Macleans College alumna takes centre stage in Wellington
Posted on March 06, 2026
Former Macleans College student Ashley Harnett (Batten House 2018 - 2022) recently appeared in her first major acting role, marking an important milestone in her developing career.
Ashley is a 2025 graduate of New Zealand's leading drama school, Toi Whakaari, where she completed a Bachelor of Performing Arts majoring in Acting.
She began drama classes in 2014 and performed with Howick Little Theatre. Since then, she has worked on several short films and stage productions. Ashley has also directed and produced two short films of her own. Most recently, she portrayed Gen in the feature film Caterpillar.
A major role at Circa Theatre
Ashley’s first major role was Laura in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. The production was staged at Circa Theatre in Wellington, with performances running from 24 January to 22 February.
Set in 1930s St Louis, the play explores the lives of four individuals struggling to conform to the expectations of others.
Ashley’s performance received strong praise. In a review for Regional News - Eyes on Wellington, Tanya Piejus described her portrayal of Laura as ‘especially engaging’. She noted that Ashley’s ability to express the complexities of Laura’s character through action and expression was a ‘joy to watch’.
Ashley’s success reflects her dedication to her craft and the strong foundation developed during her years at Macleans College. The school community congratulates Ashley on this achievement and looks forward to following her continued progress in the performing arts.