Festival announces sneak peak from the 2015 programme

Festival announces sneak peak from the 2015 programme

With less than three months to go until we launch the 2015 Festival of Colour programme there is certainly a lot going on in the office. We’re working to generate those all-important last dollars to balance off the budget; we’re linking in with our technical staff to ensure we have all the equipment we need; we are starting to assemble the programme brochure, book some of the flights, sort out ticketing and detail up the festival schedules.

We are delighted to announce one sneak peak from the programme. The Royal Copenhagen Chapel Boys Choir will perform one concert on Anzac Day, Saturday 25 April. The choir is regarded as one of the finest in Europe and they perform at Denmark’s important state and royal functions. Festival Director Philip Tremewan says ‘It will be quite something to have them in town…. all 40 of them, and we will be considering some special Anzac programming”. The choir are looking for people interested in hosting the choir boys, aged between 12 and 15, and any interested parties should please contact the festival office.

Community Production for 2015
Auditions were held earlier this month for our fabulous new community production Like There’s NoTomorrow. This was first produced by Auckland Theatre Company last year and is written by up-and-coming playwright Eli Kent (some off you may have seen him in The Intricate Art of Actually Caring at Luggate Hall in July last year). The play features a predominantly local cast from the Mt Aspiring College drama department, following in the footsteps of such successes as Riverside Drive and Tracing Hamlet. It is set at a high school ball after-party, and explores the consequences of binge drinking.

The play will be set in local bar Gin & Raspberry and will run every night of the festival.

A crowd funding campaign has been launched to help to fund this, and we are hoping to raise $5,000 to assist with the production costs. To see the video and find out how you can help please visit Boosted. Join the 20 individuals who have already pledged money to make this production a reality.

Thanks to our funders, donors and sponsors
A huge thank you to all of the Patrons and Benefactors that have renewed their support – you can see a full list here. If you were a Patron or Benefactor last festival and haven’t got round to renewing then please contact Lindsey today. And for anyone interested in further information on becoming a patron then please contact us.

And we are thrilled to welcome some new sponsors and welcome back old friends that continue to see the value in supporting the arts. So welcome back Lake Wanaka Tourism, and a big hello and welcome to Real Journeys, Murray & Co, Allenby Farms andNorthlake.

And our new Local Business Sponsor category has proven very popular with local businesses that want to support us. A big thank you to Hillend, Placemakers Wanaka, Florences Foodstore, and Escape Clothing. Thanks also to our new supporting funder Skycity.

How you can help
Whilst we are so grateful to all of those that have committed their support to the festival, we are however still facing a small budget shortfall; and may have to face making some cuts to the draft programme if we can’t generate the additional funds in the next few weeks. And that is where you can come in, there are three main ways in which you can support us:-
1. Become a patron or benefactor – from $500 you can become one of the core group of arts lovers that help make the festival happen. Our patrons and benefactors are our backbone and in return we give priority booking, recognition in the programme, and invitations to special festival functions. Please contact GM Lindsey for more information

2. Make a donation – a donation to the festival is tax free and means that we can help to keep ticket prices down and continue to bring the best of the arts to the region. You can make a donation at our ticketing website

Help with our crowd funding appeal – we need $5,000 to help us to bring our community production Like There’s No Tomorrow to the festival. Please make a donation today, everything from as little as $5 helps.

Aspiring Conversations
For those of you who attended Aspiring Conversations and are keen to hear your favourite sessions again, or if you were unable to attend and want to know what was so great, then a few of the sessions have been uploaded as video or audio files here.

What’s On
Pint Size plays are looking for interesting, funny, surprising, dramatic, or outrageous plays to perform in a bar, using the tables and chairs, props and space readily available, in both Queenstown and Wanaka. For more information or to submit a script, lasting from 5-10mins email David. Entries close November 30th.

And the New Zealand Guitar Quartet are playing at Bannockburn hall tonight at 7.30pm. Tickets are $25 for adults. The guitar quartet played at last year’s Festival at both the Crystal Palace and Mt Difficulty winery to sell out audiences. This show is not to be missed.

”…nothing less than extraordinary…” ~ Motueka Music Society

“…technical brilliance and emotional depth…” ~ Christchurch Arts Festival

ENDS

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