Victor John Rodger (born 1969) is a New Zealand journalist, actor and award-winning playwright
La Mama Theatre, New York. Retrieved 7 November 2009 of Samoan and

Pākehā Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...

heritage. Rodger's play ''Sons'' won acclaim at the

Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards were the main theatre awards in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, from 1992–2014, and have been succeeded by the Wellington Theatre Awards. Established in 1992 and sponsored by law firm Chapman Tripp, ...

(1998) and received the Best New Writer and Most Outstanding New New Zealand Play awards.
New Zealand Book Council. Retrieved 7 November 2009 In 2001, he won the

Bruce Mason Playwriting Award The Bruce Mason Playwriting Award is an annual award that recognises the work of an outstanding emerging New Zealand playwright. The winner is decided by the votes of a panel of leading New Zealand artistic directors and script advisors. The ...

. Other plays include ''Ranterstantrum'' (2002) and ''My Name is Gary Cooper'' (2007), produced and staged by

Auckland Theatre Company Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) is a professional theatre company in Auckland. It was founded in 1992 and since 2016 has been based in ASB Waterfront Theatre in the Wynyard Quarter in central Auckland. History Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) wa ...

and starred a Samoan cast including

Robbie Magasiva Robbie Joseph Magasiva (born 21 May 1972) is a Samoan-New Zealander actor who has starred in several films and as a member of the Naked Samoans comedy troupe. He has also appeared on television and in theatre, and was the co-presenter of New Z ...

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 began ...

, Goretti Chadwick and Kiwi actress

Jennifer Ward-Lealand ' Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand (born 8 November 1962) is a New Zealand theatre and film actor, director, teacher and intimacy coordinator. She has worked for 40 years, appearing in over 120 theatre performances: Greek, Shakespeare, drama, comed ...

Biography

Rodger was born in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

in 1969. Rodger's father is from the village of

Iva Iva or IVA may refer to: Organizations * Independent Voters Association, a North Dakota U.S. political organization * Informationsvidenskabelige Akademi, a Danish university * Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, (Swedish: ''Kungliga Ing ...

from Savai'i island in

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

.
Playmarket New Zealand. Retrieved 7 November 2009 Rodger spent two years studying at Toi Whakaari, the New Zealand Drama School 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 ...

graduating in 1997. Also in 1997, his play ''Cunning Stunts'' was performed in the Young and Hungry Festival at

BATS Theatre BATS Theatre is a theatre venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Initially founded as the Bats Theatre Company in 1976, then established in its current form in 1989. BATS Theatre has seen the development of many performing arts talents of New Zeala ...

in Wellington. During 2004–2005, he studied film writing at the Maurits Binger Film Institute in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

. He gained the Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writers’ Residency (2006)
Fulbright New Zealand. Retrieved 7 November 2009 based at the

University of Hawai'i A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

. In 2009, he was the Ursula Bethell Writer in Residence in Christchurch.
University of Canterbury. Retrieved 7 November 2009 His play ''Ranterstantrum'' (2002) was commissioned for the biennial New Zealand Festival of the Arts, New Zealand International Festival of the Arts. His play ''Sons'' was published by

Huia Publishers Huia Publishers (HUIA) is a book publishing company based in Wellington, New Zealand established in 1991. HUIA publish material in Māori language and English for adults and children. HUIA was founded by Robyn Rangihuia Bargh (CNZM) and her ...

in 2008, and ''My Name Is Gary Cooper'' was published 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 ...

in 2012, in the anthology ''Urbanesia: Four Pasifika Plays''. He is also a writer and a storyliner for TV soap ''

Shortland Street ''Shortland Street'' is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera centring on the fictitious Shortland Street Hospital, first broadcast on TVNZ 2 on 25 May 1992. It is New Zealand's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously ...

''. He held the 2016

Robert Burns Fellowship The Robert Burns Fellowship is a New Zealand literary residency. Established in 1958 to coincide with bicentennial celebrations of the birth of Robert Burns, it is often claimed to be New Zealand's premier literary residency. The list of past ...

at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

''Erotic, funny and full of machete-sharp dialogue, one of our most daring contemporary playwrights offers a new insight into the steamy side of Paradise''. Sian Robertson, Theatreview, 2007.
Review by Sian Robertson, Theatreview 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2009

His acting roles include '' Stickmen (film), Stickmen'' (2001), ''

Mercy Peak ''Mercy Peak'' was a New Zealand television series that ran for three seasons on local network TV One, between 2001 and 2004. The series rated well in New Zealand (especially in its second series) and won multiple awards for its cast. Though an ...

'' and a recurring role on ''Shortland Street'' as Dr. Henry Mapasua.

Awards

In 2013, Rodger was awarded the Contemporary Pacific Art Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifka Awards. In the

2021 New Year Honours The 2021 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...

, he was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

, for services to theatre and Pacific arts.

Selected plays

* ''Ranterstantrum'' (2002) *''My Name Is Gary Cooper'' (2007) -

, Maidment Theatre. Director Roy Ward, set design Mark MacIntyre, costume

Elizabeth Whiting Elizabeth Whiting is a stage costume designer from New Zealand. Career Whiting trained under designer Eve Schlup at Auckland's Theatre Corporate. Her first costume designs were for Limbs Dance Company (late 1970s to mid-1980s) and she has cos ...

. Cast: Nora Aati, Goretti Chadwick, Damien Harrison, Robbie Magasiva, Anapela Polata'ivao, Roy Snow,

, Liesha Ward Knox *''Black Faggot'' (2014) *''Club Paradiso'' (2015) *''Girl On A Corner'' (2015) - Auckland Fringe & Auckland Pride. Basement Theatre,

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

. Directed by Anapela Polataivao. Cast: Amanaki Prescott * ''At The Wake'' (2018) - Circa Theatre. Directed by Jane Yonge, designed by Sean Coyle. Cast:

Lisa Harrow Lisa Harrow (born 25 August 1943) is a New Zealand RADA-trained actress, noted for her roles in British theatre, films and television. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Nancy Astor in the British BBC television drama, ''Nancy Astor ...

, Marco Alosio, Jerome Leota. * ''Sons -'' premiered at The Court Theatre, Christchurch (1995) * ''Uma Lava'' (2019) - First produced by FCC, at Circa Theatre, directed by

Vela Manusaute Vela Manusaute is a Niuean writer and director. He is the creator and writer of New Zealand's first bilingual English- Tongan television series, ''Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a''. Background Vela is part-Niuean and part- Samoan; he was born in ...

. Cast:

Goretti Chadwick Goretti Chadwick is a Samoan-New Zealand stage and television actress, writer, director and tutor. Chadwick completed a Diploma in Stage and Screen Acting at Unitec Institute of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand. She has worked in theatre and ...

, Mario Faumui, Anapela Polata’ivao *''Lockdown La Ronde'' (2020) - First produced by Toi Whakaari at BATS Theatre, directed by

Jarod Rawiri Jarod is an alternative form of Jared and other variants like Jarred, Jarrad, Jarad, Jarid, Jarrid, Jareth, Jay, Jered, Jerad, Jerrad, Jarrod, Jerid, Jerrid, Jerrod, Jerred, and Jerod. Jarod may refer to: Places * Jarod, Gujarat, a village in Va ...

Selected publications

*2008 ''Sons'': Huia Publishers, 128 pages. , *2012 ''My Name Is Gary Cooper'', published in ''Urbanesia: Four Pasifika Plays'': Playmarket Play Series.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodger, Victor 1969 births Living people New Zealand male dramatists and playwrights Actors of Samoan descent New Zealand people of Samoan descent 20th-century New Zealand dramatists and playwrights 20th-century New Zealand male writers 20th-century New Zealand male actors 21st-century New Zealand dramatists and playwrights 21st-century New Zealand male writers New Zealand male film actors New Zealand male stage actors New Zealand male television actors Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit Toi Whakaari alumni