Wow! Productions is a professional theatre co-operative based in Dunedin, New Zealand. It performs in non-theatre spaces, described by one reviewer as "weird and wonderful venues".
The co-operative began in 1996 and is run by a charitable trust, whose membership is Martyn Roberts, Cindy Diver, Alison Finigan, Hilary Halba, Lisa Warrington, Donna Agnew, Peter Chin, Courtney Drummond, and Liesel Mitchell. Productions have been mounted in pubs, clubs, art galleries, community halls, an accountancy office, a hairdressing salon, a cathedral crypt and a railway station, where the production included use of a real train.
Its 2020 production of New Zealand theatre classic The End of the Golden Weather was described as a "gift to the community".
Production history Date Production Author Director VenueSept 1996Saving Grace (NZ)Duncan SarkiesDavid O'DonnellFortune Studio TheatreNov 1996Dancing at Lughnasa(Ireland)Brian FrielLisa WarringtonTransport Gallery, Otago Settlers Museum.May 1997Twelfth Night (England)ShakespeareLisa WarringtonAllen Hall TheatreOctober 1997Unidentified Human Remains & the True Nature of Love (Canada)Brad FraserRichard HuberManhattan Theatre space, Moray PlaceNovember 1997Tzigane (NZ)John VakidisHilary NorrisOtago Settlers Museum foyerJune-July 1998Arcadia (England)Tom StoppardLisa WarringtonDunedin Public Art Gallery (as part of Science Festival).August 1998Two Weeks With the Queen
(Australia)Mary Morris/
Morris GleitzmanHilary NorrisMary Hopewell Theatre, Dunedin College of Education. Featuring Danny Still, Richard Carrington, Sara Connor, Julian Wilson, Gemma Carroll.October 1998Goldie (NZ)Peter HawesDavid O'DonnellRehearsed reading in Dunedin Public Art Gallery during Goldie exhibition.March 1999 One Flesh (NZ)Fiona SamuelLisa WarringtonFortune Theatre. Cast included Cindy Diver, Ronn Kjestrup, Richard Huber, Rachel Wallis, Patrick Davies, Sarah Entwistle, Edwin Wright.June-July 1999Whaea Kairau: Mother Hundred-Eater (NZ)Apirana TaylorRichard HuberOtago Museum Special Exhibitions Gallery (in partnership with Kilimogo Productions). Cast included: Hilary Norris, Anya Tate-Manning, Patrick Davies, Julie Edwards, Rangimoana Taylor, Martin Phelan, Keri Hunter, Richard Huber, Maaka Pohatu.February 2000The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Ireland)Martin McDonaghRichard HuberFortune Studio Theatre, with Hilary Norris, Karin Reid, Danny Still and Ronn KjestrupMay 2000Horseplay (NZ)Ken DuncumGary HendersonFortune Theatre, with Peter Hayden, Simon O'Connor, Hilary Norris and Sara Connor.October 2000An Unseasonable Fall of Snow (NZ)Gary HendersonRachel MoreRuby in the Dust, Octagon, for the Inaugural Otago Festival of the Arts. With Lloyd Edwards, Matt Dwyer and Nick Dunbar.September 2001Collected Stories (USA)Donald MarguliesPatrick DaviesCarnegie Gallery, Moray Place. With Hilary Norris and Mel Dodge.September 2001Autowalk (NZ)Barbara Carey, Antony Partridge & Stayci TaylorDirected by the devisorsArc CafēNov- Dec 2001Blue Smoke (NZ)Rawiri Paratene & Murray LynchLisa WarringtonRuby in the Dust, OctagonSeptember 2002Hitting 50 (NZ)Sue McCauleyTony McCaffreyCourt 2 Christchurch & Fortune Studio Theatre.April-May 2004Miss Julie
(Sweden/NZ)August Strindberg, translation by Ted NyeHilary NorrisPlayhouse Theatre DunedinSept-Oct 2004Cherish (NZ)Ken DuncumLisa WarringtonDunedin Public Art Gallery, for Otago Festival of the Arts. Sept–Oct 2006Lines of Fire (NZ)Gary HendersonLisa WarringtonDunedin Railway Station, for Otago Festival of the Arts & 10th anniversary WOW! celebration. Featuring Barbara Carey, Sara Connor-Best, Cindy Diver, Hilary Halba, Sarah McDougall.December 2007Hairway to Heaven (NZ)Sarah McDougallLisa WarringtonOtago Polytechnic Hairdressing salon, with Barbara Power (a trained hairdresser), Sara Georgie Tunoka, Julie Edwards, Simon O'Connor and Phoebe Smith.March 2008Tracey and Traci (NZ)Hilary Halba, Barbara Power, Clare AdamsClare AdamsPolson Higgs Accountancy OfficesOctober 2008The Cape (NZ)Vivienne PlumbSimon O'ConnorPlayhouse Theatre, as part of Otago Festival of the Arts. Producer Clare Adams. Cast James Lee, Luke Agnew, Matt Johl, Johnny Appleby.Sept/Oct 2009Glorious (NZ)Richard HuberPatrick DaviesFortune Theatre StudioOctober 2010Backwards in High Heels (NZ)Stuart HoarRichard HuberSundry community halls around Dunedin for the Otago Festival of the Arts, including St Martins Hall, Northeast Valley; Waitati Community Hall, St Mary's Church Hall, Mosgiel; Burns Hall, First Church; Port Chalmers Town Hall; Coronation Hall, Portobello; and Maori Hill Community Centre. Choreographed by Karyn Taylor, cast Dunedin actors Patrick Davies, Anna Henare and Clare Adams.March 2014Milk Milk Lemonade (USA)Joshua ConkelAnna Henare & Patrick DaviesSt Paul’s Cathedral Crypt, Octagon. Part of the 2014 Dunedin Fringe Festival.28 Aug/6 Sept
2015Farley’s Arcade: The Wildest Place in Town
(NZ)Richard Huber & othersRichard Huber/Lisa WarringtonSundry spaces in the Athenaeum Building, Octagon. Won 2015 Promotion of the Year at the Dunedin Theatre Awards.Jan 2018 and ongoingJourney of the Jura
(NZ)Emily Duncan (dramaturg, with cast)Anya Tate-ManningHeld in ‘Across the Ocean Waves’ exhibit at ToituApril to Nov 2019Party with the AuntiesErina Daniels (devised with the cast)Erina DanielsVarious venues in Paekakariki, Wellington, Feilding, Nelson, Thames, Paeroa, New Plymouth, Christchurch and Dunedin. "Skilful, heartwarming entertainment".July 2019The FlickAnnie BakerLara MacgregorAt Allen Hall TheatreNov 2020The End of the Golden Weather (NZ)Bruce MasonLisa WarringtonStarring Matt Wilson. At various locations around Dunedin, Oamaru, Mosgiel, Waitati
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