Originally published in Waikato Times, Monday 19 January 2026.
The team as they were in April 2022. From left, Momentum Waikato impact projects director Steve Gow, Momentum Waikato director Tim Macindoe, Momentum Waikato campaign cabinet member Linda Rademaker, Waikato Times editor Jonathan MacKenzie, Waikato Regional Theatre governance panel member Glenn Holmes, Waikato Regional Property Trust chair Ross Hargood, Momentum Waikato development director Janice Lapwood, Momentum Waikato campaign cabinet member Nancy Caiger, Momentum Waikato chief executive Kelvyn Eglinton, Tim Strawbridge of Fosters Construction, Momentum Waikato communications and marketing manager Mark Servian, Momentum Waikato trustee Jon Tanner and Fosters Construction’ Graham Boswell. PHOTO: Tom Lee / WAIKATO TIMES.
What do Gimli the Dwarf, a Grammy-winning pop star, an opera dame, and a bunch of enthusiastic Waikato locals have in common?
They all believe in the magic of the stage and backed a campaign to make sure Hamilton’s BNZ Theatre isn’t just great, but extraordinary.
It was called Share the Stage, and it raised the final $5 million needed to open the $80 million venue debt-free. The idea? Invite the whole region to be part of the story—whether that means chipping in for a piano, sponsoring a seat, or funding opportunities for local performers.
And leading the charge on 2022 with flair was the Waikato Times, which is celebrated its 150th birthday not with cake, but with a $20,000 donation to kick off the fundraising campaign.
“Journalism is about community—and so is theatre,” said editor Jonathan MacKenzie, one of the many local faces behind the push to rally public support. The Times’ donation was both a gift to its readers and a call to arms for others to contribute.
“The new theatre is something for everyone. It’s a place for the biggest stars in entertainment—and for the next generation of Waikato talent to shine,” said MacKenzie, standing alongside Momentum Waikato chief executive Kelvyn Eglinton and Waikato Regional Property Trust chair Ross Hargood.
Former Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate with actor John Rhys-Davies. PHOTO: Christel Yardley / WAIKATO TIMES.
New Zealand based actor John Rhys-Davies is a staunch supporter of the new BNZ Theatre. PHOTO: Tom Lee / WAIKATO TIMES.
From Hollywood to Hamilton
Among the most enthusiastic supporters was John Rhys-Davies, the beloved British actor whose unmistakable voice and legendary roles— Gimli in The Lord of the Rings, Sallah in Indiana Jones—have made him a global icon. These days, he’s a Waikato local, living in Glen Murray.
And he was all in.
This is what he said at the time: “Congratulations [to the Waikato Times for reaching 150 years]. And I’m really delighted to see that you’re championing a theatre for Hamilton.”
In true theatrical fashion, Rhys-Davies didn’t stop there. “Hamilton is the capital of the Waikato and, I suspect, will one day be the real capital of New Zealand, when no one can live in that place up to the north.”
And he knows exactly why a theatre matters.
“All great cities create and build culture. And you cannot have a culture without a theatre,” he said. “Whether it’s for music, or for professional plays, or amateur plays, or just for bringing people in and seeing the magic of live theatre.”
Jill and Warwick McWha bought a named seat in the Take a Seat initiative, part of the Share the Stage campaign to raise funds for the theatre. PHOTO: Christel Yardley / WAIKATO TIMES.
Dame Malvina: ‘It must be right’
Another name lending vocal support was Dame Malvina Major, New Zealand’s opera icon and a fierce advocate for young talent in the region. She’s watched the theatre’s development closely, particularly when it came to one very important feature: acoustics.
“It will be the biggest disappointment of my life if the acoustics are not right,” she warned.
And she would know. She’s performed in top venues across the world and says even the Sydney Opera House didn’t get the sound quite right.
But she’s confident the BNZ Theatre will get it done—and serve as a vital platform for students and emerging artists.
“Young people here have no access to a big theatre. Unless they go to Auckland, they don’t have the opportunity to experience the space that is required to sing in,” she said. “The regional theatre will allow our students to meet conductors and performers who come from overseas, which will be a vital opportunity for them.”
Dame Malvina Major is looking forward to experiencing the acoustics in the theatre.
Dame Malvina has no doubt the venue will be a game-changer.
Kimbra, the Hamilton-born international pop artist who has played everywhere from Coachella to the Royal Albert Hall, also threw her voice behind the theatre.
“I would love to play there,” she said at the time. “The capacity size is great... just what has been missing in Hamilton.”
She knows exactly what a venue like this means for a young performer because she was one.
“I have great memories of doing musicals at Founders [Theatre] when I was young, and then playing there as part of the Rockquest finals,” she said.
“Getting experience on stage and with decent audiences is so important when you’re first starting out. Great venues inspire ambition in young people and make them feel part of a community of performers who have been on that stage before them.”
Waikato Regional Property Trust chairperson Ross Hargood, Tompkins Wake partner Scott Ratuki, Momentum Waikato chief executive Kelvyn Eglinton and Tompkins Wake chief executive Jon Calder. The law firm gifted $250K to the Share the Stage initiative to mark its 100th birthday. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
Local legends and a little bit of magic
The Share the Stage campaign is also drew support from other household names including Stan Walker, Jools and Lynda Topp, and comedian Te Radar who are all eager to see the Waikato’s new theatre become a flagship for performing arts in Aotearoa.
The idea was about more than just finishing the building, it was to keep it humming for generations. That meant raising money not only to pay off the last slice of the $80 million price tag, but also to support programming, access for young people, and ongoing community events.
Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe - a campaign ambassador at the time, the construction partners at Fosters, and the fundraising team at Momentum Waikato asked the public to join them—whether it was $50 for a music stand, $500 for a seat, or more.
As Eglinton put it, the project is about more than bricks and budgets. “It’s about giving our community something to be proud of—and a stage to share.”