REIMAGINE Festival Programme 2023

REIMAGINE

Patrons Core Funders

A special thank you to all of our patrons who remain anonymous.

Business Gold

Fenton Street Arts Collective & Distillery

Major Funder

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Lysaght Watt Trust

Murphy & Landrigan Chartered Accountants

TimberCo Ltd - David & Cheryl Leuthart

Business Silver

Cohorts Ltd

Flash Mob Entertainment

Hosking House

Team Zay Harcourts

Wild Pear Kitchen

Business Bronze

TCM Ltd

Dobson Events

Silver Sponsors

Wayne Beggs & Maxine

Rogers, Property Brokers

Beca Limited

La Nuova

Family Bronze

Family Gold

Dan & Rene Radcliffe

Peter & Rosemary Tennent

Family Silver

Darrel & Andrea Nicholas

Di & Paddy Brien

Gilliland Whānau

Jenny Goddard

John & Joan Christiansen

Bronze Sponsors

Angela Maindonald

Bev Ellice

Brooke & Judith Jolly

Carol & Mike Boyle

Charles & Linda Wilkinson

Clare McComb &

Hayden Wano

David & Cheryl Talbot

Frances & Peter Boyce

Heather O’Sullivan

Helen & Kinnear

John & Carole Lynskey

Johnson-Davies Family

Jonathan & Maura Young

Kelly Family

Grants

Kevin & Carolyn Murphy

Kevin & Judith Mullin Family

Muz & Ida Winks

Lynn & Robin Bublitz

Mike & Berni Radich

Noel & Marilyn Stachurski

Paul Franklin & Kaye

McKenzie

Ralph & Wendy Broad

Rocky Point Trust

Suzanne Porter

Teresa & Bryce Gordon

The Miners Family

Tetsu Garnett & Glen West

What’s On

Welcome

Taranaki Arts Festival Trust is excited to present a new festival, Reimagine: Arts –Vision – Places. Over 10 days, we invite attendees to reimagine arts in new places, where the only thing to expect is the unexpected. This festival is a celebration of International, New Zealand and Taranaki artists and events in all their diversity.

Reimagine is a unique smorgasbord of shows that will resonate with all ages. It brings storytelling and new perceptions through acrobatics, comedy, culture, dance and more. This programme is designed to entertain, challenge, and inspire you.

TAFT would like to acknowledge and thank our festival partners, patrons and sponsors. We have been proudly presenting festivals for over 30 years and without your support, we wouldn’t be able to deliver or present the quality of performances we bring to the region.

Thank you for helping us continually inspire, elevate, and transform the arts in Taranaki.

Glenn Brebner, TAFT Board of Trustees Chair Suzanne Porter, TAFT Chief Executive

Reimagine the Arts

Kia ora and welcome to Reimagine: Arts, Vision, Places.

A brand-new ten-day arts festival that is proud to celebrate Taranaki, Aotearoa and the arts.

With four festivals over a two-year period, Reimagine is the last piece in our Festival puzzle with Right Royal Cabaret Festival, Spiegel Fest and Winter Fest. This festival is an exciting opportunity for the community to try something new. We’ll see our region come alive with a diverse programme offering something for everyone, celebrating our spaces and how the arts can be found around every corner.

Our headline show is not to be missed, this all-ages cirque, dance spectacular reimagines the possibilities of family entertainment. Thank you to our community, our audiences, our sponsors, funders, patrons and homegrown artists. We wouldn’t be here without you. We hope to see you in October, exploring new spaces, new experiences and celebrating our place in the arts.

Megan Brown Artistic Director, Taranaki Arts Festival

How to Book

Online Bookings

Visit www.reimaginefestival.co.nz for online bookings.

Phone Bookings

Phone bookings can only be accepted with credit card payments.

Phone bookings can be done through Ticketek on 0800 842 538 or (04) 384 3840 for mobiles Monday–Friday 9am–4pm.

Counter Sales

Bookings can be made through Ticketek outlets nationwide including:

TSB Showplace

92-100 Devon Street West, New Plymouth Ph 06 759 0021

Monday - Friday, 9am-4pm

South Taranaki I-site

55 High St, Hāwera, Ph 06 278 8599

Monday – Friday, 8.30am-5pm

Weekends and public holidays 10am-3pm

General Admission

“General Admission” (GA) - specific seats are not allocated. Tickets are issued according to the venue capacity. Seating is on a ‘first come, first served’ basis so we recommend you arrive early.

Information in this programme is correct at the time of printing.

The Taranaki Arts Festival Trust reserves the right to alter without notice any advertised schedule of artists, events or programmes. For full terms and conditions please visit www.reimaginefestival.co.nz

Conditions Pay it Forward

The Taranaki Arts Festival Trust believes we have a responsibility to give as many school children as we can access to performing arts. Exposure to arts and culture has many positive effects on the community’s wellbeing and the future of our next generation.

Pay It Forward, Keep Arts Thriving invites you to purchase a ticket that will create an opportunity for a Taranaki school child to experience a live performing art show right here in our community.

Your $5 donation goes a long way to ensure that Arts Thrive Here for the next 30 years.

Visit www.reimaginefestival.co.nz for more information.

Festival Team

Chief Executive

Artistic Director

Festival Coordinator/

Artist Liason

Business Manager

Accounts Assistant

Marketing Manager

Creative Designer

Technical Director

Suzanne Porter

Megan Brown

Trustees

Glenn Brebner (Chair), Marie Pearce, Katie Wolfe, Chris Lynch, Hayden Wano, Eleanor Connole

Sally-Anne Coates

Tracey Bell

Maree Simons

Rebecca Kapernick

Alexandra Bishop

TSH

Affordable style on the doorstep of the coastal walkway.

autolodge.co.nz

THEATRE HAUS

“Australia’s, and the World’s Best performers come to life!”

BLUE CURTAINS

“Pefectly pictched to maintain the awe of younger audience members”

NOTHING EVER HAPPENS IN BRISBANE

“I was on the edge of my seat”

CIRQUE OLIO

As the lights dim and the curtains rise be transported to a realm where gravitydefying stunts, graceful movements, and hilarious antics come together in perfect harmony. This captivating New Zealand exclusive show brings together the best of cirque artists, dancers, and acrobats in a breath-taking mix of talent, music, circus and comedy.

It’s a show that will awaken the senses and ignite your imagination, leaving you in awe of the boundless creativity and inspiring skill of these extraordinary artists.

Don’t miss out on your chance to experience the wonder of Cirque OLIO! Whether you’re a fan of acrobatics, dance, comedy, or simply seeking an enchanting night out, this show is the perfect blend of entertainment for all ages!

WHEN WHERE TICKETS

Book your tickets now and join us for an evening of pure magic!

Adult $59

Child $39

Family $170

*Family 2 adults, 2 children

*Service Fees Apply

Curated by Grace Iwashita-Taylor, Directed by Fastina Amosa

In Samoan “upu” means “word”.

Borders disappear and for just over an hour, the theatre is transported across an ocean to hear the voices dealing with colonisation, family, climate change, love, sex, religion, power and tourists.

Curated by award-winning poet Grace IwashitaTaylor and led by powerhouse director Fasitua Amosa, UPU gives the stage to Oceania’s most electrifying poetry. Ben Brown, Karlo Mila, Albert Wendt and more: UPU is for the trailblazers, the icons and the new writers transforming Aotearoa today.

Performed by a stellar cast of some of the best Tagata Moana actors in Aotearoa NZ - Maiava Nathaniel Lees, Mia Blake, Ana Corbett, Shadon Meredith, James Maeva, Nicola Kawana and Gaby Solomona.

Thurs 12 Oct 7.30pm

*70 minutes, no interval

Theatre Royal, TSB Showplace

WHEN WHERE TICKETS

Premium

A Reserve $55 $45

*Service Fees Apply

Taranaki Arts Festival and PANNZ Presents

ARTEFACT

“Wherever we work, no matter what we do, we must not resist that sudden urge to break into interpretative dance.”

That’s the statement that inspired Arts

Laureate Ross McCormack to create this playful site-specific dance/theatre work.

Ngāmotu’s Puke Ariki offers rabbit holes for performers, librarians and visitor hosts. You never know who might be leading you on this whimsical journey, where they may take you or what they may teach you about the taonga of objects, texts and contemporary dance.

Recommended for ages 8+

Wed 11 Oct

8pm

TICKETS

How

Iconic music star Tami Neilson joins forces with celebrated artist Dinah Lee and rockin’ vocalists The Up-Doos for a roaring Rock’n’roll revue!

This show breathes new life into vintage classics with their repertoire of sugar-sweet love songs, odes to beautiful bad boys, and teenage heartbreak ballads. Here for one night only, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the original and the latest Mod Girls together in one reimagined show, on stage in New Plymouth.

*140 minutes (approx), with interval

*Service Fees Apply TSB

Mutual Friends and Reimagine Festival Presents

Discover the hidden corners of New Plymouth in our late-night party event. This dark in-between space is transformed into performance, art and music with a line-up of national and local DJs. La La Land is a sensory overload of the weird and the wonderful.

Injecting a shot of vibrancy into our city and our hearts – experience this transformation for yourself. One night only, limited capacity.

Age Restriction 18+

WHEN

Sat 14 Oct

7.30pm - late

WHERE GA

TICKETS

*Service Fees Apply Brougham St, New Plymouth

$30

Opposite Puke Ariki Library

MOKOMOKO

How do you heal from intergenerational trauma as the result of a genocide that people refuse to acknowledge? Asking for a friend…

#YesWeAreGoingThere

Moko is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She feels that a stronger grounding in her identity will help her heal from personal trauma, but the more she learns, the more she finds there’s so much work to do.

Join Moko on her quest to discover the truth of her origin story, and help her to stay on the path to becoming the wahine toa she was born to be.

Creator Sherilee Kahui and performer Mycah

Keall both whakapapa to Taranaki; it was always Kahui’s dream to bring this story to her ancestral home.

Recommended for ages 13+

WHEN Sat 7 Oct 60 minutes, no interval 7.30pm TICKETS

WHERE Theatre Royal, TSB Showplace

Premium $40

*Service Fees Apply

THEIA X TE KAAHU

‘Girl In A Savage World’ sees celebrated singer/ songwriter THEIA present reimagined songs from her critically acclaimed alt-pop catalogue alongside dreamy waiata from her award-winning reo Māori project TE KAAHU.

THEIA’s lyricism in te reo Pākehā is often raw, confrontational and challenging, while TE KAAHU explores cultural identity, the environment and spirituality. Although seemingly worlds apart, at the heart of both projects is a songwriter with great depth and an unwavering commitment to making music that takes the listener to soaring heights and devastating depths. ‘Girl In A Savage World’ is a powerful and thought-provoking show that must be experienced.

Fri 6 Oct 7.30pm

*70 minutes, no interval

WHEN WHERE

St Mary’s Peace Hall

Vivian Street, New Plymouth TICKETS

General Admission $40

*Service Fees Apply

WHO WHAT WHERE NOW

There’s a rumbling under the theatre! Shall we look and see what it is?

Uncover a trail of magic and mystery behind the scenes at TSB Showplace. Where is that mysterious ribbeting coming from? And is that monkey wearing a tie?

A world of puzzles and play, rich in colour and sound, can be found in the places you least expect — and in corners of the theatre you have never seen before. You have the clues and the courage to explore both the theatrical and the natural world on a quest to find a precious taonga.

Who What Where Now is an adventure experience guided by a bespoke mobile app on both Android and Apple devices. Perfect for ages 4-10 with adult supervision, most fun in groups of 2-6 people.

Recommended for ages 4-10

Sun 8 Oct 10am

*Every 20 minutes from 10am-3.40pm

*Duration 45 minutes

WHEN WHERE

TSB Showplace, New Plymouth TICKETS

General Admission $5

*Service Fees Apply

MORNING PEOPLE

Cult morning rave experience Morning People has been remixing mornings and showing the alarm clock who’s boss since 2016. Get set for an epic dance party, popping off in two locations; the Bowl of Brooklands stage and Tataraimaka Hall.

Big breakfast sized helpings of dance music will be served alongside complementary Altezano Brothers Coffee, fruit and drinks - join us for the most fun you can have before 9:00am! Alcohol free, dress to sweat!

WHEN WHEN REGIONAL WHERE WHERE

*90 minutes, no interval

Bowl of Brooklands Stage, New Plymouth

TICKETS

*90 minutes, no interval

Tataraimaka Hall, Timaru Road.

General Admission $30 M=16,

*Service Fees Apply

CONTENTEDNESS/ EQUILIBRIUM A DOUBLE DANCE BILL

Brought to you by the Taranaki Dance Trust, choreographer Tabitha Dombroski, asks us to find the connection and ‘contentedness’ within ourselves and each other - allowing waves of movement by allowing our own intuition, thus finding common links which create on organism and moving in unison.

A new perspective on the four elements of AIR, WATER, FIRE and Earth is ‘Equilibrium’ by Evgenia Plotkin Mikhailov. First performed at the Len Lye Centre in 2022, this performance looks at the element’s relationship with each other and their own internal identity.

Taranaki Dance Trust generously supported by Creative Communities, TOI Foundation & Royal Academy of Dance.

Sat 7 Oct 6pm & 8pm General Admission: Adult $25 Child $15 18

minutes, no interval

Andrew’s Church, New Plymouth

MISSION CONTROL: MARS

Blast off to Mars on a thrilling interactive space adventure that puts you right in the middle of the story. Join the action as a skilled engineer on an international space station in the year 2034. In charge of your own digital console you’ll be guided by the Mission Commander.

When a solar flare endangers your community, it’ll be up to you and your fellow players to save the day. Combining live performance with the power of video game engine technology, you’ll work in teams to engage in cooperative games, tackle challenging tasks, and solve digital puzzles. This high-stakes mission is perfect for intrepid kids aged 7+ and grown-ups seeking an out-of-this-world escape. Book now and prepare for an unforgettable journey to the red planet.

Recommended for ages 7+

WHEN

Sat 14 Oct 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm

*45 minutes, no interval

WHERE TICKETS

Govett Brewster Art Gallery Cinema Len Lye Centre, New Plymouth GA Adult Child Family

*Family 2 adults, 2 children

*Service Fees Apply

$20 $10 $50

ARO

Immerse your senses in the honey-voiced jazz vocals and full throated percussive sound of husband and wife duo Aro. Charles (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata, Ngāti Mutunga) and Emily’s performative storytelling is wholly original, and anchored in Aotearoa New Zealand, with shades of haka. The pair share a passion for the power of language and music to tell stories and remind us of our cultural identity.

REGIONAL WHEN

WHEN

Fri 13 Oct

Te Whare Hononga (Taranaki Cathedral)

TICKETS

General Admission

7pm $35

*Service Fees Apply

We are delighted to offer a relaxed performance for Aro.

ACCESSIBILITY WHERE WHERE

*60 minutes, no interval

Sat 14 Oct 7pm *60 minutes, no interval

Please email events@taft.co.nz or call 06 759 8412 for more information on free registrations.

Ohawe Hall, Ohawe Terrace, Hāwera

Spark your curiosity as urban realms are explored and feel the joy as dancing spontaneously breaks out.

Take a walk on the wild side and join an energetic, outdoor Silent Disco CW experience. The award-winning event sees you groove and shimmy together as one, as you listen to a carefully curated soundtrack over headphones.

This is an inter-generational community event suitable for the whole family –recommended for ages 7-107! Get ready to be surprised and watch our city turn into the stage!

Recommended for ages 7+

WHEN TICKETS

Sat 7 Oct GA

$80 Sun 8 Oct 1pm & 3pm

*60 minutes

WHERE

Family 5pm & 7pm $25

*Family 2 Adults, 2 Children

*Service Fees Apply

Meet at Huatoki Plaza, New Plymouth CBD

Spaces are limited to 40 people in a group, bookings are essential

ART CHEMIST

Art Chemist is an interactive public performance work where the audience will be prescribed art works, exhibitions, and more to soothe a variety of ills. From prescriptions for paintings and poetry to over the counter doses of sculpture or scores; Art Chemist will offer creative means with which to tackle woes, gripes and the agonies of everyday life.

Operating as a space somewhere between apothecary, therapist office and arts directory, the clinic will be open for free drop-ins. Patients will receive a one-onone consultation, whereby they will receive a unique prescription for local artworks, exhibitions, shows or events.

Fri 13 Oct 5-8pm Sat 14 & Sun 15 Oct 11am-5pm

New Plymouth CBD Please visit reimaginefestival.co.nz for confirmed location.

WHEN WHERE FREE EVENT

SCHOOLS PROGRAMME

With the support of Methanex, Toi Foundation, New Plymouth District Council, CNZ and Tranzit, Reimagine Festival is delighted to offer students throughout the region the opportunity to attend live festival performances; a combination of bringing performance/workshops to schools and bringing students into the heart of the festival.

If you are interested in finding out more about our Schools Programme, please contact SallyAC@taft.co.nz

ARO MISSION CONTROL: MARS

This workshop session is informed by matauranga Māori of our natural environment and will involve games and activities with movement and singing. Students will learn the waiata Kia Mau with actions for participation in the performance. The performance session will see Charles and Emily share their passion for the power of language and music to tell stories that remind us of our cultural identity.

Recommended for ages 5+

This exciting immersive experience combines live performance with the power of video game engine technology. Working in teams students will engage in cooperative games, tackle challenging tasks, and solve digital puzzles – as they get ready to launch their rocket and journey to Mars!

Recommended for ages 7+

VENUES

TSB Showplace

Theatre Royal & TSB Theatre

92-100 Devon Street West, New Plymouth

Puke Ariki Museum

1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth

Govett Brewster Art Gallery

42 Queen Street, New Plymouth

Te Whare Hononga

39 Vivian Street, New Plymouth

St Mary’s Peace Hall

40 Vivian Street, New Plymouth

St. Andrew’s Church

72 Liardet Street, New Plymouth

Bowl of Brooklands

Brooklands Park Drive, Brooklands, New Plymouth

Regional Venues

Tataraimaka Hall

Tataraimaka Hall, Timaru Road

Ohawe Hall

Ohawe Terrace, Hāwera

SCHEDULE

PRE-ORDER YOUR FESTIVAL PLATTER FOR TWO

Three options available: Salmon platter | Antipasto meat platter | Antipasto vegetarian platter

Only $45, service fees apply

COME FOR THE FESTIVAL…

STAY FOR THE FAMILY FUN

Hideaway Luge

Chaddy’s Charters

Find out more about all the things to see and do in Taranaki at taranaki.co.nz/visit

Make a weekend of it

Tawhiti Museum

Coastal Walkway

DELIVERING A MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD

Proud to support in bringing award-winning country music singer Tami Neilson to you

Proud to support Taranaki Arts Festival Trust and bring you Reimagined Laneways.