28 Nov 2025
Kerry Lynch, Head of Dance and Drama at Ōtāhuhu College, believes every production begins with people.
“It starts with trust, purpose, and looking out for one another. Give young storytellers the space and support to imagine, and they’ll surprise you, sometimes in a hoodie, always with a big heart,” he says.
Inspired by their 2023 tour of Southside Riches to Te Tai Tokerau, Street Light Stories kicked off during the April holidays with a two-day induction, where students came together to build confidence and team culture. Some joined for a single day, others for both, all diving headfirst into creating theatre. Kerry worked alongside Lerato Islam, an international PhD student from the University of Auckland, whose guidance added depth and discipline to the early stages of creation.
Throughout Term 2, ākonga returned every Wednesday evening to refine ideas and work with industry experts including Miriama McDowell, Dominic Ona-Ariki, and Ōtāhuhu College alumnus Villa Lemanu. Their visits inspired the students and helped them rise to every challenge, carving them into confident storytellers.
Guided by a student leadership group, they explored themes that mattered most to them: relationships, gender, culture, and identity. By July, the leaders had formed three groups — Emotions, Cousins, and Choir — and during a six-day holiday intensive, around 90% of the show came together. The process was loud, challenging, and chaotic at times, but Kerry believes that’s exactly where genuine creativity thrives.
By Term 3, the cast was ready. They performed three days of matinees for junior and middle school students before moving into evening shows for whānau, friends, alumni, and the wider community. At the end of each evening performance a public forum was held where the audience were encouraged to share their views. Audiences were moved by the honesty, humour, and vulnerability on-stage.
“Those moments when someone stands up and shares how the show made them feel, that’s the power of theatre. It can bring people together in a way that nothing else does,” Kerry reflects.
This year, the show was able to tour thanks to support from the Creative Communities Scheme (the Scheme), marking the school’s first-ever external funding. Until now, Ōtāhuhu College had relied on limited resources and the passion of its staff. This support allowed students to take their work outside the school gates and experience life on the road.
After a short break to recover from winter bugs, 26 students and three staff boarded their motorised waka and set off for the East Coast. For many, it was their first time travelling through this part of Aotearoa. Over four days, they stayed in two marae and performed at four kura, each with its own unique style of welcome. Student tour leader Phoenix Su’a-Mealamu spoke each time in Samoan at the pōwhiri as the team following up with a Tongan waiata. The response from elders and kaiako was warm and encouraging — a lively fusion of cultures and traditions coming together.
The rangatahi described the tour as unforgettable. They spoke of warm welcomes and moments that stretched their confidence in all the right ways. Many reflected on reconnecting with their culture, feeling proud to perform as Māori and Pasifika, and appreciating how fortunate they are to have Drama as a subject.
Shared meals, long bus rides, laughter, and inside jokes turned a group of performers into an extended whānau. Senior student leaders saw it as a last chance to inspire others before leaving college, while others said the trip helped them build friendships that will last long after the final curtain.
The support from the Scheme reflects the wider impact a school production can have outside the classroom. It has given rangatahi the chance to perform for new audiences, grow their leadership skills, and experience the full reach of their creativity. Experiences like this show why the Scheme is still impactful after 30 years.
"This tour would not be possible without kaiako Whaea Jude for her amazing connections on the Coast, Sean Klopper and our leadership team, and our cast for their talent and energy. Thank you to Mr Watson, the Creative Communities Scheme, Whakaari Aotearoa – Drama New Zealand, and the schools that hosted us — Ōpōtiki College, Te Kura o Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Kura Mana Māori ō Whangaparāoa, and Rerekohu Area School. And finally, to my Kaumatua, Tarutaru Rankin, for planting this seed years ago," Kerry says.
For the students of Ōtāhuhu College, Street Light Stories is more than a school production. It showed them that their stories can travel all the way to the East Coast and inspire communities far beyond home.
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