Last night we celebrated the outstanding achievements of our students in music, dance, drama, musical theatre, kapa haka and public speaking at the 2025 Performing Arts Awards.
The evening opened with a powerful kapa haka performance, setting the tone for a night that showcased the breadth of talent, creativity and collaboration across the school.
Marsden's Kapa Haka Group
Director of Performing Arts Sarah Wilson reflected on a period of growth and renewal for the performing arts at Marsden, made possible by the success of last year’s fundraising campaign. Over the past 12 months, we have seen the arrival of a beautiful new grand piano, upgrades to our music practice rooms, new soundproofing and storage, and a major enhancement to the Auditorium’s sound system, all of which have created fresh opportunities for students to perform, create and connect.
Among the highlights of the night was the address from guest speaker Alexandra McKellar, an award-winning director, producer and choreographer of The Addams Family, 42nd Street, Heathers, Hair, Bring It On, The Witches of Eastwick, and Marsden’s own 2025 production of Freaky Friday.
Alex shared her inspiring journey from child performer to professional director, speaking about resilience, adaptability and the courage to tell your own stories.
She also urged students to “dare to fail,” reminding them that, “Every time you try something that doesn’t work, you learn things to make the next attempt stronger.”
Head of Performing Arts Isabella Boyer and Deputy Head Aubane Farcy led the event with warmth and humour. Both reflected on the role of performing arts in shaping confidence and connection.
Aubane shared that her own Marsden journey began after watching the school’s choir perform at the Big Sing in 2022. "Some 30 cloaked figures walked onto the stage, revealed candles, and I was hooked. I wanted to be part of that choir.” She spoke passionately about the importance of the arts in education. “Office jobs put food on the table — they’re necessary to survive. Performing arts puts love in your heart, and that is necessary to live.”
Issy spoke about Marsden’s culture of participation and the power of peer mentorship. "The sheer number of performing arts activities offered here means almost anyone can find something they love. More than half our students take part. It’s part of everyday life at Marsden.” She also encouraged younger students to have a go. "Performing arts takes time. You don’t start off with the lead role, you have to work hard for it. Try things, because once you do, you’ll get swept up by performing arts and never want to let it go.”
From left to right: Head of Performing Arts Isabella Boyer, Guest Speaker Alex McKellar, and Deputy Head of Performing Arts Aubane Farcy
The night saw several outstanding achievements recognised with prestigious awards. Huge congratulations to the following students:
- Angel Encarnado – The Junior Cultural Cup 2025
- Millie Bonifant – The Year 11 Speech Cup 2025
- Vanessa Ardern – The Orr-McFaull Cup for Excellence in Debating 2025
- Millie Hiku – The Sophie Evans Cup for Performing Arts 2025
- Ari Andrews – The Harcourt McKenzie Cup for the Pursuit of a Career in the Stage or Screen Arts 2025
- Isabella Boyer – The Thurlby Cup 2025
- Aubane Farcy – The Old Girls’ Cup for Cultural Involvement 2025
From left to right: Cup Winners Millie Hiku, Isabella Boyer, Aubane Farcy, Ari Andrews, Millie Bonifant and Angel Encarnado with Marsden's Director of Performing Arts Sarah Wilson
We also congratulate the following students who were awarded Honours Bars for 2025 in recognition of their exceptional achievements at a national level:
- Georgia May – for representing New Zealand in Irish Dancing
- Isla Nottage – for representing New Zealand in Highland Dancing
- Aubane Farcy – for her selection into the NZ Secondary Schools’ Orchestra
- Milliann Lim – for her selection into the NZ Secondary Schools’ Orchestra
- Isabella Boyer – for her selection into the NZ Secondary Students’ Choir
- Abigail Hyde – for her selection into the NZ Secondary Students’ Choir
- Akshara Ravi – for her selection into the NZ Secondary Students’ Choir
From left to right: Honours Bars recipients Akshara Ravi, Isla Nottage, Georgia May, Abigail Hyde, Isabella Boyer, Aubane Farcy and Milliann Lim
See the full list of award winners here.
In a touching moment near the end of the evening, Sarah Wilson was recognised for receiving an Independent Schools of New Zealand Honours Award for outstanding service to the performing arts.
As Issy said in her tribute, “Miss Wilson’s impact is felt across the school. She leads Marsden’s performing arts with vision and energy — leading large-scale productions, coordinating crews, and championing choirs, music and dance. In every sphere, she exemplifies the Marsden values of hiranga, oha and auahatanga.”
The 2025 Performing Arts Awards captured the spirit of creativity, courage and community that defines the Marsden performing arts programme — a fitting finale to an inspiring year.
