Working in the Intimate Zone

An introduction to best practice for intimate scenes in Community Theatre with Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand

This seminar is open to everyone, particularly community theatre groups in the area.

Scenes that involve intimacy, nudity, and simulated sex can be challenging for both directors and actors. Given that this is a sensitive area of performance, the vulnerability of the actor must be acknowledged and addressed using best practice, i.e., correct preparation and due care. In this seminar, Jennifer will discuss the process and importance of developing an intimate scene for the theatre or screen using the best practice guidelines developed by Equity New Zealand.

Since training at Auckland’s Theatre Corporate, Jennifer has worked extensively in theatre, film, television, musical, and radio as an actor, director, and teacher for over 40 years. She is also an accredited Intimacy Coordinator (Intimacy on Set, UK) for stage and screen.

Jennifer was a founding board member of the Watershed Theatre and a co-founder of the drama school, The Actors’ Program. She is President of Equity New Zealand (since 2008), Patron of Q Theatre and Theatre New Zealand, and serves as a trust board member of the Actors Benevolent Fund.

In the 2007 New Year’s Honours List, she was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to theatre and the community.

In 2018 she was named SPADA Industry Champion and in 2019 New Year’s Honours List, she was named a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to theatre, film, and television and presented with a Woman of Influence Award (for arts and culture) Most recently, Jennifer was honoured as the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year 2020.

She was gifted the name Te Atamira (The Stage) by Sir Timoti Karetu and the late Dr. Te Wharehuia Milroy for her championing of te reo Māori throughout the performing arts community.