Jean is a founding member of Circa and Taki Rua Theatres, Playmarket, The Play Press (www.playpress.co.nz) and the Womens Play Press.
She started out as an actor and director and has considerable professional experience both in New Zealand and away and a long association with all of Wellington's theatres in other capacities.
She has two sons and lives in Wellington.
Jean Betts
A fantastical journey through the lives of 11-13 young people. A surreal and, at times, poignant comedy with great scope for ensemble acting. Written for young adults.
NB Published by THE PLAY PRESS:
Cast: 11 - 13
Jean Betts
Lorae Parry
Audience favourites Digger and Nudger go on a voyage of self-discovery. Getting in touch with their psychic ovaries, they become true blue "men" of the 90s.
Cast: 3
Jean Betts
A riotous reworking of Shakespeare's Hamlet - with serious themes, nevertheless. Featuring Ophelia, her maid, St Joan and a couple of locals - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Nine actors (doubling) is the minimum required for approximately 12 female and 7 male roles.
NB Published by THE PLAY PRESS:
Cast: 9 - 20
Jean Betts
Based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Nights Dream, with the mechanicals as a female theatre troupe and Oberon falling for a 'hard line feminist Easter bunny'. An hilarious reworking of the famous tale.
Cast: 17 - 30
Jean Betts
Four friends in their early 20s set out to save the world. Politics, environmental issues, boyfriends and traumas combine as they search for their places in the world. Based around a true event from the Ploughshares Project.
Cast: 7
Jean Betts
A mediaeval romantic comedy for a large cast of young persons, based around the Tristan and Isolde story.
Cast: 20
Jean Betts
Based on John Fuegi's book Brecht & Co and the first NZ finalist for the prestigious international Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Collective is a witty, boisterous and intelligent dramatisation of the story of Bertolt Brecht's theatre collective.
Cast: 9 - 34
Jean Betts
The word for women's hatred of men is practically unknown. Is that because there are so few women who do? In a future NZ with a different lifestyle, Raffia, (a misandrist) and her weird and wonderful family undergo changes and experience revelations which are brought about through an examination of fairy stories.
Cast: 8 - 20