Robert Sarkies has ensured every dollar from the Dunedin premiere of his new film Pike River this Sunday will go toward the refurbishment of the Playhouse Theatre.
The theatre received a grant of $3.35 million from the Dunedin City Council this year for restoration and needed another $2.44m to finish the work.
The Scarfies director had a lot of love for the Playhouse because it was where he got his start in the performing arts, and he wanted to help its fundraising effort.
He acted in the theatre from ages 9 to 14 and took part in every school holiday play.
"I played everything from the tree policeman in Badjelly the Witch, which was my first play ever, to Peter Pan at the Playhouse Theatre.
"It was a huge part of my growing up."
"It probably damaged my developing vocal chords because I never sang again," he said.
His time performing at the theatre helped him to learn how to engage and entertain an audience.
When he heard the theatre was in desperate need of restoration, he came up with the idea to organise the screening to help its fundraising effort.
The screening will be accompanied with a question and answer session with Sarkies, Sonya Rockhouse and Anna Osborne, who forged a friendship in the aftermath of the Pike River tragedy that claimed the lives of 29 men.
The women lost a son and a husband respectively in the 2010 mining disaster.
Sarkies called back into the theatre last year when he was visiting Dunedin and said he loved the community spirit it still had after all those years.
The theatre had helped so many people find their footing in performing arts, including himself, he said.
He was hopeful it would continue to do the same for future generations.
"Let’s get it renovated, let’s keep it going - I want to see the next Robert Sarkies or equivalent."
Playhouse Theatre committee member Shannon Colbert said it was really cool Sarkies was doing that for the community.
She remembered he made a very dashing Peter Pan and was the star of the theatre company when she was starting out.
The theatre gave so many children a space where they belonged and helped them connect with each other.
"It’s a really important part of the theatre ecosystem in Dunedin."
The screening will take place at Rialto Theatre in Moray Pl at 6.30pm on Sunday.
