2025 Artists
Raureti Ormond
Raureti Ormond joins TAHI to discuss his practice and the making of Grass Roots, offering practical insights for solo artists, emerging theatre-makers, and anyone curious about solo performance.
Raureti Ormond (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is a musical theatre artist and storyteller descended from the waters of Waihāhā and Whanganui Bay. A graduate of Te Auaha with a Bachelor’s in Musical Theatre, Raureti has performed in major productions including Wicked, Les Misérables, and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. He is also known as ‘Pania’ in the award-winning drag rōpū, The Tīwhas. Passionate about telling stories that fuse musical theatre, history, and māoritanga, Raureti was nominated for Most Promising Emerging Artist for his debut show Hāpaitia at the 2024 NZ Fringe, and recently premiered his first full-length original musical He Ingoa at Kia Mau Festival.
James Wenley
James joins TAHI to discuss his practice and the making of a show for when you feel lonely, offering practical insights for solo artists, emerging theatre-makers, and anyone curious about solo performance.
Dr James Wenley is a theatre academic, practitioner, and critic dedicated to championing theatre in Aotearoa NZ. He is a senior lecturer in Te Whare Ngangahau – Theatre and Performance Studies at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, where he teaches acting, dramaturgy, musical theatre, and socially engaged performance. With a PhD from the University of Auckland, James creates and presents work through his company Theatre of Love.