Reading Groups

This page is specially for our U3A and other retirement village customers who have Play Reading Goups.  We recognise you have special needs and we are here to help! 

Pricing: Full-Length Plays are now $2.50 per week and One-Act Plays are now $1.75. Reading groups will automatically receive 30% off of our regular hire prices. That makes Full-Length plays $1.75 and One-Acts $1.25 per book per week.

Placing Your Order: All orders for Reading Groups must now be placed online using this webite. This is so that we get all your information right the first time. Emailed orders will no longer be accepted.

Determining length of hire:  Some of our Reading Groups like to get plays in and out in a week.  Others like to luxuriate over them for a month. When you place your order online YOU can now choose how long you would like to hire the scripts using a simple drop down menu.

Selecting Your Plays:  We are working hard to make this easier.  You will see some improvements on the website over the next few months designed to make it simpler to find what you are looking for.  The best way to find scripts appropriate for your group is to use the Advanced Seach filters in our catalogue.  Under Category you can choose Full-Length or One-Act. Under Theme you can choose Comedy, Drama, Mystery and so on.  Select Total Number in Cast and enter the number of readers you have that month, and scripts should appear for the right number of readers. And finally, when you choose "Yes" Under Reading Group, you can be reasonably sure we have enough scripts in stock to suit your needs.  If you really want a play that does not appear under the Reading Group filter, please reach out by email and we will check stock for you prior to placing your order.  

If we don't have the play you want: Sometimes scripts are already out on hire, or we don't have quite enough copies.  When that happens, we will ask if you have a second choice or and/or make suggestions for similar scripts.  Sometimes - if there is time - we'll even order scripts in for you!

Shipping:  We ship via New Zealand Post.  In most cases scripts will fit in a small envelope and the cost is $7 for regular post or $9 for courier.  You can choose your preferred method on the website.  In rare cases, the scripts are too many or too thick and we have to go up to a medium envelope at $9 regular or $11 for courier.  For Rural deliveries add $5.80.  We add a $2 handling fee to every order.  We make every effort to ship the next business day after we have received an order. 

Returning Scripts: You are responsible for the safe and timely return of all scripts.  Scripts returned late will incur late fees. We recommend that you send them in a tracked, water-tight package. Unreturned or damaged scripts will be invoiced at replacement cost. Please return all scripts to

The Play Bureau
20 Rua St
Mangapapa
Gisborne, 4010
021-258-3998

We hope you find this helpful!  If there is anything we can do to help or make this easier for you, please reach out.