Johanna Cosgrove

Bio

Johanna is a graduate from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, having gained her Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts in 2014. She has also trained at L'ecole Phillipe Gaulier in Paris and with renowned theatre maker John Bolton.

Alongside being a full-time writer on Shortland Street, Johanna recently premiered her stand-up show Hi Delusion at the New Zealand Comedy Festival to a sold out Auckland season, critical acclaim and a return season. She is also a member of the award-winning all-femme improv group Heartthrobs and is a 2023 member of hit Auckland improv group Snort. Johanna has performed in Wellington’s acclaimed political satire Public Service Announcements and is co-writing the latest iteration for Circa Main-stage in 2023. In 2022 Johanna was commissioned to make ICONOCLAST for the New Zealand Cabaret Festival alongside Barnie Duncan and Alistair Deverick which sold out in 36 hours and received critical acclaim. 

 Johanna is also the creator and performer of sell-out hit AUNTY for which she won 2017 Best Comedy in the Auckland Fringe, Best Line in a Kiwi Play 2017 Auckland Theatre Awards and Outstanding Performer in the 2018 Dunedin Fringe. AUNTY has also toured to Melbourne Comedy Festival, had two return seasons at the New Zealand Comedy Festival and was at Assembly at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe where she garnered 4 stars from the British Theatre Guide. Johanna was also the recipient of Best Comedy in the Auckland Fringe 2018 with Chefmasters. She has toured with Slightly Isolated Dog and Capital E in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, she also published her debut poetry book Crying on the Phone.

Johanna is currently the co-host of the infamous ‘Rats in the Gutter’ podcast alongside sex journalist and art write Sam Te Kani. She was the co-host and writer of 'Brekfist' on Re: News (TVNZ'S online youth news media platform) and has hosted regularly on 95bFm radio for their theatre segment.

Johanna is the co-founder of the esteemed Wellington-based social enterprise Nopesisters Clothing which won Influencer of the Year (Social Change) in the Miss FQ Awards and was nominated for a New Zealand Women of Influence Award and a recipient of a 2018 AMP Scholarship. Nopesisters has recently been included in Te Papa’s Suffrage exhibition and is also an addition to their permanent collection. Johanna and her sister Brittany are also recipients of a 2019 New Zealander of the Year; Kiwi Bank Local Hero Award. In 2019 they were recipients of the Frankie Magazine’s Peoples Choice Award, nominated for a Wellington Gold Business Award, a Miss FQ Influencer of the Year award, were included in New Zealand Fashion Week's 'Sustainable Fashion' showcase and featured in Vanity Fair.