Jean Betts

Jean Betts is a New Zealand playwright, actor and director.

Background Jean Betts emigrated with her parents (both founders of Unity Theatre, London), to Christchurch, New Zealand. She obtained a degree at University of Canterbury in English Literature and New Zealand and Pacific History. Betts graduated from Toi Whakaari: the New Zealand Drama School in 1970, the inaugural year when its founder, Nola Millar, was principal. Her classmates were Elizabeth Coulter, Jennifer Ludlam, Denise Maunder, Joanna Meikle, John Otto, William (Bill) Petley, Darien Takle and Bevan Wilson.

Career She has written many plays including Revenge of the Amazons, Ophelia Thinks Harder, The Collective and The Misandrist.

In 1979 Jean worked at ESTA (English Speaking Theatre Amsterdam) as actor/director, and was a founding member of the expatriate (New Zealand) group 'The Heartache and Sorrow Company' (directing) set up to celebrate NZ's centenary of women's suffrage with a group of new plays by women, which premiered her play Ophelia Thinks Harder.

Plays 2014 - Genesis Falls (Finalist, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize) 2012 - Into the Uncanny Valley (BATS Theatre, Wellington) 2010 - The Man from Tamil Nadu 2005 - The Collective (BATS Theatre, Wellington; Finalist, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize) 2000 - The Misandrist (an angry comedy) - (BATS Theatre, Wellington; winner, Aoraki Festival Playwriting Award) 1996 - Saskia's Version (BATS Theatre, Wellington) 1995 - Camelot School (Allen Hall, Dunedin) 1995 - Strange Brew (BATS Theatre, Wellington) 1993 - Ophelia Thinks Harder (Circa Theatre, Wellington) 1990 - Digger and Nudger Try Harder (with Parry & McGlone, BATS Theatre & Taki Rua Theatre, Wellington) 1989 - Digger and Nudger (with Parry & McGlone, Hen's Teeth/ Circa Theatre, Wellington) 1986 - Leave All Fair (screenplay, written with Pons, Reid, Harper) 1983 - Revenge of the Amazons (Circa Theatre, Wellington) 1980 - Leaving Home (compiled with Barbara Ewing, performed Edinburgh Festival 1980) 1977 - Dada (Downstage Theatre, Wellington) 1976 - Fairy Tales (Theatre 87, Wellington) 1974 - Bloomsberries (Downstage Theatre, Wellington) 1973 - The Nobodies from Nowhere (co-written with Ludlam, Frost, Minifie & Wahren; Gateway Theatre, Tauranga)