In 1989 the then Health Department made funding available to all area health boards for the prevention of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). Using theatre as an educational tool in health promotion was the brainchild of Viv Graham from the Otago Area Health Board’s Health Promotion Service. In late 1989 she discussed her ideas with people prominent in Dunedin’s professional theatre and with the help of the one-off Health Department grant, commissioned Karen Elliot to write and direct a safer sex programme for 16 to 18 year old secondary school students. This was written in association with Marc Metzger with input from a variety of public health professionals.
The Southland Area Health Board also joined the project and from mid – February to the May school vacation in 1990, The Say No or Joe Show toured 30 of the 43 secondary schools in Otago and Southland. Approximately 4,400 students participated in the programme and the evaluations were extremely positive from students, teachers and health professionals.
Following the programme’ success, Viv Graham and Karen Elliot investigated continuing theatre in health education in Otago/Southland and possibly further afield.
A planning process began which included a national survey of health educators in schools, area health boards and other health agencies for their views on theatre as an educative tool. The theatre in health education company, Brainstorm Productions, in New South Wales, Australia was also visited.
Evaluation of the information gathered from all these sources made it clear that theatre would be welcomed as a tool and could be complementary to comprehensive and long term health education within schools, supported by audio-visual and written material produced by health agencies. Priority programmes such as alcohol and other drug misuse, smoking prevention, nutrition – in fact any and all health related issues could all incorporate a theatre component. As a result of this, the Theatre in Health Education Trust (THETA) was formally established in November 1991.
The inaugural Trustees were Karen Elliot, Viv Graham, Pat Harrison (secondary school principal), Hilary Norris(actor/director/theatre teacher) and Dr Peter Strang (Otago University Student Health Service).
1990 The Say No or Joe Show: Tour: Otago and Southland Funding: Otago and Southland Area Health Boards Actors: Sima Urale, Sean Allen and Patrick Davies. Writer/Director: Karen Elliot Coordinator: Viv Graham.
1990/91 Karen Elliot employed on a short-term contract by the Otago Area Health Board to investigate the use of theatre in health education and the viability of setting up an autonomous trust to produce theatre-based programmes.
1992 In June, Karen Elliot obtained a youth worker salary from the Lottery Grants Board to direct and administer programmes for the Trust.
1993 Sex Matters: a two actor classroom programme based on The Say No or Joe Show Tour: Otago and Southland Funding: HealthCare Otago; QE2 Arts Council; Lottery Youth Actors: Hilary Halba, (later Rachel More) and John Foreman Writer/Director Karen Elliot Coordinator Viv Graham
1994 Suckers: a smoking prevention programme aimed at 10-13 year olds, based on a game show format that involved participation from the audience. Psst..!: promoting responsible alcohol use to senior secondary students. Tour: Otago and Southland Funding: Lottery Youth; HealthCare Otago; Southern Health; Invercargill Licensing Trust Actors: Rachel France, John Foreman and Richard White (both programmes) Writer/Director: Karen Elliot Coordinator: Viv Graham
Sex Matters: Tour: metropolitan Dunedin schools; also performed at the National STD Educators’ Conference in Wellington Funding: HealthCare Otago Actors: Rachel More and John Foreman Director: Karen Elliot
1995 Crunch ‘n’ Munch: a nutrition programme in a storyteller format for preschool and junior primary children. Tour: rural and provincial Otago and selected Dunedin schools and Kindergartens Funding: Healthcare Otago Actor: Fran Kewene Writer/Director: Karen Elliot
Sexwhys: revised three actor version of sexual health programme Tour: South Island excluding Nelson and Marlborough Funding: Public Health Commission. Actors: Rachel France, Fran Kewene and Richard Bullock Writer/Director: Karen Elliot
1996 Sexwise: previously namedSexwhys Tour: Northland; Auckland; Waikato; Tairawhiti; Hawkes Bay; Wellington Funding: Regional Health Authorities. Replacing the Public Health Commission Actors: Erina Daniels, Pip Hall and Justin Curry
1997 Psst..! Tour: rural and provincial South Island schools; also Otago University Halls of Residence during Orientation Funding: Lottery Grants Board; Dunedin City Council Actors Gemma Mathieson, Andrew Jones and Gareth McMillan Writer/Director: Karen Elliot
Sexwise Tour: Waikato; Taranaki; Bay of Plenty; Taupo; Rotorua and the Coromandel. Funding: Midland Regional Health Authority Actors: Sara Connor, Erina Daniels and Justin Curry Writer/Director: Karen Elliot
1998 Sexwise Tour: Southern and Midland Regional Health Regions Funding: Southern and Midland Regional Health Authorities Actors: Sara Connor, Sable Samuel and Justin Curry Writer/Director: Karen Elliot
Psst..! Tour: Central and Northern Regional Health Regions Funding: Central and Northern Regional Health Authorities Actors: Jessica Sutherland, Stephen Laing and Rhys Latton Writer/Director: Karen Elliot
1999 Sexwise Tour: Midland and Southern regions Funding: Midland and Southern RHAs Actors: Sara Connor, Erina Daniels and Justin Curry Writer/Director: Karen Elliot
Psst..! Tour: Southern region Funding: Southern RHA Actors: Cath Colwill, Chris Horlock and Danny Still
Kickin’ Butt: revised fromSuckers Tour: Gisborne; Hawkes Bay; Wairarapa; Manawatu; Wellington; Hutt Valley Funding: Central RHA Actors: Cath Colwill, Chris Horlock and Adrian Wagner Writer/Director: Simon O’Connor
The Central RHA also funded THETA to research and develop a new programme on cannabis.
2000 Sexwise Tour: Southern and Midland regions Actors: Serena Cotton, Keri Hunter and Maaka Pohatu Director: Hilary Halba
Kickin’ Butt Tour: Southern region and Auckland. Actors: Cath Colwill, Chris Horlock and Adrian Wagner. Writer/Director: Simon O’Connor
Ripped: new commission Tour: Gisborne; Hawke’s Bay; Wanganui; Wellington; Hutt Valley; the Wairarapa Funding: Health Funding Authority – Wellington Office Actors Serena Cotton, Karlos Drinkwater and Will Henley Writers: Simon O’Connor; Rawiri Paratene Writer/Director: Simon O’Connor.
2001 Ripped Tour: Northland; Wanganui; Wellington; Porirua Basin; Hutt Valley; South Island, excluding the West Coast Funding: Health Funding Authority - Auckland; Wellington; Dunedin offices Actors Serena Cotton, Reihana Haronga and William Henley Writer/Director Simon O’Connor
Kickin’ Butt Tour: Tairawhiti; Hawkes Bay; Wanganui; Porirua Basin Funding: Health Funding Authority - Wellington office Actors: Cath Colwill, Chris Horlock and Adrian Wagner Writer/Director Simon O’Connor
Sexwise Tour Taranaki; Waikato; Coromandel; Rotorua; Taupo; West Coast; Christchurch Funding: Health Funding Authority - Hamilton; Dunedin offices Actors: Keri Hunter, Sara Georgie Johnston and Jamie McCaskill Director: Hilary Halba
2002 Ripped Tour: Auckland; North Shore; Rotorua; Taupo; Coromandel; part Waikato; Tairawhiti; Hawkes Bay; West Coast; Nelson; Marlborough; metropolitan Christchurch Funding: Health Funding Authority - Auckland; Hamilton; Wellington; Dunedin offices Actors: Serena Cotton, Reihana Haronga and David Oxenbridge (replaced by Jamie McGregor) Writer/Director Simon O’Connor
Psst..! Tour: North Shore; Tairawhiti; Hawkes Bay; Wanganui; Wairarapa; Otago Funding Auckland; Wellington; Dunedin offices Actors Tui Divers, Karlos Drinkwater and Cameron Smith Writer/Director Richard Huber
Sexwise Tour Auckland; Wellington; Porirua Basin; Hutt Valley Funding: Health Funding Authority - Auckland; Wellington offices Actors: Keri Hunter, Sara Georgie Johnston and Cooper Amai Director: Hilary Halba
2003 Psst..! Tour: Whanganui; Manawatu; Kapiti Coast; Southland; South Canterbury; Mid-Canterbury Funding: Health Funding Authority - Wellington; Dunedin offices Actors: Serena Cotton, Cooper Amai and Amalia Calder Director: Richard Huber
Ripped Tour: Auckland; North Shore; Taranaki; part Waikato; Bay of Plenty; Dunedin city; North Otago Funding: Health Funding Authority - Auckland; Hamilton; Dunedin offices Actors: Mark Neilson, Anya Tate-Manning, Matarahi Skipper Writer/Director: Simon O’Connor
2004 Kickin’ Butt Tour: Northland; part Auckland; Thames; Paeroa; part Coromandel; Wellington; Porirua; Hutt Valley; Wairarapa; South Otago; Central Otago; West Coast Funding: Health Funding Authority - Auckland; Hamilton; Wellington; Dunedin offices Actors: Anatoa Tekira, Matarahi Skipper, Bengy Barsanti Writer/Director: Simon O’Connor
Psst..! Tour: Rotorua; Taupo; North Waikato; Tairawhiti; Hawkes Bay; Nelson; Marlborough; part Christchurch Funding: Health Funding Authority - Hamilton; Wellington; Dunedin offices Actors: Jessie Allen, Kristin O’Halloran, Paul Sullivan Director: Richard Huber
2005 Sexwise Tours (2): Auckland; North Shore; Whangarei; Taranaki; Hamilton City; Bay of Plenty; Rotorua; Wanganui; Palmerston North City; Porirua; Hutt Valley; Levin; Foxton; Masterton; Tairawhiti; Hawkes Bay; Southland; Dunedin City; North Otago; West Coast; Mid- Canterbury; South Canterbury; metropolitan Christchurch Funding: Health Funding Authority - Auckland; Hamilton; Wellington; Dunedin offices Actors: Julia Truscott; Siale Tunoka and Jared Culling & Alannah Crowley; Richard Dey and Bengy Barsanti Directors: Sara Georgie Johnston and Gareth McMillan (trainee directors) mentored by Karen Elliot and Hilary Halba
2006 Sexwise Tour: Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Jared Culling, Alannah Crowley, Richard Dey Director: Gareth McMillan
2007 Crunch and Munch Tour: Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Te Mihinga Komene, Director: Karen Elliot
The Best Thing Tour: Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Sara Geogie Johnston, Siale Tunoka Director: Karen Elliot
2008 Crunch and Munch Tour: Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Te Mihinga Komene, Director: Karen Elliot
The Best Thing Tour: Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Sara Geogie Johnston, Siale Tunoka Director: Karen Elliot
2009 Crunch and Munch Tour: Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Te Mihinga Komene, Director: Karen Elliot
The Best Thing Tour: Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Sara Geogie Johnston, Siale Tunoka Director: Karen Elliot
2010 Sexwise Tour: South Island Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Hollie Sutton, Jack Matthews, George Harach Director: Karen Elliot
2011 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Jess Benson, Matthew Boyadjian, Jamie MacKenzie, Mallarie Hart, Josiah Samuel, Shaun Martin Writer/Director: Evelyn Mann
2012 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health Actors: Shaun Martin, Ngahiriwa Rauhina, Kelly Hocking, Lemau Jasmine Iuliano, Jayde Braxton, Whakaani Rongonui, Joshua Goodare, Adam Koveskali, Hadley Taylor Writer/Director: Evelyn Mann
2013 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health, Actors: Ngahiriwa Rauhina, Lemau Jasmine Iuliano, Jayde Braxton, Adam Koveskali, Hadley Taylor, Heidi Geissler, Lauren Marshall, Bob Savea Writer/Director: Evelyn Mann
2014 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health; Hawkes Bay DHB/PHO Actors: Ngahiriwa Rauhina, Lemau Jasmine Iuliano, Jayde Braxton, Adam Koveskali, Hadley Taylor, Heidi Geissler, Saufoi Fa’avale, Jocelyn Fa’alavelave, Writer/Director: Evelyn Mann
2015 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: PHG - National Health Board, Ministry of Health; Hawkes Bay DHB/PHO Actors:Lemau Jasmine Iuliano, Jayde Braxton, Adam Koveskali, Hadley Taylor, Heidi Geissler, Saufoi Fa’avale, Jocelyn Fa’alavelave, Writer/Director: Evelyn Mann
2016 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: Ministry of Health Actors: Lemau Jasmine Iuliano, Bob Savea, Nell Guy, Luke Agnew, Josiah Samuel, Natasha Richards, Maile Finau, Adam Koveskali.
Writer/Director: Evelyn Mann
2017 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: Ministry of Health Actors:Lemau Jasmine Iuliano, Saufoi Fa’avale, Kasiano Mita, Nell Guy, Luke Agnew, Josiah Samuel, Natasha Richards, Brianna Smith Writer/Director: Gareth McMillan
2018 Sexwise Tour: National, with a focus on the North Island Funding: Ministry of Health Actors:Jasmine Iuliano, Tino Maliko, Amanaki Prescott, Samson Chan-Boon, Aisea Latu, Lakely Montagne, Laumanu Paseka, Bernadine Gladding Writer/Director: Siaosi Mulipola