Our Team

NATALIE WRIGHT - Director

Speech & Drama, Acting & Screen Acting

Natalie has a significant background in acting, singing and public speaking. Notable film, television and theatre experience includes roles in Shortland Street (Core cast member), Xena, The God Boy (Auckland Theatre Company) and Anne of Green Gables (Auckland Children's Theatre). 

Natalie also has a close association with local theatre groups, having been awarded a Zony Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Linda in the Stage Right Production of Blood Brothers and, most recently, for her portrayal of Madame Morrible in the Tauranga Musical Theatre production of Wicked. 

Along with her performing credits, Natalie has also been on the creative team as Director of The Little Mermaid Jr and Ladies Night. 

Natalie launched her business Wright Performance in autumn 2018 and has never looked back.

Natalie holds her ATCL from Trinity College London for Speech & Drama

ELISE ROHDE - Director

Elise was performing as soon as she could walk. Making her debut in Madame Butterfly at age four, she has been an integral part of the Tauranga Performing Arts scene since.

During her 30 plus years in the industry, she has participated in more than 150 shows, often as a member of the creative team or as a mentor to youth.

Notable onstage roles include Gary Coleman in Avenue Q, which earned her a Zony nomination for Leading Actress, and The Baker's Wife in Into The Woods.

Elise has worked in almost every department of musical theatre both as a volunteer and in corporate entertainment, focusing mainly on sound engineering and music roles (which she believes go hand in hand for any great performance). In 2019, she was awarded the Zony for Best Sound Design for her involvement in the Tauranga Musical Theatre production of Heathers. 

Elise has also musical directed more than 40 productions, most recently earning Zony nominations for Mamma Mia, Mary Poppins, Rock of Ages, Heathers, Jekyll & Hyde & Wicked, for which she was awarded the Zony for Best Vocal Direction of a Musical. 

Elise was proudly awarded a life membership to Tauranga Musical Theatre for her services to committee, youth and as President for many years. She currently serves on the National Executive for Musical Theatre New Zealand as Vice President.

Musical Theatre & Singing

DARREL NITSCHKE - Tutor

Speech & Drama, Acting & Musical Theatre

Darrel is a passionate director and intimacy director of musical theatre. She has spent the past few years completing a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Masters degree in theatre, and working within creative teams across Tauranga, Rotorua, and Auckland. Creating safe spaces for artists has always been a core focus of Darrel’s journey; in 2023, she completed her year-long Masters project and dissertation which analysed how safe spaces are built in the rehearsal and performance of theatre in Aotearoa. Recently, she has been working as an assistant company manager for Broadway Entertainment Group’s touring production of The Phantom of the Opera, so far visiting Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Bulgaria. Darrel is super excited for another opportunity to work some of Tauranga’s incredibly talented young artists!

HANNAH LEE - Tutor

Musical Theatre

Hannah Lee is a trained early childhood teacher by day and a dedicated, active member of the performing arts community in Tauranga by night.

Hannah serves as Vice President of Tauranga Musical Theatre and from her many years as a leader and director of the Tauranga Musical Theatre Youth Group, she brings a wealth of experience and understanding. 

Hannah is also a performer in her own right, having been seen recently on stage in Disco Inferno, That Bloody Woman and Les Miserables. 

GRACE GIBSON - Tutor

Speech & Drama & Musical Theatre

Grace has trained under Natalie Wright for a number of years, culminating in 2023 being awarded Third place at the National Young Performer Awards (PACANZ) and achieving her ATCL Diploma in Speech & Drama in 2024.

Currently Grace is also working towards the ATCL Diploma is Musical Theatre.

Grace is well known to Tauranga audiences, having recently been seen on stage in ‘Cats’, ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Hands on a Hard Body’ in the last year alone, and brings a passion for performance to her lessons.

TIFFANY JOHNSTON - Tutor

Parents & Bubs, Singing & Musical Theatre

Tiffany has over a decade of experience and training in musical theatre, with most recent credits including Glinda in Wicked (Tauranga Musical Theatre), The Revlon Girl in The Revlon Girl (16th Avenue Theatre), Maria in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Summer Shakespeare Tauranga) Allison in First Dates (Stage Right Trust) and Maureen in RENT (Tauranga Musical Theatre).

Tiffany is a student at IVA: Institute of Vocal Development, working towards becoming an internationally qualified singing teacher.

Along with theatre, Tiffany has also dabbled in television and appeared on Shortland Street and Power Rangers.

She is a working makeup artist skilled in TV, theatre and film makeup and a trained ballet dancer. She is also a qualified primary and special education teacher and spent six years running theatre sports at weekend camps under the Parent to Parent charity.

Her special interests include acting through song and healthy vocal technique.

JACOB WEST - Junior Tutor

Musical Theatre & Dance

Jacob is no stranger to the stage in Tauranga, having been performing since he could walk.

Notable roles include The Baker in Into The Woods Jr (WRAPA), Jack Kelly in Newsies Jr (TMT), Dewey Finn in School of Rock (Bethlehem College) and Michael Banks in Mary Poppins (TMT).

Jacob has been studying Speech & Drama, Classical Voice, Musical Theatre and Ballet for 7 years and is known to be an energetic, committed and passionate young performer and mentor for his peers.

In 2023 Jacob was a National Nominee for both Speech & Drama and Musical Theatre.

Jacob also volunteers his spare time to volunteering and contributing to the arts in the region as a Sound Designer and as a mentor to the youth.

Jacob is passionate about voice and music. He has recently been training as a Musical Director and vocal tutor completing initial training in the ‘Estill Vocal Method’ and Vocally Directing ‘13 The Musical’.

We are thrilled to have Jacob teaching and being a champion for young men wishing to enter the world of performing arts.

AADIT TANDON - Junior Tutor

Speech & Drama and Musical Theatre

Aadit is a multi-faceted performer and a rising star in the Performing Arts in New Zealand. 

In 2023 Aadit was the youngest nominee for musical theatre at the National Youth Performing Arts awards, and recently took out the coveted prize of the National Shakespeare School Nomination at the 2024 BOP Regional Sheilah Winn Shakespeare festival.  Aadit will be heading to London in July as part of the Young Shakespeare Company.

In 2023 Aadit won the Best Supporting Actor in a Youth Musical Award at the Zony Awards. Recent on-stage highlights include Baker in Into The Woods (WRAPA), Archie in 13 The Musical (WRAPA( Spongebob in Spongebob The Musical (Otumoetai College) and Bruce in Matilda (Tauranga Musical Theatre)

Aadit has been studying Speech & Drama and Singing with Wright Rohde Theatre for seven years and gaining Distinction at every level in both art forms. 

Aadit recently directed the 2025 season of ‘Fame Jr’ with Tauranga Musical Theatre and has a passion for mentoring and working with the next generation of young performers.

Needless to say, we are thrilled to have Aadit assisting some classes at WRAPA.

  • Alexandra Wright

    ASSISTANT TUTOR

  • Ruby Rendle

    ASSISTANT TUTOR

  • Amelia Muller

    ASSISTANT TUTOR