{{Short description|New Zealand actor, producer and director}} {{use New Zealand English|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Tanea Heke | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=100%}} | image = Tanea Heke MNZM (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Heke in 2022 | education = Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School | occupation = Theatre | employer = Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School | awards = Making a Difference Award, Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi, 2020, Creative New Zealand }} '''Tanea Jane Heke''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=85%}} is an actor, director and producer of theatre in New Zealand. In 2019 she was appointed as {{Lang|mi|Tumuaki}}/Director of Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School.
== Career == Heke is a 1997 graduate from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School and was appointed director at the end of 2019 after doing the role as interim director since the beginning of the year.<ref name="Toi Whakaari Director Announced">{{Cite web|title=Toi Whakaari Director Announced|url=https://www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz/news/toi-whakaari-director-announced|access-date=2021-08-21|website=www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Graduate|url=https://www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz/graduate|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Toi Whakaari}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Tanea Heke appointed interim director of Toi Whakaari|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoFdJ_ZN2gw|language=en|access-date=2021-08-21}}</ref> She founded Hāpai Productions to create and support Māori theatre in 2013 with the late Nancy Brunning. Hāpai Productions has a focus on making opportunities for Māori women in theatre.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Tanea Heke honoured for contribution to Māori arts|url=https://www.teaomaori.news/tanea-heke-honoured-contribution-maori-arts|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Māori Television|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=MyNZBN|url=https://www.nzbn.govt.nz/mynzbn/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=New Zealand Business Number|language=en-nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews|url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/production.php?id=6871|access-date=2021-08-30|website=Theatreview}}</ref> Heke has also worked at Taki Rua Productions, Te Papa Tongarewa where she was an exhibitions manager and Creative New Zealand, where she worked with Carla Van Zon.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Theatre and film kōrero with Tanea Heke and Nina Nawalowalo|url=https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2021/theatre-and-film-korero-with-tanea-heke-and-nina-nawalowalo/wellington|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Eventfinda|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Theatre and film kōrero with Tanea Heke and Nina Nawalowalo|url=https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2021/theatre-and-film-korero-with-tanea-heke-and-nina-nawalowalo/wellington|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Stuff Events|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Toi Whakaari Director Announced"/>
== Directing == In 1995 Heke directed ''Maua Taua'' by Hinemoana Baker at Taki Rua Theatre as part of their Te Reo Māori season performed in the Māori language. In 1998 Heke directed ''GrandfatherSon'' by Kirk Torrance at BATS Theatre.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Theatre Aotearoa|url=https://tadb.otago.ac.nz/theatre/Web/WebSearchDetails.php?Session=Guest-X-517141672&Key=4463|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Theatre Aotearoa database}}</ref>
== Acting roles == {{Incomplete list|date=August 2021}} {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+Film performances ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role !Director !Notes ! class="unsortable" |Ref |- |2006 ! scope="row" |''No. 2'' |Aunty Cat |Toa Fraser | |<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Tanea Heke|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2192297/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=IMDb}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Tanea Heke|url=https://courttheatre.org.nz/ourpeople/tanea-heke|access-date=2021-08-21|website=The Court Theatre|language=en}}</ref> |- |2007 ! scope="row" |''Eagle vs Shark'' | | | |<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /> |- |2015 ! scope="row" |''Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses'' | | | |<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /> |- |2017 ! scope="row" |''Waru'' |Charm |Ainsley Gardiner, Casey Kaa, Renae Maihi | |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2021 ! scope="row" |''Cousins'' |Mata |Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith | |<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-01|title=Be Street Smart - or You'll Go Up in Flames|url=https://www.thebigidea.nz/stories/be-street-smart-or-youll-go-up-in-flames|access-date=2021-08-21|website=The Big Idea|language=en}}</ref> |}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Television performances ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role !Director !Notes ! class="unsortable" |Ref |- |2021 ! scope="row" |''Wellington Paranormal'' | Council Worker | Jemaine Clement | ''Fatberg'' | <ref name=FATBERG>{{cite web |title=Watch Wellington Paranormal - Season 3, Episode 6 |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/wellington-paranormal/episodes/s3-e6 |publisher=TVNZ OnDemand |access-date=23 August 2025}}</ref> |- |2025 ! scope="row" |''Warren's Vortex'' |Aunty Marama | | |<ref name=WARREN>{{cite web |title=Watch Warren's Vortex |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/warrens-vortex |publisher=TVNZ OnDemand |access-date=23 August 2025}}</ref> |}
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+Theatre performances !Year !Title !Playwright !Role !Director !Producer !Notes ! class="unsortable" |Ref |- |1989 |''Bystander: Stress Release Tips for the Emotionally Disturbed'' |Duncan Sarkies |Actor |Duncan Sarkies |STAB |BATS Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |1995 |''Macbeth'' |Shakespeare |Weird Sister |Carol Stevenson |Victoria University Summer Shakespeare, 13th annual production |The Dell, Botanic Gardens (Wellington) |<ref name=":2" /> |- |1998 |''Coriolanus'' |Shakespeare |Volumnia |Burt Turner; Oliver Driver |Auckland's 35th Annual Outdoor Shakespeare. |Old Arts Quad, Auckland University |<ref name=":2" /> |- |1999 |''Julius Caesar'' |Shakespeare |Portia |Phillip Mann | |Circa Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |1999 |''Kitchen Tables'' |Glenda Tuaine | |Glenda Tuaine | |Circa Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2000 |''Box/Role/Dream'' |Lynda Chanwai Earle |Actor (Tanya) |Vanessa Byrnes | |BATS Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2000 |''The Hand Job'' |Conrad Newport |Christine Cowell |Conrad Newport | |BATS Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2001 |''Haruru Mai'' |Briar Grace-Smith |Pearl |Simon Praast |Auckland Theatre Company | |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2001 |''Home'' |Samm-Art Williams | |Nina Nawalowalo; Glenda Tuaine | |BATS Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2004 |''The Prophet'' |Hone Kouka |Kay - Joshua's mother |Nina Nawalowalo |Taki Rua Productions |NZ International Festival of the Arts (Wellington) |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2007 |''Doubt'' |John Patrick Shanley | |Sue Rider | |Circa Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2007 |''Revenge of the Amazons'' |Jean Betts |Puck |Rachel More; Jacqueline Coats |Upskill Productions |BATS Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2018 |''He Kura E Huna Ana'' |Hohepa Waitoa |Taua |Nancy Brunning |Taki Rua Productions |BATS Theatre |<ref name=":2" /> |- |2018 |''Astroman'' |Albert Belz | |Nancy Brunning | |Court Theatre |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lindsay|first=Clark|title=ASTROMAN - A light-hearted take on the challenges of games and life|url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=11357|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Theatreview}}</ref> |- |}
== Honours and awards == In 2020 Heke won Creative New Zealand's Making a Difference Award, Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi.<ref name=":1" />
In the 2022 New Year Honours, Heke was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the arts and Māori.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-year-honours-the-full-list-of-2022/EOKFR77H542D647EWBSCHNSBKI/ |title=New Year Honours: the full list of 2022 |date=31 December 2021 |work=New Zealand Herald |access-date=31 December 2021}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Heke, Tanea}} Category:Living people Category:New Zealand theatre directors Category:New Zealand women theatre directors Category:Toi Whakaari alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit