Hakaia Daly, Maddy Johnston and Sarah Penny in action during one of their performances.
Hakaia Daly, Maddy Johnston and Sarah Penny in action during one of their performances.
Hakaia Daly, Maddy Johnston and Sarah Penny may not be household names, but over the coming weeks they will have a bigger audience than most New Zealand actors in the form of thousands of rangatahi in schools across the country.
Their plays will bring laughs, applause and most importantly lessonsfor young people around the dangers of vaping, risks of underage drinking and how to be money-smart.
The Life Education Trust’s Theatre in Education team is back on the road and will be in Northland until August 20.
They will be at Kaitāia College on August 19 and Whangārei Girls’ High School on August 20.
Daly, Johnson and Penny are the new arrivals in the 2025 cast, who will deliver performances designed not just to entertain but to empower.
The programme is backed by social cognitive theory, which shows how behaviour is shaped through social interaction and media influence.
“These shows and workshops create a safe space for students to reflect, respond and grow. All three actors have varied theatre and performance experience,” the organisers said.
The Theatre In Education programme includes: SMART$, which challenges students to think critically about financial decisions and future planning; Behind the Scenes, which explores the health risks of vaping and how social media influences decision-making; and SMASHED, which explores the dangers of underage drinking, told through the story of three teens navigating peer pressure and consequences.
“Theatre in Education is about more than just watching a show. It’s about giving students a ‘rehearsal for reality’ – a chance to engage with challenging content in an interactive, meaningful way that supports diverse learning styles. It sparks real conversations and encourages students to think for themselves.”
Maddy Johnston, Sarah Penny and Hakaia Daly will be at Kaitāia College with inspiring performances.
All three performers have varied theatre and performance experience.
Penny is an Auckland-born theatre and film creative who, for the past three years, has worked as a tour guide at Weta Workshop, inspiring visitors to tap into their creativity.
“I see lots of people light up and be proud of what they’ve made.”
She has experience working with children as a swim instructor and performer.
Her original children’s show Fairies Playing Football featured in the Fringe Festival. A skilled mime artist, she also wrote, directed and starred in a short film exploring the lives of clowns.
“What I love about theatre is that every performance is different,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how different kids interact with our shows and workshops.”
Johnston is the team’s most experienced driver and is looking forward to road-tripping and performing around the country.
“Working at Evolve [Youth] made me realise how screwed up things are,” she said of her work in youth support services in Wellington.
“I can’t wait to meet young people all over Aotearoa.”
