Hagley Theatre School is an exciting, unique and essential training programme for actors who are serious about developing their craft or deepening their understanding of the mechanics of theatre. Hagley Theatre School gives students a training environment committed to discipline, self-discovery and teaching the fundamental tools an actor must have to create and communicate stories with authenticity. This programme will hold students accountable to their goals as a creative and offer them the rare opportunity to develop themselves as an artist and technically skilled performer through a yearlong, practical learning environment. The six-month theatre-making course is another unique and valuable offering from Hagley Theatre School - this course offers prospective creatives the chance to deeply explore methodologies of creating dynamic, engaging and truthful theatre and is held by one of the country's leading directors and teachers in the techniques of theatrical game and creation. If you are at all curious about the benefits this work can offer you, I strongly encourage you to answer the call - the learning you will receive will be second to none. Melissa Cameron teaches Mask and Movement for Unitec’s Bachelor of Performing and Screen Art, she holds a Master of Creative Practice and trained internationally in Commedia dell’Arte. Mel is a founding member of physical theatre collective A Fool’s Company, a co-creator and performer of several educational theatre shows and an independent actor and circus artist. She studied at Hagley Theatre Company in 2013.

I believe a foundation of movement and mask theatre training goes a long way as an actor in today’s industry. It can be applied to other performance forms and enhance them greatly. Many accomplished coaches and directors recommend that actors, at various stages of their careers, attend theatre schools in other parts of the world that provide similar teachings. How cool is it that we now have a theatre school with this focus in Aotearoa?! This work teaches you so much about who you are as a person and an actor. Go for it! Catherine Yates is a comedian and actor member of Indian Ink Theatre Company based in Auckland. She graduated from Hagley Theatre Company in 2014 and Unitec Acting Course in 2017.

Kia ora! I’m so stoked that there’s a school like this in Aotearoa. I found so many benefits to immersing myself in the craft in this way such as learning to make my own work, building my eye for performance and working on how I as a performer operate both on and off the stage. It’s given me a level of discipline and rigor that I feel isn’t often provided by other programmes. I’m incredibly excited for what the six-month theatre making course will generate as it’s rare to have ‘labs’ where artists can just focus on developing work with the kind of assistance Pedro can offer. I’m confident you won’t find anything else like it in Aotearoa. Tane Te Pakeke-Patterson (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hateatea) is a performer and director who graduated from Unitec in 2022 with a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts majoring in Acting. Since graduating he has performed in Massive Theatre Company's ‘Heart Go… BOOM!’ (2023) and directed his first play ‘Oi Fred!’ (2023). Tane is passionate about work that aligns with the whakataukī "kia kawea tātou e te rēhia!" meaning "let us be taken by joy and entertainment!"