Meet the Team

James Murdoch
Chairperson

James started out in musical theatre when he was 10, enjoying his youthful years on the stage. Eventually going on to backstage, lighting and sound, he has finally settled on Production Team work. James has worked with a number of the Auckland theatre societies on a number of shows both big and small and now feels very privileged to be a trustee of the Amici Trust.

Recent highlights have been Hairspray and The Phantom of the Opera. In the real world James is busy flying for Air New Zealand, where he manages to mix his passion of flying with seeing the odd show in other parts of the world.

Trish McLennan
Trustee

Trish has had a love of the Arts for many years, and over the last 8 years has been actively involved in Musical Theatre.

She has worked for a number of theatres in the Auckland region and has been involved in many areas of production including stage crewing, sourcing and managing props, costuming and Production Secretary. In recent years Trish has been Company Manager for both Mamma Mia! and Phantom of the Opera (Civic Theatre), and Evita (Bruce Mason Centre).

Although in recent years her involvement has centred on musical theatre, she has a wider general interest in music and dance and she enjoys encouraging and watching people grow in their respective fields of expertise. Her now grown up girls were actively involved in dance from a very early age and continued dancing until their late teens. During their dancing years Trish spent many hours helping with productions backstage and in an administration capacity.

Having worked for a number of years as an Accountant and Business Administrator, she loves the balance being involved in the Arts brings to her life.

Amy Cowan
Trustee

Amy’s interest in musical theatre came about through her love of dancing. She has trained to Advanced level in Ballet, Jazz, Tap and National. She also has many years’ experience in Ballroom, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Cabaret, Spanish and Cheerleading. Amy graduated with a Diploma of Dance and Theatre Arts from East Auckland Performing Arts in 2002, where she also taught Hip Hop, Jazz and Tap.

Amy has performed in many local productions including Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, Copacabana, Seussical the Musical, Fame, By Jeeves, The Producers and Thoroughly Modern Millie; and has been Dance Captain for Val Hemphill for Copacabana, Seussical the Musical, Fame, Kiss Me Kate, The Boy from Oz and La Cage aux Folles.

Following the birth of her son, Amy has changed her focus to choreography and has choreographed Me and My Girl for Harlequin Musical Theatre and Footloose for NSMT, for which she was nominated for Best Choreographer at the NAPTA Awards in 2010. Most recently, Amy has choreographed a youth show (ages 8-15) Move It for NSMT.

Outside of theatre, Amy is a Registered Legal Executive with Turner Hopkins, Lawyers. Amy has significant expertise in property conveyancing, subdivisions and related funding activities. Never one to take things easy, Amy is also currently completing the Diploma in Conveyancing.

David Adkins
Development Director

David joins the Amici Trust team with extensive experience both as a performer, director, teacher and production manager.

A long history with theatre in New Zealand has led to career highlights including directing Miss Saigon at the Civic Theatre, Auckland and Sister Act at the ASB Waterfront Theatre as well as production managing major productions at the Civic, The Bruce Mason Centre and the Kiri Te Kanawa Centre.

The rest of New Zealand gets to enjoy David’s many theatre talents through the direction of productions including Priscilla Queen of the Desert in Napier, 2023.

With a passion for mentoring, 20 years ago David started running courses around New Zealand on “Directing Musicals” to help foster both adults and youngsters, and aid in the development of our home-grown talent. He continues to act as a mentor to directors throughout New Zealand and is still developing courses as well as creating new ones.

Out in the ‘real world’, before giving it up to pursue the arts, David had a long career in the corporate world having held senior roles in major companies operating throughout New Zealand and Australia. He has also been a regular guest speaker at Auckland University as well as within the arts as a guest presenter with Music Theatre New Zealand, and he counts teaching and mentoring as being amongst his most favourite things.

David spent a few years in the UK working at cabarets and theatres in both a technical and management capacity.

A board member of G&T Productions for some years, David is actively involved in managing projects for the group and working closely with the various theatre trusts and societies who are active within communities around New Zealand.

David is part of The Amici Trust Board and is focused on development growth, working towards a future where The Amici Trust have increased their presence nationally. David is helping to further develop the trust into an organisation that will have longevity and a dynamic presence in the future of the New Zealand arts scene.