April Phillips (born 1965) is an actress, writer, singer, director and producer of film and theatre. She was born in

Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...

, England, but resides in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

, New Zealand. Her production company, Godiva Productions Limited, was named after the

Lady Godiva Lady Godiva (; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English , was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries. Today, she is mainly reme ...

legend of her hometown of Coventry.

Writing

Phillips holds a master's degree in Scriptwriting from the

International Institute of Modern Letters The International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) ( mi, Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o te Ao) is a centre of creative writing based within Victoria University of Wellington. Founded in 2001, the IIML offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses (i ...

at Victoria University of Wellington. Her theatre works are represented internationally by

Playmarket Playmarket is a not-for-profit organisation providing script advisory services, representation for playwrights in New Zealand and access to New Zealand plays. Playmarket was founded in 1973 to encourage the professional production of New Zealand p ...

. and by David Spicer Productions in Australia. Phillips writes predominantly for theatre and film but has had two radio plays recorded by

Radio New Zealand Radio New Zealand ( mi, Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa), commonly known as Radio NZ or simply RNZ, is a New Zealand public-service radio broadcaster and Crown entity that was established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates news and c ...

. Her most successful stage play, the modern farce ''"STiFF"'', has been produced internationally.

Acting

Phillips is a stage and screen actress. She is represented by The Pro Actors. She has been a member of the acclaimed women's comedy troupe Hens' Teeth since 1995.

Singing

Phillips is a professional and recorded singer. In addition to singing in various bands and at jazz festivals her TV appearances include multiple performances on Television New Zealand's ''"Good Morning"'' Show and ''"Breakfast Show"'' and the TV satirical series ''"McPhail and Gadsby"'' alongside

Jon Gadsby Jonathan Ernest Gadsby (1 November 1953 – 12 December 2015) was a New Zealand television comedian and writer, most well known for his role in the comedy series ''McPhail and Gadsby'' co-starring alongside David McPhail. He died of cance ...

and

David McPhail David Alexander McPhail (11 April 1945 – 14 May 2021) was a New Zealand comedic actor and writer whose television career spanned four decades. McPhail first won fame on sketch comedy show ''A Week of It'', partly thanks to his impressions of ...

. She released her debut jazz album in 2004 and has since donated 100% of her income from that album to Make A Wish New Zealand and donated over $12,000 to the charity. She recorded a follow up song called ''"What I'd Do For You"'' for Make A Wish New Zealand Phillips also released an album of her own original pop songs called ''"Tempting Fate"'' and appears on a collaborative Nat King Cole tribute CD ''"Unforgettable".''

Production

Phillips' production company, Godiva Productions Limited, has produced various musical stage shows including the jazz play ''Blue Eyes'' and the Nat King Cole tribute show ''Unforgettable''. More recently she produced the musical shows ''The Glory of Gershwin'' for the 2016 Wellington Jazz Festival and ''The Retro Pack'' jazz revue. In 2022, she was co-producer of the musical stage show "Let's Talk About Me!" which is now touring New Zealand. She was co-producer on the short films ''Utu Pihikete'' and ''Letter For Hope'' and executive producer of the films "R.E.M." and "The Last Man on Earth". These films have received official selections at numerous US film festivals and won awards. In 2023, she was the co-producer of the feature film "Blind Panic".

Directing

Phillip's directorial debut was the award-winning sci-fi/horror short film ''REM'' which she also wrote and acted in. The film was officially selected for many international film festival screenings including "Fantasia", Montreal and "Horror Hound", Cincinnati, and notably at the 51st Worldfest, Houston where the film won a Platinum REMI award. Phillips's was nominated Best Director (Short Film) at the Ouchy Film Awards, Lausanne, Switzerland and Best Actress (Short Film) at the Madrid International Film Festival 2017. The film received 7 nominations at the Short Film Awards (S.O.F.I.E.S) in New York where Phillips won Best Director. Phillips short film "The Last Man on Earth" was completed in 2019 and was officially selected for Screamfest 2020, London Sci-Fi Film Festival, North Hollywood Film Festival and the 53rd Worldfest Houston where it received the Special Jury Award for Suspense/Thriller. Phillips earned an Honorable Mention as Director from the Los Angeles Film Awards (L.A.F.A) and Best Sci-Fi award, and Best Director at Festigious. The film was a finalist at the 2019 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. Phillips was awarded the Best Shorts 2020 annual Humanitarian Award - Outstanding Achievement - for the disability themes in her film. She was nominated for the Minerva Award at FilmQuest for her work as a female producer/director in genre filmmaking 2021.

Filmography

Awards

* 2021 FilmQuest Nominee for Minerva Award (female filmmaker in genre) - for the film "The Last Man on Earth" * 2020 Best Shorts annual Humanitarian Awards - Outstanding Achievement Award - for the film "The Last Man on Earth" * 2020 53rd Worldfest, Houston - for the film "The Last Man on Earth" - Special Jury Award Suspense/Thriller * 2020 Festigious Film Awards - for the film "The Last Man on Earth" - Best Director, Best Original Story, Best Sci-Fi * 2020 Independent Shorts Awards - annual awards - nominated Best Sci-Fi Film * 2019 Los Angeles Film Awards (L.A.F.A.) - for the film "The Last Man on Earth" - Best Sci-Fi and Honorable Mention (Director) * 2019 Independent Shorts Awards, L.A. - for the film "The Last Man on Earth" - Best Women Short (Gold), Best Supporting Actor (Gold), Best Director - Female (Silver), Best Sci-Fi Short (Silver), Best Original Story (Bronze) and Best Original Score (Bronze) * 2017 Short Film Awards, New York (SOFIES) - Best Director for the film "REM" * 2017 Short Film Awards, New York (SOFIES) - Nominated in Best Actress, Best Writing, Best Film and Best Director categories. * 2017 Independent Spirit Award, Fantastic Planet Film Festival, Sydney * 2017 Outstanding Achievement Award – Playwrights Association of NZ (PANZ) * 2017 50th Worldfest, Houston – Platinum "REMI" Award for ''"REM"'' * 2017 Fantastic Planet, Sydney – Independent Spirit Award for ''"REM"'' * 2017 Madrid International Film Festival – Nomination for "Best Actress – Short" for ''"REM"'' * 2017 Global Independent Film Awards – Bronze Medal for ''"REM"'' * 2017 Finalist SWANZ Award for Best Unproduced Screenplay for ''"Blind Eye"'' * 2016 IndieFest Film Awards Award of Excellence Special Mention ''"REM"'' * 2016 Ouchy Film Festival Lausanne selection and nominated Best Director ''"REM"'' * 2016 Hollywood Boulevard Film Festival Best Foreign Short for ''"REM"'' * 2016 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards Best Horror Short Foreign and Best Sound Design for ''"REM"'' * 2016 Global Accolade Film Competition Award of Merit Special Mention for ''"REM"'' * 2016 Best Shorts Film Competition Award for Excellence for the film ''"REM"'' * 2015 Best Shorts Film Competition Award for Excellence for the film ''Utu Pihikete'' * 2014 Global Accolade Film Competition Awards for Excellence for the films ''"Letter For Hope"'' and ''"Utu Pihikete"'' * 2014 Action on Film Festival for the films ''"Letter For Hope"'' and ''"Utu Pihikete"'' * 2014 IndieFest Film Festival for the films ''"Letter For Hope"'' and ''"Utu Pihikete"'' * 2013 Doug Wrenn Award for Achievement * 2013 Finalist in SWANZ Awards Best Play category for ''"Motel"'' * 2013 Winner New Zealand Writer’s Guild 5 Page Film Treatment competition for ''"As Seen on TV"'' * 2012 Finalist in SWANZ Awards Best Play category for ''"SNiP"'' * 2010 Michael Hirschfeld Scholarship for Scriptwriting (Victoria University of Wellington) * 2010 Playwrights Association of NZ (PANZ) One Act Play for ''"Bonking James Bond"'' * 2010 Radio New Zealand Drama Student Short for the radio play ''"In Two Minds" '' * 2003 Playwrights Association of NZ (PANZ) Playwriting Competition for ''"STiFF"'' * 2003 Stellar Award for "Best Music Production" for ''"Blue Eyes"'' * 2002 Adam Play Reading Series – Downstage Theatre for ''"STiFF"'' * 1996 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards – ''"

Hens' Teeth Women's Comedy Company Hens' Teeth Women's Comedy Company is a woman-only comedy troupe based in Wellington, New Zealand founded in 1988. Background After attending a women's comedy festival in Sydney Kate JasonSmith founded Hens' Teeth in time to debut just before ...

"'' – Best Female Comedy

Plays

* ''Let's Talk About Me!'' - musical comedy first produced by LTAM Partnership at Te Raukura Ki Kapiti Theatre, Paraparaumu, New Zealand in September 2022 * ''Swingers'' - a comedy first produced by CAS'n'OVA Productions, Christchurch, New Zealand 2018 * ''"Motel"'' – a contemporary drama first produced by CAS'n'OVA Productions, Christchurch, New Zealand 2013 * ''"STiFF"'' – a modern farce first produced by Playbox Theatre, Hamilton, New Zealand 2002 * ''"Death & Taxe$"'' – comedy first produced by 16th Avenue Theatre, Tauranga, New Zealand 2010 * ''"Bonking James Bond"'' – One act comedy first produced by CAS'n'OVA Productions, Christchurch, New Zealand 2012 * ''"Snip"'' – One act comedy first produced by CAS'n'OVA Productions, Christchurch, New Zealand 2012 * ''"Blind Eye"'' – a contemporary drama first produced by CAS'n'OVA Productions, Christchurch, New Zealand * ''"Blue Eyes"'' – musical play first produced at Circa Theatre 2004, winner of the Stellar Award for Best Musical Production, Fringe Festival * ''"Killing Me Softly"'' – a contemporary drama first produced at Taki Rua Theatre, Wellington, New Zealand 1996 * ''"Instinct"'' – One act drama first produced by Elmwood Players, New Zealand 2015

The Prince Edward

In 1983, at the age of 17, Phillips was the focus of intense international media interest when she appeared in a stage production of the play Charley's Aunt opposite Prince Edward at the prestigious

Wanganui Collegiate School Whanganui Collegiate School (formerly Wanganui Collegiate School; see here) is a state-integrated, coeducational, day and boarding, secondary school in Whanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui region, New Zealand. The school is affiliated to the Anglican c ...

. The Prince was a tutor at the school for two terms during his gap year. The media speculated about a romance between the pair but Phillips has always maintained that they are just friends.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, April 1954 births New Zealand women writers 21st-century New Zealand women singers Actresses from Wellington City Living people International Institute of Modern Letters alumni