InterACT for 11-13 year olds (School Years 7-8)

Term 2 bookings open now.
 Book in the Timetable and enrolment section below.

Attention all girl and boy actors aged 11-13 years  ie in Years 7-8 at school (Intermediate)!

If you love acting then this is the course for you: Do you love the lime light? Do you love telling stories? Do you love creating characters?
This acting course will lead students through imaginative role playing into character and scene development. Good actors understand humanity. Drama encourages empathy with and understanding of others and the confidence needed to assume a role or character.

Timetable and Enrolment

About Jo Rogers

Jo is a trained teacher and has studied environmental and human science at Auckland University; while also attending the Performing Arts School in Auckland.

Working with students in screen acting, scriptwriting, filming, editing and making short films, she has been involved within local television and large musical productions, bringing a wealth of knowledge and work experience to her classes.

As lead Project Director and Artistic Manager on various events as well as tutoring and lecturing in Tertiary Education, Jo is able to think logistically and understand the programming and management needed in the success of large scale productions.  This last year Jo has worked writing and producing her first novel and feature film script.

Her philosophy is, whether you want to be a movie star, change the world, develop confidence or just have fun, the opportunity to be involved in challenging theatre and screen workshops will give any student the foundation to succeed. Seeing many of her students score roles in local and international films she’s worked to open new pathways and help shape the future of the industry.

Tess Jamieson-Karaha

Tess Jamieson-Karaha grew up in Eastbourne and received her Bachelor of Acting at Toi Whakaari:NZ Drama School in 2010.

Her recent work includes recording her Solo theatre piece ‘Please Help Yourself’ for Radio New Zealand, playing the young Judy Schollum in Consent- the Louise Nicholas story, War News,  How to Meet Girls from a Distance, Catherine in the feature film Births, Deaths and Marriages, to be released later this year, and writing directing and starring in her short film Coffee Group.

Tess frequently reads for  the Ready to Read and School Journal audio books as well.

She is currently writing and teaching the Screen Acting course for acting students at Whitireia.  She has taught kids drama classes and school holiday programmes for Rachel Maine at Arts a Go Go.

Emma Draper

Emma Draper (Ngā Wairiki, Ngāti Apa) graduated from New Zealand drama school: Toi Whakaari in 2009.  Since then Emma has worked on a range of professional film, television, radio, theatre projects in drama, comedy and musical genres. In 2020 she played the lead role in feature film Reunion starring opposite Julia Ormond (Legends of the Fall, Madmen, Ladies in Black) she has played supporting roles in various New Zealand feature films such as This Town starring Robyn Malcom, award winning telefeature Jean (Robert Sakies), cult comedy What we do in the Shadows (Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement), Daffodils (David Stubbs), and Wellington Paranormal Season 2 (Jemaine Clement and Dean Hewison). Three seasons of TVNZ series Girl vs Boy which included a musical episode.

Emma’s theatre credits include The Witch in Into the Woods (for the Great American Laughing Stock Company in Colorado US),  Jesus Christ Superstar (Wellington Musical Theatre Company),  Rants in the Dark (2019 Circa theatre production), as well as various cabarets and other productions in Wellington and Auckland.  As a singer Emma is trained in classical and contemporary styles and is also an experienced voice over artist with experience ranging from commercial to radio drama voice over work. Emma has a particular interest in voice work as a way for actors to access emotion and character.

Emma has worked as an acting coach at Toi Whakaari- New Zealand Drama School, Rātā Studios and has worked for The Casting Company and been mentored by Emmy Award winning Casting Director Tina Cleary.