The Early Years

 After a group of homeschooling families had studied Julius Caesar as a work of literature, and searched to find a local performance, Shona providentially met Douglas. After meeting the group and doing a couple of afternoon workshops, he offered to direct an abridged performance of Julius Caesar. His offer was readily accepted. In just 5 weeks, twelve home school students, with little or no acting experience, aged from 6 to 14 years, delighted audiences with their production. Julius Caesar was performed at Nathan Homestead in September 2008.

Over the next four years, the Shakespeare Group studied a play during the year, then performed an abridged production, preparing intensely with Douglas over a 1-2 week period of time before performing.

In 2009, 19 students performed Twelfth Night at the Spotlight Theatre.

In 2010 the group took a break from acting and produced a radio play called Myriad, written by the Director.

2011 saw the group move to an outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the gardens at Nathan Homestead.

Returning to the Spotlight theatre in 2012, the 16 students comprising the Shakespeare Group
performed A Winter’s Tale.

In the next couple of years, Douglas connected with the home school group conducting theatre workshops.

Shoestring Theatre group was established in Waiuku in 2014 under the oversight of one family who had been in the original Julius Caesar production.