Different to other theatre societies in the 1940s, Unity's objective was to bring social, moral and political issues to audiences.
[2] The early committee was led from 1942 until 1949 by Robert Stead, he was a member of the Communist Party and a carpenter and he also had worked with the London Unity Theatre before he came to New Zealand in 1939.
[3] One notable member of Unity Theatre was Nola Millar,[4] who opened up the focus of the company beyond politics.
[5] Over the years Unity Theatre had an ongoing search to have a suitable location for their plays to be staged, and presented works at many places in Wellington, including the building 1 Kent Terrace, which is now home to BATS Theatre.
[4] Many of the company members from Unity were part of forming both Downstage Theatre and Circa Theatre in the mid-1970s and earlier also part of the beginning of the Toi Whakaari: The New Zealand Drama School (called the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council New Zealand Drama Training School when it started in 1970).