Roger Hall's A Shortcut to Happiness

PRESS RELEASE
Roger Hall’s
A Shortcut to Happiness
Directed by ROSS JOLLY

"THERE ARE SHORTCUTS TO HAPPINESS,
AND DANCING IS ONE OF THEM"
- Vicki Baum

A fabulous new comedy about the lives, loves and misadventures of a folk-dancing class, A Shortcut to Happiness opens at CIRCA Theatre on Saturday 14th April at 8pm, and runs until 28th May.

Featuring ELENA STEJKO, PETER HAYDEN, DONNA AKERSTEN, CATHERINE DOWNES, TIM GORDON, CARMEL MCGLONE, MATTHEW PIKE, JANE WADDELL.

Starring a stunning cast of some of New Zealand’s best loved comedic talent, and introducing a very special new face in Elena Stejko who plays Natasha, A Shortcut to Happiness has all the usual Hall trademarks – shrewd observations, much mocking of Kiwis’ curious customs, and of course, plenty of laughs.

The beautiful Natasha, a recent immigrant from Russia, teaches a folk-dancing class to supplement her income, meet Kiwis and improve her English. Among the students are man-hungry Coral, golfing friends Laura and Janet, recently widowed Ned, U3A Bev, and henpecked husband Ray. And after each class they all gather at Ned’s for coffee and a chat ….

Catchy rhythms, funky folk tunes, syncopated steps, and comical calamities are the order of the day as all the characters learn to gyrate with skill and expertise – "tripping the light fantastic."

According to Roger Hall, the idea for the play originated at a folk-dancing session that he and his wife sometimes attend.

“At one of those dances I said, ‘I feel a play coming on’, and this woman laughed at me and I laughed too, but at the end of the session I thought, there really is a play here.”

Combined with the quote from Vicki Baum that had charmed him and that he had filed away for future use, and the idea of having a Russian woman immigrant who teaches the class, and Hall found he had all the ingredients for his latest new comedy - A Shortcut to Happiness.

“We see New Zealand through an immigrant’s eyes. There are odd little comments there I hope will make us look at ourselves in a slightly different way,” said Hall. “The play is about discovering the ways of a new country, accepting differences, finding love and dancing your way to happiness.”

And Elena Stejko, who plays dancing teacher, Natasha in Circa’s production, is a perfect fit for the role. She is herself a Russian-born actress who immigrated 16 years ago, and she was one of the key people that Hall talked to during his research on how immigrants found life in New Zealand.

And then, of course, there is the folk-dancing!

Hall finds dance music engaging and hopes the audiences will love it too and find themselves tapping their feet and thinking about taking up folk dancing too.

The cast have definitely been having a ball learning and perfecting all the different routines with their ever-versatile choreographer and dance-master, Sacha Copland.

With its winning recipe of music, love, laughter, dancing and joy,

A Shortcut to Happiness

is quite simply, another ROGER HALL great night out!

14th April – 28th May
Roger Hall’s
A Shortcut to Happiness
Directed by ROSS JOLLY

Starring ELENA STEJKO, PETER HAYDEN, DONNA AKERSTEN, CATHERINE DOWNES, TIM GORDON, CARMEL MCGLONE, MATTHEW PIKE, JANE WADDELL.
Set Design- JOHN HODGKINS Lighting Design – PHILLIP DEXTER
Costume Design – GILLIE COXILL Choreography – SACHA COPLAND

14th April – 28th May

$25 SPECIALS – Friday 13th April - 8pm; Sunday 15th April - 4pm.

AFTER SHOW Q&A – Tuesday 17th April

Performance times: Tuesday & Wednesday 6.30pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday 8pm
Sunday 4pm

Ticket Prices: Adults - $46 Concessions - $38; Friends of Circa - $33
Under 25s - $25; Groups 6+ s- $39

BOOKINGS Circa Theatre 1 Taranaki Street, Wellington
Phone 801 7992 www.circa.co.nz

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ROGER HALL
Playwright

Roger Hall is New Zealand’s best known and most successful playwright. He was born in England in 1939 and emigrated to NZ in 1958.
Hall’s earliest scripts were for television, but in 1976 he wrote his first stage play Glide Time (opened at Circa Theatre). The play catapulted him to the forefront of NZ theatre writing and its characters have become national icons. Many successful plays followed including Middle Age Spread, By Degrees, Market Forces, C’Mon Black, Dirty Weekends, Social Climbers, The Book Club, You’ve Gotta Be Joking!, A Way of Life, Take a Chance on Me, Spreading Out, Taking Off, Who Wants to be 100?, Who Needs Sleep Anyway?, and Four Flat Whites in Italy. A Shortcut to Happiness is his latest new play which premiered in Dunedin at Fortune Theatre in November 2011.
In addition Roger has written musicals, pantomimes – Cinderella, Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk, Red Riding Hood, Dick Whittington & his Cat, and Robin Hood, radio dramas, books and plays for children and comedy series for television, most notably, Gliding On and Market Forces, and for UK television, Conjugal Rites.
His plays have been performed in nine other countries, the most successful being Middle Age Spread which ran in London’s West End for 15 months and won the award for Comedy of the Year.
Roger Hall was awarded a QSO and the Turnovsky Prize in 1987, a Commemoration Medal 1990, the 1996 Katherine Mansfield Fellowship for study in Menton, an Hon Doctorate of Literature from Victoria University, and in 2003 he was made a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit.

ROSS JOLLY
Director

Founding member of Circa Theatre, Circa councillor, actor and freelance theatre and television director, Ross has directed many productions for Circa including: Master Class, Moonlight, F.I.L.T.H., Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Travels with my Aunt, Social Climbers, Taking Sides (Best Circa Production 1997), Heretic (1998 NZ International Festival of the Arts), The Cripple of Inishmaan, How I Learned to Drive, Waiting for Godot, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, ART, The Unexpected Man, The Memory of Water, The Weir, Madame Melville, Copenhagen, Life x 3, The Birthday Party, Conversations after a Burial, Ancient Lights, Humble Boy, Roger Hall’s Spreading Out (2004 Festival of the Arts), Stones in his Pockets, Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things which was nominated for Best Director and Best Production at the Chapman Tripp awards 2004, An Inspector Calls, The Mercy Seat and Democracy. In 2006 Ross directed the NZ premiere of Ross Gumbley’s Happy Coupling for the Court Theatre, and The Underpants, Wild East and a revival of Master Class for Circa. In 2007 he re-directed Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things for the Court Theatre, followed by Heroes in Circa Two before returning to the world of LaBute for Fat Pig, and ending the year with Rattigan’s modern classic, The Winslow Boy. 2008 saw Ross direct Roger Hall’s Who Wants to be 100? (International Arts Festival), Love Song (Circa 2) and Some Girl(s) (Circa 1), and also re-directed the original cast in Heroes for a season at Expressions in Upper Hutt. In 2009, Ross directed Harold Pinter’s Betrayal and Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage in Circa One before heading to Dunedin to direct the NZ premieres of Don Juan in Soho (by Patrick Marber) and Lucky Numbers, and then back to Circa for the sell-out season of Roger Hall’s Four Flat Whites in Italy. Last year Ross directed David Harrower’s adaptation of Friedrich Schiller’s Mary Stuart. This highly successful production was Circa’s contribution to the NZ Festival of the Arts 2010. Ross’ most recent productions were Mauritius and My First Time (2010), Our Man in Havana, Meet the Churchills and the return season of Four Flat Whites in Italy (2011) all in Circa One.
Ross won Director of the Year for his production of Waiting for Godot, at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards 1999.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES and COMMENTS

ELENA STEJKO
Natasha

"I am absolutely delighted to be part of a new production of "A Shortcut To Happiness" and to have an opportunity to work here in Wellington, in my favorite city with a fantastic cast and with great director. Rehearsals are full of jokes, laughter, stories, new discoveries - and this is my "short cut to happiness". – Elena

Elena Stejko is a Russian-born actress, who trained at Kiev University of Culture as an actress and theatre director.
For the last 20 years Elena has worked on stage and screen in Russia, Brazil, Japan and New Zealand. Her most recent stage work includes playing Lady Capulet in Auckland Theatre Company’s production of Romeo & Juliet, playing Madam Popova in Chekhov’s The Bear at Outbox Theatre, and creating the role of Natasha in Fortune Theatre’s premiere production of A Shortcut to Happiness, for which she received the Best Actress Award in Dunedin Theatre for 2011.
She also directed the graduation production of Chekhov’s Three Sisters for Unitec, Lear’s Nonsense at Victoria Theatre and play I Love based on Romeo & Juliet.
On television she has appeared in Shortland Street, Mercy Peak, and Spin Doctors, and in the Japanese TV Drama The Promise for Fuji TV.
Her latest role in a feature film, Russian Snark directed by Stephen Sinclair, has won her great acclaim. She was nominated Best Actress in the Qantas NZ Film and Television Awards 2010 and also in the Mavericks Film Festival Awards in America 2011.

PETER HAYDEN
Ned

It’s a great thrill to be back at Circa - playing the same role as I did in Dunedin where the play was hugely well-received. This production is very different, very lively, very funny, good director and a dream cast. Plus, I think it is one of Roger's best! - Peter

Peter Hayden has had ‘twin’ screen careers in drama and documentary film making. Early screen work included roles in The Governor, Close to Home, and Arthur Allan Thomas docu-drama Beyond reasonable Doubt.
In the mid 80s, he starred in TV kids dramaThe Fire-Raiser; and won a GOFTA for portraying Presbyterian minister Alexander Don in goldmining tale Illustrious Energy.
In 1986 he starred in road movies Arriving Tuesday and Shaker Run. In Footrot Flats, he voiced the characters of villain Irish Murphy and Cooch, the 'greenie' neighbour.
Theatre work includes many productions at the Fortune theatre in Dunedin. Most recently seen in The Truth Game by Simon Cunliffe, Roger Hall’s Red Riding Hood and as Ned in A Short Cut to Happiness, a role he is now reprising at Circa.
Peter began his acting career at Circa, appearing in the first ever production of Knuckle in 1976. Recent Wellington shows include a ‘gender bender’ version of King Lear, called Leah for the NZ Arts Festival, Carl Nixon’s The Raft at Downstage and The Vertical Hour at Circa in 2010.

DONNA AKERSTEN
Laura

I’m delighted to be playing Laura. What a joy to be with a bunch of such great friends – some I haven’t worked with in an age! You don’t get this fortunate in our industry very often – firm friends, fantastic fun and fancy footwork...fabulous! - Donna

Donna Akersten is well known to Circa audiences. In a career spanning over 40 years she has worked extensively in theatre, film, television and radio in New Zealand, Australia, and has also worked on projects in England and Germany. A recipient of a number of awards for her performances, Donna was honoured in 2002 with the MNZM for her services to acting.
Her major film roles include Sleeping Dogs, Middle – Age Spread, Bad Blood, Bread And Roses, The Last Tattoo, Te Rua and Via Satelite.
Favourite stage roles include, Marilyn in Insignificance, Mary Mooney in Once A Catholic, Masha in Three Sisters, Meg in The Birthday Party, Deborah in The Book Club, Honor in Honour and in 2011 Elizabeth ( the older) in When The Rain Stops Falling at Circa Theatre.

CATHERINE DOWNES
Janet

I enjoy 'Janet' immensely. She has lots of flaws, a great sense of humour, not afraid to speak her mind - but a bit of a softie on the inside. I think she rings a few bells with many of us of 'a similar age'. - Catherine

Catherine Downes is one of New Zealand’s finest theatrical talents, working in theatre, film and Television for four decades on both sides of the Tasman as an actress, director and playwright.
Catherine graduated from the Queen Elizabeth II Drama School (now Toi Whakaari) after completing a B.A. in English, Politics and Drama at Victoria University.
For the next three years she worked at the Court, Circa, Downstage and TV then travelled to Europe and established two theatre companies - in Amsterdam and in London, and developed her acclaimed one-woman play, The Case Of Katherine Mansfield, of which she has since played approximately 1000 performances, in six countries, over the last twenty years, winning awards in Britain, NZ and Australia.
In Australia, Catherine became a member of the Nimrod Actors Company in Sydney, where she worked for several years, before returning to NZ.
Recent stage performances include Lady Windermere’s Fan, Vincent in Brixton, The Cherry Orchard, Joyful and Triumphant, Calendar Girls, Collapsing Craetion and Four Flat Whites In Italy. Her directing credits include work throughout NZ, International tours, in Australia and for TVNZ. Circa productions include WIT, Speaking in Tongues, The Book Club, Les Parents Terribles, Closer and The Sisters Rosensweig..
From 2006 – 2008 Catherine was Director of Downstage Theatre in Wellington, and prior to this was Artistic Director of The Court Theatre from 2000-2005.
Catherine has won many awards including Best Production and/or Director for Closer, Purapurawhetu, Tzigane, Good Works and Three Tall Women. She was hailed in National Radio’s Millennium‘ Golden Kiwi’ series, and in 1998 was appointed a Member Of The NZ Order Of Merit for her services to the Arts.

JANE WADDELL
Coral

Learning to Folk Dance is a real buzz (though I am not a natural at it!) It really gets the endorphins going. I'm looking forward to my feet taking over from my brain! - Jane

Jane's first Circa play was Roger Hall's Middle Age Spread. Since then she has played many roles penned by Hall - these include The Book Club, Take a Chance on Me, Taking Off, Spreading Out, Jack and the Beanstalk, Red Riding Hood, Dick Whittington and Robin Hood.
Jane is also a director. Many of the scripts she's directed have been by NZ writers. Home Land by Gary Henderson is a favourite and most recently the acclaimed NZ International Festival production of Peninsula, also by Gary Henderson.
As an actor, personal favourites across the years: Salvation Road, Sore Throats, Wednesday to Come, Joyful and Triumphant, Taking Off, The Clean House and the 2011 production of August: Osage County.

CARMEL MCGLONE
Bev

I am enjoying the dancing so much I can understand why Roger called the play 'A Shortcut to Happiness!' Each rehearsal is filled with a lot of laughter and joy. - Carmel

Carmel has an extensive acting career in New Zealand, having worked in film, television and theatre for the last 25 years.
In the mid 90’s Carmel worked at STC in Adelaide as part of Simon Phillips core ensemble. During this time she was privileged to work with some of the great Australian directors including Simon Phillips, Neil Armfield and George Ogilvie. She also won the Newspaper Critics award for Best Comic Performance for her role in Long Time … No See.
Last seen at Circa in Paul Bakers Meet the Churchills, Carmel played Queen Elizabeth 1st in Schillar’s Mary Stuart during 2010 International festival. Other recent shows include God of Carnage, Blood Wedding, (Circa), Urinetown ( Downstage), and The Rodwell Monologues and Christ Almighty and Toys!( Bats)
Other favourite roles: The Seagull, A Comedy of Errors, Julius Caesar, Cabaret, Beauty and the Beast (Int’l Arts Festival), Dancing at Lughnasa, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Agamemnon, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Top Girls, Milo’s Wake, Mum’s Choir, Macbeth, An Inspector Calls, and The Underpants.
During the 90's Carmel, together with Lorae Parry, created the comedy sensations Digger and Nudger, who were a feature of Hen’s Teeth women’s comedy seasons.
Her film and television roles include Send a Gorilla, Marching Girls, Plainclothes (each of which she was nominated for best actress), and the internationally multi-award winning short films Lemming Aid and The Six Dollar Fifty Man. Most recently she has had roles in the Emmy award winning online series Reservoir Hill and the feature film ‘Hook, Line & Sinker’. Carmel has cameo roles in RAGE and the soon to be released Girl vs Boy
Carmel won the Chapman Tripp Best Actress award for her role as Lady Macbeth in 2004, and in 2009 was nominated Best Supporting Actress for her role in Blood Wedding
In 2011 Carmel travelled to Shakespeare’s Globe in London as SGCNZ International Actor’s Fellow.
Carmel is a tutor at Whitireia Centre of Performing Arts.

TIM GORDON
Ray

My character, Ray, is an observer on the world – an empty nest parent, filling the void with activity - who is never given a line of dialogue! But the greatest challenge has been learning to dance - making for a frustrating, rewarding and fun rehearsal time. - Tim

In 1990 Tim was one of the original founders and artistic directors of The Improvisors, Wellington's first and oldest Improv Theatre Company. Tim has performed thousands of times whenever businesses have wanted to celebrate, educate or facilitate change, or just want to laugh. His work in the Government and Corporate Sector has included many Roles as Emcee and/or Facilitator for Conference and Workshops.
Tim has appeared on the stage with a playwright's script in his head at Downstage (Up for Grabs.) and at Circa (Soulmates, Gunsmoke, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Wait Until Dark, The Letter Writer), and was in Circa Productions of Four Flat Whites in Italy.
As a screen actor, his credits include For Good, Fracture, Until Proven Innocent, Home by Christmas and the Misogynistic bloke in Beautiful, for which he won Best Actor at the Drifting Cloud International Short Film Festival.
Tim's full time commitment is now devoted to being an actors' agent as the Principal for The ProActors - although the best “job” he has ever had is being the dad to his two boys.

MATTHEW PIKE
Sebastian

Its lovely to throw myself into a role which centres so strongly around dance. It’s something that has advanced from being a dreaded hurdle to one of the aspects I most love about performing. - Matthew

Matthews career has centred around musical theatre for the last 20 years, with contracts in N.Z. Australia and Europe.
Since earning a BMus at Victoria University, he has performed leading roles in productions such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Caberet, Cats, Miss Saigon and Starlight Express.
He first performed at Circa in 2005 in one of his favourite musicals; Jacque Brel is alive and well, and living in Paris!
Presently he is often found after hours relishing the opportunity to front tribute shows to Led Zeppelin and The Eagles, or original project Clockwork.

ENDS

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