Photography: Robert Trathen.
She’s starred in six seasons of Westside and three seasons of Go Girls, plus she’s also an accomplished singer. And now Esther Stephens can also add “concert producer” to her varied CV since joining the Auckland Philharmonia.
But the actress, 40, lights up most brightly when she talks about two of her favourite productions, her sons Jake, eight, and Eli, five.
“They’re great boys and such good friends,” smiles Esther.
“And now Eli has embarked on his school journey, having Jake’s support has been super- cool. They often hang out at lunchtime and morning tea, which is lovely.”
But the juggle is real, even with Esther’s husband, graphic designer Todd Beeby, 45, at her side and three sets of doting grandparents pitching in.
“When I was filming in Queenstown for my episode of A Remarkable Place To Die, on one occasion, I found myself in the middle of commissioning orchestral arrangements for an Auckland Phil concert, while also preparing to go into a stunt rehearsal on set and managing the boys’ childcare in Auckland by text,” recalls Esther.
“All within the same hour!”
Reconnecting in Queenstown
On the plus side, being in Queenstown did offer Esther an opportunity to enjoy some rare downtime.
She explains, “I’m part-time with the orchestra, but it’s still a lot of work, so when I wasn’t filming, I was at my laptop. But it was still like winning a prize. As much as I adore my little boys, to have almost a week by myself in a hotel was a real treat. I went for some lovely big walks in those beautiful landscapes.”
Esther also enjoyed reconnecting with old mates.
“The cast and crew were so kind and welcoming, and I ran into folks I’d worked with on previous projects,” says Esther.
“I shot my first scene with Matt Whelan, who was in Go Girls with me. It was lovely to play opposite him again. “Last year, when I did a guest role on My Life Is Murder with Lucy Lawless, I arrived on set to find Johnny Barker, who’d been my boyfriend on Go Girls, playing my husband!”
The actress finds it hilarious she’s making a career out of playing what she calls “mad broads” on screen.
She laughs, “My characters do a lot of wailing and screaming, but those roles are such a lot of fun.”
Following mums footsteps
As for whether Jake and Eli might follow in their talented mum’s footsteps as actors or musicians, Esther says, “Musically, Jake and Eli both have good natural pitch, and Jake is very confident, extroverted and a real chatterer, which is similar to me. He’s come to one or two auditions with me, but he also loves science and Minecraft.
“We do a lot of reading with them, while Eli is proving himself to be a natural little sportsman. He just finished his first season of football – he scored three goals in his final game! Touch rugby is next for him and they both do swimming.”
Jake keeps a keen eye on his mother’s stellar career, says Esther proudly.
“When Jake had a dress-up day at school, he chose to be the Auckland Phil concert master and principal first violinist, so Todd made him a gorgeous cardboard violin and bow, and he wore all black. “Having attended so many concerts, he knows how important the first violinist is to the orchestra.”
Her greatest role yet
Jake even had a music-themed eighth birthday party, with 19 kids crammed into the family’s lounge to belt out kid-friendly hits on the karaoke machine
“I’m a naturally organised person, so it was a bit like making a concert,” Esther tells.
“I love sitting behind the lighting desk with a full orchestra on stage with artists like Tiki Taane and Bic Runga, seeing all the elements of a concert come together. It gives me tingles just talking about it!”
And on that note, Esther farewells Woman’s Day to do a few more hours’ work on the orchestra’s Christmas concerts, then it’ll be time to collect her beloved boys from school, switching back to mum mode, arguably her greatest role of all.
Esther stars in this week’s episode of A Remarkable Place To Die, 8.30pm Sunday on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+.
For info on the Auckland Philharmonia, visit aucklandphil.nz.
