Rawiri Paratene – Koro
Rawiri is one of New Zealand's most well known actors renowned for his versatility. Thirty years in the entertainment industry has seen Rawiri Paratene win acclaim as an actor, writer, director, producer and tutor in Theatre, Television, Radio and Film. His profile has gained international notoriety with the release of Niki Caro's feature film Whale Rider in which he plays the male lead, Koro.
Rawiri said “making the movie [Whale Rider] was a dream role for an actor. I felt like I had been cast as King Lear. Now in another absolute dream role for the stage I feel like I have been cast as King Lear plus the Storm!” He said “This ambitious, visionary piece of theatre will be a different version – a different story – the oneness of man and nature, a story from the ancestor”, he said.
Many New Zealander's in their 20's and 30's grew to know and love him as a 'Playschool' presenter. They continued to enjoy him in many comedy roles especially from the five series of award winning skitcom 'Issues'. A more mature audience know him as a pioneer in our professional theatre scene. More recently he is recognised as Joe Hudson from New Zealand's number one soap 'Shortland Street' or as the heavily tatooed Mulla from the sequel to 'Once were Warriors' - 'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted'.
A highlight of Rawiri's career was writing and starring in the much acclaimed television drama 'Dead Cert'. Rawiri won the NZ Film and Television award for Best Actor for his portrayal of 'Hare'.
Rawiri's Director credits include the film Te Moemoea written by acclaimed New Zealand author Patricia Grace and he has directed many theatre productions for Mercury Theatre, Downstage Theatre, Circa Theatre, Court Theatre and Fortune Theatre. Major productions have included Importance of Being Ernest, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Uncle Vanya and Mareiken.
Vicky Haughton – Nanny
Flowers Vicky Haughton was also highly acclaimed for her portrayal of the role of Flowers in Niki Caro’s film Whale Rider.
Commenting on the production of The Whale Rider On Stage Vicky Haughton said “the scale of this production is inspiring, being able to extend and explore this universally loved story in a wonderful new theatrical arena is a very exciting venture.”
Vicky is a trained dancer, actor and singer. Haughton is familiar to New Zealand audiences for her extensive theatre credits. She has also appeared in many television dramas such as Hercules and Xena for Pacific Renaissance, and Deep Water Haven, Marlin Bay and Raider of the South Seas for South Pacific Pictures.
Recent feature film credits include a starring role with Cliff Curtis in Jubilee (South Pacific Pictures), and Her Majesty - another role that required her to act a lot older than she really is and for which she was nominated as Best Actress at the 2001 Nokia New Zealand Film Awards.
Joylene
Davis – Kahu (Pai)Joylene has had no formal training as an actor, but performance is in her blood - and her passion is Kapa Haka.
Though born in Australia, her roots are in Ngati Whaatua, Ngapuhi and Ngati Haua. She returned to New Zealand to learn more about her Maori heritage, and discovered to her delight that her Whanau was deeply involved in traditional Maori arts. What’s more, they were eager to share their knowledge with her.
Before long she was immersed in toi whakaari (performing arts), tukutuku (panel work), raranga (weaving) - and of course kapa haka. She’s obviously a fast learner, because she earned a place in the front row of the Performing Kapa haka group at Auckland Girls’ Grammar - quite an honour for a 13 year old.
But Joylene doesn’t confine herself to traditional music and dance. She also likes hip hop, reggae, Adeaze, and listening to Mai FM. Her family is closely involved with church activities, and she is a keen member of the church’s youth section, helping to promote a safe and supportive environment for youngsters.
Karlos Drinkwater – RawiriSince graduating from the New Zealand Drama School, Karlos has assembled an extensive list of credits in short films, television commercials and local theatre, as well as appearing in international television series and feature films (The Tribe,Lord of the Rings).
A singer and guitarist, and fluent in Maori, Karlos was voted Best Actor in a Short Film at the Drifting Clouds Festival for his portrayal of Cole in Chris Clarke’s When the Jars are Done.
Dr Witi Ihimaera, author of Whale Rider
Witi Ihimaera was born in Gisborne, New Zealand in 1944. He was a pioneer among Maori writing in English. Pounamu Pounamu (1972) was the first collection of short stories by a Maori, while Tangi (1973) was the first novel by a Maori. A prolific writer and editor, his works include seven novels (including the award-winning The Matriarch and the best-selling Nights in the Gardens of Spain), four short-story collections, numerous anthologies and non-fiction works.
Witi has also written successfully for the stage (most recently Woman Far Walking) and as a librettist for opera. For many years a diplomat, he now teaches English and creative writing at the University of Auckland. The Whale Rider has become one of Witi Ihimaera’s most loved stories.
Toby Gough, Director
Toby Gough is an international award winning writer and director, from Scotland, born in Botswana.
His work crosses cultures and continents. He entered war torn Sarajevo under siege through a sewage tunnel to direct an opera with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra. He has toured an African Julius Caesar in East and Central Africa, directed Kylie Minogue in a Caribbean Tempest on a beach in Barbados, a Cuban Romeo and Juliet in Havana, Cuba, a Tibetan Hamlet in Lhasa and an Indian Midsummer Nights Dream in the Red Ford in Delhi. He has won a variety of awards at Edinburgh including five Edinburgh Fringe First Awards for original work in his exclusive venue The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. One award was from the Bangladeshi community for his production of Some Like It Hot, which entitled him to free curry in any Bangladesh restaurant in London for a year. He directed the Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations in 2002.
His production of Lady Salsa visited New Zealand two years ago and he is currently producing The Bar at Buena Vista with members of the Buena Vista Social Club.
For the last few years he has been researching a production on non-western methods of navigation in the South Pacific which brought him to Aotearoa’s fair shores to meet Logan Brewer.
He hopes to be riding the whale home.
Logan Brewer, Producer
Innovation and vision are Logan Brewer’s hallmarks. Logan’s creative energy and his ability to combine the disciplines of art and business have put New Zealand design on the global map. He has been responsible for conceiving the managing some of the country’s most prestigious international design projects.
Under Logan’s direction, the New Zealand Pavilion at the World Expo
’ 92 in Seville won high acclaim for the way in which it evoked the New Zealand experience. The New Zealand Pavilion at Expo ’88 in Brisbane was where Logan Brewer applied the same streamlined production process.
Logan Brewer's production and design of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the XIVth Commonwealth Games in Auckland in 1990, captured international attention for the way in which it involved both spectators and sports participants. Host countries of international Games events have since taken his lead.
Logan Brewer’s productions leap out and grab the audience. This talent was first honed as a young graduate from London’s St Martin’s School of Art, when working in the Design Department of the National Theatre in London under Sir Laurence Olivier.
Logan Brewer's distinct talents, his abilities to inform and enrich have been exhibited on film, television and were honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990 when he was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire).
Robert Gillies, Production Designer
Robert Gillies is a New Zealand Production Designer working mostly in Feature Films, Theatre and Television for over 20 years.
Five time winner of the New Zealand Film & Television Awards, 'Best Design'.
His last position was as Production Designer for the American Feature Film, (working title) 'The Boogeyman'.
He is best known internationally for his work as the Production Designer on 'Hercules the Legendary Journeys'; and 'Xena, Warrior Princess' , the American television series which he completed from 1994 - 2001.
Robert has also worked on countless television commercials both in New Zealand and overseas.
Hinewehi Mohi, Composer
Hine remembers Whale Rider being read to her as a child. Now the experience of her life becomes the spirit within the music of the story.
It was Hinewehi’s father who guided her to pursue an understanding of Maori culture and sense of Maori identity. From this position of strength she has been able to promote these values through her roles as poet, singer and Maori broadcaster.
With a linking of the Maori language and traditional themes to the lush melodies and contemporary rhythms used in the electronic landscape of Whale Rider On Stage, Hine works her magic. Echoes of the past encased in the present produce a dream state that resonates with meaning.
The work created for Whale Rider On Stage reflects her commitment to the creation of contemporary Maori music.
Wayne Laird, Musical DirectorAfter attending the Cleveland Institute of Music, Ohio, in 1975 Wayne was for 12 years Principal Timpanist with what we now known as the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He was also percussion tutor at the Auckland University School of Music.
Wayne toured internationally with performance group From Scratch appearing at venues such the Museum of Modern Art Paris, Symphony Space New York, the Gallery of NSW Sydney, Kodomonoshira Tokyo; and at the Edinburgh and Singapore Festivals.
In New Zealand he has many contemporary works for percussion, notably the first New Zealand performances of Stockhausen’s “Kontakte” (1978/79) with pianist David Guerin. In 1982 he gained a M.Phil with honours in ethno musicology. His Masters thesis was “Drums and Drumming in the Cook Islands”, written after a period of field-work on Aitutaki Atoll, Cook Islands.
Jane Holland, Costume DesignerJane has been involved in theatrical productions since her student days. While studying for postgraduate diplomas in Drama and Television Design, she realised that her true passion lay in costume design. Before long she had established a successful career in feature films and television drama.
Today she enjoys an international reputation as a creative designer. Her most recent projects were two American feature films, Boogeyman and Johnny Lingo, and an Australian feature, Soft Fruit. Jane’s television credits include Xena - Warrior Princess, Hercules - The Legendary Journeys, Young Hercules, and Cleopatra 2525 for Pacific Renaissance Pictures, and Riverworld, a telemovie for the Sci Fi Channel.
Her name has appeared alongside some of New Zealand’s leading Directors: as Costume Standby on Jane Campion’s The Piano, and Gaylene Preston’s Ruby and Rata, and as Assistant Costume Designer on Peter Jackson’s The Frighteners. And recently she made her own debut as Director on her short film A Fish Tale.
Jane’s partner is Writer/Director Michael Bennett. The couple have three children, Tihema (8), Mahina (4), and two-year-old Matariki.
Bryan Caldwell, Lighting Designer Bryan uses light to tell stories. He has almost 20 years of experience in theatre lighting, but also uses his skills to light multimedia productions, events and displays. With Tracey Collins he conceived and co-designed Viva Verdi!, which combined multimedia, lighting design and performers in a new celebration of Verdi’s operas.
Starting in 1987 with lighting design for Inside Out Theatre’s The Lover and Beloved, he went on to light 15 more productions at the Mercury. Since 1992 he has designed the lighting for more than 120 independent productions, dance performances and corporate events.
Bryan was responsible for lighting THIS IS IT!, the millennium celebrations in the Auckland Domain, and various America’s Cup events including the Louis Vuitton Ball. He also designed the lighting for Bill Clinton’s BMW launch, and the Star Trek exhibition at The Edge in Auckland.
Already the winner of many industry awards, Bryan was part of a team of theatre designers who represented New Zealand at the Prague Quadrennial celebrations in 2003. There he received a special award for “bringing a sense of play to the Quadrennial.”
Maaka Pepene, ChoreographerMaaka literally takes all types of choreography in his stride, whether it is for an elaborate film production or an experimental solo performance. He was the choreographer for the Maori Merchant of Venice (a feature film produced by He Taonga Films) and Maui Potiki, a television production by the same company.
Maaka’s Sound, Lite & Time, 3D Man and Time Travel were solos choreographed for A Quick Look at Sound, Light and Time at the Wellington Fringe Festival.
Much of his work explores elemental themes: Ether, choreographed for Sprung Dance Collective, included fire and a low-flying trapeze. Fire, a solo performance, examined the nature of passion.
Maaka often employs his skills to explore Maori issues, such as in Te Wero, which looked at the challenges faced by post-colonial Maori youth, and Whakaoho Ano, designed to explain Maori concerns to an American audience at the Seattle Dance Festival.
APPL promotes trade and investment amongst countries in the Asia Pacific Region.
Based in Auckland, New Zealand, APPL is very focussed on targetted alliances with components in tourism, property, media, publishing, entertainment, licensing and merchandising.
Specifically with respect to entertainment, APPL has a strategic alliance with Logan Brewer Production Design Limited (LBPDL). APPL and LBPDL have a portfolio of projects in development and will continue to research new projects.
APPL is well equipped to fulfil the obligations of an executive producer with at least one Director, Jock Maclean, having proven experience in this capacity extending back over twenty five years.
Logan Brewer and Jock Maclean have had a working association for twenty five years dating back to 1980 when Jock Maclean was Financial Director of the New Zealand Film Commission.