The purpose of live theatre is to entertain, so it's no surprise that 16th Avenue Theatre members have more fun than you can imagine.
The non-profit charitable society is one of New Zealand's oldest drama groups and one of the few to own its theatre.
Thousands of Tauranga residents enjoy productions at its 16th Avenue Theatre every year, and the society now boasts about 200 members.
President Alan Baker says the group produces four amateur theatrical productions every year. It provides an outlet for aspiring actors and directors but also for people who wish to explore their creative side by making sets and creating costumes, lighting design, sound effects, props and much more.
"Even people who don't get involved in the technical or creative side can help by hosting the public as front of house staff so there's lot of different outlets," Alan says.
"It's one of the greatest examples of teamwork anywhere in society because everyone who gets involved in a theatre production is there to put on a quality show.
"Even though actors get the accolades and applause at the end, none of that is possible without the efforts of everybody else," he says.
The society's reading committee sifts through dozens of potential scripts each year to find plays that will be commercially successful in Tauranga, and enjoyable and challenging for the actors.
Directors are then found for each production, and auditions held - a process that can sometimes become quite competitive.
The society's upcoming production of Flint Street Nativity resulted in 27 people trying out for just 10 sought-after parts.
The English comedy, written by Tim Firth, will be on stage at the 16th Avenue Theatre from November 23 to December 10.
"It chronicles the lead-up to a school nativity play where the children are squabbling over their roles," Alan says.
"Two of them want to be Mary, one of the Wise Men does not want to say 'frankincense' because of his lisp, the Shepherd thinks her role is unrealistic because her dad has a farm, and the Innkeeper is a troublemaker. It's hilarious."
Because adults play the roles of children, the show is also proving to be a real challenge for the set builders - known as "The A Team" - because the furnishings all have to be oversize.
And age is no barrier to joining in the society's fun. One of the "A Team" is in his 80s, while Wardrobe Mistress Barbara Webb has been sewing costumes for theatre productions around the North Island for more than 50 years.
Meanwhile, many of the lighting and sound operators are in their mid to late teens.
"It's a very diverse bunch of people. People do it for different reasons. It's one of those pastimes where once you get involved you get the bug and it will lead you on to do different things," Alan says.
The society's recent production of Roger Hall's Four Flat Whites in Italy was the most popular they had staged. The theatre can seat up to 150 people and each show is seen by about 1500 people on average.
In between its own productions, visiting theatre groups, arts festivals and recital performers hire the venue so there's often only a few weeks' break in between.
As a result of all those shows, the 16th Avenue Theatre's wardrobe department is bursting with hand-sewn costumes spanning all eras, countries and genres.
"A few years ago we staged Liaisons Dangereuses and that was all 17th-century French costuming for a cast of about 15 or 20 people," Alan recalls.
"Those patterns came from a museum in London and a whole bunch of volunteers lead by Lois Heagren set to using old curtains, brocade bedspreads and whatever they could find to create these beautiful costumes."
The society's enthusiastic group of volunteers has been growing in recent years, and new members are always welcome.
Annual membership fees are $36 for a single person or $45 per couple. Members receive discounts on ticket prices, advance show and audition information, a theatre newsletter, updates and invites to the society's social occasions.
People keen to join the society will be given on-the-job training and are often introduced to the theatre by existing members.
Alan says next year the society hopes to stage five or six shows, thanks to the enthusiasm shown by all those involved and Tauranga audiences' support.
"You get such a huge sense of satisfaction of a job well done and people enjoying the show that you just keep on doing it."
The details
Name: 16th Avenue Theatre (home of the Tauranga Repertory Society)
Number of Members: Approximately 200
Established: 1936
Meeting times: Varies depending on individual plays and director's schedules.
More info: Visit www.taurangatheatre.co.nz for more information and membership inquiries.