New Zealand women theatre directors

Danielle Cormack (born 26 December 1970) is a New Zealand stage and screen actress. She was one of the original cast members of the long-running soap opera Shortland Street, though she is also known for her role as the Amazon Ephiny in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, Cynthia Ross in The Cult, and Shota in Legend of the Seeker. Other works include the 2009 film, Separation City, and the Australian series Rake. She also portrayed notorious Sydney underworld figure Kate Leigh in Underbelly: Razor, Doctor Rory Finch in Jack Irish and Bea Smith in the Foxtel prison drama Wentworth, in which she starred for four years before leaving the show in 2016.

Nancy Brunning (1971 – 16 November 2019) was a New Zealand actress, director, and writer who won awards in film and television and made a major contribution to the growth of Māori in the arts. Brunning was of Māori descent from the tribes of Ngati Raukawa and Ngai Tuhoe. She won the best actress award at the New Zealand Film Awards for her lead role in the film What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999), the sequel to cult classic Once Were Warriors. In 2000, she won the Best Actress in Drama award at the New Zealand Television Awards for her lead role in the television series Nga Tohu. She was the acting coach for the Oscar-nominated short film Two Cars, One Night directed by Taika Waititi. According to friend and frequent collaborator Temuera Morrison, she "paved the way" for Māori actors in New Zealand.

Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh DBE (23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966.

Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie CNZM QSO JP (30 December 1923 – 5 July 1997) was a Ngāi Tahu leader, and human rights commissioner. She was president of the Māori Women’s Welfare League.

Catherine Patricia Downes MNZM (born 1951) is a New Zealand theatre director, actor, dramaturg and playwright. Of Māori descent, she affiliates to Ngāi Tahu. Downes wrote a one-woman play The Case of Katherine Mansfield, which she has performed more than 1000 times in six countries over twenty years. She has been the artistic director of the Court Theatre in Christchurch and the director of Downstage Theatre in Wellington. She lives on Waiheke Island and works as a freelance actor, director and playwright.

Louise Durant Petherbridge QSO (née Harris; 11 May 1931 – 18 January 2024) was a New Zealand actor, director, deviser, producer and lecturer.

Sara Brodie (born 1970) is a New Zealand theatre director and choreographer.

Rosalie Louise Carey MNZM (née Seddon; 18 May 1921 – 28 June 2011) founded the Globe Theatre in Dunedin, the first purpose-built theatre for professional repertory in New Zealand, with then-husband Patric Carey. She was also an actor, playwright, director and author. In 2010 Carey was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the theatre. The New Zealand Society of Authors made Carey an honorary life member.

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. She was a co-founder with Alan Brunton of the iconic Red Mole Theatre Company in 1974 and with Madeline McNamara of Magdalena Aotearoa in 1997.

Alison Marie Quigan QSM (born 1952) is a New Zealander actress, director and playwright.