The First 50 Years - 1948 to 1998
Our list of past productions is finally making it online! As you'll see, we have some gaps, where the information for our early years is not yet available from our scrapbooks or archives. If you can help fill some gaps, please email us at [email protected].
Year Month Play Author Director
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1949
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July
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The Turning Point (a sketch)
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Alex Henderson
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Reg Harris
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1950
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tba
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1951
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July
August September September |
Plays and Sketches:
The Harem The Late Lamented Reuben Proposes (sketch) No 13 (sketch) One Act Plays: (to be confirmed) Fumed Oak Snake on Sunday Plays, sketches and items Two one-act plays and a sketch - Canterbury Women's Club |
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1952
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tba
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1953
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tba
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1954
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tba
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One Act Plays:
Desert Island Blues Fail Not Our Feast Parlour Game |
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1955
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March
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One Act Plays:
Can the Leopard Change His Spots Star Dust Miss Marlowe at Play |
Reg Harris |
Andy Anderson Gladys Crozier Alison Alston |
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1956
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April
May July August September November |
One Act Plays:
Burnt Pig Members of the Jury The Harem Joint one-act play evening with Rangiora Dramatic Society One Act Plays: Second Wedding It's Autumn Now The Calf Before the Hearse Joint one-act play evening with Christchurch Religious Drama Society One Act Plays: Companion to a Lady Eldorado Two Aunts and a Grandmother Waters of the Moon |
Philip Johnson Yves Cabrol Bernard Gilbert T B Morris N C Hunter |
Alison Alston Taura Henderson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson George McLeary Gladys Crozier |
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1957
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April
June August |
One Act Plays:
Colour Bar The Tawa Tree Rock Bottom One Act Plays: Strange Refuge Rugby Cycles The Valiant One Act Plays: Her Affairs in Order Moon on the Hill And Then There Were None |
Joe Corrie Nina Walker Hooke Mada Gage Bolton Glyn Griffiths R F Delderfield |
Pat Benson Alex Henderson Taura Henderson Gladys Crozier Taura Henderson Alex Henderson |
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1958
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July
October November |
One Act Plays:
The Gentle Rain Black Night The Affairs of Madame Parpot Morning Sacrifice Just for Fun (a revue) |
Anthony Booth John Bourne Yves Cabrol Dymphna Cusack Kenneth Horne |
Norma Muschamp George Benson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson |
|
1959
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April
July November |
One Act Plays:
The New Day Thicker Than Water The Fish One Act Plays: Confession by Proxy A Family Comedy 1840 Among those Present The Devil was Sick |
Dorothy S Cooper Wilson Barres Yves Cabrol Nora Ratcliff Majorie Bowen Aubrey Feist Kenneth Horne |
Alison Alston Gladys Crozier Alex Henderson Gladys Crozier Alex Henderson Hunter Bell |
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1960
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April
May July September November |
One Act Plays:
The Guilty Generation Possession Come Home My Children Small Hotel One Act Plays: Harlequinade The Truth About the Truth The Parpot Assassination Dear Charles The Sleeping Cutie |
Margaret Wood Laurence Houseman Margaret Turner Rex Frost Terence Rattigan Ben Levy Yves Cabrol Alan Melville C R Cook |
Alex Henderson Hunter Bell Hunter Bell Alex Henderson |
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1961
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April
June July November |
One Act Plays:
The Happy Journey Back to Zero Tony Ladies in Retirement One Act Plays: Madame de The Birds Sang On Fumed Oak The Barber of Bagdad |
Thornton Wilder Arthur Bax Edward Percy and Reginald Denham Jean Anounilh Max Raynor Noel Coward C R Cook and Taura Henderson |
Hunter Bell Alison Alston Guy Hammond Hunter Bell Alison Alston Alex Henderson Taura Henderson |
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1962
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March
May July October October |
One Act Plays:
Londonderry Air Symphony in Illusion The Ass and the Philosophers Breath of Spring One Act Plays: This Boy Connor Myself When Young I Spy One Act Plays: Moonshine Catherine Parr or Alexander's House Suppressed Desires The Admirable Crichton |
Rachel Fields James Wallace Bell Gwenyth Jones Peter Coke Anthony Booth Patricia Cox John Mortimer Arthur Hopkins Maurice Baring Susan Glaspell J M Barrie |
Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Alison Alston Lillian Charlton Ella Young Mai Willers Hunter Bell |
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1963
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March
May July November |
One Act Plays:
Dark Brown Drums of Deliverance The Scarecrow Count Your Blessings One Act Plays: Hanjo Candy Pink Collect Your Hand Baggage The Glazed Look |
Philip Johnson Aubrey Feist J A Ferguson Ronald Jeans Yokio Mishima J A S Coppard John Mortimer Terence Journet |
Jack Rodwell Hunter Bell J A Ferguson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Margaret Furby Hunter Bell Hunter Bell |
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1964
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March
May July September November |
One Act Plays:
The Godsend The Black Bag The Faithful Widow of Ephesus Death of a Salesman One Act Plays: Conversation with a Gollywog Lunch hour The Tricolour Suite JB Sinbad the Sailor |
Arthur Miller Alexander Guyan John Mortimer Peter Preston Archibald MacLeish |
Hunter Bell Alex Henderson Rosamund Heinz Hunter Bell Alex Henderson Dir: Hunter Bell MD: Andrea Beddie |
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1965
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March
June July November |
One Act Plays:
The Price of Perfection The American Dream Private Rooms Inherit the Wind One Act Plays: The Wedding A Night Out Rhyme and Treason Peter Pan |
Shelia Buckley Edward Albee J B Priestly Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee Anton Chekov Harold Pinter Terence Journet |
Alison Alston Robert Higson Robert Russell Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Hunter Bell Brian Cooper Hunter Bell |
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1966
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February
May July October December |
Gigi
Trelawny of the Wells One Act Plays: Salome Elektra The Dark Lady Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Dinner with the Family |
Collette
Sir Arthur Wing Pinero Oscar Wilde Brian Gallas George Bernard Shaw Raw Lawler Jean Anounilh |
Hunter Bell
Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Brain Gallas Helen Browning Hunter Bell Hunter Bell |
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1967
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March
May July September November |
One Act Plays:
The Request The Women of Troy Still Grows the Tawny Weed The Pohutakawa Tree One Act Plays: Song of Louise in the Morning A Resounding Tinkle Grave Expectations Time to Kill Billy Liar |
Ernest Adams Brian Gallas Joan Drury Calder Bruce Mason Patricia Joudrey N F Simpson Ernest Adams Diana Morgan Willis Hall |
Ernest Adams Hunter Bell Keith Cooke Brian Deavoll and Ron Hawkins Ivan Finlayson Ron Hawkins Alex Henderson Taura Henderson AlexHenderson |
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1968
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March
May July November |
One Act Plays:
Shade for Ginger The Dreamland Tree The Paradoxical Quest The Ballad of the Sad Café One Act Plays: The Death of Bessie Smith Next Door The Brain Factory Major Barbara |
Gary Lynch Mollie Elder Wayne Tourell Edward Albee Edward Albee J P McKinney Brian Cooper George Bernard Shaw |
Ivan Finlayson John Milligan Hunter Bell Hunter Bell Brian Deavoll Sue Ryan Alex Henderson Hunter Bell |
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1969
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February
March May July October November |
The Glass Menagerie
One Act Plays: Pidgeon Park on a Tuesday Night The Spoof The Prospect And the Big Men Fly One Act Plays: Sotoba Komachi Picnic on the Battlefield The Lady Aoi Winter Journey The Madwoman of Chaillot |
Tennessee Williams
Brian Cooper Wendy De La Bere N A Griffiths Alan Hopgood Yukio Mishama Fernando Arrabal Yukio Mishama Clifford Odet Jean Giraudoux |
Alex Henderson
Taura Henderson Ivan Finlayson Hunter Bell Hunter Bell Sue Ryan Brian Deazoll Alex Henderson Brian Deavoll Alex Henderson |
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1970
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March
May July October |
One Act Plays:
Getting and Spending One Potato, Two Potatoes The Crate Zero Inn One Act Plays: Night School The Coffee Lace Alfie |
David Campton Gerald Lynch Brian Cooper Bruce Mason Harold Pinter John Bowen Bill Naughton |
Stewart Robertson Alex Henderson Ivan Finlayson Alex Henderson Hunter Bell Alex Henderson Hunter Bell |
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1971
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April
May August September November |
Jenusia
Tom Jones One Act Plays: Robbie Chamber Music Number Ten Lovers - Winners/Losers The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds |
Rene de Obaldia
Joan Macalpine John Michell Arthur Kopit Iris Thomas Brian Friel Paul Zindel |
Alex Henderson
Hunter Bell Stewart Robertson Brian Deavoll Hunter Bell Alex Henderson Brian Deavoll |
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1972
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February
March May August November |
The Promise
One Act Plays: The Old Tune A Matter of Sheep and Goats The Trials of Brother Jero The Visit One Act Plays: The Transformed peasant It's Only a Game, Mr Simpson Lunchtime Concert Ring Round the Moon |
Aleksei Arbuzov
Robert Pinget Richard Boraman Wole Soyinka Friedrich Durreamatt Ludvig Holbert Richard Boraman Olwen Wymarck Jean Anouilh |
Alex Henderson
Robin Queree Stewart Robertson Alison Alston Hunter Bell Alex Henderson Stewart Robertson Alison Alston Hunter Bell |
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1973
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March
April May August October November |
The Changing Room
Under Milk Wood Orpheus Descending One Act Plays: The Technicians Ritual for Dolls The Sterilisation of Joey-Boy Slow Dance on the Killing Ground A Scent of Flowers |
David Storey
Dylan Thomas Tennessee Williams Olwen Wymark George MacEwen Green Dorothy Rice William Hanley James Saunders |
Hunter Bell
John Milligan and Leslie Collingwood Alex Henderson Alison Alston Alex Henderson Stewart Robertson Brian Deavoll Stewart Robertson |
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1974
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January
April May July October November |
Around the World in 80 Days
One Act Plays: Gum & Goo The Typists Why Bournemouth Tomorrow Will Be a Lovely Day One Act Plays: The Last Three Days Frankie and Albert The Love Course The Dream House Sweeney Todd the Barber |
Eve Hughs
Howard Brenton Murray Schiegal John Antrobus Craig Harrison Beryl Dowson Elwil Hughes A R Gurney Philip King and Falkland L Carey Brian J Burton |
Hunter Bell
Doug Clarke Stewart Robertson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Stewart Robertson and Liz Robinson Elizabeth Hawes Stewart Robertson Taura Henderson |
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1975
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February
May June July September November |
Eh!
One act plays: The Altruist in Spite of Himself All Hallows Eve Black Banner Day One act plays: Used Car for Sale The First Date One act plays: They Play That at Funerals Don't They? He Who Dances Treed The Fantasticks Love Rides the Rails |
Henry Living
Marie Bullock Bill Black K M Henderson Lewis J Carlino Sheila Stowe Marjorie Brooke-White Dorothy Rice Craig Harrison Tom Jones and Harvey L Schmidt Morland Cary |
Alex Henderson
Peter Hart Helen White Gladys Thin Alex Henderson Elizabeth Hawes Stewart Robertson Alex Henderson Dir: Brian Deavoll MD: Eric Cornwall Ch: Berryl MacLeod Taura Henderson |
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1976
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January
March April July August September December |
Temptation Sordid
Burning Bright One act plays: Dundonalds Return Identakit Family Business Knightsbridge One act plays: One Season's King Suddenly Last Summer Adaption Crime on Goat Island The House of Blue Leaves |
Winifred Phelps
John Steinbeck W N Black Marjorie Brooke-White W N Black John Mortimer George MacEwan Green Tennessee Williams Elaine May Ngo Betti John Guare |
Alex Henderson
Brian Davis Gladys Thin June McFarlane Les Bush Alex Henderson Alex Henderson Gladys Thin Stewart Robertson Taura Henderson Brian Deavoll |
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1977
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February
March April May June August September September November November |
The House of Blue Leaves
One Act Plays: Sequence of Events Neither Here nor There The Fourth Chippendale Albert * There's a Girl in my Soup The Collector * One Act Plays: Black Comedy The Tiger Picnic on the Battlefield Happy Birthday Wanda June Next * Lock up Your Daughters The Bare Facts * |
John Guare
George MacEwan Green Oliver Wymark K Ruddiman Richard Harris Terence Frisby Naftali Yavin Peter Schaffer Murray Scisgal Fernando Arrakal Kurt Vonnegut Terrence McNally Bernard Miles Janet Monroe |
Brian Deavoll
Alex Henderson Stewart Robertson Craig Dixon and Pat McLauchlan Gladys Thin Alex Henderson Michael West Gladys Thin Alison Alston Andrew J Davidge Stewart Robertson Alex Henderson Dir: Gladys Thin MD: Ranald McDonald Ch: Jean Jones Alex Henderson |
* Dinner theatre production presented at the Wine Cellar Restaurant
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1978
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March
March April May July September September November |
The Happy Apple
Run to the Round House Nellie, He Can't Corner You There * Something to Talk About * Anagrams One Act Plays: No Why When the Bough Breaks Life of Hercules - Page One The Perils of Priscilla * The Sea Blue Beard |
Jack Pulman
Schubert Fendrick Eden Phillpotts Barbara Hedley John Whiting Alistair Campbell Thomas Cruden Schubert Fendrick Edward Bond Trudy West |
Stewart Robertson
Gladys Thin Alison Alston Alex Henderson Andrew Davidge Alison Alston Gladys Thin Alex Henderson David Eddy Taura Henderson |
* Dinner theatre production presented at the Wine Cellar Restaurant
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1979
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February
May July August November November |
Writer's Cramp
A Song at Twilight One Act Plays: Ephemera Two Zero Lysistrata Old King Cole Sweet Bird of Youth Off the Rails |
John Byrne
Noel Coward Joe V Graber Aristophanes, Trans-lated by Dudley Fitts Ken Campbell Tennessee Williams John Waterhouse |
Alex Henderson
Alison Alston Alex Henderson Gladys Thin David Eddy Gladys Thin Alex Henderson |
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1980
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March
June December |
The Loves of Cass McGuire
One Act Plays: The Bald Prima Donna The Lesson The Royal Astrologers |
Brian Friel
Eugene Ionesco Eugene Ionesco Willis Hall |
Alison Alston
Don McAra David Bridges David Bridges |
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1981
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March
May September November |
The Enquiry
Hayfever Everything in the Garden Waltz of the Toreadors |
Charlotte Hastings
Noel Coward Giles Cooper Jean Anouilh |
Guus de Koster
Alison Alston Mary de Koster Brian Brodie |
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1982
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March
June August September November |
The One Day of the Year
Love on the Dole One Act Plays: Next The Boat Bodies The Poet and the Women |
Alan Seymour
Walter Greenwood, adapted by Ronald Gow Terrence McNally Jill Shearer James Saunders Aristophanes |
Guus de Koster
David Bridges Michele Harrodon-Graham Barry Southam Barry Grant Juliet Robinson |
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1983
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January
March May June July September November December |
A Talent to Amuse
Equus Missionary Positions Alphabetical Order One Act Plays (in conjunction with Riccarton Players): Cocaloony Key (Elmwood) A Slight Accident (Elmwood) The American Dream (Riccarton) Crown Matrimonial Playboy of the Western World A Talent to Amuse (a repeat season) |
John Jeffries
Peter Shaffer Barry Southam Michael Frayn Tennessee Williams James Saunders Edward Albee Royce Ryton J M Synge John Jeffries |
John Jeffries
Claire Marsh Barry Southam David Bridges Elizabeth O'Connor Barry Grant Doug Clarke Barry Grant Dawn Somerville John Jeffries |
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1984
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March
April May August October |
Veronica's Room
The House of Bernada Alba Cabaret Abigail's Party The Constant Wife |
Ira Levin
Fererico Garcia Lora Joe Masteroff, John Kander and Fred Ebb Mike Leigh Somerset Maugham |
Claire Marsh
David Bridges Dir: Barry Grant MD: Sue Eason & John Jeffries Ch: Debbie Davids Elizabeth Moody June Harvest |
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1985
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February
April May June July August October November |
Hitler Dances
Confusions The Tale of the Red Dragon Present Laughter One Act Plays: California Greasepaint Escape Tennessee Middle Age Spread Your Bed or Mine? Clouds |
Howard Brenton
Alan Ayckbourn Alfred Bradley Noel Coward Barry Southam Barry Southam Romulus Linney Roger Hall Barry Southam Michale Frayn |
Doug Clarke
Claire Marsh June Harvest John Jeffries Doug Shields Carolyn Davies Barry Grant Moreen Eason Barry Southam Barry Grant |
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1986
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March
April May June July September November |
Butterflies are Free
Stage Struck Old King Cole Pass the Butler One Act Plays: The Inhabitants Wild Card Ritual for Dolls Like Father Like Daughter Pardon Me, Prime Minister |
Leonard Gershe
Simon Gray Eric Idle Olwen Wymark Barry Southam George MacEwan Green Barry Southam Edward Taylor and John Graham |
Andrew Davidge
Claire Marsh Heather Giles Doug Clarke Alison Erikson Barry Southam Andrew Davidge Barry Southam Thomas Brown |
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1987
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February
April May June August October December |
Lucky for Some
Brimstone and Treacle The Incredible Vanishing That Scoundrel Scapin Marmalade Aitkins in Space Measure for Measure Fifty Fifty |
John Dole
Dennis Potter Denise Boffey Moliere Richard Davis William Shakespeare Roger Hall |
Doug Clarke
Annabelle Corbett Chris Stachurski Paul Harrington David Thomas Doug Clarke Pat Harris |
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1988
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February
April May October November |
Boeing, Boeing
Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone? The Wizard of Oz, the Original Story Female Transport The Good Doctor |
Marc Canoletti
Terrance McNally Doug Clarke Steve Gooch Neil Simon |
David Thomas
Pat Harris Heather Giles Doug Clarke Rozena Hallum and Lin Clark |
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1989
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January
March May June July November |
David Niven: His Life and Stories
Golden Moments - A Victorian Soiree The Dancing Donkey Abelard and Heloise NZ Laughs - One Act Plays: * A Kind of Image (Elmwood) Hot Water |
Barry Grant
Pat Harris Eric Voss Ronald Millar Barry Grant Roger Hall |
Barry Grant
Dir: Pat Harris MD: Terry McGowan Nicola Wellbourn Lin Clark and Rozena Hallum Ann Bartlett |
* Joint with Peripatetic Players and St Christopher's Drama Group
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1990
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May
July August October November |
Skungpoomery
One Act Plays: The Gin Game The Old Man and the Sea (a reading) The White Liars Shock Treatment A Christmas Carol |
Ken Campbell
D L Coburn Ernest Hemmingway Peter Shaffer Richard O'Brien Mervyn Glue |
Heather Giles
Hallum & Clark Hallum & Clark Ann Bartlett Dir: Doug Clarke Brian Brodie |
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1991
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April
May July August October December |
Prisoners of Mother England
Gaslight One Act Plays: * No Why A Kind of Missle A Midsummer Night's Dream Yerma Our Town |
Roger Hall
Patrick Hamilton John Whiting Barry Grant William Shakespeare Federico Garcia Lorca Thornton Wilder |
Doug Clarke
Ann Bartlett Richard Muller Barry Grant Lex Matheson Gregory Smith Gregory Smale |
* Joint production with Scarab Theatre, who performed Bars by Gillian Gould and Kate Hood, directed by Kate Hamilton
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1992
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March
April May July September November |
Habeas Corpus
Shakers Cinderella One Act Plays: Flying Deep End The Winters Tale Christmas Crackers |
Alan Bennett
Jon Godber and Jane Thornton Roger Hall Barry Grant Bruce Goodman William Shakespeare Willis Hall |
Barry Grant
Doug Clarke Heather Giles Barry Grant Julie Armstrong Lex Matheson Tom Vavasour |
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1993
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April
May August December |
Accidental Death of an Anarchist
School for Clowns One Act Plays: Jigsaw Secundus One Warrior's War Not Now, Darling |
Dario Fo
F K Waechter Bruce Goodman Bruce Goodman Barry Grant Ray Cooney and John Chapman |
Tom Vavasour
Lex Matheson Bruce Goodman Lex Matheson Barry Grant Barry Grant |
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1994
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April
May November |
On Golden Pond
The Adventures of Awful Knawful! Wind in the Branches of the Sassafras |
Ernest Thompson
Peter Flannery and Mick Ford Rene de Obaldia |
Ann Bartlett
Barry Grant Barry Grant |
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1995
|
March
May |
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Goldisnowerellahood |
Dale Wasserman
Bronwyn Elsmore |
Tom Vavasour
Heather McMenamin |
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1996
|
February
April September November |
Old King Cole
Rosancrantz and Guilderstern are Dead Ten Times Table Outside Edge |
Ken Campbell
Tom Stoppard Alan Ayckbourn Richard Harris |
Ian Beswick
Tom Vavasour Barry Grant Heather Giles |
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1997
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March
May July October November |
The Magic Hand
Noises Off Winter Shorts - One Act Plays: The New Quixote Fault Open Home Chook Chook Wyrd Sisters Abducting Diane |
Phillip Mann
Michael Frayn Michael Frayn Tim Barcode Marilyn Ollett Fiona Farrell Stephen Briggs Dario Fo |
Adrienne Watson
Barry Grant Marilyn Ollett Sam Fisher Marily Ollett Barry Grant Tom Vavasour Sam Fisher |
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1998
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March
May July October November |
Death by Chocolate
The Cemetery Club Winter Shorts: Uncle Jimmy No Clues at Tudor Close Oh, Kaikoura! Amadeus Two plays: Boris The Real Inspector Hound |
Barry Grant
Ivan Menchell James Stewart Tim Barcode Barry Grant Peter Shaffer Barry Grant Tom Stoppard |
Barry Grant
Peter Meikle James Stewart Katherine Coleman Barry Grant Peter Meikle Tamzin Darragh Sam Fisher |
There are some full length plays and seasons of one act plays from the early to mid 1950s for which we don't know the dates, or even the exact year. Research is continuing, but if you can help, please email us at [email protected].
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TBA
1950s 1990s |
tba
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One Act Plays:
The Illusionist Master Dudley The Ghost of Albert Edward One Act Plays: Queen's Token The Vixen and the Grapes No Weeds for the Widow One Act Plays: The Bishop's Candlesticks In a Glass Darkly The Spinsters of Lavender Lane One Act (as part of other sketches & speeches): Red Sky at Night One Act Plays: Roundabout The Foolishness of God The Telephone Never Rings One Act Plays: Man Unknown Church Street Wedding Eve The Sacred Flame The Late Edwina Black One Act Plays: Sequence of Events The Thymes of Emma Albert |
Victor Lucas Lennox Robinson Pearl Wren Somerset Maugham Somerset Maugham George MacEwan Green David Thomas Richard Harris |
Hunter Bell Pearl Wren George Benson Eric Bates Doug Clarke David Thomas Andrew Davidge |