Patrons
Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand
CNZM
Patron
Since training at Auckland’s influential Theatre Corporate, Jennifer Ward-Lealand has worked extensively in theatre, film and television as an actor, director, teacher and voice artist for over 40 years. She has excelled in both dramatic and comedic roles, as well as numerous roles in musical theatre and cabaret. Jennifer is a fully qualified Intimacy Coordinator (Intimacy on Set, UK), and has worked on over 60 productions spanning TV drama, comedy, feature film, theatre and opera. Jennifer is in demand as a tutor of masterclasses for actors, singers and choirs. Jennifer was a founding board member of the Watershed Theatre and a co-founder of The Large Group and The Actors’ Program. She is currently President of Equity New Zealand, Patron of Q Theatre, Te Manu Tīoriori Trust and Theatre New Zealand, serves as a trust board member of the Actors Benevolent Fund and most recently was appointed as a Board member of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – The Māori Language Commission. In the 2007 New Year’s Honours List, Jennifer was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to theatre and the community. In 2018 she was named SPADA Industry Champion and in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List, she was named a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to theatre, film and television and presented with a Woman of Influence Award (for arts and culture). Jennifer was named as the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year 2020. As an accomplished singer, she has presented the cabarets Falling in Love Again (as Marlene Dietrich in concert), Delicious Oblivion and Rock Follies Forever at festivals and venues in New Zealand and Australia. |
Rawiri Paratene
CNZM
Patron
Forty-Six years in the entertainment industry has seen Rāwiri win acclaim as an actor, writer, director, producer and tutor in Theatre, Television, Radio and Film. Career highlights include: All the work he has been involved with at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London over the past 10 years - especially taking ‘The Māori Troilus & Cressida’ as Producer and Actor to open the Globe to Globe Festival in 2012, which featured theatre companies from all over the world performing all 37 Shakespeare Plays performed in the native languages of the country; and then joining the ensemble in the history making Hamlet World Tour, which toured to every country on the planet (197 in all) from 2014 to 2016. Most recently he directed ‘When Sun & Moon Collide for Auckland Theatre Company, performed in Te Pō at Q Theatre and ‘The Cherry Orchard’ at ATC Waterfront Theatre. Film highlights include the role of Koro in the iconic Niki Caro Feature Film, ‘Whalerider’ and his award winning performance in ‘The Insatiable Moon’. Television Highlights include being a Playschool Presenter, performing and writing for several topical sketch comedy series of More Issues. His screenplay ‘Erua’ won many awards at the NZ Film and Television Awards including Best Writer, Best Actor and Best Drama, another of his screenplays, “Dead Certs won him a Best actor award. Awards include: Robert Burns Fellow at Otago University in 1983; TV & Film Awards for Best Writer (1989 – ‘Erua’); Best Actor (1995 – ‘Dead Certs’); Best Performance in a Short Film (2008 – ‘The Graffiti & Mr Tupaia’). In 2005 he co-devised and starred in ‘Children of the Sea’ which won the coveted Spirit of the Fringe and Fringe First Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Best Actor for ‘The Insatiable Moon’ - 2011. In 2013 he became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). |
Officers
Paul Percy - Wairarapa
President
Region 5 Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman
Paul is the artistic director of Acting Antics International, a New Zealand based theatre company. His love of theatre began when he performed in Earth & Sky by Jenny McLeod in 1969. His professional activities in theatre and performance have now spanned over 30 years, Paul is also an accomplished scenographer working under the tutorage of Dr Sean Coyle. Paul holds a BA majoring in Theatre and English Literature and a MFA (CP) from Victoria University. Paul’s career has included international directing and playwriting assignments across all mediums of theatre throughout the Asia Pacific region. His plays and musicals now number over fifty and have been performed in schools and community venues across New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Paul is a published playwright and represented by Playmarket NZ. |
Blaise Barham - Dunedin
Vice-President
Region 7 Otago and Southland
Blaise Barham (MA TEFL. Dip. Grad Theatre). Based in Dunedin, Blaise is an educator, theatre maker, actor, director, and co-founder of independent theatre company Sahara BreeZe (SBZ) Productions. Originally from the UK, Blaise emigrated to Queenstown in 2000 becoming an active member of Queenstown Shakespeare and Remarkable Theatre. He ran Southern Lakes English College from 2004 to 2018. His most notable performances have been Jim in 'Away' by Michael Gow (OSTA nomination) and Francis in One Man Two Guvnors by Richard Bean (OSTA award for Best leading Male). He was also president of Remarkable Theatre for several years and is the patron of Clyde Theatre Group. Blaise co-founded SBZ productions in 2019 and has toured various productions. He was nominated for the Outstanding Performer Award at Dunedin Fringe 2021. He has also performed professionally for various organisations such as Flame Entertainment, Otago Actors, Outstanding Performance, LUMA, and Opera Otago. His most notable directing credits include 'Cosi' by Louis Nowra, and 'Out at Sea' which received an NZ Touring award in 2023. Blaise is passionate about facilitating the growth of theatre locally and nationally. |
Steven Arnold - Auckland
Treasurer
Steven is a theatre loving teacher, who lives in Auckland. His theatre qualifications include: Accredited Adjudicator; ANZDA; NZTF Council Member; BA in drama from University of Canterbury; LTCL – Teaching Speech and Drama; LSB – Performance in Speech and Drama; ASB – Public Speaking; Grade 8 – Choral Speaking. Steven has worked as a director, actor, and backstage with the technical crew. He adores the moment just before his first cue; the lights, the music, the tension! It is wonderful to have a hobby that attracts so many creative people. Curtains up everybody, its story time! It is so much fun. |
Margaret Robertson - Wellington
Secretary
Margaret has been involved in theatre administration for a very long time. She started outas secretary of Khandallah Arts Theatre in Wellington for 13 years, followed by the same number of years as President. In fact she has been on KATʼs committee all her adult life. In the eighties she became involved in the wider theatre scene stepping up onto Standing Committee of New Zealand Theatre Federation for monthly meetings at 127 Cuba Street where she took a special interest in the May Ives Library, spending a day a week there helping. That lead to involvement in Wellington District and the National Executive and she has been a member of both serving as secretary most of the time since. She was editor of Backchat for 15 years. As well as administration Margaret has acted, directed and done the myriad of jobs that theatres need to have done: publicity, front of house, props, painting, production and stage management, wardrobe and makeup but she left lighting and sound to the more technically able. She says she has found that attendance at workshops on all these aspects of theatre over the years has been most beneficial. |
Executive
Tama Smith - Wellington
Education and Youth Tama is a practicing Performing Arts educator with twenty years of classroom experience. He held the position of Head of Dance and Drama at Hutt Valley High for fourteen years, developed and managed all aspects of the large Performance Arts programmes, while producing well over 50 productions at all year levels. He is an active advocate for Progressive Arts Education that is centered on healthy, well supported practitioners, and holds the position of Wellington Representative on Drama NZ (the Drama subject association). He has an Education Degree from Otago University (with a Theatre Major), Diploma in Technical Theatre Production from Toi Whakaari, and a Masters in Theatre Arts with a thesis focused on the staging and touring of community-oriented theatre. This study and subsequent employment has allowed him to establish and build skills, confidence, experience and knowledge in a wide range of Performing Arts roles and contexts, such as mentor, independent theatre director, designer and technician, facilitator of educational programmes for touring companies and writer and producer of plays, movies and documentaries. His recent appointment as Arts Co-ordinator at Wellington High School allows him to continue to explore and test how Arts, in its broadest most inclusive scope, can be central to the spirit, health and growth of diverse educational communities. Tama remains personally and professionally passionate about how Performing Arts can facilitate creative, social and emotional development in participants, and is particularly interested in the way performance events, in all their forms, can engage, celebrate and empower. |
Lara Brownie - Auckland
Region 1 Northland and Auckland
Lara first took to the stage in 2011 at Dargaville Little Theatre, and has been passionate about the world of theatre and performance ever since. Over the years, Lara has had her hand in many roles on stage and off such as writing, directing, acting, costume and makeup, props and sound. Having a hand in many areas of a performance has taught her that theatre is a team effort. Coming from a small town with a humble little theatre, Lara has learned that big things can start small, that we can make do with the resources that we have and still create thought provoking works of art. |
Ewen Coleman - TheatreFest National Advisor
Region 2 Taranaki, Waikato and Bay of Plenty
Actor, Tutor, Director, Administrator, Adjudicator, Ewen has been involved in Theatre in some form or other for most of his life. Since 1980 his main theatre focus has been directing productions of various kinds and has worked with all the major recreational theatre groups around the Wellington Region. He has been an active member of Wellington Repertory Theatre since 1976, twice being President and currently the Theatre’s Secretary. As an accredited adjudicator he has been adjudicating since 1986 and has adjudicated NZ Theatre Federation District Festivals around NZ most years since as well as a number of Regional and National Final Festivals. He has attended a number of International Theatre Festivals and Conferences overseas representing NZ and adjudicating including being invited to take a production to an International Theatre Festival in Japan. He is past President of ANZDA – Association of NZ Drama Adjudicators and Theatre NZ. He began Reviewing for The Evening Post in 1993 and has continued with The Dominion Post from 2002. |
Adrienne Hurley - Hawkes Bay
Region 3 Manawatu, Hawkes Bay, Whanganui and Gisborne
Adrienne began her love of theatre at school and since then she has acted, directed and been involved backstage in too many productions to count. She has been an active member of theatres in Matamata, Pahiatua, Invercargill, Christchurch, Hastings and Napier. Adrienne has also directed a number of shows at the schools she has taught in. Community Theatre is a passion for Adrienne. She loves to be part of a production and the excitement |
 Linda Voice - WairarapaRegion 4 Wairarapa, Wellington and Horowhenua
Linda is a past Youth Worker, Tutor and is currently working in Tenancy for Emergency and Social Housing. A theatre nerd since primary school saw her continue acting through high school and beyond. Moving to Westport in 2002 , she joined Onstage Productions in Westport as an actor, drama tutor and director. Since moving back to the Wairarapa she has been involved in all the local theatre groups in many ways. This included acting,stage management and front of House. Actually anything that was needed, she would do. She along with Paul Percy founded a youth theatre group that has participated successfully in the Theatrefest for several years, along with directing several local very successful Youth dramas and musicals. A recent joy has been joining and performing in the local Border Morris Group Scallyrags. Linda is passionate about creating community, encouraging others, and first and foremost promoting theatre in all forms. Living in the Wairarapa has allowed her to experience the Wellington Theatre scene to the fullest and she is excited to be able to meet , assist and promote the endeavors of the lower North Island Theatre groups |
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Paul Percy
President
Region 5 Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman
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Marilyn Ollett - Canterbury
Region 6 Canterbury and West Coast
Hailing from the UK, Marilyn is an actor, director and playwright based in Rolleston. On arrival in Christchurch in 1989 and immediately immersed herself in the local community theatre scene and has been actively involved ever since. As well as stage work, Marilyn has filled every committee role for Elmwood Players, including several years as President. She now focuses her attention on CentreStage Rolleston, sitting on the executive team. In recent years Marilyn directed Blackadder 2 and Calendars Girls for them (and also did an awful lot of sewing for their musicals!) In 2012 Marilyn co-founded Brick Road Productions. Initially this was to provide an opportunity to perform solo or two-hander plays which are not generally undertaken by community theatres. This morphed into supporting health related charities through annual fund-raising performances. Since retiring from her day job in health management, Marilyn works as a Clown Doctor and does educational role play work with Outstanding Performance. Marilyn’s greatest joy is to see new people, young and not so young, grow through their involvement with theatre. |
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Blaise Barham
Vice-President
Region 7 Otago and Southland
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Co-opted Positions
Mark Perry - Website Manager
Mark has been involved in live theatre since 1991 were he started as a stagehand for a play. Since then he has been involved with many aspects of theatre (lighting design and operation, sound design and operation, props, stage manager, bar manager and set construction, to name a few) in productions too numerous to count. It is not unusual for Mark to be somehow involved in most (if not all) productions at Riverlea Theatre. Mark has been the recipient of Life Memberships to Hamilton Playbox and Hamilton Musical Theatre, one of two people who have this dual honour. Mark received a MTNZ Merit Award in 2012 and he also received The David Brockett Award For Backstage Achievement at the 2016 TheatreFest Finals in Invercargill. In December 2017 Mark received a City of Hamilton Civic Award "for outstanding contribution to Hamilton with services to the arts and the community". |
Grace Voice - Youth Representative
Gracie graduated in 2021 from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA). They have been involved with many theatre companies in the Wairarapa and Wellington as a performer, stage manager, tech operator, director and tutor. Gracie is currently working as a freelance kids entertainer when they aren't performing. Gracie is proudly part of the lgbtqia+ and disabled communities, and is passionate about creating safe and accessible theatre experiences and opportunities for youth all around Aotearoa. |
Kiri Riwai-Couch - Cultural Advisor
Kiri joined Te Pūtoi Whakaari o Aotearoa in 2023 as Cultural Advisor, hot on the heels of the success of the UCOL Performing Arts team at the National Showcase of which she was a co-tutor. The group won various awards for their devised production ‘Say my Name’. Kiri is a self-professed life time cultural performer. At 18 she studied under the tutelage of champion Tahitian performer Teraimana Tahiata in Queensland, at 19 she travelled the world as a performer with renowned composer and choreographer Tommy Taurima. At 20 she was a tutor and performer of a Polynesian Performing Arts TOPs programme where she continued to take rangatahi overseas to perform. Since then Kiri has written, produced, directed and choreographed many shows and is familiar with the various aspects of putting on productions for the enjoyment of whānau and hāpori (community). Kiri is passionate about indigenising creative spaces to provide opportunities and environments where Māori and Pacific stories and practises are welcomed and celebrated. A qualified teacher, Kiri is currently a Te Reo Māori lecturer and a Te Atakura Coach at UCOL. |