David Geary

David Geary (born 1963) is a Māori writer from New Zealand who is known for his plays The Learners Stand, Lovelocks Dream Run and Pack of Girls. For television he has written for New Zealand series Shortland Street and Jackson's Wharf.

Early years

Born in Feilding, New Zealand, Geary is Māori and affiliates to the iwi Nga Mahanga and Taranaki. He grew up in Rangiwahia in the Manawatū region, his mother was a teacher. In 1987 Geary graduated from the acting diploma at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School in Wellington. While a student Geary submitted Kandy Cigarettes to the 1988 New Zealand Playwrights’ Workshop under the pseudonym of Kurt Davidson. This was then turned into revue sketches titled Gothic But Staunch and Dry, White and Friendly. The King of Stains at (BATS Theatre, 1996).

Working with others Geary has co-authored Backstage with the Quigleys (BATS Theatre, 1992) and The Rabbiter’s Daughter (BATS Theatre, 1994) with Mick Rose and Tim Spite and Manawa Taua/Savage Hearts (Watershed, 1994) a collaboration with Theatre at Large. Ruapehu, one half of a double bill with Fiona Samuel’s Untitled was created with a group of actors that were presented under the title One Flesh at Downstage Theatre, 1996. Poetry and interviews by Geary can be found in Victoria University of Wellington online magazine Turbine. In 1993 he co-wrote and co-directed the television documentary The Smell of Money and he wrote the short film Baggage. Geary acted in three seasons of Shark in the Park.

Geary moved to Canada in 2002 and teaches story telling and script writing with First Nation writers. and in 1994 won the Adam Foundation Playwrights’ Award for The Learner’s Stand.

In 2008, he was Writer in Residence at Victoria University of Wellington.