S2: E10: Lauren Marshall - An Evening in New Zealand (REMASTERED)

Backstage Pass Radio

This is my chat with Christchurch New Zealand's own Lauren Marshall. Lauren is a vocalist, actress, and performer and has displayed her talent around the globe.
Lauren has been passionate about the performing arts since she was a child. Growing up in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, she trained in dance, singing, and drama, and spent her childhood involved in many musicals and productions. She also began writing her own music and playing guitar at 13 years old, finding her vocal strength in soul, blues, jazz, R&B, pop, and musical theatre.

​Lauren completed her Bachelor of Performing Arts from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts in Christchurch, in 2012, where she performed in musicals such as The Music Man, Cats, and Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Soon after she gained professional work as Sandy in The Court Theatre's sell out season of Grease, as well as national touring productions with THETA - Theatre in Health Education Trust. Lauren worked exclusively as an ambassador, model, and dancer with the Napier Art Deco Trust, where she became the face of the annual internationally acclaimed Art Deco Weekend.

​This led to Lauren moving to Melbourne, Australia, where she regularly performed at the infamous Broadway Unplugged sessions, and honed her screen acting skills with Kevin Harrington and Shane Connor at The Actors Coach. Lauren later had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles, California to train at the Margie Haber Studios in their ISP Screen Acting Intensive, where she worked with leading Hollywood acting professionals in screen acting technique, comedy, and improvisation.

Soon after, Lauren was cast in one of the newest and most highly anticipated shows from Royal Caribbean Productions Spectra's Cabaret. She then went on to work with the company as a featured vocalist and vocal captain in original productions of Sequins & Feathers, Live, Love, Legs, The Beautiful Dream, StarWater, and Sonic Odyssey, onboard their vessels.

​In 2020 Lauren completed a contract with Celebrity Cruises Productions as a specialty vocalist, performing in Les Farfadais's Euphoria, as well as multiple other shows. Onboard she debuted her self-produced headliner show Divas Through The Decades to critical acclaim.

​Since returning to New Zealand, Lauren has immersed herself back into the entertainment scene, appearing in sold-out nationwide tours of Tina - Simply The Best, and ABBA - The Dancing Queen Show. Lauren has made a name for herself as a well sought-after vocalist and guitarist, performing solo and in bands regularly around the country.

​In 2021, Lauren collaborated with artist/producer, Wulfie, on his track, Love Won't Run Away, which was released in November. The song signaled her debut as the musical artist LOVETA, with her first EP due to be released in mid-2022.