An artist's rendering of what the Waikato Regional Theatre will look like. Image / Jasmax
An artist's rendering of what the Waikato Regional Theatre will look like. Image / Jasmax
Waikato Regional Theatre’s curtain is almost ready to rise for the first time as construction wraps up and the first shows are announced.
Homegrown artistTeeks will headline the public opening night on January 23, with his show Te Ao Whakahira.
Teeks, born Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi in Hokianga, is amodern soul singer who entered the New Zealand music scene with his 2017 debut EP The Grapefruit Skies.
He quickly rose to fame, winning several Aotearoa Music Awards.
In 2021, Teeksreleased his Platinum-certified album Something To Feel, which features the singles Remember Me, First Time and Without You, anddebuted at #1 on the New Zealand charts.
He has been working on a new album recently which is nearing completion, while his latest single, Red Light, is already out.
On social media, Teeks announced the Hamilton show, saying: “This one will be special. I will be performing an intimate show at the new Waikato Regional Theatre in Kirikiriroa ... Hope to see you there x.”
Other shows announced recently include Sir Dave Dobbyn: Selected Songs onJanuary 24 and Ready to Roll with Th’ Dudes, The Mockers and stellar* on January 29.
On March 28, the Soweto Gospel Choir will perform at the theatre and Tommy Emmanuel will be in town onMay 19.
Ahead of the public shows, there will be invitation-only evenings for donors, partners and community supporters of the project.
“These are not public galas, rather they are thank-you events and a chance for the people who believed in the vision and backed it to see the theatre in action before anyone else,” Waikato Regional Theatre pre-opening general manager Gus Sharpe said in a release last month.
Teeks will headline the public opening night at the Waikato Regional Theatre. Photo / Tom Grut
One of the opening events is a specially commissioned performance work, called To The Stars – Ki ngā Whetū, directed by Jeremy Mayall, that “celebrates ... Waikato and the people who built it”.
The show brings together schools, choirs, kapa haka and artists from across the region in a shared story of connection, pride and imagination.
Waikato Regional Theatre venue manager Michael Gilling said the team were excited to welcome the amazing artists and shows at the new theatre.
“[We] can’t wait get fans through the doors to experience the magic of live for themselves.”
The Atrium between the new Hamilton Hotel and the Waikato Regional Theatre. Photo / Waikato Regional Property Trust
Waikato Regional Property Trust chairman Ross Hargood saidthe trust, which owns the theatre, is thrilled to see a strong opening programme, showcasing “the best of ... Waikato’s creativity” alongside international and domestic stars.
“After many years of work, investment and perseverance, the community should be proud of themselves for getting to this point.”
Construction of the theatre building is on the home stretch. The focus is now on commissioning and defect review and correction, and getting the venue ready for patrons.
The majority of the surrounding public spaces will also be completed this month, though people will see a few final activities going on into December, the property trust said.
Many back-of-house spaces are now fully finished, the stage engineering has been commissioned and the auditorium seating has started to be installed.
The paving along the Victoria St frontage, the riverside deck and the feature staircase in the foyer have also been completed.
The idea for the theatre was sparked by the closing of Hamilton’s Founders Theatre due to safety reasons in 2016.
Construction work on the $80 million, 1300-seat Waikato Regional Theatre started in 2021.
Sharp was announced as the theatre’s inaugural general manager in 2023.
In December last year, Live Nation New Zealand announced it would operate the new Waikato Regional Theatre in partnership with the trust.
Former H3 event delivery manager Michael Gilling started work for Live Nation as the theatre manager in March.
Danielle Zollickhofer is the Waikato news director and a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
