Nocturnalists are spirited members of Auckland’s nighttime scene, and in this series they take us on a tour of their favourite spots in the city after 5pm. Today: Tracy Grant Lord. 

Photos by Sophie Miya-Smith shot on location at Auckland Town Hall and Ground Wine Bar.

Award-winning, internationally renowned set and costume designer Tracy Grant Lord has worked with everyone from the Royal New Zealand Ballet to Singapore Dance Theatre and has staged shows across the globe. But when she’s not creating magic in some far-off city, she calls Tāmaki Makaurau home. Working on both costume and set design helps to give Tracy’s work a sense of synchronicity: “That’s one of my strengths as a designer; I have a very holistic approach to world-building,” she says. Emma Gleason sat down with Tracy at a hidden-gem bar on O’Connell Street (more on that later) to discuss her own world: the Auckland city centre. 

What does a normal work week look like for you?

It depends what I’m working on. It could be research, it could be drawing, it could be model making, it could be buying… When shows are in production, I’ll be attending rehearsals, I’ll be attending fittings.

And where’s home for you?

I live just above the city – it’s the area that includes the art gallery, the library, the university, the theatres. I work at the Town Hall, I work at the Aotea Centre, I work at The Civic. When I’m in Auckland, that’s my stomping ground. I walk to get around.

How long have you lived in the city?

My husband and I moved in at the beginning of 2023, coming from a property in South Auckland that we’d been in for 23 years.

Was the move much of a change for you?

We feel incredibly connected here, socially and culturally. We just feel like we’re inside our community. It’s been life-changing for us both. I can’t tell you how well-timed it all has been. It’s given us both a life force, a rejuvenation. And it’s been a beautiful transition into our next 20 years. It was sad to leave the old place, but also, I never thought I’d be embracing city life. It’s great.

You picked such a good part of town. 

I love it. It’s really beautiful. The parks [Albert Park and the Auckland University grounds] are great for walking.

And there are always people around, workers and residents and students. It makes for such a lively, late-night neighbourhood and it’s really interesting seeing how that’s impacted the city. What do you enjoy about Auckland after dark?

There’s something magical about dawn and dusk in the city. I just love light. Because we do a lot of storytelling with light on stage, I’m very aware of where light is coming from – the angles of light, colours, the time, what different weather patterns do to light. And because there’s so much glass in the city, mirror glass, dawn and dusk are reflected and go a completely different colour in those moments… And then, of course, we get the illumination of the city… At pavement level, it’s fabulous.

Let’s talk about the Auckland Town Hall. You’re very familiar with that venue. What’s your personal history with it?

We had a photograph of my mother on the stage of the Town Hall with the organ behind her, that’s my earliest memory. I was taken there as a child to hear the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) for the first time. I just fell in love with the orchestra and the sound they were making in a space like that. I must have been 10 or 11. And now, my husband and I have been going to the Auckland Town Hall to listen to the NZSO for around 28 years. It’s sort of my regular.

Does the Town Hall still have magic for you, or does it feel like a second home by now?

It feels incredibly familiar. It’s a special place. It’s a good design… it’s kind of an Edwardian horseshoe, and it was built like that because they are seriously phenomenal [for acoustics].

Given your line of work, you must get to attend a lot of shows?

Yes, of course… I do see a lot and I like to see a lot.

What are some of your other favourite venues around the city? 

I adore The Civic. And I’ve done a few shows there. The musical I’m doing at the moment, & Juliet, is the biggest show I’ve done in there. My other shows are generally in the KTK – the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre – which is the main stage of the Aotea Centre. The ASB Waterfront Theatre is also really fabulous… I think the relationship between the audience and the format there is really, really good, and as a designer, you can do some really big, epic looks – it’s got a really big stage. The Q Theatre is great too, it’s also sort of that horseshoe shape and a really flexible space… I did my apprenticeship at the Mercury Theatre. So I have incredibly fond memories of that too.

Wow! That’s an Auckland icon.

They’ve just done a beautiful refurbishment… I hope that I will get to work in there.

And it’s going to open again!

Yeah. It’s really exciting.

What is it about going out at night to the theatre, ballet or a show that’s so magical for people?

We get to engage with the community. There is something quite spiritual about congregation. As we all know, there’s a reason why we all congregate together and have a kind of collective experience.

Do you think that the performing arts industry, particularly at night, influences or changes the fabric of Auckland’s central city?

Of course! It brings people into the city that would never normally come in. They have a reason to come to the city and they are excited about that. And as the city gets more and more attractive, and transport gets so much easier, they’ll be able to get off that train on Queen Street outside those venues.

When I see people dressed up and walking down Queen Street, I always wonder ‘what have you been to see?’ Where would you go after a show?

Ground is very good.

Ah yes, where we are now. How did you find out about this spot? It’s so intimate and subterranean.

The wine shop upstairs, Cahn’s. [Ground is in the same building, on the lower floor.] It’s been open since December 2024. You can come here after a show, have a nice wine and some antipasti.

And debrief.

Absolutely. You want to be able to do this. Especially if you’ve got guests or people in town. It’s such a nice place.

What about if you were to take someone out for a nice meal, where would you go?

Alma! Or Kingi for a special occasion. Gilt is very good. I like that bistro, European vibe. Again, it’s for special occasions. But the beauty of it is that it takes us just five minutes to walk down here. You don’t need to book 10 days in advance; we can just go down and see if there’s a table and generally, there is a table.

Are there any other nighttime spots that you particularly adore in town? 

The Viaduct. I love going near the water. I love being around the boats – I adore them… Shout out to Janet of Wyoming.

Yes, she’s often moored in the Viaduct. I always check on that boat too!

She’s been gone for quite a while, but she’s back. And then I’m always curious about any other big boats that are in. And I’m always daydreaming about what venues could be on our waterfront.

The waterfront is pretty special. Last New Zealand Fashion Week I went to a show outside Shed 10. The sun had just set, the city and harbour were glittering and Auckland had never looked better. 

Sometimes she looks amazing. I was invited to help with one of the Fashion Week shows and I had the best time. And I love Shed 10. 

I really enjoy seeing things at The Civic for the New Zealand Film Festival – that’s coming up soon – with everyone staring up at the ceiling in wonder. It never gets old. Where’s the best view in the city, in your opinion?

Head to any rooftop. There are lots of bars [Queens Rooftop, Sunset, Bar Albert] or you can just head to the top floor of a parking building. Anywhere with a view.

Any other thoughts about Auckland after dark?

I just love it. And I’m proud. I think we should all be very proud. It’s an incredibly beautiful city. Being on the water and being so small and having the amenities it has, it’s so easy… we’re really, really lucky.