24 Jan 2025
Hannah Smith and Ralph McCubbin Howell, co-directors of Trick of the Light Theatre have produced Aotearoa New Zealand's first Green Theatre Touring Guide. The guide is for theatre practitioners aiming to reduce the environmental impact of being on the road.
The guide is published as part of the Playmarket Guideline Series and was launched at Playmarket’s Accolades awards ceremony in November 2024. It’s been warmly welcomed for its practical responses to the unique challenges faced by New Zealand’s touring productions.
Ralph says international guides on sustainable touring often don’t address the realities of New Zealand’s infrastructure and geography and the generally smaller scale and shorter runs of touring productions.
“We wanted to create something that fits our context—a tool that’s relevant and actionable for theatre makers here,” he says.
Produced both as a physical book and an online resource, the guide suggests ways practitioners can improve sustainability at every stage of the touring process.
Hannah says they wanted the guide to be easy to engage with.
“The guide is designed to be dipped into on the road, allowing artists to choose what’s achievable without feeling overwhelmed,” she says.
“There’s a lot of pressure on artists just trying to make it work. This guide is about supporting them to do what they can, without adding to that pressure.”
The project, supported by Manatū Taonga through its COVID-19 Response Fund, took two years to develop. They’ve drawn on their own touring experience and that of other theatre practitioners, including Toa Waaka, Mike Joy, and Tānemahuta Gray, as well as expertise from environmental consultants.
Hannah and Ralph also acknowledge the inspiration from their conversations with Antonia Seymour, Executive Director of Arts on Tour, who was involved with the Theatre Green Book Australia.
While the guide acknowledges that some goals – like low-emission transport – are currently a challenge in New Zealand due to limited infrastructure, it emphasizes that even small actions can have a meaningful impact.
“We wanted to foreground that doing anything is better than doing nothing,” Ralph says.
The Green Theatre Touring Guide is already gaining traction, with theatre professionals across New Zealand sharing positive feedback and incorporating its practices. Hannah and Ralph are optimistic about the industry’s shift towards greener practices, one small step at a time.
Learn more and access the guide: www.greentheatre.co.nz
Share this
