Tickets Selling for Taranaki Festival of the Arts

MEDIA RELEASE

20 JUNE 2005

Tickets Selling Strongly for Taranaki Festival of the Arts

The Taranaki Festival of the Arts move to winter is proving to be a success. Taking place this year from 27 July to 14 August 2005, the festival has previously run in Taranaki every two years for the past 14 years in a summer slot.

Event organisers are reporting that ticket sales are up considerably on previous years, and all shows are showing healthy sales so far.
Event Director Roger King says: “The people of Taranaki are giving us their seal of approval in purchasing tickets in such numbers. We are extremely pleased with the response."

The festival’s launch on June 1 attracted more than 600 attendees eager to be the first to witness what the festival had in store and resulted in significant sales from the outset.

Already sold-out is the one night only festival warm-up show on July 24 by the Soweto Gospel Choir, and the New Plymouth leg of French Canadian folk band Mauvais Sort’s Taranaki tour. Due to popular demand, an additional New Plymouth date has been added for Mauvais Sort on Sunday 14 August at 7.00pm. Tickets are still available for all other dates on the tour which includes Hawera, Stratford, Eltham, Opunake, Makahu, Inglewood, Urenui and Kaimata.

A show with limited availability is the much talked about Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music. Tickets are however still available.

With more than 50 shows, culminating in almost 100 separate performances and an overall seating capacity of almost 30,000 over the entire festival, organisers are assuring people there is no need to panic just yet.
“We would like to think there is something for everyone in this year’s festival, and with so many shows over the 18 days there is plenty to go round, but we recommend getting in quick for the bigger shows, particularly if you want the best seats,” Mr King said.

The schools programme has also been incredibly well received, with almost three quarters of Taranaki schools wishing to participate.

More than 250 international and New Zealand artists and performers feature in the line-up for this year’s event. Theatre, contemporary music, fine music, choirs, literature, dance, visual arts, film, cabaret and even ice skating combine in a programme of events which promises something for everyone.

Performers for the festival hail from more than 10 different countries including Canada, England, Australia, South Africa, Scotland, Belgium, Ireland, Austria, Italy and France, as well as a strong New Zealand programme.

Highlights of the 18-day festival include the hit circus act Cirque Eloize with Nomade – At night the sky is endless, stunning Scottish performer Eddi Reader (ex Fairground Attraction), the incredible gypsy Kabaret performers from Australia Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen, the reunion of one of New Zealand’s most successful and longstanding Maori showbands, The Maori Volcanics, and the acclaimed Vienna Boys Choir featuring The Combined School Choirs of New Plymouth.

Exclusive acts for the Taranaki event include two theatre performances by British actress Linda Marlowe, Berkoff’s Women and No Fear, the only New Zealand recital by acclaimed New Zealand tenor Keith Lewis and renowned pianist Michael Houston, and Canadian-based musicians H’Sao who draw on traditions from their country of origin, Chad;

The festival also features:

King and Country – a unique piece of national theatre about the experiences of ordinary New Zealanders in World War I

Acclaimed Auckland Theatre Company play The Bach

NZ International Comedy Festival hit Te Radar in Timor ODDyssey

Canadian play Lauchie, Liza and Rory

Australian 3D performance Sprung

New Zealand contemporary dance piece Terrain

The hilarious Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music

The Brendan Power Group from Ireland and Australia

Canada’s Mauvais Sort

New Zealand’s own Goldenhorse

Jazz pianist and singer Brenda Earle of Canada

A festival dance party featuring New Zealand’s finest dance bands and DJs and including Pitch Black, Pacific Heights, Kora and The WBC

Taranaki legends Sticky Filth – 20 Years On

V8 Vocal Ensemble

A major literary programme is also included within the festival and features a variety of well-known New Zealand authors. Lunchtime concerts, visual arts exhibitions, a schools programme and regional Taranaki events also feature.

The Taranaki Festival of the Arts follows the sell-out success of WOMAD New Zealand 2005. Both events are organised by the Taranaki Arts Festivals Trust.

Tickets for the Taranaki Festival of the Arts are available through Ticketek and the full programme is available online at www.artsfest.co.nz.

The Taranaki Festival of the Arts 2005 is funded and supported by the
following organisations;

CORE FUNDERS: New Plymouth District Council, Taranaki Electricity Trust
MAJOR FUNDING PARTNERS: TSB Community Trust, Creative NZ
GOLD SPONSORS: Hooker Pacific, Staples Rodway, The Zieltjes Family in
association with the Practical Education Institute
GOLD MEDIA: Classic Hits Taranaki, Taranaki Daily News, More FM Taranaki
SILVER SPONSORS: Reeves Middleton Young, Clelands Construction Ltd, Price
Waterhouse Coopers, Transfield Worley Services, Plymouth International Hotel
BRONZE SPONSORS: Billings, Fuji Xerox, Swift Energy NZ Ltd, The Most FM,
Newstalk ZB, Westgate Transport Ltd, TSB Bank
FESTIVAL GRANTS: South Taranaki District Council, New Zealand Community
Trust, Venture Taranaki, Lion Foundation

ENDS

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