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Our annual full length play festival runs from February until November every year. An adjudicator travels to the society's venue to view and adjudicate a performance during the production's normal season. The competition culminates in the Antoinettes Awards, held this year on Sunday 13th December.
The entry form can be downloaded below.
Adjudicators: Shannon Tubman & Lindsey Rusling
Festival Manager: David Cox
Contact: festivals@wdtf.org.nz
Cost:
$150 per entry, members
$190 per entry, non-members
Entry Form
The 24-Hour Play Challenge requires teams of between four and six people to create and rehearse a theatrical piece inside 24 hours and then perform it. Any style, any genre but it must be between four and ten minutes long and an original creation. There will be compulsory elements revealed at the start of the 24 hour period.
For further information have a read of the rules.
Check out the 2026 Challenge Results
Rules and an entry form can be downloaded below.
Cost:
$40 per team
$10 per non-participating audience member
Entry Form and Rules
2026 Adjudicators
Shannon Tubman
Shannon has been heavily involved in the Wellington community theatre scene for the past 25 years. Shannon’s experience comes from her roles as a director, performer, production manager and dramaturg. Shannon has been adjudicating since 2015 and finds this to be a rewarding and satisfying use of her time. Shannon supports the mantra of The Association of New Zealand Drama Adjudicators; Engage, Assess and Inspire. Shannon is a firm believer in giving praise, but feels it is just as important to give constructive feedback. This type of feedback is designed to encourage individuals to grow in their chosen roles and to be brave enough to try out new or more challenging roles within theatre.
Shannon’s top tip for those entering this year’s festival…...get the technical teams on board early, let them bounce their ideas off each other. Not only does this make for amazing designs from an audience perspective, but it fosters a stronger appreciation of each departments skills and challenges. Performers also shine brighter (pardon the lighting pun) when they can see and/or feel the technical vision falling into place.
Shannon is excited to be sharing the Adjudication role with Lindsey Rusling, who is a supremely talented theatre practioner and a stellar human to boot.
Shannon’s top tip for those entering this year’s festival…...get the technical teams on board early, let them bounce their ideas off each other. Not only does this make for amazing designs from an audience perspective, but it fosters a stronger appreciation of each departments skills and challenges. Performers also shine brighter (pardon the lighting pun) when they can see and/or feel the technical vision falling into place.
Shannon is excited to be sharing the Adjudication role with Lindsey Rusling, who is a supremely talented theatre practioner and a stellar human to boot.
Lindsey Rusling
Lindsey last adjudicated for Wellington District Theatre in 2020 but sadly only managed a couple of shows before Covid closed things down. She did manage a full season as adjudicator in 2015. She is currently a drama teacher at Chilton Saint James School in Lower Hutt where she regularly directs large-scale shows. In addition to school productions Lindsey has performed in, directed, and Choreographed numerous amateur and professional productions in the UK, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
Lindsey has adjudicated a number of competitions in the region and is excited to be joining Shannon to adjudicate our Festival this year. She is looking forwards to enjoying some magnificent theatre and to supporting the incredible enthusiasm, creativity and talent in our local theatre community.