatre, he’s worked with Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu (Jim Moriarty), Centrepoint, Taki Rua Productions, Auckland Theatre Company and Te Pou, and, for three years, with the Pop-up Globe.
SCREEN INCLUDES:
The Wrecking Crew; Chief of War; The Convert; Sweet Tooth; The Rings of Power; Cowboy Bebop; Zoolander 2; Mataku; Waru.
After 30 years, Anatonio is returning as an original cast member to Waiora Te Ūkaipō –
The Homeland. Revisiting the text and waiata has inevitably rekindled palpable memories of the Waiora whānau who have passed on and, while he forever mourns their loss, he is excited to collaborate with Hone again and is energised by the new cast and crew and their talent, insights and reo.
ERINA DANIELS
Ngāti Wai
REGAN TAYLOR
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Pikiao
Sue/Wai Te Atatu
TRAINING: Bachelor of Performing Arts (2003) and Master in Directing (2011), Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.
THEATRE INCLUDES: Party With the Aunties; Wednesday to Come; Hui; TŪ (directed by Hone Kouka).
Erina first met Hone Kouka and Nancy Brunning while working in the theatre and TV community in Ōtepoti with Kilimogo, JPL and Taylor Made Productions. She is currently Kaitātaki Whakaari, Discipline Specialist (Performance) at Toi Whakaari.
John/Hone
TRAINING:
UCOL Theatre School (2000).
THEATRE INCLUDES: Ngā Rorirori (directed by Hone Kouka). Solo works: Re-Engineered; SolOthello; Destination: Death.
SCREEN INCLUDES: The Patriarch; Hari with The Māori Sidesteps.
Regan has performed extensively with Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu and Tawata Productions, and has directed work for Taki Rua Productions. He is a core member of The Māori Sidesteps and award-winning children’s music band The KaRs.
RONGOPAI TICKELL
Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Toa Rangatira
TIOREORE NGATAIMELBOURNE
Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tūhoe
TE MIHI POTAE
Ngāti Porou ki Harataunga ki Mataora
Amiria
TRAINING:
Bachelor of Performing Arts, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2021), Diploma in Māori Performing Arts, Te Wānanga o Raukawa (2024).
THEATRE INCLUDES: The Aotearoans; Gravity & Grace; Pourakahua.
SCREEN INCLUDES: Kōkā; Not Even; If Looks Could Kill.
Rongopai was a recipient of the Tūngia Baker & Taki Rua Emerging Māori Writers and Actors Scholarship in 2021 and a nominee for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2024 Wellington Theatre Awards for her work in Gravity & Grace at the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts.
Rongo
TRAINING:
Bachelor of Performing Arts, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2020).
THEATRE INCLUDES: Toi Whakaari: Pre Lockdown Post. Other: I Am Hine.
SCREEN INCLUDES: Feelings Club; The Convert; We Are Still Here; Whina; Mystic; Cousins; Hunt for the Wilderpeople; Kairākau.
Tioreore is a Māori storyteller who grew up on the East Coast attending Te Kohanga Reo o Iti Noa and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti. Tioreore was awarded the Rising Star Award at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, for her role in Lee Tamahori’s The Convert.
Boyboy
TRAINING:
Bachelor of Performing Arts, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (currently studying).
Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland is Te Mihi’s professional theatre debut. He has performed in London at Shakespeare’s Globe as a member of the 2024 SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company, and in many amateur theatre productions in his home town of Rotorua.
Bachelor of Performing Arts, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2025), Bachelor of Applied Arts in Music, Whitireia (2017).
With more than 20 years of singing experience, Awerangi is a passionate storyteller across acting, writing and music. Her work is grounded in real-life narratives from both the past and the present, with a strong focus on te ao Māori, bringing these stories to life through theatre and film.
Awerangi continues to perform as a singer while actively writing new original music and developing her writing for theatre and film. Through all her creative work, she is committed to creating honest, powerful storytelling that centres on lived experience, culture and community, and is dedicated to amplifying Māori voices on stage and screen.
MATHIEU BOYNTON-RATA
Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Kuri
Tīpuna
TRAINING:
Bachelor of Performing Arts, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2025).
THEATRE INCLUDES: Toi Whakaari: The Haka Party Incident; The Undertow. Rotorua Boys’ High School: In The Heights; One On This Island.
SCREEN INCLUDES: Kairākau.
Mathieu is a young graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. After achieving success in many secondary school singing and kapahaka competitions, his fierce physical aptitude and mātauranga achieved him an internship under Mike Jonathan during the filming of Ka Whawhai Tonu Driven by his everlasting curiosity and natural Māori charm, he seeks to tell stories that illuminate places of settling.
HUIA RAWIRI
Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāti Tukorehe, Ngāti Raukawa
Tīpuna
TRAINING:
Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Māori Development, AUT (currently studying).
SCREEN INCLUDES: Hina.
In 2025, Huia performed with kapa haka group Te Poho o Hinekahukura at Te Matatini, and with her university’s Māori students association Tītahi Ki Tua, where the group placed first at Te Huinga Tauira.
MYCAH KEALL
Taranaki Iwi
Louise Stones
TRAINING:
Te Auaha, Bachelor of Creativity (2020); Heke Reo Māori ki Te Wānanga o Raukawa (2025).
THEATRE INCLUDES:
Ngā Rorirori (directed by Hone Kouka); Out The Gate; He Reo Aroha; Mokomoko.
Mycah has worked predominantly in kaupapa Māori theatre for the last five years, alongside companies Te Rākau Hua o te Wao Tapu, Tawata Productions, Kia Mau Festival and Taki Rua Productions. In 2021, she was awarded the Tūngia Baker & Taki Rua Emerging Māori Writers and Actors Scholarship. Mycah is dedicated to ensuring Māori voices, reo and pūrākau remain at the centre of her creative practice.
BEN ASHBY
Steve Campbell
TRAINING:
Bachelor of Performing Arts, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2020).
THEATRE INCLUDES:
Freestyle in Shades of Yellow; Running into the Sun; Motion Sickness.
SCREEN INCLUDES: The Panthers; Wellington Paranormal.
Ben is the Co-Director of a2 Company, with Nadiyah Akbar. The above physical theatre projects have toured around Australia and Aotearoa, with Running into the Sun recently winning Best Theatre at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. He’s deeply invested in the independent theatre scene, and in 2021 was honoured to receive the Wellington Theatre Award for Artistic Leadership for his tenure as the Artistic Director of Long Cloud Youth Theatre.
Creative
HŌHEPA
WAITOA
Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata
Assistant Director
THEATRE INCLUDES:
He Kure e Huna Ana; Whakahuatia Mai; Henare; Te Rongomaiwhiti.
Hōhepa was awarded Composer of the Year at the KMK Reo Awards (2015) and Peter Harcourt New Playwright of the Year (2018) for He
Kure e Huna Ana. He was Festival Director of WHAO from 2023 to 2025.
HONE HURIHANGANUI
Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pāhauwera and Wairarapa
Composer of Waiata & Haka
Hone’s background is in education, health, human resource management and development, having held senior positions in these sectors for nearly 40 years.
He held chief executive roles at Rangitāne o Wairarapa Mandated Iwi Authority, and Whaiora, a health and social services organisation.
Hone has worked as a consultant to Crown Law at Waitangi Tribunal hearings (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pāhauwera and Wairarapa claimants) and crown visits to foreshore and seabed claims of the Ngāti Porou peoples of the East Coast.
Hone is an expert communicator, presenter and teacher. He is a fluent speaker of te reo and has an expert applied knowledge and understanding of tikanga.
Hone is the founding director of Engaging Well Limited and enjoys the contributions he and his son, Aperahama, make to organisations, groups and individuals who engage with Māori.
Outside of work, Hone enjoys studying mōteatea (archaic poetry), whakapapa (genealogy) and music. He is a singer, composer and playwright. He was operatrained at an early age, appearing in his first operatic performance when he was 14 years old. Hone enjoys singing with family and friends when the opportunity arises. Hone has four tamariki and three mokopuna and values whānau dearly.
MARK McENTYRE
Set Designer
FOR ATC:
O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai; Dawn Raids.
OTHER THEATRE INCLUDES:
Circa Theatre: Transmission: Beta. Tawata Productions: Ngā Rorirori (directed by Hone Kouka).
Other Theatre: The Court Theatre, Pacific Underground, Aotearoa New Zealand International Festival of the Arts, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Christchurch Arts Festival, Taki Rua Productions.
Mark is the Academic Manager of Performing Arts/Supervisor in the postgraduate programme, Master of Creative Practice, Ara Te Pūkenga. He has represented New Zealand in the Prague Quadrennial of Scenography and Theatre Architecture.
NATASHA JAMES
CARA LOUISE WARETINI
Ngāti Rangi, Te Āti Haunuia-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Pākehā
Diploma in Technical Production, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2000).
THEATRE INCLUDES:
Roadkill (Splinter Group); Twelfth Floor and Construct (Tanja Liedtke); Jack Charles V The Crown (Ilbijerri Theatre Company); The Sound Inside (directed by Stella Reid). Muscle Mouth: AGE; Triumphs and Other Alternatives; System; As It Stands.
PRODUCTION MANAGER FOR: Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival, CubaDupa, Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, World of WearableArt (WOW), VERB Wellington.
Natasha is Tangata Tiriti and grew up in Woodend, a small country town on the lands of Ngāi Tūāhuriri in north Canterbury. Natasha currently works as the Production Manager for Tawata Productions and the Production and Technical Director for Kia Mau Festival.
Costume Designer
TRAINING:
Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2010).
FOR ATC:
O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai.
OTHER THEATRE INCLUDES:
Bless the Child (directed by Hone Kouka); Pourakahua; The Undertow.
Cara Louise Waretini
is an award-winning costume designer with 15 years of experience in the performing arts. She has worked extensively with Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu, Tawata Productions and Taki Rua Productions and her work has toured Aotearoa, Australia and Canada. In 2021, Cara was awarded Te Tohu Iho Pūmanawa by Toi Aotearoa Creative New Zealand and, in 2017, won the Paul Jenden Award for Costume Designer of the Year for The Night Mechanics (Tawata Productions).
Sound Composer
THEATRE INCLUDES: Ngā Rorirori (directed by Hone Kouka).
Somewhere between a singer, rapper, spoken-word poet, beatmaker, producer and bandleader, MĀ is an autodidact Māori musician, artist and biodiversity ranger from Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa. Her distinct Indigenous blend of abstract downtempo rap, DIY neosoul, and lush, ambient music has won over audiences in her home country.
Over the last five years, she has shared her perspective of the world around her with her first album, Breakfast With Hades, which was an ode to grief, love, loss and release. In early March 2025, she released her sophomore album Blame It On The Weather Set against a backdrop of species extinction, warming oceans and unprecedented natural disasters, this album is a set of stories and anecdotes from life in a time of rapid change.
A product of a childhood spent between the inner city and Aotearoa’s coastlines and native forests, MĀ grew up within Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s arts and culture communities. In her words: “I was raised by a tribe of artists.”
TONY DE GOLDI
Props Master
FOR ATC:
O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai; Dawn Raids
OTHER THEATRE INCLUDES:
Capital E’s National Theatre for Children: Kiwi Moon; Seasons; Odd One Out; Hinepau.
The Court Theatre: Fresh Off the Boat; A Streetcar Named Desire; Appropriate. Wellington Opera: La Traviata.
Other Theatre: The Undertow; The Biggest; Riverside Kings.
Tony is Kaitātaki Waihanga at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.
CAITLIN LAURIE
Ngatangiia (Kuki Airani)
Props Maker
TRAINING:
Diploma in Scenic Construction & Properties, Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2025).
Caitlin Laurie is a Wellington-based props maker, often drawing inspiration from her Pasifika heritage for her creations. Inspired by her love of storytelling, she can’t wait to use her skills to bring wonderful tales to life, whether it be for film or theatre. Having interned at Kia Mau Festival 2025, she is honoured to be working with the people of Tawata again on Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland as her debut theatre production.
IRIS LITTLE
Musical Director
THEATRE INCLUDES: A Master of None: Brown Fala; Iris Little: The Nature Project.
Iris is a Wellington-based vocal coach, performer and educator working across contemporary music and theatre.
Their practice is grounded in a deep understanding of voice as both a technical instrument and an expressive, embodied tool, with particular attention to sustainability, clarity and emotional truth in performance.
Drawing on a background in alt-folk, jazz and neo-soul, their vocal coaching work is informed by an ongoing interest in the relationship between voice, identity and environment.
Alongside their coaching practice, Iris is an established recording and touring artist who has performed throughout Aotearoa, North America and Europe, and collaborated with artists including Bret McKenzie, Deva Mahal, AJA, MĀ and ONONO.
Iris is currently a member of staff at Te Kōkī, New Zealand School of Music (Victoria University of Wellington) and Te Rewa o Puanga, School of Music and Screen Arts (Massey University).
AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Frances Valintine CNZM (Chair)
Bronwyn Bradley
Karen Ferns
Gabriel Kirkwood (Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti
Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Waikato Tainui, Ngāi Tūhoe)
Youth Arts Coordinators: Dan Goodwin, Beatriz Romilly
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Director, Artistic Operations & Deputy CEO:
Anna Cameron
Director, Production: Kathryn Osborne
Senior Producer: Sums Selvarajan
Company Manager: Lucy Gardner
Head of Learning & Participation: Sam Phillips
Participation Coordinator: Kalia Regan
Production Coordinator: Paige Pomana (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Rongomaiwahine)
Operations Coordinator: Lyndee-Jane Rutherford
MARKETING & TICKETING
Director, Marketing: Joanna O’Connor
Acting Marketing Director: Terri Cumiskey
Marketing Manager: Ari Katsoulis
Graphic Designer: Wanda Tambrin
Marketing Executive: Lucy Diver
Ticketing Manager: Bruce Brown
Customer Relationships Manager: Gary Hofman
Ticketing Assistants: Ella Blake Brislen, Molly Curnow, Merlia De Ridder, Amy Henwood, Talia Pua, Toby Swann, Tom Webster, Daphne Zondag
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Director, Finance: Alice O’Connor
Financial Analyst: Dina Abramova
Accountant: Reena Mudliar
Head of Strategy: Natasha Pearce
ASB WATERFRONT THEATRE
Director, ASB Waterfront Theatre: Sharon Byrne
Co-Front of House Managers: Jack Clarkson, Dario Kuschke
Events Manager: Amy Robertson
Venue Technical Manager: Johnny Chen
Senior Venue Technician: Nathanael Bristow
Technical Team: Tayla Brittliff, T.J. Haunui, Luuk Heijnen, Mathew Illek, Amanda Joe, Michael Keating, Dario Kuschke, Max Manson, Louis McKendry, Dave McSmith, Patrick Minto, Aaron Mitchell, Nick Mulder, Joseph Noster, Finlay Pinkerton, Mitchell Rayner, Benny Sarten
Front of House Supervisors: Ella Blake Brislen, Billy Blamires, Nat Dolan, Lucie Everett-Brown, Gary Hofman, Sofi Issak-Zade, Vena-Rose Lennane, Pearl McCracken
Front of House: Ella Blake Brislen, Eloise Cain, Cedric Charles, Ruben Cirilovic, Molly Curnow, Merlia De Ridder, Nat Dolan, Taylor Finley, Shannon Freeman, Eugene Garry, Mary Grice, Lara Grozev, Shayla Hann, Amy Henwood, Winston Katoanga, Kirsty Leggett, Vena-Rose Lennane, Emre Logan, Michaela MacFarlane, Isla Mayo, Carla Newton, Joseph Noster, Katie Peacock, Finlay Pinkerton, Talia Pua, Tema Pua, Manunui Rainey, Zoe Ritchie, Maya Schuman, Ailsa Scott, Emily Smith, Mandy Smith, Mikaela Stroud, Toby Swann, Hanah Tayeb, Geo Tughushi, Sophie Watson, Tom Webster, Xanthe Werder, Jessica Winkle, Daphne Zondag
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Auckland Theatre Company and Tawata Productions would like to thank the following for their help with this production: Connor Magatogia, Grouse Lighting Aotearoa, MJF Lighting, Production Transport Services, Xytech Lighting.
Thank You
Auckland Theatre Company Supporters
ATC PATRONS GROUP 2026
Co-Chairs The Hon Anne Hinton KC and Lady Dayle Mace MNZM
Patrons Margot & Alastair Acland, Margaret Anderson, Betsy & Michael Benjamin, Louise & Mark Binns, Patrick Bourke, Stephen Brown, Barbie & Paul Cook, Jacqui Cormack & Matthew Olde, Jane & Tiff Day, Annette & Kim Ellis, Jan & Trevor Farmer, Antonia Fisher KC & Stuart Grieve KC, Virginia Fisher & Stephen Fisher QSO, Sir Michael Friedlander KNZM, Andrew Gelonese & Michael Moore, Anna Gibbons, Dame Jenny Gibbs DNZM, Stephanie & Michael Gowan, Joséphine & Ross Green, Sue Haigh, Georgiana Harper & Tim Olphert, Anne Hinton KC & Peter Hinton, Sally Jackson, Katie Jacobs & Chris Aughton, Stella Johnston, Judy Jordan & Trevor Bayly, Heather & Len Jury, Anita Killeen & Simon Vannini, Philippa Smith Lambert & Chris Lambert, Margot & Paul Leigh, Lady Dayle Mace MNZM & Sir Chris Mace KNZM, Antonia & Tim MacAvoy, Peter Macky, Charlotte & Ian McLoughlin, Pip Muir & Kit Toogood KC, Christine Nolan & Derek Nolan KC, Heather Pascual, The Hon Dame Judith Potter DNZM, CBE, Robyn & Malcolm Reynolds, Fran Ricketts, Julie & Russell Tills, Louise & Karl Von Randow, Joan Vujcich, Susan Walker & Gavin Walker ONZM, Lynne Webber & Priscilla McGirr, Ian Webster, Dona & Gavin White
YOUTH COMPANY SUPPORTERS 2025
Co-Leaders Peter Macky and Joan Vujcich
Saints Aaron Boonshoft, Cynthia Braithwaite, Peter Macky, Ray White Grey Lynn, Joan Vujcich
Angels Paul Boakes & Andy Eakin, Elías & Sam, Dame Jenny Gibbs DNZM, Charlotte & Ian McLoughlin, Jane & Mark Taylor, Ian Webster
Cherubs Peggy & Richard Greenfield, Coriamber Hogan & Martin Kunz, Irene Norbis, Keiko Pulin & Graham Astley, Michael Synnott Charitable Trust
Friends Brenda & Stephen Allen, Georgina & Stuart Anderson, Margaret Anderson, Denese Bates KC, Jonathan Bielski, Susan Buckland, Rosey Eady & David Nicoll, Ron Elliott & Mark Tamagni, Virginia Fisher & Stephen Fisher QSO, Karen Fistonich, Prue & John Gilbert, Martin Gillman, Alexandra Goldkorn & Craig Birch, Kallie Goulding, Conor Greive, Deb Haworth, Helen & Hamish, Wayne Hughes, R Inder & R Bergs, Sally Jackson, Judy & Andrew Jarvie, Joy Keith, Margot Leigh, Lesley & Philip Lindesay, Louise Pagonis, The Hon Dame Judith Potter DNZM, CBE, Annette Stewart, AD Swinburn, Kerry Underhill & Daan van Gulik, Joanne & Rob Wills, Sarah Yates, Anonymous (10)
30TH ANNIVERSARY FUND
Visionary Dame Jenny Gibbs DNZM, Jan & Trevor Farmer
Lead Nicole & Guy Domett, Prue Olde & Family
Ensemble Barbie & Paul Cook, Andrew Gelonese & Michael Moore
SUPPORTING ACTS
Standing Ovation Cynthia Braithwaite, Sandy & Alan Bulmer, Dame Jenny Gibbs DNZM, Rosemary Langham, Sue & Murray Lee, Peter Macky, Liz & Ray Payne, Anonymous (1)
Curtain Call Shirley Bollard, Shane & Richard Compton, Mindy & Mark Levene, Caroline List, Shona & Barry Old, Bev & Geoff Pownall, Deb Shepherd & Paul Clarke, Pam & Brian Stevenson, Anonymous (1)
Take A Bow Dale Bailey, Greg Fahey, Sandra Greenfield, Jan Hilder, Dawn & Peter McEniery, Jan Milne, The Hon Dame Judith Potter DNZM, CBE, Jennifer Price, The Hon John Priestley CNZM, KC, Eva Silverstone, Georgia Smith, Anthea & Peter Springford, Deborah Gelin & Jane Mandelbaum in the name of Anne & Peter Hinton, Anonymous (2)
Applause Samuel Baker, Michael Barley, Trish Clapham, Pamela Gervai, Carmen Guimaraes, Sue Haigh, Bella Kalolo-Suraj, Peter Kerridge, Robert Lane, Lynne Linton, Linda Lockie, Giri Mahadevan, Greg McGee, Tim Melville, Suren Surendran, Debbie & Mike Whale, Sylvana Whyborn, Anonymous (9)
Auckland Theatre Company Partners
ASB Waterfront Theatre Supporters
Accessible Theatre
We believe theatre should be for everyone. Our accessible performances and services make it easier for all audiences to share in the magic of live performance. Our team is here to ensure your visit is welcoming, comfortable and enjoyable.
Audio Described Performance and Touch Tour
Sunday 15 March Touch Tour 2:30pm
Audio Described Performance 4:00pm
Audio described performances feature live commentary from Audio Described Aotearoa. They provide detailed visual descriptions through earpieces to blind and low-vision patrons.
Touch tours, held 90 minutes before the show, allow blind and low-vision patrons and their companions to explore the sets, touch props and costumes, and meet actors. Supported by:
Service Dogs
Service dogs are welcome at the theatre. We can find a seat that’s comfortable for you and your dog or arrange for staff to look after your dog during the show.
Hearing Assistance
The theatre has a T-Loop radio frequency system to amplify the sound of the performance. If you don’t use a hearing aid or your hearing aid does not have a T setting, there is a listener unit available on request from the box office.
Relaxed Performance
Tuesday 17 March 7:00pm
Relaxed performances are inclusive, welcoming environments for neurodivergent individuals or anyone seeking a less formal theatre experience. They offer a flexible approach without changing the show. Audiences can expect pre-show resources, an open attitude to movement and noise, and breakout space. An optional pre-show demonstration shares lights, sound and surprises so patrons know what to expect from the show. All are welcome.
NZSL Interpreted Performance Friday 20 March 8:00pm
NZSL interpreted performances feature trained interpreters from Platform Interpreting New Zealand, providing live interpretation for Deaf patrons. We reserve great seats for interpreter viewing. Supported by:
Wheelchair Access
ASB Waterfront Theatre has three wheelchair spaces and eight companion seats in the auditorium. There is step-free, level access to all levels of the building and to seating in the stalls. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are located on the ground floor; accessible parking is available on Madden Street.
HOW TO BOOK ACCESS TICKETS
Access tickets for Deaf and disabled patrons are available for $20. One companion ticket per theatre-goer is also available for $20. To find out more and for Deaf and blind/low-vision-friendly booking options, contact us:
At Box Office – visit ASB Waterfront Theatre at 138 Halsey Street, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland
Audio Described Performances – Audio Described Aotearoa Ltd
NZSL Interpreted Performances – Platform Interpreting New Zealand
Deaf Community Engagement Advisor – Rachel Walker
Relaxed Performance Consultants – Stacey Francis, Gabby Hogg, Christopher Michael
Thanks to Katie Querin and Arts Access Aotearoa for your support and guidance.
Sign up to receive news about the accessibility programme: atc.co.nz/ticketing-info/accessible-theatre
In 2025 we sold 18,391 ice creams at ASB Waterfront Theatre. That’s a lot of ice cream,and that’s just one year. As we celebrate our 10 year anniversary, here are some numbers to crunch during the interval. Thank you Tāmaki Makaurau, this is your theatre and we love sharing it with you.
10 YEARS
2,200+ EVENTS
500,000+ PEOPLE
Support the theatre industry. Please give today.
The New Zealand Actors’ Benevolent Fund is a not-for-profit charity that exists to help entertainment professionals when they need it most. The fund is being grown to provide assistance to past and present industry professionals living with injury, illness or disability. So, if you appreciate the work that the storytellers do and wish to see them do more, please show your appreciation and make a taxdeductible donation using the QR Code below. Many thanks.
How was the play?
Tell us what you thought about your experience seeing Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland. Scan the QR code to complete a short survey and help us demonstrate the value of arts and culture in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Spread the word online
Tag us on socials when you post about the show and follow us for updates.
