About Artworks Community Theatre
Kia ora and welcome to
Te Whare Tapere o Waiheke!
Artworks Community Theatre (‘Te Whare Tapere o Waiheke’ – the house of entertainment) is one of Waiheke greatest attractions. Being a multidisciplinary performing arts hub, you can enjoy a diversity of shows and events, from dance, comedy, music to theatre. With a passionate team we constantly ensure all guests, performers and directors have the best possible experience from enjoying efficient processes and systems to experiencing a clean and safe artistic environment.
We are proudly the largest venue on the island. So if you are considering bringing a show to the island have a chat with our friendly team. We have all you need to make those dreams come to life, no matter how big or small. We have a full liquor license and options for standing or seated events and functions. For hiring enquiries email us on: info@artworkstheatre.org.nz
Meet our commited team
Josh Clark
Josh Clark is a singer, pianist and conductor from Waiheke Island. In recent years, he has worked on a number of major professional NZ theatrical productions, including the New Zealand premiere of Pasek and Paul’s Edges, Billy Elliot, Pleasuredome, Saturday Night Fever, City of 100 Lovers, CATS NZ National Tour, ONCE the Musical, and We Will Rock You, as well as producing and headlining an Elton John show, Im Still Standing - An Elton John Experience. Josh works regularly as a pianist and singer in many musical genres; from choral and operatic through to Rock n Roll and Jazz. This year, he launched JCM Productions a boutique music and entertainment company. He regularly performs himself as a singer & pianist, works as a massage therapist, enjoys practising yoga regularly and books artists for a variety of performance spaces.
Jeanine Clarkin
Jeanine Clarkin comes from a fashion and costume background. Spending much of her childhood frolicking in the wool sack rag bags playing dress ups at her parents recycling centre in Taupo to escape the humdrum of everyday life and her 8 siblings. Her first real interaction with major theatre was while studying in fashion in Wellington and her exposure to Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School, an interest and whanau network that has kept her interest up over the years. As a board member Jeanine serves the community drawing on whanaungatanga (relationships) in Maori Theatre, relevant local NZ stories and encouraging youth.
Andrew Ford
Qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1996 with accounting experience dating back to 1986 with News International in London. Prior to that he came from a farming background near Tikitiki, East Cape with a 1980 Diploma in Agriculture from Lincoln University! However he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce at Auckland University in 1995. I started out life as a Shepherd, became a Farm manager. After a few years overseas, went back to university (Auckland) for a change of career. Now residing on Waiheke for the last 15 or more years. Our two sons mostly grew up here and now I enjoy giving back to Waiheke.
Wendy Kendall
From a young age Wendy Kendall has always had performing arts as a key part of her life. From the age of 10 years, she started Jazz dance classes at The Julie Cotter Dance School. This progressed into her performing professionally as a dancer at functions, fashion shows and community events. In 2002 Wendy decided to start up a dance school called “Popdance” in order to fill a niche. After 6 years, the school transformed into ‘Waiheke Island Students Performance Arts’. Wendy has also been largely involved in ‘Otherworlds’ costume hire, housing a huge variety of props and costumes for the community to utlise. She has joined the board to share her life experience and provide a connection between the various arts groups on the island.
Stacey Pretorius
Stacey grew up in Auckland and has always shared a passion for the arts, whether that be in, acting, presenting to groups, or singing and playing piano in performances. More recently, her background has been in relationship management and events in the not for profit sector. She studied a Bachelor of Arts in Event Management at Auckland University of Technology and has worked for International organisations, TEARFund and Child Rescue NZ. She has recently moved to Waiheke and is eager to get started with the incredible team at Artworks Theatre.
Kashmir Postel
Performing arts has always been at the centre of Kashmir’s life with polynesian dance as her first artistic expression at the age of six years old. From there Kashmir went onto studying dance and drama after school. Victoria University is Wellington is where she fell in love with theatre in a new light! It became a medium for communicating hope, values and love into the community. Kashmir went on to tour an annual puppet show around Indonesian schools, educating children about plastic and sustainability. 4 years later Kashmir now spends her time on Waiheke, helping our community theatre to grow and blossom! She loves working in the theatre as she gets to help people discover their potential and guides them to create the best possible show or event.
Alisha Paul
Alisha grew up on Waiheke and has been involved with Artworks since a very young age, performing in Kaleidoscope productions. Since discovering her love of performing back then, she continued to pursue performing arts. She gained a Bachelor of Performing and Screen arts from Unitec in 2009 and since then has worked in the industry here in NZ and also a short stint in the UK. She's been involved with Red Leap Theatre, Short & Sweet festival, 48hour film festival, TV production work, Art in the Dark festival and numerous Basement theatre shows. She now teaches drama to children on the Island and continues to be a professional DJ. You may spot her on the odd TV commercial. She is extremely grateful to be involved in the growth of this incredible creative space and is excited to see it thrive!
Jemma Peterson
Jemma’s career started organising complex travel itineraries for Air New Zealand's elite high-flyers. On the side was a leader of the Social Club, organising cabaret and burlesque-themed Christmas parties. This lead her naturally into Event Management with Wild On Waiheke, organising corporate and private events to include travel, dining, team-building and entertainment experiences since 2014. Outside of work, you could find Jemma on or behind the stage assisting local music events & shows at Artworks Theatre. What started as a hobby soon became a strong passion and since 2018 she has been a part of the Theatre's team in varying roles from Bar to General management. Jemma loves helping provide a platform for local and professional artists to express themselves and their work ranging from comedy, plays, concerts and festivals, whilst taking the audiences along for the journey. "Artworks Theatre is a treat to the local and wider Community providing quality entertainment for everyone involved!"
Sam Downes
Samuel Downes trained as an actor and theatre technician at Hagley Theatre Company in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2003-2004 and continued his training at Toi Whakaari Performance and Technology Course in Wellington, 2005, plus MAINZ in 2011 and The NZ Film School in 2012. Sam's job descriptions in Professional and Community theatres over more than a decade in Wellington, Christchurch, a New Zealand tour and more recently Waiheke, have ranged from light and sound design, rigging and operating lights and sound to set construction, technical assistance and backstage work, bar and hospitality, and as an actor. In 2007 Sam relocated to Waiheke and since 2017 has been House Technician at Artworks Theatre.
Amelia Reid
Amelia has always been passionate for the Arts, from the age of 5 she became involved with The World of Wearable Arts which was the catalyst for her career as an actress. She worked with WOW for over 15 years and toured internationally with the WOW troupe. As a kid from a farm in Wakefield it was this experience on tour seeing the world that led her to work in some of the remote parts of Cambodia teaching acting and dance. She then decided to take the leap of faith and commit to this as a life choice. She attended prestigious Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School where she graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts. It was at Toi she met fellow classmate Shadon Meredith, now Husband and father of their son Arlo, they set up their own theatre company and have gone on to direct and devised theatre together. In 2017 they won the Nelson Fringe Awards and then the 2020 Whangarei Fringe Award with their show Waiting. Although Amelia’s heart lies in Theatre she made her name in the screen world playing beloved character Bella Cooper on Shortland Street for over six years. Since leaving Shortland Street Amelia has work on two major feature films and has just finished shooting on a secret Netflix Series! Covid led the little family to Waiheke Island and they couldn’t be more happy about it, especially becoming involved with the Artworks family so quickly!