In this case it is Twelfth Night and Into the Woods, a Stephen Sondheim musical.
''We got a massive amount of applications. They're both big juicy shows that the audience loves and actors love.''
So we've got a brilliant mix of actors from the more experienced hands of Peter Hayden and Julie Edwards to the younger Skillington and Crammond, he said.
Alongside the experienced actors, the Fortune is continuing its collaboration with the University of Otago performance department to enable young actors - students Orion Carey-Clark (Antonio), Kate Johnstone (Sebastian) and Shaun Swain (Valentine) - to learn from the more experienced.
That has also been extended backstage, where eight students are involved.
It is an extension of the programme former artistic director Lara Macgregor began last year with Punk Rock.
''We've developed the programme so they have more responsibility and more students are involved.''
Hendry sees the programme as an important part of the Fortune's outreach into the community.
''We are training and developing young talent. It's shoring up the skill base for the future.''
Bringing Benjamin Henson down to direct the show fitted with the theatre's aims of supporting emerging talent, in this case both as a director and teacher.
In the last two weeks of the Twelfth Night season, the company will begin rehearsing Into the Woods, which Hendry will direct. As he is asking a lot of the company, he decided he needed to make the same commitment, so he has taken on a role in Twelfth Night.
''It saves money and I love Shakespeare and am loving the chance to perform Shakespeare.''
Hendry believes it is also important for his role as artistic director to tread the boards when the role is right.
''To be honest, I'm learning.''
He last played the role of Malvolio when he was 21-years-old.
''Now I'm 51. It's a bit different but it's great to get the chance to be directed by Ben.''
