# Tanea Heke

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{{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](/source/Toi_Whakaari%3A_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](/source/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](/source/Toi_Whakaari).

== Career ==
Heke is a 1997 graduate from [Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School](/source/Toi_Whakaari) 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](/source/H%C4%81pai_Productions) to create and support Māori theatre in 2013 with the late [Nancy Brunning](/source/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](/source/Taki_Rua), [Te Papa Tongarewa](/source/Museum_of_New_Zealand_Te_Papa_Tongarewa) where she was an exhibitions manager and [Creative New Zealand](/source/Creative_New_Zealand), where she worked with [Carla Van Zon](/source/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](/source/Hinemoana_Baker) at Taki Rua Theatre as part of their Te Reo Māori season performed in the [Māori language](/source/M%C4%81ori_language). In 1998 Heke directed ''GrandfatherSon'' by [Kirk Torrance](/source/Kirk_Torrance) at [BATS Theatre](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Ainsley_Gardiner), Casey Kaa, [Renae Maihi](/source/Renae_Maihi)
|
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2021
! scope="row" |''Cousins''
|Mata
|Ainsley Gardiner and [Briar Grace-Smith](/source/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](/source/Wellington_Paranormal)''
| Council Worker
| [Jemaine Clement](/source/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](/source/TVNZ_OnDemand) |access-date=23 August 2025}}</ref> 
|-
|2025
! scope="row" |''[Warren's Vortex](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Duncan_Sarkies)
|Actor
|Duncan Sarkies
|STAB
|BATS Theatre
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|1995
|''[Macbeth](/source/Macbeth)''
|Shakespeare
|Weird Sister
|Carol Stevenson
|[Victoria University](/source/Victoria_University_of_Wellington) Summer Shakespeare, 13th annual production
|The Dell, Botanic Gardens (Wellington)
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|1998
|''[Coriolanus](/source/Coriolanus)''
|Shakespeare
|Volumnia
|Burt Turner; [Oliver Driver](/source/Oliver_Driver)
|Auckland's 35th Annual Outdoor Shakespeare.
|Old Arts Quad, [Auckland University](/source/University_of_Auckland)
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|1999
|''[Julius Caesar](/source/Julius_Caesar_(play))''
|Shakespeare
|Portia
|[Phillip Mann](/source/Phillip_Mann)
|
|[Circa Theatre](/source/Circa_Theatre)
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|1999
|''Kitchen Tables''
|Glenda Tuaine
|
|Glenda Tuaine
|
|Circa Theatre
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|2000
|''Box/Role/Dream''
|[Lynda Chanwai Earle](/source/Lynda_Chanwai-Earle)
|Actor (Tanya)
|[Vanessa Byrnes](/source/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](/source/Briar_Grace-Smith)
|Pearl
|[Simon Praast](/source/Simon_Praast)
|[Auckland Theatre Company](/source/Auckland_Theatre_Company)
|
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|2001
|''Home''
|[Samm-Art Williams](/source/Samm-Art_Williams)
|
|[Nina Nawalowalo](/source/Nina_Nawalowalo); Glenda Tuaine
|
|BATS Theatre
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|2004
|''The Prophet''
|[Hone Kouka](/source/Hone_Kouka)
|Kay - Joshua's mother
|Nina Nawalowalo
|Taki Rua Productions
|[NZ International Festival of the Arts](/source/New_Zealand_Festival_of_the_Arts) (Wellington)
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|2007
|''Doubt''
|[John Patrick Shanley](/source/John_Patrick_Shanley)
|
|Sue Rider
|
|Circa Theatre
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|2007
|''Revenge of the Amazons''
|[Jean Betts](/source/Jean_Betts)
|Puck
|Rachel More; [Jacqueline Coats](/source/Jacqueline_Coats)
|Upskill Productions
|BATS Theatre
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|2018
|''He Kura E Huna Ana''
|Hohepa Waitoa 
|Taua
|[Nancy Brunning](/source/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](/source/Creative_New_Zealand) Making a Difference Award, Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi.<ref name=":1" />

In the [2022 New Year Honours](/source/2022_New_Year_Honours_(New_Zealand)), Heke was appointed a [Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit](/source/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}}

{{authority control}}

{{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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tanea Heke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanea_Heke) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanea_Heke?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.