Cindy Diver

Cindy Diver is a New Zealand writer, theatre director, actor and owner/director of TheatreWorks Ltd, a company that provides casting services as well as acting classes. Diver is most notable for creating and producing verbatim theatre productions on themes such as family violence and dementia.[1][2]

Cindy Diver
NationalityNew Zealander
Alma materUniversity of Otago
Occupation(s)company director, actor, writer, theatre director
Known forverbatim theatre
RelativesCharles Diver (grandfather)

Biography

Diver completed a post graduate diploma in theatre studies at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. She was a founding member of Kilimogo Productions.[3] In 1992, with Martin Phelan, she founded her company, TheatreWorks Ltd.[4] Under Diver's management TheatreWorks Ltd continues to provide actor casting services and acting classes.[4] Diver has also helped with the establishment of the Simulated Patient Development Unit at the University of Otago Medical School.[5][4] The unit employs actors to play patients with whom medical students are trained to interact.[5] Diver also teaches drama to school children and adults.[6]

Verbatim theatre

In 2009 Diver collaborated with Hilary Halba, Erica Newlands, Simon O'Connor, Danny Still and Stuart Young to create Hush, a verbatim theatre production about family violence.[7][8][9] Diver went on to star in the 2012 play Be | Longing, detailing the experiences of New Zealand immigrants.[10] In 2014 Diver co-created another verbatim theatre production The Keys are in the Margarine: A Verbatim Play about Dementia.[11] This latter play toured New Zealand with the assistance of Brain Research New Zealand.[11][1]

Random Acts of Art project

In 2020, during New Zealand's first COVID-19 lockdown period, Diver launched the Random Acts of Art project.[12] This project was formed with the intention of lifting spirits though impromptu theatre events and productions.[12] During the 11 months of the project's existence it supported the creation of 33 events in and around Dunedin.[12]

As at 2021 Diver continues to run TheatreWorks Ltd and is a board member of Wow! Productions, a Dunedin-based theatre collective.[13]

Selected productions

Hush by Hilary Halba, Cindy Diver, Erica Newlands, Simon O'Connor, Danny Still and Stuart Young.[9]

Be | Longing by Hilary Halba and Stuart Young. Cast: Stuart Young, Hilary Halba, Cindy Diver, Will Spicer, Alex Wilson, Karen Elliot, Julie Edwards, Anya Tate-Manning and Stephen Butterworth.[10]

The Keys are in the Margarine: A Verbatim Play about Dementia by Cindy Diver, Susie Lawless, and Stuart Young.[11]

Family

Diver's grandfather Charles Diver was the inventor of pineapple lumps.[14]

References
  1. Winkless, Laurie (2019-10-10). "Bringing memory loss to life through theatre". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  2. Goodwin, Eileen (2014-02-12). "Dementia play planned". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  3. "Interact Drama". www.theatreworks.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  4. Smith, Charmian (2013-08-29). "The show has gone on". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  5. Callister-Baker, Loulou (27 April 2014). "The art of faking hypochondria". Critic - Te Arohi. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  6. Connor, Patrice (2 March 2016). "Drama with Cindy Diver". tahuna.school.nz. Archived from the original on 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  7. O'Toole, Emer; Pelegrí Kristić, Andrea; Young, Stuart (2017-06-06). Ethical Exchanges in Translation, Adaptation and Dramaturgy. BRILL. doi:10.1163/9789004346376_003. ISBN 978-90-04-34633-8.
  8. "Real words from real people take centre stage in Verbatim play, hush". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  9. "hush: a Verbatim play about family violence". The Meteor Theatre. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  10. "Be/Longing by Talking House Trust Collective from Major Plays". RNZ. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  11. "Brain Research New Zealand supports ground-breaking play about living with dementia". Brain Research New Zealand - Rangahau Roro Aotearoa. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  12. Harwood, Brenda (2021-06-17). "Artistic project to lift spirits comes to end". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  13. "About Wow Productions". Wow Productions | Premiere Dunedin Theatre. 2021. Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  14. "Family marks lolly's 60th". Otago Daily Times Online News. 2013-07-29. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
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