Young Wellington Set Designers to Watch
Jaimee Warda and Wai Mihinui are two new young set designers breaking into the New Zealand theatre scene with their
first main bill show at the Circa Theatre in Wellington (http://www.circa.co.nz/site/Shows/Hīkoi).
The young women’s work on Hīkoi, a play written and directed by Nancy Brunning is truly stunning as our photos show.
Jaimee and Wai created the set as well as the graphic design for the production. Hīkoi is showing as part of its Te
Kakano Season at the Circa Theatre with the world premier in Auckland early next year as part of the Auckland
International Arts Festival.
Jaimee and Wai are very excited about their main stage Wellington debut. Both women studied interior design as part of
their Bachelor of Creative Technologies at the Wellington Institute of Technology.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us and we are extremely proud of our design work. So far we’ve had a great response
from everyone involved as well as everyone who has seen it. This is a great project to have under our belt and we look
forward to the opportunities ahead,” says Jaimee Warda.
Tony Degoldi, well known set and costume designer and tutor on the Degree says Jaimee and Wai showed a lot of talent,
drive and determination as students and now as professional set designers are taking on challenges and making sets that
are standing out and being recognised by their peers.
“Jaimee and Wai trained in interior design and, as such, they bring a broader perspective to their work on set design
for productions. They have utilised a wide-range of skills for Hīkoi including graphic design and they have the
confidence gained through their training to extend their skills into other areas.
“It is a real privilege to work with Creative Technologies graduates at a professional level and see young designers
showcasing their work at a main bill theatre like Circa. Jaimee Warda and Wai Mihinui are young designers to watch,”
says Tony Degoldi.
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