Loose Canons is a series in which we invite artists we love to share five things that have informed their work. Meet the rest of our Loose Canons here.

Red Leap Associate Artist Katrina George has worked extensively in theatre performance and creation in NZ and overseas. She is a movement tutor at The Actors' Program and The Actors Lab, has toured internationally in her role as Lead Tutor for Red Leap's education programme, and was the choreographer and assistant director for Emilia at the Pop-up Globe.

Katrina's directorial debut, Moe Miti, is performed at Q Theatre from 22-27th of August, 2023

MY LEO’S

I’m proud to say I have some INCREDIBLE Leo’s in my life who I adore, adore, adore, and they know who they are (puuuurrrr).

There have however been two in my life since the beginning. My Mum & Brother, Leone & Christian. We like to joke that they enjoy lazing about or jumping on my scales (Libra), making me swing wildly out of balance, and on occasion, balancing me out perfectly. These two are a package deal, but I want to honour how they contribute to my artistic practice for different reasons. My Mum will always be my muse, my why. I’ve never met anyone more charismatic, strong, resilient or charming. As I continue to grow, I’m loving seeing her as the complex and deeply beautiful woman that she is. It’s impossible to sum it up in words, but mum - I love you, I am grateful for you and everything you have fought for, you are my heart. Christian, my brother has been with me through it all. From lightning storms on the farm as kids and holding me through the power-cuts, to most recently holding me through recovering from surgery. He’s been the biggest cheerleader of all my creative endeavors and continues to be. He's seen my heart shatter and he's put it together again and again, with his incredible humor and with his great gift of storytelling. No one has ever made me laugh so hard, ever. He has truly seen my worst and my best, and I couldn’t have navigated this big life without him at my side. As well as being an incredible companion to my life, Christian’s dreams, talanoa, research and writing has inspired my own practice. It was a dream of Christian’s that kicked off the inspiration for Moe Miti. These two are incredible individuals that inspire me endlessly. My work will always reference how these two have shaped who I am.

FELLOW ARTIST FRIENDS

I’m 3 weeks deep into rehearsals for directing my first show, Moe Miti. It’s massive to bring life to an idea and see it all the way to being performed in front of an audience. I’m in the deep, learning the ropes right now. Trial by fire. The process has been intense, and incredibly rewarding. My saving grace has been all the incredible artists that surround me.

Living as a creative in NZ is not easy. I am inspired by the amazing arts practitioners who contribute to live theater in this country - in all the roles required to work together in bringing the performance to the stage. I have immense alofa for this community who continue to put out their work, against all odds. Artists are incredible, resilient, beautiful people. It baffles me the bravery it takes to expose ourselves the way we do - to fail, to have big conversations, to test and shape and invest our lives into our craft. For the artists I have had the huge pleasure of knowing more closely in this time of my life, it's profound to be in collaboration with you – to hear the talanoa of your practice and to champion everything that makes it up. Particularly over the last couple of years in the creation of Moe Miti, the artists on this journey with me have provided space for me to do some huge learning about my practice. They’ve shown me the absolute joy of collaboration and the richness  of coming together. What a great life to be able to engage with one another in this way, through our work. You inspire me.

THESE WOMEN

I have been blessed with the presence of such incredible women at the beginning of my career as an artist, and since then, continue to be inspired, held and challenged by these women. The first show I ever did was Kōrorāreka: The Ballad of Maggie Flyn, with Red Leap Theatre. In this work I met Alison Bruce, Miriama McDowell and Julie Nolan, who have all been incredibly influential in my arts practice, and my growth as a human! I treasure these women - who have been at all my big life events since then. They have talked, grieved, celebrated, created and loved alongside me. What taonga they are, and I am incredibly fortunate to be learning under them, and living some of the great moments of my life alongside them. We’ve traversed mountain peaks, countries and big oceans of relationship together and they will always be an integral part of my career and arts practice. I want to also acknowledge Margaret-Mary Hollins with this precious group too, who I met a little later in my career, but whose impact and backing have been insurmountable. Thank you wāhine for loving me, and walking with me. Alofa atu to you all.

THE BABE

Cherie Moore. What a stunning, intelligent and smart woman. I’ve had the pleasure of nearly 4 years alongside this wāhine who I love. The home we have created and the big love that has weathered so much healing and transformation has and continues to radically impact my ability to work as an artist and to build my practice. I love watching this woman empower so many people to reach their potential in performance - the way she facilitates space for people to step into the bravest versions of themselves gets me every time. Cherie’s voice inspires me, the worlds she conjures when she sings — it’s a transformative, heart-cracking experience to watch Cherie perform. Huge heart, huge capacity for deep relationship, incredible woman. I can’t wait to keep shaping our artistic practices and our big beautiful life alongside one another. Thank you for all the ways you have contributed to my work, especially with Moe Miti. You’ve stayed up till the witching hours, helping me detangle my thoughts and get them on paper. You’re an intellectual powerhouse, a great collaborator and I love you.