Auckland entertainer Cole Johnston. Photo / Supplied
Former National Youth Theatre performers and parents allege an entertainer charged with grooming and raping a girl worked for the organisation in the years his offending allegedly occurred.
There is no suggestion the alleged abuse occurred at the organisation or that the theatre group was aware of the alleged activity.
The organisation says it has “rigorous policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students”.
Earlier this week actor and musician Cole Thomas Johnston, 28, was named as the Auckland entertainer facing 12 charges related to one alleged victim.
Johnston has performed internationally and spent years teaching child performers.
It’s understood he worked at the National Youth Theatre (NYT) in various roles and also starred in several shows.
On Wednesday the NYT said the safety and wellbeing of students and staff was the organisation’s highest priority.
“We are aware of the prosecution involving Cole Thomas Johnston, who is not currently involved with National Youth Theatre, and we want to be clear these charges do not relate to his time employed by our organisation.”
However, the parent of a child who attended NYT said the company’s statement, claiming the charges “do not relate” to Johnston’s time employed by the organisation, didn’t align with how parents recalled those years and his respective roles.
According to court documents, it’s alleged the offending occurred in Auckland between January 2017 and January 2021.
Screenshots and emails provided to the Herald by members of the theatre community appear to confirm Johnston was working at the company in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The parent said Johnston was “very well known” at the theatre group, then called National Youth Theatre Company.
Firstly he was involved as a performer, the parent alleged, then as a tutor for both major productions and holiday programmes.
One former NYT parent said yesterday’s response from the theatre company was disappointing.
The parent said their child was in classes where Johnston was present.
“I’ve had to have a pretty uncomfortable conversation with my daughter.”
They felt the organisation had handled the situation poorly.
“The theatre community and the parents I have met through NYT have been really wonderful ... At least we can lean on each other for that support.”
Another person who claims they performed with Johnston at NYT said they were disappointed by the organisation’s public response to this week’s revelations.
Even as a student, Johnston was prominent at the organisation, the person said.
They also claimed Johnston was employed by NYT during the years when the offending is alleged to have occurred.
“Theatre has to be, and is at its best, when it’s a safe place for everyone involved. Any individual, it doesn’t matter if they’re a fellow performer or in a position of power like a director, it’s unacceptable that you’re made to feel unsafe. And I really hate when that happens.”
Another person who said they had once performed alongside Johnston earlier told the Herald: “He performed in nearly every production they put on, and when he outgrew their age restrictions for their performances, he joined their creative team.”
They told the Herald Johnston had most recently worked internationally as an entertainer on cruise ships.
NYT chief executive James Doy told the Herald yesterday Johnston was not currently involved with the organisation.
“We want to be clear these charges do not relate to his time employed by our organisation.”
Today, he said: “The National Youth Theatre was asked by authorities to provide information relating to its students for the period between February 2016 and December 2018. During this time, Cole Johnston was a student, and he left NYT in June 2018.”
Doy said no concerns were raised with NYT during Johnston’s involvement there, and the organisation has not been asked to provide any further information.
“We are not privy to whether information has been sought in relation to any period later than December 2018 or during a time when Cole contracted with NYT.”
He said NYT has “rigorous policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students and staff while they are in our care and undertake police checks on all staff members prior to confirming their employment with us”.
“No concerns were raised with us during the time Cole was contracted with NYT.”
According to one theatre page, Johnston made his NYT debut in 2017 in a production of Puff the Magic Dragon. His other credits include City of 100 Lovers and Cats.
Last week he denied the allegations, saying he was “devastated, deeply shaken and utterly shocked”.
Johnston said he would take every step necessary, through the proper legal process, to clear his name.
“I understand the public may be interested in this matter, but as it is now part of a legal process, I cannot make any further comment,” he said.
Waitematā Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Poland earlier told the Herald police began investigating the alleged historical offending after a report in September 2024.
Poland said the alleged offending included multiple counts of male rapes female, unlawful sexual connection, doing an indecent act and meeting after sexual grooming.
Court documents show police laid eight sexual violation charges, all of which are representative and carry a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years.
Johnston is also facing three charges of allegedly committing an indecent act on a young person aged 12 to 15.
All three are representative and carry a seven-year maximum sentence.
The final representative charge carries the same penalty but relates to alleged grooming.
In Auckland District Court last month, his lawyer, Sumudu Thode, argued Johnston should be granted name suppression as he had already suffered significant consequences.
Thode alleged that opportunities for him had been cancelled, and there were others he had decided not to pursue.
He had also suffered psychological and personal consequences, she said.
There was also a risk his rights to a fair trial would be prejudiced and his family would suffer extreme hardship, she said.
Judge Simon Lance said the guiding principle on name suppression was open justice and that would be a steep uphill battle for Johnston to overcome.
Judge Lance said he did not consider the threshold for extreme hardship had been met.
He said Johnston had not provided any evidence that his existing contracts or opportunities would be terminated if he was named.
Judge Lance did not accept there was a real risk to Johnston’s fair trial rights.
Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues such as sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.
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