Last updated November 2026
Amateur theatre in Blenheim has a riverside home in a former boatshed. Boathouse Theatre is the home of the Marlborough Repertory Society, standing where the Taylor and Ōpaoa rivers meet on Horton Street. The society owns the building, which began as a storage shed for rowing skiffs and was turned into a theatre designed by Raymond Boyce of Wellington.
More than 100 productions have been staged here, from full-length and one-act plays to musicals, theatre festivals, touring shows, book festivals and members’ club nights. Current shows and ticket links are on the society’s website.
Practical Information
- Address
- 12 Horton Street, Blenheim
- Run by
- Marlborough Repertory Society, which owns the theatre
- Entry
- Tickets sold for each production; see the Boathouse Theatre shows page
- Box office
- 03 578 3444, answered only in the hour before performances
- Status
- Check the Boathouse Theatre website before you go.
About Boathouse Theatre
The Marlborough Repertory Society dates from 1948, when a foundation meeting decided to start a local amateur drama group. The society reached its 50th anniversary in 1998.
The society later bought a boatshed that had been used to store rowing skiffs. The Prow credits a great deal of hard work and goodwill for turning the shed into a theatre, and the society has been based there since 1971. Wellington’s Raymond Boyce designed the theatre.
The society counts itself among the driving forces of amateur theatre in Marlborough, and credits its members and local theatregoers for that. It is building an online archive of past productions, with gallery pages arranged by decade.
The Building
The theatre sits at the meeting of the Taylor and Ōpaoa rivers in Blenheim. The society calls it a wonderfully intimate space and bills it as “The Coolest Little Theatre in Blenheim”.
Performances and Getting Involved
Productions at the Boathouse range from full-length and one-act plays to musicals, festivals and touring shows, and the society’s own members stage the plays here. Tickets are booked online through the society’s website, and the box office phone line is answered only in the hour before a performance.
The society’s website also has pages for auditions and for joining as a member, and enquiries about hiring the theatre go through its contact page.
From locals
How many people came to the first Marlborough Repertory Society meeting?
Are there toilets at the Boathouse, and are they easy to get to at interval?
No answers yet. If you know, a local would love to hear it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Boathouse Theatre?
At 12 Horton Street, Blenheim, where the Taylor and Ōpaoa rivers meet.
Who runs it?
The Marlborough Repertory Society, which owns the theatre and has been based there since 1971.
Why is it called the Boathouse?
The building began as a storage shed for rowing skiffs before the society converted it into a theatre.
Who designed the theatre?
Raymond Boyce of Wellington.
What kind of shows are staged there?
Full-length and one-act plays, musicals, theatre festivals, touring productions, book festivals and members’ club nights. More than 100 productions have been staged.
How do I get tickets?
Through the shows page on the Boathouse Theatre website. The box office phone, 03 578 3444, is answered only in the hour before performances.
When was the Marlborough Repertory Society formed?
In 1948, when a foundation meeting decided to start a local amateur drama group.
Can I join or audition?
Yes. The society’s website has pages for auditions and for joining as a member.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 1
- The Prow: Marlborough cultural life: the Repertory Society’s place in the region’s arts history.