Te Pou's Kōanga Festival set to end with a bang

Te Pou's Kōanga Festival set to end with a bang

Te Pou, in association with Going West Festival, celebrates theatre by showcasing new stories and emerging talent at the Kōanga Festival.

Following a sold out season in Wellington, Rob Mokaraka's first solo piece Shot Bro: Confessions of a Depressed Bullet is poised to make its Auckland debut this September at Te Pou Theatre, as the finale for the Kōanga Festival.

For the second consecutive year Te Pou presents Kōanga Festival in association with Going West Festival. A mihi to Spring time, Kōanga Festival celebrates theatre by showcasing new stories and emerging talent.

The festival comprises a series of events taking place just over almost three weeks:
Tuhi Tika (playwrights' workshop) with Albert Belz
Whakarongo Mai (play readings) featuring Mate by Regan Taylor and Teka Or Tika by Noa Campbell
Whanau Day (A fun filled day celebrating storytelling from around the globe with
theatre performances, story readings, face painting, market stalls, children’s games and competitions)
Matakitaki Mai (Auckland Premiere of Shot Bro)
Mokaraka says he's stoked to be premiering his Auckland season at Te Pou's Kōanga Festival from September 15-18.

Shot Bro is funny, dark, real and a life-affirming show that showcases Mokaraka’s acting and writing skills. He admits that writing and performing Shot Bro has been part and parcel of Mokaraka's creative therapy, documenting the events leading up to his suicidal episode of depression that culminated in him being shot by the Police at his Pt Chevalier home in 2009.

He says that Shot Bro is being offered as a vessel for audiences to share, discuss and expose the effects of depression and positive ways out. Directed by Erina Daniels, Shot Bro is a black comedy that entertains and enlightens people about a very real fight with depression.

Mokaraka adds: "Kōanga Festival is giving me an opportunity to try out my first ever solo show in Auckland. I get to feed off the excitement of the emerging talent and watch their new works evolve. Performing Shot Bro at Kōanga is yet another step towards making my new show ready to tour nationally and internationally."

Kōanga Festival, in association with Going West, Te Pou Theatre, 44a Portage Road, New Lynn,
1-18 September. Details see Kōanga Festival

Kōanga Festival 2016

3, 4 & 11 September
TE POU TUHI – PLAYWRIGHTS WORKSHOP with Albert Belz

7 - 8 September, 7 pm
WHAKARONGO MAI – PLAY READINGS

11 September, 10 am - 4 pm
WHĀNAU DAY, Free Entry

15 - 18 September, 7.30pm
MATAKITAKI MAI - MĀORI THEATRE AUCKLAND PREMIERE SEASON
Rob Mokaraka's Auckland premiere of Shot Bro: Confessions of a Depressed Bullet

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