New York-born Margaret O’Hanlon trained at LaGuardia High School of the Arts before cutting her teeth writing and performing one-woman shows in Greenwich Village. A visit to Queenstown in 1988 unexpectedly became a new life, and she has spent more than three decades creating, performing and developing original music and theatre in the region.

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Margaret is the founder of Whirlwind Productions NZ, where her work as a writer, director and producer combines music with the stories, people and social questions that fascinate her. Her productions range from original musical theatre and rock opera to the intimate Tiny Room Concerts, alongside a long career as a singer, vocal coach and champion of local performers.

At heart, she remains what she started as: a performer who likes telling stories through music — and creating the show she wants to see.

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Margaret is also renowned for her work as a Singer, Actor, Director, Vocal Coach, Vocal Tutor and as a Producer of events.  She is a Trustee on the Queenstown Performing Arts Centre Trust and Creative Queenstown.  She has been recognised twice through QLDC 'Heart of the District Awards, and in 2018 won a Kiwi Bank New Zealand "Local Hero" Award for her work in the Arts.

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