Jesse Peach

Jesse Peach
Born	Jesse David Peach
Occupation	Journalist, Actor, Director
Notable credit(s)	Blake Crombie in Shortland Street 3 News reporter (2006–Present)

Jesse Peach (born 31 December 1983) is a New Zealand director, actor and television reporter.

Education

Peach graduated from the Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Communication Studies degree in 2005.

Television

Peach broke into New Zealand television with his role as troubled teen Blake Crombie in Shortland Street (1999–2001).

He is arguably best known for his work on 3 News.

Theatre

In 2005, he founded Peach Theatre Company and staged Billy Liar at Lopdell House in Titirangi, West Auckland. This was followed by The Glass Menagerie in 2006 and Equus in 2007, both at the Glen Eden Playhouse.

In April 2008, PTC had an successful season of the musical Blood Brothers, directed by Peach and starring New Zealand actors Annie Whittle and Ray Woolf, as well as newcomers Ashley Hawkes and Nicolas Kyle.^[1] This was PTC's first musical.

Peach then directed a sell-out season of the New Zealand comedy Niu Sila, starring Ashley Hawkes and Fasitua Amosa (Sione's Wedding), in May 2008. Niu Sila was written by Oscar Kightley and Dave Armstrong, who also wrote popular New Zealand cartoon television series bro'Town. Peach's production was the first time Niu Sila had been staged without the original cast.

In 2009, Peach directed a successful season of The History Boys starring George Henare in Peach Theatre's debut at Auckland's Maidment Theatre, the city's premiere venue for plays.

In 2010 Peach was invited to direct The Cape for Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North, and also directed 2 shows for his own company; the first, the highly acclaimed production of the Sondheim musical thriller Sweeney Todd, starring Michael Hurst and Ray Columbus at The Maidment Theatre. For this, the New Zealand Listener Magazine named Peach "Opera Director of Our Dreams" in its 2010 Arts Awards. That year he also directed the Arthur Miller classic A View From The Bridge featuring Shortland Street stars Anna Jullienne and Robbie Magasiva at The Auckland Performing Arts Centre.

2011: Peach directed Othello in collaboration NZ icons Douglas Wright (Choreographer) and Gareth Farr (Composer) at the Maidment Theatre. In September 2011 Peach will produce and direct The Wizard of Oz at New Zealand's leading theatrical venue; The Civic - of a 2350 seating capacity - starring Raymond Hawthorne, Tina Cross, Lisa Chappell, George Henare OBE and Opera Diva Helen Medlyn, and Olivia Tennet as Dorothy. Peach's production of The Wizard of Oz coincides with Rugby World Cup 2011.

References

1. ^ Christian, Dionne (3 April 2008). "Youth adds new blood to Cain and Abel tale". New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/theatre/news/article.cfm?c_id=343&objectid=10501663. Retrieved 30 August 2010. 

External links

• Peach's Theatre Company Site
• NZ Herald's article on PTC's Blood Brothers show
• Metro magazine's review of Blood Brothers
• Peach and actor George Henare discuss The History Boys

Persondata
Name	Peach, Jesse
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Date of birth	31 December 1983
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