August 27, 2014

FESTIVAL OF NEW ZEALAND WORKS LOOKING FOR A BOOST TO NEW YORK 

A group of 20 dedicated Wellington artists are flying themselves over to New York to share a mini-festival of 10 New Zealand works at the renowned La Mama Experimental Theatre Club in New York, in early 2015. New Zealand New Performance Festival will showcase not just the creative cream of Wellington, but the collaboration, community and commitment that comes with it.

The tour has been initiated by award-winning performance company The Playground NZ (The Performance Arcade), and brings together a wide range of visual and performance art, with works ranging from stand-up, to music, experimental theatre, audio, and dance works. The main bill Sleep/Wake was developed in collaboration with sleep scientist Philippa Gander, and combines stunning visuals with science and dance. It won a Gold Award in The Designer’s Institute of NZ Best Awards 2009, and was part of the official selection for the World Stage Design Exhibition 2009.

At the heart of this tour is the co-operation between different groups. Artistic Director Sam Trubridge says:

“This project draws on a collaborative and inclusive approach, which ensures the greatest benefit comes to the most artists, sharing NZ works of high quality overseas… It shows how New Zealand artists can deal with their geographic distance and the difficulty of touring in an innovative and mindful way”.

Other works that will be touring include 2013 Fred Award Nominee James Nokise’s comedy show So So Gangsta, which looks at New Zealand’s gang culture and links it to the United States, as well as two works by acclaimed Wellington experimental theatre company Binge Culture: For Your Future Guidance and The Break-Up.

The group are launching a Boosted campaign to contribute toward the freight, publicity and production costs of the tour. To view the campaign and more information about the artists visit www.NZNewPerformance.com

A full list of the touring works follows:

SLEEP/WAKE – an award-winning art-science performance with stunning visuals by director/designer Sam Trubridge.

INK – contemporary dance in stygian darkness by choreographer Maria Dabrowska and lighting designer Marty Roberts.

CHET BAKER: LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE – jazz and theatre brought together on stage in the gripping story of a US music legend.

FOR YOUR FUTURE GUIDANCE – first of two gallery performances by acclaimed experimental theatre company Binge Culture.

BREAK-UP (WE NEED TO TALK) – the performers of Binge Culture stage a break up before the audience, over six hours. The audience is free to come and go as they please. 

ON THE CONDITIONS AND POSSIBILITY OF HILLARY CLINTON TAKING ME AS HER YOUNG LOVER – a theatrical lecture by the rising star of NZ playwriting and acting Arthur Meek. 

ALL YOUR WANTS AND NEEDS FULFILLED FOREVER – the acclaimed new theatre work by writer Eli Kent and Robin Kerr from award-winning PlayGround Collective. 

SO SO GANGSTA – Samoan comedian James Nokise brings hip-hop culture back to the USA via the Pacific and Aotearoa NZ. 

NAG – an endurance based performance installation by Marcus McShane that constructs a self-propelled artist studio. 

THE LISTENING POSTS – pervasive theatre journeys through the streets of New York with LudiCity.