Marquee Theatre New Beginning for Christchurch Entertainment

Marquee Theatre New Beginning for Christchurch Entertainment

City businessman gets show back on the road!

May 19, 2011 - Christchurch based entertainment promoter BEN MCDONALD announces a bold new beginning for theatre and entertainment in the earthquake ravaged city.

McDonald has developed a luxuriously heated marquee style theatre to host a huge number of actors, musicians, entertainers and performers for The Winter Garden Season 2011. The structure has been especially imported from the USA, has an intimate 150 seats inside and a huge facade and iconic contemporary windmill outside.

The season will run in Hagley Park from 3rd – 30th July and present a terrific variety of productions – from daytime classical music concerts and children’s theatre to contemporary theatre, opera and dance. - a huge feast of entertainment to put a spark into the Canterbury winter.

The Celebration Theatre Project is a joint venture between private individuals and the huge number of artists involved.

McDonald says he had had the project planned for some time but the devastation of the quake and the resultant closure of most of Christchurch’s theatres gave the project new meaning and direction.

“It will be wonderful to bring good quality theatre and entertainment back to Christchurch,” says McDonald, a Christchurch based promoter. “By providing our entertainers with a place to play we are helping to keep them in Christchurch and not drift away to other centres.”

Scaramouche Jones opens the theatre season, starring longtime Christchurch actor Martin Howells (described by Radio New Zealand as ‘one of the country’s finest comic actors’). This epic, tragic and comic play hurls the audience through a series of outlandish adventures across the globe as the 100 year old clown Scaramouche Jones gives his final performance and tells his tale. The play is described by The Guardian as ‘A mesmerizing piece of storytelling theatre’.

Other highlights include the contemporary comedy Sweet Phoebe presented by Scriptease Productions, Helen Moulder’s Playing Mrs Havisham and a production by The Canterbury Repertory Society who have been without a theatre since the first quake in September.

The cabaret season opens with Nic Kyle and Ali Harper presenting hits from the shows, while The Red Rose Dinner Theatre presents one of their famous musical comedy performances – Don’t ‘Ave Any More Mrs Moore - Echoes of the Music Hall.

As part of the TV 2 Kidsfest, The Celebration Theatre will host The Great Rugby Robbery, The Dance Project and The Flying Kiwi Circus. For music lovers The Celebration Theatre will present Classics in the Afternoon – a series of four daytime concerts featuring Christchurch’s finest classical musicians. Monday night is Opera Night with repertoire ranging from Mozart to Rogers and Hammerstein.

Other acts throughout the season include Kiwi icons McPhail and Gadsby, Janice Bateman, The Eastern, Paul Ubana Jones and The Warratahs.

And the grand finale: Vegas. It’s a feel good show with glitz, warmth, glamour and razza-mattaz. Vegas – A Tribute to The Golden Years of Vegas Entertainment stars Tim Beveridge, The Diamond Showgirls and The Neophonic Orchestra.

It’s Show Time!!!

Tickets on sale 9am Monday. Bookings Ph 03 332 0039

www.canterburycelebrationtheatre.co.nz

ENDS

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