Written by Hone Kouka Directed by Miria George 8–12 March
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8–12 March Rangatira Q Theatre Written by Hone Kouka Directed by Miria George BLESS THE CHILD TAWATA PRODUCTIONS PERFORMERS TIHEI THE SHOW WITH SUPPORT FROM MAURI ORA, 2hrs 20mins inc. interval Shardae Pohe Carrie Green Shania Bailey-Edmonds Bless the Child owes its Eight lives and three worlds collide in this CONTAINS NUDITY, inception to my late Mother, urgent, thought-provoking play; a story STRONG LANGUAGE & VIOLENCE Hinemoa Amanda Wai Te Atatu Kouka. She laid of life and death and good vs. bad. After Moana Ete Maia Diamond REHEARSAL VENUE & SUPPORT down a wero to me in regard a child is found dead, a hotshot lawyer TE KURA TOI WHAKAARI O AOTEAROA & Khan Robinson to M¯aori, our tamariki, and is dragged into the case to defend the TE WHAEA SERVICES Regan Taylor Ani-Piki Tuari where we are as a people in demonised mother. As the wh¯anau closes AND THANKS TO AVALON STUDIOS Iraia Taylor today’s society. The result is ranks, the question of who killed the baby Scotty Cotter Lionel Wellington the production you are about – and whose prejudice is exposed – is CO-PRODUCED BY AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL, to see. This korero is about brought provocatively to the surface. NEW ZEALAND FESTIVAL & TAWATA PRODUCTIONS prejudice, perception and aroha, although the word CREATIVES that comes to mind watching BIOGRAPHIES rehearsals is ‘kindness’. In Writer & Producer Technical Operator this brutal world that we are TAWATA PRODUCTIONS is a HONE KOUKA MI¯RIA GEORGE M¯aori and Cook Islands theatre Writer, producer Director Hone Kouka Te Aihe Butler part of, to be kind is often company based in Wellington, shunned and dismissed – in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ng¯ati Porou Te Arawa, Ng¯ati Awa Director Production Manager Ng¯ati Raukawa Ng¯ati Rongo-ma-tane Bless the Child it is what Specialising in the rigorous Ng¯ati Kahungunu Ng¯ati Tinomana M¯Iria George Glenn Ashworth development and presentation of ultimately saves them. It is ¯ new work, Tawata blurs the lines Hone is an acclaimed M¯aori MIria is a poet and award-winning Set Designer Associate Producer about a world and people out between text, movement and image, writer, producer and director, playwright, director and producer. presenting a dynamic performance the youngest winner of the Bruce Mark McEntyre Helena-Jane Kilkelly of sync; it is an attempt to Mason Playwrighting Award and a Her work has toured New Zealand, experience from Aotearoa to the Australia, Hawai‘i, Canada and the regain balance and harmony. world beyond. multi-award winner. His plays have Lighting Designer Fight Choreographer been produced in South Africa, United Kingdom. Natasha James Allan Henry My thanks goes to the New The work of Tawata Productions Britain, Hawai‘i, Canada, Australia, Her first stage play, the award- includes the epic dance-party- Japan and New Caledonia, as well winning Oho Ake, premiered in Zealand and Auckland Arts on-stage The Beautiful Ones, as throughout New Zealand, with Wellington in 2004, produced by Lead Sound Designer Vocal Coach the indigenous satire The three plays translated into French, Festivals for their vision to Tawata Productions. In 2007, M¯Iria Te Aihe Butler Jon Hunter Vultures (coined the “M¯aori Royal Japanese and Russian. made her international debut as a Tenenbaums”), the multi-award programme this challenging ¯ playwright. Her work includes And winning solo show I, George Nepia, Together with MIria George, Hone Additional Sound Set Construction work, the incredible Wh¯anau founded theatre and film production What Remains, Urban Hymns, Sunset and the Cook Islands drama told on a Road, The Vultures and The Night Chris Ward Finn Robson Marsden suburban rooftop, Sunset Road. house Tawata Productions, which of designers, cast and crew produces the works of M¯aori and Mechanics. bringing my words to life Tawata presents an annual Pacific artists. He became a member ¯ Composers Construction Assistants MIria holds a Masters in Creative and especially Director programme of theatre by Hone of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Writing from the International Hohepa Waitoa & K*Saba Simon Manns Kouka and M¯Iria George as well as his services to contemporary M¯aori Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria M¯Iria George who has Breaking Ground, an international theatre in June 2009. University of Wellington. Her debut Mattias Olofsson indigenous playwrighting festival, Costume Designer brought a shining brilliance Hone had two films screen at the poetry collection, The Wet Season, is plus Wellington’s M¯aori, Pasifika and published by Wai-te-ata Press. She Cara Louise Waretini Lighting Pre-production international indigenous theatre and 2016 Berlin Film Festival, Born to to the production. We all Dance (Screenwriter) and Mahana also writes for radio and television. dance platform Kia Mau Festival. ¯ Morgan Whitfield must tirelessly work to (Executive Producer). In 2017, he In 2017, MIria was the Fulbright– Costumier Tawata Productions has performed Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer in national and international festivals was awarded Wellingtonian of the Elysia Ellis Set Dressing protect the child. Year in the Arts category. in Residence at University of Hawai‘i, throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, M¯anoa, and won the Bruce Mason Australia, Canada, the United Wai Mihinui Ng¯a mihi, In 2018, Bless the Child, Hone’s latest Playwrighting Award. M¯Iria is the co- Stage Manager Kingdom, the South Pacific and the stage play, premiered at the New director of Tawata Productions and Karena Letham Photographer Hone Kouka, Hawaiian Islands. Zealand Festival followed by this the international indigenous theatre Matt Grace February 2018 season at the Auckland Arts Festival. and dance platform, Kia Mau. aaf.co.nz Auckland Arts Festival is a place for ambitious ideas by storytellers, CONTACT provocateurs and creators. +64 (0)9 309 0101 The Festival reflects our contemporary, cosmopolitan city with its many communities. [email protected] It challenges artists and audiences to be bold and take a risk. Through the work of Level 5, Wellesley Centre artists from Aotearoa and across the world, we aim to unify, uplift, enlighten and 44-52 Wellesley Street inspire the people of T¯amaki Makaurau and our many visitors. Auckland City 1010 Taking place annually in March, 2018 marks the 10th Auckland Arts Festival. PO Box 5419 This year more than 200,000 people are expected to attend the Festival, which Wellesley Street comprises more than 50 events taking place in all corners of the Auckland region Auckland 1141, NZ and many of which are free. FESTIVAL PEOPLE Patron Chief Executive Creative Learning & Head of Sound The Governor General, David Inns Community Engagement Sandy Gunn Her Excellency Assistant The Right Honourable Artistic Director Natasha Lay Head of AV Dame Patsy Reddy, Jonathan Bielski Simon Baker GNZM, QSO Programme Administrator Business & Helen Winskill Marketing & Board of Trustees Finance Director Communications Director John Judge (Chair) Shona Roberts Project Coordinator, Wha¯nui Thierry Pannetier Noma Sio-Faiumu Angela Clatworthy Accounts & Payroll Marketing Contractor Rick Carlyon Administrators Wha¯nui Project Assistant Sally Woodfield Evan Davies Suzanne Watt Amo Ieriko Sarah Judkins Mirena Tomas Content Editor Tarun Kanji Technical Manager Tim Wong Margaret Kawharu MNZM Executive Assistant Nick Tomlin Jim Moser Josie Maskell Campaign Executive Ben Taufua Technical Administrator Alistair Kwun Fred Ward Office Manager Catherine Hart Donna Lynskey Media & PR Manager Founding Friends Artist Liaison & Siobhan Waterhouse Adrian Burr Head of Programming Logistics Manager Media & PR Assistant Graeme Edwards Dolina Wehipeihana Megan Andrews Josephine Granese Friedlander Foundation Senior Programme Manager Artist Liaison Assistant Dame Jenny Gibbs Tama Waipara Sophie Williams Marketing Intern Sir Chris & Lady Dayle Mace Ellie Tapsell Programme Manager Production Manager Official Suppliers Angela Green Vicki Cooksley Sponsorship Executive ABE’s Bagels Jessie Congalton Delmaine Fine Foods Programme Assistant Festival Playground Mojo Tanya Muagututi’a Operations Managers Sponsorship Assistant PwC Charlotte Crone Gill Saker Russell McVeagh Producer’s Assistant Gareth Baston (Boris) Aroha Rawson Designer Head of Staging Barny Bewick Creative Learning & Andrew Gibson Community Engagement Ticketing Manager Manager Head of Lighting Karen Cartwright Tracey Marama Lloydd Andrew Meadows Ticketing Assistant Laura Aldis Images from Bless the Child rehearsals, PHOTOGRAPHY: MAARIRE BRUNNING-KOUKA 26 February 2018 A STANDING OVATION FOR ALL THE FUNDERS, SPONSORS, PATRONS, AND SUPPORTERS WHOSE AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL THANK YOU GENEROSITY LETS US BRING THE WORK OF GREAT ARTISTS TO THIS WONDERFUL CITY. CORE FUNDERS MAJOR FUNDERS GOLD SPONSORS FUNDING PARTNERS The Clyde Graham Charitable Trust managed by SILVER SPONSORS INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS BRONZE SPONSORS CORPORATE PATRONS PLATINUM PATRONS Janet Clarke and John Judge, Sir Roderick and Gillian, Lady Deane, GOLD PATRONS Andrew and Jenny Smith, Sir James Wallace (Wallace Foundation), Fran Wyborn Bill and Frances Bell SILVER PATRONS Julie and Brian Cadzow, Jeremy Collins, Christine and Richard Didsbury, Trevor and Jan Farmer, Friedlander Foundation, Kent and Gaye Gardner, Dame Jenny Gibbs, David Levene Foundation, Sir Chris and Lady Dayle Mace, Heather Simpson, Sonbol and Farzbod Taefi, Walker and Hall Trust BRONZE PATRONS John Barnett, John Billington QC, JADE PATRONS Lisa Bates and Douglas Hawkins, Rick and Jenny Carlyon, Rosslyn Caughey, Jo and John Chaplin, John and Victoria