THEATRE-2018

The Latin word ‘Ludus’ means game and play. The start of all love stories. Ludus explores the beginning of human romantic relationships, because regardless of gender, race, or religion, that playful dance of becoming known to another, will be experienced by almost, every human being.

Director Patricia Wichman

This will be Patricia Wichman’s 5th year being involved in Short + Sweet 2018. When Patricia isn’t trying to work out what makes her tick, she can either be found either directing a show or acting in it. Spreading her work across the globe, theatre and screen are her main mediums of story-telling.

Lou Van Jaarsveld

Sinead Gill

Writer Claire Ahuriri-Dunning & Lauren Wilson (Auckland, NZ)
Directors James Dunning, Claire Ahuriri-Dunning & Lauren Wilson

Pearangi Creative

Pearangi Creative is a North Shore-based theatre company less than a year old. Coming off an amateur production of Dracula in 2017, the script of which was shortlisted for the ADAM NZ Award, director/producers James Dunning, Claire Ahuriri-Dunning and Lauren Wilson wanted to stick together to create more works. They have filled 2018 with exciting projects, ranging from free school holiday plays for children in several Auckland Libraries, to a sell-out season of The Iliad. They are committed to elevating local theatre and talent by creating more opportunities and delighting audiences.

Claire Ahuriri-Dunning

Lauren Wilson

Writers Barry Wood (Lincolnshire, England)
Director Rebekah Dack

Rebekah Dack is a recent graduate from Unitec’s Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts – majoring in acting. Before graduating she realised that to be a successful theatre and film practitioner in New Zealand, she needed to be more than just an actor. Since finishing drama school, she has been exploring producing, writing alongside acting. She is a co-founder of Embers Collective, a theatre company that had their debut show in Te Pou Theatre’s Rangatahi festival this year. A play that Rebekah wrote, Ludus, is also in Short + Sweet this year. This is her first time as a director.

Michael Brown

Lauren Mclay

Writers Mehak Sharma (Auckland, NZ)
Director Aman Kharbanda

The Urban Bioscope

Through “The Urban Bioscope” we would like to showcase a myriad of emotions people goes through in their lives. We would like to bring emotions to the fore that are left unexpressed and even buried sometimes. Director Aman Kharbanda is directing the play for the first time. He has acted in Dara & First World Problems produced by Prayas and Agaram Productions. Both the director and our theatre company “The Urban Bioscope” will contribute by demonstrating deep human emotions and its complexities. It will be our earnest endeavor to produce theatre for the audience that speaks about their dreams, needs, and imagination. We would like to thrive on creativity; having something to say and uncover the human behavior.

Sucheta Banerjee

Ram Manthry

Writer Diana Amsterdam (Brooklyn, NY)
Director Richard Green

Ugly Shakespeare Company

Richard has been an arts practitioner for over 30 years, having acted and directed multiple stage productions both here and the US. An award winning short film writer and director, Richard established the Ugly Shakespeare Company in 1996 and continues to produce it’s annual tour. He is the executive director of the He Waka Eke Noa Charitable Trust which produces and supports arts projects and festivals in Aotearoa, as well as producing the popular weekly arts show, KickArts.

Albertine Jonas

Zoe Larsen Cumming

Richard Green

Writer Catherine Yates & Josh Metcalfe (Auckland, NZ)
Director Catherine Yates + Josh Metcalfe

Jet Pack Productions

JetPack Productions is a new emerging company formed by Josh Metcalfe and Catherine Yates, created during their time at drama school together. Their first and most recent project was a short mask theatre scene called “Counseled” created and performed by themselves for “SOCIO” (a theatre cabaret night) at Lot 23 in 2017. They both have a background in Acting and devising and are recent acting graduates of Unitec Performing Arts School. They are both very excited to put something on for Short and Sweet for the first time ever!

Catherine Yates

Josh Metcalfe