Akersten, Donna

Was a qualified primary school teacher who resigned from the profession when an opportunity arose to tour with the New Zealand Drama Players’ Quartet —a tour that was cut short by having to undergo surgery.

Recovered, she worked with the Central Theatre in Auckland, then moved to Wellington to begin the hard grind to try to become a fulltime professional free-lance actress. She worked where ever jobs were, including Downstage by night and Parliament Buildings by day, as a cleaner. However, when she fell asleep at rehearsals a choice had to be made.

From that point on she did regular work with Downstage, and also began doing voice-overs for commercials and playing in radio dramas. Donna maintains that she’ll be happy when an actor, “is accepted as a hard-working individual and the myth that he is someone playing at a glamorous game where all he needs is make-up and a smile is gone.”

With 20-odd professional roles to her credit in the last three years, ten children’s plays for Downstage, Nomad Theatre, Group Productions and Arena Productions with television work as well, she is a well-known young actress.

Now (1973)  Donna is in Australia hoping to further her experience. Within a Week or so of arriving, she landed a part in a radio play which featured another well-known New Zealander, Walter Pym. She wants to return to New Zealand eventually and she hopes then to be in a position to plough back into New Zealand theatre some of the' knowledge and experience she has gained during her hard-working apprenticeship here.