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Tiana Rakete: On A Good Day
On A Good Day is a 3-day Wellington concert series located at Anderson Park, the Capital city’s first-ever show of its kind. Following the success of Fat Boy Slim’s show at the same location, Live Nation and WellingtonNZ saw the appetite for more live music and entertainment to be performed at this brilliant location - surrounded by Wellington’s iconic Botanic Gardens and urban landscape.
I caught up with WellingtonNZ's Major Events Development Manager, Tiana Rakete to talk to her about the event, Anderson Park and what live events she's excited for this summer.
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Five Questions with Kirsten Te Rito
Multi award-winning vocalist and songwriter Kirsten Te Rito (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) is one of our two commissioned artists at this year's Wellington Jazz Festival.
Te Rito will premiere her new work Māreikura at Meow on Sunday 29 October. Rooted in Māori cosmology and drawing inspiration from the stories of wāhine Māori atua (Māori goddesses), Māreikura channels the divine through improvisation, rhythm and soundscape. Audiences are in for a treat as Te Rito will also debut songs from her new album, Collisions.
I caught up with Kirsten and asked her five questions about her upcoming show and more.
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Interview with Dr. Cate Howell
GP, therapist, researcher, educator and author, Adelaide based Dr. Cate Howell has over 40 years' experience in the heath sector and is passionate about mental health and wellbeing. Her new book, The Flourishing Woman, is a unique holistic guide to fostering women's mental health and wellbeing.
I tried hard to catch up with Cate over Zoom for a chat about The Flourishing Woman but was stymied by internet drama and time differences, so I ended up sending her my questions in writing. Not exactly the same experience, but still very interesting!
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Five Questions with Jake Baxendale
Jake Baxendale is one of two artists the Wellington Jazz Festival commissioned to compose new works for the 2023 Festival. Waypeople, based on Ursula Le Guin's translation of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching marks Jake's first foray into writing music with lyrics. I asked him five questions about his commissioned piece, the musicians he's chosen to play with and his composing process.
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Creative Director Marnie Karmelita's Festival Early Releases
The Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts has released details of four exciting shows from the 2024 programme which are on sale now. I tracked down Creative Director Marnie Karmelita - who is in the midst of moving herself, her life and her very large dog to Tasmania - and asked her for some thoughts about the three events in her programme.
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Interview with Fergus Aitken AKA Mr Fungus
Fergus Aitken has been a performer for over 40 years, working across stand-up, mime, corporate entertainment, children's theatre and as a teacher of physical theatre. One of his most beloved characters, Mr Fungus, famous for being New Zealand's loudest mime, is back this school holidays with a new show, Mr Fungus Dreams.
I stopped by Circa and caught up with Fergus during the last few weeks of putting the show together to find out just what Mr Fungus Dreams is all about, how Fergus and his team have put the show together and the joys (and perils) of performing for children.
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Interview with Sue Elliott
Sue Elliott is one of the masterminds behind the Public Art Heritage website that launched recently. With close to 400 publicly accessible artworks across Aotearoa listed, it has been a massive research project for Sue and her co-director Dr Bronwyn Holloway-Smith. The ongoing project has been designed to ensure future generations of New Zealanders have awareness of and access to these cultural treasures, and an understanding of what has already been lost.
I met Sue for a coffee to talk about the site, its purpose and the huge amount of documentation and research yet to be completed.
You can explore the site for yourself here.
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This Theatrical Life with Ben Crowder
Ben Crowder is the co-director of Nightsong Theatre Company and co-director (with Carl Bland) of I Want To Be Happy which opens at Circa Theatre on 6 September. Starring Jennifer Ludlam and Joel Tobeck, I Want To Be Happy is the blackly funny story of a guinea pig called Binka and the lab assistant, Paul, who looks after her. Melding Nightsong's signature visual aesthetics with the preposterous premises of everyday life, this is a thought provoking exploration of both the human and guinea pig experience.
Ben took some time out of his exceptionally busy schedule to tell me all about his theatrical life.
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Interview with Hilltop Hoods
Seminal Australian hip hop trio Hilltop Hoods are touring New Zealand for the first time in four years with sold-out gigs in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. The last time they were here they supported Eminem and played to audiences of over 46,000. This time around they'll be performing songs from their upcoming album, including their latest single, Laced Up. Joined by Tāmaki Makaurau rapper Freddy Reynold, this is a show not to be missed.
I had a chance to catch up with the guys before they hit our shores and had a chat with them about their 30-year career in music, and what they're most looking forward to in Aotearoa.
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