TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

Tuesdays With Morrie by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom

Featuring George Henare and Jason Te Mete

An old man, a young man, And life’s greatest lesson.

A constant on The New York Times Bestseller List for more than four years with more than five million copies sold and an Emmy-winning television film presented by Oprah Winfrey, Tuesdays With Morrie is now a hit stage play. From the team that brought you Educating Rita comes this life-changing New Zealand Premiere.

This funny, touching and deeply moving play is the autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, an accomplished journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor.

Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch happens to catch Morrie’s appearance on a television news program and learns that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Mitch is reunited with Morrie and what starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a last class in the meaning of life.

THE CAST

GEORGE HENARE

One of New Zealand’s foremost stage actors George Henare has worked for all the major professional theatres in the country. Starting in 1965 with the NZ Opera Company he was quickly moved from chorus due to him ‘pulling focus’ into character roles. Stepping into ‘legit’ theatre saw George take on roles in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Awatea and Irma La Douce at Downstage.

In 1971 he joined Mercury Theatre Company where he stayed for twenty years, playing, amongst others, Horner in The Country Wife, King Lear, Sweeney Todd, Lenin in The State of Revolution, The King & I and Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls.

In Australia he worked with the Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Ensemble. Touring productions include Pirates of Penzance, Jesus Christ Superstar and Chess. Recent theatre has included Mary Stuart, Les Cage Au Folles, A View From the Bridge, History Boys, You Can Always Hand Them Back and the highly successful season of Awatea for ATC. George was last seen in Newmarket Stage Company’s inaugural production Educating Rita playing Frank.

GEORGE HENARE
Morrie

JASON TE METE

Originally from Tauranga, Jason studied music at Victoria University of Wellington before moving to Auckland in 2002 where he broadened his horizons and now works as a freelance actor, singer, dancer, director, vocal coach, musical director and pianist.

Jason recently received outstanding reviews for his performance in, and his musical direction of the NZ tour of Okareka Dance Company’s highly acclaimed work K’Rd Strip.

He has performed in Stepping Out (ATC), Anything Goes and La Cage Aux Folles (The Court Theatre, Christchurch), Raymond Hawthorne’s acclaimed production of The Consul (Opera Factory), Ragtime, and The Secret Garden.

Jason has directed several musicals, including the National Youth Theatre Company production of Grease; Chicago, Seussical the Musical, Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and Little Shop of Horrors. He has musically directed Altar Boyz (Fortune Theatre, Dunedin), the ATC productions Little Shop of
Horrors, Checkout Chicks and The Twits; Blood Brothers (with Annie Whittle & Ray Woolf), West Side Story, Cabaret, Hair, The Wiz and Godspell.

Tuesdays with Morrie marks Jason’s reunion on stage with George, since their performance of La Cage Aux Folles at The Court Theatre (2009).

JASON TE METE
Mitch

THE CREW / CAST

SHARU DELILKAN

Co -Producer

Creative Producer & Publicist

With over 20 years experience as arts journalist, PR Consultant and music manager, Sharu Loves Hats specialises in producing, publicising and marketing the arts. Credits include Ryan Richard’s A Boy Wonder (2015), Dianna Fuemana’s Birds (2013-14), Black Dog Relief: A Cabaret for Robbie Tripe (Auckland and Wellington 2015), Newmarket Stage Co’s Educating Rita (2012), Amy Waller’s Gloria (2014), Henry V (Pop Up Globe/The Pah/Pumphouse, 2016), Te Rehia’s Hoki Mai Tama Ma (2014), Brown Boss’ Nga Bro e Wha (Modern Maori Quartet’s inaugural show) (2013), Te Rehia’s SolOthello (Wellington 2016), The Secret of Dongting Lake (2010) and Newmarket Stage Co’s Tuesdays with Morrie (2014). A Boy Wonder in Otago/Southland, winner, the Tour-Makers Award for Travelling Hero, Auckland Theatre Awards (2015) Sharu Delilkan, MA in Arts Mgmt (First Class Hons), was recently awarded creative entrepreneurs award ART Venture by Arts Regional Trust worth over $30,000.

SHARU DELILKAN
Co-Producer

ADEY RAMSEL

Upon graduating from a UK drama school, Adey spent many years in regional theatre. He then took a sideways step into variety and joined the original ‘Hi-De-Hi’ Holiday Camps, (Pontins). After a year as Entertainments Manager he joined the cabaret circuit briefly as a comedian and ventriloquist, including a stint as ‘junior-juvenile-comic’ with the Black and White Minstrels on one of their last shows before moving to NZ.

Whilst on tour Adey began to write pantomimes for a Torquay theatre and has gone on to become a full time playwright, penning many pantomimes and comedies. His stage plays include Thrill of the Chaste, (based on Marivauxs 18th century comedy ‘Les Serments Indiscrits’), It’s Not You… it’s Me!,
Bunny Boiler!, Slippery When Wet and Don’t Go There!

In NZ Adey is a frreelance producer, director and set designer. He continues to do MC and comedy gigs and was awarded the Rielly Comedy Award by the Variety Artists Club of NZ. He is also co-founder of the professional theatre company, the Caught Jesters. He has produced The Graduate, Roger Hall’s Cinderella at Auckland’s Civic Theatre and The Tempest. Amongst many he has directed Stags and Hens, The Mousetrap, as part of the plays 60th world-wide Anniversary celebrations, The Priory, Mums Choir and Noises Off, Kiss Me Kate, Little Shop of Horrors and SPAMalot.

ADEY RAMSEL
Director

MITCH ALBOM

Mitch Albom is a best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, dramatist, radio, television broadcaster and musician. His books have sold over 35 million copies.

Having achieved national recognition for sports writing in the earlier part of his career, he is perhaps best known for the inspirational stories and themes that weave through his books, plays and films. There have been 11 million copies of Tuesdays With Morrie in print to date.

MITCH ALBOM
Author/Playwright

JEFFREY HATCHER

Jeffrey Hatcher is a playwright and screenwriter. His many award-winning plays include Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Three Viewings, Scotland Road, A Picasso, Neddy, Korczak’s Children, Mercy of a Storm, Work Song: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Lucky Duck. His adaptation of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, was nominated by the Mystery Writers of America for an Edgar Award for Best Play.

JEFFREY HATCHER
Playwright

JESSIE MCCALL

Jessie is a freelance dancer, choreographer, producer and filmmaker.

She graduated UNITEC with a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts majoring in Contemporary Dance, and studied choreography at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the USA. She has choreographed and performed in various festivals including Short & Sweet, Tempo, NZ Fringe, Auckland Festival, The Producing Project, and received a Tempo Dance Festival choreographic award in 2010. Jessie is the founder of All You Can Eat Productions and current Artistic Director of Pointy Dog Dance Co. She particularly enjoys glitter, marshmallows, depressing documentaries and 80s music.

JESSIE MCCALL
Stage Manager

SCOTT THOMAS

Scott’s theatrical experience includes musicals, plays and opera, covering stage management, lighting, sound, projection and stage electrics working on up
to a dozen productions a year. Recent productions include Mamma Mia at The Civic and Absent Friends at The Pumphouse. Scott is enjoying the story of Tuesdays with Morrie and this being Scott’s first time with Newmarket Stage Company is also enjoying the camaraderie amongst cast and crew.

SCOTT THOMAS
Lighting / Sound Design

ROWENA SMITH

Since graduating in Garment Construction and Patternmaking 10 years ago, Rowena has work for fashion label, a Costume Making company and as a Costume Maker for Shortland Street. Rowena has also been Costume Designer and Maker for over 12 theatre productions.

ROWENA SMITH
Costume Designer

REGAN CRUMMER

Regan Crummer is an actor, musician and theatre practitioner. He has appeared in numerous plays, musicals, and operas around Auckland. His most recent stage credits include the opera Die Fledermaus as Frosch, the NZ Stage Premier of Blackadder Goes Forth, Galatea Theatre’s production of Hamlet and Summer Shakespeare’s Pericles.

An associate of Trinity College London, Regan was nominated for the NZ Young Performer of the Year (2013).

REGAN CRUMMER
ASM/Intern