Curtain calls and court calls: Isaac Theatre Royal
In a dazzling blend of sport and spectacle, the Isaac Theatre Royal has taken home the coveted Venue of the Year title at the 2025 New Zealand Event Awards – and it wasn’t for a play.
It was for squash. Yes, squash. On stage. Under the chandeliers. In a bold, theatrical twist, the Isaac Theatre Royal became the first theatre in New Zealand to host a professional squash tournament, installing a purpose-built all-glass squash court smack in the middle of its historic stage for the New Zealand Squash Open 2025. The move turned heads, dropped jaws, and, more importantly, changed the game (literally) for how venues think about space, innovation, and audience experience.
While most venues play it safe, the team at the Isaac Theatre Royal dared to ask, “What if?” What if world-class sport could meet world-class design? What if athletes smashed balls where actors deliver soliloquies? What if the theatre, so long the home of drama and dance, could also echo with the intensity of a squash rally?
The answer? A sell-out crowd. Electrified audiences.
A sporting event that looked like it had been choreographed by a Broadway director. With a national award to top it all off.
“We wanted to do something extraordinary,” says Greg Ward, CEO of the Isaac Theatre Royal. “The NZ Squash Open was the perfect partnership. The athletes loved it, the fans were stunned by the intimacy of the setting, and the technical teams pulled off something truly world-first. We’re a heritage venue, yes – but we’re also trailblazers.” Trailblazers, indeed.
“The impact of the event rippled far beyond the velvet seats. It opened up conversations about how venues – particularly iconic ones like the Isaac Theatre Royal – can reinvent themselves and broaden their appeal without compromising their identity. The fusion of art and sport created something not only memorable, but magical,” says marketing and development manager Bianca Lindstrom.
Here’s the best news: squash is back in 2026, with even bigger plans in the pipeline. “The squash community was effusive in their praise, describing the venue as “breathtaking”, “unexpectedly perfect”, and “the Wimbledon of squash – just with better lighting.” That level of appreciation is rare, but not surprising when the experience feels like an opening night and a finals match all in one,” Bianca reflects.
At the heart of it, this award recognises more than a single event. It celebrates vision. It honours risk-taking. It proves that when you think outside the box – or in this case, inside a glass one – remarkable things happen.
