Jason Te Kare is a New Zealand director, playwright and actor.

Early life and education

Te Kare graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 2001 with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting).

Work

Te Kare played Ty in the premiere

Downstage Theatre Downstage Theatre was a professional theatre company in Wellington, New Zealand, that ran from 1964 to 2013. For many years it occupied the purpose-built Hannah Playhouse building. Former directors include Sunny Amey, Mervyn Thompson, and Colin ...

production of Hone Kouka's '' The Prophet'' in 1994, directed by

Nina Nawalowalo Nina Nawalowalo is a New Zealand theatre director and co-founder of the contemporary Pacific theatre company The Conch. She is known for directing the stage plays ''Vula'' and ''The White Guitar.'' The first film she directed ''A Boy Called Pi ...

. He made his professional debut as Boyboy in the premiere production of Hone Kouka's play ''

Waiora Waiora is a trio of indigenous Māori musicians from New Zealand. The three members of Waiora are Horomona Horo, Korey Atama, and Joshua Henare Rogers. The musical performances of Waiora are centred upon the ancient cultural practices of the M ...

'' at the

Hannah Playhouse The Hannah Playhouse is a theatre venue situated on the corner of Courtenay Place and Cambridge Terrace in central Wellington, New Zealand. The Hannah Playhouse was given by Sheilah Winn (first cousin of Edith Campion, mother of Jane Campion) an ...

in Wellington in March 1996. Te Kare co-wrote the play ''Cellfish'' with Miriama McDowell and Rob Mokaraka. ''Cellfish'', about a woman teaching Shakespeare in a men's correctional facility, opened the Auckland Arts Festival in 2017, and was nominated for a 2017 Adam New Zealand Play Award. Te Kare directed the production at Q Theatre. Te Kare played both Theseus and Oberon in the te reo Māori version of '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' at the

Pop-up Globe Pop-up Globe was a New Zealand theatre production company, based in Auckland, New Zealand. It produced Jacobean theatre, particularly the works of Shakespeare, in specially-built temporary replicas of the second Globe, the theatre Shakespeare a ...

in December 2017 to February 2018. In November and December 2020, Te Kare and actress

Anapela Polataivao Anapela Polataivao is a New Zealand actor, writer, and director of stage and screen. Background Polataivao was born in Samoa and has heritage from Vailoa, Vaiusu, Fagae'e and Safune. She grew up in South Auckland. Career Polataivao be ...

played the lead role on alternating nights in ''Every Brilliant Thing'', a play about mental health and suicide. The play was performed at Fale of Samoa House in Auckland. Te Kare co-directed the play with

Danielle Cormack Danielle Cormack (born 26 December 1970) is a New Zealand stage and screen actress. She was one of the original cast members of the long-running soap opera '' Shortland Street'', though she is also known for her role as the Amazon Ephiny in th ...

who was stuck in Australia due to COVID-19 border restrictions in New Zealand. Te Kare is on the board of

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 ...

. He was a drama producer for Radio New Zealand for ten years.

Awards and honours

Te Kare received the Most Promising Male Newcomer of the Year Award at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 1996, for ''Flat Out Brown''. At the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 2011, Te Kare won two awards, the Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School & Victoria University of Wellington Award for Most Promising Director of the Year, and the Museum Hotel Award for Director of the Year, both for the Hone Kouka play ''I, George Nepia'' at Circa Theatre. In 2018 he was appointed an Artistic Associate at the Silo Theatre, a part-time residency, where he directed a production of ''Cellfish''. At the

Wellington Theatre Awards The Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai / Wellington Theatre Awards are the main theatre awards in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington established in 2015 after the previous awards sponsor ended their support. They are awarded annually. The prev ...

in 2019, Te Kare received The Grant Tilly Actor of the Year for his performance in ''Cellfish''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Te Kare, Jason New Zealand theatre directors New Zealand actors New Zealand dramatists and playwrights Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Toi Whakaari alumni