This unique account of community-based theatre - theatre created by professionals working with communities - challenges the mainstream history of New Zealand theatre. It looks at the early production of theatre in Aoteaora, investigates the experimental period of the 1970s, which is seen as searching for an authentic role, portrays the beginnings of Māori theatre, and gives a comprehensive portrait of a field of work during the period 1990-2010: work that took place within the contradictory framework of neo-liberalism.