Category: Entertainment

DENMARK choreographer Annette Carmichael is seeking 200 women over the age of 14 to create her final dance performance in The Beauty Index trilogy.

Carmichael hopes to bring women together from Denmark, Bunbury, Mandurah, Ravensthorpe, Perth and Albany for the project and perform it over the March long weekend in 2020.

She told the Weekender that Chorus would highlight the need for violence against women to stop and hoped her performance would reignite conversations about it.

“Talking about violence against women is known to be a key ingredient in prevention,” Carmichael said.

“In the past, this topic was hidden behind shame and ‘private’ family business, but now we can talk about it with more frankness and compassion.

“Chorus will reveal the strength and solidarity of women and symbolically reclaim the power that was historically held by women.

“Through the process of creating this original dance work with 200 women, we are also creating new social networks and new friendships that will add another layer of support for women.”

Carmichael described Chorus as “epic” in scale, as it will be performed in a “large amphitheatre wrapped in eucalyptus trees”.

Denmark composer James Gentle will create the musical composition and Albany artists Kevin Draper and Indra Geidans will bring their black and white sculptures as props.

Carmichael encouraged interested ladies to attend ‘taster’ workshops coming up soon and reiterated that women of all abilities could join.

“In Denmark, women can choose from three groups, Gentle, Active and Core,” she explained.

“The Gentle group involves simple gestural movements and formation walking; the Active group is for women who can only commit to a workshop once a week but want a strong physical experience and; the Core group is for those wanting an intense experience both creatively and physically and are willing to commit to twice-weekly sessions.

“In Albany, women can participate in the project via a week of rehearsals that happen in the July school holidays, followed by eight additional sessions in the lead up to the performance in 2020.”

Carmichael promised she would make everyone look “incredible, no matter what your past experience or physical capacity”.

She is hosting the taster workshops in Albany at Vancouver Arts Centre on June 8 and 9, and at Denmark Civic Centre on June 15 and 16.

“It’s best to come to both days of the taster workshops,” Carmichael said.

“If you live in Albany but can’t make the Albany taster, please come to the Denmark tasters and vice versa.”

Head to www.chorus.annettecarmichael.com.au to register your interest.

MULTI-SENSORY theatre performance Whoosh! is open to the public at the Albany Entertainment Centre next week for one show only after its eight other shows completely sold out to local primary schools.

Whoosh! is the brainchild of Perth group Sensorium Theatre and is designed for children with disabilities.

The set of the show allows participants to touch, taste, smell and feel the story unfolding around them – they must work as a team with the characters of the production to fix a crashed spaceship so it can return to Earth.

It is suitable for children aged five to 10 years, including those with multiple and complex needs and those on the autism spectrum, and is wheelchair-friendly.

Co-artistic directors Francis Italiano and Michelle Hovane described Whoosh! as the Theatre’s most “ambitious production to date” and were keen to bring it to Albany.

“Sensorium Theatre always brings our audiences right into our stage settings with us, but with Whoosh! we wanted to bring them into being part of the actual story,” Mr Italiano said.

“When past audiences suggested we explore outer space, we started dreaming up a story world where technology could help them really feel part of a spaceship crew, so that we could all take the journey of our imaginations together,” Ms Hovane added.

The 60-minute theatre experience will be held on June 15 at 10.30am and tickets can be purchased online or at the entertainment centre’s box office.

NEXT up on the calendar for amateur theatre group Plantagenet Players is a genre-bending production penned by one of the Players themselves.

You Heard What I Heard is the first full stage production Roxanne Mills has written and she’s excited to see it come together.

The murder-mystery-comedy-musical also had the help of fellow Player Michelle Harris who looked after the musical parodies, so Mills could focus on the show script.

The pair are counting down the days until curtain call, which is just two weeks away.

Mills said the inspiration to write her own play came from working on the set of Rams, a feature film starring Sam Neill and Michael Caton that was filmed in Mount Barker and surrounds.

“I thought about how I’d always wished that I could make something that comes from my imagination,” she said.

“After speaking with the PR coordinator on the Rams set, I decided to give it a go.

“It’s a delight to see my vision alive; my Players family have been so supportive.

“They say you can’t choose your family, but I disagree with that sentiment.”

You Heard What I Heard follows the story of Detective Danny Francis and his sidekick Longmire who investigate the circumstances surrounding a body found in the local industrial estate.

Mills promises it will deliver the regular Players mixture of laughs and gasps and be “the most baffling and unusual murder mystery of the year”.

You Heard What I Heard will play at the Plantagenet District Hall on June 14, 15, 21 and 22, and part proceeds from opening night will be donated to the Porongurup Community Association.

Tickets can be purchased at Mt Barker Scrap Shak on Langton Road.

FIVE big names in comedy are heading to Albany this week for a one-night-only performance from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow.

Comedians Tom Cashman, Kirsty Webeck, Paul Williams, Xavier Michelides and Mawaan Rizwan will hit up the Albany Entertainment Centre on May 26.

The Project writer and comedian Xavier Michelides has performed across the country for many years and starred in No Show with Ben Russell and Maggie Look, podcast Tokyo Hotel and worked on You’re Skitting Me and ROVE live.

Described as a festival veteran, Michelides will bring his “unique brand of surreal character comedy” to Albany.

Newcomer to the comedic scene Paul Williams has already performed in four countries since 2016 and was nominated for two awards at the Melbourne and New Zealand International Comedy Festivals respectively.

He is “very sorry” if you don’t enjoy his work.

Straight from the UK, actor, comedian and writer Mawaan Rizwan will bring his sparkly tracksuit and confessional stand-up comedy to the show.

He shot to fame via his Youtube channel, where he landed his mother a Bollywood acting career by including her in his videos, as well as with his acting work, such as in BAFTA-winning television series DNN.

The final act on the bill will be Melbourne-based comedian Kirsty Webeck.

Webeck made her debut at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2015 with her show Hoping for the Best and has since performed sell-out shows at the festival and Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Fellow Aussie comedian Tom Cashman will MC the evening.

Tickets are still on sale for this Sunday’s May 26 performance and can be purchased via the Albany Entertainment Centre’s website or at the box office.

FORGET everything you thought you knew about tap dancing.

That’s the main message from creative director and cast member Jordan Pollard, who described his current work, The Tap Pack as full of “percussion, jokes, the greatest swing songs and being ridiculous most of the time”.

The modern twist on a tap dancing show will storm the Albany Entertainment Centre stage on July 2 and promises to keep audiences tapping their toes and singing along the whole night.

“This is old school cool from the new kings of swing,” Pollard said.

“There’s a lot of creativity and joy in this show and it’s really exciting.

“It’s completely different from the tap dancing we used to see in black and white movies.”

The Tap Pack was the brainchild of Pollard and fellow writers Jesse Rasmussen, Thomas J Egan and Nigel Turner Carroll five years ago.

The current cast consists of Pollard, Egan, Sean Mulligan and Tom Struik, who have each made a name for themselves in productions such as Westside Story, Singin’ in the Rain, The Boy From Oz and Jersey Boys.

Pollard’s love for tap started well before his professional career kicked off.

“My mum was a dance teacher, so I got put into tap when I was about five years old,” he said.

“And I stuck with it until the end of school, when I did my first professional production, Guys and Dolls.

“I just fell in love with tap and I have a real passion for it, but I didn’t realise it until I first entered the professional realm.”

It was upon working in professional productions that Pollard met his future The Tap Pack co-stars.

“We really wanted to create something with a lot of tap dancing,” he said.

“We had the idea of tap with music from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, because they were massive icons for us.

“So, we combined a bit of these worlds and realised the glue of it all was us and being Australian, so we bring that larrikinism to the show.”

The Tap Pack has been touring for the past five years and Pollard said it has been going from strength-to-strength.

“It’s great entertainment, first and foremost,” he said.

“We’re forcing our way ahead which is really exciting.

“The show has been evolving over the past five years and we’re always trying new things.”

Pollard revealed the most asked question he and the ensemble often received was related to their fitness.

“People always wonder how we keep so fit,” he laughed.

“Because tap is a weird mix of cardio and short, sharp movements; it’s micro moving.

“It can be really strenuous but I would never say it’s a chore; it’s fantastic.”

Described as a mix of “slick humour, high energy entertainment and world class tap dance”, The Tap Pack will feature music from Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr, to Michael Buble, Ed Sheeran and Beyonce.

Tickets to the family friendly show are on sale now via the entertainment centre’s website and box office.

MORE than 300 artists have registered to join this year’s Southern Art and Craft Trail alongside 10 new venues from across the Great Southern and South West.

The annual event promotes various art studios, exhibition centres and private studios in southern WA to give artists the opportunity to display and sell their work.

Trail coordinator Chrissie Gregory said approximately 80 venues were listed for the September 21 to October 13 event with the addition of several new artists.

“We have past and present students from Denmark TAFE, residents and staff from Albany’s Clarence Estate, Plantagenet Arts Council at Mitchell House in Mt Barker, Debra McLaren of Kangaburra Pottery in Perup and Carol O’Connor from Denmark,” she revealed.

“We also have talented sculptor and glass artist Peter Kovacsy from Pemberton.

“Peter approached us about joining the Trail and we thought it was a great idea; so now, we will also be including the Pemberton Arts Group, ceramicist Marilyn Gibson and painter John Duncan from the area.”

Ms Gregory said the Trail had been planned around the term three school holidays to give residents and tourists extra time to visit venues.

“It’s a good idea to aim for around five venues per day,” she said.

“That way, you have time to enjoy the drive and have a nice picnic or eat somewhere lovely and enjoy the region.”

Regular updates about the Southern Art and Craft Trail can be located on the event’s Instagram, Facebook and website – artsouthwa.com.au

The full program will be published a few weeks prior to the event.

ALBANY school teacher and poet Giles Watson’s original libretto will come to life this week at Perth’s Regal Theatre.

Mimma, Watson’s first musical, was co-created with Orana Cinemas owner Ron Siemiginowski after a chance meeting between the two.

With Watson’s words and Siemiginowski’s music, Mimma was born and so with it Watson’s first encounter with theatre writing.

He sat down with The Weekender a few days before the musical’s premiere to give an insight into what it takes to pen a theatre show.

“I write a lot of poetry,” Watson said.

“And I’ve written two short novellas.

“Doing a musical is something I’ve always wanted to do and some-

thing that Ron wanted to do.

“My housemate Simone Keane was recording a song for Ron and she suggested that he and I get together, and we connected.”

Watson has a passion for the Second World War, being a university history major, and hoped his knowledge could help shape a musical one day.

It was timely that at their chance meeting, Siemiginowski was playing Italian-inspired music, which immediately triggered Watson to build a war-themed story.

“I sat and wrote the plot while Ron played,” Watson said.

“It focuses on Mimma, who’s an Italian journalist in 1938 and is sent to England in exile.

“It’s at her uncle’s bar – where she’s staying – that she meets Sarah, who’s English, and they develop a friendship.

“So the main plot is on their friendship and the threats that face it, with the sub-plot of the Italian Resistance.”

Watson said drama is at every turn during the musical.

“The first crisis they face is when the London police are removing Italians from businesses, cafes…” he revealed.

“There’s the drama of separation and loyalty.”

Starring as Mimma is Mirusia Louwerse, who has spent the past decade as the star soprano for internationally-renowned violinist and conductor Andre Rieu.

Opera Australia peformer Holly Meegan will play Sarah Parker and Canadian-American soprano Suzanne Kompass will star as Ada Marini.

Watson is still taking in the fact that so many big names in the opera world are performing his musical.

“It’s really huge,” he grinned.

“And quite overwhelming; I’m fulfilling a dream.

“From it being just Ron and I to people who are calling themselves the Mimma family, it’s fantastic.”

Watson said Mimma “breaks the mould” of modern musicals and is keen to see how people react.

“It’s about events that have happened in our time and looks at a friendship between two women, which isn’t always seen,” he said.

“It approaches the issue of humanity and I hope people feel…one person described it as ‘validated in goodness’ and I really like that.

“I hope people enjoy seeing a really crucial time in our history.”

Watson’s ultimate goal is to see Mimma tour Australia and one day, perform on the stages of New York City’s Broadway and London’s West End.

“I do think it has that potential,” he said.

“And I already have two sequels in my head!”

Mimma is on now at Perth’s Regal Theatre and will play until April 21.