The curtain is about to rise on a new chapter for the performing arts scene in Central Otago, with Te Puna Mahara - Cromwell Memorial Events Centre announcing the first three ticketed events to take to its auditorium stage.
Following a weekend of community entertainment and open house tours to officially open the venue on 18 and 19 July, Te Puna Mahara will launch its ticketed entertainment programme with three major performances over the following two weekends.
Chair of the Cromwell Community Board, Anna Harrison, said the opening entertainment programme represented exactly what the community had hoped the venue would become.
"Te Puna Mahara has been created as a place for our community to gather, celebrate and experience things that, until now, we've often had to travel elsewhere to see,” she said.
“It's incredibly exciting to see that vision becoming a reality, and to know people of all ages will be able to enjoy world-class entertainment right here in the heart of Central Otago. On behalf of the Cromwell Community Board, we're proud to see the doors opening and can't wait to welcome everyone through them."
The programme opens on Friday 24 July with the inaugural CromCom, featuring comedy stars Josh Thomson, Justine Smith and Paul Ego. Together, the trio brings decades of experience from shows including 7 Days, Have You Been Paying Attention?, Taskmaster NZ, and Wellington Paranormal.
On Saturday 25 July, Te Puna Mahara hosts its first ticketed live music performance as Gore-born, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Jenny Mitchell brings her acclaimed Heart Like A House Concert Tour Goes to the Theatre to Cromwell. Fresh from a nomination for Best Country Artist at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards, Mitchell will perform an intimate evening of songs, stories, and acoustic music, marking another milestone in the venue's history.
The opening programme concludes on Friday 31 July with Everybody Knows by Laser Kiwi – an award-winning blend of circus, physical theatre, and absurd comedy. After winning Overall Best Circus at Perth Fringe World and appearing on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Laser Kiwi has earned an international reputation for combining breathtaking circus skills with laugh-out-loud comedy. Featuring aerial artist Imogen Stone alongside award-winning jugglers Zane and Degge Jarvie, the show promises an unforgettable night of spectacle and entertainment.
Venue Director Will Harris said the announcement marked an exciting milestone for the new venue, “It's always been the vision that Te Puna Mahara would be a place where people can come together to experience exceptional live performances, and these first three ticketed events set the tone for what's to come."
Harris said the opening programme reflected the venue's ambition to bring nationally and internationally recognised performers to Central Otago.
"These are the first of many exciting announcements, and we're looking forward to welcoming audiences through our doors."
Tickets for all three performances go on sale at 9am on Friday 3 July at www.tepunamahara.co.nz.
