Alison Quigan QSM is an actress, director and playwright with a long list of achievements and contributions to theatre. Alison trained at Auckland’s Theatre Corporate Actors School in 1978 and is currently the Performing Arts Manager at Mangere Arts Centre - Nga Tohu O Aotearoa.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Quigan

In this track we hear Alison Quigan recall the gruelling nature of Theatre Corporate training and her work and travels with Theatre in Education, who travelled to schools as an outreach Theatre Corporate company.

Recorded in August 2005and January ‘Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who have worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’ Interview between Jean Hyland and Alison Quigan Collection reference OH_1341_008

Kura Heritage Collections Online - https://tinyurl.com/y24z5mrn

Photo Credit: Theatre in Education travelling van and company, Theatre Corporate c1980, NZMS 886 (Threatre Corporate Collection).

Alison Quigan QSM is an actress, director and playwright with a long list of achievements and contributions to theatre. Alison trained at Auckland’s Theatre Corporate Actors School in 1978 and is currently the Performing Arts Manager at Mangere Arts Centre - Nga Tohu O Aotearoa.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Quigan

In this track we hear Alison recall her beginnings in theatre life with her move to Auckland and her journey to being selected to train through the Auckland’s Theatre Corporate Actors School in 1978.

Recorded in August 2005and January ‘Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who have worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’ Interview between Jean Hyland and Alison Quigan Collection reference OH_1341_008

Kura Heritage Collections Online - https://tinyurl.com/y24z5mrn

Photo credit: Alison Quigan linked from August 2019 www.playmarket.org.nz/playwrights/alison-quigan/

Elizabeth McRae has been at the heart of Auckland theatre as an actor since the 1960s. Her career has seen her front line in professional theatre, radio, television and film.

In this final track Elizabeth recalls the establishment of Equity the actors Union into professional theatre in the late 1960s.

Recorded in August 2005: An ‘Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who have worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’ Interview between Jean Hyland and Elizabeth McRae Collection reference OH_1341_006

Kura Heritage Collections Online - https://tinyurl.com/yxaevylo

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/EquityNewZealand/ August 2019

Elizabeth McRae has been at the heart of Auckland theatre as an actor since the early 1960s. Her career has seen her front line in professional theatre, radio, television and film.

In this track Elizabeth reflects on the rise and fall of professional theatre in Auckland with particular reference to the sudden close of the Mercury Theatre in the early 1990s.

Recorded in August 2005: An ‘Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who have worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’ Interview between Jean Hyland and Elizabeth McRae Collection reference OH_1341_006

https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/oralhistory/id/2887/rec/2

Photo Credit: Interior of the Mercury Theatre from the Mercury Theatre transparency photographic collection, c1980s, NZMS 813

Elizabeth McRae has been at the heart of Auckland theatre as an actor since the early 1960s. Her career has seen her front line in professional theatre, radio, television and film.

In this first track Elizabeth tells us of her move to Auckland from Wellington and her initial involvement in theatre, juggling parenting and her work reading radio plays. She goes on to talk about the transition into professional theatre and the culture of work and childcare in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Recorded in August 2005: An ‘Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who have worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’ Interview between Jean Hyland and Elizabeth McRae Collection reference OH_1341_006

https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/oralhistory/id/2887/rec/2

Photo Credit: Portrait of Elizabeth McRae c1960s, photographer unknown, from the Mercury Theatre Collection, NZMS 813

Mary Amoore (1920 - 2010) was a key player in the development of amateur theatre across Auckland including The Little Henderson Theatre, Auckland Repertory Theatre, founder of the Central Theatre Company, and teacher and director of youth and children’s theatre.

In this track Mary talks about the changing face of theatre with the arrival of the Mercury Theatre and the growth of professional theatre. She recalls the building of the Central Theatre Company in Remuera.

Recorded on the 9th June, 2006: An Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’. Interview between Jean Hyland and Mary Amoore . Collection reference OH_1341_001

https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/oralhistory/id/2931/rec/1

Photo credit: Rehearsal scene for A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Mary Amoore. Performed at the Central Theatre, Remuera. March 1974. NZMS 1432 (Mary Amoore Collection).

Exhibition can be viewed at Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero | Central City Library

44-46 Lorne Street, City

Level 2 - Heritage Collections

Wednesday 28 August - Sunday 24 November 2018

Mary Amoore (1920 - 2010)was a key player in the development of amateur theatre across Auckland including The Little Henderson Theatre, Auckland Repertory Theatre, founder of the Central Theatre Company, and teacher and director of youth and children’s theatre.

In this track Mary recalls her involvement in a number of early theatre groups including Auckland Repertory Theatre, The Little Henderson Theatre, and Titirangi Drama. She mentions the annual Drama Festival competitions and the shifting style of theatre production.

Recorded on the 9th June, 2006: An Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’. Interview between Jean Hyland and Mary Amoore . Collection reference OH_1341_001

https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/oralhistory/id/2931/rec/1

Photo credit: Mary Amoore, Photography by John Tudehope. 1960s. NZMS 1432 (Mary Amoore Collection)

Exhibition can be viewed at Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero | Central City Library

44-46 Lorne Street, City

Level 2 - Heritage Collections

Wednesday 28 August - Sunday 24 November

Elizabeth McRae has been at the heart of Auckland theatre as an actor since the early 1960s. Her career has seen her front line in professional theatre, radio, television and film.

In this track Elizabeth briefly recalls the design of the Mercury Theatre and then details her memories of the demolition of His Majesty’s theatre in 1988.

Recorded in August 2005: An ‘Oral History Project: Women in Auckland who have worked in the acting profession talk about their lives’ Interview between Jean Hyland and Elizabeth McRae Collection reference OH_1341_006

https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/oralhistory/id/2887/rec/2

Photo Credit: His Majesty’s Theatre protest/demolition (1988) The Sun Photographic Collection, Auckland Libraries 1329-23

https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries/sets/curtain-up

Kia ora koutou!

As part of our family history month offering, today’s korero features historian turned television genealogist Dr Nick Barratt who shares his behind-the-scenes experience working on the popular “Who do you think you are?” series.

Barratt explains that while the series has done a lot to popularise researching family history it has also created myths around how this research can be done, especially in the internet era which was just coming into its own when the show began.

He shares some of the stories behind the celebrities who have appeared on the show and the leg-work that actually goes on to make those apparently effortless leaps and connections that flesh out a person’s family tree.

Alongside the apparent ease of internet research has grown the expectation that the information we seek will also be right at our fingertips. It may well be, advises Barratt, but to get the real rewards we need to be an active participant in our own journey of discovery.

Haramai tētahi ahua!

Recorded at the Auckland Central Library on 7 August 2019

Listen to genealogist Michelle Patient reveal how your DNA can help unlock not only your own family history but your larger ethnic background stretching backing thousands of years.

DNA testing has progressed markedly in recent years however it is still a developing technology and Patient explains why results can often differ significantly depending on which companies you test with. Even with the same company, you will often find your results changing as more people test. Different companies also test DNA against different parameters affecting what information you will get.

Keeping this in mind, submitting a DNA test may give you more than you expected including connections to peoples and cultures you never would have imagined.

Listen in, and learn how you too can discover your DNA heritage!

Auckland Libraries is not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this talk.

Recorded at the Auckland Central Library on 24 July 2019