22 original pieces of theatre! A whooping 6 hrs of new performance work! Welcome to the Toi Whakaari Solos Season 2025.

Worlds range and collide in hospital waiting rooms, lonesome dreamscapes, loving tributes, acid-jazz ranting, monstrous dinner parties, undercover spy agencies and much, much more. These are the imaginings of a new and powerful generation of artists, full of heart, humour, politics and courage.

Solos is an investigation of performance and storytelling by the first year Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting) cohort and Bachelor of Performing Arts (Management) tauira across year levels. Facilitated by experienced artists, Acting tauira are encouraged to follow their interests and supported to create a short solo performance of their own devising. Devising solo work allows actors to have autonomy over body and story, and there are no restrictions on the form or content of their creations. Management tauira grow their skills in Production Management, Stage Management, Sound and Lighting Design, and Technical Operation, inside a devising process.

This collaboration allows these young artists to experiment and translate ideas into performance and storytelling, strengthen their working relationships, and make the kind of work they want to see in the world. 

This year solos are facilitated by Matu Ngaropo, Sean Rivera, Anya Tate-Manning, Theresa Hanaray and Alex Fisher, with support from Makini Calliste-Woollard, Erina Daniels, Selena Pirika, Emele Ugavule and Salesi Le’ota.

Solos have a long tradition at Toi Whakaari and many graduates have gone on to create longer solo works that tour the world, such as Jacob Rajan, Chris Parker and Kristyl Neho.

Each group event contains four or five 15 minute pieces, allowing audiences to enjoy a range of work and styles - a smorgasbord of theatre sure to delight!

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Tickets are on sale now!

Concession: $5 | Full Price: $10 | Book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/cc/toi-whakaari-solos-2025-4724173

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Find out which artists present in which Group:

Group A: Taniela Tukutukunga, Sonya Li-McHenry, Manahi Taoho, Hellena Faasili

Group B: Taame Collier, Tia Ormsby, Molly Tate, Cullan Rolton

Group C: Archie Smith, Ngareta-River Ingram, Majenta Gaffar, Heinrich Muller

Group D: Karmeehan Senthilnathan, Te A Kruger-Taylor, Rosie White, Maya McKree Jansen, Hamilton Kay

Group E: Dariah Hoeta-Williamson, Te Mihi Potae, Turunga Nicholls, Cypha Clark, Wiremu Kingi