Kiwi stage musical to be adapted into a film

Kiwi stage musical Daffodils to be adapted into a feature film.

Bullet Heart Club, one of New Zealand’s newest independent theatre companies, have reported that their debut stage show Daffodils (inspired by true events) is set to be developed into a feature film.

Bullet Heart Club will adapt the story in collaboration with Emmy award-winning production company KHF Media after successfully receiving early development assistance from the New Zealand Film Commission.

Daffodils’ playwright Rochelle Bright and music collaborator LIPS (Stephanie Brown & Fen Ikner) have signed on to write the screenplay with film director/producer David Stubbs (KHF Media) set to direct.

“We’ve been in the world of Rose and Eric – the farmhouse, the starlight ballroom, the lake – now for two years. We can’t wait to go even deeper, visually and musically, to bring their love story to the screen. It’s going to be a very different kind of kiwi film – but the one thing we know to hold close to is the real people and the kiwi songs that inspired it all.” – Rochelle Bright

The team will begin working on the script early March 2016, following the return season of Daffodils (inspired by true events) the stage show at Auckland’s Q Theatre (14-20 February 2016). The February season will include the introduction of Wesley Dowdell (TV’s Outrageous Fortune & Coverband) in the role of Eric, playing alternative to Todd Emerson (Westside).

Daffodils (inspired by true events) is written by kiwi playwright Rochelle Bright, in collaboration with Silver Scroll winner LIPS and Abraham Kunin. Daffodils tells the story of Bright's parents; their meeting, their marriage and the pop-rock soundtrack that shapes their lives - charting some of New Zealand’s most famous songs by Crowded House, Bic Runga, Don McGlashan, Dave Dobbyn, The Mint Chicks and more, all remixed and reimagined with an electronic-indie sound. This proudly home-grown show has been described as both whimsical and dark, set to make “your eyes weep and your heart bleed” (Theatrescenes, NZ).

Since it’s premiere in 2014, Daffodils (inspired by true events) has played in 12 cities across the country, including six international arts festivals. As part of a national tour with Tour Makers, Daffodils played a one-night stopover in Wellington at the San Francisco Bathhouse. Stubbs was in the audience that night and immediately began conversations with Bullet Heart Club.

In 2015, Stubbs directed and released the part-drama, part-documentary feature Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses, at the International New Zealand Film Festival. David Stubbs and Thomas Robins are directors at KHF Media, an Emmy Award winning film and television production company based in Wellington, with television credits that include Reservoir Hill.

Bullet Heart Club (est. 2013) is an integrated creative company founded by Kitan Petkovski and Rochelle Bright. The company collaborates with trendsetting artists on a range of works that push boundaries in music, theatre, film and opera. Company members are based in Auckland, Melbourne and Tucson.

In 2016, Daffodils the stage show will be heading offshore, starting with a presentation at the Australasian Performing Arts Market (APAM) in Brisbane with support from Creative New Zealand. With the assistance of Australian agents Ian Scobie and Daniel Vorrasi (Arts Projects Australia), Daffodils (inspired by true events) will tour around Australia, where the show will feature in the 2016 performance seasons of Riverside Theatre in Parramatta, NSW (12-14 May), Merrigong Theatre Company in Wollongong, NSW (25-28 May) and one other venue to be announced early 2016. The company is currently in discussions with UK festivals and venues about further international exports.

Tickets to the stage show of Daffodils (inspired by true events) at Q Theatre, 14-20 February 2016 are on sale now.

Bullet Heart Club presents
in collaboration with Q Theatre
Daffodils (inspired by true events)
By Rochelle Bright, with remixes by LIPS and Abraham Kunin
14-20 February 2016, Q Theatre - Loft, 305 Queen Street, Auckland.
Bookings: www.qtheatre.co.nz / phone 09 309 9771

ENDS

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