He said it's been a wonderful thing to see people experiencing Shakespeare for the first time.
"We know those audiences loved the show and the noise they made during productions was so loud it was more like listening to a football match than a theatre piece - it's amazing."
For Whale Rider star Rawiri Paratene the new theatre is a welcome return to New Zealand after two years touring the world.
"I've gone from Stratford-upon-Avon to Ellerslie-upon-the-motorway," says Paratene.
"I prefer being here. I look forward to the live reactions we're bound to get from the Maori and Polynesian theatre-goers. It's going to be really special."
Former Shortland Street star Te Kohe Tuhaka Shakespeare says acting in two different plays will be a unique challenge.
"I'm a little bit nervous to be brutally honest. This is literally the first Shakespeare that I've ever been a part of and in this environment it's pretty humbling."
The three-storey, 200 tonne, 900 person capacity theatre has spent nine weeks in the making with a team of just 90 people taking care of all aspects from start to finish.
A range of shows are on offer this season with comedies Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It as well as war story Henry V and thriller Othello.
The countdown is on to opening night, with the season officially opening on February 19th and running until May 14th.