Venue information
Nau mai, haere mai ki te Factory Theatre!
We are proud to present this versatile, affordable and innovative focused performance space in Onehunga. You’ll find all the information you need to get started with hiring The Factory Theatre for your performance including cost, ticketing, your requirements as a hirer, what we can offer you and general FAQs. If you have a question that is not covered, please get in touch with us to discuss.
We cannot wait to see what you bring to The Factory Theatre, and look forward to being a part of your creative journey!
Key contact details
Acting Manager and Administrator
Connie Boston – 021 655 963/[email protected]
The Factory Theatre
[email protected]
Physical address
80 Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland, 1061
Venue Support
After hours emergency number – 021 655 803
Mailing address
P.O. Box 131100, Onehunga, Auckland, 1643
Pricing
We know this is the most important thing when looking for a venue for your work, so we have broken our pricing structure down into three tiers. These three tiers are then split into peak and off-peak hourly rates, half day, full-day and performance.
Anything with a ticketed audience in attendance is a performance, and qualifies for that rate. If you are not ticketing your show (ie doing pay-as-you-can-at-the-door or koha), then we will work together to determine the rate for your usage.
The half and full day rates are ideal for rehearsals, pack-in, tech, dress, workshops, classes, or if you just need a big empty room to run around in for a few hours.
Are you a group of people who usually perform in your grandparents/aunts/cousins basement? Are you working on a passion project that you’re paying for out of your own pocket? Then the unfunded rate is for you, provided you have no major funding partners backing the project.
The funded rate applies to groups who have received funding – be it from larger funding partners, government/local council bodies or crowdfunding.
If you are a commercial organisation (production company, limited company, governmental body) then the commercial rate is for you! If you’re a film crew looking for a venue for a wrap party, a life coach looking for a space to hold a convention, or any other commercial operation, then you qualify under the commercial rate.
Community/Unfunded Rates
Hourly
Off-Peak:$35.00
Peak :$70.00
Per Performance
$400.00
Rig Reset Fee
$200.00
Funded/COMMERCIAL Rates
Hourly
Off-Peak: $45.00
Peak: $80.00
Per Performance
$600.00
Rig Reset Fee
$200.00
We have a few notes on the pricing structure – we want to be as upfront as possible so there are no surprises at the close of your season.
ADDITIONAL STAFF Rates
Technician/Operator
$40.00 p/h
Duty Manager
$40.00 p/h
Box Office, Front/Back of House or Catering
$35.00 p/h
All staff are hired on a 2 hour minimum call
Examples
If you’re a community group putting on a devised piece over 5 nights, with 2x 5 hour tech days, plus 3 additional off-peak hours for pack-in and are supplying your own tech operator:
Total cost: $3005 + GST
If you sell 60 tickets per performance at $20, you will clear around $2,400 (after venue hire costs and iTicket fees).
If you’re a production company with funding support by a major funding partner who are putting on a 10-performance run, with one full day (8 hours) during off-peak hours and two half day (5 hours) hires at the peak rate and are using our tech operator:
Total cost: $8910 + GST
If you sell out (100 tickets per show) at a ticket cost of $35, you will clear around $21,000 (after venue hire costs and iTicket fees).
Payment information
If you are not ticketing your event, we require a deposit for your hire. This deposit is typically 20% of the estimated total hire cost and is required to be paid out at time of booking to secure your dates. You must settle the remaining hire costs 3 business days before you enter the space.
If you are ticketing your event, within 5 working days after your season has closed, we will send you an itemised settlement invoice. This will include information on how many tickets you sold, at what price, how much iTicket took for fees, what our venue fees are and any other fees you may incur (if you set off the alarm, if anything is broken) but most importantly, how much you will receive after those costs have been deducted.
We will request your bank details and settlement will be paid out within 10 working days of us receiving this information.
Venue and technical information
The Factory Theatre has a venue capacity of 100 total, with the seats set out in our default setting. If you want to change the layout of the space (more on this later) you may lose some of this capacity – you will need to make this choice before you start selling tickets!
We are a General Admission only venue – we do not allocate seats through ticketing. If you would like to reserve seats (for VIP’s, sponsors, etc), you may do so, however we reserve the right to cap allocation at 10 seats per performance.
You can sell a maximum of 95 tickets per show in pre-sales. The theatre holds 5 tickets per show for sponsors/comps and if these aren’t allocated to anyone by performance day, they are available as door sales.
The space is approximately 11.5 x 12 metres and has concrete floors and walls. We provide fixed staging decks set up in a neutral position – any changes to the staging configuration needs to be discussed in advance, and is at the discretion of the theatre.
We have a custom-built truss that supports the sound and lighting equipment and the projector – all of which is included as part of your venue hire. Please note that our roof is angled, and the truss has been created to match the angle of the roof – we do not have a traditional flat grid.
The theatre will be set out in our default arrangement with the staging at the back of the space, and seating laid out in rows facing the stage. If you want to make any alterations to this for your performance (i.e. move to traverse) there will be a $75 + GST moving fee to cover our staff costs to set this up for you, and reset once you’ve completed your season.
If you are opting to not have the staging set up, there is a $100 + GST fee to pack the staging down, which also covers the cost of us resetting at the end of your hire period. If you are coming in for a workshop and want the seats and staging packed away, the fee is $150 + GST.
To recap: moving the seats/staging = $75 + GST; packing down the stage to have a bare floor = $100 + GST; packing the seats and staging away = $150 + GST.
Please note that the seats and staging all stay in the theatre – we do not have offsite storage. For those of you who need as much floor space as possible, we pack the staging behind the drapes and push the chairs to the sides of the room to give you as much floor space as possible!
Things to note
Ushers
We have a rotating staff able to usher for your shows, but we also encourage you to use your own team if possible. If using our staff, please let us know any details of intermissions, cast exiting the theatre during the performance, or anything else that our ushers may be able to help you with.
Talk to us about it! Many of our ushers are members of the arts community too, and they want to see you succeed just as much as we do. Please note that Ushers sourced through us will come at an additional cost.
Parking
We have 39 free parking spaces on site which are first come, first served. We encourage you and your audiences to think about utilising carpooling and public transport options – we are steps away from the Onehunga train line, and several bus stops.
Gloucester park is also very close by which has some limited free parking, and there is plenty of neighborhood parking further up Onehunga Mall Road.
Bar information
We are a fully licensed premises, and have a variety of food and beverages available. Our lounge area opens an hour before the scheduled start time of your show so that your audiences can come and enjoy some food and a drink before the show.
If you’re running an open rehearsal, have an invite-only performance or a daytime event outside of our liquor license hours, we will serve snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for your attendees.
We can also do catering! Talk to us today about your needs.
Please note that we do not allow BYO – we’re a theatre, not a house party. This applies to any outside food or drink during your performances. Please enquire with us about our range of catering options!
Technical information
You are welcome to bring your own operator, but we need to know at least 10 working days before your performance. Our lighting is set at a neutral position, so you will need to plot as part of your pack in or tech. At the close of your show, your pack out time will also need to include returning the lights to the neutral position. The full list of technical offerings and standard plot can be provided to you upon request.
As part of your hire agreement, you must have a Venue Coordinator on site for your pack in/rigging, tech and dress rehearsals and pack out, and of course, for your performances too. This Coordinator is on site to make sure that you are following our Health and Safety requirements.
Atmos and smoke
Please talk to us if you wish to include atmos or smoke in your performances – this will be approved on a case by case basis.
Weapons, firearms, etc
Please mention in your hire enquiry if your performance requires the use of weapons or firearms, or anything out of the ordinary.
Kete Aronui
Directly underneath The Factory Theatre lies a magical place called Kete Aronui. If you’re not already familiar, Kete Aronui is the home our 5 rehearsal rooms within the same building. If you’re putting on a show at The Factory Theatre, talk to
us about special rates we can offer you for rehearsals as part of your season. Kete Aronui will also be the place if you need a disability friendly green-room for your performances.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is available in all areas of The Factory Theatre and Kete Aronui and will be provided to you upon arrival.
APRA music rights
If you are using any pre-existing recorded music in your show, you should contact APRA to ensure you are complying with music rights. You may need to do this well in advance (think 2-3 months) of your performances.
Health and safety
Our full Health and Safety Guidelines will be provided to you when you sign an agreement, and you will need to ensure that all guidelines are being followed when working at The Factory Theatre. We will arrange a suitable time for you to have a meeting with one of our Venue representatives to go over the basics of this before you pack in.
Pack in
The timing of your pack in will be mutually agreed upon and subject to Venue Supervisor availability. Prior to your pack in, we will send you a Pack In Logistics Checklist to make sure you have everything arranged in order for your pack in to go as smoothly as possible.
Pack out
In most circumstances your pack out may need to happen immediately after your closing night. We will let you know at least 2 weeks before you open when your pack out needs to occur by. This will include you re-setting lights back to normal with supervision from your Venue Coordinator, making sure you have all your set pieces, props, costumes and any additional equipment that you brought in.
We typically do the walk through of the theatre the next business day (unless we have shows back to back), so you will know if there is anything outstanding that needs to be addressed.
Box office information
Ticket sales
iTICKET is our ticketing provider – as part of the hire agreement package, you will be given a document to complete with all the information needed to make your event a success. You will need to submit your promotional materials (banner, promo photos) for your iTICKET page, but we will give you all the specs for these.
You will also be given the rate sheet with an indicative cost per ticket of the fees iTICKET will take, and what your customer pays. You can pick your own ticket pricing, and we are always available to help with any questions around this.
We have the capacity to do door sales on the night, including tickets for future shows. iTICKET will get you set up with an event page which you can use in all your promotions. Speaking of promotions…
Marketing
While iTICKET have things they need to get your event page up and running, we also want to help you promote your event.
We know some people! If you have videos, photos, or anything else that you’d like us to push across our social media channels, we would be more than happy to do so. Are you printing posters to market your event? We have a great rehearsal venue on site full of lots of creative people who might want to come and see your event, and there is lots of wall space.
Is your show running for a longer period at The Factory? Talk to us about having your promotional images as our banner on our social media channels. We want to help you make your show a success, but please don’t rely on us to do all your marketing for you. We’re happy to be involved in the process, and if you have any specific requests we will do our best to accommodate them, but at the end of the day, your marketing is your responsibility.
