Susan Wilson

Susan (Sue) Wilson ONZM is one of Aotearoa’s most respected theatre practitioners, whose career as both actor and director has helped shape the landscape of professional theatre in Wellington. While she is widely associated with her foundational role at Circa Theatre — and as a founding member of the Circa Council in 1976 — her work is also closely connected to the legacy of Downstage and The Hannah Playhouse.

Wilson played Celia in Hannah Playhouse’s 1973 opening production of As You Like It. In the years following the opening of The Hannah, Wilson was part of a generation of artists working across Wellington’s key stages, contributing to a vibrant and evolving theatre ecology. Her performances and creative collaborations during this period reflect the strong dialogue between Downstage and emerging independent companies, all of which helped define the city’s reputation as a centre for regular theatre. 

As a director, Wilson has led numerous acclaimed productions, including Angels in America, Joyful and Triumphant, Arcadia, and Death of a Salesman, earning multiple Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards and Director of the Year in 1992 and 2006. She has also played a pivotal role in founding and shaping Circa’s beloved annual summer pantomime alongside playwright Roger Hall and musical director Michael Nicholas Williams, and appeared for five seasons as Beryl in the well-known TV show Gliding On (1981–85).

Susan Wilson’s contribution sits at the heart of Wellington’s theatre story, a legacy of craft, leadership, and enduring commitment to the stage.