Silo 2017: Celebrating 20 Years of Contemporary Theatre

Media Release: For Immediate Release

Silo 2017: Celebrating 20 Years of Provocative And Poignant Contemporary Theatre

Silo Theatre’s Artistic Director Sophie Roberts announces a boisterous and expansive programme of work to mark the company’s milestone 20th anniversary year. 2017 is a celebration of the breadth of the Silo story – past, present and future. Next year, Silo’s comprehensive programme boldly offers six productions, an extensive national tour and an artist development series. Silo Theatre explodes into 2017 armed with contemporary experiences that will give audiences the chance to celebrate culture, politics, diversity and excellence in art.

“I’m really proud to be part of a company that for 20 years has believed in the ability of great theatre to help us understand the world we live in, to say in a loud voice what we feel is unjust and to teach us how to be better to each other. I think those things matter now more than ever” – Sophie Roberts

Silo kicks off their year where it all began 20 years ago: at the Basement Theatre with a bunch of brilliant artists tackling one of the hottest new scripts around. REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN. marks the first time that British playwright Alice Birch’s work has ever been presented in New Zealand. Her feminist roar of a play rages against the status quo in a series of hilarious and horrifying vignettes that examine how we talk to, and about women. Silo’s 2016 directing intern Virginia Frankovich will direct a stellar cast of Silo favourites and new faces – Fasitua Amosa, Sophie Henderson, Michelle Ny and Amanda Tito. Proudly presented as part of Auckland Fringe, this play reinforces Silo’s ongoing interest in gender politics and its commitment to stage explicitly feminist work. It’s also very much the play of the moment with recent productions by the RSC at Edinburgh Fringe, New York’s Soho Rep and an upcoming season at Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre in 2017.

Next up and together with Auckland Arts Festival, Silo will co-produce CELLFISH, a NZ premiere from T.O.A productions written by Miriama McDowell, Rob Mokaraka and Jason Te Kare. Starring Miriama McDowell and Mark Ruka, CELLFISH is a dark comedy set in a New Zealand prison where a few hard men are about to be confronted by their worst nightmare: Miss Lucy the Shakespeare teacher. Playing at Q Theatre Loft, CELLFISH marks Jason Te Kare’s directorial debut and McDowell’s performance debut for Silo and celebrates Mark Ruka’s return to the Silo stage after 2006’s TAKE ME OUT and THIS IS HOW IT GOES.

Having just landed five Wellington Theatre Award nominations, Silo’s 2015 smash hit HUDSON & HALLS LIVE! will be returning to Auckland as a part of a nationwide tour. Spanning the far north to the deep south, HUDSON & HALLS LIVE! will be serving a mid-winter Christmas feast at Q Theatre’s mainstage in June.

Returning to his old stomping ground to direct two powerful works for the 20th anniversary year is Silo’s founding Artistic Director Shane Bosher. In July, his critically acclaimed 2015 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival production of COCK will take the Herald Theatre by the balls for a witty and sharp observation of modern love. Written by Laurence Olivier Award winner Mike Bartlett, this production underscores Silo’s long-time commitment to telling LGBTQI stories. COCK is a co-presentation with Auckland Live.

Bosher will then turn his hand to one of the greatest plays ever written for what is the jewel in the crown of the company’s 20th birthday season – A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Few plays have the enduring power of this Pulitzer Prize winning work that in its time changed the face of contemporary theatre forever. Seventy years after its Broadway premiere, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE’S violent portrayal of femininity, masculinity and sexuality still feels urgent and powerful in its exploration of desire and domestic brutality. Starring Mia Blake (Blanche), Morgana O’Reilly (Stella) and Toni Potter (Eunice), this show will be dangerous, breathtaking and truly epic.

Seeing out Silo’s year is a reimagined classic that will ignite the child within - a magical adaptation of Sergei Prokofiev’s musical fairy tale PETER AND THE WOLF. Director Sophie Roberts and composer Leon Radojkovic join forces to create an explosive treatment featuring a six-piece band, delightful marionette puppets, live videography and a different narrator for every performance. This production continues Silo’s ongoing investment in artistically excellent work for the audiences of tomorrow. Expect big names and Silo favourites as narrators.

Finally, Silo will continue to nurture the very best new New Zealand writers and theatre-makers in 2017 with the return of their Working Titles development series. Three plays have been selected for development next year and will be presented as script readings or open workshops in April 2017. Titles include MODREN GIRLS IN BED (Alex Lodge and Cherie Jacobson), THE DEFENDANT (Dan Musgrove) and BURN HER (Sam Brooks).

Silo Theatre 2017
Season Tickets on sale from November 30.
For more information and bookings, visit silotheatre.co.nz

2017 SEASON
REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN.
15 February – March 11, Basement Theatre
CELLFISH
08 – 14 March, Auckland Arts Festival, Q Theatre Loft
16 & 17 March, Auckland Arts Festival, Te Oro – Music and Arts Centre, Glen Innes
HUDSON & HALLS LIVE!
27 June – 09 July, Q Theatre. National tour dates to be announced in early 2017.
COCK
20 July – 12 August, Herald Theatre, Auckland Live
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
24 August – 16 September, Q Theatre
PETER AND THE WOLF
09 November – 09 December, Herald Theatre, Auckland Live.

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