Tauranga's and New Zealand's oldest continuously running community theatre group is celebrating a major milestone this month.

16th Avenue Theatre, also known to many as the Tauranga Repertory Theatre Society, is turning 80 and to mark the occasion it's running a series of special events throughout November.

The festivities kick off with a free round-the-table reading of Waiting In The Wings by Noel Coward featuring a number of past members on November 11.

While the biggest event of them all will be a gala performance of the company's final production of 2016, One Man, Two Govners, on November 26.

The society built and opened its own theatre in 16th Avenue in 1954, and since then many, many production have been staged – from Shakespeare to Roger Hall, tragedies to farce, says a 16th Ave spokesperson.

'A crisis in the 1960s nearly saw the society's demise and, but for the strident efforts of a very small group of never say die members, there would be no 80th celebration. In the intervening years the theatre not only survived, but thrived and became the institution it is today.”

The theatre also has a marvellous archive collection which is currently being painstakingly searched through in the lead up to the celebrations.

'Some gems have been unearthed including photographs, programmes, meeting minutes and letters from such luminaries as Bruce Mason. Selected items from the archives will be on display in the theatre.”

Along with the events taking place this month, a mural has also been commissioned and will grace the theatre foyer once it's unveiled.

For more information about 16th Avenue Theatre visit: 16avetheatre.co.nz