Photos from the Show!
A Spectacular Show of Movement Theatre devised within the Manawatu with Mixed Ability and Multi generational Community
members, making up a cast of 103 participants plus crew.
Take the pathway with us and experience different colours and our
interpretations of Word Jazz man Ken Nordine's musings and music.
Set around the ground floor of Te Manawa Museum 'after hours',
spaces were transformed by the REACT team.
Fun, lively, colourful.
This is a performance where the audience was taken
on a journey by our performers.
He Ara Tae is based around 10 of the musings and music of
'Word Jazz' master Ken Nordine’s ‘Colors’ and was staged
as a journey around the ground floor of Te Manawa Museum on
Thursday 26th, Friday 27th and Saturday 28th February 2015 at 7.30pm - 8.40pm
The show encompasses the talents of mixed ability cast and crew
and has been developed around the Manawatu within the last few months,
with Choreographer Renee Ball working alongside members of Creative Journeys, Feildings' 128 Sth St daybase, St James' primary school, Jorgaz Dance Groups,
Spring Chickens, and many people from the wider community.
Meet the assembled team:
Bridgette Murphy Creative Director REACT Costumes/Set
Trained in Fashion in the late '80's with a history in Theatre (Centrepoint, PNth), Bridgette spent an extended OE in the UK and Europe where she worked on large scale rock 'n roll gigs (Wembley, Earls Court), Film Premieres (Moulin Rouge) and top end private parties, specialising in fully-fitted Fabric environments. She continued with costumes after hours for various fringe theatre groups and festival acts. An interest in grass roots activism brought involvement in Street spectacles with 'Reclaim the Streets' and large scale Puppetry with 'Rise Phoenix'.
Aotearoa Bound expedition 2003-5 overland UK to India via the former Yugoslavian states and the 'Stans (Turkmen, Uzbek and Afghanistan) working with war afflicted communities in sustainable art based activites.
Settled in Rangiwahia 2006 as founding member of REACT to further practises of sustainable creativity using home grown and reuse resources specialising in willow and tissue creations for Lantern Parades and Street Carnivals.
Jim Richards REACT Props/ Set
Jim currently works with Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre as a workshop leader in sustainable community creations.
Jim has worked for many years with Junk and Disorderly creating Giant puppets and street carnival props. He served four years as co-ordinator for the Arts Recycling Centre in Palmerston North, with involvement in Evento Wearable Arts FAHS as Judge, with new entrant talks, support and recycled resource consultation.
Worked with Emergency Exit Arts in the UK creating Street carnival and Community processional pieces, for events such as Thames parade, and International Car Free Day.
Long Term commitment to Community housing projects, Social housing and community development, including Macentyre disability unit Hereford, Homebase disability access program Shoreditch and Spike Scrap Scheme Peckham.
Came to New Zealand in 2004 as part of the Aotearoa Bound project, an overland journey bringing mobile creativity projects to communites along a route from the UK to New Zealand. REACT'S very own spontaneous ideas generator.
Deidre Dahlberg Creative Journeys
Deidre (Dee) is the Director of Creative Journeys Ltd, an art-based group who specialise in working with artists living with intellectual or physical challenges. After spending the first 11 years of her work-life in research science, her passion to become an artist led her to re-educate.
After completing several years of studies in both European and Maori contemporary art she specialised in painting and multi-media/film installations, exhibiting in both New Zealand and Australia. While working at the Kimberley TAFE in Western Australia she felt privileged to accept a position to coordinate and rejuvenate the Kimberley Art Prize of WA, currently in its 44th year. A career highlight she repeated. Subsequently she became a judge for the MarshART Competition (during the 47th BOAB festival), unique to an area whose community can use vast areas of dried Mudflats to create enormous mud drawings that can only be judged from a plane. It also featured performance, traditional dance, outdoor film screenings, large-scale installations and fire sculpture.
Arts and Community development led her to Yalata, South Australia, to manage the Women’s Centre. Integral to her role was to rejuvenate their aboriginal women’s group, foster leadership roles; provide a dedicated arts program, workshops, exhibitions, and outreach camp.
Working for Community and arts continued when she returned to NZ. Arts recycling centre coordinator, Fenestrarts instigator (her emergent artspace) and now Creative Journeys. Deidre is the current Secretary of REACT. Collaborative community arts and development are a passion!
Tessa Pratt Production Manager
Palmerston North born and bred, Tessa has been involved in theatre, dance and music since a young age and have maintained these interests throughout her schooling and university life. For the past 2-3 years Tessa has been running the Cailin School of Traditional Irish dancing, and prior to this was assisting with classes. It is a small not for profit community group of around 30 students, ranging from 5- 60+ years old! We do various community performances throughout the year in the Manawatu and wider region.
While Tessa was studying at Massey she got involved with VIVA The Massey University Choir, a club on campus. and was their secretary for 2 years running, a role that covered organising their annual concert, performances throughout the year, finances and the general running of the club.
Renee Ball Choreographer
Renee Ball Although she was employed for 8 months leading up to the performance, Renee chose to leave the show during Black week, creating all sorts of problems for the vulnerable performers than had placed much trust in her. Often late to rehearsals, we would not recommend her to future employers.
Bridgette Murphy Creative Director REACT Costumes/Set
Trained in Fashion in the late '80's with a history in Theatre (Centrepoint, PNth), Bridgette spent an extended OE in the UK and Europe where she worked on large scale rock 'n roll gigs (Wembley, Earls Court), Film Premieres (Moulin Rouge) and top end private parties, specialising in fully-fitted Fabric environments. She continued with costumes after hours for various fringe theatre groups and festival acts. An interest in grass roots activism brought involvement in Street spectacles with 'Reclaim the Streets' and large scale Puppetry with 'Rise Phoenix'.
Aotearoa Bound expedition 2003-5 overland UK to India via the former Yugoslavian states and the 'Stans (Turkmen, Uzbek and Afghanistan) working with war afflicted communities in sustainable art based activites.
Settled in Rangiwahia 2006 as founding member of REACT to further practises of sustainable creativity using home grown and reuse resources specialising in willow and tissue creations for Lantern Parades and Street Carnivals.
Jim Richards REACT Props/ Set
Jim currently works with Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre as a workshop leader in sustainable community creations.
Jim has worked for many years with Junk and Disorderly creating Giant puppets and street carnival props. He served four years as co-ordinator for the Arts Recycling Centre in Palmerston North, with involvement in Evento Wearable Arts FAHS as Judge, with new entrant talks, support and recycled resource consultation.
Worked with Emergency Exit Arts in the UK creating Street carnival and Community processional pieces, for events such as Thames parade, and International Car Free Day.
Long Term commitment to Community housing projects, Social housing and community development, including Macentyre disability unit Hereford, Homebase disability access program Shoreditch and Spike Scrap Scheme Peckham.
Came to New Zealand in 2004 as part of the Aotearoa Bound project, an overland journey bringing mobile creativity projects to communites along a route from the UK to New Zealand. REACT'S very own spontaneous ideas generator.
Deidre Dahlberg Creative Journeys
Deidre (Dee) is the Director of Creative Journeys Ltd, an art-based group who specialise in working with artists living with intellectual or physical challenges. After spending the first 11 years of her work-life in research science, her passion to become an artist led her to re-educate.
After completing several years of studies in both European and Maori contemporary art she specialised in painting and multi-media/film installations, exhibiting in both New Zealand and Australia. While working at the Kimberley TAFE in Western Australia she felt privileged to accept a position to coordinate and rejuvenate the Kimberley Art Prize of WA, currently in its 44th year. A career highlight she repeated. Subsequently she became a judge for the MarshART Competition (during the 47th BOAB festival), unique to an area whose community can use vast areas of dried Mudflats to create enormous mud drawings that can only be judged from a plane. It also featured performance, traditional dance, outdoor film screenings, large-scale installations and fire sculpture.
Arts and Community development led her to Yalata, South Australia, to manage the Women’s Centre. Integral to her role was to rejuvenate their aboriginal women’s group, foster leadership roles; provide a dedicated arts program, workshops, exhibitions, and outreach camp.
Working for Community and arts continued when she returned to NZ. Arts recycling centre coordinator, Fenestrarts instigator (her emergent artspace) and now Creative Journeys. Deidre is the current Secretary of REACT. Collaborative community arts and development are a passion!
Tessa Pratt Production Manager
Palmerston North born and bred, Tessa has been involved in theatre, dance and music since a young age and have maintained these interests throughout her schooling and university life. For the past 2-3 years Tessa has been running the Cailin School of Traditional Irish dancing, and prior to this was assisting with classes. It is a small not for profit community group of around 30 students, ranging from 5- 60+ years old! We do various community performances throughout the year in the Manawatu and wider region.
While Tessa was studying at Massey she got involved with VIVA The Massey University Choir, a club on campus. and was their secretary for 2 years running, a role that covered organising their annual concert, performances throughout the year, finances and the general running of the club.
Renee Ball Choreographer
Renee Ball Although she was employed for 8 months leading up to the performance, Renee chose to leave the show during Black week, creating all sorts of problems for the vulnerable performers than had placed much trust in her. Often late to rehearsals, we would not recommend her to future employers.
With Funding from the Ministry of Social Development
"Make a Difference' Fund we will be staging 10 Colours with disabled and non-disabled Cast and Crew, involving Creative Journeys and the wider public. Interest in this project is most welcome - onstage or back stage, we'd love your input
Thanks also to Eastern and Central Community Grants and CCNZ/PNCC.
