A Midsummer Night's Dream Come True - Eli's story

"High school for me was an interesting time. I really enjoyed all the opportunities I had at Palmerston North Boys' High School. I'd been homeschooled by Mum up until then, so the energy of that place, the sheer scale of it, was overwhelming. And then there were the senior productions, especially the Shakespeare ones. The Rector’s Company run by Mr. Mills, PNBHS and Mr. Bovey, the Rector, have always been incredibly supportive. These shows wouldn't be possible without them.

After leaving high school, in 2022, I co-founded Shakespeare’s North Productions, along with Jacob Tū Pene-Waugh, who I'd become good mates with through school. I'd always been into the arts. I did speech and drama from the age of five or six. I did that for about 10 years. I then went on to do a speech and drama teaching diploma. I worked with Sheridan Hickey and was doing a lot of community theatre... But looking back, it was the time I played Malvolio as C3PO in a 12th Night production that Shakespeare truly clicked.

Then came the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand trip to London – it was life-changing. They have this regional festival, and from that, a select group of students go to nationals in Dunedin. It's intense – a week of workshops, then a final performance. Jacob and I were lucky enough to be selected. From that group, only half get to go to the Globe Theatre in London. Two weeks of workshops, working with incredible tutors, and then stepping onto that stage, performing for the first time in that iconic theatre... it was awe-inspiring. But it was also expensive. So, to fundraise, we put on Macbeth in The Darkroom. We sold out 360 tickets over five nights! We thought that was it, a one-off. But London... it ignited something in us.

Now, we're directing our fourth show. It's a massive undertaking. You know, most people's experience with Shakespeare comes from school, and let's be honest, it's often not great. "To be or not to be" – that's about as far as it goes for many. But these kids, they're so enthusiastic! It blows my mind. We focus on the language, making it accessible and engaging. You don’t want to see a Shakespeare production and not understand it. But for this production, we make sure it is clear and the story is followed and you are guided through it with our actors. A lot of work goes into developing the understanding for these things so you can enjoy it for what it is. We want to show people that Shakespeare is alive, to connect with it, and feel that relevance to their lives today.

The community support has been incredible. We received a grant from the Central Energy Trust, along with local businesses like Barista, Evolve Dance Centre, and Morrison Creed Advisory Limited. And then there's the team: Gabby Clark, our marketing manager, has been amazing; Phoebe Driscole, a member of our cast, captured incredible staged shots for our social media; Saem Millward, our composer, just released his first EP and has created some incredible music for the show; and Jono, our lighting director, is creating some truly magical effects. These young people are finding their voices, not just on stage, but in all these different areas. It's holding space for them and empowering them with the freedom to apply their skills, to make mistakes, and to grow through the process.

Success isn't just about ticket sales. It's about seeing these young people thrive. Seeing them discover their own passions, whether it's acting, directing, or something completely different. It's about creating a space where they can explore, experiment, and find their own voice. It's about knowing that we've played a small part in their journey, that we've helped them ignite that spark.”

Don't miss A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Globe Theatre from 28th January to 1st February! Tickets are available here. Follow Shakespeare's North Productions to keep updated on future productions.