Keisha Scott-Bennie has found her second home among the footlights at Waipukurau Little Theatre.
Keisha Scott-Bennie has found her second home among the footlights at Waipukurau Little Theatre.
As well as producing three shows each year, Waipukurau Little Theatre is dedicated to fostering and encouraging our local youth and giving them a place to grow their skills and confidence in the theatrical arts.
Keisha Scott-Bennie, a Year 13 student at Central Hawke's Bay College, has found her secondhome among the footlights at Little Theatre and as committee member Jules Hamilton says, "we couldn't be happier to have her along side us. Keisha began as Committee Youth Representative two years ago; an enormously beneficial role as both a means to mentor a young person in governance and also provide Keisha with an opportunity to use her voice and represent the ideas of her peers.
"Of course the added benefit for Little Theatre is the clear joy of hearing and learning from a part of our community that can often be underrepresented," Jules says.
"We stage shows for our whole community and it is so important that we have as broad an input as possible."
In addition to her committee role, Keisha has doubled her workload, stepping into the role of production manager for the theatre's upcoming show Heaven Help Us! and reprising her role as stage manager as well.
Keisha says to complete a unit standard in drama this year to go towards her level 3 credits, she needs to produce a show from start to finish and is well on her way to doing that.
Keisha hopes to study theatre and film in Wellington next year and then pursue a career in the arts, as over the last few years it has become something she is very passionate about.
Heaven Help Us! Also boasts two more Central Hawke's Bay teens: George Te Amo - who audiences may remember from his end of show cameo in An Unseasonable Fall of Snow - is also back in his role as assistant stage manager, while talented local actress Abbey O Kane stars as Natasha.
