Must-see entertainment in New Zealand

Theatre by various companies and intimate live music. Silo Theatre (www.silotheatre.co.nz) often performs here.

Hollywood new releases and art-house flicks in an historic 1930s weatherboard building.

Demonstrating, yet again, provincial NZ's commitment to quality viewing.

Small, but a stalwart on the live indie-music scene nonetheless.

Constructed for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, this is the only major stadium in NZ with a fully covered roof, and it holds 30,000 spectators. It's the home…

This theatre was Palmerston North's pride and joy when it opened in 1930, but it closed in the early '90s following a lengthy decline. The council stepped…

Feeling experimental? Head to Palmy's black-box fringe theatre for something out of the ordinary. Run by Centrepoint Theatre, it hosts local, national and…

This old theatre has expanded into the adjoining shopfronts to become the Mayfair, a live-music space with a fairly mainstream bar-restaurant focusing on…

After Lancaster Park was irreparably damaged during the 2011 earthquake, Canterbury Rugby Union shifted its home games to this smaller ground in Addington…

Tucked down an atmospheric alley off a 19th-century street, the Penguin’s unusual location matches its acts: everything from touring Kiwi bands to punky…

The world’s southernmost professional theatre company has been staging dramas, comedies, pantomimes, classics and contemporary NZ productions for over 40…

This legendary live-music room started in 1958 then died in 1997. But thanks to some forward-thinking rock fans, it’s risen from the grave to save the day…

Brooklands Park is home to the Bowl of Brooklands, a world-class outdoor sound-shell, which hosts festivals such as WOMAD and old-school rockers like…

Hosts performances, exhibitions and conventions. Ask at the Taupo i-SITE for the current program. Look for the intricate red waharoa (entranceway) carved…

Dunedin’s premier live-music venue draws an eclectic mix of genres from noisy-as-hell punk to chilled reggae and gritty dubstep. It’s the venue of choice…

Boutiquey cinema screening blockbusters in Hastings city centre, with nifty speakers fitted into the seats ('See it, hear it, feel it!'). Three screens;…

Home ground for the Warriors rugby league team (www.warriors.kiwi), Auckland Football Federation (www.aucklandfootball.org.nz) and Athletics Auckland (www…

This grand old heritage theatre hosts big-ticket productions such as the Royal NZ Ballet (www.rnzb.org.nz) and NZ Opera (www.nzopera.com), plus the odd…

Oban's comfy little theatre screens the quirky, cute 40-minute film A Local's Tail, which provides an entertaining overview of Stewart Island/Rakiura…

One of the two home courts of the NZ Breakers basketball team (www.nzbreakers.co.nz) and an occasional concert venue. The other home court is at Spark…