Celebrating 75 Years of OSPA

This year marks 75 years of bringing entertainment to Onewhero.

We are celebrating with a fun and entertaining night looking back to the establishment of the Onewhero Drama Club in 1949 and OSPA in 2001, and showcasing some of the plays that you’ve enjoyed over that time. Entry is free (but a Koha would be gratefully accepted). All welcome!

OSPA Christmas Market

Get ready! OSPA’s Christmas Market is almost here, and it’s shaping up to be a fantastic day out.

With more than 20 unique stalls to browse, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to find those perfect last-minute gifts.

Join us on Sunday 30 November, between 10am and 2pm, and enjoy a relaxed, festive wander through our theatre space and plenty of holiday cheer.

Some stallholders will have EFTPOS, but bringing cash is the safest bet. And make sure to pack your shopping bags—you never know what wonderful goodies you’ll discover!

KARAOKE: THE SHOW – AUDITIONS

Four couples facing life’s challenges in a number of ways join forces to take part in a karaoke competition. Auditions are on Monday 17 and Wednesday 19 November, 7.30pm at OSPA Theatre, 14 Hall Road, Onewhero, with call-backs on Sunday 23rd. Come and be part of the premiere season of this brand new play, written by Mike Morrow.

Music: Grit & Gratitude

Singer-songwriters Rosie and Maggie come together for an intimate evening of acoustic music exploring themes of gratitude, resilience, and the beauty found through life’s challenges.

An award-winning international artist, Maggie brings songs from across her many projects, carefully chosen to reflect the heart of the theme.

Rosie, a fresh and distinctive voice in the Aotearoa music scene, offers her own moving originals.

Together, they create a bespoke concert where their voices intertwine—singing on each other’s songs, blending styles, and sharing stories of strength and learning.

Warm, raw, and deeply connective, Grit & Gratitude is a celebration of music’s power to carry us through hard times and remind us of what matters most.

Arts on Tour & OSPA invite you to step into the magical realm of The Orange Box

The Orange Box is the creation of Naranjarte, an extraordinary Spanish puppet theatre and circus company founded by Ana Lorite and Sergio Aguilar in 2011. The production will be performed in 20 small towns throughout the South and North Islands
and will delight children and adults alike.

Renowned for its unique fusion of puppetry and juggling, Naranjarte’s performances aren’t just shows; they are immersive journeys challenging perceptions and transporting audiences to realms of wonder and delight.

“The Orange Box” is a visually captivating story featuring handmade puppets, mesmerizing juggling, and enchanting circus artistry. Blending diverse puppetry styles with different types of juggling, the story follows a paper puppet stuck in the routine of a packaging office. When a
map and a mysterious box appear, they spark his longing for change and set him on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. Beyond entertainment, the show carries a deeper message, inviting us to step outside the box, where true magic unfolds. Join this one-of-a-kind adventure that transcends the ordinary and opens the door to the extraordinary.

At the end of the show, there will be a short Q&A session where the audience can get up close to some of the puppets and ask questions about the creative process and the company’s journey.

Naranjarte – Background
Naranjarte is a Spanish puppet theatre and circus company founded by Ana Lorite and Sergio Aguilar in 2011. Known for their dynamic fusion of puppetry and circus, they toured globally from 2017 to 2020, performing over 250 shows in 14 countries. Their educational project,
Puppets and Circus: A Trip Around the World’s Schools, brought immersive performances and meaningful cultural exchange to diverse communities.

Based in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2020, they continue to share their work with audiences and learners across the country. Naranjarte also tours internationally, especially in Europe, where they enjoy reconnecting with the vibrant arts scenes of their home cultures. Their
productions blend puppetry, juggling, and theatrical illusion, exploring themes of transformation, creativity, and the pursuit of dreams.

Sergio is the co-creator of Naranjarte and a professional juggler with over 20 years of experience. Trained at Carampa Circus School in Madrid, he specialises in contact juggling, poi, staff, diabolo, and buugeng. He also completed a year-long clown training with Gené and Chame in Madrid. Sergio performed in Wonderkind by Wonderlight Theatre Aotearoa and was part of Capital E’s “Bite-Size Treats” (2023).

Ana is the co-creator of Naranjarte and the maker of all its handcrafted puppets. A professional puppeteer with a Master’s -level Diploma in Puppetry (UK) and drama training from Cuarta Pared School (Madrid), she is also a qualified and registered teacher in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ana has performed with Wonderlight Theatre at Circa Theatre (2022) and Capital E’s “Bite-Size Treats” (2023). She currently serves as General Secretary of UNIMA Aotearoa New Zealand, the local branch of the international puppetry organisation affiliated with UNESCO.

“The success of ‘The Orange Box’, evidenced by the necessity for an additional performance due to the sold-out performance, highlighted the community’s enthusiastic response and the positive impact such events have on enriching our local cultural landscape.”

– Teresa Wakelin, General Manager, Kerikeri Theatre Company

“Puppets made of basic elements. The pace was delightful. You are artists, thank you for sharing your art with our community. – Incredibly inspiring. Wow. Moving too. They teach so many good values. The way to creative success. Hopes and dreams are possible. Persistence and following what you love, then perfecting it. Incredible. I’m blown away.” – Feedback on Author Questionnaire after a performance of The Orange Box and Q&A.

The Importance of Being Earnest

Jack Worthington pretends to be Ernest to avoid certain social obligations, but Gwendolen has fallen in
love with him as Ernest – and he with her. Quizzed as to his origins by his aunt, Lady Bracknell, Jack has
to admit to being found in a handbag.
Oscar Wilde’s classic is a delight from the first cucumber sandwich on, as Jack’s double life catches up
with him. The problems are resolved in an extremely charming and quite unexpected way as Jack and
Algernon discover the importance of being earnest while answering to the name Ernest.

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert

When drag queen Anthony (Hugo Weaving) agrees to take his act on the road, he invites fellow cross-dresser Adam (Guy Pearce) and transsexual Bernadette (Terence Stamp) to come along. In their colorful bus, named Priscilla, the three performers travel across the Australian desert performing for enthusiastic crowds and homophobic locals. But when the other two performers learn the truth about why Anthony took the job, it threatens their act and their friendship.

Feel free to dress up!

AUDITIONS: The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is coming to Onewhero Society of Performing Arts in August/September 2025.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1895. The play tells the story of two men, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who both assume the identity of a fictional man named Ernest, leading them both to fall in love and find an assortment of problems along the way.

Auditions are at the OSPA theatre 24 + 25 May 2025.

Email ospaearnest@gmail.com to book an audition or for more info.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Jackie goes Prima Diva

Homegrown chanteuse Jackie Clarke turns her powerhouse vocals, wicked humour and maverick entertainment style to the songs of the 20th and 21st Centuries’ most legendary divas.

Coming to OSPA on 5 April, Jackie pays homage to Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey, Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Streisand and more! From Alison Durbin to Dolly Parton, from Kate Bush to Gaga, she lets her diva flag fly, while playfully engaging the audience with her trademark witty panache.

Accompanied by the splendid Karl Benton on piano (Ardijah, Che Fu, Annie Crummer), expect iconic songs performed with tender soul and gleeful virtuosity.

Don’t miss this rollicking show of bravura song styling, dazzling frockage, pin-drop moments and plenty of laughs.

Tickets $30 from www.ospa.org.nz or cash sales at The Urban Market, 214 King Street, Pukekohe. Doors open at 5.30, show starts at 7pm.

Live music once again: Jon Sanders & Dave Alley

Dave Alley and Jon Sanders have been making epic acoustic contemporary folk and world music as a duo since 2006 when they met in New Zealand.

Jon’s years based in the idyllic melting pot that is Dingle, Ireland, instantly blended with Dave’s antipodean influences to produce sonic magic.

Described recently as “the most stunning intuitive duo ..” the pair blend their virtuoso Guizouki (google it), guitar, percussion and vocal talents with ears and minds wide open.

Come massess! Stragglers, and the wary wayward – a musical epiphany abounds and the echoes of joy will resound!

Tickets are $25 and are on sale now at www.ospa.org.nz or cash sales at The Urban Market, 214 King Street, Pukekohe.