Story: Arts education and training

Auditioning for the New Zealand Drama School, 1978

Budding actors must audition for a place at Te Kura Toi Whakaari, the New Zealand Drama School. Here young hopeful Suzanne Bacon demonstrates the emotions of shock and despair as she gets up close to members of the adjudicating panel George Webby, Davina Whitehouse and Russell Aitken, who closely watch her performance.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: EP/1978/3601/6A-F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Megan Cook and Caren Wilton, Arts education and training – Dancers and actors, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/45148/auditioning-for-the-new-zealand-drama-school-1978 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Megan Cook and Caren Wilton, published 6 May 2014.