A Cup of Mountains and Rivers · Tea Realm
An Original Oriental Musical by New Zealand Performing Arts Group
WORLD PREMIERE
19 September 2026 · 7:00 PM
SKYCITY Theatre · Auckland, New Zealand.
About the Production
A Cup of Mountains and Rivers · Tea Realm is an original large-scale Oriental musical created and produced by New Zealand Performing Arts Group (NZPAG).
Inspired by Chinese tea culture, the production brings together original music, vocal performance, drama, dance, martial arts and visual storytelling to explore themes of memory, family, loss, healing and cultural connection.
Through a poetic journey across different realms of tea, the musical transforms tea from a cultural symbol into a language of memory and emotion — connecting people across generations, cultures, mountains and seas.
At the heart of the work is a dialogue between Chinese cultural heritage and Aotearoa New Zealand, reflecting NZPAG’s commitment to creating original stage works that bring cultures together through music and theatre.
World Premiere · Auckland 2026
On 19 September 2026, A Cup of Mountains and Rivers · Tea Realm celebrated its World Premiere at SKYCITY Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand.
The premiere marked an important milestone for NZPAG and brought together singers, actors, dancers, musicians, martial artists, creative professionals and community performers in a major original theatrical production.
The performance was warmly received by audiences, with strong positive feedback following the premiere and audience interest in seeing the production return to the stage.
For NZPAG, the World Premiere represented not only the launch of a new original musical, but also the beginning of the production’s continuing journey.
A Dialogue Across Mountains and Seas
Chinese Tea and the Healing Leaves of Aotearoa
A Dialogue of Civilisations across Mountains and Seas
Tea carries memory.
Music gives memory a voice.
The stage brings distant cultures together.
From China to Aotearoa, Tea Realm explores how traditions travel, how memories remain, and how people can discover connection and belonging across different cultures.
One leaf, one world.
One cup, one kindred sound.
Presented by
Presented by: New Zealand Performing Arts Group (NZPAG)
World Premiere: 19 September 2026
Venue: SKYCITY Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand
Production: Original Musical Theatre Production
Status: World Premiere Successfully Presented
The Journey Continues
Following its successful World Premiere in Auckland, A Cup of Mountains and Rivers · Tea Realm continues its journey towards future performances and new audiences.