Tom Smith Headshot 2024

I am a Pōneke based, Ōtepoti raised theatre producer with a passion for comedy, devising, and entertainment created for/by young people. I believe in using storytelling to change young people’s perception of stage work and to bring new audiences to the creative space.

I graduated from Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington's 2023 Master of Fine Arts in Theatre program with Distinction. Alongside this, I received the 2023 Dronke Prize for Drama. I have wrote and produced award-winning plays across the NZ Fringe Festival, Dunedin Fringe, and Six Degrees Festival. I am soon to take multiple shows to Auckland, Whangārei, and Melbourne. Previously, I worked alongside Taki Rua Productions on their 2024 tour of Hatupatu | Kurungaituku: A Forbidden Love.

My company, Believable Arts Management, provides production management support to emerging creatives, allowing artists to focus on the art, not the admin. BAM’s portfolio includes multiple award-winning productions from various festivals. My experiences across a range of theatre departments provide me with a multi-faceted outlook. I know what makes a theatre production tick and how my efforts from behind the scenes can support the process.