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With help from Mercury Energy, Centrepoint are bringing you another year of full day, one-off intensives with industry professionals from New Zealand AND Australia! These intensives are FULLY FUNDED so you don't have to spend a cent to get inspired by, be challenged and learn from the best. From design, tech, stunt, acting and more… we have a little something for everyone!
HOW TO TAKE PART
In 2026, thanks to our generous funder Mercury, the course is FREE to Manawatu students aged 14 to 18.
Any questions please contact hello@centrepoint.co.nz
Current workshops:
3 October - 10am-4pm: Acting Hacks - 101 with Erroll Shand: With Actor Erroll Shand, this workshop is a springboard for a young actor to find their own power through text, direction and learning.
Past workshops:
14 March - 10am-4pm: Costume with Nicola Smillie-Starling: With award winning Costume Designer for companies such as Auckland Theatre Company, New Zealand Opera and The BBC UK.
10 May - 10am-4.30pm: Set Design with Darren Mosher and Sanit Klamchanuan: With Special Effect Engineers from blockbuster films Avatar, Thor: Love and Thunder and District 9.
31 May - 10.30am-4.30pm: Acting with Leo Gene Peters: With Director of A Slightly Isolated Dog with renowned productions such as Don Juan, Jekyll & Hyde and the Trojan War.
21 June - 10am-4pm: Stage Combat with Allan Henry: With Actor, Stuntman and Mo-Cap Performer behind King Kong (Godzilla x Kong), Cocaine Bear (Cocaine Bear) and Malgosha (Minecraft Movie).
26 July - 10am-4pm: Musical Theatre with Jason Te Mete: With founder of Tuatara collective and Director of over 40+ musical productions.
29 August - 10am-4pm: Sound with Abi Symes: With Manager of Palmerston North’s the Stomach (Creative Sounds Society Inc).
30 August - 10am-4pm: Lights with Talya Pilcher: With entertainment industry Lighting Designer, staging, pyrotechnics, and Event Manager.
20 September - 10am-4pm: Shakespeare with Jonathon Hendry: An Artistic Fellow of Shakespeare’s Globe in London, Jonathon has a passion for sharing Shakespeare’s work to new audiences.
SUPPORTED BY
Costume with Nicola Smillie-Starling
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Nic has worked across the disciplines of film, theatre, television, and opera for nearly 30 years. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Textile Design from Victoria University’s School of Design in Wellington.
Throughout her career, she has worked at numerous theatres across New Zealand, as well as on international productions, and has received several awards for her work.
Nic places strong value on attention to detail and thrives on collaboration—both with the design team, the performers and in realising the Director’s vision.
Her portfolio spans a wide range of genres, including horror films, children’s television, NZ history, local and international Opera, and docu-dramas.
Her theatrical work is equally diverse, ranging from gritty contemporary storytelling to imaginative fantasy productions.
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Discover how to bring characters to life through costume in this practical creative workshop.
You’ll learn how to interpret a script, and design costumes that align with the Director’s vision while considering aspects such as the physicality of both the role and the performer.
We’ll explore how to balance creativity with practicality, work with colour palettes, touch on the visual codes of clothing, and manage real-world constraints like timelines and budgets.
Perfect for anyone keen to deepen their understanding of storytelling through costume along with a few tips and tricks to deliver a cohesive design concept - you don't have to have experience, just a passion for Costumes or for Theatre in general.
Acting with Leo Gene Peters
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Leo is the Director of A Slightly Isolated Dog (ASID). After graduating with an MTA (Directing) Degree at Toi Whakaari & VUW in 2004 he has consistently directed innovative and highly acclaimed NZ Theatre. He’s currently directing ASID’s Trojan War, Don Juan & Jekyll & Hyde which continue touring internationally/nationally. Other notable works from ASID include Our Own Little Mess, Slay/Save the Dragon, Death and the Dreamlife of Elephants, Settling, and Perfectly Wasted in partnership with Long Cloud Youth Theatre. Other works include writing/directing An Awfully Big Adventure for Capital E, directing Awhi Tapu & Strange Resting Places for Taki Rua Productions.
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Participants will learn to use physical action and game to grow their performance technique. Working with physical action enables performers to fully embody their performance in a structured yet intuitive way. The technique assists the actor to sculpt and shape their work, and to physically understand how to keep the work alive through multiple performances. Performing with game builds playfulness and grows the imagination of the performer. It opens up new and exciting possibilities for developing performance outside of the text. Both these techniques are physically engaged, fun and vibrant ways for creating a performance.
Set Design with Darren Mosher and Sanit Klamchanuan
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Darren A Mosher, an award winning Special Effects engineer has worked in the Film, TV & Theme Park industry for over 25 years. He is known for his work on films such as the Avatar films, Star Wars films, Avengers , Ghostbusters & Alien Romulus. He hosts a mentorship for Young Adults in the Arts, which is hosted virtually for students around the world.
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Sanit Klamchanuan (Spicythaidesign in the cosplay world) is known for infusing Thai culture into his costumes & unique original designs. Working at Wētā Workshop since 2013 as a costume designer in the Costume Specialty Props department, he specializes in the production of foam prototypes & has worked on films such as Power Rangers, Ghost in the Shell, Mulan, Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Avatar: The Way of Water & The Creator.
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Go backstage and create! Starting with a story concept and the “Director’s vision”, you will work in teams to design and create a basic scene and set piece for a black box theatre using a variety of techniques and materials.
You will learn how to work to scale, perspective and take your completed miniature set home when you are finished.
There will be time for plenty of questions and even a chance to learn about making your own sets for stories you have created.
Stage Combat with Allan Henry
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Actor, nerd, Goofball dad. Allan is a performance capture artist and actor based in Wellington. Most recently appearing as Malgosha in a Minecraft Movie, King Kong in the Monsterverse and Cokey in Cocaine Bear, Allan is often found rolling dice, or rolling around in Lycra. A founding member of Aotearoa Fight directors, Allan always looks forward to sharing his knowledge of Stage Combat with students of all ages.
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A punch kick slam crash course in Stage Combat techniques to help you design safe effective staged violence.
Musical Theatre with Jason Te Mete
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Jason Te Mete (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngai te Rangi) is a multidisciplinary artist with over 20 years of professional experience. He has directed 40+ musical productions, and has worked with all of the major theatre companies in Aotearoa.
He has received many awards including the 2024 Te Auahatanga o te Wā (Creative of the Year) - Te Waka Toi Awards, and the 2018 Adam Play Award for Best Play by a Māori Playwright. He was Programme Leader of Performing Arts and Research Lead Creative Arts at Manukau Institute of Technology until 2020 when the entire faculty was disestablished.
Jason is dedicated to empowering young people through creativity and expression. With a passion for nurturing talent and fostering confidence, Jason has spearheaded transformative programmes that enable youth to discover their artistic voices. As the founder of Tuatara Collective, Jason has provided countless opportunities for Māori, Pasifika, LGBTQi+, and rangatahi to hone their skills and showcase their talents on stage. His innovative approach combines rigorous training with a supportive environment, in particular the Rātā initiative supporting mental health in the arts industry.
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Join award-winning performer, director and vocal coach Jason Te Mete for an inspiring musical theatre workshop! Dive into the magic of storytelling through song - exploring character, emotion, and connection in both solo and ensemble work. With Jason’s industry experience and creative guidance, you’ll learn how to bring authenticity, confidence, and heart to every performance. Whether you’re preparing for auditions or simply love to sing, act, and move, this is your chance to develop your craft and shine on stage.
Sound with Abi Symes
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The Stomach is a community music hub in Palmerston North, offering affordable rehearsal spaces, an accessible recording studio, and an all-ages venue. We support artists of all genres and stages, from first-time jammers to seasoned performers. Our focus is on creativity, connection, and keeping live music thriving in the Manawatū. The Stomach is operated by Creative Sounds Society Inc — a not-for-profit proudly run by musicians, for musicians.
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Get hands-on with the essentials of live sound! This workshop covers the basics of setting up a PA system — from plugging in and signal flow to EQ and gain structure. Learn how to choose and position microphones for vocals, instruments, and drums to get the best sound possible. Perfect for beginners, bands wanting to level up their live shows, or anyone curious about how it all works behind the desk.
Lights with Talya Pilcher
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Talya is a graduate from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School’s technical production course. She has since worked in the entertainment industry doing lighting, staging, pyrotechnics, and event management for over 20 years. She has designed the lighting for many of Centrepoint Theatre’s productions including That Bloody Woman, Shortland Street – The Musical and Misery. Recent credits include: Act Three's production of Come From Away, the touring production of Two Guitars, and Monument at Circa Theatre. When she's not working on theatre lighting design projects, she can be found working behind the scenes on Trackside broadcasts around the lower North Island and tutoring lighting at Feilding High School.
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Focusing on the basics of light rigging, learn about lighting systems and their uses.
Shakespeare with Jonathon Hendry
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Since graduating from Toi Whakaari/NZ Drama School, Jonathon has worked consistently as an actor for stage, screen and voice. An Artistic fellow of Shakespeare’s Globe in London, Jonathon has a passion for sharing Shakespeare’s work to new audiences.
Credits as an actor include Richard the Third (on two occasions), Oberon, Jaques and both MacBeth and Iago for Centrepoint Theatre. He returned to playing Twelfth Night’s Malvolio at The Court Theatre last year for the third time after playing the role first 30 years before at BATS and The Depot theatres in Wellington. He’s directed many Shakespeare plays, guiding both students and professionals to well received, award winning performances.
Jonathon has directed for Auckland Theatre Company, Silo Theatre, Downstage, Circa, Centrepoint, and BATS. Most recently his touring production of "An Iliad” starring arts icons Michael Hurst and Shayne Carter created much excitement across the country. Last year he received much praise for his portrayal of mine boss Peter Whittall in the movie “Pike River”.
He has previously been the Head of Acting at UNITEC and Toi Whakaari as well as the Artistic Director of the Fortune Theatre in Dunedin. After six and a half years leading iconic BATS Theatre he managed Toi Pōneke Arts Centre in Wellington as it transitioned to a new facility in June this year. He is now focusing on his art practice.
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Who are you talking to? An intensive, fun-filled session exploring what we can learn from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, and the Pop-up Globe. We’ll delve into practical skills that will improve your focus, connection and confidence on stage. Great fun for newcomers who want to decode Shakespeare’s mystery, for those wanting to enhance their skills before 2027 SGCNZ Festivals, and for theatre-lovers!
Acting Hacks - 101 with Erroll Shand
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Erroll Shand was born in Poneke (Wellington). From a young age he was involved as a street performer in New Zealand and Australia. He later studied Acting at the University of Southern Queensland and has been working in theatre, TV and film ever since.
In the last 12 months, Erroll’s body of work has involved 4 feature films and 4 TV series being released on multiple platforms and festivals across the globe, including Pike, Mārama, Crackhead, Chief of War, the Airport Chaplain and Evil Dead Burn.
The kaupapa for this workshop is Erroll “Giving back through experience. This industry has taught me a lot as a performer and person, being able to share some of those skills with new performers is a gift of the journey. Learning from those who have lived it, is the best way to learn. There are limited places in the workshop to be able to give quality time for every participant so get in while you can.”
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What is the core, the essence of acting for stage, camera and screen?
Using scene work, on the floor direction, honest connection to character and story through “process”, will allow the actor to move with confidence in any role, even when you feel a block or disconnection to the subject or character.
No one person is a carbon copy of another. We are not AI clones of other actors. We all have our own unique self. This is a day of finding your own perfect imperfection.
This workshop is a springboard for a young actor to find their own power through text, direction and learning to use process as a way to be free in the world they’re stepping into.
