Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie, pioneers of verbatim and biographical theatre, return with AFTER GOD — a theatrical journey across continents and conversations, with acclaimed actor Michael Hurst joining them to explore some very big questions about meaning, madness and metaphysics.

Premiering at Wellington’s Circa Theatre from Saturday 17 October to Saturday 14 November, AFTER GOD brings together the stellar cast of Michael Hurst, Kali Kopae, Andrew Paterson, Tara Canton and Roy Clark.

A new play by Ngāpuhi playwright Geoffrey Clendon explores the 1898 Hokianga conflict, when a dispute over a Dog Tax escalated into an armed confrontation between Te Māhurehure hapū and government forces. Tāke Kurī: The Dog Tax Rebellion plays at Te Pou Theatre, Tāmaki Makaurau from 28 October – 1 November, before travelling to Turner Centre, Kerikeri on 12 November and the Rawene Town Hall on 13 November.

Cross Street Music Festival returns on Saturday 28 November for its eighth year. The 2026 event, supported by Auckland Live and Auckland Council Events, is heading beyond Cross Street, with music, art, performance and activations spilling across Karangahape Road (K’Road), Mercury Lane and Cross Street for a day and night celebrating the many sides of K’ Road.

Celebrating 25 years, Tempo Dance Festival | Te Rerenga o Tere is Aotearoa New Zealand’s gathering ground for the fearless, the rebellious and the boundary-breaking — bringing the best dance and body-oriented ideas from across the country and beyond to Tāmaki Makaurau from 13–18 October.

Ngā Rangatahi Toa returns to Q Theatre from 7 – 8 October with Manawa Ora: Taurite, a vibrant new theatre production, created by rangatahi and made for everyone. Using music, dance, theatre and honest storytelling, Taurite explores what it means to find balance in a world that never stands still.

Aussie comedy legend and icon Heath Franklin's Chopper is celebrating his 20th anniversary of making us laugh. After storming the NZ Comedy Festival in May, Chopper is back to take on the rest of the country this November!

We're thrilled to share that Performing Arts Network New Zealand (PANNZ) has received funding through Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage's Cultural Diplomacy International Programme to present a showcase of New Zealand performers at the Edinburgh Festival in 2027.

Aotearoa’s largest South-Asian theatre company, Prayas Theatre, takes on a wildly ambitious love story, Mama Moo, premiering at TAPAC from 21 – 26 September. The award-winning company is stepping into a new genre, one that sits at the intersection of comedy and absurdist theatre, complete with paranormal elements, live music and a whole lot of heart.

New Zealand’s leading combined choir and orchestra, Bach Musica NZ, take to the stage with Rhythm and Repose on Sunday 20 September at the Auckland Town Hall, for an evening celebrating French composers.

This September, Silo Theatre brings JOB, the acclaimed psychological thriller by American playwright Max Wolf Friedlich, to Q Theatre. Directed by Shane Bosher and starringStephen Lovatt and Olivia Tennet, this razor-sharp two-hander has become one of the most talked-about plays of recent years, sending audiences into late-night Google spirals, Reddit rabbitholes, and endless decoding.

Sixty years after it first premiered and redefined the genre, Cabaret returns to Auckland in a bold new production marking two major milestones: the 60th anniversary of the iconic musical and the 10th anniversary of the ASB Waterfront Theatre.

Auckland Theatre Company and Auckland Live present Cabaret, the musical at the Kit Kat Club, playing at the ASB Waterfront Theatre from 22 September to 18 October 2026. Winner of eight Tony Awards and revived to international acclaim across both the West End and Broadway, Cabaret remains one of the most iconic and enduring works of modern musical theatre.

Starring Jackie Clarke, directed by Jennifer Ward-Lealand and with live piano accompaniment by Penny Dodd, Songs for Nobodies brings together three of New Zealand’s most prominent theatrical forces to create an unforgettable production. Playing at Q Theatre from the 28th October - 1st November, this is a strictly limited run of five shows only.

Bestselling author, comedian and Britain's twelfth-favourite doctor, Adam Kay, returns to New Zealand with his hilarious festive live show, Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas.

International comedy powerhouse Dara Ó Briain is returning to New Zealand with his brand-new live show, Re:Creation.

On Wednesday evening Doc Edge held its annual awards as part of the 2026 Doc Edge Festival at Grand Millennium Auckland. More than 30 awards were presented, recognising outstanding documentaries, immersive projects and filmmakers from New Zealand and around the world.