Familiar faces appointed as regional theatre directors
Two of Hamilton’s arts and entertainment leaders have been enlisted to help run the show – when there are finally shows to be run – at the city’s new theatre.
Deborah Nudds, who manages the nearby Meteor Theatre, and Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival chairman Chris Williams have been appointed as directors on the Waikato Regional Theatre Operating Company.
The pair have decades of venue, performing arts and business management experience. The theatre, now under construction in the southern end of the central city will be owned by the Waikato Regional Property Trust which was formed by Momentum Waikato, the community foundation leading the project and driving its fundraising.
Nudds and Williams will join three of the theatre’s trustees, Ross Hargood, Belinda Mulgrew and Scott Ratuki, to form the theatre company’s inaugural board. One of their first tasks will be the appointment of a general manager.
Advertising closed at the end of June and an announcement on who will fill the role is due in a few weeks’ time.
The Waikato Regional Theatre is due to open with its first shows in mid-2024. Nudds has been managing The Meteor since 2014, overseeing its meteoric rise in activity. Her previous successes include founding the Metropolis Cafe´ – a now-closed favourite haunt of the city’s more creative residents.
‘‘The Waikato Regional Theatre will sit at the top of the local performing arts eco-system – a modern fit-for-purpose space. I put my hand up for this role to help ensure that it is a community asset as well as a commercial success, which will be hard but not impossible.’’
Williams has worked in the creative field his entire working life. During the day he runs local advertising and marketing agency King
St, which he has led since 1999.
He has been chairman of the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival for the last 10 years; was the foundation chairman of Creative Waikato and the Clarence St Theatre Trust; and set up The Porch Recording Studio. A composer and musician, Williams has created two stage musicals that have been performed in Hamilton and around New Zealand.
‘‘The theatre will put us on the map with local, national and international acts. Being in the middle of the CBD will drive its re-invigoration and be a real catalyst for further change.
‘‘This will be about following a few basics – getting the right people in place, formulating a plan, setting the budgets and targets, forming the right networks, putting together a smart programme, then helping the team make sure we stick to it all.’’
Hargood, the trust’s chairman, said the enterprise would deliver the services to be expected from a major theatre, while striking a balance between commercial and community demands.