Mark Wright stars in Waihi Drama Society's Snip.
A Kiwi acting icon with strong ties to Waihi and Waihi Beach is sharing his skill set with the local community.
Film and television star Mark Wright has called Waihi Beach home for the last five years.
The actor has teamed up with Waihi Drama Society to star in production
Snip and to take an acting workshop weekend.
The society is mixing it up for the new year, with Snip being the first of three one-act plays in the Fight or Flight series.
Mark has had a 35-year career starring in numerous Kiwi film and television productions such as The Billy T James Show, Shortland Street and Issues with McPhail and Gadsby, although his passion is theatre work.
Mark was born in Auckland. The family had always holidayed at Waihi Beach and eventually built a bach. Mark divides his time between Waihi Beach and Auckland.
Mark has close ties with neighbouring Waihi. His great-grandfather John Kelly was the proprietor of the Rob Roy Hotel. Mark's grandmother Kathleen Kelly meet his grandfather Thames lawyer Henry Vollemaere at the Rob Roy when Kathleen was working behind the bar.
Mark also has two great uncles from Waihi who fought in World War I.
The actor is a long-time friend of Waihi Drama Society president Simon Elson. The two have worked together in Wellington, including at Simon's Bats Theatre.
Last year's Covid-19 pandemic decimated professional acting gigs for actors. Mark is between professional theatre jobs so he jumped at the chance to be part of Fight or Flight.
It's a great time to be telling Kiwi stories, Mark says.
''Snip is about the pros and cons of a married man having a vasectomy, Frank finds himself having nightmares and he's also a Godfather fan but so as not to spoil the ending ... reality and fantasy start to intermingle.''
Mark is also running an acting workshop weekend for beginners or actors wishing to hone their acting skills.
Mark has done just about everything in the entertainment industry — film, television, comedy, stand-up and improv comedy, voice-overs — but theatre is his passion.
''I love a live audience, that two-way exchange of energy is great. Theatre and improv are my first loves because of that connection with the audience.''
Weekend workshop with Mark Wright
Mark will be a taking a weekend workshop focusing on character development.
''It'll be an introduction to acting for some, for others they can improve and learn new skills, overcome obstacles and develop the skills they have.
''The idea is for it to be a fun, enjoyable weekend... an introduction to spark their interest.''
Mark Wright: A quick biography
• Graduate of Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School
• Professional stage career started at Downstage theatre in Wellington followed by Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North starring in Aunt Daisy, The Threepenny Opera, Othello, Judy — the Judy Garland story, Pass it on, Foreskin's Lament and Bouncers
• Mark has appeared in more than 30 different television series such as What Now, Shortland Street, The Billy T James Show, Issues with McPhail and Gadsby.
• Two New Zealand film and television awards for "best performance in a comedy".
• Theatre work includes The Rocky Horror Show, A Midsummer Night's Dream (twice), A Way of Life, Fane Flaw's musical The Under Watermelon Man for Wellington Arts Festival. Mark was also creative director for Edge Creative.
• More recently — 2015 Mark returned to the live stage in Silo Theatre's production of 8 GB of Hard-core Pornography directed by Laurel Devinie, The Streaker, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Ropeable, The Dinner, Centrepoint's production Ladies Night and productions for Auckland Theatre Company's The Audience and Six Degrees of Separation.
Snip
Director Tracey Carter describes Snip as a ''saucy hilarious comedy'' which comes into play when sleep-deprived Jenny insists that husband Frank get a vasectomy.
''Not the solution he was looking for, he conjures up a man who could deal with 'the situation', a family man — The Godfather himself. The play unfolds as Frank and the Don deal with the demands of maintaining Frank's 'manliness'.
''It's a very clever comedy, with great characters who each have their moment to shine. Nothing is as it seems. It's a funny, fast-paced one-act play.''
Having Mark on board brings a whole new light to acting and the play, she says.
''We really appreciate his skills and expertise and we're learning so much as we go.
"Mark's got a very down-to-earth approach which is easy to work with and I think it's made the short rehearsal time a lot easier. We're working with a couple of new actors who are getting so much from working alongside him.''
• Snip is at Boyd Road Theatre from February 18-21. Tickets $10 from Waihi Stationery or email waihimail@gmail.com