Wow! Productions

Wow! Productions is a professional theatre co-operative based in Dunedin, New Zealand. They produce theatre in non-theatre spaces, described by one reviewer as "weird and wonderful venues".[1]

Wow! Productions
Formation1996
TypeTheatre group
Location
Membership
Lisa Warrington, Cindy Diver, Martyn Roberts, Alison Finegan, Hilary Halba, Donna Agnew, Peter Chin, Courtney Drummond, Liesel Mitchell
Websitehttps://wowproductions.nz/

The co-operative began in 1996 and is run by a charitable trust, whose membership is Martyn Roberts, Cindy Diver, Alison Finigan, Hilary Halba, Lisa Warrington, Donna Agnew, Peter Chin, Courtney Drummond, and Liesel Mitchell.[2] Productions have been mounted in pubs, clubs, art galleries, community halls, an accountancy office, a hairdressing salon, a cathedral crypt and a railway station, where the production included use of a real train.[1][3]

Their 2020 production of New Zealand theatre classic The End of the Golden Weather was described as a "gift to the community".[4]

Production history
Date Production Author Director Venue
Sept 1996 Saving Grace (NZ) Duncan Sarkies David O'Donnell Fortune Studio Theatre[5]
Nov 1996 Dancing at Lughnasa(Ireland) Brian Friel Lisa Warrington Transport Gallery, Otago Settlers Museum.[6]
May 1997 Twelfth Night (England) Shakespeare Lisa Warrington Allen Hall Theatre[7]
October 1997 Unidentified Human Remains & the True Nature of Love (Canada) Brad Fraser Richard Huber Manhattan Theatre space, Moray Place[8]
November 1997 Tzigane (NZ) John Vakidis Hilary Norris Otago Settlers Museum foyer[9]
June-July 1998 Arcadia (England) Tom Stoppard Lisa Warrington Dunedin Public Art Gallery (as part of Science Festival).[10]
August 1998 Two Weeks With the Queen

(Australia)

 Mary Morris/

Morris Gleitzman

 Hilary Norris Mary Hopewell Theatre, Dunedin College of Education. Featuring Danny Still, Richard Carrington, Sara Connor, Julian Wilson, Gemma Carroll.[11]
October 1998 Goldie (NZ) Peter Hawes David O'Donnell Rehearsed reading in Dunedin Public Art Gallery during Goldie exhibition.[11]
March 1999 One Flesh (NZ) Fiona Samuel Lisa Warrington Fortune Theatre. Cast included Cindy Diver, Ronn Kjestrup, Richard Huber, Rachel Wallis, Patrick Davies, Sarah Entwistle, Edwin Wright.[11]
June-July 1999 Whaea Kairau: Mother Hundred-Eater (NZ) Apirana Taylor Richard Huber Otago Museum  Special Exhibitions Gallery (in partnership with Kilimogo Productions). Cast included: Hilary Norris, Anya Tate-Manning, Patrick Davies, Julie Edwards, Rangimoana Taylor, Martin Phelan, Keri Hunter, Richard Huber, Maaka Pohatu.[11]
February 2000 The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Ireland) Martin McDonagh Richard Huber Fortune Studio Theatre, with Hilary Norris, Karin Reid, Danny Still and Ronn Kjestrup[11]
May 2000 Horseplay (NZ) Ken Duncum Gary Henderson Fortune Theatre, with Peter Hayden, Simon O'Connor, Hilary Norris and Sara Connor.[11]
October 2000 An Unseasonable Fall of Snow (NZ) Gary Henderson Rachel More Ruby in the Dust, Octagon, for the Inaugural Otago Festival of the Arts. With Lloyd Edwards, Matt Dwyer and Nick Dunbar.[11]
September 2001 Collected Stories (USA) Donald Margulies Patrick Davies Carnegie Gallery, Moray Place. With Hilary Norris and Mel Dodge.[11]
September 2001 Autowalk (NZ) Barbara Carey, Antony Partridge & Stayci Taylor Directed by the devisors Arc Cafē[12]
Nov- Dec 2001 Blue Smoke (NZ) Rawiri Paratene & Murray Lynch Lisa Warrington Ruby in the Dust, Octagon[13]
September 2002 Hitting 50 (NZ) Sue McCauley Tony McCaffrey Court 2 Christchurch & Fortune Studio Theatre.[14]
April-May 2004 Miss Julie

(Sweden/NZ)

 August Strindberg, translation by Ted Nye Hilary Norris Playhouse Theatre Dunedin[15]
Sept-Oct 2004 Cherish (NZ) Ken Duncum Lisa Warrington Dunedin Public Arts Gallery, for Otago Festival of the Arts.[16]
Sept–Oct 2006 Lines of Fire (NZ) Gary Henderson Lisa Warrington Dunedin Railway Station, for Otago Festival of the Arts & 10th anniversary WOW! celebration. Featuring Barbara Carey, Sara Connor-Best, Cindy Diver, Hilary Halba, Sarah McDougall.[3]
December 2007 Hairway to Heaven (NZ) Sarah McDougall Lisa Warrington Otago Polytechnic Hairdressing salon, with Barbara Power (a trained hairdresser), Sara Georgie Tunoka, Julie Edwards, Simon O'Connor and Phoebe Smith.[17]
March 2008 Tracey and Traci (NZ) Hilary Halba, Barbara Power, Clare Adams Clare Adams Polson Higgs Accountancy Offices[18]
October 2008 The Cape (NZ) Vivienne Plumb Simon O’Connor Playhouse Theatre, as part of Otago Festival of the Arts. Producer Clare Adams. Cast James Lee, Luke Agnew, Matt Johl, Johnny Appleby.[19]
Sept/Oct 2009 Glorious (NZ) Richard Huber Patrick Davies Fortune Theatre Studio[20]
October 2010 Backwards in High Heels (NZ) Stuart Hoar Richard Huber Sundry community halls around Dunedin for the Otago Festival of the Arts, including St Martins Hall, Northeast Valley; Waitati Community Hall, St Mary's Church Hall, Mosgiel; Burns Hall, First Church; Port Chalmers Town Hall; Coronation Hall, Portobello; and Maori Hill Community Centre. Choreographed by Karyn Taylor, cast Dunedin actors Patrick Davies, Anna Henare and Clare Adams.[21]
March 2014 Milk Milk Lemonade (USA) Joshua Conkel Anna Henare & Patrick Davies St Paul’s Cathedral Crypt, Octagon. Part of the 2014 Dunedin Fringe Festival.[22]
28 Aug/6 Sept

2015

 Farley’s Arcade: The Wildest Place in Town

(NZ)

 Richard Huber & others Richard Huber/Lisa Warrington Sundry spaces in the Athenaeum Building, Octagon.[23] Won 2015 Promotion of the Year at the Dunedin Theatre Awards.[24]
Jan 2018 and ongoing Journey of the Jura

(NZ)

 Emily Duncan (dramaturg, with cast)


Anya Tate-Manning Held in ‘Across the Ocean Waves’ exhibit at Toitu[25]
April to Nov 2019 Party with the Aunties Erina Daniels (devised with the cast) Erina Daniels Various venues in Paekakariki, Wellington, Feilding, Nelson, Thames, Paeroa, New Plymouth, Christchurch and Dunedin.[26] "Skilful, heartwarming entertainment".[27]
July 2019 The Flick Annie Baker Lara Macgregor At Allen Hall Theatre[28]
Nov 2020 The End of the Golden Weather (NZ) Bruce Mason Lisa Warrington Starring Matt Wilson. At various locations around Dunedin, Oamaru, Mosgiel, Waitati[29]

References
  1. MacTavish, Terry (4 December 2007). "Hairway to Heaven - Ordinary people made fascinating". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  2. "About | Wow Productions". Wow Productions | Premiere Dunedin Theatre. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  3. "PRODUCTION INFORMATION: LINES OF FIRE - Theatreview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  4. Harwood, Brenda (1 November 2020). "Original version of classic play gift for community". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. Halba, Hilary (October 1996). "Evangelising the X-Generation". Theatre News. p. 14 - 15.
  6. Eggleton, David (2 November 1996). "Critics' Choice". NZ Listener. p. 45.
  7. Scott, Lynda; Davis, Holly (22 May 1997). "Superb performance at Allen Hall Theatre". Otago Daily Times.
  8. "Top Dunedin cast in play". Otago Daily Times. 9 October 1997.
  9. Smith, Charmian (11 November 1997). "Playwright puts family on stage". Otago Daily Times.
  10. Smith, Charmian (16 June 1998). "Stoppard family at home in art gallery". Otago Daily Times.
  11. "Theatre Aotearoa database". University of Otago. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  12. Harwood, Brenda (12 September 2001). "City's arts scene alive with contrasting events". Star (Dunedin).
  13. "New twist to the festive season : Musical comedy opens". The Star. 28 November 2001.
  14. "Play examines life after 50". Otago Daily Times. 29 August 2002.
  15. "Modern look at Swedish classic". Otago Daily Times. 16 April 2004.
  16. Frame, Barbara (24 September 2004). "Cherish". Otago Daily Times.
  17. "PRODUCTION INFORMATION: HAIRWAY TO HEAVEN - Theatreview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  18. Benson, Nigel (28 February 2008). "City office building plays host to cleaner characters". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  19. Benson, Nigel (4 October 2008). "Cut out for play role after visit to the hairdresser". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  20. "Glorious - Glorious, like that woman in that film with Katherine [sic] Hepburn". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  21. Benson, Nigel (13 October 2010). "Dancing backwards around the suburbs". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  22. "MilkMilkLemonade - Bizarrely original, darkly edged comedy". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  23. "FARLEY'S ARCADE: The Wildest Place in Town - A truly remarkable achievement". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  24. Harwood, Brenda (10 December 2015). "Theatre awards given on 'night of the stars'". The Star.
  25. "1862 'Jura' ship trip experience". Otago Daily Times Online News. 4 February 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  26. "PRODUCTION INFORMATION: PARTY WITH THE AUNTIES - Theatreview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  27. "Party with the Aunties - Skilful, heart-warming, entertainment". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  28. "PRODUCTION INFORMATION: THE FLICK - Theatreview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  29. "PRODUCTION INFORMATION: THE END OF THE GOLDEN WEATHER - Theatreview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.

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