The Scene - Local Entertainment News

Vistara's Spectacular School Show

Showing off some of the fabulous costumes and props to be used in Vistara's annual performance are students (l-r) Ruby Gerrish, Akira Boardman and Patrick Laidlaw.

When it comes to putting on interesting and entertaining theatre for all ages, Vistara Primary School is up there with the best. For nearly two decades the school has been presenting an annual production, always of a very high calibre, and this year's show promises to be just as spectacular.

Vistara Primary School's 17th annual performance will be held on Thursday, September 26 at the Star Court Theatre, and every student in the school is involved in the production.

Directed by Heather Gillard the productions features three smaller plays - Dreamer the Star Beetle, The Channel Changer and So it Will Be.

The plays are all cleverly crafted and using different themes they each look at a different issue. The first play, Dreamer the Star Beetle, is about being happy with yourself and realising you are beautiful exactly the way you are. The second play, So it Will Be, is based on the theme 'be careful what you wish for... you just might get it', and the idea that things don't always appear to be the way they really are.

The final play, The Channel Changer, is actually a short comedy skit that uses TV as a focus. The show features fabulous over-sized props, spectacular costumes, colourful sets and some amazing lighting techniques - all created by students, teachers and parents.

'They're thought provoking plays, they are visually quite stunning and there's a message for everyone," teacher, Rukminii Athans, said. 'Ex-graduates who are in high school and University come back especially to see the production, as many of the students who have graduated from Vistara have gone on to pursue drama. The school drama program is great for students emotionally, physically and spiritually - they just evolve in leaps and bounds throughout the process."

Tickets to Vistara's annual performance are $8 adults, $5 teenagers, $3 children and toddlers are free. Tickets are available at the door, but be sure to be early as tickets will sell fast. The production starts at 6pm.

Feeling Blue is Fine for Dawn

If you've always wanted to see outer space but if you don't have $20 million to spend, you can now see it for free at the Lismore Regional Art Gallery. The gallery has recently created a new streetfront art exhibition area, OuterSpace, where different local artists will showcase their three-dimensional artworks each month. SCU final year ceramic student Dawn Thirlaway (pictured) is currently exhibiting her installation, Obsession in Blue, in the OuterSpace area.

The installation is made from handmade silkscreen prints, neriage porcelain and tissue paper.

'The artwork looks at obsessive behavioural patterns - if you obsessively repeat something it creates a pattern, and that goes with anything in life," Dawn said. 'My work is fairly personal - it's about noticing my own patterns of behaviour and what happens when they become obsessive. This is then translated into the physical and visual."

Dawn's artwork is the second installation in what will become an ongoing series, and OuterSpace director, Melanie Miller, is currently looking for more artists to take part.

'This art exhibition space is an innovative concept for the Northern Rivers area, and is specifically dedicated to exhibiting site-specific 3D artworks," Melanie said. 'We are actively seeking artists to showcase their artworks in OuterSpace. Any artist who has something special and would like to share it with the thousands of people that pass by everyday should contact me at the gallery on 6622 2209 on Wednesday or Thursday, between 10am and 1pm, to discuss proposals for an exhibition. And remember, keep an eye on OuterSpace, or you may miss something truly amazing."

The OuterSpace exhibition area can be viewed from Molesworth Street. Dawn's installation, Obsession in Blue, will be on show until October 5.

Platters to Ponder Over

Local artist Trygve Klem with his artworks 'Nebula's garden' (left) and 'it is, Personal', which are part of his exhibition Roses & Spaces.

Local artist Trygve Klem currently has a new exhibition, Roses & Spaces, on show at the Lismore Regional Art Gallery.

The exhibition features a series of large woodfired ceramic platters, imprinted with lace and slip (liquid clay), and painted with gold leaf veins throughout. Trygve fires these impressive artworks at his home in Rock Valley, using a special kiln he designed for his work.

In talking about his inspiration for the exhibition, Trygve quotes Vincent Van Gogh - 'I have... a terrible need... shall I say the word?... of religion. Then I go out at night and paint the stars."

Trygve says the artworks look at the human position of existence in life in-between the extremes of materialism and spiritualism, and how they fuse into one.

This is reflected in his chosen media of ceramics which, through its history, has been used in the widest contexts possible, ranging from humble kitchen ware to ceremonial objects.

'I started making ceramics when I was 16 years-old and I've loved it ever since," Trygve said. 'It's one of the few things that makes sense to me in this world - it's my personal language. How they resonate with others I have no control over but for me, if I can quote Homer Simpson, they 'work on so many levels'."

Roses & Spaces is on show until October 5.

Ain't Love (and Directing) Funny

When it comes to directing, Sue Belsham knows the importance of being multi-talented. The award-winning director has recently finished rehearsals for Love off the Shelf, a new production by Supa Productions and the Lismore Theatre Company. And as much as she loved creating the production, it required her to draw on all her skills as a director.

'A theatrical director has to be a combination of things," Sue said. 'A drill sergeant, a mother figure and a super administrator!"

Born in Scotland, Sue grew up in a theatrical family, but herself pursued a career in nursing and healthcare. 'Theatre is my love and my passion," Sue said. 'Although strangely enough, my parents actively discouraged me from taking up the theatre as a career. But you can't a good thespian down!"

Together with her musician husband, Paul, Sue has directed a range of well-known musicals including West Side Story, Hair and Chorus Line. The new production Love off the Shelf is a favourite of Sue's and was written by Roger Hall (who also wrote the musical Footrot Flats).

Love off the Shelf is a witty comedy based on the classic Mills & Boon romance novels and the story features two aspiring writers, who both attempt to write a romance novel. The play brings the imaginary characters in these stories to life, following their trials and tribulations through the pages of the novels.

Love off the Shelf will be performed from Thursday-Saturday, September 12-14 at the Rochedale Theatre in Goonellabah. The play will also be performed from September 19-21 and 26-28, all from 8pm sharp. Tickets are $15/10 from Caddies in Lismore or Bangalow.

Free Tickets to Live Poets!

The Live Poets! return to the Rous Hotel next Wednesday, September 18, before next month's annual Lismore Poetry Cup.

The evening will feature Mullumbimby-based singer, poet and percussionist Vasudha and Lismore poet Rebecca Rushbrook - a singer with The Authorities.

As always there will be invited and open reading, and this month the poet's will also be joined by the finalists of the Friends of the ABC 70th anniversary Poetry Competition, who will compete for a performance prize.

The evening kicks off at 8pm.

Freebie: The Echo has one double pass to giveaway to the Live Poets! To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 between 11.30 & 11.40am on Monday, September 16 and tell us your favourite ABC program.

Win Tickets to See an Aussie Icon

Two lucky Echo readers have the chance to win tickets to John Williamson, who will perform at the Lismore Workers Club next Wednesday.

Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming John Williamson gig on Wednesday, September 18, and The Echo is giving two lucky readers the chance to win a single pass each.

John Williamson is an icon in the Australian music industry, and in the last 30 years he has released an amazing 29 albums, and collected 18 Golden Guitar awards along the way.

His latest offering, Gunyah (which means 'home'), is dedicated to his brother, Robin, who sadly died from cancer in June 1999 at the age of 47. Among this collection of songs is the tune Salisbury Street, a heartfelt tribute to Robin.

While most of John's songs are about Australia and his experiences in his homeland, an overseas tour prompted John to write 'The Kiwi and the Emu' while in New Zealand and Telephone in my Pocket during a lonely time in the UK. But despite this change of direction in his songwriting, John is more patriotic than ever and is enjoying the chance to take the Australian culture to an overseas audience through his music.

'A lot of my career has been about being passively patriotic," John said. 'I think we're (Aussies) equal to anyone in the world, so why not give them a sense of what it's like in Wonthaggi or Cape York or Jindabyne."

John is so keen to take his music to other countries he has even included a glossary on his website, so people from all over the world can understand just what he's on about.

John will perform one gig only at the Lismore Workers Club, so be sure to get a ticket before they sell out. Tickets are $25 each from the club (book on 6621 7401) and the gig starts at 8pm.

Freebie: To go in the draw to win one of the single passes The Echo has to giveaway to readers, phone 6622 2888 between 11 & 11.10am on Monday, September 16 and tell us from which culture does the word Gunyah come from.

Locals in QLD Band Comp Final

Local female trio Proem will compete in the Queensland Band Competition's state final next Thursday at the SCU Union, from 8.30pm.

Local female trio Proem will be among seven bands battling it out in the National Band Competition's Queensland final, to be held in Lismore next Thursday, September 19.

The winning band will compete in the national final later this year, and with a recording contract up for grabs the stage is set for some fierce competition.

For music lovers this means an opportunity to see six great bands in a variety of different genres including local female trio Proem, who recently returned from a tour of Melbourne.

Proem features Clare Hopper on drums/flute, Jodie Ramona on cello and Liz Saross on vocals/percussion, and already they are wooing crowds with their unique and original music.

'The music is challenging - I feel like we're making a whole new genre as we go," drummer and flautist, Clare Hopper, said. 'Liz's vocals range from operatic to grunge, I play flute and kick drum at the same time and Jodie plays around with different rhythms on the cello. It's classical mixed with modern grunge - like a bit of the 1600s mixed with 2000."

The competition will be held at Southern Cross University Union Bar from 8.30pm, and tickets are available at the door.

Remember, you need ID and a member to sign you in.

Go to Bo for Delta Blues

American ex-pat and accomplished guitarist Bo Jenkins (pictured) will perform at the weekly blues night at Maggie Moores next Tuesday, September 17.

Bo was born in Arkansas and began his musical career playing the roadhouses and bars up and down Mississippi's Highways 49 and the now-famous 61, thanks to Dylan.

The delta region where he grew up is where blues first met country, producing many renowned musicians such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Houston Stackhouse and Willie Dixon.

Bo, a left-hander, tunes his guitar and plays with the high string on top, allowing him to play some musical pieces that right handed players simply cannot.

Bo moved to Australia in 1994 and after his first gig at the East Coast Blues Festival Rhythms magazine commented in a review that 'his mere talent puts him in the same league as Hendrix and Clapton".

Since his move down under Bo has released two albums, Razorback Road and Skin It Back, and a copy of the Skin It Back CD will be given away at the gig.

On Tuesday he will present a night of country music and blues, playing slide guitar and stomp box. Tickets to the gig are $8/6, and the music kicks off at 8.30pm.

Freebie: The Echo has one double pass to giveaway to this gig. To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 between 10.30 & 10.40am on Monday, September 16 and tell us who wrote the song Highway 61.

Singers Wanted

The a cappella chorus, Lennox Headliners, are opening their doors to women who love to sing. The Chorus will be preparing carols for the Christmas season and anyone who's interested is welcome to go along and learn to harmonise with them. Their Christmas rehearsals begin on Monday, September 16, at the Uniting Church Hall, Rutherford Street, Lennox Head at 7pm. For details call Jacky on 6680 7058.

Crafty Exhibition

The Lismore High School P&C Association is holding an Art & Craft Exhibition this Saturday, September 14 in the School Hall. There will be around 30 exhibitors from as far afield as Bonalbo, Ocean Shores, Ballina and Casino taking part, who will have a wide variety of art and craft on display and for sale. This includes cottage crafts, intarsia woodwork, beautiful lampshades, jewellery, embroidery, candlewicking and heaps more.

Refreshments will be available throughout the day and all proceeds will go towards the converting the school's canteen into a self-serve facility. At present there are long waiting lines for students, and after seeing the self-serve system work well in other schools the P&C Association has decided to convert to that system.

If successful, the P&C Association will make the Art and Craft Exhibition an annual event. The day will run from 10am-4pm. Entry is $3, with children and school students free.

Indian Afternoon

Clunes-based documentary maker and cinematographer, Catherine Marciniak, will present her new film Beyond the Royal Veil at a special screening on Sunday, September 22 at the Star Court Theatre in Lismore. The documentary follows the journey two men in the Indian aristocracy, and explores previously inaccessible sections of some of the oldest and most spectacular palaces on earth.

The film will be shown alongside one of Catherine's favourite half hour documentaries, Born to Ride, about a 75 year-old man's motorcycle trip through the beautiful vistas of the Himalayan mountains. Following the screening there will be half an hour of Q&A with Catherine. Tickets to the screening are $10/8 and the screening starts at 4.30pm.

Bush Camp Comp

Entries for the Gudhum Wadjelah Aboriginal Association poster competition close on Monday, September 16.

Designed to promote the association's Bundjalung Bush Camps, entrants are required to create a poster A3 in size, in either black and white or colour, with a Bundjalung theme.

Suggested text for the poster is Experience of a Lifetime, Gudhum Wadjelah Bush Camps.

The competition is open to all high school students in the Northern Rivers region, and the winner will receive a three-day Bundjalung Bush Camp for two people worth $500.

Participants in the camp have the unique opportunity to experience Bundjalung language, cultural traditions and heritage with local Elders.

For more information phone Jennifer on 6684 3253.

A Picture of Pain

Local artist David Dylan Thomas' new exhibition 911, which looks at the effects the September 11 terrorist attacks had on two walks of life, continues for another two weeks at the Winsome Hotel.

The exhibition features mixed media drawings and oil paintings that David drew from photographic images about the attacks. David's brother Michael was in Pakistani refugee camps just two days after the attacks, where he took a series of photographs of the people there. David has created artworks of these people from the photographs, and he has also done images of American victims, taken from photographs featured in Australian newspapers.

The result is a powerful and moving exhibition that shows the horrendous impact of such an act on two different cultures, and is a timely reminder that terrorism and war benefits no one. 911 is on show until September 25.

One of the works from the 911 exhibition at the Winsome, which was opened last night and will continue for two weeks.

A Little Like Opera

As part of Musica Viva's ongoing concert series, soprano singer Jennifer Parish and baritone singer Stewart Cameron (pictured) will bring their song company Operatif! to Lismore for a special concert tomorrow, September 13.

Jennifer and Stewart will be accompanied by two of Brisbane's finest musicians - long-time pianist Lynne Jordan and renowned Queensland bassist David Hibbard.

Operatif! will perform classic songs and operas including the Merry Widow Waltz, One Fine Day from Madam Butterfly and songs from the Phantom of the Opera and The Road to Mandalay.

Operatif! will be held tomorrow at Lismore City Hall from 8pm. Tickets are $32.20/ $28.20 (students $17.20). Bookings through the Northern Rivers Ticket Centre on 6621 5600. The evening starts at 8pm.

Dolphin Nominations Extended

Some of the new North Coast Entertainment Industry committee (l-r) treasurer Nathaniel Watkins, volunteer Peter Tamai, president Shaun Quinlan and volunteer Tony Edwards.

Organisers of the 12th annual Dolphin Awards, the North Coast Entertainment Industry (NCEIA), have extended the deadline for nominations to Friday, September 20.

The awards recognise excellent in the local music industry, covering the area from the Queensland border south to Bellingen, and from Tenterfield to Byron Bay.

A new category will be included this year for spoken word recordings, and after a recent re-structure of the management committee NCEIA have decided to hold the Dolphin Awards in Byron Bay again this year.

Another initiative planned for this year's awards is an exhibition of Dolphin Awards artworks at the Lismore Regional Art Gallery, timed to coincide with the Dolphin Awards presentation night on October 29. Entries in this year's promotional artwork category, to be judged by Lismore Regional Art Gallery director Bronwyn Larner, will be considered for inclusion in the exhibition.

'We felt that with the reorganisation that recently happened within NCEIA and the introduction of a new category, it would be only fair to allow musicians, performers and artists the extra time to prepare their entries for this year," NCEIA's new president, Shaun Quinlan, said. 'We have extended it to September 20, but we can't go beyond that deadline as we have the judging process locked in and ready to begin."

People can enter in 33 different categories, which includes sections for singing, songwriting, performing, comedy, poetry, artwork and many more. For entry forms or more information drop in to the NCEIA office in the ACE building on Carrington Street, phone 6622 0222, email nceia@nrg.com.au or check out the website www.dolphinawards.org.au

Tickets are now on sale for the Dolphin Awards presentation night, to be held on October 29 at the Great Northern In Byron Bay. Tickets are $30 or $25 for NCEIA members.

Middle East Peace Helps Red Cross

Local belly dancer Sidika will dance at the Middle East Peace performance on September 21.

To raise money for the Red Cross local ensemble KaOZ Klezmer are presenting Middle East Peace - a feast of Jewish and Arabic music and dance - next Saturday, September 21 at the Italo Club in North Lismore.

The night will feature performance by Middle Eastern percussionist Harmony and belly dancer Sidika, who will perform two styles of dancing - Baladi (the dance of Egypt) and Raqs Sharqi (the Dance of the East).

KaOZ Klezmer is a locally-based group specialising in Jewish and Yiddish music, however, for this event the ensemble have rehearsed a number of pieces from Arabic cultures, as well as Jewish music with Middle-Eastern musical inspirations.

To add to the Middle Eastern mystique, the venue will be decorated and lit like a Bedouin tent fantasy, and Middle Eastern food will be available.

'The performance of KaOZ Klezmer, with its international flavour, is an excellent opportunity for people to experience wonderful local talent whilst increasing the exposure of the wonderful services Red Cross provides to the community," Red Cross regional manager, Vahideh Hosseini, said.

Tickets to Middle East Peace are $15/10 or $35/25 for a family. Tickets are available from Lismore Music and Music Bizarre in Lismore or Soundwaves in Byron Bay. The gig starts at 7.30pm.

Spaghetti Circus

To celebrate their 10th birthday the Spaghetti Circus is presenting a new production, Decade Al Dente: The World at your Feet, in a Big Top at the Mullumbimby Showgrounds. Decade Al Dente will be performed on Friday, September 13 at 7pm, on September 14 at 11am and 7pm and Saturday at 1pm. with more shows on September 20-21.

Tickets are $15 adults, $10 children and $45 for a family (two adults and two kids), from the Northern Rivers Ticket Centre on 6621 5600.

Tea Tree Art Prize

Entries are now open for the Tea Tree Art Prize 2002. More than $5,000 in prizes is up for grabs in eight categories - traditional painting, contemporary painting, drawing, Aboriginal art, sculpture, 3D functional art, photography and youth art (12-15 years and 16-18 years).

Entries close on October 13. Entry forms are available from The Lismore Regional Art Gallery, Norma's Arts and Crafts and the Tourist Info Centre in Casino, the Kolinda Gallery in Alstonville, the Tourist Info Centre in Ballina, the Paperbark Gallery in Evans Head, Hand Crafted Creatures in Woodburn and the Roxy Gallery in Kyogle.

For more info phone Sharon on 6683 2626 or Kate on 6683 2325.

ReelDance

Fri, September 27, Star Court Theatre, Lismore

7pm Presentation of local dance film & forum
8pm Feature program: Finalists of the ReelDance Awards
$10 / $7 Tickets at the door
Enquiries: 6622 3279 (Northern Rivers Dance Action)

One Extra Dance in association with Northern Rivers Dance Action and North Coast CAMERA, present the 2nd ReelDance Festival at the Star Court Theatre, Friday, September 27. ReelDance brings together some of the best dance-film and video from Australia and New Zealand, and this is the first year that ReelDance will be presented outside of Melbourne and Sydney, with Lismore being the only regional destination. The Lismore screening will feature the finalists in the ReelDance Awards for Australian and New Zealand dance-film/video with the programme being an eclectic and exciting mix, celebrating the efforts of the filmmakers, choreographers, and performers who produce this special type of work for the screen. The full three day programme opened at the Sydney Opera House in August.

And what exactly is dance-film? ReelDance Director and Curator Erin Brannigan describes this medium as one that may 'feature dance of any description - be it human movement, the dance-like movement of inanimate objects, or dance effects achieved through filming or post-production." She goes on to explain that ' Top choreographers and filmmakers have been working together to produce a new style of short dance-films that make full use of both the choreographers' skills and the art of filmmaking. In these films, connections are made to the way the body has been used in the cinema throughout its history - particularly the use of gestural body language - while the rich history of dance on screen from musicals to music videos is also referenced."

The themes are varied and challenging, covering the very breadth of dance as an artistic and cultural performance, with social, traditional and contemporary dance styles featuring across the program. The significance and variety of music within the sub-genres of dance on screen is also featured.

Some of the leading choreographers in the country are represented in the program, with 59 entries from Australia and New Zealand presented to the judging panel. Collaborations include director Margie Medlin and choreographer Sandra Parker (Danceworks, Melbourne), and director/ choreographer Richard James Allen (of Physical TV) with dancer Bernadette Walong. Walong is a well respected dancer and choreographer and was recently in Lismore as co-choreographer for Norpa's production of The Seed.

To kick off the night, Emma Newman of Northern Rivers Dance Action has organised for local dance-films to be presented at 7pm before the feature program. Local filmmakers will then have the opportunity to talk about their work and discuss the specific issues and challenges of this type of filmmaking in an open discussion with the audience.

Ms Newman explains 'There is also a great scope for video in live performance and this open discussion is a chance for both film-makers and dance-makers to meet and start ideas rolling, perhaps even with ReelDance 2003 in mind".

If you thought dance-film/video was all about music clips, then come and find out what else it can be. Audiences can expect the unexpected and be delighted by the variety of styles and scenarios presented in this collection of short and punchy films.

Tickets can be purchased at the Star Court Theatre on the night and are $10 with a concession rate of $7, which includes members of Ausdance and North Coast Camera. For more information and the full program visit www.norpa.org.au or call Emma on 6622 3279.

Use the form below to search through the Northern Rivers Echo Newspaper web site.

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