Running Wet Through A Tunnel

Cumming soon to a theatre near you, the big opening of ‘Running Wet Through A Tunnel’ will make you wet with laughter, wet with tears, and wet again with... more laughter. Everything about the sperms journey to the egg that’ll keep you on the edge. Two nights only so you better get in quick because my parents are home soon! You wont regret it, I put a lot of thought into this and I think you’re the one that I want to show it to... A musical comedy about the sperms journey to the egg. It's filled with songs, drama, action, and education. Follow our team of misfit sperms as they travel through the treacherous depths of the vagina and discover their personal identity along the way. What does it take to be the lone survivor?

This Boosted campaign is to help us get up off the ground and fill BATs with our sound, lighting, set, and costume. Donations will go towards our production costs.

Our director and writer, Izzie just graduated from Toi Whakaari's acting program. This project is aimed to further our development as artists, many of us being our first show outside of school and for Izzie, it is the first show I’m using to learn how to direct and produce.

Izzie Newton-Cross (she/her): Director/writer

Izzie Newton-Cross is a recent graduate of Toi Whakaari's acting degree and has many talents aside from Acting that she is keen to bring to this project. She is a skilled seamstress, maker, crocheter and also has skill in guitar and Saxophone. She enjoys directing and writing, and is excited to bring these talents forward for this project.

Thomas Jay Smith (he/him): Actor

Thomas Jay Smith is a second year acting student at Toi Whakaari. Born in Solihull England and raised in Orewa Auckland, he is halfway through his Toi Whakaari journey but has had much experience in theatre and film prior to and outside of his training. Having done countless musicals and productions at his local community theatre ‘Centrestage’ where he won a NAPTA for their 2019 production of FAME, playing Lord Lafew in the 2020 Pop Up Globes production of Alls Well That Ends Well, and having played leading roles in multiple short film projects. He also recently played the roles of Crippen and William Beamish in his class's production of The Undertow.

Sarah Penny (she/her): Actor

Sarah Penny (she/her) is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara artist and ukulele enthusiast. Acting wise she’s pushed couches upstairs in The Couch (Georgia Cotterill’s Snapshot Short Film), sung and danced as a flapper in Bars Behind Bars (Erin Bickley Company), done swordfighting in a ballgown in The Lady Demands Satisfaction (Stagecraft). She’s also juggled on Cuba street as a clown for the NZ Fringe Parking Day and done cartwheels in Re:Lease (Long Cloud Youth Theatre). Her written work includes The Lobster and the Mayor (Manawatu Regional Theatre Awards nominated for New Short Aotearoa Play), Co-writing and co-directing short film The Empathiser (NZYouth Film Festival nominated for Best Directing) and being a poetry finalist on the Wellington Regional Poetry Slam.

She hopes she makes her dog proud.

Paris Tuimaseve-Fox (she/her): Actor/songwriter

Paris is a third year acting student at Toi Whakaari, a skilled singer/songwriter, and lover of writing and poetry. Her love of Māori theater and her Samoan culture inspire her work and her passion shines through in all aspects of her work. Having played Mary Magdalene in her Highschools production of Jesus Christ SuperStar, Martha in Toi Whakaari Text Lab 2022 ‘Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolf’, and Quincy in ‘Mr Burns; A Post Electric Play’, her ability to take on thoughtful and emotional roles and approach them with maturity and grace is second to none. Idols that inspire her work are creators such as Tusiata Avia and Miriama McDowell and she aspires to reach their level of influence one day.

Heather Wright (she/her): Designer

Heather is currently studying Design at Toi Whakaari. Her interest in theatre stretches across, directing, acting, dance, photography, and Stage design. She has a passion for costume design and worked on a few projects for Theatre Fest, Sheilah Winn and Fringe. She was the costume designer for ‘Boys and Girls at the School Silent Disco’ an award winning script  performed in July 2024. Recently her work featured on the World Of Wearable Art Stage as her garment was selected as a 2024 Finalist. While a full-time student she also runs a design account on Instagram @marchtomay_design which showcases her personal fashion and visual art projects.

Eilidh Hamilton (she/her): Tech Manager

Eilidh is from the land of Scotland and is currently based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She is the Technical Manager for Running Wet Through this Tunnel. Eilidh also focuses on Stage Management within theatre & live events and is currently in her 2nd year of Toi Whakaari’s Bachelor of Performing Arts Management. Her previous work includes being an Assistant Stage Manager for The Birthday Girl, Assistant Mechanist for Mr Burns, sound engineer for 2020 entertainment, Technical manager at The Fringe Bar and more recently she worked as a Deputy Stage manager on Toi Whakaari’s production of Dog and Bone.

Paige Johns (she/her): Co-production Manager and Stage Manager

Based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Originally from the Wairarapa Paige has been surrounded by theatre and shows all her life. From portraying “Nancy” in Oliver Jr and “Serena” in Legally Blonde Paige has had a lot of time on the stage. In 2022 she graduated from NASDA with a certificate in Performing Arts (Music Theatre). Since then she has changed her practice and is currently studying Arts Management at Toi Whakaari. She has had experience in many roles including sound engineering for “Mr Burns; A Post Electric Play”, and most recently been the Production Manager for Toi Whakaari’s SOLOs 2024. Paige is working towards honing her skills in all areas of management in theatre with the possibility of being on stage again later in life. 

Chloe Marshall (she/her): sound operator 

My name is Chloe Marshall, I am a second year performing arts manager at Toi Whakaari. I am the sound operator for Running Wet Through a Tunnel. I have a strong interest in sound design and composition, coming from a background of writing and performing original music. I have 7 years of vocal training under my belt, and a diploma in stage and screen acting that I received from Yoobee Colleges in 2022. I am super thrilled to be a part of this unique show that Izzie and her team has worked so hard on. I have recently worked as the Technical Manager for Toi Whakaari’s Solo’s season, Head of Sound Systems for FWD Festival, and stage-managed ‘CATS the Musical’ and ‘Heathers The Musical’ based in Rotorua.

The money raised through this Boosted campaign will get our tunnel wet, steamy, and ready for our season. It will fill BATs with our sound, lighting, set, and costume. 

Any donations will go towards our production costs. We are using as much recycled or second-hand materials as we can, and utilising many elements from our development season. We are creating our costumes from second hand material which needs to be purchased. 

The Boosted money will also go towards advertising - making sure everyone knows they can cum down to BATs for a Valentines date.

Anything we don't spend will go towards paying our team for their hard, hard work. 

Our show is called Running Wet Through a Tunnel and it is a fun musical/comedy show about the journey of the sperm to the egg. It is witty, entertaining, heartbreaking, but also educational. It aims to educate around sexual health and also aims to further open up the conversation around these topics to squash the taboo surrounding sexual education. It’s a show for all ages and aims to bring the community together for some fun.

This show is about identity. It’s about what it means to be a person before having to exist in society. What makes someone inherently good and what makes someone inherently bad. It is about the final sperm and her journey. She’s the unlikely victor, but it represents just how random the circumstances are that put us here on this earth.

Running Wet Through a Tunnel, a whacky musical comedy show, explores the journey of the sperm to the egg. It explores elements of self identity, friendship and sexual education. It’s a fun show that aims to demolish the taboo of sexual education topics whilst also giving the audience an entertainment fueled evening. We’ve got songs, dance numbers, comedy, tragedy, and a story that will tug at the heartstrings whilst also making your belly hurt with laughter. It’s a real all rounder of a show that will stay in your mind and hearts for years to come.