Image courtesy of Playmarket NZ
"A pioneer of New Zealand playwriting, and a co-founder of Playmarket — the powerhouse of writing for theatre in this country."
Robert Lord was born in Rotorua on 18 July 1945 and studied Arts at Victoria University of Wellington. His first full-length play premiered at Downstage Theatre, Wellington, in 1971.
Based in New York throughout the 1980s, he held the University of Otago's Burns Fellowship in 1987, returned to live in Dunedin in 1990, and died there on 7 January 1992.
Along with his award-winning works for the stage, Robert also wrote TV and feature film screenplays. His work has been performed throughout New Zealand and internationally.
Lord's commitment to New Zealand writing is reflected in his decision to make his Dunedin cottage available to writers after he died of an AIDS-related illness at the age of 46.