Mitch Tawhi Thomas

Mitch Tawhi Thomas (born 8 September 1972) is a New Zealand playwright, actor and drama teacher.

Education Thomas affiliates to Ngāti Maniapoto. Thomas graduated from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School in 1997 with a diploma in acting. Shakespearean roles he has played include 'Cobweb' in Midsummers Nights Dream directed by David O'Donnell at the Dell, Wellington Botanic Gardens in 1991, and 'John of Gaunt' in King Richard II directed by David O'Donnell and Rachel Lenart at Studio 77, Victoria University of Wellington in 2009.

In 2010 Mitch worked at Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North, running drama workshops with teenagers in the Basement Company over five months writing a play with them called Smashed. In 2021, Mitch is the Senior Acting Tutor at Toi Whakaari. He appeared at the Auckland Writers Festival in 2018.

Tawhi Thomas's play from 2001 Have Car Will Travel depicts "the collision of white trash with brown trash" according to director Rachel House. Tawhi Thomas was appointed writer in residence at Waikato University in 2003. and Pakaru (2019) is described as a "poignant tragedy about our hard-working, hilarious whānau". +Plays Date Play title Venue Director Producer