Lisa Irene Chappell is a New Zealand actress and musician. She is known for her roles as Chelsea Redfern in Gloss (1987–1990), and as Claire McLeod in McLeod's Daughters (2001–2003), a performance which earned her two Logie Awards, for Most Popular New Female Talent and Most Popular Actress.
Elizabeth Helen McRae is a New Zealand actress, best known for her portrayal of Marjorie Brasch in the television soap opera Shortland Street, and, in the last decade, as Jean Marlowe, in the internationally distributed TV series The Brokenwood Mysteries.
Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand is a New Zealand theatre and film actor, director, teacher and intimacy coordinator. She has worked for 40 years, appearing in over 120 theatre performances: Greek, Shakespeare, drama, comedy, devised, and musical theatre. Her screen credits include the 1993 movie Desperate Remedies as well as appearances in The Footstep Man, the soap Shortland Street and Australian comedy series Full Frontal.
Emily Justine Perkins is a New Zealand novelist, short story writer, playwright and university lecturer. Over the course of her career Perkins has written five novels, one collection of short stories and two plays. She has won a number of notable literary awards, including twice winning the top award for fiction at the New Zealand Book Awards. In 2011 she received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award.
George Winiata Henare is a New Zealand actor with a career spanning over 50 years.
Nancy Brunning was a New Zealand actress, director, and writer who won awards in film and television and made a major contribution to the growth of Māori in the arts. She won the best actress award at the New Zealand Film Awards for her lead role in the film What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999). In 2000, she won the Best Actress in Drama award at the New Zealand Television Awards for her lead role in the television series Nga Tohu.
Vaosa ole Tagaloa Makerita Urale is a documentary director and playwright, and a leading figure in contemporary Polynesian theatre in New Zealand. She has produced landmark productions in the performing arts. She is the writer of the play Frangipani Perfume, the first Pacific play written by a woman for an all-female cast. Working in different art mediums, Urale also works in film and television. She is the director of the political documentary Children of the Revolution that won the Qantas Award (2008) for Best Māori Programme.
Simon Prast is a director and actor from Auckland, New Zealand. Prast was the founder of the Auckland Theatre Company and director of the first Auckland Festival AK03.
Katie Wolfe is an actor, film and stage director from New Zealand. She appeared in television series including Marlin Bay (1990s), Shortland Street, and Mercy Peak. Her screen directing work has won awards, including Redemption at the ImagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival and This Is Her at the Prague International Short Film Festival. Wolfe wrote and directed a stage play, The Haka Party Incident that was presented in 2023 in New Zealand.
Rachel Jessica Te Ao Maarama House is a New Zealand actress and director. She is best known for her roles in the films of Taika Waititi. She has received numerous accolades including an Arts Laureate, NZ Order of Merit, 'Mana Wahine' from WIFT NZ and Te Waipuna a Rangi for her contributions as an actor and director.
Lisa Marie Reihana is a New Zealand artist. Her video work, In Pursuit of Venus [Infected] (2015), which examines early encounters between Polynesians and European explorers, was featured at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
The Basement Theatre is an Auckland theatre founded by Charlie McDermott in 2008. The theatre focuses on providing a venue for young people in the performing arts to enter the industry. Their priorities are making theatre accessible for both those who work in the industry and audience members.
Miriama McDowell is a New Zealand actor, director and playwright. She is a graduate of Toi Whakaari.
Cat Ruka is a New Zealand dancer, choreographer, performance director and arts manager.
Rae de Lisle is a New Zealand pianist and music educator.
Beryl Te Haumihiata Mason is a New Zealand linguist, translator, lecturer and tutor of te reo Māori. In 2023, Mason was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori language education.
Frances Anne Hughes is a New Zealand nursing academic and leader, and has held senior roles across several nursing organisations. In 2005 Hughes was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the mental health profession. In 2020 she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to nursing and mental health.
Darien Ruth Takle is a New Zealand actor, playwright and teacher. Takle is best known for playing Cyrene, Xena's mother in Xena: Warrior Princess. In 2021, Takle was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the performing arts.
Elizabeth Jane Prichard was a New Zealand women's leader. She was the founder of Pacific Women's Watch New Zealand, held roles in the National Council of Women of New Zealand and the International Council of Women, and was the president of Presbyterian Women. In 2004 Prichard was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service. In 2019 Prichard was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to women.
Valerie Ann Deakin is a New Zealand dancer, choreographer and dance teacher. Deakin danced, choreographed and taught in the UK, Turkey and the US before returning to New Zealand. She established a dance school and theatre trust in Taranaki, which celebrated their fiftieth anniversay in 2022. In 1993 Deakin was awarded a New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal. In 2024 she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to dance.
