The Hannah Hall of Fame
Raymond Stanley Boyce MBE (20 May 1928 – 1 August 2019): a British-New Zealand stage designer, costume designer and puppeteer and puppet designer.
Call the family photographers, we’ve started putting pictures up in the Hannah Hall of Fame!
This project has been quietly brewing for some time, and it’s one that deserves time and dedication. The Hannah has been home to countless artists, technicians, designers, directors, and dreamers whose work has shaped the course of Aotearoa theatre. Some made their debut on our stage; others returned here time and again, each leaving an imprint on the building’s spirit and history.
The Hall of Fame is our way of honouring them, with short profiles which hero their involvement and connection to The Hannah.
In pulling this together, we’ve had the great pleasure (and challenge!) of diving into archives, rediscovering treasures from Downstage’s earliest days, right through to the current generation of theatre-makers. John Smythe’s Downstage Upfront has been an invaluable companion: part history book, part detective guide, part love letter to the people and productions that have made this place hum over the years. It’s helped us trace connections, cross-check memories, and reintroduce ourselves to some of the extraordinary figures who’ve shared a part of shaping Wellington’s creative landscape.
There’s something profoundly grounding about this process. It reminds us that The Hannah is a living archive of creative innovators and storytellers. Each photo on the virtual wall represents a spark that’s helped keep the light on for the next generation, or a moment that’s inspired something new and interesting.
The Hannah Hall of Fame is going to be a work in progress for some time yet. There’s a lot of history to cover! We’ve called it an ever-growing library of people who have had important, often career-changing connections with The Hannah.
We’re just getting started, and we know there are many more names and faces still to come. If you have memories, photos, or stories to share from your time at The Hannah, we’d love to hear from you.
After all, this hall of fame belongs to everyone who’s ever called The Hannah home.