Our new Drama Centre is part of the College’s aims to continue to foster talent and skills in the dramatic arts and over the past year, builders have been hard at work creating a new space for the College’s thespians to take to the stage. Our brand new 200 seat Drama Centre will be officially opened on Monday 18 July 2016 by His Majesty, Kind Tupou VI, King of Tonga.

We have commissioned a new play for the occasion and now is the chance to see Your Name in Lights on opening night…

Last month, we wrote to all Old Boys advising of the launch of the Naming opportunities for our new Drama Centre and we have had a very encouraging response to our Seat Sponsorship and Supporters Wall programs. The relatively low entry price is proving attractive to many and you still have a chance to secure your seat for only $990 or a plaque on our Supporters Wall for only $330 and reserve your seat for the Opening Night performance of our commissioned play, Michael Swordfish on 18 July. Please Click Here to find out more.

We are also very pleased to announce that the College Council has approved for fundraising to formally commence to support the Naming of the following venues in the Drama Centre:

Sir Talbot Duckmanton CBE (ON 1938) Drama Centre

Sir Talbot Duckmanton (1921-1985) was not only an Old Boy of Newington, matriculating in 1938 but when on to a distinguished career as a war correspondent in the Australian Army and Air Force. Post war he had a long and successful career at ABC Radio and Television, culminating in his appointment as General Manager from 1965 until his retirement in 1982. He also served as Chairman of the Newington College Council from 1968 to 1973.

The Duckmanton family have kindly agreed to allow the Newington Drama Centre to be named in honour of their late father and for fundraising to be undertaken in his name.

The College is looking to raise $500,000 to support the naming of the Sir Talbot Duckmanton CBE (ON 1938) Drama Centre, with all funds raised be directed towards Newington Drama. Please Click Here to make a donation.

Haddrick Family Theatre

The Haddrick Family have had a long association with Newington College and are very honoured to have the Drama Theatre named in their honour and encourage donations to the $100,000 appeal in their name.

Greg Haddrick (ON 1978) is the Director of Screentime Productions, the company behind many television series including Underbelly and Janet King to name two. Greg is the son of legendary Australian actor Ron Haddrick and sister of Lyn Haddrick, herself no stranger to the thespian world. Greg and his wife Margaret Hamley’s son Jack is also a Newington Old Boy, graduating in 2013. 

We are pleased to announce that we have already received a single donation of $20,000 from an anonymous Old Boy and are now looking for your support to reach our target. All funds raised will go to support Newington Drama. Please Click Here to make a donation.

Joy Christian Foyer

The MOONs (Mothers of Old Newingtonians) are the driving force behind the $25,000 appeal to name the Drama Centre Foyer in honour of Joy Christian.

Joy is not only the founder of the MOONs, and a mother of 3 Old Boys – Tim (ON 1978), Matthew (ON 1981) and Nick (ON 1982) but her granddaughter Jessica is a long serving member of the Newington staff and Joy herself served some 20 years on the College Council.

In the context of the Drama Centre, over a period of some 40 years, Joy spent countless hours making many of the costumes that graced our productions both large and small.

We congratulate our beloved MOONs (your mothers!) for this wonderful initiative and encourage your support of this appeal. All funds raised will go to support Newington Drama. Please Click Here to make a donation.

Bob James Room

The College Staff have initiated fundraising for $10,000 to name the Bob James Room in honour of the much loved and respected former Head of Drama for some 30 years.

One staff member has already donated $1,000 to get the appeal started and the staff would love to see Old Boys who were taught by Bob James throughout the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s to support this appeal.

All funds raised will go to support Newington Drama. Please Click Here to make a donation.

Joan Gray Room

Through the generous support of an Old Boy, Miss Joan Gray will now be forever remembered as an integral part of Newington Drama.

Joan Gray was the long serving teacher of 4^th Class at Wyvern and the Head of the Wyvern Choir for many decades. What is not generally known is that Miss Gray was the driving force behind the re-emergence of Drama as an important co-curricular program at Newington. It was through her Wyvern Drama productions, starting with the 1965 production of Toad of Toad Hall, that the love of Drama was imbued into a whole generation of Newington boys.

Through this generous donation, the College is honoured to recognise Miss Joan Gray in this way.

The Drama Centre is an important addition to the Newington campus and will serve the College and our boys for generations to come. We do hope you will take the opportunity to secure yourself a tax deduction and support our Drama Centre Naming Program.

Below: Plans for New Drama Centre – click to enlarge