Patron
Donna Philpott, QSM

Life Members
Tim Blennerhassett, Ella Duddridge, Jim Fenton QSO, Shona Spencer, Sandra Sewell, John MacGibbon,
Kevin Murphy, Len Speir, Ray Spence, Donna Philpott QSM, John Antony

Patron - Donna Philpott, QSM - Affectionately known to all as Dame Donna, she was involved with Wellington Musical Theatre for 40 years, retiring in 2003. Her main role had been as production manager for the last 18 years, overseeing and organising rights, auditions, personnel and all of the other tasks associated with getting "a show on the road". Instrumental in forming the Musical Theatre Consortium that negotiated the rights to bring Les Mis to NZ the first time in 1994, she then went onto gain the performing rights for 42^nd Street in 1995. Donna is firmly committed to musical theatre throughout NZ and was the MTNZ Zone Three representative for 23 years. She was honored with Life Membership of MTNZ in 2008 and the MTNZ highest honor - Patron.

President - Ian Reid

Ian’s first involvement with theatre was in a high school musical in the UK. Born in Glasgow, Ian moved to New Zealand in 1960 with his parents and two sisters and they have resided in Napier ever since. Ian joined the Napier Operatic Society in 1967 whilst serving an electrical apprentice with the Napier City Council, starting as lighting board operator for ‘Little Mary Sunshine’ and moving on to props for later productions. Married to Dale they have four daughters all of whom have graced the stage in Napier productions following years of dance, drama and singing classes. Appearing on stage in a number of minor roles over the years, Ian admits that it is behind the scenes he feels that he can contribute most. Ian served on the executive committee of Napier Operatic for some 25 years holding the position of secretary for 19 years between 1984 and 2003; he also represented the Society on the Musical Theatre Consortium for a number of years and has attended either as delegate or observer 25 Annual General Meetings of the Musical Theatre Federation. Ian was awarded Life Membership of the Napier Operatic Society in 1994 and was also recognized in 2003 by Musical Theatre New Zealand receiving a Merit Award for services to Musical Theatre. Ian’s involvement with the arts is a fulltime one; he is manager of Napier’s Municipal Theatre and the Century Theatre. Outside of his involvement in theatre Ian is an avid fan of all sports and a particularly keen follower of Napier City Rovers Football Club where he serves on their Board of Management.

Vice President – Lesley Reid

Lesley first became involved in musical theatre in 1962 in Timaru, where she performed in numerous shows, both in the Operatic and Repertory branches of the South Canterbury Drama League.  She became involved with Napier Operatic Society in the early 1980s working in the kitchen and front of house areas at the Tabard, and assisting with dressing for “Annie” when her daughter was in the cast.  She has performed on stage in numerous productions for NOS, including both productions of Les Miserables, Chess, My Fair Lady, and many of their Tabard Theatre Productions. She has been Production Manager a number of times, and worked in most areas back stage.  She spent four years as an executive member of the Society, four years as vice-president, and then six years as president, retiring at the end of March 2006. She completed her year as past president, and spent some of 2007 assisting with “Beauty”, before having to take some time out to care for her late husband Tony.  During her time on the Executive of NOS, she was the Society’s representative on the Consortium Committee, which was an invaluable experience, and a vehicle which is imperative if societies in this country are going to continue to produce big budget shows. In Lesley’s life away from Theatre, she is the Financial Administrator for a sharebroking firm in Hastings.

Administrator - Kate Ghent

Kate’s debut on a stage was in 1969 when she starred in a ballet panto as a tree. She was involved with most theatrical societies in the Wairarapa in the early years (from setting tables for MATS theatre restaurants to playing Witch 2 in that Scottish play), then moved to Wellington where her first role was as the vamp Sonia in Wellington Rep’s Godspell in 1985. After a three year stint overseas, she returned to NZ and became actively involved with Wellington societies as a performer, committee member, director (Joseph, Chicago, Godspell, Chess to name a few) and editor of numerous theatre newsletters.  Unfortunately composers of shows don’t write roles for “leading altos” so Kate has predominantly appeared onstage in shows requiring a female of ill-repute (assorted vamps, prostitutes, murderesses, witches), normally dressed in minimal attire. Greatest claim to fame was playing the nude Japanese prostitute in Ken Russell’s Madam Butterfly for the 1994 Festival of the Arts - dress rehearsal took on a whole new meaning, especially when the MFC auditorium was packed full of college students. Over the last 15 years, Kate has tended to be involved more with the backstage area from production management, crew, dressing, props, front of house – in fact all areas of the theatre that don't involve climbing up a ladder or electricity and wires.  She has also been predominantly working on the marketing side for numerous productions, with the highlight being Ladies’ Night when she got the lads in their g-strings, in full colour on the front page of the Evening Post!!!! In her corporate career Kate has worked for companies such as Lion Breweries, Saatchis, Castrol, Lotteries and the NZRU in EA and event roles. Kate still continues to be involved with musical theatre outside MTNZ was the consortium coordinator for Miss Saigon and onstage this year in  Porirua Little Theatre's Curtains the Whodunit Musical - the NZ Premiere,  as Carmen Bernstein. Kate also contracts to RNZ2011 on a part time basis working on the biggest gig NZ has ever seen ..... the Rugby World Cup.

Zone One Representative – Delwyn Smith

Delwyn’s involvement in theatre started in 1983 when she was dragged in to help on the props team of Mikado by a girlfriend, by the end of 1984 she was hooked. She joined the committee of North Shore Operatic Society in 1987. Her involvement has been Stage Manager, Props, Crew and Production Manager and more recently, Publicity. Delwyn was President of NSOS in 1995 – 1996, at which time NSOS performed A Chorus Line which was the first show performed in the newly built Bruce Mason Center, and again in 2001 – 2002 at which time the society changed its name to North Shore Music Theatre. Delwyn was on the Board of the Pumphouse for a period of 3 years from 1998 to 2001. Delwyn’s professional life is a Karitane Nurse/Nanny. She has been married to Mike for 31 years and has 2 children Tracey 27, who is also very involved in Theatre and Drama, particularly in the school she teaches at, and son Paul 24 who is a mechanic. Delwyn has been attending conferences since Blenheim in 1993 and has enjoyed meeting up with all her musical theatre friends almost every year since then.

Zone Two Representative – Ngaire Holmes
Ngaire's involvement in Musical Theatre began in Southland many years ago.  Her first memory of performing was when she was 5 years old singing a duet in the local school concert.  She was bought up in a large musical family with 6 sisters and 3 brothers and  in the early days they would sing as a family group in many concert performances in the little town of Tuatapere.  Ngaire has been married to Gary for 37 years and has 2 daughters, Shelley a registered nurse who is married with 3 adorable children, and Tracy who works as a Training and Development Specialist and is also very involved in musical theatre in Hamilton.  Ngaire became a member of Western Southland Musical Theatre in the 1960’s and from there to Hamilton when she became a member of Musikmakers Hamilton in 1994.  She performed in Music Man, Oliver, 70s’s revival and Oklahoma for Musikmakers and then due to ill health had to turn her hand to the production roles.  She has produced many top shows for Musikmakers over the last 10 years namely, Oliver, Les Mis and My Fair Lady to name a few.  Ngaire held the role of Secretary for 2 years and President for 4 years and is the current Treasurer of the Riverlea Theatre Board of Management a position she has now held for 8 years.  Ngaire has worked for the past 15 years as an Office Manager for Stiles and Hooker Architects and Engineers.  Ngaire loves music and the theatre, it is her second home and finds it really hard to say no when someone wants just that little task carried out.  Ngaire is currently production Manager for Hamilton Musical Theatre's production of Miss Saigon.

Zone Three Representative – Allan Nagy
Allan has been a member of the Palmerston North Operatic Society (PNOS) – now known as Abbey Musical Theatre (AMT) - since 1980, working predominantly in the background.  He started as a Stage Hand and joined their Executive in 1983.  He is the current President of AMT, a role he has held for the last three years.  His passion for theatre has seen him turn a hand to almost every aspect of musical theatre and to theatre as a whole (excluding singing as his singing voice has firmly been regarded as belonging to “one of the crew”). Some of the roles he has undertaken in theatrical productions include Floor Sweeper, Stage Hand, Flyman, Lighting Operator/Designer, Set Designer/Builder, Stage Manager, Technical Director, Financial Controller, Production Manager and a few more that he can’t think of (or should not mention) at the moment.  Throughout his time with PNOS/AMT he has learnt many aspects of theatre and has spent many hours dealing with the trials and tribulations of running a successful voluntary operation. In 2006 Allan was awarded an MTNZ Merit Award.  In his other life (the few hours he spends outside theatre) he is a Regional Manager for Turners Transport, a Division of Turners and Growers.

Zone Four Representative– Ross Benbow

Born in Takaka, Golden Bay, Ross’ family came from South Canterbury and his Mum sang in the Anglican Church Choir in Ashburton and his Dad played in the brass band in Temuka. Both Ross’ parents became involved with the Takaka Drama Society and the Motueka Dramatic Society when they lived in Motueka. Ross moved to Nelson when he was eight and was involved with church pageants etc. The first show he remembers seeing was The Tinder Box produced by Nelson Repertory in the 1950’s. His next memorable show was the Scots College (Wellington) production of Ruddigore in 1960 – it made him want to get involved in theatre, which he then did the very next year in Nelson’s Oklahoma. His first show was in 1965 with Nelson Operatic and he has been involved ever since. Ross has done everything from chorus to spotlight operator, painting sets, hanging lights to meeting his wife Pam in Fiddler on the Roof where they played opposite each other as Hodel and Perchek. For his sins, he has also been production manager for many shows. A little bit of directing has come his way and he has also been on the Nelson Musical Theatre Executive for a number of years including President, Vice President, Secretary and has also been made a life member. Ross says he enjoys the theatre life and although it can be frustrating at times, it is always interesting. In his other life he is a real estate salesperson in Nelson.