The lights can shine bright for those on the stage - but ask anyone in the performing arts and they'll tell you the real stars often stand in the wings.

Theatre royalty Sir Roger Hall has ensured that backstage brilliance is also celebrated, combining with The Arts Foundation to recognise five unsung heroes of Aotearoa theatre with the biennial Out of the Limelight awards.

The $5,000 gift is surely appreciated but the feeling the love from their peers on a national level is a special moment for the 2025 recipients.

Long-time arts administrator and board member David Jenkins has helped shape the infrastructure that supports the country’s performing arts sector.

Since joining the NZ Students' Arts Council in 1977, Jenkins has held some key roles like Administration Manager at the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council (now Creative New Zealand), where he helped secure permanent homes for the NZ Drama School and NZ School of Dance. During his time on the Drama School board, the school diversified its programme and qualifications, student numbers increased significantly, and the school became Te Kura Toi Whakaari o Aotearoa: NZ Drama School. Since the 1990s, Jenkins has supported Playmarket in a variety of capacities.

He told The Lowdown "This award was completely unexpected and all the more appreciated for that. It has been a privilege to work with so many talented and committed colleagues over the years."

Jo Bunce is one of those to have followed the path paved by the likes of Jenkins, after earning a diploma in Technical Production from Toi Whakaari which she has put to extraordinarily good use.

With over 30 years experience in live performance and film, Bunce has worked as a stage manager, lighting designer, and operator both in New Zealand and internationally. Since 1996, she has been a key figure at The Court Theatre, contributing to more than 60 productions and now serving as Head Stage Manager. 

"It's a deeply meaningful recognition of the behind-the-scenes work that I've been privileged to do alongside so many talented and passionate people over many years," Bunce told The Lowdown.

"I've always found fulfilment in supporting the creative process and to be acknowledged in this way is both humbling and heartening."

Auckland Theatre Company's (ATC) Box Office Team Leader Gary Hofman is also feeling humbled as a 2025 recipient. Commended for his collaborative and care-based approach to a key role for the organisation, Hofman's a trusted and valued presence who has a strong focus on accessibility and inclusion.

Hofman told The Lowdown "It’s a real honour to be recognised in this way. However, everything I do is part of a larger collective effort. This award is a reflection of the incredible Ticketing and Front of House teams I have the privilege of working with every day. Their dedication, care, and expertise are absolutely vital to the experience we offer to our audiences; it’s at the heart of the theatre experience and truly makes the world of difference. 

"The contribution of these roles is often overlooked, but they are essential to the fabric of the arts industry. Their work forms the bridge between the performers and the audience, creating an experience that is much more than just the performance itself. This recognition is as much theirs as it is mine."

Teresa Sokolich is another with ATC roots, a founding member of the cornerstone performing arts organisation. A hugely respected production manager, stage manager and associate producer, Sokolich has worked at the likes of Mercury Theatre, Aotea Centre, SkyCity, and Artworks Theatre. 

She also has a proven track record for giving back, working as a mentor for emerging backstage professionals while also serving on the boards of Tadpole Productions and The PumpHouse Theatre.

Sokolich told The Lowdown "Thank you for the recognition, it is unexpected and gratefully received. I teach my trainees that if they can't see what we are doing back there we are doing our job well, but sometimes we get seen and that's pretty good too."

From big scale productions to festivals around the world, Natasha Thyne has established a reputation as a dynamic stage and venue manager.

After launching her career at BATS Theatre’s Young & Hungry Festival, Thyne with the UK's Northern Ballet, Auckland Arts Festival, Auckland Cabaret Festival, Perth Fringe, Adelaide Fringe and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

Thyne told The Lowdown "I received the email telling me about the award on my birthday and I think it’s going to be a hard gift to beat. I really love and am proud of what I do and the shows and festivals I work on but never considered for a second I would get this kind of recognition. It’s so unexpected and so special. 

"But what really meant the world to me was once it was announced, all of my family, friends, colleagues and other people in the industry here and overseas validating it and showing their love and support for what I do."

Lorraine's legacy

The music industry is mourning the loss of an extraordinary manager, Lorraine Barry.

Not one to court attention, her reputation within the sector was immense, and her impact on the Aotearoa music scene was just as big. Hailing from Northern Ireland, she moved our shores in 2002, quickly establishing herself as an uplifting presence.

She came with quite the CV - During her 16 years as international marketing manager for Virgin Records in the UK, she worked with global superstars including John Lee Hooker, Massive Attack, Chemical Brothers, Ice T, Soul II Soul, Pacebo, Gomez, The Verve and the Spice Girls.

Her two highest profile New Zealand clients have been left devastated, showing the depth of care she put into her artists.

Sir Dave Dobbyn took to social media to announce her passing as "a very sad day for my family and friends and for anyone who knew Lorraine."

Dobbyn continues "Lorraine was a straight shooter and her aim was true. We clicked from the start and I got so used to confiding in her as she had great instinct and a canny intelligence. She had a great way with people and didn’t suffer foolishness. Twenty one years later and I’m at a loss to be without her .

"What would Lorraine think about this and that moving forward? Well, she would tell me not to be anxious and to stick to the path we have nurtured. From her hospital bed last week, she watched a stream of our Auckland Town Hall show. Immediately afterwards she deemed it to be marvellous and magnificent and a triumph - her tiny face beaming from Anneliesje’s cellphone. I will miss her side-of-stage hand signals and her dedication.

"She was very good at herding cats among the egos of we songwriters and artists. She loved her work and was loved by her office-mates. All who dealt with her had a deep respect for her. 
Rest in eternal peace dear Lorraine."

Hip hop artist and filmmaker Tom Scott worked with Barry in all facets of his musical mastery - from his solo work to his award-winning projects Avantdale Bowling Club and Home Brew. 

He delivered a heartbreaking and tearful tribute on Instagram for Barry. 

"This lady was like a mother to me, she picked me up when I was at my lowest point…she saw something in me that I definitely didn’t see.

"I don’t know what I’m going to do without her - she made me believe something that I can’t believe on my own.

"When she told me she was sick, she said it was bad news, I knew there was no prayer that could fix it because I knew when she says it’s bad news, that it has to be that - because she never told me bad news, she sheltered me from any bad news. Just made me think that it was all good, as long as I sit in that seat and be the weird artist I have to be that she’ll look after me.

"Any art that I’ve ever released that’s ever helped anyone, you owe it to that lady because I was chaos without her - and I feel like chaos without her again."

Barry was influential in many ways in her time in Aotearoa. She was a former trustee of The Big Idea and was the New Zealand Music Commission’s longest serving Board member, with a tenure of 15 years across two periods - retiring last year.

The NZ Music Commission states "Her time on the Board is a testament to her unwavering commitment to giving back and passing on the hard fought knowledge she had gained across her career. Lorraine had a particular passion and focus on our international and export-focused programmes and the Industry Internship Programme which she was very proud to help bring to the world."

In an interview with The Big Idea in 2019, Barry looked back over some of her international career highlights.

“Working with Spice Girls was a whirlwind few years of global travel, unimaginable challenges, police escorts and new learning. I am still filled with love and admiration for Neneh Cherry, musician, style icon, mother, wife, grandmother, fabulous girlie; Ice T (and multiply it for Bodycount) was my polar opposite yet we became a force of a team and unexpected friends on our promotional travels; I am honoured to have spent very private time with Albert Collins shortly before his death and was invited by John Lee Hooker to have cornflakes before beginning work… increasingly, I am involved in mentoring new artists and managers and love every minute of it.

“I was a journalist, then into the music industry - both considered male bastions, yet I never felt anything other than equal. My dad taught me to fish and paint a wall, hammer a nail, lay a carpet and I applied it to my career. I forged ahead without thinking about it. I was never held back, was strong enough to air opinion, challenge the majority, deliver results like any male counterpart." 

After being lured to our shores by her partner Muttonbirds drummer Ross Burge, Lorraine Barry didn't just make New Zealand home, she made New Zealand better for her input. 

Making Matariki memories

Matariki is upon us and for many in the creative and cultural communities, it is far more than just a long weekend. 

It's fast establishing itself to be one of the busiest and most engaging blocks on the arts calendar. Celebrating the Māori New Year is something so proudly unique to the people of Aotearoa and a call to people all over the country to find new ways to connect.

There are a plethora of community-based events happening across the motu over the coming days - from the North to the South.

Whangārei's Wairau Māori Art Gallery is holding a whānau-friendly event on Saturday (20 June) includes interactive art activities and a chance to experience Turumeke Harrington's Tā, Tau exhibition. There's also the likes of Matariki ki Mangawhai (20 June) Kerikeri's Matariki Celebration of Kapa Haka, Music & Dance (22 June) and Matariki ki Waitangi (22 June) to keep Te Tai Tokerau humming.

Tāmaki Makaurau is filled with options like Whāia Te Waiora (19-21 June) taking over Karangahape Road. 

Local artists are among those helping bring the three days of installations, window displays, projections, live performances, music and more to life in the whānau-friendly experience. 

The highlights include Te Whare Tapere - a kaupapa Māori stage featuring storytelling, kapa haka, circus, spoken word, music and DJs, as well as an immersive animated underwater world by illustrator Ezra Whittaker in St Kevin's Arcade.

Designer and community leader Nayesha Mulholland is part of the event's Hapori Rori Steering Committee. She states “I’m looking forward to seeing the road come alive — seeing everyone walking the street and engaging with the mahi toi and having those conversations. 

"Matariki is a time for reflection and for setting intentions for the year ahead, and I think this kaupapa creates a space for people to do that, even if it’s just in small ways — even if it’s just having a conversation with someone or pausing in front of a work.

"It is a really special kaupapa to be a part of. It felt really grounded in whakawhanaungatanga and wānanga, and it was very collaborative.

"Everyone was there from the start. That was something that I really valued and it made the work feel a lot more connected and intentional, and like it was made with aroha."

Many other creative hubs have created special events for the occasion, including Studio One Toi Tū's Matariki After Dark (21 June) - which has a Māori Makers Market, contemporary art exhibitions and Drop-in Māori Artmaking Workshops from Georgia Tikaputini Douglas Hood (ceramics) and Natanahira Pona (lantern making).

Auckland Art Gallery's Matariki Festival (20 June) offers art-making activities, kapa haka performances and taonga Māori tours and talks. 

With Matariki a time to remember those who have passed, Wahanui Productions' one-woman show Tangihanga will likely push some emotional buttons on the final leg of its second national tour. Kristyl Neho writes, performs and co-directs (with Eunice August-Smith), bringing over 30 characters to life in a story about a Māori whānau navigating grief, identity, and connection at the Rose Centre (26-27 June).

Hamilton comes to life with the Matariki Ki Waikato Festival (until 13 July) hosting more than 50 experiences, including weaving workshop with Wikitoria Tuhakaraina (20 June) and Community workshops, music, and performances coordinated by Creative Waikato (21 June).

Tauranga is already enjoying the return of the popular and interactive matARiki Sculpture Trail (until 28 June) through different locations in the region. The augmented reality exhibition explores the depths of Māori cosmology and contemporary digital Māori art through creatives Poihakena Ngawati (AKA TECHS), Rangituhia Hollis, Kereama Taepa, Jared Wikeepa, Reweti Arapere and Julie Paama-Pengelly.

Down the highway in Te Puke, Te Kete Matariki (20 June) brings together taonga puoro, kapa haka and musical acts in one of many community festivals up and down the country, including Whangamatā's workshops and concert, Matariki-themed exhibitions at Rotorua's Arts Centre and the Palmerston North Puanga Festival.

The Sarjeant Gallery have launched their Kanapa ki Runga – Kanapa ki Raro exhibition (until 21 September) in Whanganui. Translating to ‘the stars above, the shimmering waters below’, a selection of local and national artists have been called upon to create works with this phrase as inspiration, including Robert Jahnke, Israel Tangaroa Birch, Maihi Potaka, and Melanie Tangaere Baldwin. There are a host of workshops through the course of the exhibition, including a weaving demonstration from Matthew McIntyre Wilson on Thursday (19 June).

Wellington's home to leading Māori drag queen act the Tīwhas with their Matariki Spectacular (until 28 June) bringing the energy to Circa Theatre, as well as a Matariki Whānau Day at Te Papa (20 June), complete with taonga to explore, artist Stevei Houkāmou helping tamariki to decorate their own kākano uku and live performances. 

Christchurch's Arts Centre is thriving with events that showcase te ao Māori, creativity, and community spirit. Among the attractions finishing up this weekend (22 June) is IN/DIGITAL SPACES, an interdisciplinary performance installation where artists Bea Gladding, Janaye Henry, Nicholas Ahu Gartner, and protectionspell delve into what it means to be Māori in a digital space.

Dunedin's Puaka Matariki Festival (until 12 July) is a month- long celebration of renewal, reflection and connection, including a number of community events, a drone light show and Dunedin Symphony Orchestra's performance of Brahms and Mataatua: A Journey in Music.

There's plenty more going on in the South Island, including Nelson's Te Huihuinga-o-Matariki Festival (20 June) hosting the regional secondary school kapa haka competition, Balclutha welcoming its second annual Puaka Matariki Iwikatea, the Matariki constellation inspiring the light show at Gore's Kāhui Whetū event.

Wherever you are around Aotearoa, the creative community has something to make Matariki matter. If you need further inspiration to get out and be involved in your community this long weekend, check out The Big Idea's video showcasing what was on offer last year.

Ria Phil's her bucket

Speaking of big Matariki events, much-loved performer and staunch te ao Māori advocate Ria Hall is set for a big performance with Auckland Philharmonia on Thursday (19 June) - set to bring a combination of wānanga, resistance and connection to an audience that may not regularly be exposed to her kaupapa. 

“This collaboration is important given the time that we live in," explains Hall. "We are in a crucial phase as a nation - what I like to call 're-birthing pains' - as we experience a reawakening of a collective consciousness. This show will prove that worlds can co-exist in harmony, te ao Māori and orchestral traditions, without losing authenticity.”

Matariki with Ria Hall brings together Hall’s distinctive vocals and kaupapa-driven songwriting with more than 60 professional orchestral musicians at Auckland Town Hall. 

“I am incredibly excited, and very nervous at the same time. We've been planning this show together for the last year, and now it's almost upon us, it's quite a surreal feeling,” Hall states.

Auckland Phil's Chief Executive Diana Weir adds "Through these partnerships, we seek not only to celebrate the Māori New Year but also to foster greater understanding and connection between cultures, both on stage and within our community.” 

It's one of several key dates on Hall's 2025 calendar. Along with Etta Bollinger, she's also co-curator of CNZ’s Nui te Kōrero (NTK) event, a biennial arts summit focused on big ideas, bold voices, and the future of the arts in Aotearoa.

“Nui te Kōrero is taking place this year in my hometown - te pito o taku ao katoa - Tauranga Moana. I truly believe that the arts is the most powerful mechanism to galvanise communities. I hope that NTK allows artists to show up unapologetically as themselves with a desire to work towards creating a better Aotearoa. Now is the time. Kia kotahi te tū!”

At a time when the arts sector is being called on to evolve and hold fast to the values that make it unique, Ria Hall’s presence across these two landmark kaupapa reminds us of the essential role Māori artists play in shaping the creative and cultural identity of Aotearoa and in all creative spaces.

“I hope that by people seeing and experiencing the collaboration between myself and the Auckland Philharmonia this Matariki, and my contribution to curating the NTK programme for 2025, they will see that arts practitioners have a significant role to play in bringing our nation together. 

"No matter your background or your practice, we are in a unique position to shepherd our country into a more positive present, and future.”

Matariki hits the silver screen

There's also the opportunity to see the importance of Matariki reflected on the big screen, with KŌKĀ set to be released in over 100 cinemas nationwide today.

It's a road trip with an incredibly unique Aotearoa twist, set during Matariki and with the celestial cluster playing a key role in the debut feature for director Kath Akuhata-Brown, with the film driven by Māori storytelling, language, and cultural reclamation.

The first feature film told entirely in the original Ngāti Porou dialect, Akuhata-Brown shares "With KŌKĀ, I wanted to create a story that honours our ancestors and our language while showing that healing is possible when we come together under the stars of Matariki. It’s a journey of connection - not just between two people, but between past, present, and future."

Lead actress Hinetu Dell reflects, "Playing kuia Hamo was deeply moving. Her strength and vulnerability mirror the spirit of Matariki—guiding light in the darkness. I hope audiences feel the mana of our language and culture shining through every scene."

Barbara Q

One of the arts sector's most experienced leaders has landed another interim role.

Barbara Glaser has been announced as interim Chief Executive of Auckland's Q Theatre, coming of her interim CE role at the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and a 17 year run in charge of Auckland Philharmonia.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Q at this time", says Glaser. “I’ve been a long-time supporter and fan of Q and love the vibe and energy of the place and team. I’m really looking forward to working with Q to grow its offering, impact, and business. I can’t wait to get stuck in!”

Q Theatre Chair, Penelope Barr-Sellers, states “Not only does Barb bring a wealth of experience to the role from her long tenure in performing arts, she is also highly regarded, effective and well-connected in Auckland and the wider sector. And as a previous neighbour and visitor to Q, she knows us well.

“We’re definitely in a growth mindset, while recognising market conditions have been flat across the sector. With our partners, we will work on further enabling a diverse range of performing artists to use our spaces and continue our focus on optimising our business. Barb’s energy, experience and fresh perspective will be a huge help,” adds Barr-Sellers.

As the title suggest, Glaser doesn't expect to be in the gig long - the search is on for a permanent CE, with an appointment expected later this year.

Kiwi to a fault

An international touring institution based on a cult British TV show that was created in New Zealand....is on its way home.

It's been announced that Faulty Towers The Dining Experience will hit Christchurch, Wellington, Whanganui, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Tauranga and Auckland in October after a successful stint last year.

The longest running Fawlty Towers show of any kind worldwide was devised by Kiwi Alison Pollard-Mansergh, who is also the artistic director and writer of this show. Since its launch in 1997, it has toured 43 countries, brought well over 1 million guests through its doors and is in its 13th year of a highly successful West End residency in London. 
 
Producer and Programmer Jared Harford - himself a Palmerston North local - told The Lowdown "I think there is something so exciting about the fact that a worldwide phenomenon was born right here in New Zealand. Alison’s first performed this show just outside Palmerston North before taking it to Australia, and from there launching it into the massive success that it is today – in fact she has performed in over 30 countries herself as Sybil! 

"The show recently received outstanding praise from the British Comedy Guide who loved the fact this was such a fresh take on Fawlty Towers and not just a simple restaging of the TV episodes. That a Kiwi could write something that stands up against the original TV scripts is something to be so proud of. It’s nice to know that every week on the West End in London, audiences are headed to see a true success story from New Zealand, and I'm so glad to be bringing back home again this year.

"Touring such a world class show such as this around Aotearoa has been a dream, and I hope one that I never wake from.” 

The local connections continue with New Zealander Jed McKinney playing the role made famous by John Cleese, Basil during the two hour interactive show and three-course meal.