Billboard

Press, 28 June 1989, Page 24

Billboard

‘Guys and Dolls’ The musical version of Damon Runyon s famous New York stories "Guys and Dolls" is to be presented by St Joseph’s Light Operatic Society at the Repertory Theatre Kilmore Street, from June 30 to July 8. There will be’ a matinee performance on Sunday, July 2. Runyon’s story "The Idyll of Sarah Brown” is the basis of the plot, enriched by a horde of his well-known Broadway characters — Nathan Detroit, Sky Masterton, Big Julie Harry the Horse and others. They are all gamblers,’ and the story concerns them, their girls and their troubles. The show is directed by Penny Giddens, with Malcolm Jones as musical director, and George Williams as choreographer. New gallery The Cornerstone Pottery at the Arts Centre has transformed itself into the Cornerstone Gallery, using the former workshop as an extension of the display space.’ It is showing the work of three artists, Steve Wakelev (landscape paintings), Paul Deans (portraits and woodcarvings), and Robyn Macintosh (watercolours) Plus five craftspersons, including the original potter, Philip Hadfield, and his wife, Glenda, who is known for her porcelain dragons. Youth band The 60-piece Victorian State Youth Concert Band is to present a selection of famous Broadway and show tunes, including some from “Phantom of the Opera" and “Chess,” in the Christchurch Town Hall at 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, July 2. Proceeds are to be given to the Canterbury Museum restoration appeal. There is to be a guest appearance by the Burnside Chorale Group, and items by a 200-voice choir from Christchurch secondary schools. The Victorian band was founded to perform at Victoria’s 150th anniversary and is now well established in the state. It played at the World Expo in Brisbane. The solo vocalist on this occasion is Marie-Louise Santa, lead singer of the Melbourne Youth Symphonic Band. Piano duettists An expatriate New Zealander, Richard Mapp, and a Canadian, Jocelyn Abbott, celebrate their eleven years musical partnership in style this year with an eleven centre tour of New Zealand and later, of Canada. Touring under the management of the Music Federation of New Zealand, the acclaimed piano duettists join with the well-known New Zealand actress Alice Fraser to bring an interesting programme of piano music, the highlight of which will be Camille Saint-Saens’ witty “Carnival of the Animals.” Their first performance will be in Blenheim on Saturday, July 1. They will be at Timaru on July 13 and Akaroa on July 16. Richard Mapp is well known to music lovers throughout New Zealand from his frequent performance as a soloist here. He toured with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 1987. Composer’s concert A Christchurch composer, Eric Biddington, is to present a concert of chamber music for oboe, cello, clarinet, violin, alto saxophone and piano trio at St Martin’s Church, Lincoln Road, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 1. The concert features several young and talented local performers. Biddington, who since 1986 has presented an annual concert of new chamber music at the Christchurch Arts Centre, was presented with an award recognising outstanding achievement and potential as a composer by the Composers’ Association of New Zealand in March this year. ‘Cushion theatre’ The Canterbury Children’s Theatre’s first experimental session of “Cushion Theatre” was such a success, and demand for more has been so great, that it is to present another set of stories from July 1 to July 8. “With imaginative production, colour, light and fun, this season of cushion theatre will be a fantastic fantasy adventure for boys and girls during the mid-term break,” says the theatre’s secretary, Ann Worthington. The stories to be presented are “Star Trip,” “The Judge” and “Sleeping Beauty.” Performances begin at 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. on July 1,2 and 8; and at 6.30 p.m. on July 4, 5 and 6. Money for writers New Zealand writers will benefit from additional money given to the Literary Fund by the Lottery Board. Total funding for the Arts Council’s literature programme from the board during 1988/89 was $350,000 when the literary fund came under Internal Affairs, but since the changeover to the Arts Council, the fund has received an extra $150,000 from the board for 1989-90. Rosemary Wildblood of the Arts Council said the money would be used to set up a travel fund for writers to go to literary events in New Zealand, and to increase grants for writers to complete substantial works. New initiatives will include a bursary to commemorate the New Zealand poet Louis Johnson, a fourth scholarship in letters and a scheme for funding publications in Maori.