Actress, Singer, Playwright. April was born in Coventry, England. Her professional theatre career began as a company actor with the Four Seasons Theatre in Wanganui in the mid-late 80s. She attributes her basic training to Director David Smiles, with whom she performed in many classic comedies and farces. She gained world-wide attention in 1983 when, at the age of 17, she appeared in a production of Charleys Aunt opposite HRH The Prince Edward.

In 1995 April undertook a full-time course of acting at the Wellington Performing Arts Centre. Since then she has performed her own sketch comedy on many occasions with Hens Teeth, has appeared in numerous stage productions in Wellington, and was part of the core cast of TVs McPhail and Gadsby for two seasons. Her other television and film acting credits include Cover Story I & II, The Frighteners, First Impressions, Duggan, The Strip, and in 2006, Lost Children.

In 1996 April co-wrote and performed in Fluxion at Bats Theatre. She produced and appeared in her first full-length play, Killing Me Softly at Taki Rua later that year. This hard hitting exploration of assisted suicide is a play for three women.

April's full length comedy entitled STiFF is an irreverent and outrageous treatment of two subjects which are normally handled very cautiously: Funeral Parlours and Prostitution. STiFF was one of four plays selected for the 2002 Adam Playreading Series, and was performed at Downstage Theatre, directed by Murray Lynch. In 2003, STiFF won 3rd place in the PANZ play writing competition.
April's musical play Blue Eyes won the 2003 Stellar Award for Best Musical Production and was performed at Circa Theatre, Wellington.

www.aprilphillips.com