Help Kickstart my year at The Actors' Program 2018!

Hi there, I'm Renee. I'm 37 years old, and I'm just about to go back to school. I've arrived! I've been accepted into the 2018 intake of The Actors' Program. The program is an intensive year of acting training: a rigorous, fun and wonderful introduction to the NZ and international Performing Arts Industry.

I was born in Matata, Eastern Bay of Plenty... lived in the Hawke's Bay from age 10 to 18, then in 1999 I went to Hamilton (Hamil-tron:city of the future!) to study. Originally I went to University to study Music. In my first year at university I discovered theatre and wound up coming out of University of Waikato/Waikato Management School with a Bachelor of Management Studies, with majors in both Theatre Studies and Marketing - there were a lot of changes and various other paths taken in between - but that particular tangent is a much longer story!

I worked for a number of years in the Waikato as an Arts Administrator/Events Coordinator and on the side I Directed, Produced and Performed in amateur, professional and semi-professional theatre and film.

My career was as an adviser on funding, organisational and strategic development, event management, marketing and various other facets for artists. These artists included musicians, dance and theatre companies, filmmakers, visual artists, community groups, and social services and councils utilising the Arts as a tool for community development. It was an amazing job - helping artists bring their work to the community, the public and the world at large. I'm now stepping back into my own creative work... and focusing on acting.

Since 2010 I have traveled to the UK to work professionally in theatre, I then worked with the wonderful Tim Bray Productions (producing theatre for children in Auckland NZ) Currently I live on Waiheke Island where I have worked as the manager of a small theatre before going freelance behind the scenes in various roles: production manager, event coordinator, tutor, producer, actor and director - and my favourite of all: dog walker!

I strongly believe in the value of the "craft" of acting, and communicating - which to me is at the core of what we all do as artists. The last 37 years (thanks to my parents for those!) have built a solid foundation for me to learn more and really fine-tune my craft - as an actor, and communicator.

Over the years I have watched (and helped) many artists grow and nourish their potential, the upcoming year is the opportunity for me to take the tools given to me throughout my life, in the form of various teachers, tutors, career and life experiences... and accept the gift that is the training that The Actors' Program presents. 2018 (for me) means the realisation of a lot of work and the beginning of another chapter in my life. It will be focused learning and commitment to self actualisation as an actor - and I AM SOOOOOOO EXCITED!