PAYPA Facilitator

Victoria University of Wellington / Independent Practitioner

Kerryn is a Wellington-based freelance director, producer and teacher of drama. She has a PhD in devising theatre for and with young audiences. Since 2015 she has taught regularly in Victoria University’s theatre programme and teaches short courses in devising and directing at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. She is the coordinator for the MFA (Creative Practice) in Theatre at Victoria University and producer of the annual Six Degrees Festival.

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PAYPA Administrator

Beth is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts programme at Victoria University in Theatre and an experienced touring and festival producer.

As the co-producer of TAHI: New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance, Beth lives in the world of spreadsheets and contracts - to make creative projects get off their feet.

Beth is also the administrator for the Wellington Theatre Awards and is the creative producer of HATCH - a development programme for students across the three tertiary drama institutions in Wellington (Victoria University of Wellington, Toi Whakaari and Te Auaha). Beth also works in the corporate events sector on projects like Eat Drink Play.

With experience working on national touring productions as the associate producer of Capital E for three years, Beth is extremely passionate about bringing high quality theatre and performance to younger audiences and making work with emerging artists. Her previous works include Seasons, The Lost Letter Office, LEGEND and The Glitter Garden.

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Independent Practitioner

Lynne is a creative producer, director, and programmer with 35 years’ experience in professional theatre. She has worked throughout Aotearoa and in the UK as a theatre-maker and teaching artist, supporting creative collaborations and championing the voices of young people. Lynne is committed to creating inclusive, dynamic programs that foster imagination and bring people together and she recently took up the new role of Artistic Director at Capital E's National Theatre for Children. For over a decade Lynne was the Associate Director at Auckland Theatre Company where she designed their highly regarded creative learning program, including the Mythmakers touring project, produced over 30 original works for young audiences, and supported the career development of emerging artists.

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Java Dance Theatre

Sacha Copland is the artistic director of Java Dance Theatre. She founded Java after graduating from the NZ School of Dance in 2003. Sacha dances and choreographs prolifically, touring to Singapore, Australia, China, South Korea and the UK. Sacha was awarded the 2019-21 Creative NZ Choreographic Fellowship and recently made the critically acclaimed Artisan Series. She has performed and produced 23 seasons of Back of the Bus, a dance show on a moving bus, all over the world.

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Dr Nicola Hyland (Te Atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi and Ngāti Hauiti) is a Senior Lecturer in Theatre at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Nicola's research investigates Māori performance and theatre, Indigenous performance and popular culture, intersections of youth, gender and sexuality in Indigenous performance, and affect and wairua in performance. Nicola has worked as a director, dramaturg and collaborative practitioner of devised performance work in Aotearoa and Australia, as well as roles as script adviser and cultural consultant. As a practitioner, she is committed to integrating tikanga Māori in the rehearsal space and advocating for decolonised and indigenised approaches to theatre-making.

Cubbin Theatre Company

Melanie Luckman is a theatre director based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand. Cubbin Theatre Company is her brainchild, coming from a desire for specific theatrical experiences for her own young children. Mel wanted to create Cubbin because children deserve beautiful creative experiences to feed their souls and their imaginations just as much as grown ups do. Some of her inspirations in creating this work include Magda Gerber and Janet Lansbury, Replay Theatre Belfast, Julie Wylie, and her own children Milo and Fox.

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Ko Ruahine ōku maunga pae

Ko Makaretu te awa

Ko Tākitimu te waka

Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-rua te iwi

Ko Regan Taylor tōku ingoa.

Regan Taylor is a Graduate of The UCOL THEATRE SCHOOL. He has been working professionally as a Director, Actor, Theatre maker and Tutor for the past 23 years with various companies within Āotearoa.

More recently directing the Te Reo Māori Touring seasons for Takirua Theatre.

Calico Young People’s Theatre

Jenny Wake is the founder and artistic director of Calico Young People’s Theatre, specialising in professional theatre for young audiences and in theatre with young performers. She is a writer, director, producer and educator, with an MA in Children’s Theatre and a career encompassing theatre, television and museum education. She directed and produced best-loved children’s TV series Play School and has created and toured professional theatre productions to schools throughout New Zealand. Currently Napier-based, she works with primary schools around the North Island, providing resources and support for whole-school productions.

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