Graduate News
The following is a short list of what some of the approximately 700 Toi Whakaari graduates have been up recently...
Following last years success at Cannes, Louis Sutherland (2003) received the Jury Prize in International Short Filmaking at the Sundance Film Festival and the Best Short Film award at Flickerfest (the Australian Short Film Festival) for his film The Six Dollar Fifty Man. The film next plays in competition at the Berlin Film Festival alongside Redemption written by Tim Balme (1989), directed by Katie Wolfe (1990) and starring Karlos Drinkwater (1999).
Jane Campion’s acclaimed movie Bright Star starring Kerry Fox (1987) opens in cinemas in February.
Ruth Pretty (1973) was made a Member of The Order of New Zealand for services to the food industry.
Julia Croft 2008, Callum Stembridge (2001), Rachel Forman (2005), Jo Smith (1992), Hera Dunleavy (1993) and Amy Waller (2006) have all been in Short and Sweet at the Herald Theatre in Auckland.
Tim Spite (1991), Julian Wilson (2001) and Cohen Holloway (2001) are currently starring in The 39 Steps at Circa Theatre with technical support from Pat McIntosh (2008) and Thomas Press (2005). Also at Circa, Michele Amas (1984) stars in Ninety.
The revival of Mo and Jess Kill Susie has just completed a run at Bats, starring Juanita Hepi (2009), Cian White (2009) and Antonia Bale (2007) with technical support from Anna Drakeford (2005) and Thomas Press.
Downstage launches its 2010 season with Vernon God Little directed by Sophie Roberts (2007) and Willem Wassenaar (2006).
The Lonesome Buckwhips (2006 graduates, Arthur Meek, Gareth Williams and Miriama Ketu), recently described as the best thing since someone thought gin and tonic was a good combination, launch their new show Buckapapa at the Classic in Auckland.
The television adaptation of Witit Ihimaera’s novel Nights in the Garden of Spain has completed filming in Auckland. It is produced by Christina Milligan (1975), directed by Katie Wolfe and stars Jarod Rawiri (2002), Stephen Butterworth (1994) and Noa Campbell (2003).
The Gibson Group telemovie Eruption is now in post production. Directed by Danny Mulheron (1983), the film stars Nicola Kawana (1994), Te Kohe Tuhaka (2004) and Anapela Politaivao (2000).
Spartacus: Blood and Sand has begun its first season on US television starring Antonio Te Maioha (1993). Also in the USA, Peter McCauley (1973), Peter Daube (1992), Janine Burchett (1996), and Allan Henry (2006) have all appeared in The Legend of the Seeker.
Filming continues in Auckland for the second series of Go Girls. The series stars Bronwyn Bradley (1992), Matt Whelan, Stephen Lovatt (1986), Theresa Healey (1985) and Tania Nolan (2005) and is produced by Rachel Lang (1982).
American series Trauma starring Cliff Curtis (1989) has just begun screening on NZ television.
Playmarket has published two plays by David Geary (1987), Pack of Girls and The Learner’s Stand. David’s new play Mark Twain and Me in Maoriland will premiere at the NZ Festival of the Arts in March directed by John Bolton and starring Aaron Cortesi, Ngapaki Emery, Maaka Pohatu (all 2005 graduates) and Allan Henry with technical support from Pat McIntosh and Jessica Sanderson (2009).
Also at the Arts Festival is The Arrival, fresh from an international tour, starring Jarod Rawiri, Sally Stockwell (1995) and Veronica Brady (2009) and Mary Stuart starring Darien Takle (1970), Tina Regtien (1987), Aaron Alexander (2001), Nathan Meister (2002) and Nick Dunbar (2003) with technical support from Ellen Walsh (2009).
Nimby Opera’s production of The Cunning Little Vixen by Janacek continues to tour the country. It is directed by Jacquie Coats (2002) with costume design by Rachel More (2002).
The NZ Fringe Festival opens in February with new work from Katharine McGill, Mitch Tawhi Thomas, Paul McLaughlin, Adam Donald, Simon Vincent, Jane Waddell, Sophie Hambleton, Martine Gray, Rachel Baker, Aroha White, Matariki Whatarau, Guy Langford, Geoff Pinfield, Erina Daniels, Anya Tate-Manning, Sarita So, Natano Keni, Hadleigh Walker, Byron Coll, Maria-Rose Macdonald, Sophie Roberts, Sam Bunkall, Jon Coddington, Thomas Press, Richard Larsen, Ian Hammond, Kay Smith, Dena Kennedy, Martyn Wood, Paul Harrop and Pedro Ilgenfritz.
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