Help get Shanna to The Globe!

Hey, I'm Shanna, and if you know me, you know that I have always loved theatre and performing. I am thrilled and grateful to have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity, to train and perform at the Globe Theatre in London! 

I am one of only 24 students from across New Zealand chosen to be part of the prestigious SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company 2026.  Together with 23 other amazing young actors, I will travel to London and spend 3 weeks doing workshops, studying Shakespeare, and ultimately performing at the Globe. This is such an incredible gift, which will be of enormous benefit for my future as I pursue acting and see where it takes me.

The trip comes with a significant cost of around NZ$12,000. Alongside my other local fundraising efforts and grant applications, I would be so grateful for any support you are able to give me to bridge the gap!

I am 18 years old, I just finished high school, and am taking a gap year to explore the world, seek out adventures, and develop my skills as an actor.

My biggest supporters are my family, who have been invaluable in helping me get to this point. Their unwavering support and belief in me has given me the courage to step out and see what I can do. I am endlessly grateful to them.

The Performing Arts staff at Middleton Grange School have been really critical in my journey. I have had so many opportunities to perform and grow in Musical Theatre, Shakespeare, dance, singing, and multiple other areas. I wouldn't be where I am today without them. 

I am incredibly grateful and honoured to have so far been generously sponsored for this trip by Creative New Zealand from their "Development Fund for Artists and Practitioners", and by the Selwyn District Council.

This trip is only for 3 weeks, but comes with considerable costs. I need around NZ $12,000 in total for:

• Flights
• Accommodation
• Insurance
• Taxes
• Workshop and course Fees
• Food and daily expenses

I will be running my own fundraising events such as sausage sizzles, bake sales and drama workshops to help meet the target, as well as working and applying for grants.

For a young actor in New Zealand, one of the highlights of the school year is the SGCNZ Shakespeare Festival. Each year around 4000 students participate in regional competitions around the country. In 2025 I opted to direct my own 5 minute scene, Act 1 Scene 1 of Macbeth, with my own interpretation of how it could be performed. The scene won a place at the National Festival, where it received several awards including the "Most Innovative interpretation".   This was a first for our school, and I was fortunate to be one of 48 students selected for a 9 day intensive course later in the year. From that group of 48 I was chosen to be one of the 24 members of the Young Shakespeare Company. Being in YSC was a long-held dream of mine, as it's about as far as you can go with drama in high school, so I am beyond excited to be part of this! 

Going to London will allow me to be immersed in the world of Shakespeare, and give me invaluable insight into life in the Theatre. I will have the chance to learn from incredible professionals, refine my skills as an actor, grow as a person and consolidate my plans for the future.

From my earliest years I have always been passionate about performing arts. I am so grateful for what to me is the ultimate opportunity to learn and grow as a person and as an actor. I also love people, and I view my involvement in theatre not just as something for myself, but as a way to connect with and serve the people around me, I love building relationships with a diverse range of people and learning all I can from them. I hope to use my skills to bless others, whether that be through performing, teaching or mentoring, and this course will give me so much more knowledge and experience to do that effectively. It will also be of enormous benefit to my future endeavours in professional acting.