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Live from the Theatre
Peter Rutherford HEAD OF THEATRE ARTS
With the ever-evolving nature of the coronavirus restrictions, many of the performing arts events we are regularly involved in have been cancelled. Fortunately, others have reworked their plans in order to go ahead. The fabulous DanceNZ Made interschool festival are committed to continuing their work this year but are waiting for a little more certainty before communicating their plans. This dance festival aligns with our ethos of inclusive opportunities that promote a passion for the arts as community events. Our dance companies have been working towards this since early in Term 1, and it is wonderful that the DanceNZ Made team are determined to find a way to include all the groups and schools that put so much effort into preparing for the festival. Another performance festival still going ahead is the Otago University Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival who are accepting all regional performance entries via online video submission, allowing us to continue the work we have already started. Whether the finals in Wellington, usually later in the year, will be live or by video submission is yet to be finalised. To use a term coined by Shakespeare himself in The Merchant of Venice, we ‘wait with bated breath’. EVITA, our senior co-production with Christ’s College, is postponed until September with both schools committed to maintaining the excellent quality expected. The effort and energy the students have been putting in is, since the pre-audition movement and singing workshops which began at the end of 2019, massive. We are grateful that both school leadership teams have seen the value in making room for this later in the year. We look forward to seeing you there – tickets will be available through the Rangi Ruru website.
LOCKDOWN EDITION
For a sneak peak at the upcoming performance of EVITA, scan the QR code below to see the cast performing a lockdown edition of ‘A New Argentina’ from their homes.
