Manawa Ora: Stories from the Street

High Profile New Zealand Talent Teams up with South Auckland Teams to Perform a Series of Shows

Manawa Ora: Stories from the Street

Auckland Live is delighted to announce the return of Manawa Ora: Stories from the Street, Nga Rangatahi Toa’s live inter-arts performance to Auckland’s Herald Theatre this October.

This explosive season features one-act plays and performance pieces, interwoven with artworks and music. All of the work is created by twelve rangatahi (youth) in collaboration with some of New Zealand’s foremost artists and produced over a week of intensive workshops.

The mentors for the 2014 season of Manawa Ora include: musician Ladi 6, writer/director/actor Oscar Kightley, Boy actor Pana Hema-Taylor, actors Vinnie Bennett (Fantail), Cian Elyse White (Fantail) and Aroha White, rapper and performance poet Tourettes, and artist Josh Paki.

Audiences will experience monologues in which stories from the street are brought to life on the stage. The artist and rangatahi pairs will create large-scale murals while musicians will work with youth on soundtracks that will be interwoven through the performances. Directed byFantail film maker Curtis Vowell, the stories will come together to form one explosive theatre production that brings to light tomorrow’s talent.

Manawa Ora is a cornerstone of Nga Rangatahi Toa’s work. The trust was founded as a creative arts initiative to empower marginalised Auckland rangatahi. The organisation’s programmes assist students excluded from mainstream education and have a 100 percent success rate in transitioning rangatahi into work or study.

Manawa Ora gives rangatahi the opportunity to develop a creative response to their life experience and cultural identity using the medium of theatre, music or visual arts.

The workshop for Manawa Ora starts 3 October and rehearsals take place 12-14 October. Performances will be 15-18 October and include four evening performances. An earlier season in January 2013 was performed to full houses. A Q&A session to follow each show will allow the audience the opportunity to connect with the cast and crew.

Founder and creative director Sarah Longbottom, Manawa Ora mentors and rangatahi are all available for interviews. An image from the previous performance of Manawa Ora is attached; others can be provided on request.
Manawa Ora is held in partnership with Auckland Live and Creative New Zealand, with support from Waitemata Local Board, eighthirty coffee roasters, Scenic Hotels, and Federal Delicatessen.

Auckland Live and Nga Rangatahi Toa present

Manawa Ora: Stories from the Street
Wed 15 to Sat 18 October, 7pm
Live at Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre
Ticket: $20* adult / $15* concession.
Book Now: Ticketmaster.co.nz or 09 970 9700 (*service fees apply)
Ticketmaster presale: Friday 12 September – Sunday 14 September, midnight
On sale to general public: Monday 15 September, 9am

ends

© Scoop Media