The Engine Room
A customised residency at Auckland Theatre Company
The Engine Room programme is designed to support the training and development of early to mid-career theatre directors keen to develop their careers and broaden their directing experience.
Auckland Theatre Company are delighted to announce that Nī Dekkers-Reihana and Katrina George have been selected as Engine Room Residents at Auckland Theatre Company in 2025.
The Engine Room programme is designed to support the training and development of early to mid-career theatre directors, supporting career development by providing directing experience in the context of a large producing company.
Offering two theatre directors the opportunity to join Auckland Theatre Company as Engine Room Assistant Directors, the programme allows access to the inner workings of a large producing theatre company, and insight into its programming and producing processes, audiences, teams, venues and ongoing core business.
Residents will be part of the process of staging three theatre productions at the ASB Waterfront Theatre: from the design phase, planning, rehearsals, production week and opening through to closing night.
Engine Room Resident
Nī Dekkers-Reihana
Engine Room Resident
Katrina George
“Such a rich tapestry of artists make up this programme and I’m deeply honoured to work alongside them. I’m particularly excited to gain insight into theatre-making at this scale. It’s such a bountiful playground! Nōku te whiwhi”
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be stepping into the Auckland Theatre Company’s Engine Room. The chance to work alongside some of Aotearoa’s talented creatives is an incredible privilege. ”
The Engine Room is for early to mid-career Theatre Directors. Selected Residents join Auckland Theatre Company and work as Assistant Directors on three plays each across the 2025 season.
- Residents should have had training and/or equivalent experience in Theatre Directing.
- Residents need to be passionate and committed to directing as their chosen profession, with a track record of directing theatre productions.
- We are keen to work with Directors at a turning point in their career who are determined to develop their capacity to direct productions of scale in a company context.
- We welcome diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities.
- Residents need to commit full-time for the full residency period. This role includes regular evening and weekend work.
- Residents will be required to be based in Auckland for the residency period. ATC cannot provide relocation, travel costs or living allowance. A limited contribution towards expenses may be possible.
- Residents must have a right to work in New Zealand.
- As Auckland Theatre Company frequently works with young people, shortlisted candidates must undertake a criminal record check.
- Applicants must be aged 18+
- Fixed term, full-time employment for roughly five months, immersed in Auckland Theatre Company.
- The role of “Engine Room Assistant Director” on three ATC productions back-to-back.
- A schedule of ATC Company meetings, Board meetings and Artistic Operations meetings to attend.
- Six sessions with an external mentor, with sessions scheduled before the residency, between each project, and at the conclusion of the programme.
- Salary based on CNZ’s Remuneration Policy for Artists and Arts Practitioners.
Auckland Theatre Company received Expressions of Interest from 83 theatre directors and artists from across Aotearoa and from around the world. Each Expression of Interest was reviewed by the ATC team, and eight directors were invited to apply for the programme. The Application process included submitting a full application form and CV and participating in an interview with a panel of Miriama McDowell (Ngāti Hine), Benjamin Kilby-Henson and Sam Phillips. The appointments were made after a final interview with Artistic Director & CEO Jonathan Bielski.
The 2025 Engine Room is supported by The Friedlander Foundation, an Excellence Partner of Auckland Theatre Company.