The Steps Beyond Season

After their very successful workshop seasons at Allen Hall in 2025, three Lunchtime Theatre productions are hoping to debut to the wider Ōtepoti Dunedin community in 2026! Our collective of university students and recent graduates (and the one subject tutor with FOMO) is raising money to take our short plays to the next level!

This project involves 30 young artists: playwrights, directors, actors, designers and technicians led by Jordan Wichman (Theatre Studies Tutor, University of Otago). The core creative team consists of Wichman, with Eli Graham, Alex Gourdie, Caitlin Proctor, Harry Almey and Penelope Hare. 

A donation to our campaign will help all three shows towards their goal of producing work in a community setting. We hope to raise $ 1,500 to help cover the costs associated with this — including marketing, costumes, props, set, and other unexpected expenses. The more money we raise, the easier we can fund three full productions!

As a collective, we intend to fully stage three productions that were workshopped during the Semester Two Lunchtime Theatre Programme at the University of Otago. These productions include:

"The Goon Show", Written by Spike Milligan and directed by Harry Almey

The anarchy of your local live-theatre type Goon Show tribute is parachuting back onto the Allen Hall stage! This time, in a double bill that would be criminal to miss!

"Adeline's Cottage", A new play written by Alex Gourdie and directed by Eli Graham

Henry must return to his sister's cottage to face the grief she has left behind. When you uncover new secrets about your late sister, what lengths would you go to for one final goodbye?

"Pas de Trois", A new play written by Penelope Hare and directed by Jordan Wichman

1860s France: ballerinas are the rats of society. Three dancers' claw for a chance to step into the sun as the Palais Garnier's next prima ballerina, while fighting to preserve their friendship. But with survival on the line, can loyalty ever hope to compete with the desire for the spotlight?

The impact of this work is more than just the audience experiencing something new and different; it is supporting young artists taking their first step into a notoriously hard industry to survive in. Donating to this campaign supports many artists in having a financially fearless experience outside the academic bubble, and teaches them both the importance of fundraising and ways to support themselves and their work.