A MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENT, A MASSIVE LEGACY, A MASSIVE FUTURE

Celebrating 35 years, Massive Theatre Company is Auckland’s oldest theatre company and likely its most unique. Its legacy includes delivering free theatre workshops to over 30,000 people so far, cultivating generations of homegrown artists and telling real life stories on stage. And they’re just getting started.

Founded by Samantha Scott MNZM in 1991 as the Maidment Youth Theatre, the company later became Massive Theatre Company, fusing emerging and professional artists. Across three and a half decades it has produced almost 40 original productions and built a huge archive of photos, videos, and programmes – a treasure trove telling its story for media and whānau.

What do Beulah Koale, Miriama McDowell, Kura Forrester, Bree Peters, Scotty Cotter, and Madeleine Sami all have in common? Massive Theatre Company. These artists all consider Massive their creative home, developed by a company that values commitment, curiosity and complicité – all without paying a cent for their training.

Almost everything Massive offers is free. Free workshops, free venue hire for artists in need, free ongoing professional training through Massive Nui Ensemble - which can replace the need for an expensive tertiary education, and mentoring for those growing professionally within the industry. It is a space where young artists develop the resilience and creative courage required for sustainable careers in the arts.

“Thousands of people have come through Massive’s doors over the years. We love to play, we love to work together to be our excellent selves. To be curious about what theatre can be. It’s been hard work, but so fulfilling - building the company, building the whare, and encouraging so many people to fly,” says Sam Scott, Founder and Artistic Director.

Massive is more than theatre, it’s a whānau. Surviving and thriving for so long in a small, underfunded industry is testament to the commitment and ethos of its people and the company’s enduring belief in the transformative power of theatre. Massive is the third-oldest theatre company in New Zealand and the oldest in Tāmaki Makaurau, with alumni who are now key industry players in acting, writing, directing, and producing.

When it comes to impact, Massive punches well above its weight. It introduces people to the performing arts and develops artists, offering an accessible entry point for hundreds of people each year and clear pathways into careers in the arts. After 35 years, it’s a multigenerational affair – with many alumni now mentoring the next generation, continuing Massive’s ensemble legacy.

Massive has consistently produced work that blends physical precision, emotional honesty, and a playful, devised approach. Productions such as The Brave, Sons of Charlie Paora, The Wholehearted and I LOVE YOU G reflect the grit, humour, and humanity of Aotearoa. The impact has been undeniably life-changing for many people and communities.

When you see a Massive show, you are watching personal stories from real people played out on stage through the magic of theatre. The uniqueness of Massive is that it is shaped and led by the company members and is responsive to the needs of the artists whilst remaining hugely accessible. Massive Theatre Company is flexible and fluid, with many artists contributing to the wider stage and screen industry as professionals, but the door is always open for them to return and give back to the company. 

This anniversary year, Massive Theatre Company presents HOMEMADE, an original Emerging Artists Production. Created through a devised process, it celebrates the loud and quiet moments that shape us. HOMEMADE premieres at Te Pou Theatre in Henderson before heading to ONEONESIX, Whangārei.

Beyond productions, Massive has launched The Massive Movement patron programme, inviting supporters to invest directly in the future of homegrown artists. This initiative strengthens the Massive pathways that have shaped generations of artists and ensures the next wave can step forward.

With major new productions, national and international touring, and a commitment to nurturing the next generation, the company is ready to stride boldly into the future with the same bravery, playful energy, and excellence that has defined it since the beginning.

WHAT’S ON 2026
Free Foundations Workshops for 15-25 year olds (8 April – 10 October) More info here 
Essentials Workshops for 20+ (2 May – 7 November, free/koha-based) More Info here 

HOMEMADE 
Te Pou Theatre, Henderson (23-24 July) on sale soon
ONEONESIX, Whangārei (30-31 July) on sale soon

www.massivecompany.co.nz