Last week at the Dunedin Theatre Awards ceremony Mr McKenzie was awarded the prize for Outstanding Director of the play 'Saved'. 'Saved' went on to receive the prize for Play of the Year.

Last year, Mr McKenzie took two terms leave on a Teacher NZ Scholarship and studied three papers at the University of Otago: two Theatre papers and a Māori paper on waiata. 

One Theatre paper involved an industry placement as a TV and Film Writer and the second was a Director Paper which required a 35-40min staged play.

'Saved' was the play he chose for the Director Paper. The play at two and a half hours was longer then the paper needed but had always been of interest to him—'a passion project'. He collaborated with Ms Jo Harford and together they formed a production company to produce it. 

We are thrilled to have both Mr McKenzie’s and Ms Welvaert’s expertise in the Performing Arts Department here at King’s.