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Jennifer Ward-Lealand

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Jennifer Ward-Lealand
CNZM
Ward-Lealand in 2019
Born
Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand

(1962-11-08) 8 November 1962 (age 62)
Wellington, New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active1978–present
SpouseMichael Hurst (1988–present)
Children2
Websitejenniferwardlealand.com

Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand CNZM (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, comedy, devised, and musical theatre. Her screen credits include the 1993 movie Desperate Remedies as well as appearances in The Footstep Man, the soap Shortland Street and Australian comedy series Full Frontal.

Biography

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Ward-Lealand was born in Wellington, New Zealand, to Philippa "Pippa" Mary (née Ward) and Conrad Ainsley Lealand. She has an older sister, Diana Mary Ward-Pickering and a half brother Simcha Lindt.[1] From the age of seven, after experiencing the buzz of joining the cast of Oedipus at Unity Theatre, Ward-Lealand knew that she wanted to be an actor.[2] At aged 8, she had her first small role in the film Gone up North for Awhile directed by Paul Maunder.

Since 1988 she has been married to actor Michael Hurst of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys fame.[1] They met at Theatre Corporate in 1983, then performed in 22 shows together, before their two sons were born in 1997 and 1999. The sons follow 'family tradition' by working in film and music production.[2][3]

Ward-Lealand's first ongoing television role was as Jan in Close to Home (1978–1980).[2] She sought opportunities to develop her theatre skills with roles at Downstage Youth Theatre. After leaving school, Ward-Lealand spent a year touring New Zealand in a community theatre group, The Town and Country Players, performing school and community shows and appearing in Chekhov's one-act play 'The Bear.[4] When she was seventeen, and ushering at Downstage Theatre, she was inspired by a performance by the company of Theatre Corporate of Metamorphosis directed by Paul Minifie.[3]

After first attending a summer school in Hawkes Bay, run by Auckland's influential Theatre Corporate, Ward-Lealand then completed in 1982 a year-long diploma in acting with the company with Paul Minnifie, Judith Gibson, Elizabth Hawthorne, Elizabeth McRae, Linda Cartwright and Raymond Hawthorne as the main teachers /directors. [5] She credits her intense training at Theatre Corporate with instilling discipline, fortitude and ensemble experience.[2] Work followed between the venues of Theatre Corporate, Centrepoint Theatre and Mercury Theatre, with the latter offering opportunities to develop a classic cabaret repertoire showcasing Ward-Lealand performing songs by Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Stephen Sondheim and Kurt Weill.[2][5]

Directly after leaving drama school, Ward-Lealand appeared in the short-lived TV drama Seekers, before her breakthrough television role in "Danny and Raewyn", an episode from the About Face series. Filmed largely in an Auckland flat, so cramped the cameraman sometimes had to sit on the stove, this tale of working class relationship breakdown would win Ward-Lealand a GOFTA Best Actress Award in 1897. The same year Ward-Lealand made her big screen debut as nightclub singer Costello – and sang three songs – in Wellington crime thriller Dangerous Orphans.[4]

In 1989, Jennifer joined the theatre/music group The Front Lawn and played ukulele and sang backing vocals on the album, "Songs from the Front Lawn". She then went on to perform in the show, "The One that Got Away" throughout New Zealand followed by performances in London, Edinburgh ("Pick of the Fringe), New York, Minneapolis and Philadelphia. In 1990 she played Linda in the short film "Linda's Body" for The Front Lawn and returned to touring "The One that Got Away" to the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

In 1993 she joined the core company of the Australian comedy TV show "Full Frontal" shooting in Melbourne spending the next two years working on 40 episodes.

In 2007, she toured her acclaimed Marlene Dietrich cabaret show, Falling in Love Again (also the name of her first solo CD) in New Zealand and Australia. She later toured with the same show in 2018.[6][7] Her engagement in the cabaret diva genre became a hallmark of her style as a singer. In 2014, she was touring Jacques Brel songs solo in several Arts Festivals: Auckland, Tauranga, Nelson, Christchurch and Taranaki. [5]

Ward-Lealand was a founding board member of Watershed Theatre and a co-founder of the Large Group and the drama school, The Actors’ Program.[5] She is a Patron of Q Theatre, Te Manu Tīoriori Trust and serves as a trust board member of The New Zealand Actors Benevolent Fund.[5] An advocate for improving actors' working conditions and pay, Ward-Lealand has been President of Equity New Zealand since 2007. After years as a teacher of the craft of acting, Ward-Lealand began training as an intimacy coordinator in 2018, and has worked on over 60 shows in this role. Her overall aim is to "make actors' lives better" by applying the best practice guidelines of Equity New Zealand.[3] Ward-Lealand is also a patron of Theatre New Zealand, New Zealand's amateur theatre society central body.[8]

Since performing in Hedda Gabler, the final Theatre Corporate production, Ward-Lealand has contributed significant roles to the Silo Theatre, such as Stevie in The Goat or Who is Sylvie by Edward Albee performed in 2005 with her husband Michael Hurst; Martha in "That Face" by Polly Stenham However, her most extensive repertoire has been programmed by the Auckland Theatre Company (ATC), including playing Barbara in the 2010 production of August; Osage County; Ouisa Kitteridge in Six Degrees of Separation; The Witch in Into the Woods; the 2020 online role of Arkadina in ATC's Zoom production of Chekhov's The Seagull.[9] Ward-Lealand has also made frequent guest appearances in The Basement's Christmas comedies, whether playing Helen Clark or Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.[10] Ward-Lealand's roles in New Zealand plays include Pass it On, The Bach, Via Satellite, The Sex Fiend, Rita and Angus and My Name is Gary Cooper.[5] Through play readings and workshops, she has also supported the development of local scripts, such as Pankhurst in Red by Dean Parker,[10] or Irene in Flour by Briar-Grace Smith (Centrepoint Theatre's 24-Hour Challenge Online).[5] Outside of her performing, directing and intimacy work, Ward-Lealand leads a very busy life due to MC work, speaking engagements, teaching, voiceovers and narrations. What inspires her is to 'work with great people on great projects'.[3]

Since 2008, Jennifer Ward-Lealand has been a keen student in te reo the language of New Zealand's indigenous Māori people. Ward-Lealand, who herself is not Māori, started learning the language after not being able to respond to a traditional mihi, or welcome speech.[11] She has directed Aroha Awarau's scripts, such as Exclusive in 2020. 2021 led to a new challenge through collaboration with Awarau and the producer Peata Melbourne. Ward-Lealand took on screen direction of the short film Disrupt about P addiction in Aotearoa, ending with a message of hope and redemption.[3] In 2023 she was appointed by Minister Willy Jackson to the board of Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori - The Māori Language commission for a three-year term

Filmography

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Film performances
Year Title Role Notes
1972 Gone Up North for a While Child
1985 Dangerous Orphans Teresa Costello
1990 Linda's Body Linda Short film
1992 The Footstep Man Mirielle
1993 Desperate Remedies Dorothea Brook
1994 A Game with No Rules Lauren Short film
1994 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry Jane Short film
1997 The Ugly Evelyn Cartwright
1999 I'll Make You Happy Mel
2000 The Painted Lady Fay Short film
2004 Fracture Ulla Peet
2013 End of Daze Wanda
2018 Vermilion Darcy
2020 Dead Janine Marbeck
Television performances
Year Title Role Notes
1978–79 Close to Home Jan 3 episodes
1986 Seekers Nardia Alterman Recurring role (16 episodes)
1990 The Billy T James Show Raewyn 1 episode
1991 For the Love of Mike Betty-Sue 1 episode
1993–94 Full Frontal Various characters Main cast (40 episodes)
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Voluptua Episode: "All That Glitters"
1996–97 Letter to Blanchy Jane 3 episodes
1996–98 Shortland Street Isobel Kearney Recurring role (60 episodes)
1997 Xena: Warrior Princess Boadicea Episode: "The Deliverer"
1999 Xena: Warrior Princess Zehra Episode: "The Play's the Thing"
1999 Duggan Joanne Taylor 2 episodes
2001 Love Mussel Doctor Television film
2005 Interrogation Gail Mary Abbot Episode: "True Confessions"
2006 Elgar's Enigma: Biography of a Concerto Narrator Television documentary (voice role)
2009–13 Buzzy Bee and Friends Dorable Duck Voice role (65 episodes)
2009 The Jaquie Brown Diaries Louise Bouchet 2 episodes
2012–14 Auckland Daze Wanda Recurring role (14 episodes)
2013 Sunny Skies Penny 1 episode
2013 The Almighty Johnsons Karen 3 episodes
2015–17 Find Me a Maori Bride Narrator Voice role (15 episodes)
2015 Newsworthy Kalonike 1 episode
2016–17 Auckward Love Barbara 4 episodes
2016 Terry Teo Barbara Bertinelli Episode: "Baby Takes a Bullet"
2016 Dirty Laundry Donna Recurring role (13 episodes)
2021 The Brokenwood Mysteries Patricia Wells Episode: "Exposed to the Light"
2022 My Life Is Murder Eva Borges Episode: "It Takes Two"

Stage performances

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Gifted the title Te Atamira (The Stage),[4] Jennifer Ward-Lealand has been involved in over 120 performances. Refer to her website for student and devised work, play readings, workshops and guest appearances.[4]

Stage performances[5]
Year Title Playwright Role Director Producer
1983 King Lear[10] William Shakespeare Regan Roger McGill Theatre Corporate
1984 Top Girls[10] Caryl Churchill Angie and Pope Joan Sarah Peirse Theatre Corporate
1984 Cabaret[10] John Kander, Fred Ebb, Joe Masteroff Kit Kat Girl Raymond Hawthorne Theatre Corporate
1985 Agnes of God[10] John Pielmeier Agnes Sarah Peirse Theatre Corporate at the Mercury Theatre
1986 The Trojan Women[10] Euripides Helen Sarah Peirse Theatre Corporate
1986 Pass It On[10] Renee Nell Roger McGill Theatre Corporate
1986 Hedda Gabler[10] Henrik Ibsen Hedda Colin McColl Theatre Corporate
1987 Breaking the Silence[10] Stephen Poliakoff Eugenia Alison Quignan Centrepoint Theatre
1987 Strip[10] Lorae Parry Lavinia Ellie Smith Centrepoint Theatre and The Depot (Wellington)
1987 The Threepenny Opera[10] Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill Polly Peachum Colin McColl Downstage and Mercury
1988 Nana[10] Olwen Wymark Nana Paul Minifie Maidement Theatre
1989 A Marvellous Party[10] Noël Coward Singer / actor Raymond Hawthorne The Gods, Mercury Theatre
1989 The One that Got Away[10] The Front Lawn Glenda with Don McGlashan and Harry Sinclair From Centrepoint, Palmerston North to Edinburgh Festival 1990
1990 The Threepenny Opera[10] Bertolt Brecht &l Kurt Weill Polly Peachum Michael Hurst Maidment Theatre
1990 Carousel[10] Rodgers and Hammerstein Carrie Pipperidge Raymond Hawthorne Mercury Theatre
1990 A Slice of Saturday Night[10] The Heather

Brothers

Frigid Bridget Paul Minifie Mercury Theatre
1991 The Sex Fiend[10] Stephen Sinclair and Danny Mulheron Eilleen Chris Scheil Mercury Theatre
1991 Via Satellite[10] Antony McCarten Lyn Paul Gittens Mercury Theatre
1991 Follies[10] Stephen Sondheim Phyllis Rodgers-Stone Bob Addisson Baycourt Theatre
1991 Mad[10] David Henry Hwang Renee / Girl Paul Minifie Mercury Theatre
1992 Cabaret[10] Kander/ Ebb / Masteroff Sally Bowles Michael Hurst Watershed Theatre
1992 Twelfth Night[10] William Shakespeare Viola Glen Elston Adelaide International Festival of the Arts
1993 Exile[10] Stuart Hoar Erin Lovelace Jacqui Dunn Concert FM Radio Broadcast
1993 Tell Me On a Sunday[10] Stephen Sondheim Girl Cath Cardiff. Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
1995 The Rocky Horror Show[10] Richard O'Brien Janet Nigel Triffit Paul Dainty/Stetson Productions; also toured St James Theatre in Wellington and Christchurch in 1995
1996 Assassins[10] Stephen Sondheim Sara Jane Moore/Emma Goldman Simon Bennett Watershed Theatre
1998 The Herbal Bed.[10][9] Peter Whelan Susanna Hall Raymond Hawthorne Auckland Theatre Company
2000 Into the Woods.[10][9] Stephen Sondheim Witch Raymond Hawthorne Auckland Theatre Company
2002 Old Times[5] Harold Pinter Anna Paul Gittins (potent pause) Productions
2003 The Graduate.[9] Terry Kohnson Mrs Braddock Simon Prast ATC
2003 Marlene[5] Pam Gems Marlene Ilona Rodgers (potent pause) Productions, Baycourt Centennial Theatre, Tauranga
2004 The Talented Mr Ripley .[9] Phyllis Nagy Emily Greenleaf / Aunt Dottie Oliver Driver ATC at The Maidment
2004 The Bach .[9] Stephen Sinclair Sally Sarah Peirse Auckland Theatre Company
2005 The Goat or Who is Sylvia?[5] Edward Albee Stevie Gray Oliver Driver Silo Theatre
2006 Twelfth Night .[9] Shakespeare Olivia Michael Hurst ATC at The Maidment
2006 Berlin Cabaret of Desire[5] Conceived by John Verryt, Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Paul Barrett Singer John Verryt
2007 Decadence[5] Steven Berkoff Helen and Sybil Paul Gittins
2007 My Name is Gary Cooper .[9] Victor Rodger Connie White Roy Ward
2008 The Threepenny Opera[5] Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill Jenny Diver Michael Hurst & Grant Winterburn
2009 Creditors[5] August Strindberg Tekla Paul Gittins, Michael Hurst
2009 Oliver! .[9] Lionel Bart Mrs Sowerberry/ Mrs Bedwin Raymond Hawthorne ATC at The Maidment
2010 That Face[5] Polly Stenham Mother Shane Bosher Silo at Herald Theatre
2010 August: Osage County .[9] Tracey Letts Barbara Fordham Colin McColl ATC at The Maidment
2010 TOYS[5] Natalie Medlock and Dan Musgrove Barbie Cameron Rhodes/Toby Leach Royale Productions
2010 Le Sud .[9] Dave Armstrong Dominique Le Bons Raymond Hawthorne ATC at The Maidment
2011 Poor Boy .[9] Matt Cameron & Tim Finn Viv Raymond Hawthorne, John Gibson – Musical Director ATC at The Maidment
2011 Rita & Douglas[5] Dave Armstrong adaptor Rita Angus Conrad Newport Circa One. Performed with Michael Houston. Toured to Queenstown and Lake Wanaka
2012 Copenhagen[5] Michael Frayn Margrethe Bohr Alex Bonham Northern Lights Theatre Production Company
2013 Red Rabbit, White Rabbit[5] Nassim Soleimanpour Solo Audience interaction Q Theatre
2013 Between the Sheets[5] Jordi Mand. Marion Sophie Roberts The Large Group/Royale Productions at The Basement
2014 Brel[5] Compiled Singer Michael Hurst Silo Theatre
2014 Luncheon[5] Aroha Awaru Elsa Lanchester Katie Wolfe Basement Theatre
2015 Rupert .[9] David Williamson Anna Murdoch / Pat Murdoch / Rebekah Brooks Colin McColl ATC
2015 Lysistrata .[9] Aristophanes Kalonike Michael Hurst ATC at the Q Theatre
2016 The Book of Everything[5] adapted by Richard Tulloch from a book by Guus Kuijer Auntie Pie Sophie Roberts Silo Theatre at Q Theatre then on tour to Hamilton, Napier, Palmerston North and New Plymouth,
2018 Mrs Warren's Profession .[9] G B Shaw Mrs Warren Eleanor Bishop ATC at the ASB Waterfront
2019 Six Degrees of Separation .[9] John Guare Ouisa Colin McColl ATC at the ASB Waterfront
2019 The Blind Date Project[5] Bojana Novakovic & Mark Winter with Thomas Henning & Tanya Goldberg Adele Sophie Roberts Silo Theatre
2020 Chekhov's The Seagull .[9] Eli Kent & Eleanor Bishop Arkadina Eleanor Bishop ATC on Stage Screen; online zoom of 4 half hour sessions
2021 Two Ladies .[9] Nancy Harris Helene Colin McColl ATC at the ASB Waterfront
2022 The Unruly Tourists[5] Luke di Soma with librettists: Livi Rehana & Amanda Kennedy Barbara Doran Thomas de Mallet Burgess NZ Opera

Theatre direction

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Ward-Lealand has directed a significant range of theatre performances, working first in 2002 with Unitec acting students in a production of The Big River. Since then, she has directed a range of shows, including A Christmas Carol (2003) for Auckland Theatre Company adapted by Dave Armstrong at Sky City Theatre (2003)[12], the caberet Jaques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, (Silo Theatre) (2005); Top Girls by Caryl Churchill at Unitec (2008); Tic Tic a comedy by Paul Barrett and Michelanne Forster (2010); Fallout: the Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior with The Large Group (2015); Hudson & Hall Live! – Silo and that That Bloody Woman by Luke Di Somma and Gregory Cooper (2017 tour).[4]

Accolades

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Ward-Lealand's contribution to New Zealand theatre was recognised in 2007 New Year Honours with her investiture as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to theatre and the community.[13][14]

In 2017 Ward-Lealand was gifted the name Te Atamira (The Stage) by Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and the late Prof Te Wharehuia Milroy.[15]

In October 2018 she was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for her contribution to New Zealand entertainment.[16]

In 2019| Ward-Lealand was awarded the Westpac Women of Influence Award for Arts & Culture. [5]

In 2019| she gained an Award of Excellence as an Actress in theAccolade Global Film Competitions [5]

In the 2019 New Year Honours, Ward-Lealand was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to theatre, film and television[17] and for her advocacy for actors' working conditions and pay.[18] In the same year, she won the New Zealand Women of Influence Award in the Arts and Culture section.[19]

In 2020 she was awarded Centennial Award for International Women's Day by the Zonta Club of Auckland;| and E Tū Unionist of the Year (with Marianne Bishop)

Most significantly Ward-Lealand won the New Zealander of the Year Award in 2020, being recognised for her dedication to performing arts and her commitment and passion for te reo Māori.[18][10]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jennifer, Ward-Lealand. "IMDb". IMDb.
  2. ^ a b c d e Knight, Kim (12 September 2016). "Jennifer Ward-Lealand is NZ's acting queen bee". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e Garage Drinks with Mike, Michael Kohli (19 August 2021). "Episode 20". Garage Drinks with Mike podcasts. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Jennifer Ward-Lealand – Official Site". Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Theatre". Jennifer Ward-Lealand. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  6. ^ Shand, John (7 August 2018). "Falling in Love Again review: Exquisite artefact bleeds life in second half". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  7. ^ Tatman, Christian (24 July 2018). "Jennifer Ward-Lealand stars as golden era actress and singer Marlene Dietrich at Frankston Arts Centre". Herald Sun. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  8. ^ Webb-Liddall, Alice (21 February 2020). "Jennifer Ward-Lealand on advocacy and the future of theatre in New Zealand". The Spinoff. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Jennifer Ward-Lealand | Auckland Theatre Company". www.atc.co.nz. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae "Theatre Aotearoa". Theatre Aotearoa database. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  11. ^ "As an adult learner, she has now become a fluent speaker". The AM Show. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via Facebook.
  12. ^ "Jennifer Ward-Lealand | Auckland Theatre Company". www.atc.co.nz. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  13. ^ Hawes, Rexine (24 April 2017). "Kiwi actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand ready to inject some drama into Matamata". Stuff. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Theatre Aotearoa". tadb.otago.ac.nz. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Jennifer Ward-Lealand".
  16. ^ "VAC Scrolls of Honour". The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 23 December 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  17. ^ "New Year honours list 2019". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  18. ^ a b "New Zealander of the Year Award winners announced". RNZ. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Alumni". Women of Influence. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
[edit]
  1. ^ The Depot Artspace, Cultural Icons. "Interview Michael Hurst with Jennifer Ward-Lealand". Cultural icons. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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