NZ Children’s Musical Hana The Glowworm Sparks Extraordinary Demand Following World Premiere

A brand-new New Zealand children’s musical has made a remarkable debut, with Hana the Glowworm receiving an overwhelming audience response and additional performances added due to demand.

Created by award-winning New Zealand songwriter, performer and author Chris Sanders, the full-length musical premiered at Centrestage Theatre in Ōrewa during the September/October school holidays following several years of development with Auckland Philharmonia.

With very little pre-publicity, Hana the Glowworm has quickly built strong word-of-mouth, with audiences responding to its combination of original music, comedy, adventure and distinctly New Zealand characters. The production is now attracting enquiries and requests from audiences and theatres wanting to see Hana brought back to other venues.

“This has gone beyond what we expected for the premiere,” says Chris Sanders.

“You never really know how an audience is going to respond when you put a completely original New Zealand musical on stage. The response has been incredible, and we are already hearing from people who want to see Hana return to their theatre.”

A New Opportunity for New Zealand Youth Theatre

Hana the Glowworm is an original New Zealand musical, with a cast of approximately 40 young performers in the Centrestage production.

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Featuring Bella Whitaker (10) as Hana the Glowworm and seasoned performer Milla Rodrigues-Birch (17) as Eel, the story follows Hana, a curious little glowworm who is drawn beyond her cave by the sound of a far-away orchestra. Her adventure brings her face-to-face with Eels, Ruru, Kauri, Possums, Stoats and a host of other creatures from the forests of Aotearoa.

The production combines original songs, live theatre, comedy and adventure, giving young performers the opportunity to tell a uniquely New Zealand story on stage.

“There is a real shortage of original New Zealand musicals available for young performers,” says Sanders. “We wanted to create something that gives young New Zealand performers the opportunity to perform a story that belongs to them.”

From Auckland Philharmonia to the Stage

Hana the Glowworm began through Auckland Philharmonia’s Learn & Participate education programme, developing from an orchestral project into an abridged 45-minute production performed with the orchestra at the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre and Bruce Mason Theatre in 2025. Those performances reached more than 3,000 children and families.

The original music was recorded with Auckland Philharmonia at Auckland Town Hall, with the 2025 album becoming a finalist for the Recorded Music NZ Best Children’s Artist Tūī Award.

The 2026 production expands the story into a full-length musical, with new characters, new songs and a larger theatrical production. An Original Cast Album, featuring 10 songs from the full-length musical, has also been released internationally alongside the world premiere.

Hana is Ready to Travel

With the Centrestage season concluding on 3 October 2026, the next stage of Hana the Glowworm’s journey is already taking shape.

Hana the Glowworm will be available for licensing to theatres and youth theatre companies following the conclusion of the Centrestage season.

The aim is to enable theatres across New Zealand, and internationally, to stage their own productions using the established musical, script, songs and production materials.

“We have spent years building the world of Hana,” says Sanders. “Now we want other young performers to have the opportunity to step into it. The Ōrewa production has shown us what is possible, and we would love to see Hana continue her journey into theatres around New Zealand and eventually beyond.”

© Scoop Media

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