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Downstage Theatre

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In 1968 the company took over the whole upper story of the Walkabout coffee bar building with a remodeling that was designed by B. Woods as the major project in his final year at the
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MBE, a leading theatre set and costume designer, was on the board of Downstage when the playhouse was built, Boyce became design consultant to the architects Ron Parker and
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The Downstage Theatre Company continued to operate from the Walkabout coffee bar building until plans for a purpose-built theatre building were finalised. They moved to the
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who was the director of Downstage at the time. The set was in traverse designed by Raymond Boyce featuring a central sloping disc and the cast included
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and then did shows at the Hannah Playhouse to accommodate demand and to reach a bigger and different Downstage audience. Well known examples are
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The Downstage Theatre Company was established in 1964 as a professional theatre company. The founders at the inaugural meeting in the
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through the lens of three generations of women. It was unique in the centring of women at the time. The cast included Jane Waddell,
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magazine continued with Playmarket picking it up in 1975 after Downstage decided they could no longer fund this activity.
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is where the first Downstage Theatre productions were performed. Another founder was the Victoria University professor
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as the eccentric mother with two pregnant daughters. It was directed by Brian Bell who directed TV drama for
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Old Downstage Theatre building, corner Courtenay Place and Cambridge Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand
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about theatre that included publishing play scripts. In 1973 Downstage supported the beginning of
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Downstage upfront: the first 40 years of New Zealand's longest running professional theatre
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Downstage Theatre closed in 2013, citing a lack of adequate and stable funding.
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and Cambridge Terrace in Wellington, and the upper floor of the
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directed by Kip Chapman (BATS in 2008 and Downstage in 2010).
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Playmarket 40 : 40 years of playwriting in New Zealand
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The first play in the Hannah Playhouse was Shakespeare's
859:"Theatre company nurtures and preserves next generation" 807:"Wednesday to Come opening, Downstage, 8th June 2005" 511: 257:The first locally-written production, in 1966, was 512:Atkinson, Laurie; O'Donnell, David, eds. (2013). 339:in 1984 directed by George Webby told a story of 16:Former theatre company in Wellington, New Zealand 1048: 977:Downstage Upfront – A 40th Anniversary Biography 284:character Lyn of Tawa to have a public outing, 686: 366:Flight Of The Conchords - Soho, London 2018 689:"Getting New Zealand Writing Into Theatres" 559: 549:. Fairfax Media. 14 May 2011. p. A28. 466:1992-94 William Walker - artistic director 443:1977-82 Anthony Taylor - artistic director 420:1968-70 Dick Johnstone - resident producer 27: 885:"Conchords pair go in to bat for theatre" 856: 610: 423:1968-69 William Austin - artistic advisor 218:Downstage published a quarterly magazine 207:in "Gulls" at The Hannah Playhouse (1988) 1005:Downstage Theatre online picture gallery 780:Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand 449: 361: 321: 248: 232: 199: 170:A plaque commemorating Downstage Theatre 165: 122: 654: 472:1998-99 Ellie Smith - artistic director 1049: 804: 748: 414:1966 Tim Elliott - executive director 381:(BATS in 1997 and Downstage in 1998), 244: 185:building in the early 1970s while the 95:was a professional theatre company in 1072:2013 disestablishments in New Zealand 744: 742: 740: 738: 736: 712: 562:"Obituary: Professor Donald McKenzie" 469:1994-98 Guy Boyce - programme manager 446:1982-84 John Banas- artistic director 999:Downstage Theatre's official website 955:from the original on 4 November 2010 882: 753:. Wellington: Victoria Univ. Press. 715:"Downstage theatre company to close" 560:McKitterick, David (25 March 1999). 507: 505: 503: 426:1970 Antony Goser - artistic advisor 971:Further references can be found in 687:Watson White, Helen (31 May 2014). 655:Thomson, Rebecca (7 January 2010). 276:In 1968 a late night review called 103:building. Former directors include 13: 1067:1964 establishments in New Zealand 857:Christian, Dionne (22 July 2017). 773: 733: 657:"Downstage – a Wellington fixture" 553: 489:2008-2013 Hilary Beaton - director 14: 1083: 992: 925:from the original on 24 June 2012 895:from the original on 9 April 2014 786:from the original on 5 April 2017 611:Macdonald, Nikki (10 July 2019). 500: 454:Colin McColl Director 1985 - 1992 1062:Theatre companies in New Zealand 713:Cardy, Tom (17 September 2013). 326:Kate Harcourt, Miranda Harcourt 937: 907: 876: 850: 836:National Library of New Zealand 824: 798: 767: 706: 680: 648: 630: 604: 579: 538: 1: 493: 394: 370:A number of plays started at 638:"In memory of Raymond Boyce" 516:. New Zealand: Playmarket. 399:Founding artistic directors 341:New Zealand's depression era 151:coffee bar on the corner of 7: 1057:Theatres in Wellington City 417:1967 Sandy Black - director 176:Wellington School of Design 135:on 15 May 1964 were actors 10: 1088: 388:Apollo 13: Mission Control 237:Downstage 25th anniversary 118: 883:Moir, Jo (8 April 2014). 776:"Wednesday to come, 1984" 545:"Tim Eliott (Obituary)". 133:Wellington Public Library 73: 65: 50: 35: 26: 1010:Hannah Playhouse website 280:was the first place for 271:New Zealand Broadcasting 261:a dark social comedy by 383:Flight of the Conchords 69:Producing theatre plays 693:Landfall Review Online 587:"The Hannah's History" 455: 367: 327: 254: 238: 208: 171: 128: 749:Smythe, John (2004). 453: 365: 325: 252: 236: 203: 169: 126: 1033:41.2937°S 174.7836°E 975:Smythe, John (2004) 642:Creative New Zealand 411:- executive director 315:, Anne Flannery and 307:in 1973 directed by 292:, Steve Whitehouse, 1029: /  805:Wellington, Unity. 463:- artistic director 440:- artistic director 433:- artistic director 245:Notable productions 23: 1038:-41.2937; 174.7836 456: 368: 345:Dame Kate Harcourt 328: 282:Ginette McDonald's 255: 239: 209: 172: 129: 21: 760:978-0-86473-489-1 719:The Dominion Post 662:The Dominion Post 547:The Dominion Post 523:978-0-908607-45-7 379:Krishnan’s Dairy, 349:Davina Whitehouse 332:Wednesday to Come 253:Ginette McDonald 189:was being built. 183:Star Boating Club 93:Downstage Theatre 90: 89: 22:Downstage Theatre 1079: 1044: 1043: 1041: 1040: 1039: 1034: 1030: 1027: 1026: 1025: 1022: 965: 964: 962: 960: 941: 935: 934: 932: 930: 911: 905: 904: 902: 900: 880: 874: 873: 871: 869: 854: 848: 847: 845: 843: 838:. 1 January 2005 828: 822: 821: 819: 817: 802: 796: 795: 793: 791: 774:Edmond, Murray. 771: 765: 764: 746: 731: 730: 728: 726: 710: 704: 703: 701: 699: 684: 678: 677: 675: 673: 652: 646: 645: 634: 628: 627: 625: 623: 608: 602: 601: 599: 597: 591:Hannah Playhouse 583: 577: 576: 574: 572: 557: 551: 550: 542: 536: 535: 509: 409:Martyn Sanderson 401:Martyn Sanderson 357:Geraldine Brophy 353:Miranda Harcourt 213:Hannah Playhouse 187:Hannah Playhouse 145:Martyn Sanderson 101:Hannah Playhouse 61: 59: 46: 44: 31: 24: 20: 1087: 1086: 1082: 1081: 1080: 1078: 1077: 1076: 1047: 1046: 1037: 1035: 1031: 1028: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1016: 1015: 995: 969: 968: 958: 956: 943: 942: 938: 928: 926: 913: 912: 908: 898: 896: 881: 877: 867: 865: 855: 851: 841: 839: 830: 829: 825: 815: 813: 803: 799: 789: 787: 772: 768: 761: 747: 734: 724: 722: 721:. 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Index


Wellington
Wellington
Hannah Playhouse
Sunny Amey
Mervyn Thompson
Colin McColl

Wellington Public Library
Peter Bland
Tim Eliott
Martyn Sanderson
Courtenay Place
Donald McKenzie

Wellington School of Design
Star Boating Club
Hannah Playhouse
Raymond Boyce
James Beard

Mark Hadlow
Hannah Playhouse
Playmarket


Peter Bland
Pat Evison
New Zealand Broadcasting
Ginette McDonald's

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