AUT Dominion Road Stories

Auckland Theatre Company is association with Auckland Arts Festival present

AUT Dominion Road Stories

Neighbourhood theatre has never been so extraordinary

Don McGlashan will take to the stage on Saturday March 16 as a headline act in AUT Dominion Road Stories presented by Auckland Theatre Company in association with Auckland Arts Festival.

Taking place halfway down Dominion Road, AUT Dominion Road Stories is a community theatre event comprising a number of free and paid performances pieces over two days. AUT Dominion Road Stories aligns with a number of Auckland Arts Festival 'walking' events that take audiences on a journey into the heart and stories of Auckland.

The shows will take place at different locations in the immediate vicinity of Potter's Park, opposite Auckland Theatre Company's homebase at the Mount Eden War Memorial Hall.

McGlashan will perform at the finale of the free centre-piece event Come Dancing in Potter's park. Audiences are invited to join MC Mark Hadlow for an evening of entertainment that celebrates Balmoral's colourful history as the dance-hall hub of Auckland. Balmoral's own show-girl extraordinaire, Candy Lane, will perform alongside a flash mob of over 100 volunteer dancers from across Auckland.

At the Balmoral Bowling Club, senior citizens' troupe, ATC Marvellous Company (Metro Magazine's 2011 Best New Cast), perform Bowled Over by Kathryn Burnett. Something fishy is going at the Balmoral Bowling Club. Membership is dropping and the developers are moving in! Help the young-at-heart ATC Marvellous actors save this local treasure in an action packed comedy caper featuring gold-card carrying heroes (and villains)! Warning: May contain actual bowling.

In Walk Eat Talk audiences can expect Dumpling sized theatrical delights and surprising encounters in Dom Road's 'Chinatown'. The side streets, alleyways and restaurants on and off Dominion Road's 'Chinatown' become the stage for a surprising outdoor adventure culminating in a shared meal.

In Pav On Dom, presented with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, there are musical hi-jinx as the great Pavarotti hits Dom Road based on a true story! Audiences can follow the red carpet through to an exclusive behind-the scenes encounter with live music, sing-along-arias and comedy antics in the APO's rehearsal room.

AUT Dominion Road Stories events are great for children and families. The high light for kids will be the immersive experience Dominionator Cardboard Collision where children can race to the finish line after constructing incredible transport creations. Artist John Radford (submerged buildings in Western Park) and the town planner will transform the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall into the Dominion Road of the future by creating amazing recycled transportation!

AUT Dominion Road Stories has been created under the auspices of ATC Participation, ATC's community out reach programmes which seeks to provide opportunities for engagement between professional theatre practitioners and local communities.

"This project has been in our sights from the time we moved from downtown Auckland to the old Mount Eden RSA at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall on Dominion Road," says Lynne Cardy, Auckland Theatre Company's Associate Director.

"We recognized the terrific opportunity to collaborate and engage in our new home, so we've thrown open the doors, invited the neighbourhood in and created all sorts of projects via our fledgling community programme, ATC Participate.

"AUT Dominion Road Stories is the showcase of some of that work and hopefully will be the starting point of many more exciting off-grid collaborations to come out of our new home."

Tickets for paid events in AUT Dominion Road Stories can be purchased from Auckland Theatre Company on 09 309 3395.

Ends

A full list of events is outlined below and on the event website, www.autdominionroadstories.co.nz.

For information, interview opportunities or photos please contact:
Michael Adams, michael@atc.co.nz
Laura Jones, laura@atc.co.nz

For enquires about Auckland Arts Festival events please contact:
Siobhan Waterhouse, siobhan.waterhouse@aaf.co.nz

For comment from AUT University, please contact:
Aimee Driscoll, aimee.driscoll@aut.ac.nz

DOMINION ROAD STORIES - March 16 & 17, 2013

Neighbourhood theatre has never been so extraordinary

WALK EAT TALK
Dumpling sized theatrical delights and surprising encounters in Dominion Road's 'Chinatown'.
The side streets, alleyways and restaurants of the Balmoral shopping precinct become the stage for a surprising outdoor adventure. Discover this neighbourhood through the stories of long-time and recent residents. Culminating in a shared meal, WALK EAT TALK will delight your senses and challenge your assumptions.

Directed by Yuri Kunigawa, featuring Not for Sale hip hop crew and Dragon Dancers.

Location: Balmoral shopping precinct, Dominion Road.
Starting Point: Mt Eden War Memorial Hall
Times: from 11am – 4.30pm
Capacity per show: STRICTLY LIMITED
Ticket price: $25
Not suitable for children under the age of 8.

PAV ON DOM
Musical hi-jinx as the great Pavarotti hits Dom Road!
Based on the true story of the day Pavarotti rehearsed with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) on Dominion Road. Follow the red carpet through to an exclusive behind-the-scenes encounter with live music, sing along arias and comedy antics in the APO's rehearsal room. Once a popular cinema, this space is again brought to life as the hysterical story of PAV ON DOM unfolds…

Directed by Jonathan Alver, featuring Bianca Andrew, Adam Gardiner, Laurel Devenie, musicians from the Auckland Philharmonia and volunteer performers.

Location: APO Rehearsal Rooms, Cnr of St Albans Ave and Dominion Road, Mt Eden.
Times: 3:00pm and 5:00pm
Duration: 45 minutes
Ticket price: $25
Not recommended for children under the age of 8.

BOWLED OVER!
by Kathryn Burnett
Community vs Developers in a hilarious bowling club escapade.
Something fishy is going on at the Balmoral Bowling Club. Membership is dropping and the developers are moving in! Help the young-at-heart ATC MARVELLOUS actors save this local treasure in an action-packed comedy caper featuring gold-card carrying heroes (and villains)! Warning: May contain actual bowling.
MARVELLOUS, ATC'S performance group for senior citizens, was voted BEST NEW CAST (2011) by METRO.

Directed by Ben Crowder, featuring Harry McNaughton (Shortland Street, The Twits) and Virginia Frankovich (Black Confetti)

Location: Balmoral Bowling Club, 14 Mont Le Grand Road.
Times: 1pm and 4:30pm
Duration: 1 hour
Ticket price: $25

DOMINIONATOR CARDBOARD COLLISION
An immersive interactive show for 5 – 8 year olds, where children race to the finish line after constructing incredible transport creations.
Help artist John Radford and the town planner transform the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall into the Dominion Road of the future by creating amazing recycled transportation! Make cars, trains and planes using card, paper, string and your imagination and ride them down the cardboard luge! -- 100% Recycled

Location: Mt Eden War Memorial Hall
Times: 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm
Duration: 1 hour
Ticket price: $10

Come Dancing - POTTERS PARK PICNIC.
Saturday 16th ONLY 5.30 – 7.30PM
Bring your basket, blanket and family to… A FREE family picnic.
Join MC Mark Hadlow (fresh from his adventures in Middle Earth) for entertainment that celebrates Balmoral's colourful history as the dance-hall hub of Auckland. Featuring live music by Tuxedo Swing and sultry songstress Coco Davis, a special appearance by Balmoral's own show girl extraordinaire Candy Lane, dances from the '20s to the '50s created and performed by over 100 volunteer dancers from Auckland-wide dance schools, and a finale from Don McGlashan and band.

Location: Potters Park
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm

EXTRA EVENTS & ACTIVITIES:

THE DOM ROAD SINGERS
ATC Community Choir sings selected hits, directed by Jason Te Mete.
Location: Potters Park Picnic
FREE

THE STORY CARAVAN
Meet our Story Collectors and swap your story for an ice-block at our family friendly story caravan in Potters Park. Fill in a Dominion Road postcard and send it to someone you love.
Location: Potters Park – Saturday 16th ONLY
Time: From 4pm
FREE

THE STORY EMPORIUM
Serious story-tellers can share and record your memories and stories of Dominion Road with our friendly team of Oral Historians. Relax and enjoy Dominion Road Stories – a short film.
Location: Chamber Room, Mt Eden War Memorial Hall.
Time: 11am – 3pm daily
FREE

www.autdominionroadstories.co.nz

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