Ghost Trees

For one night only, toi - Rotorua Arts Festival brings you Ghost Trees written and performed by Gary Stalker.

The last goodbye at the edge of profound separation. Ghost Trees is a story that draws on science, imagination and the indefatigable love of lost things. Gary takes you on a journey where the past, present and future merge together. Unable to move forward, he is caught at the intersection of multiple realities; a strangely poetic place of magical thinking - a place where matter meets spirit and conversations happen with the departed and the large kauri that surround his home.

“A masterful piece of storytelling...extraordinary and satisfying...it gets into your Soul” - Theatre View
“Spirited away to an ethereal place...mesmerising...soulful...powerfully executed” - Theatre Scene
"Intensely lyrical images...exquisite tenderness...a powerful redemptive quality ... delivers a compelling and urgently relevant message” - NZ Herald
"Poetry in motion that allowed us to reflect, to consider perspective and to hope. A glorious way to spend an hour that ripples long after"- Sally Richards. Festival Director, TAHI New Zealand

Written and performed by Gary Stalker who is excited to bring Ghost Trees to Rotorua where he grew up, attended school and began his love of the forest - which led him initially to seek out a career in science, before going into the theatre.

The play entertains and educates about the threat to our native taonga the kauri. It advocates for kaitiakitanga, the importance of community and a connection to all living things. It equates the loss of such taonga with personal loss and grief, a ubiquitous experience in life we all come to understand.

The work of Scion (formerly FRI) plant pathologist, Dr Peter Gadgil and the delay in recognising the severity of the pathogen that allowed Kauri dieback disease to spread, is referenced and Ghost Trees gives the audience access to scientific concepts through rich story-telling. It tells a very personal human story, about our increasing isolation and suggests that reconnecting with our communities and valuing our natural world, leads to better outcomes and finding inspiration.

Cast & Crew:
Cast: Gary Stalker
Director: Paul Gittins
Soundscape: Jude Robertson

Gary Stalker is a playwright, actor and producer who grew up in Rotorua.
His play GHOST TREES premiered at the Going West Writer's Festival in September 2019, followed by a Northland tour, Auckland Fringe Festival at Q Theatre, Tahi Festival in Wellington 2020 and the Auckland Climate Festival in 2023.

As an actor Gary has appeared in film, television and theatre, both here and in Australia.
As a producer he has created numerous television ads and promos for his production company Afterglow Films.
But it is his enduring love for the arts that inspires him to create, encourages him to grow, drives him to challenge his perceptions, and ultimately sustains him.

'Shut your eyes and see' - James Joyce