In 1972 The Star cinema (previously known as Glen Eden's Town Hall) became Playhouse Theatre, a performing arts venue. Hundreds of hours of voluntary labour were put in by three local theatre groups to transform the old building into a "live" theatre - St. Thomas Light Opera Club, Auckland Children's Light Opera and Western Players joined forces whilst producing their own productions under the banner of Playhouse Productions Inc. in 1973. The last show produced by the individual groups was in 1987 and in 1989 the three theatre groups amalgamated under the name of Playhouse Theatre Incorporated (P.T.I.).
Being the "home" theatre group, P.T.I. has a priority booking of 16 weeks a year to stage its productions at Playhouse Theatre. These include plays, musicals, children's shows and other theatrical events to cater for the interests of the three original theatre groups.
For the remainder of the year the venue is available for hire by community, professional and corporate organisations to stage a wide variety of performing arts and other events.
P.T.I. is managed by a voluntary committee that welcomes membership of the theatre's "home" group. Theatre members who assist with productions also work in a voluntary capacity.
All financial members of the previous year ending December 31 and youth members who have attained the age of 17 years by the date of the society's Annual General Meeting are entitled to attend and to vote for P.T.I. Office Bearers and Management Committee members for the ensuing year. There are two types of club membership - Ordinary Membership and Life Members.
Life Membership comprises people who have rendered outstanding service to the society and who shall be appointed, upon the recommendation of the Management Committee, by a two thirds majority of those members present and entitled to vote at the AGM.
Office Bearers elected at the society's AGM each March include a Patron or Patroness, President, a Vice-President and an Auditor.
Management of the society in all matters is by a group of up to eight elected persons who are financial members of P.T.I. Members of the Management Committee shall hold office no longer than three years. The three members who have continuously served for the longest time shall retire annually but are eligible for re-election.
The Management Committee may co-opt any ordinary P.T.I. member or person onto the committee but such co-opted persons do not have voting rights.
The Management Committee appoints suitably qualified persons for the roles of Secretary, Treasurer and Minutes Secretary, all positions being ex-officio.
Committee members take on a variety of portfolios covering all areas of theatre production.
The President and Vice-President of P.T.I. are automatically entitled to membership of Waitakere Playhouse Theatre Trust, the governing board of Playhouse Theatre, and two additional P.T.I. Management Committee members are also voted onto W.P.T.T. by the P.T.I. members.
For enquiries regarding our "home" theatre group, Playhouse Theatre Incorporated, please post correspondence to:
The Secretary
Playhouse Theatre Incorporated
P.O. Box 20-230
Auckland
0602
Email address: secretary.pti@gmail.com
Alternatively contact P.T.I. President, Rubeana Reader: Ph (09) 027 3031616 or
Playhouse Theatre office: Ph (09) 818 5751 or 021 215 1271, Email: enquiries@playhousetheatre.org.nz