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Kia ora and Meri Kirihimete!
Welcome to our Christmas APPLAUSE panui. Thank you for your part in what is incredible year in our journey back to central Christchurch.
With joy (and a healthy dose of optimism) we're looking to 2023. Thank you for being a part of our theatre, supporting the performing arts, our actors and all the people that believe creativity is essential for us to thrive.
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We are thrilled to announce a huge boost to
the new building granted by Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage
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| Render images courtesy of Athfield Architects Limited (NZ) and Haworth Tomkins (London, UK).
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We have just received confirmation that the Hon Kiri Allan, Associate Minister for the Arts, Culture and Heritage, has made a conditional offer on behalf of the Government to grant up to $3,000,000 to the new Court Theatre Project, made in the seventh round (2022/23) of the Regional Culture and Heritage Fund.
So, this means our new theatre will receive a huge boost to construct its permanent home within the city’s Performing Arts Precinct. Noting our low carbon design, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage is pleased to see that The Court Theatre is embedding sustainability into our project to ensure an energy efficient future for all who participate and enjoy Theatre for Aotearoa.
“The project will add significant value to the culture of Aotearoa” said Glenis Philip-Barbara, Pou Mataaho o Te Hua, Deputy Chief Executive,
Delivery at Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. She notes that this is our place to not only share our history but create new stories.
The timing is excellent as we commence the build, and we truly delighted at this substantial stride forward in the project. A great piece of news to receive before Christmas! “I would just like to say a huge thanks to all of our team for all of the wonderful achievements of the year,” said Barbara George, Chief Executive of The Court. We offer our warmest thanks and season’s greetings to the Hon Kiri Allan, and all at Manatū Taonga.
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Our Artistic Director to lead
the new Court Theatre into the City
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Dr Alison Walls has been appointed the next Artistic Director of The Court Theatre. Chief Executive Barbara George is thrilled, “Alison was chosen from an Australasian search, drawing a strong field of artists, including a number of New Zealanders currently overseas.”
As Artistic Director, Alison will drive the artistic vision for The Court Theatre that extends beyond 2023 and includes our new purpose-designed home. Alison says “I am exhilarated and humbled to be chosen to lead the artistic vision of The Court Theatre for the next five years. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has made The Court such a remarkable theatre. It will be an especially rewarding experience to open a new building as Artistic Director, with inspiring and compelling work that both celebrates our rich history of 51 years and propels us into this next
exciting chapter.”
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Artistic Director Alison Walls looking over the new theatre site from the first floor at Tūranga.
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The team from the same spot with Athfield Architect’s Matthew Webby giving an update on the new building on the day Hawkins were appointed to build it.
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Read more about Alison here.
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The wonderful Penny Zino opened her beautiful Flaxmere Garden especially for us in November offering an opportunity to visit this Garden of International Significance and support the APPLAUSE.
The Court Theatre feels very blessed by the generosity of so many and thank the magnificent Friends of The Court Theatre for organising this beautiful event. A wonderful day was enjoyed in good company and raised over $20,000 for our new theatre.
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| Friends of The Court Theatre Committee Annie Bonifant (Chair), Pat Braithwaite and Charles Duke with Carolyne Grant.
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| Richard Luisetti, Annie and Carolyne are joined by Anna and James Guild at the Plant Stall!
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An impressive silent auction of donated plants from generous local garden centres and a plant sale featuring hard-to-find specimens propagated by Penny ensured gardeners left with a treat.
A panel of experts engaged in a fascinating discussion and Q&A. This included Director of Botanic Gardens and Garden Parks, Wolfgang Bopp, Dr Janet Cubey and Athol McCully and Penny Zino chaired elegantly by Julia Atkinson-Dunn.
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| Guests enjoying lunch and a chat with Penny on her veranda.
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| Dr Janet Cubey engaging the crowd as part of a fascinating panel discussion.
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All of this with music art and more was enjoyed in the exquisite setting of Penny's famous garden.
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| Flaxmere Garden, is a garden of International Significance which has been awarded a six-star rating by New Zealand Garden Trust.
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Artistic Director Alison Walls will speak at The Christchurch Club on Tuesday 4 April at as part of the 2023 Speaker Series Lunches.
A calendar of APPLAUSE events, exclusively for supporters. will be circulated early in the new year.
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Joining the APPLAUSE for The Court Theatre is a way to support of Christchurch’s ever-expanding cultural scene, and you are in great company. Be part of the act:
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Your gift to The Court in The City will ensure that our new theatre in the heart of Christchurch will continue to be a place of creativity, gathering and art.
We offer these supporters our gratitude in supporting our nimble and mighty Court Theatre’s return to creating theatre in the heart of our city.
APPLAUSE leadership gifts so far:
HERO: Ben Gough Family Foundation, Kaupapa Hiranga Tahua Lottery Significant Projects Fund, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Rātā Foundation, Sir Robert and Barbara, Lady Stewart, The Court Foundation, The Friends of The Court Theatre, The Ravenscar Trust.
LOVER: Catherine and David Boyer, Elizabeth Ball, Gabrielle Tasman and Ken Lawn, The Jones Family Trust (Murray and Sue Jones).
SAGE: Annie Bonifant and Richard Luisetti, Charlotte and Marcel Gray, Hall Cannon and Miles Refo, Robyn and the late Steve Richens, Ros and Philip Burdon.
CHORUS: Annabel and John Holland, Barbara George, Owen and Seb Novenski, Bea and Brian Stokes, Carla and Clark Martin, Fiona and Steven van der Pol, Jenny May and the late Julie King, Kaye and Neil McKenzie, Liz and Grant Lovell, Margaret Austin, Sandy and Clive Low, The Lees-Jefferies Family, Tina Duncan.
Other anonymous donors are also part of the APPLAUSE.
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PS. If you haven't seen RENT yet, please don’t miss out! Book your tickets online."So, if you’re a fan of musicals like, say, Les Miserables or Wicked, you’ll absolutely love RENT; it’s undeniably one of the best of its genre, and it’s hard to imagine Court Theatre’s production and cast being bettered." Theatreview. You can read the full review online.
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The Court Theatre
Bernard Street
Addington
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
Freephone: 0800 333 100 | Box Office: 963 0870
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