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  Welcome to the web home of Hamilton Playbox Repertory Society Incorporated Charities Commission registration number: CC42426 Greetings and welcome to the website for one of New Zealand's longest running dramatic societies. Within these pages you will find all you need to know about Hamilton Playbox. By following the links on the left you will learn about the upcoming productions and events, news and current happening at Playbox. There is extensive information about our history starting with our founding father Walter Russell-Wood, followed by an exhaustive list of our past shows since 1933 and then our past committee executive members, also since 1933. There is a page that explores the venues that Playbox have been involved with over the years. You will find a membership form that you can fill out online and submit, or download and post in. There is an extensive list of links to like minded websites and sponsors, photos of Playbox members 'playing up since 1933' and information on how to contact us. The current committee is working hard to keep bringing Hamilton top quality productions. To meet this fine group of individuals, scroll down now and meet the Hamilton Playbox committee. |
| updated on 7th of July 2010 |
 have a comment? send to playbox@playbox.org.nz design by thewiz |
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Mark
Perry - President In 1991 (19 years ago!) I was dragged along to Riverlea by a work colleague were I started out as a stagehand for "Stepping Out". Since then I have been involved with many aspects of theatre (lighting design and operation, sound design and operation, props, stage manager, bar manager, set construction, etc) in productions too numerous to count. It is not unusual for me to be somehow involved in most (if not all) productions at Riverlea Theatre. |
| Greg Hack - Vice President Gudday. Having been involved with Riverlea theatre for just over seven years I have been involved with most of the productions in some form or other, be it on stage, off stage, behind the bar or front of house. Being part of the Playbox committee adds another notch to my theatrical belt and it is an aspect of theatre life that I am very proud to be a part of. I have just completed my degree in theatre studies at Waikato University and am studying this year to become a Secondary School Drama teacher. I would like to thank the other members of the committee for taking me on board and I hope that I am in some way able to help with the smooth running of Playbox as we forge our way into the years to come. Cheers. |
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Charlotte Isaac - Secretary My first involvement with Playbox was in the role of Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1996. Since then I have been involved in several productions, most recently as Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest in 2008. I have been on the committee since 2007, am on the Riverlea Theatre board, and enjoy being involved in all aspects of life at Riverlea Theatre from front of house to the stage. I am also a founding member and president of local theatre group Curiously Cut Productions Inc, and have taught speech and drama and children's theatre. In my spare time I am a commercial lawyer at McCaw Lewis Chapman. |
| Lorna Ashton - Treasurer Joined the Riverlea family 1988. Musikmakers committee member for many years rising to President and achieving the Long Service Medal. Joined Playbox committee 2004, third year running as Treasurer. I spent quite a few years abroad working in community cable t-v and worked in schools and libraries both here and overseas with reading programmes and drama classes. I was pivotal in the Community Arts Council in Huntly and assisted in founding clubs such as Country Music and Artists Club. I have met some interesting people during my life and my involvement at Riverlea Theatre and look forward with eager anticipation to the future. |
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Catherine Strawbridge - Committee Profile coming soon! |
| Ben Corcoran - Committee Oh Hai... Mother says I was found in a cabbage patch in 1981. Can't remember much about it, so presume was drunk at the time. Fast-forward 20ish years and I'm in a StageCraft class (with the estimable Mr McBride) learning that standing on a stage and lying to people is called acting. Done a lot of that since then - thanks mainly to two obscure writers called William Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, though no one seems to want to introduce me to them. Seems the least we could do is comp their tickets. In conclusion, the end. |
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Richard McBride - Committee Hi there, I first attended Riverlea theatre as a member of StageCraft, and in 2002 was the telephone repair man in 'Barefoot in the Park'. Over the years I have been in several StageCraft productions, but now that my studies are over (qualified as an Anaesthetic Technician) I look forward to being involved in the Playbox Committee and in the productions at Riverlea. |
| Joy
Shewan - Committee I have been involved with theatre, both musicals and drama, since Primary school. Some long gaps, but ultimately I seem to end up back here again! |
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Al Williamson - Committee I joined Playbox Repertory Theatre in 1949 and appeared on stage and directed two x one act plays for BDL Festivals. Realising that acting and directing actors was not for me, I developed an interest in technical theatre designing and building sets. But my main contribution contribution is lighting. My career in lighting has included design, rigging and directing lighting for plays and musicals throughout New Zealand and overseas. I am honoured to be a life member of both Hamilton Competitions Society and Playbox and was awarded a 1990 Commemorative Medal and later a QSM for services to theatre. |
