Friday Music at Thumbs Up

John Paul and I present Friday morning music at Thumbs Up. It is a robust, playful presentation of music with movement and instruments.

We tune into the group to create music that lifts and creates a jolly Friday morning.

We integrate the use of:

Boomwhackers
Fabric
Parachute
Balls, both small and large fitness balls
Drums
Percussion instruments
Voice
Ukulele
Guitar
Piano

This is one of the highlights of my week

Stagecraft Theatre Wellington

Information provided by Stagecraft Theatre

Necessary Targets
Author: Eve Ensler

Summary: 'When we think of war, we think of it as something that happens to men' Ensler (author of The Vagina Monologues) writes, 'but after the bombing, that's when the real war begins.'

In 1995, Ensler went to Bosnia and met women who were forced to deal with the aftermath of war. 'It was their community, their insane humanity in the face of catastrophe, their staggering refusal to have or seek revenge that fuelled me and ultimately moved me to write this play', she wrote.

In Necessary Targets, Melissa, a strident young disaster specialist and JS, a pampered urban psychiatrist, form an unlikely friendship when they go to Bosnia to help female war survivors cope with their traumas. However, in the refugee camp the 'normal' boundaries between therapist and patient become blurred and the relationships and experiences that are revealed unexpectedly challenge the interlopers: in the search for their stories, are the women still just 'necessary targets'?

Dates and times: Wednesday 25 March to Saturday 28 March 2009 at 8 pm, Sunday 29 March at 4 pm, Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April at 6.30 pm, Thursday 2 to Saturday 4 April at 8 pm

Cast:

JS - Loren Martin
Melissa - Tanya Piejus
Zlata - Dee Guja
Nuna - Emmy Wafer
Jelena - Kate Blackhurst
Azra - Christine Hunt
Seada - Eva Corlett

Crew: Claire Hewitt (director), Iona Anderson (production manager), Jan Lippert (stage manager), Stephen Fearnley (set construction coordinator, assistant stage manager), Sam Perry, Alec Rogers, Darrell Haddon, Peter Swain, Matt Todd (set construction), Tabitha Arthur, Matthew Leather (lighting design), Ross Foubister (lighting operator), Simon Boyes (sound design), Susan Page (sound operator), Louise Grenside, Paul Sadlier, Glen Wilkinson (props), Nan Sanders, Jenny Parkin, Sue Taylor (wardrobe), Leigh Cain (prompt), Tanya Piejus, Matthew Hodgman (photographer), Rodney Bane (opening night supper), Scenario Communications (poster and flyer design)

Ladies for Hire
Author: Alison Quigan

Summary: St Mary's Church Choir is the most well known and liked choir in Palmerston North. The heart and soul of the community, with a cup of tea and slice never far from hand, the ladies provide the congregation with life, joy and music. Until the new parish priest finds their humour a bit close to the bone and fires them.

Out of a home and a workplace, determined not to let Father Paul get the better of them, the ladies go it alone, becoming ladies for hire... choir hire, that is.

Alison Quigan has beautifully crafted this modern story of leadership and loyalty when faith is tested and you find out who your true friends are in times of crisis.

Dates and times: Wednesday 30 May to Saturday 2 June 2012 at 8 pm, Sunday 3 June at 3 pm, Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 June at 6.30 pm, Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 June at 8 pm

Cast: 

Harriet - Stephanie Gartrell
Mary McIntyre - Loren Martin
Mary O'Donnell - Kaaryn Cater
Marijka - Terry Binding
Shelley - Toni-Maree Westcott
Father Paul - Kiel Taylor
Father Peter - David Cox
Trina/Pallbearer/Family Friend - Emma Rose Luxton
Bride/Kindergarten Teacher/Farmers Employee/Police officer - Kerryn Donovan
Bridegroom/Pallbearer/Paul Fitzgibbons/'Roha' - Thomas Pepperell
Bridesmaid/Cecilia Fitzgibbons/Pallbearer/Concerned Parent - Gitta Majumder
Pallbearer/Colin Fitzgibbons - Barry Meyers

Crew: Claire Hewitt (director, set designer), Cherie Chapman (musical director), Sam Perry (production manager, set realisation), Barry Meyers (stage manager, sound designer, set realisation), Benjamin Haddock (sound operator), Rachel Upchurch (lighting operator), Matthew Leather (window lighting), Nan Sanders (wardrobe coordinator), Pam Alderton, Christine Gourlay, Ingrid Sage, Joan Foster (wardrobe assistant), Leigh Cain (rehearsal prompt), Stephen Fearnley, Simon Boyes, Alec Rogers, Rebecca Parker, Ross Foubister (set realisation), Susannah Donovan (props coordinator, centre window, front of house manager), Tanya Piejus (photographer and videographer), Iona Anderson (front of house manager), Rodney Bane (poster/flyer/programme design, opening night supper)

Globe Theatre Dunedin

Like all theatre addicts in Dunedin, there has been a time where we have all done our dash backstage and on stage in front of audiences. I have dotted through the spotlight between 1998 - 2007 and had a couple of opportunities to direct.

Through the ages

Fashion parade and auction of the costumes from the Globe Theatre Costume department 2006

I designed and presented this fashion show/auction.

Hamish and Greer

Written by Emily Duncan

Directed Claire Hewitt and Vincent Batt

Opening Night 23rd February 2001

This is the premiere of a locally written Hamish and Greer. It's a modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel set in New York City. Involving singing and dance, it will delight adults and children alike.

Song Leaders Network Aotearoa

Song leaders has been an incredible network I have been with over the last few years.

It has been like having the door open to a wonderful world of music. I have seen talent grow and people develop into exciting song leading roles in the community.

It is a network rich of industry professionals and visitations for overseas professionals.

And it's for all sorts of people.

Information has been taken directly from Song Leaders Network Aotearoa

Who's the network for?

Vocal leaders and musical directors ofworld music, gospel and community choirs;

Teachers or singers who lead singing in Primary & Secondary schools;

Community musicians who work with people from all walks of life;

Music Therapists and aspiring or training Song Leaders.

What the network offers

The Network has recently changed its governance and is now run by a Steering Committee: Helen Diaz in Warkworth, Julian Raphael & Carol Shortis in Wellington,  and Claire Stevens in Dunedin. We are in the process of developing this website and the Network, and have recently become an incorporated society. In brief the Network aims to provide members with the following:

• Songs and resources
• Vocal leadership guidance
• Professional development opportunities
• Networking between song leaders and choirs
• Notification of workshops and singing events

How much does membership cost?

Individual membership costs $50 for any 12 month period.

Look Left Again Dunedin

In 2004 alongside Danny Still and Rebecca Tapp, we created the theatre company Look Left Again as a theatre group for participants between the children's theatre in the adult theatre plays at The Playhouse Theatre.

Between 2004 and 2007 we created a theatre company called Look Left Again, we took our name from our first show. Our participants were inspired by the thought of looking back to see where you have been and to see who you are.  Scripted by Rebecca and I about the concerns of graduating from university and to employment in the Arts industry.

This was followed up with a sequel a year later

 following the lives of the characters 5 years later.

We also performed and created to pantomimes written by Danny Still,  Treasure Island and In Cahoots with Johnny Sunrise.

With supported by their members into writing her own play and presenting this as part of the Dunedin Fringe Festival

Alongside doing performances we have weekly workshops in developing skills for theatre and beyond.

We were grateful for the support of the committee at the Playhouse Theatre. In 2007 this project was put into a sleeping beauty face and we do hope that 1 day it can be woken up and continued on .

Music Therapy

In 2014 Kate and I ran a series of workshops in music therapy at the Christie Centre,  our twelve week program offered an opportunityfor meaningful interaction with music.

 Kate took the lead on this project as it was my first time doing music therapy.

It was so beautiful to see people emerge from behind the disability, to have pathways to the world opened up because of this experience.

It was such valuable experience to learn music therapy skills and how this relates to all of my work now.

Devised Theatre: The Pride Awards

Devised theatre starts with a project idea; it could be a simple as a word, a feeling or a statement.

The devised theatre process is very flexible and can have both short and long term projects often resulting in a performance.

What you discover in yourself and you fellow participants as part of the process of devising makes it a desirable art form to work with.

It is highly creative, engaging and active way to create theatre.

This is the method of theatre we used for The Pride Awards in 2013.

We created an opening act and closing act in support of the awards ceremony