{{Short description|New Zealand artist (1950–2006)}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox artist | name = Sally Rodwell | image = Sally Rodwell Amsterdam by canal cropped.png | caption = Sally Rodwell on tour with the show Crow Station in 1994 in Amsterdam | birth_date = 16 May 1950 | birth_place = | death_date = 15 October 2006 | death_place = Wellington, New Zealand | spouse = Alan Brunton | known_for = Red Mole Theatre Company; Magdalena Aotearoa; performer, director, writer, film-maker }} '''Sally Katherine Rodwell''' (16 May 1950 – 15 October 2006) was a New Zealand multi-disciplinary artist who worked mainly in the fields of theatre, film, and poetry. Her creative work included performing, directing and writing; making masks, puppets and costumes; film-making, illustration and publishing.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebigidea.nz/grow/tips-tools/2006/nov/28787-creative-activist-leaves-rich-legacy|title=Creative Artist Leaves Rich Legacy|last=Jamieson|first=Helen Varley|date=22 November 2006|website=The Big Idea|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> She was a co-founder with Alan Brunton of the iconic Red Mole Theatre Company in 1974<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzepc.auckland.ac.nz/kmko/04/ka_mate04_murrayedmond.asp|title=From Cabaret To Apocalypse: Red Mole's Cabaret Capital Strut And Ghost Rite|last=Edmond|first=Murray|date=September 2007|website=New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> and with Madeline McNamara of Magdalena Aotearoa in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Magdalena Aotearoa|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/women-together/magdalena-aotearoa|last=Jacobson|first=Cherie|website=New Zealand History|access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref>
== Biography == Rodwell was born in Dunedin in 1950 and spent her later childhood in Rotorua, attending Rotorua Intermediate School and Rotorua Girls’ High School. She graduated with an MA in English from the University of Auckland in 1970. Other education included a diploma in Russian language, and teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://archives.library.auckland.ac.nz/repositories/2/resources/685|title=Collection: Alan Brunton and Sally Rodwell papers. {{!}} Manuscripts and Archives|last=The University of Auckland Library|website=archives.library.auckland.ac.nz|access-date=2019-12-15}}</ref> While at university in Auckland Rodwell was Director of the University Arts Centre and Cultural Affairs Officer for the Students’ Association, she chaired the University Theatre Company, and she was also part of the Student Capping Week Revue in 1970 called ''Was 1969 Really Necessary?''.<ref name=":2" />
From 1988, she lived in Island Bay, Wellington, with Alan Brunton and their daughter Ruby.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=2050573|title=Obituary: Alan Brunton|last=Calder|first=Peter|date=5 July 2002|work=New Zealand Herald|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> She was actively involved with community organisations and projects including Peace Movement Aotearoa, the Southern Environmental Association and the Island Bay Residents Association.<ref name=":0" /> Rodwell and Brunton rehearsed in Island Bay at the Island Bay Surf Club and also the historic building of Erskine College.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzepc.auckland.ac.nz/authors/brunton/recollections/wedde.asp|title=A brief history of derangement and enterprise: Alan Brunton. Writer. Performer. 1946-2002|last=Wedde|first=Ian|date=3 August 2002|website=www.nzepc.auckland.ac.nz|publisher=New Zealand Listener|access-date=2019-12-15}}</ref> In 1992, the Save Erskine College Trust (SECT) was established to save the building from demolition, with Brunton an original trustee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/|title=New Zealand Companies Office|website=app.businessregisters.govt.nz|access-date=2019-12-15}}</ref>
Following the sudden death of her husband and artistic partner Alan Brunton in 2002,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=2050573|title=Obituary: Alan Brunton|last=Calder|first=Peter|date=5 July 2002|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> Rodwell struggled with depression and ultimately chose to take her own life on 15 October 2006.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://unitybooks.nz/ourhistory/death-notice-for-sally-katherine-rodwell-18th-october-2006/|title=Death Notices|date=18 October 2006|work=The Dominion Post|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://magdalenaaotearoa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sally_memorial.pdf|title=Sally Rodwell Memorial Speech|last=Brunton|first=Ruby|date=19 October 2006|website=Magdalena Aotearoa|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> A few months earlier she had collaborated on a radio documentary to help raise awareness about depression.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/20497|title=Hearing Voices: Depression, An Investigation|date=11 May 2006|website=Radio4all|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref>
== Career == Rodwell and Brunton founded Red Mole Theatre Company in 1974, which quickly established itself at the forefront of New Zealand's avant-garde. Rodwell was a key member of the troupe, participating as a performer, co-author, maker of masks and costumes, and film-maker.<ref name=":1" /> From 1978 to 1988 the company traveled extensively in Mexico, the USA, and Europe, for much of that time based in New York.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jacketmagazine.com/18/edmond-brunt.html|title=Jacket 18 - Alan Brunton, 1946–2002: A Memoir|last=Edmond|first=Murray|date=August 2002|website=Jacket Magazine|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref>
After returning to Wellington, Rodwell continued to collaborate with Brunton and Red Mole, as well as leading workshops for and performing with the women's comedy company Hen's Teeth. It was here that she met and began to collaborate with Madeline McNamara. They created the show ''Crow Station'' which they toured to the Magdalena Project Festival in Cardiff, Wales, in 1994.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://magdalenaaotearoa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sally_farewell.pdf|title=Farewell to Sally|last=McNamara|first=Madeline|date=19 October 2006|website=Magdalena Aotearoa|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> This experience inspired Rodwell and McNamara to mount a similar festival in New Zealand. They founded the Magdalena Aotearoa Trust in 1997 and gathered a team of local women to organise the 1999 Magdalena Aotearoa International Festival of Women's Performance in Wellington and Paekakariki, March-April 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.magdalenaaotearoa.org.nz/1999-magdalena-aotearoa-international-festival-of-womens-performance/|title=Magdalena Aotearoa International Festival of Women's Performance|website=Magdalena Aotearoa|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> The Trust continues to organise events and host international artists.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Magdalena Aotearoa – network of women in contemporary theatre|url=https://www.magdalenaaotearoa.org.nz/|website=Magdalena Aotearoa|language=en-NZ|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref>
Rodwell worked in a theatre company called ''Roadworks.'' In 2000 she directed and adapted ''O Fortuna'' by G. G. Marquez, starring Angeline Conaghan, Bridget Kelly and Tahi Mapp-Boren.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzepc.auckland.ac.nz/authors/brunton/brief/mole_chron.asp|title=NZEPC - Alan Brunton - RED MOLE : A CHRONOLOGY OF WORKS 1974-2002|last=Edmonds|first=Murray|website=www.nzepc.auckland.ac.nz|access-date=2019-12-17}}</ref> == Selected works ==
* ''Crow Station (''performance), 1993. Sally Rodwell, Madeline McNamara. * ''Shoes (''short film), 1997. Director: Sally Rodwell. Producer: Glenis Giles, Oliver Giles Productions. Writer: Robin Nathan. Music by Plan 9 and Robin Nathan. https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/shoes-1996 *''Gonne Strange Charity (''book), 2000. A playscript of three monologues: "Rhonda", "Ballad of Stella Strange", and "Charity Cartwright's Family Disunion". Sally Rodwell with Alan Brunton. Bumper Books. {{ISBN|0-9583649-9-0}} * ''Crazy Voyage'' (documentary film about the 1999 Magdalena Aotearoa International Festival of Women's Performance). Directed by Sally Rodwell and Alan Brunton. Produced by Red Mole, 2001. * ''Grooves of Glory'' (performance), 2002. Sally Rodwell, Alan Brunton, Jeff Henderson.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Introduction to Grooves of Glory: Three Performance Texts by Alan Brunton|last=Rodwell|first=Sally|publisher=Wellington: Bumper Books|year=2004|pages=6–11}}</ref> * ''Demeter's Dark Ride - an Attraction (''promenade performance), 2005, BATS Theatre, Wellington. Directed by Madeline McNamara. Produced by Helen Varley Jamieson.
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
*[http://www.magdalenaaotearoa.org.nz/sally-rodwell/ Memorial page for Sally Rodwell on the Magdalena Aotearoa website] *''Crazy Voyage'' (1999) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnjJCyqzMP0 on YouTube] *Red Mole Film "Return Season" 1991 136 mins. https://studio.youtube.com/video/K-OWl1rXD1o/edit
{{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Rodwell, Sally}}
Category:1950 births Category:Artists from Dunedin Category:Mass media people from Dunedin Category:New Zealand theatre directors Category:New Zealand film directors Category:New Zealand women film directors Category:New Zealand women theatre directors Category:2006 deaths