On Stage and Beyond: Creative Collaboration

Being part of Ki Ngā Whetū – To The Stars, the civic opening performances of the new BNZ Waikato Regional Theatre, is an experience I know I will carry with me for a long time.

From my place both on stage and quietly observing from the wings, I was aware that this moment was about far more than the opening of a building. After ten years since Founders Theatre closed, this was a long-awaited homecoming for many and a reopening not just of doors, but of possibility. At the heart of it all was our beautiful arts community.

The building itself is undeniably stunning but what felt most powerful throughout this opening show process was the gathering of people.

More than 450 performers, artists and creatives from across the Waikato came together to tell a local story shaped by local voices.

This was not a production brought in from elsewhere. It was created by the people who live, work and make art here. That sense of ownership and pride was palpable, both on stage and behind the scenes.

As someone working at Creative Waikato, I experienced this project from a slightly unique position. While the organisation did not have a direct hand in producing the opening show, I was there as a performer, waiting in the wings alongside fellow creatives (momentarily taking off the CW hat).

Alongside my own involvement, I also witnessed talented CW colleagues contributing their skills through their own creative practices to elements of the show’s development.

It offered a rare “fly on the wall” perspective, allowing me to see the kind of creative collaboration we often talk about here in theory unfolding in real life.

What I was fortunate to witness was not only collaboration in performance, but collaboration in creation. Original scores were composed, stories were written and devised, choreography was developed, and visual elements were crafted and built through collective effort. Every layer of the work was shaped through conversation, trust and shared storytelling, drawing strongly from the talent that exists here in our region.

Behind the performance audiences saw was a process grounded in care and guided by thoughtful leadership. Rehearsal rooms became spaces where artists from different disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experience levels were welcomed in, connected with one another, and felt valued for the unique skills and perspectives they brought. People showed up, often after long days and busy lives, with deep commitment to the collective vision.

The leadership of the creative team set the tone for this environment. Their unwavering care, kindness, and belief in the arts community created a space where everyone felt safe to bring themselves fully into the work. That kind of leadership does more than create a beautiful performance. It leaves a lasting imprint on everyone involved.

One of the most meaningful parts of this process for me was how many familiar faces it brought together. Across rehearsals and production weeks, I kept running into people I have shared theatre spaces with over the years, sometimes briefly and sometimes in really formative ways. There was something incredibly wholesome about reconnecting through making art together again.

This kind of reunion is one of the quiet gifts of working in the arts. Relationships are carried over time, and when they resurface through shared creative work, they bring trust, shared language and a genuine sense of belonging. Being part of a celebration that held not only new beginnings, but also highlighted these connections, was a powerful reminder of the value of creative community.

Equally striking was the work of the production team. Many were experienced professionals who have long been part of our community’s creative spaces, operating as a well-oiled machine under a tight timeframe. Their skill, calm leadership and problem-solving were instrumental in bringing the vision to life.

This production pushed the new theatre to its absolute limits, technically, logistically and creatively, while at the same time revealing its strengths and potential as a home for ambitious and beautiful creations.

What struck me most was the ripple effect of it all. Projects like this do not end on opening night. They build confidence, spark new relationships and remind creatives, and the wider community, of what is possible when collaboration is placed at the centre. They strengthen the ecosystem in ways that cannot always be seen, but can absolutely be felt.

As the final notes of “Tu Tira Mai Nga Iwi” echoed through the theatre and the lights came down, it felt less like an ending and more like a beginning. Ki Ngā Whetū – To The Stars was a celebration not only of a new theatre, but of the people who fill it with meaning! It highlighted, so clearly, the strength, diversity and heart of the Waikato creative community.

Here’s to many more years of magic, storytelling and collective creativity on and beyond this new stage and home.

Written by: Hannah Doherty, Creative Waikato team member