ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT pages

from Seniors Today Sunshine Coast - 23rd June 2021

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Group back for POP-OP

The Caloundra Chorale and Theatre Company is absolutely delighted that after more than 12 months they are once again able to present concerts and shows.

Their next exciting concert is POP OP!

What is POP OP?

Well, it is basically a collection of some of the most beautiful music ever written, including glorious and stirring choruses, poignant love songs, rollicking operetta numbers, with a couple of exciting drinking songs thrown in for good measure. In all, a tribute to life, love, and champagne!!

Come on a journey with the CCTC to explore the sheer beauty of music that has been written over four centuries and featuring (for this show only!)” The Caloundra Opera Chorus”, with selected soloists.

Travel to Vienna and Paris, Italy, Egypt, Spain, ancient Greece, and Vietnam on their mission to thrill the audience with well-known songs and hopefully introduce them to some that will become new favourites.

The CCTC chose these songs because they love them and hope the audience will find as much pleasure in hearing them as they do in singing them.

Performance details are:

·Special Price preview: Wednesday, 15

September, 7.30pm $23 · Performances Continue: Friday 17 and 24 September, 7.30pm · Matinees: Saturday 18 September and 25 September and Sunday 19 and 26 at 2pm · Prices: Adults $33, Con $30, FOC

Members and Groups $27 · PRE-SHOW WINE AND CHEESE

AVAILABLE ON BOOKING $10 · Venue: CCTC THEATRE PIRINGA ST

WURTULLA · Bookings: 0490 329 912

Maria Lindsay Director of POP-OP.

MUSICAL FUN & FRIVOLITY BUT WITH THAT TOUCH OF CLASS!

FEATURING CCTC Choir, Kim Kirkman, Colin Butcher, Amanda Zinn, Helen Butcher, Tracy Stoddart, Neil Booth, Jill Fidge, Julie Marks Helen Duffy, Grant Marks Special Price Preview 15th Sept - 7.30pm $23

Performances Continue Sept - 17, 24 - 7.30pm Matinees - 2pm Sept - 18, 19, 25, 26 Prices Adults $33 Con $30 FOC, Members & Groups $27

Pre Show Wine & Cheese Available on booking $10

CCTC THEATRE Dave Strassman and his senior’s character Grandpa Fred E Bare.

Sweet tooth Strassman comes home for laughs

World-renowned US ventriloquist David Strassman and his band of quirky puppets are returning to their “home away from home” on the Sunshine Coast at Venue 114 with a brand-new show.

The Chocolate Diet looks at many people’s obsession with sweets and lollies.

And of course, Strassman uses his beloved puppet Ted E Bare to charter a comedic course through fad dieting.

Strassman said The Chocolate Diet was his “funniest to date” and “choc a block with laughter”.

“This show has proven to be absolutely hilarious because the subject matter – dieting and denial – are two traits that we all share on a daily basis,” Strassman said.

“We’re always watching our weight, what we eat, feeling great when it’s healthy, guilty when it’s dessert. And we’re all in some state of self-denial when it comes to our self and body images.

“Dieting and denial, they go hand in hand and it’s something we can all relate to which makes for a familiar and delicious comedy.”

Interspersed with the Ted E Bare story are visits by Strassman’s famous entourage of characters including Chuck Wood, the insolent foulmouthed teenager, who truly tells it like it is.

Also on stage is relatively new character, Grandpa Fred E Bare, who laconically talks of his ability to get senior’s discount from the most wildest places.

Other puppets include Kevin the alien, who, while being quite sassy is revealingly wise and evaluates us as a species, noting how we all “crave content but are never content”.

The Beaver character, Sydney, talks about quitting comedy and he probably should, given the number of terrible dad jokes he tells. Each character has his own ‘song’ moment and many of the jokes have been localised or comment upon popular culture and politics.

Strassman is one of Australia’s favourite comedians, a master of his art.

Tickets on sale now

·When: Saturday, 20 November 2021 7pm-8.45pm (Interval 15mins) · Where: Venue114, 114 Sportsmans

Parade, Bokarina · Cost: $59.90 each (including booking fee) · Visit: https://premier.ticketek.com .au/Shows/Show.aspx?sh=DAVID

STR21

This performance is rated MA and recommended for people 15 years+. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. This event is licenced, theatre style flat floor seating with Venue 114 operating in a Covid Safe environment.

David Strassman.

Will rock you

Mamma Mia, here I go again … the Sunshine Coast’s premiere vocal group, Oriana Choir, will present a night to remember in August with Dancing Queen, a tribute show featuring the best of ABBA and Queen.

It follows the Oriana Choir’s superb presentation of Mozart’s Requiem and Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass in May which saw near sell-out performances at Caloundra Event Centre and St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane.

That was a highlight in the storied career of this marvellous musical ensemble.

After a year in which the opportunity to be at a live performance of this quality, in such a special setting as St John’s Cathedral, was little more than wishful thinking.

However, Oriana’s concert was a much needed shot in the arm for culture-deprived choristers and audiences alike.

So, what’s next for this world-class, Sunshine Coast based choir of eightyplus members?

As John Cleese would no doubt put it, it’s a case of ‘and now for something completely different.’

Just as aptly, it could be ‘and now for something completely Oriana.’

As the choir has demonstrated over the past 16 years, it is nothing if not eclectic - being equally adept in opera, sacred, jazz, baroque, pop, avant-garde and more.

A brief pause to reflect on the success of the Mozart/Gjeilo concerts, and to re-charge the batteries, and Oriana will be full speed ahead into preparations for Dancing Queen’ celebrating the music of ABBA and Queen.

“Oriana in full flight, delivering a joyous, shiver-inducing Bohemian Rhapsody, is something you won’t forget in a hurry”, says former Oriana vice president Ian Rix.

Featuring many favourites of both groups, including the Bohemian Rhapsody, and perennials such as Dancing Queen, Money Money Money, Mamma Mia, Somebody to Love, Crazy Little Thing Called Love and many more, this will be a supremely popular concert series, appealing to all generations.

It promises to be one of the performance delights of 2021. And what better way to drive away the Covid blues than with an uplifting evening of the music of ABBA and Queen?

Tickets are available from the venue (thej.com.au ph: 5329 6560) for the 7pm Noosa event at The J on August 14.

Bookings for either the 7pm August 21 cabaret or 2pm August 22 matinee at Venue114, Kawana are available on trybooking.com, phone 0431 542 343. Visit oriana.org.au for all the details.

Festival brings Noosa Alive

Noosa is set to come alive from July 15-24 with more than 20 events, strategically spread throughout the region celebrating 10 days of unique performing arts excitement!

The NOOSA alive! Festival creates stories within the natural setting of Noosa. Each event has a story, a visual attraction while all set in Noosa’s fabulous facilities from The J Theatre to local schools or on the famous Main Beach.

The Festival has something for every age and genre and children are welcome at most performances.

The events at The J Theatre will launch with another special performance by the popular Queensland Ballet under the direction of Li Cunxin AO on July 15-16.

Enjoying a seven-year strong partnership, the Queensland Ballet returns to the event this year with the performance and a Q & A that Li Cunxin AO offers the festival goers is a highlight. Li shares his journey and insights into the world of performance, ballet and corporate support.

Meanwhile Meow Meow returns to Noosa with her unique and very popular cabaret show.

Another loyal NOOSA alive! performer Meow Meow graces the audiences with her wit, clever dialogue and vocal talent leaving jaws dropping and eyes wide open.

A celebrated performer hypnotising worldwide from London’s Royal Albert Hall to Lincoln Centre New York, to the Hollywood Bowl, to the Sydney Opera House.

As well, former Cirque Du Soleil Creative Director, Ash McCready has teamed up with world renowned Director/Choreographer Julieann Nugent. Together, they are known as ‘AJ CREATIVE’ and will present a ‘one night only’ boutique cirque, dance and comedy experience for NOOSA alive! 2021.

Cirque Bon Bon is a 60 minute spine tingling spectacle that fuses mind bending contortion, death defying feats of strength and precision, diverse technical dancers that have toured the world, comedy and acrobatic skill that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

Covid has forced Ash McCready to return to Australia and Noosa is where she has landed.

“I was forced to give up my dream job and return home,” Ash said.

“Feeling devastated was an understatement, but this opened the door of opportunity to collaborate with my mentor Julieann Nugent, conceive AJ Creative and live out our combined dream.”

All events are now on sale at noosaalive.com.au where you can find more information on all the events.