Vocal virtuosos: the talented performers behind ‘Oriana’
They’re young, vivacious and vocal virtuosos. Meet Amelia Ryman, Kimberley Wood, Matthew Harris and Harry Meehan, the faces of Oriana. This premier ensemble is rocking retrospective songs like nobody else – think sixteenth/seventeenth century retrospective! The name Oriana is a nod to Queen Elizabeth I. “Oriana was a kind of nickname for her; it was […]
The dames of dance: how the award winning dance group ‘Molls Dolls’ got their collective groove on
Molly Chapman was four years old when she donned her first pair of tap shoes and clicked her way across the floorboards. Born and raised in Dunedin, Molly grew up in a family that was, and still is, very involved in musical theatre. “My sister plays leading roles and directs musicals in Dunedin, and my […]
The flashest fiction: National Flash Fiction Day
Up and down the country writers are pounding their keyboards, pausing only to scratch their heads as they scrabble to craft a flash little story that will be awarded the flashest little 300 words in Aotearoa. Last year’s National Flash Fiction Day (NFFD) competition saw Christchurch writer – and former Metropol scribe – Rachel Smith, […]
Building hope in the Himalayas: how four people set out to make a difference in Nepal
Just when it seems the world is suffering a surfeit of doom and gloom stories, along comes a story big-hearted enough to illuminate the entire universe. Along comes Project EBC and four fabulous people – Mike Lowden, Bette Chen, Tina Morrell and Fergus Flannery. Project EBC (Everest Base Camp) was born from the coming together […]
Cantare in Italiano: learning to sing in Italian
If you’ve long dreamed of singing Italian and sounding Italian, then Claudia Lues can help you realise your dream. “I think my love of music began in the crib,” says South African born Claudia. “My parents are Italian; my mother sang all the popular Italian songs, including opera and my maternal grandfather was a conductor, […]
Crazy Clampett Chaos!
Oil That Is, Black Gold…Texas Tea! Yes, ma’am, you heard right. That rag-taggle bunch of Hillbillies are coming to town, and they’re promising all kinds of crazy Clampett chaos! Produced by Craig Hutchison of CAS’n’OVA PRODUCTIONS, The Beverly Hillbillies is the second show to be directed by Rebecca Wakelin. In 2016 Rebecca directed Dad’s Army […]
