Simon Prast is a director and actor from

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

, New Zealand. Prast was the founder of the

Auckland Theatre Company Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) is a professional theatre company in Auckland. It was founded in 1992 and since 2016 has been based in ASB Waterfront Theatre in the Wynyard Quarter in central Auckland. History Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) w ...

and director of the first

Auckland Festival Formerly known as Auckland Festival, Auckland Arts Festival or is an annual arts and cultural festival held in Auckland, New Zealand. The Festival features works from New Zealand, the Pacific, Asia and beyond, including world premieres of new wor ...

AK03.

Early life

Prast grew up in Otara and Waikowhai, Auckland. He was educated at Waikowhai Primary, King's School and

Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about It ...

. He holds a Law Degree (LLB) from the

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn ...

and is a graduate of Theatre Corporate.

Career

Theatre

Prast performed at both the

Downstage In theatre, blocking is the precise staging of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. Historically, the expectations of staging/blocking have changed substantially over time in Western theater. Prior to the movemen ...

in Wellington and Mercury theatres in Auckland after graduating from the Theatre Corporate Drama School in 1984. He made his professional debut opposite Michael Hurst in Theatre Corporate's 1985 production of ''

Torch Song Trilogy ''Torch Song Trilogy'' is a collection of three plays by Harvey Fierstein rendered in three acts: ''International Stud'', ''Fugue in a Nursery'', and ''Widows and Children First!'' The story centers on Arnold Beckoff, a Jewish homosexual, dra ...

''. After founding the

in 1992 and being its first Director from March 1992 – February 2003 he produced and / or directed over sixty mainbill productions including ''The Graduate'', ''The Rocky Horror Show'', ''Haruru Mai'', ''The Daylight Atheist'', ''Hair'', ''Death of a Salesman'', ''Wit'', ''Art'', ''Closer'', '' The Judas Kiss'', ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' and ''12 Angry Men''. Prast's production of ''

12 Angry Men ''Twelve Angry Men'' is an American courtroom drama written by Reginald Rose concerning the jury of a homicide trial. It was broadcast initially as a television play in 1954. The following year it was adapted for the stage. It was adapted for a ...

'' was named 'Production of the Decade' by the theatre's subscribers.

Film and television

Prast made his television debut in 1983 in the New Zealand drama series ''

Mortimer's Patch ''Mortimer's Patch'' was a popular TVNZ police drama from the early 1980s. It featured actors Terence Cooper, Sean Duffy, Don Selwyn and Jim Hickey and depicted detective and police The police are a constituted body of persons empow ...

''. In 1987 he returned to television, appearing as Alistair Redfern in the New Zealand soap opera '' Gloss''. In 1992 he starred in the drama movie about the French terrorist attack on a

Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth ...

boat in Auckland Harbour in 1985. '' The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior'' also starred

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

and

Jon Voight Jonathan Vincent Voight (; born December 29, 1938) is an American actor. He came to prominence in the late 1960s with his Academy Award–nominated performance as Joe Buck, a would-be gigolo, in ''Midnight Cowboy'' (1969). During the 1970s, he ...

. He appeared as Nurse Paul Churchill on several episodes of the soap opera ''

Shortland Street ''Shortland Street'' is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera centring on the fictitious Shortland Street Hospital, first broadcast on TVNZ 2 on 25 May 1992. It is New Zealand's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously ...

'' (1995–1996). Prast was a co-star in the 1998 New Zealand movie, ''When Love Comes Along'', with

Rena Owen Renas may refer to: Places * Rena, Badajoz, a municipality in Extremadura, Spain * Rena, Norway, a village in Innlandet county, Norway * Rena, Washington, a community in Clallam County, Washington, United States People * Rena (given name), list o ...

and

Dean O'Gorman Dean Lance O'Gorman (born 1 December 1976) is a New Zealand actor, artist, and photographer. He played the dwarf Fíli in the ''Hobbit'' trilogy and the Norse God Bragi/Anders Johnson in the fantasy series ''The Almighty Johnsons''. He also po ...

, directed by Garth Maxwell. He has appeared in several other series, and is presently (2011–12) guest-starring as Jeffrey Duff in ''

Go Girls ''Go Girls'' is a New Zealand comedy-drama television series that centers on four adult friends, three female and one male, living on Auckland's North Shore. In the fifth season it was the same premise, but this time centered on five adult fr ...

''.

Auckland Festival

Prast organised the first

, which was marketed as AK03, a biennial arts and cultural festival. The festival is a celebration of the distinct and unique nature of Auckland and in particular the Pacific influence.

Other television appearances

In 1988 Prast joined TV star

Jay Laga'aia Jay Laga'aia (born 10 September 1963) is a New Zealand-Australian actor and singer. He is known internationally for his role as Captain Typho in the films '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' and '' Star Wars: Episode III – Reve ...

as co-host for the first ''Coca-Cola 24-hour Music Weekend''. In 1988 he also performed on the

Telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other purportedly worthy cause. Most telethons ...

, alongside EastEnders star

Letitia Dean Letitia Jane Dean (born 14 November 1967) is an English actress. She is known for her portrayal of Sharon Watts in the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders''. An original cast member from 1985 to 1995, she reprised the role from 2001 to 2006, and again ...

and

Dalvanius Prime Maui Dalvanius Prime (16 January 1948 – 3 October 2002) was a New Zealand entertainer and songwriter. His career spanned 30 years. He mentored many of New Zealand's Māori performers, and was a vocal and forthright supporter of Māori culture. ...

with the

Pātea Māori Club Pātea Māori Club is a New Zealand cultural group and performance act formed in the South Taranaki town of Pātea in 1967 as the Pātea Methodist Māori Club. In 1983, the group began to release Māori-language pop and hip hop music, produc ...

. In the same programme, he performed "I'm Glad I'm Not a Kennedy" with

Shona Laing Shona Laing (born 9 October 1955) is a New Zealand musician. She has had several hits in her native country, as well as a few minor international hits, most notably " (Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy" and "Soviet Snow". Laing contributed to Manfred ...

. In 1998, on the TV arts programme ''Backchat'' (hosted by

Bill Ralston Bill Ralston (born 1953) is a New Zealand journalist, broadcaster, and media personality, active in television, radio and print. He has worked as a political correspondent, fronted the television arts show Backch@t, and was the head of news and ...

), Prast debated local politician Craig Little for an increase in regional funding for the arts. Shortly after the debate, $10million was set aside for supporting arts events of regional significance to

. In 2009 Prast appeared as an arts commentator on

TVNZ , type = Crown entity , industry = Broadcast television , num_locations = New Zealand , location = Auckland, New Zealand , area_served = Nationally (New Zealand) and some Pacific Island nations such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, and the ...

's Breakfast programme, sharply criticising the Auckland City Council for overspending on International Theatre Productions.

Filmography

Television

* ''

''(1983) * '' Gloss'' as Alistair Redfern (1987–1990) * '' Erebus: The Aftermath'' (1988) * ''

''as Nurse Paul Churchill (1993, 1994, 1995) * '' Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' as First Soldier (1995–1996) * ''

Mercy Peak ''Mercy Peak'' was a New Zealand television series that ran for three seasons on local network TV One, between 2001 and 2004. The series rated well in New Zealand (especially in its second series) and won multiple awards for its cast. Though an ...

'' as Tom Strachey (2001–2003) * ''

Serial Killers A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

'' as Dr. Harrington (2004) * ''

'' as Jeffrey Duff (2010–present)

Films

*'' The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior'' as Louis Deschamps (1992) *''

When Love Comes Along ''When Love Comes Along'' is a 1998 New Zealand drama film directed by Garth Maxwell. The film was produced by Jonathan Dowling and Michele Fantl. Cast * Simon Prast * Nancy Brunning * Sophia Hawthorne * Simon Westaway * Judith Gibson * Barr ...

'' which premiered at the 1998

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...

*'' You Move, You Die'' an Indie Thriller written and directed by Ketzal Sterling

Politics

In June 2010 Prast announced his intention to stand as a mayoral candidate in the October Auckland mayoral election. He stated that his experience and leadership would allow him to be an effective Mayor, the first as it transitions into "Super City". He was not successful in his bid, finishing fifth in the field of five listed candidates.

Recognition

He gained recognition for his work as director of the inaugural Auckland Festival (2003), when it was voted by

Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban ...

Readers Poll as the "Event of the Year". The same Metro Readers Poll also voted him "Auckland Man of the Year".

References

External links

*
NZ On Screen BiographyWaitakere literary information Auckland Theatre Company: Directors
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prast, Simon New Zealand theatre directors People from Auckland University of Auckland alumni 1962 births Living people People educated at Auckland Grammar School New Zealand male stage actors New Zealand male film actors New Zealand male television actors New Zealand male soap opera actors