Mana Little Theatre
Newsletter, January 2017
Hi folks
A Happy New Year to you all – hope you’ve had a good time and managed to get some sun in
between the dreadful weather the Wellington region has been having. Many thanks to the cast,
crew and of course the Director, Bruce Cannell, for the excellent “Death by Fatal Murder” last
November. Audiences loved it and what a fine debut by our new Director! I don’t think Craig
Haywood will ever be able to get rid of his Pratt persona (apologies to his long suffering wife,
Leanne!) It was lovely to see some new faces to our stage – welcome aboard Susannah Donovan
and Pirimai Te Rure, I hope we see more of you both at MLT.
Susannah Donovan
as Nancy Allwright,
Jacob Cannell as
Constable Thomkins
Chris Balm as Enzo
Garibaldi,
Pirimai Te Rure as
Ginny Farquhar
It’s the start of another year and our new production, “Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen,
adapted for stage by Jon Jory, is already underway with Sue Miller at the helm. It opens on
Wednesday 29th March to Saturday 8th April. This promises to be a stellar production of an old
favourite so I’m very excited! The cast includes Julie Dykes, Amanda Smith, Becky Wilson, Anneke
Mace, Laureen Ford-Jones, Tegan McIndoe, Lucy Moore, Ana Baide, Bryony Ford-Jones, Virginia
Earle, Sue Mortimer, Ross Miller, Nick Edwards, Jacob Cannell, Matt Oliver and Alistair Smith.
We also have Pat Knight returning to MLT to direct Roger Hall’s “Social Climbers” in June, I’ll be
directing the classic play “Hobson’s Choice” in August, and Paulette McIndoe will be directing our
final play of the year when we decide which one it will be!
In the meantime – you won’t be surprised to know that we are continuing to upgrade our
theatre. The stage is past its sell by date so it was ripped up before Christmas and now awaits our
trusty crew of Bruce, Colin and Alan to rebuild it! If anyone is handy with a saw, hammer,
screwdriver and drill – please contact us! We not only have to rebuild the stage, but there’s a set
to build! We also need people who are prepared to help clean up the theatre and front of house
before the shows go on. I’ve set aside the Saturdays before each show. The more people who
turn up, the quicker we shall be then we can all go for a coffee at our sponsors, Topor afterwards!
On that note, I’d like to thank all our sponsors – Clark & Co Real Estate, Topor Bistro, Wheeler’s
Guardian Funeral Home, and the assistance of Flying Colours (Printers). It’s lovely to see local
businesses supporting our community theatre. We don’t get grants or subsidies so we rely heavily
on door sales, goodwill of members to pitch in and do the work, and our sponsors. The theatre
wouldn’t exist without you.
Sue
2017 Shows
Productions in 2017, page 1 of 2
“Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen, adapted for the stage by Jon Jory
Wednesday 29th March – Saturday 8th April. Directed by Sue Miller
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune,
must be in want of a wife.”
Pride and Prejudice is based on the 1813 novel by Jane Austen, adapted for stage by Jon
Jory, and tells the much-loved story of the Bennet family living in a small rural
community – with five marriageable daughters. The play follows the day-to-day lives of
the family, their friends, love and romance, escapades, many of them caused by the
arrival in the Hertfordshire village of two wealthy young men and the militia regiment.
Naturally so many unattached young men must be in need of wives!
The cast is made up of some experienced MLT members, some experienced actors from
other theatres and several first time actors. They are:
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Mr Bennet - Ross Miller
Mrs Bennet - Julie Dykes
Jane - Amanda Smith
Elizabeth - Becky Wilson
Lydia - Anneke Mace
Mary - Lauren Ford-Jones
Kitty - Tegan McIndoe
Charlotte Lucas - Bryony Ford-Jones
Housekeeper - Lucy Moore
Mr Darcy - Nick Edwards
Mr Colins - Alistair Smith
Mr Bingley - Jacob Cannell
Caroline Bingley - Ana Baide
Mrs Gardiner - Virginia Earle
Lady Catherine - Sue Mortimer
George Wickham - Matt Oliver
The Director, Sue Miller, has directed a number of productions for MLT although not for
several years.
Nick Edwards as
Mr Darcy
Becky Wilson as
Elizabeth Bennet
2017 Shows, contd.
Productions in 2017, page 2 of 2
“Social Climbers” by Roger Hall
Wednesday 14th June – Saturday 24th June. Directed by Pat Knight
A clever, witty comedy about truth and consequences by New Zealand playwright, Roger
Hall. An all-female group of four teachers, one school counsellor and a reluctantly
accompanying teenage daughter get stuck in a DOC hut due to foul weather (sound
familiar?) By day 3 they are definitely not happy campers!
It’s been called the hen party from hell and audiences will be able to identify the
characters – superwoman Susan trying to organise everyone while her own life
disintegrates. The older, soon to be forcibly retired Kath. Young and bolshie Sinead and
her anxious doormat of a mother, Emily. Counsellor Anna having a meltdown. Brazen
Maxine.
This is a great New Zealand comedy and not to be missed.
“Hobson’s Choice” by Harold Brighouse
Wednesday 23rd August – Saturday 2nd September. Directed by Sue Mortimer
This classic comedy is set in Salford, Lancashire in the 1980s, but it was written in 1915 in
the era of suffragette protests. It is therefore, perhaps, a very fitting choice of play in the
light of recent protests in America.
Henry Horatio Hobson is a misogynistic, domineering widower who owns a successful
boot-making shop. He also owns three 'uppish' unmarried daughters. With undertones of
'King Lear', two daughters (Vicky and Alice) are young and frivolous while the oldest
daughter (Maggie) is clever and hardworking.
Hobson is 'old school' and tries to dominate his daughters, making them work for no pay
while he spends his time at the pub with his friends. He determines that he will choose
husbands for his younger daughters but he’s not going to waste money providing them
with dowries! Maggie is too old and far too useful in her unpaid capacity as housekeeper
and managing the shop so she can stay a spinster. But Maggie has other ideas;
determined to free herself, and her sisters, from her father’s tyranny, she seizes her
chance to arrange her own marriage to their shy, talented, but illiterate boot-maker,
Willie Mossop – and she’s not about to let a little matter like Willie’s fiancée upset her
plans!
There follows a battle of wills that eventually causes Hobson to lose his customers, his
daughters and his pride as Maggie faces him with Hobson’s Choice.
Our 4th play – yet to be confirmed
Wednesday 15th – Saturday 25th November
Directed by Paulette McIndoe
Tickets & Important Dates
Tickets
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$25 adults
$20 school students & Gold Card holders
$5 discount in the first week only for members
$5 discount off each ticket if a booking is made for 10 people or more.
Must be paid for in advance.
Fundraising nights – you can book all the seats (48) for a Thursday evening. If you
wish to do this then you need to book your night before bookings go public. Tickets
will need to be paid for in advance. This entitles you to use the foyer for
refreshments. Our license allows you sell alcohol if you also provide free food.
Someone from the theatre will be in attendance in accordance with licensing
regulations. Email us for details.
Tickets can be booked through [email protected] or text / ring and leave a
message 021 025 77648. Please note that it’s much easier to keep a track of your
booking if you email.
We are a small theatre with limited capacity so we need 24 hour notice to change
your tickets. We’re a community theatre and will try and accommodate your
changes of plan, but we don’t get any funding and the license costs of putting on
plays has gone through the roof so we do ask that you pay for tickets that cannot be
resold on your behalf.
Important Dates in 2017
Please don’t skip this page – mark your diary, update your calendar, whatever you
need to do!
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“Pride & Prejudice” Wednesday 29th March – Saturday 8th April
Theatre cleaning day Saturday 18th March 11.00 a.m.
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Audition “Social Climbers” by Roger Hall. Sunday 2nd April, 7.00 p.m. at
the theatre
“Social Climbers” by Roger Hall Wednesday 14th June – Saturday 24th June
Theatre cleaning day Saturday 10th June 11.00 a.m.
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Audition “Hobson’s Choice” by Harold Brighouse. Saturday 10th June, 7.00
p.m. at the theatre
“Hobson’s Choice” by Harold Brighouse. Wednesday 23rd August –
Saturday 2nd September
Theatre cleaning day Saturday 19th August 11.00 a.m.
Our 4th play – yet to be confirmed. Wednesday 15th – Saturday 25th
November. Audition TBC
Theatre cleaning day Saturday 11th November 11.00 a.m.
Death by Fatal Murder
Some more photos for your enjoyment
Chris Davidson as
Squadron Leader
Roger “Stiffy”
Allwright
Jacob Cannell as
Constable Thomkins
Craig Haywood as
Inspector Pratt
Marion Rosner as
Blodwyn Morgan
Paulette McIndoe
as Miss Maple
Missing Constable duly
located! You would only
understand this if you saw the
play or had read the script.