Tanea Heke

Tanea graduated from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School many years ago and has had a moderately successful career in theatre and film.

Astroman is her debut performance at The Court Theatre. She produced Witi Ihimaera’s award winning play Woman Far Walking which was presented at The Court by Taki Rua Productions in 2002.

Her theatre credits include Hone Kouka’s The Prophet (Tawata Productions); Hāruru Mai by Briar Grace Smith (Auckland Theatre Company) and Doubt by John Patrick Shanley (Centrepoint and Circa Theatre productions).

Astroman director Nancy Brunning and Tanea are partners in Hāpai Productions, a Māori theatre company based in Wellington. In May this year Tanea appeared in Nancy’s play Portrait of an Artist Mongrel (Hāpai Productions) at the Auckland Writers’ Festival, based on the life and writing of esteemed Māori poet/playwright/ activist Rowley Habib.

Tanea’s film credits include No 2; Eagle vs Shark; Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses and Waru.

Ko Te Ahuahu te maunga
Ko Omapere te roto
Ko Parawhenua, ko Ngāwhā ngā marae
Ko Ngāti Hineira, ko Ngāti Rangi, ko Te Uri
Taniwha, Ngāti Kiriahi ngā hapu
Ko Ngā Puhi Nui Tonu te iwi
Tēnā tātou