13 Mar 2025
We’re pleased to announce Stacey Leilua is the recipient of the Creative New Zealand Playmarket Moana Pacific Trainee Script Advisor Residency 2025.
The initiative, delivered in partnership with Playmarket New Zealand and the Pacific Arts Strategy 2023–2028, aims to grow script advisor skills and support the development of Pasifika stories for the stage and performing arts. Strengthening strategic partnerships and collaborations is a key focus under the Strategy.
As part of the residency, Stacey will receive a stipend and gain the opportunity to work closely with professional script advisors and directors, helping her develop skills in theatre dramaturgy.
Murray Lynch, Playmarket Director, is excited to see the opportunities this residency will create for Stacey.
“We’re thrilled to have Stacey as this year’s recipient. She brings a wealth of experience and immense talent. We’re excited to see how her time on residency will help shape the future of Pasifika storytelling on stage,” says Murray.
A celebrated actor and producer, Stacey is a Unitec graduate and a founding member of Kila Kokonut Krew, where she later served as company director.
She co-produced New Zealand’s first Pacific musical, The Factory, which headlined the 2013 Auckland Arts Festival before touring to Edinburgh and becoming a 20-part web series.
Stacey has performed in new works by Tusiata Avia, Vela Manusaute, Dianna Fuemana, Gary Henderson, and Iaheto Ah Hi, as well as in an acclaimed revival of John Kneubuhl’s Think of a Garden, which she also produced.
In recent years, Stacey has performed in acclaimed theatre productions, including Wild Dogs Under My Skirt and The Savage Coloniser Show, the latter earning her the Outstanding Performance award at the recent Wellington Theatre Awards.
Stacey has also made her mark on screen, starring as Ata Johnson in NBC Universal’s Young Rock. As a writer, she contributed to the Pacific Arts Aotearoa collection and participated in Script to Screen’s South Shorts programme and Storycamp 2025.
Makerita Urale, Senior Manager Pacific Arts, is confident that Stacey’s experience in theatre, film, and TV, working with different scripts and writers in Aotearoa and globally, will provide a strong foundation for developing her dramaturgy skills.
“We’re thrilled with Stacey’s selection and excited to see how she grows in this space. Dramaturgy is an essential part of theatre development, and having practitioners with a strong understanding of script analysis strengthens Pasifika storytelling on stage and screen. Fa’afetai lava to all the wonderful mentors for their partnership and the Playmarket team,” says Makerita.
The residency aligns with one of the focus areas of the Pacific Arts Strategy, Tagata, which aims to ensure Pasifika artists and arts practitioners are resourced to develop their practice and deliver outstanding work.
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