As a teacher
Wade is a master teacher. With post graduate qualifications in both Drama and Health Science he combines his unique background in the healing, performing and martial arts to create a learning experience quite like no other.
Wade’s deep understanding of the principles of improvisation allow him to positively impact any improv group; whether it’s short form, long form or a narrative style of improv.
Wade designs the Covert Theatre member workshops and has taught at international festivals such as the Chicago Improv Festival (USA), Improvaganza (Hawaii), Brisbane Improv Festival (Australia) and Inspinazie Improv Festival (Belgium).
When not on the improv stage, Wade teaches the science of human behaviour through play to businesses, Militaries, Universities, elite athletes and not-for-profit organisations. Wade is also an author and playwright. His plays include The Covid Response Team (an adult puppet show performed under UV light) and is the author of three books on self-leadership, business storytelling & facilitation. He has worked on four continents and his work is endorsed by world leading thinkers such as Stephen Covey and Edward de Bono.
Working with wonderful people
As an actor
Wade has performed at international festivals since 1999 and was invited to perform at the Chicago Improv Festival a record five times for an international act.
Some performance highlights include:
Being asked to audition for Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1999 at the Big Stinkin’ Improv Festival in Austin, Texas.
Performing for a month in the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2000.
Having The Improv Bandits show produced in 2000 at the HBO Warner Brothers TV Workspace in Los Angeles.
Winning the 2002 inaugural World Cage Match Championship at IO with a 21-minute silent scene.
Performing in Chicago at the Annoyance (2000), IO (2002, 2014), WNEP (2003) and the Athenaeum Theater (2002, 2003).
Performing at VTSL on Granville Island in Vancouver (2003).
Performing with the stars of Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 2004, 2009, 2017.
Receiving a standing ovation and three encores for A Bard’s Tale at the Inspinazie Improv Festival in Leuven, Belgium in 2008.
Performing at the Improvaganza Hawaii Improv Festival (2014, 2015, 2018).
Performing A Bard’s Tale in 2019 at the Pop Up Globe, a full size replica theatre of Shakespeare’s second Globe theatre.
Hosting the Improvaganza show on 25 June 2020 - the opening show of the second incarnation of the Covert Theatre.
Wade’s acting training includes a Post Graduate Diploma in Drama, Meisner Acting Technique, The Actor’s Studio (Acting for Stage, Acting Shakespeare), Acting for Film & TV and Commedia dell’arte.
Wade has acting credits in Film and TV shows such as Spooked, Hercules, Xena, Power Rangers, Shortland Street, Legend of the Seeker, Spartacus. However, it is improv that is his biggest love and spiritual practice.
As a producer
Wade is an award-winning producer, having produced thousands of shows in a career over 25 years. He has successfully raised over a million dollars of cash, goods and services in this time, built long term improv brands, created improv festivals and established two fulltime theatres.
In 2011, weeks after the deadly Christchurch Earthquakes, Wade produced a fundraiser comedy show with the biggest line up of NZ comedians and in one-off 3-hour show raised $100,000 for the Red Cross.
Wade has created many shows such as Ding! (improv game show), Ferris Wheel, Perfect Match (improvised speed dating), Laugh Lab, Comedy Roulette, Same Same But Different and produced others such as A Bard’s Tale (improvised Shakespeare), Instant Broadway (improvised musical), Jung & the Restless (improvised soap opera), Interrogation (improvised drama) and more.
Wade is the current artistic director of the Covert Theatre in Auckland, NZ that has over 100 members in the company and perform every imaginable improv format; short-form, long-form, narrative form, improvised soap opera, celebrity chat show, game shows and more.
Producing improv shows like these...
"Wade was great at encouraging us to leave our inhibitions and really jump in and participate. He built a very supportive environment and was also able to relate what we were doing back to life outside the class and made us think about how we behave, which was excellent."
