Colin McColl (director)
Encyclopedia
Colin McColl ONZM is a distinguished director in theatre, opera and television from New Zealand
. He is a leading figure in the world of professional theatre in the country, winning numerous awards as well as working internationally with major national companies. McColl's career spans more than 30 years in the performing arts where he has also been an actor and a producer. He has won Best Director at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
three times, received the prestigious Arts Laureate Award in 2007 and was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in June 2010. McColl was born in Lower Hutt
in Wellington
, the country's capital.
Since 2003, he has been the artistic director of Auckland Theatre Company
.
. Award winning productions include A Doll’s House (1993), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (2000) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (2002).
Early in his career, he worked as an actor in England and in the late 1970s moved to Australia where he became Artistic Director at Hole in the Wall Theatre in Perth and Project Director for Sydney’s Toe Truck Theatre’s Outback projects. He returned to New Zealand where he held the position of Director of the Wellington Performing Arts Centre. McColl played a major role in the growth of Māori and Pacific Islands
theatre in New Zealand. In 1983, he became one of the founders of Taki Rua Theatre (formerly The Depot) in Wellington
which presented bi-cultural works and saw the emergence of award winning Māori theatre particularly in the 1990s. McColl became co-Artistic Director of Taki Rua Theatre with playwright Hone Kouka
. He directed the classic Nga Tangata Toa play written by Hone Kouka based on Ibsen’s The Vikings. The play was re-set in a marae
and presented at Taki Rua Theatre. He was Artistic Director of Downstage Theatre
(1984–1992) where New Zealand works were presented as well as classical theatre works. McColl has also directed productions at the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts including Ricordi! (1996) written by Peter Wells, based on stories by Katherine Mansfield
. In 2003, he became the Artistic Director of Auckland Theatre Company
where his many productions include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Where We Once Belonged adpated from the novel by Sia Figiel
, End of the Rainbow, Doubt, The Duchess of Malfi, Equus, Waiting for Godot, Uncle Vanya, Daughters of Heaven and Pohutukawa Tree by Bruce Mason
. Award winning actress Rena Owen
, who played the lead role in the 2009 production of The Pohutukawa Tree spoke of McColl as the top director in New Zealand. McColl's other productions include Arthur Miller's The Crucible
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He is a leading figure in the world of professional theatre in the country, winning numerous awards as well as working internationally with major national companies. McColl's career spans more than 30 years in the performing arts where he has also been an actor and a producer. He has won Best Director at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards are the theatre "Oscars" in New Zealand and honour the best stage talent and productions in the capital Wellington....
three times, received the prestigious Arts Laureate Award in 2007 and was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in June 2010. McColl was born in Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, the country's capital.
Since 2003, he has been the artistic director of Auckland Theatre Company
Auckland Theatre Company
Auckland Theatre Company is the largest professional theatre company in Auckland, New Zealand. It was founded in 1992 following the bankruptcy of Mercury Theatre, Auckland's original professional theatre company which had been the largest subsidised company in the country.The current artistic...
.
Career
As a theatre director, McColl has directed more than 50 plays. He is the only New Zealand director who has been invited to showcase a production at the official Edinburgh FestivalEdinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
. Award winning productions include A Doll’s House (1993), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (2000) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (2002).
Early in his career, he worked as an actor in England and in the late 1970s moved to Australia where he became Artistic Director at Hole in the Wall Theatre in Perth and Project Director for Sydney’s Toe Truck Theatre’s Outback projects. He returned to New Zealand where he held the position of Director of the Wellington Performing Arts Centre. McColl played a major role in the growth of Māori and Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
theatre in New Zealand. In 1983, he became one of the founders of Taki Rua Theatre (formerly The Depot) in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
which presented bi-cultural works and saw the emergence of award winning Māori theatre particularly in the 1990s. McColl became co-Artistic Director of Taki Rua Theatre with playwright Hone Kouka
Hone Kouka
Hone Kouka is an acclaimed New Zealand playwright. He has written 13 plays which have been staged in New Zealand and worldwide including Canada, South Africa, New Caledonia and Britain. Kouka's plays have won multiple awards at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards, the 'Oscars' of New Zealand theatre....
. He directed the classic Nga Tangata Toa play written by Hone Kouka based on Ibsen’s The Vikings. The play was re-set in a marae
Marae
A marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
and presented at Taki Rua Theatre. He was Artistic Director of Downstage Theatre
Downstage Theatre
The Downstage Theatre is a theatre in Wellington, New Zealand, and the country's longest running professional theatre, established in 1964.The founders at the inaugural meeting in the Wellington Public Library on 15 May 1964 were actors Peter Bland, Tim Elliott and Martyn Sanderson, with...
(1984–1992) where New Zealand works were presented as well as classical theatre works. McColl has also directed productions at the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts including Ricordi! (1996) written by Peter Wells, based on stories by Katherine Mansfield
Katherine Mansfield
Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp Murry was a prominent modernist writer of short fiction who was born and brought up in colonial New Zealand and wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. Mansfield left for Great Britain in 1908 where she encountered Modernist writers such as D.H. Lawrence and...
. In 2003, he became the Artistic Director of Auckland Theatre Company
Auckland Theatre Company
Auckland Theatre Company is the largest professional theatre company in Auckland, New Zealand. It was founded in 1992 following the bankruptcy of Mercury Theatre, Auckland's original professional theatre company which had been the largest subsidised company in the country.The current artistic...
where his many productions include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Where We Once Belonged adpated from the novel by Sia Figiel
Sia Figiel
Sia Figiel is a contemporary Samoan novelist, poet, and painter.Sia Figiel grew up amidst the traditional Samoan singing and poetry which heavily influenced her writing. Her formal schooling was conducted in Samoa and New Zealand where she also began a BA which was completed at Whitworth College...
, End of the Rainbow, Doubt, The Duchess of Malfi, Equus, Waiting for Godot, Uncle Vanya, Daughters of Heaven and Pohutukawa Tree by Bruce Mason
Bruce Mason
Bruce Edward George Mason, CBE was a significant playwright in New Zealand who wrote 34 plays and influenced the cultural landscape of the country through his contribution to theatre. In 1980, he was awarded the prestigious CBE.The Bruce Mason Award, one of the most important playwrighting...
. Award winning actress Rena Owen
Rena Owen
Rena Owen is a New Zealand actress in film, theatre and television. She is of Maori, Torres Strait Islander and Pakeha descent. Owen is most well known in the lead role of Beth in the cult classic movie Once Were Warriors directed by Lee Tamahori...
, who played the lead role in the 2009 production of The Pohutukawa Tree spoke of McColl as the top director in New Zealand. McColl's other productions include Arthur Miller's The Crucible
International
McColl has been a director for the Norwegian National Theatre, the Dutch National Theatre, as well as leading theatres in Australia and Europe. His production of Hedda Gabler at the Edinburgh Festival was received with great acclaim.Opera
He has directed opera including Quartet (2004) for the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts, La Boheme, The Italian Girl in Algiers, The Marriage of Figaro and The Prodigal Child.Awards
McColl has been a director of numerous award winning productions including multiple Best Director awards at the Chapman Tripp Theatre AwardsChapman Tripp Theatre Awards
The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards are the theatre "Oscars" in New Zealand and honour the best stage talent and productions in the capital Wellington....
.