Newspaper Excerpt 1994 – Hastings Municipal Theatre Open Day

The Hawke’s Bay Herald-Tribune, Thursday, November 17, 1994   12

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AN INVITATION TO THE PEOPLE OF HAWKE’S BAY
TO ATTEND AN
OPEN DAY   OPEN DAY   OPEN DAY
AT THE
HASTINGS MUNICIPAL THEATRE
AND ASSEMBLY FUNCTION CENTRE
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20
11AM   4PM
COME AND ENJOY A VARIETY OF ENTERTAINMENT
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Theatre open day

Theatre holds open day

An open day on Sunday, followed by a fund-raising concert in the evening, will show off the improvements to the Hastings Municipal Theatre.

The open day has been organised by the Hastings District Council and will run from 10am to 3pm and feature entertainment by Cherry the Clown, Te Aute College Cultural Group, a rock and roll club, the Pakipaki School Cultural Group, the Apostolic Clown Company. Face painting by Gill King, a Samoan choir and a number of musicians and bands.

The council also hopes to have members of the Hawke’s Bay rugby team and Hawks basketball team present to sign autographs and meet people, especially children.

During the open day the public will be able to wander at leisure through the theatre and admire its facilities.  There will be no charge, but people are welcome to make donations.

The concert will begin at 6pm and end at 8.30pm.

In the show will be the Minister of Agriculture, John Falloon, playing the piano accompanied by a singing quartet made up of Jeremy Dwyer, Michael Laws, Rick Barker, Geoff Braybrooke and Alan Dick who have all given the time.

Included in the line up of entertainers will be country and western star Hawke’s Bay’s own John Fletcher, Hawke’s Bay’s answer to Frank Spencer Some Mothers Do Have ‘Em comedian John Hill.

The Pakipaki Primary School Culture Group is also included with the Te Aute College Culture Group.

A fashion show has been organised by Charon Robson, who came runner up to Miss New Zealand in the Hawke’s Bay Beauty Pageant.

The special guest artists are Riki Morris and Debbie Harwood formerly of the group When the Cat’s Away, and Phillipa Reade who played the lead role in Carmen.

The concert is sponsored by Hawke’s Bay Breweries, Hastings Trust Bank, and the world renowned Koru Club who make a wish come true for children who are seriously ill.  Along with the Tomoana Resource Centre, the Koru Club will also benefit from the proceeds raised at the show.

For the evening show there will be a charge of $20 for an adult and $5 for a child.  Tickets can be obtained at the Visitor Information Centre in Hastings.

Any inquiries relating to the above, please contact organiser Henare Keefe [O’Keefe] at the Tomoana Resource Centre, phone 878 6484.  After 5.30pm, phone 877 5353.

Upgrading cost $1m

This Sunday’s open day marks the completion of a million-dollar programme to upgrade Hastings Municipal Theatre and the Assembly Function Centre.

The refurbishing has taken five years and has revitalised a performing arts venue which is both popular with performers and regarded as having some of the best acoustics in the Southern Hemisphere.

Work carried out at the centre since 1989 has been initiated by the Hastings Municipal Theatre Trust, under the chairmanship of Hastings former deputy mayor, Ron Shakespeare. The programme has included a major facelift for the Municipal Theatre, the installation of walkways linking the theatre, the Shakespeare Room (formerly the Concert Chamber) and the Assembly Function Centre and renovations to accommodate the Hawke’s Bay Polytechnic’s Performing Arts School.

In addition dressing rooms and toilets have been upgraded, a new stage floor put down and the grand circle staircase renovated.  A combination of community grants, fund-raising by the theatre trust and district council funds have paid for the renovations.

Hastings architect Peter Holland has been in charge of the works programme, ensuring all improvements are in keeping with the original character of the buildings.

The council’s promotions and recreation manager, Liz Fowler, says Hastings now has a versatile, multi-use facility which can compete with other leading performance venues around New Zealand.

She says the Municipal Theatre in particular is a sought-after venue, seating more than 1000 people while retaining an intimate atmosphere and giving a good view of the stage from all seats.

The opening of the Polytechnic Performing Arts School at the beginning of 1994 in the old municipal buildings has given another boost to this venue.

The school offers two-year courses in both drama and voice, and students frequently offer public performances in the Shakespeare Room and the Assembly Function Centre.

The whole complex will be open this Sunday and visitors can enjoy a range of entertainment including music and theatre sports performed by arts school students.

There will also be static displays showing the work of the performing arts school and detailing the work which has been carried out at the venue in the past five years.

Both council staff and members of the Municipal Theatre Trust will be on hand to answer questions and act as guides during the open day.

Liz Fowler says the council is now looking to the future and developing a 10-year plan for the Municipal Theatre and Assembly Function Centre.

That is likely to include replacing seating in the stalls and dress circle of the theatre, installing stage lights and an automatic system for raising and lowering curtains (a job which is currently done by hand) and putting a lift in the assembly foyer to take patrons up to the first level.

A bar is upstairs in the concert chamber, now known as the Shakespeare Room.  The bar is open for drinks an hour prior to the show and also for interval.

Patrons can enjoy a glass of wine in lovely surroundings and from time to time relax to live music which adds to the atmosphere.  Non-alcoholic beverages are also available and cheese and crackers are complimentary.

Photo captions –

The Spanish Mission-style Hastings Municipal Theatre, left, alongside the former municipal building.

The concert chambers in the Hastings Municipal Theatre.

Part of the interior of the Hastings Municipal Theatre.  Acclaimed by theatregoers and performers as one of the best theatres in the country.

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