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Friday, December 22, 2017
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Wind's in the east ..
There's a mist coming in ..
Like something is brewin' ..
And 'bout to begin ..
The Rotorua Musical Theatre production of the supercalifragilistic international hit Mary Poppins – The Broadway Musical is coming to Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre with show dates confirmed for 11 – 24 March 2018.
Be enthralled, captivated and enchanted with this brand new production of Disney & Cameron Mackintosh's global sensation Mary Poppins.
Mary Poppins will be Rotorua Musical Theatre’s big show for the year, said President, Natasha Benfell. “We have an extremely experienced and gifted director in Dean McKerras who will be joined by talented local Elisha Hulton as vocal director. We’re also very excited to be working in partnership with Rotorua Lakes Council on this show, and were very appreciative of the support we have received,” she said.
The cast is already deep in rehearsals with some exciting new twists to the show. “It will definitely be one to remember but I can’t give it all away – you’ll just have to come along,” Benfell said.
She is predicting the family favourite will be a sell-out “Who doesn’t know songs like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious or A Spoonful of Sugar?”
Energy Events Centre Manager Joelene Elliott says staff have been working extremely hard, alongside Rotorua Musical Theatre, to enable the show to be staged in Rotorua.
“Mary Poppins was originally booked for the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre which recently had to close for earthquake strengthening. The technical equipment needed, including specialist rigs needed for Mary Poppins to fly across the stage will need to be built at the Energy Events Centre, but it’s an exciting challenge and one we’re keen to take on,” she said.
Don’t miss out. Join Mary Poppins, Jane, Michael, Bert, Mr and Mrs Banks and the many other beloved and colourful characters as the Energy Events Centre is transformed into Cherry Tree Lane for Rotorua’s must-see theatrical event of 2018.
Based on PL Travers' beloved book series of the same name, Mary Poppins became an immediate hit when it premiered as a movie musical in 1964, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Forty years later, Cameron Macintosh conceived the enchanting stage musical that combines elements of Disney's film with material inspired by Travers' books.
Gift vouchers will be on sale online from Friday 22 December at www.ticketmaster.co.nz with tickets on sale from the Ticketmaster office at the Energy Events Centre from 8 January 2018. Both matinee and evening performances are available, with great concessions for families.
Mary Poppins – The Broadway Musical
Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film.
Original music and lyrics are by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
Book by Julian Fellowes
New songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Co-created by Cameron Mackintosh
Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).
All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.
ENDS
For further information:
Joanna Doherty, Business Development Manager – Arts & Culture
Rotorua Lakes Council
P: 07 351 7831 M: 027 272 5768 E: joanna.doherty@rotorualc.nz
Image credits:
Mary Poppins – The Broadway Musical
Dean McKerras – Director for the Rotorua Musical Theatre production of Mary Poppins
The Rotorua Musical Theatre production of the supercalifragilistic international hit Mary Poppins – The Broadway Musical is coming to Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre with show dates confirmed for 11 – 24 March 2018.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
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(taken from the Rotorua Daily Post, 7 Nov 2017)
Another large International conference has been confirmed for the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua in September 2018.
Click here to view the Rotorua Daily Post article.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
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Auckland, New Zealand, November 07, 2017 – New signing Tohu Harris is in line for an early taste of facing his old team when the Vodafone Warriors and 2017 premiership winner Melbourne headline a two-day ‘Festival of Rugby League’ with a trial in Rotorua in February next year.
And Ryan Hoffman, who has come full circle by rejoining the Storm for 2018, could take on his ex-Vodafone Warriors side after ending a three-year stint in Auckland.
The Rotorua Lakes Council and the Vodafone Warriors today jointly announced the trial had been confirmed for Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday, February 17 (3.00pm kick-off).
It will cap a programme including a regional nines tournament for the Peter McLeod Cup, a trophy named in honour of the long-serving former general manager for Events and Venues Rotorua, who passed away almost two years ago. McLeod was the driving force behind the bid which resulted in the Auckland Warriors being introduced to the then-Winfield Cup in 1995.
Through their Harvey Norman Community Warriors programme, the Vodafone Warriors will also have a strong presence in the Geyser City leading up to game day when they’ll be out and about in the community. The feature of the activity will be a packed schedule of school visits.
“Having a trial in Rotorua is a great fit for the club as well as our members and fans,” said Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George.
“It’s an ideal chance to take the team to another centre and this time there’s the added attraction of having the premiers as our opponents, not to mention the possibility of Tohu (Harris) coming up against his former team-mates.
“We love the opportunity trials outside Auckland provide to meet fans and to connect with communities throughout the country.”
It will be the fourth time the Vodafone Warriors have had a trial in Rotorua.
“It’s always exciting for us having the Vodafone Warriors in Rotorua,” said Crispian Stewart, operations and event development manager, Events and Venues Rotorua.
“They do a great job getting out and about in the community and once again our local players have the chance to be involved with the staging of the nines tournament for the Peter McLeod Cup. The final will be played before the NRL trial with Peter’s daughters presenting the trophy.”
In recent years the Vodafone Warriors have played trials in Palmerston North, Hamilton, Whangarei, Dunedin and Nelson.
Their first preseason clash in Rotorua was against the Sydney Roosters in 2010 when they won 26-8. In 2011 they beat Parramatta 24-4 at Rotorua International Stadium and returned in 2015 when they beat Penrith 18-4.
Vodafone Warriors head coach Stephen Kearney and his staff will have an opportunity to use some of the club’s new signings on February 17. As well as Harris, they have signed Kiwis Adam Blair, Gerard Beale, Peta Hiku and Harris plus Gold Coast’s Leivaha Pulu and Taupo-raised Matiu Love-Henry from Brisbane. Beale faces a lengthy stint on the sideline recovering from a broken leg he suffered in the Kiwis’ opening Rugby League World Cup match against Toa Samoa on October 28.
While Cooper Cronk and Harris have finished with the Storm, the Craig Bellamy-coached champion side will go into 2018 still boasting Kangaroos Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Will Chambers, Jordan McLean, Cameron Munster and Felise Kaufusi, Kiwis Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Kenny Bromwich and Jesse Bromwich, excitement machines Suliasi Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr and new signings Hoffman and Sam Kasiano.
For inquiries please contact:
Richard Becht
Communications Manager
Vodafone Warriors
Mobile: +64 21 814 537
Email: richard@warriors.kiwi
Friday, November 3, 2017
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An engineers’ report on the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre has highlighted issues relating to seismic strengthening which require temporary closure so remedial work can be done.
“A detailed seismic assessment at SHMPAC has highlighted some further issues we were unaware of so we need to close it temporarily to get remedial work done,” Rotorua Lakes Council Arts and Culture Manager Stewart Brown says.
“We know what the issues are and are optimistic there are solutions we can get started on immediately so that we can get the building operational again within a reasonable period of time. We're hopeful it will be months as opposed to longer but won't accept new bookings at this point until there's certainty.
This is very different from the museum situation. “When we closed the museum there were still a lot of unknowns but that's not the case with the performing arts centre,” Mr Brown says.
“We rely on expert advice and the best advice we have at this time gave us no option but to close for a period of time, in the interests of public safety.
“This is an important facility for our local performing arts community so it's obviously disappointing. We never make these decisions lightly but we cannot compromise on public safety and we think the community will understand that,” he says.
“We already knew about issues with Concert Chamber walls. There are also some issues with connections and bracings in the foyer and stage areas but we know what needs to be done to fix those. Work done on the facility in previous years was compliant but methodologies have changed and we now have new building standards as a result of learnings from Christchurch.”
Upgrade of the centre has been proposed and is included in Council’s 2017/18 Annual Plan with $1m allocated this financial year to complete the business case and potentially start detailed design and construction. The business case will go to the Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee next week.
“We'll now work with event organisers and promoters who had bookings to find alternative solutions for as many as we possibly can and we’ll be creative in coming up with options,” Mr Brown says.
An alternative venues database is being compiled and venue owners/operators can contact council’s Customer Centre on 07-3484199 to be added to that list.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
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Hot Off The Press - Events & Venues Rotorua's 'What's On!' Newsletter - full of events happening in and around Rotorua in June 2015. Click here to view
Friday, June 26, 2015
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The Harcourts Rotorua Outdoor Ice Rink will be back in Rotorua this year but later than normal - and with an added attraction. The rink's time in Rotorua this year will coincide with the 2015 September school holidays and will come with an extra attraction, a 35m Ice Slide which people will be able to tackle on a tube or sled. |
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Supplied by Paradice Ice Skating, the Harcourts Rotorua Outdoor Ice Rink has been a mid-year attraction at the lakefront for the past three years - in July - as part of the Fire and Ice festival which was organised by Events & Venues but will not be running this year.
"The Fire and Ice Festival was originally created to promote the Harcourts Rotorua Outdoor Ice Rink and add to the mid-winter offer," Rotorua Lakes Council Events & Venues events manager Martin Croft says.
"We've been very grateful for funding support for the festival in previous years from Rotorua Trust and First Sovereign and it was popular with locals. However, we decided to postpone the festival for a year and take the time to plan for its long-term future," he says.
"This year we'll focus on working with Paradice Ice Skating to make sure the ice rinks stint in Rotorua this year is a success."
Last year 11,500 skaters visited the Harcourts Rotorua Outdoor Ice Rink and with more stable weather likely in September, it's expected that number could increase this year.
Friday, April 17, 2015
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QUEEN - IT'S A KINDA MAGIC recreates Queen's 1986 World Tour concert, featuring over 20 of the band's greatest hits such as 'We Will Rock You', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'We Are the Champions', 'Under Pressure' and 'Fat-Bottomed Girls'.
Painstaking attention has been paid to all the music - the iconic voice of Mercury, the amazing guitar solos of May, and the groundbreaking Rock harmonies. With state-of-the-art sound and lighting and authentic costumes, this is as close as you'll ever get to the real thing!
Simply visit Ticketmaster online and type in the promo code QUEEN241 to redeem this offer.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
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Grab your gear and get involved in our fun water and land-based activities for the day! We have everything you need to keep busy, from sausage sizzles to giant-sized water inflatables.
Rotorua Aquatic Centre team is providing a giant inflatable, as well as the Unison Lake Safety Programme equipment (kayaks, lifejackets). Bay of Plenty Regional Council will have a ‘test it yourself’ water quality activity, with prizes up for grabs. Give a Zorb ball a go with Zorb racing on the water, and make sure you bring a towel so you can play fun land activities like volleyball, courtesy of Te Waiariki Purea Trust.
We will have experienced water safety instructors on hand to not only keep you safe, but give you awesome tips on water safety and how you can help keep safe on, on and around water.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
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The Nzo Moonride is one of the genuinely iconic events on the New Zealand mountain biking calendar.
Conceived 21 years ago as part of Rotorua’s MidWinter festival, it was one of the first mountain biking events anywhere to use the concept of relay teams to make an endurance competition accessible to just about anybody. The opportunity for an average mountain biker to be part of a 12 or 24 hour event is what made the Moonride a must-do on the mountain bikers’ bucket list.
Tales from the early years of frozen cables, muddy trails and flat batteries did not put people off, and the Moonride grew to be one of the biggest annual gatherings of mountain bikers.
Based in the Whakarewarewa Forest for most editions, the world-renowned trails are the main drawcard. When it began, the trails used were a test for the riders and machinery of the day. The latest running of the event returned to that concept, and the course chosen let you know you were in a mountain bike race. Plenty of the singletrack Rotorua is famous for, a decent climb, with a fun and flowing descent.
Being held in mid-winter has its charms. A sparkling frosty night under a starry sky? Maybe. But a balmy and dry early autumn night under similar skies is a lot more attractive, so the event has moved to March. Hanging out in the campsite, where every team has a place on the race course, is a great way to wind down after a long day’s riding and wind up to the climax of the 10pm finish. As barbecues sizzle and lights dance through the trees along the edge of the forest there is almost a party atmosphere… it can be hard to believe it is a race.
Nzo has been around for nearly as long as the Moonride. It was the first event we got involved with when we started making gear for mountain bikers back in 1998. We are very stoked to have a strong connection to this great event – come and see us in our new store at 1141 Amohau Street, Rotorua, or at the event. We will be racing, but also have plenty of time to say hello!
The 2015 Nzo Moonride is on March 20-21. That’s the weekend leading into Crankworx Rotorua. Entries received before March 9 go in the draw to win this fantastic prize package thanks to these awesome sponsors: a $100 Pig & Whistle Voucher, Canopy Tours Vouchers for 2, Skyline Gondola and Luge Vouchers for 2, entrance into the Polynesian Spa for 2, a ‘Local As’ T-Shirt from Nzo Ride Central and a guided tour of the Whakarewarewa Forest with the one and only Gaz Sullivan from Nzo! Go to www.eventpromotions.co.nz to get your entry in.
The Nzo Moonride is one of the genuinely iconic events on the New Zealand mountain biking calendar.
Conceived 21 years ago as part of Rotorua’s MidWinter festival, it was one of the first mountain biking events anywhere to use the concept of relay teams to make an endurance competition accessible to just about anybody. The opportunity for an average mountain biker to be part of a 12 or 24 hour event is what made the Moonride a must-do on the mountain bikers’ bucket list.
Tales from the early years of frozen cables, muddy trails and flat batteries did not put people off, and the Moonride grew to be one of the biggest annual gatherings of mountain bikers.
Based in the Whakarewarewa Forest for most editions, the world-renowned trails are the main drawcard. When it began, the trails used were a test for the riders and machinery of the day. The latest running of the event returned to that concept, and the course chosen let you know you were in a mountain bike race. Plenty of the singletrack Rotorua is famous for, a decent climb, with a fun and flowing descent.
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Being held in mid-winter has its charms. A sparkling frosty night under a starry sky? Maybe. But a balmy and dry early autumn night under similar skies is a lot more attractive, so the event has moved to March. Hanging out in the campsite, where every team has a place on the race course, is a great way to wind down after a long day’s riding and wind up to the climax of the 10pm finish. As barbecues sizzle and lights dance through the trees along the edge of the forest there is almost a party atmosphere… it can be hard to believe it is a race. Nzo has been around for nearly as long as the Moonride. It was the first event we got involved with when we started making gear for mountain bikers back in 1998. We are very stoked to have a strong connection to this great event – come and see us in our new store at 1141 Amohau Street, Rotorua, or at the event. We will be racing, but also have plenty of time to say hello! |
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Monday, March 2, 2015
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Rotorua Lakes Council’s (RLC) first performing arts Summer School is set to wow the community with a Broadway global smash-hit.
Summer School students, aged 14 to 21 years, will perform the popular musical Hairspray as the inaugural Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre Summer School production at the end of January 2016.
Council Creative Communities Portfolio lead, Councillor Glenys Searancke said preparations were underway to run Summer School in December and January, and to plan for the Summer School’s Hairspray production.
“Demand from our community for a performing arts summer school has been extremely strong, so the council has listened to those requests and I’m pleased we’re able to respond by offering our young people this wonderful programme.”
RLC performing arts director, Richard Marshall said Hairspray would be an explosion of fun for the students and everyone else involved.
“Not only is it a song and dance spectacle, it also carries some significant messages - acceptance and body image - which are very relevant to our community today.
“It’s a fun piece written about the 1960s when segregation was a big topic. While the show brings light to a serious problem of that time, the plot is full of light-hearted entertainment for the entire family. With catchy songs and sparkling choreography, this show will be a dazzling recreation of the fun that was the 60s,” he said.
Mr Marshall said the NZ Musical Theatre Consortium set will be utilised, which includes costumes used in the Australian professional production of Hairspray.
Summer School will take place through December 2015 and January 2016, with a short break during the Christmas/New Year period.
To register interest in auditioning for Summer School or any other queries, contact Rotorua Lakes Council performing arts director, Richard Marshall, on 07 351 8229 or email richard.marshall@rdc.govt.nz .
To stay in touch Council creative news, visit eepurl.com/74lOb and sign up for the Creative newsletter.
It’s 1962 and Tracy wins a spot on the local TV dance programme, The Corny Collins Show. Tracy launches a campaign against the social injustice of segregation that prevents black teens from dancing on the show with white kids. Overnight Tracy is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can an unconventional trendsetter in dance, music and fashion vanquish the show’s reigning princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her ‘do’?
Hairspray is based on the book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
