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Take your passion for theatre to the next level with the School of English, Film, Theatre, Media and Communication, and Art History. The Theatre programme offers a range of pathways for postgraduate students, whether your interest is in honing your understanding of distinct areas of theatre and performance scholarship, or advancing your skills in theatrical practice.

Contribute to ground-breaking research on the theatre and performance of Aotearoa New Zealand, explore Māori and Pasifika theatre through an Indigenous lens, or reshape the way we talk about Early Modern and Restoration drama. Connect with the local industry through collaborative research projects which contribute to the rich cultural landscape of Aotearoa’s capital city. Or create your own practice-led project as part of an annual festival showcase of graduate student work.

Available qualifications

Dive in deep

Studying a postgraduate theatre degree offers an in-depth look at the areas of theatre and performance you really care about. This might begin with a year in the Honours programme, or the development of a Master of Arts or PhD by thesis project.

If you are interested in making a move into the theatre industry, you might consider the Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice). This one-year qualification can give you useful tools and experience to support a career as a theatre practitioner. The degree is designed to enrich the knowledge of people already working in the industry, to upskill those teaching secondary school drama, or to invigorate anyone who makes theatre to empower communities.

Develop specialist expertise

Through the Theatre programme you can develop expertise in a range of diverse fields in theatre and performance. These include:

  • theatre and performance in Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Māori and Pasifika theatre and drama
  • Shakespeare and early modern drama
  • gender and sexuality in performance
  • Asian and intercultural theatre
  • scenography, performance design, and interdisciplinary art practice
  • global theatre markets, festivals, and touring
  • writing for live performance
  • directing and performance training and practice
  • arts research and performance studies.

Develop skills in independent and collaborative research while working with lecturers whose passion matches your own.

Globally ranked

This programme is ranked in the top 100 universities worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2024.

The QS World University Rankings is an annual global publication that gives overall rankings and subject rankings for more than 1,500 universities worldwide.

Graduate success

A bearded person shining a trumpet shaped spotlight on a small figurine.

The Bookbinder—written and performed by Ralph McCubbin Howell, directed and designed by Hannah Smith. Photo credit: Phillip Merry / axylotl photograph.

Founded by university Theatre graduates Ralph McCubbin Howell and Hannah Smith, Trick of the Light Theatre has won Best Theatre and Best of the Fringe (NZ Fringe), Best Children's Event (Fringe World, Perth) and Production of the Year (Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards). They were the first NZ company to perform at the Imaginate Festival in Edinburgh, and in 2016 will tour to the Lincoln Center in NYC and Belvoir Theatre in Sydney.

Cassandra Tse, Artistic Director, Playwright.

A playwright, director, and performer Cass is a Theatre graduate with a BA Honours and the co-founder and Artistic Director of Red Scare Theatre Company. Her work has been nominated for Wellington Theatre Awards, commended in the PANZ Long Play competition and shortlisted for ATC’s The Next Stage; she is a previous winner of Playmarket’s Playwrights B4 25. Her audio drama Apocalypse Songs was nominated for multiple Audio Verse Awards, and she was the winner of the 2019 (for 2020) NZSA/Auckland Museum Research Grant and is working towards the first draft of a new chamber musical exploring the imagined lives of the first nine Chinese women in New Zealand.

Find out more at www.redscare.co.nz

Jekyll & Hyde at Circa Theatre. Photo credit: Ayesha Cording

A VUW Theatre graduate with a BA Honours, Jonathan Price is an actor, deviser and director. With A Slightly Isolated Dog he created and performed Don Juan, which was nominated for most original production at the 2015 Wellington Theatre Awards, and Jekyll & Hyde at Circa theatre in 2016. He also completed a tour of NZ with Indian Ink’s The Elephant Thief. Most recently Jonathan co-wrote and co-directed Caucus, Caucus, Harvest, Dawn at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School.

Break Up [we need to talk]. Promotional image. 2014. Photo Credit: Theo Taylor

VUW Theatre graduates, Binge Culture, are a group of artists working to renew theatre and performance for the digital age, forging new relationships with the audience and giving them real stakes in each performance.

Whales. Aotea Square. Auckland Fringe/Auckland Live. 2015. Photo Credit: Alastair Upton

Since 2008, Binge Culture have performed shows all over the country and overseas, including La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York. With multiple Fringe awards under their belt, they have a reputation as one of New Zealand's most exciting, direct and original theatre companies. Find out more at http://www.bingeculture.co.nz/

Dan Pengelly’s New Zealand Premier, sold out season of Cat in the Hat, 2015

Daniel Pengelly is a North Canterbury farm boy, turned creative. He is the Artistic Director of Centrepoint Theatre. He has directed for The Court Theatre, Fortune Theatre. Founder of Playshop Performance Company, Daniel is a VUW/Toi Whakaari MTA Theatre graduate. Find out more at https://courttheatre.org.nz/court-theatre-creatives/daniel-pengelly

Admen, Gryphon Theatre, 2016, Directed by Ryan Knighton

PlayShop Performance Company is a Wellington-based company that aims to make spontaneous, thrilling theatre through storytelling, education, and improvisation. PlayShop performs weekly at BATS Theatre, and also does family shows at Capital E and Southern Cross Restaurant. The Company won Best Improv at the 2015 NZ Fringe Festival Awards for their show 10 Things I Hate About Us. PlayShop is led by Artistic Director, Lori Leigh, current lecturer in Theatre at VUW and comprised of current students and alumni from VUW.

Research

Be part of an active and dynamic culture of research. Staff will guide and support you through the process—take advantage of their expertise and research an area of theatre that relates to your goals and interests.

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Graduates of this programme come out with so many transferable and useful skills. Theatre changes how you see the world and how you collaborate with the people in it.

Hannah Banks

Theatre PhD graduate

Full story

Community

Postgraduate study at Victoria University of Wellington will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, university staff and future colleagues. You'll have opportunities to attend events, seminars, conferences, workshops and social functions.

The Postgraduate Students' Association can also give you information on study at the University and provides a voice for you on campus.

Wellington is a creative and performing arts incubator. The New Zealand International Arts Festival, the New Zealand Fringe Festival and the Kia Mau festival are just a few of the exciting events you'll be able to see and take part in. From the innovative BATS Theatre to the classic Opera House, you'll have the opportunity to be inspired and to inspire.

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Studying and living in Wellington is ideal for a Theatre student because this city is a vibrant hub for the arts and it is so easy to get involved.

Hannah Banks

Theatre PhD graduate

Full story

Scholarships

You can look for scholarships based on your level of study, subject area and background.