About us - Cubbin Theatre Company

Cubbin Theatre Company, based in Christchurch, New Zealand, is dedicated to creating high-quality, playful theatre experiences for very young children. Our vision is of a world where high quality art is as integral to early childhood as the playground, and as accessible.

Our Mission

We aim to delight and intrigue very young audiences through exceptional, creative theatre experiences.

Our History

Cubbin Theatre Company was founded in 2018 by Melanie Luckman, Hannah Wheeler and Amy Straker. Our first show was Up and Away which is still going strong many years later. In 2023 we became a registered Charitable Trust and continue to make work for the very young in Ōtautahi Christchurch which tours around the country and the globe.

Our Resources

We offer a range of resources to extend the theatre experience beyond the stage:

Music: Explore our soundtracks, including the ‘Up and Away’ soundtrack and ‘Cubbin Music,’ featuring a mix of familiar tunes and original songs.
Articles: Read insights into the importance of theatre for young audiences, such as ‘Why we need more theatre for babies.’

Join Our Community

Stay updated on our latest shows, resources, and news by joining our newsletter. We are committed to making high-quality art accessible and integral to early childhood, and we look forward to sharing our journey with you.

Contact Us

For inquiries or more information:

Email: hello@cubbin.co.nz
Phone: +64 22 092 2635

We look forward to welcoming you and your little ones to our performances and being part of your early childhood adventures.

Melanie Luckman Artistic Director

Mel is a theatre director based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Cubbin Theatre Company is her brainchild, coming from a desire for specific theatrical experiences for her own young children. Mel wanted to create Cubbin because children deserve beautiful creative experiences to feed their souls and their imaginations just as much as grown ups do. Some of her inspirations in creating this work include Magda Gerber and Janet Lansbury, Replay Theatre Belfast, Julie Wylie, and her own children Milo and Fox.

Mel has a Masters in Theatre Arts (Directing) from Te Kura Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School and Victoria University Wellington. She is a previous Associate Director of the Court Theatre and is still freelancing as a theatre director for grownups, most recently of the acclaimed productions of In The Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Once- The Musical and A Doll’s House for The Court Theatre, That Bloody Woman for Showbiz Christchurch and Andy Manning’s award-winning solo performance False Idol. Mel is a previous board member of PAYPA – Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa – the New Zealand arm of ASSITEJ.

Amy Straker

Amy Straker is an actor, musician, theatre maker and performance coach. Since graduating from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA) in 2005 Amy has been in constant work through Aotearoa (New Zealand) Amy is in a folk duo called The Swan Sisters and also writes her own music under the name Amy Grace. She has written numerous songs with Cubbin Theatre Company as well as doing sound design. Amy has been involved in the making of all Cubbin’s original works. She has also contributed as an actor to several new plays through workshops at The Court Theatre in Otautahi (Christchurch). Amy is a performance coach in both film and theatre working closely with directors to support young actors. Amy has taught music to under 5s with Lewis Eady Music School and Julie Wylie Musical Play. Amy can also be found at Telling Tales, a children’s bookshop.

Hannah Wheeler General Manager

Hannah is the General Manager and Producer for Cubbin Theatre Company as well as being an accomplished performer and singer. Trained at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art in Christchurch, she began her career as a professional actor and has worked with The Court Theatre, Christchurch. Hannah developed the role of Shadow Thief for LATT Children’s Theatre, based in Seoul, South Korea. Whilst based in London, Hannah sang with the Fourth Choir performing in Europe and the UK. Hannah’s recent other life as a project manager for a global software company, gives her valuable business insight and skills that she brings to the day to day running of Cubbin. As a performer for Cubbin, Hannah has created Up and Away, Play Play, Me and My Nana and Cubbin’s album ‘Cubbin Music – Songs for children under 5’. Hannah lives in Christchurch and is a mother to Winnie (4 years) and Lilian (2 years) and is passionate about telling stories for the very young. Hannah is a board member of PAYPA – Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa, the New Zealand arm of ASSITEJ.

Want discover more about our team?

See our collaborators