Meet the Executive Team

Phil Dean

President

Director, Lighting Tech, Stage Management, Design, Resource Management

Claire Clark

Treasurer

Stage Management, Front of House, Publicity, Communications

Leanne Chapman

Secretary

Front of House, Social Media

Nickie Hughes

Youth Theatre Director,

Digital Media/Tech, Social Media Coordinator

Glen Clark

Design - (Stage, Set, Sound, Media), Writer, Props & Set Builder, Stage Hand, Directing

Nigel Wall

Production Manager, Stage Hand

Caelan Thomas

Youth Theatre Director, Music Director, Pianist,

Digital Media/Tech, Personnel Coordinator

Phil Dean

Phil has been involved in community and professional theatre companies for longer that he would like to admit. At the age of 15 he discovered the love of the Arts at school and since then, has been involved in all facets of theatre; acting, singing, dancing, back stage, lighting and sound. Over the last few years he has focused on directing (straight plays and musicals) along with production management. In Canterbury, Phil has worked with Kirwee Players, Elmwood Players, Hurunui Theatre group, North Canterbury Music Theatre, MUSOC, and Riccarton Players. Phil lives in Rolleston with his partner Courtney and their kids. He is excited to be directing the debut show for CentreStage Rolleston and to be working alongside a group of amazingly talented, similar-minded people.

Claire Clark

Originally from Scotland, Claire has been involved with Theatre in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom since 1995. She has recently been granted her NZ citizenship so is now officially a Kiwi!

Claire has been involved in a number of shows with Riccarton Players over the years, both on and off stage. From acting to stage manager, publicity to committee member and everything in between. More recently she has been seen onstage with Kirwee Players in "Oliver" and "The Full Monty". She also participated in CentreStage's 2020 concert: From the Twenties to the Twenties singing All That Jazz! She has a real passion for singing and sings Soprano with the Christchurch Pops Choir.

The prospect of developing a community theatre group in Rolleston was too good to pass up. Theatre is all about family and she loves the way theatre brings people together. She is looking forward to bringing many quality shows to our community.

Leanne Chapman

Glen Clark

Creativity is Glen’s driving force.

He has been involved with countless shows in community theatre since the late 1990’s as part of Riccarton Players, Elmwood Players and Kirwee Players.

Highlights have included winning the best adult play for Elmwood Players at the National One Act Play Festival with “A Galway Girl” in 2012. Having his play “The Joke” performed during the 2013 One Act Play season at Riccarton Players and most recently being cast in the lead role of Darryl Van Horne in “The Witches of Eastwick” musical with Kirwee Players.

Acting, singing, dancing, stagehand, prop maker, set designer/builder/painter, sound design, poster and programme design, sound technician, play writing and a little bit of directing have all featured in Glen's theatrical resume over the years.

When not involved in theatre he dabbles as a digital artist, plays guitar and sings with local Christchurch cover band, “Decoy Duck” and has also recently recorded and released a solo album of original music. Glen lives in Rolleston with his wife Claire and their two children.

The opportunity to work with a group of likeminded Theatre people to create CentreStage Rolleston was too good to pass up. “Theatre brings people together and I am proud to work alongside this amazing team who are committed to bringing the best possible theatre to our wonderful community”.

Nickie Hughes

Nickie is a Drama practitioner based in Rolleston, who teaches all over Selwyn. She has always had a passion for performing and acting, ever since a young age! After receiving her degree in Drama and Theatre Studies in 2016 in London, Nickie moved to New Zealand to pursue a teaching career, and began her own company PLAY! Drama Workshops.

“I am so grateful that I am able to base my career around what I love, “and to raise the next generation of community theatre stars in Selwyn!”. Nickie teaches devised drama to primary aged children in order to boost their confidence and self esteem through theatre. As well as her busy extra-curricular classes, Nickie also has a passion for video editing and website design and focuses on the marketing and social media for Centre Stage, and performing alongside - of course! She has starred in productions of Mamma Mia! (Ali), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey, Diva), Grease (Rizzo) and Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl).

Caelan Thomas

Caelan was originally trained as a classical pianist and achieved his ATCL in 2015 before moving into musical theatre and choral accompaniment. He played for Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and High School Musical through school, then as repetiteur with the Kirwee Players for four years, and has been involved in other musical theatre shows in Halswell, Ashburton, Rangiora, Rolleston, and Riccarton. He has been the Musical Director for four youth musical theatre shows in Selwyn over the last three years and is currently working with the Darfield branch of the Selwyn Community Choir, occasionally with the Mid Canterbury Choir in Ashburton, and most recently as the accompanist for The Vocal Collective.

Caelan is very fond of dark chocolate, post-it notes, sleeping in, bacon, feeding his pets too much, waffles, fluffy socks, and Michael Bublé, and is much less fond of running, traffic, being late, capsicum and mopping.