AUDITIONS & SHOWS! 27-SEP-13

Cas'n'Ova Productions presents the NZ premier of Manic to Madness

You may remember a call for a director back in January for Manic to Madness, a semi-autobiographical play, set in Hilmorton hospital.  Well, that show is now on the road!  The writers found their director, production crew and cast and the show is set to hit the stage from the 3rd of October.  Described as a "window into the unwell mind", Manic to Madness follows Nero, a "colourful" ex-salesman who is affected by bipolar disorder.  The show promises to take you on a journey that sees you laugh, cry and feel all that’s in-between.

 

Performances are 7.30 pm, 3-5 October, and 8-12 October, tickets are $25.  Tickets are available from the Cas'n'Ova Productions' booking page. Venue is The Theatre at Rangiruru Girls school on Merivale Lane.  Written by Karl Hitchcock and Nic Farra, directed by Craig Hutchison.  For further information, see the Cas'n'Ova website.

 

NCMS Chicago Auditions

The North Canterbury Musical Society has announced auditions for their upcoming summer musical, Chicago.  Auditions will be held in the NCMS clubrooms in Rangiora on October 5th and 13th.  Chicago will be directed by Ravil Atlas with Leanne O'Mahony as MD and Annette Searle as choreographer; show dates are 1-17 May 2014.
Musoc had a great success with this show in 2012, with a sell-out season, proving that 38 years after its original debut in 1975, this hit musical about a couple of gin-swilling, jazz-dancing murderesses can still capture the imagination of a modern audience.  This is a brilliant show to be involved in and if you're keen to audition, email auditions@ncms.org.nz to book a time and get your audition pack.  I'd recommend getting in ASAP - although there's no specific information available online, the NCMS often have a requested song list for auditions and there's no harm in allowing yourself extra time to prepare if you need to learn something new.  You can find out more from the official Facebook event.

Elmwood Players' presents HABEUS CORPUS

This June, Elmwood Players presents Alan Bennett's hilarious farce Habeus Corpus.

Habeus Corpus concerns the aging Dr. Arthur Wicksteed and his pursuit of a nubile patient, Felicity Rumpers. Wicksteed's wife, Muriel, is, in turn, lusting after the charming head of the BMA, Sir Percy Shorter, who, as well as being Wicksteed's old rival, turns out to be Felicity's father - the result of an under-the-table liaison during an air-raid with Lady Rumpers, her mother.
Felicity herself is pregnant and finds a way to cover it up in the hypochondriac son of Dr. Wicksteed, Dennis.
Meanwhile, Wicksteed's spinster sister Connie, ashamed of her flat-chestedness, has schemes of her own. The 'chorus' is provided by the lower-class, housekeeper Mrs Swabb.





Performances are Wed-Sat, June 13th to 20th.  Shows start at 7.30pm, with a 2pm matinee Sat 16th.  Tickets are $17/$13 (matinee price: $12). To book tickets call 03 355 8874 or use the online booking form.  Directed by Brian Sullivan.

The Vicar of Dibley Hits The Stage

The BBC’s hit comedy series The Vicar of Dibley takes to the Rangiora Town Hall this summer in a fantastic theatrical adaptation, and I had the lucky opportunity to get a sneak preview.

The play takes the form of three acts, each containing one of the most-loved of the series’ episodes.  The first is “The Arrival” where we, and the members of Dibley parish, get to meet Ang Reeves’ humourous incarnation of Dawn French’s classic character, the Reverend Geraldine Granger, “a babe with a bob cut and a magnificent bosom”. 

Bums on Seats

One of the things I want to emphasise on this blog is the importance of attending the shows everyone else is putting on.  Thespians need to get into those comfy little flip-up chairs and watch some theatre.  I'm very guilty myself of being supposedly too poor/busy/snobby to go and see so many amateur plays and productions and yet I'm the first to whinge when I get a small audience.