Conversations With Wāhine

Harita and Eleonora interview Jacqueline Coats and Fifi Colston.
Jacqueline directs, and Fifi is doing the costumes and design for, a new children's play, HELP! A Monster Ate My Story, which is heading to Wellington’s Circa Theatre from 7 to 19 April. 

Fifi is a multi-disciplinary artist, costumier, novelist, and children's book illustrator, with over 50 published and award-winning titles (including some of The Little Yellow Digger series and Nadia Lim’s Marvin series).
 
Jacqueline has a passion for music, theatre, and community. With an MTA in Directing from Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, plus a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Education Management awarded from the University of Leeds, she has worked as a director, assistant director, and staging director for opera and theatre companies, festivals, and orchestras across the motu, including NZ International Festival of the Arts, NZ Opera, Victorian Opera in Melbourne, CubaDupa in Wellington and many more.

In this episode, Laura is joined by Nadine Tereora, Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Automobile Association. 
They explore her career journey, the defining traits of impactful leadership, and the realities of women stepping into C-suite roles. Nadine also shares candid insights on staying grounded, protecting your energy, and building a career that doesn’t come at the expense of your life beyond the office.

Rachel Macindoe Baker, creator of Chrysalis, is an artist and animator based. She studied Media Design at Victoria University of Wellington, where she loved experimenting with mixed media in her projects and finding new ways to tell stories visually. Rachel started her career in 2021 as an animator at Wētā FX. While her professional background is rooted in VFX, she retains a lot of passion for the vibrant, hand-crafted nature of 2D animation.

#LadiesKickBrass! The Hoot'n'Annies, Wellington’s all-wāhine second line band, bring New Orleans jazz, funk, and bold pop covers to CubaDupa. Their dynamic blend of brass and percussion will ignite the streets, sparking dance and joy. Join the party - feel the beat, feel the power!

In their seventh year of playing, the Hoot'n'Annies are a collective of non-professional musicians passionate about performing and encouraging more women in music - especially brass! They all have "day-jobs" that include public servants, teachers, librarians, software engineers and NGO support, and like to take on challenges in their musical journey whilst supporting each other through life. They range in age from "young" to "Hoot'n'Granny" (of which they have 2), but they are all young at heart, especially when the music starts. 
They'll be performing at Cuba Dupa on 28th and 29th March.
We're joined with 3 of the band members, Paula, Jeanette and Clare.
You can find them on socials here:
(7) Facebook
Hoot'n'Annies (@hootnanniesnz) • Instagram photos and videos

Author, Aisling Ní Bhaldraithe and Illustrator, Bex Falconer sit down with your hosts, Eleonora and Haley Rachel Rolls for a refreshing, and at times, hilarious chat.
Aisling and Bex have created a picture book that’s playful on the surface but grounded in bigger ideas about identity, confidence, and representation in children’s media.
Peter the Colourful Panda; He doesn’t look the way he’s expected to, but learns that standing out isn’t a problem to solve.
You can purchase this inspiring story at https://www.amazon.com/PETER-COLOURFUL-PANDA-beautifully-illustrated/dp/B0FXL1RB16 along with a variety of other online retailers.