Young Rotorua actors developing new Maori stories

Kiwi actress Cian Elyse White is hoping to develop new Maori stories and writers. Photo/File

Two young Rotorua women are working to develop new Maori stories from new Maori writers.

Cian Elyse White and Turene Jones - both actors, writers and producers - are working together on their new company Waiti Productions.

White, who stars in the TV show 800 Words, said their aim was to develop "fresh new Maori stories created by fresh Maori voices and writers".

The pair began working together earlier this year when White reached out to Jones to help her produce her first show.

During this year's Matariki festival they showcased their plays in both the established and the emerging artist categories.

Both shows completely sold out, with waiting lists at the door every night.

White said they were pretty stoked.

"Online the campaign had over 30,000 plus views and tens of thousands of likes.

"The Maori community and the Rotorua community got completely behind it."

White's play Te Puhi was a fictional story inspired by the crowning of the first Maori Miss New Zealand and Jones' play I ain't mad at cha a Maori rap musical set in Gisborne.

White said to have sell out shows during Auckland's Matariki season was quite unusual.

"We are super humble and just very, very fortunate.

"There is such a saturation of plays at that time, so it was pretty exceptional."

The success that came from their shows was an opportunity for them to grow their company.

"We have had some great successes and from that we want to look to the future and use this platform we have created to get more work out there," White said.

Since the shows closed the work hasn't stopped, but there have been even more successes.

At the Script Writer Awards New Zealand White took home two awards.

"It was against all of the top screen writers around the country, people who are writing for television. There was the team from Westside, Shortland Street, 800 words.

"I won the award for best new writer and for best play, with Te Puhi."

Jones won the top award with Creative New Zealand for emerging artists under 25.

Then last week they won a major award at the Auckland Theatre Awards.

"We won the people's choice award, for the best show from breakthrough artists, for I ain't mad at cha," White said.

The show sparked funding which will enable the pair to tour the show throughout Auckland theatres and schools.

"We are hoping we will be able to bring it to Rotorua," White said.

"We really want to start bringing stuff home."

White said they were currently in negotiations to turn Te Puhi into a feature film.

"The next year could be busy."