Laura Irish

Laura Irish is an actress, improviser and writer originally from Illinois. She is a dual citizen of the USA and New Zealand. She holds a BA in Theatre from Greenville University and a Masters in Arts Management from AUT. Laura studied at The Stella Adler Studio of Acting in NYC in 2013 and she also studied Anne Bogart's Viewpoints and the Suzuki Method of Actor's Training for 6 years through Body in Space Theatre Company in New Zealand. She has been an improviser since 2005 and has studied over the past decade with industry greats such as David Razowsky (Second City), Patti Stiles (Keith Johnstone, Impro Melbourne), Joe Bill (Annoyance Theatre), Jason Geary (Impro Melbourne, Spark), Jennifer O'Sullivan (New Zealand Improv Fest, Locomotive), The Men with Coconuts and Daniel Allan (The Deep End, The Court Jesters). Laura is the former Artistic Director of The People's Republic of Improv and has taught improv and acting for the past decade. Laura typically works between the USA and New Zealand but has also worked in Australia, India and South Korea. As well as on screen, Laura is very experienced in stage acting and is an accomplished singer and Shakespearean actress. Stage credits include Audrey (Little Shop of Horrors), Mercutio (Romeo + Juliet), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth), Kathleen Scott (Terra Nova), Myrrha and various characters (Metamorphoses), Cecily (The Importance of Being Ernest), Milady de Winter (The Three Musketeers), Bonnie Parker (Hot Chocolate & The Trail's End), Puck (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Viola (Twelfth Night) and the award-nominated part of Medea (Medea, solo show written/adapted by Laura Irish). Laura has also performed in numerous improv shows locally, nationally and abroad and is an accomplished presenter and public speaker. She has also been nominated for Best Actress of the HP48 Hour Film Festival National competition for three consecutive years and again in 2019 (4x total), having won the regional awards in Christchurch two of those years. With her production/writing team also winning Best Film three consecutive years and winning First Runner Up in 2019 for their 1980s Action Spoof film, DOC FORCE: Death Island. Laura is one of the founders of the New Zealand Improv Trust which runs the New Zealand Improv Festival and a founder of The Nelson Fringe Arts Charitable Trust which runs the Nelson Fringe Festival. She also founded and was Artistic Director of Ghost Light Theatre from 2017-2019. Laura is married to international journalist and Director of Vanishing Point Studios, Charles Anderson. She is mother to Elijah and Ivie.