ARTS NEWS
A MARVELLOUS concert of chamber music by students of UNE featuring a string and a flute quintet directed by Deirdre Rickards, the Beethoven Ensemble directed by Alan Blackburn, a jazz combo led by Martyn Peters and a jazz ensemble with Stephen Tafra as musical director. On Wednesday 25 September from 6.30-7.30 pm at Lazenby Hall.
LIFE’S FOIBLES ON STAGE
THE Misanthrope, Moliere’s comic masterpiece, springs to life under the direction of Alex Robson, featuring a youthful cast including stars from the recent musical, The Wedding Singer, and members of Felt Tip Theatre’s acting school. Alex also does an Olivier by taking-on the lead role as well as directing. The play opens on Thursday 26 September at 7.30pm at the Hoskins Theatre TAS. Other performances are on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 September at 7.30pm and a matinee on Saturday 28 September at 1pm. Tickets from Carr’s newsXpress in Beardy Mall. Contact Josh Osborne on 0414 768 518 for more information.
TALES FROM RUSSIA
ACCLAIMED author Sophie Masson’s latest book Two Trickster Tales from Russia will be launched on Saturday September 28 at 4pm at Granny Fi’s Toy Cupboard, 42 Bridge St, Uralla. The title is the first for newly established publishing house Christmas Press by three local creators working in partnership – writer Sophie Masson, illustrator David Allan and author, artist and designer Fiona McDonald.
SUNDAY MARKET CONCERT
WELL known pianist Robyn Bradley will accompany talented trio, Kylie Constantine, Lisa Quast and Inge Southcott, in a concert of 20th century American arias and art songs by Samuel Barber, Kurt Weill, Bernard Herrmann, Carlisle Floyd and John Adams. Sunday 29 September at 12.30pm at the Uniting Church.
A SAD NOTE
OWING to financial difficulties the New England Art Society Gallery is cancelling the Armidale Art prize for 2013. Also, the gallery is moving out from its well-established home in Beardy Mall. Exhibitions will still take place to the end of December and NEAS will continue – somewhere else. Val Sherwell thanks this column and the Independent for publicising NEAS throughout 2013.
ART LAUGHTER
ENTRIES are now open for Challenge Community Services’ Laugh Out Loud art competition. Open to all persons with a disability attending a disability service in regional NSW. Great prizes to be won and a load of talent will be on display. Contact Challenge Marketing on 02 6763 1806 or email marketing@challengecommuntiy.org.au
BIG BIRTHDAY
NERAM is hosting the ‘Armidale Big Birthday Bash’ on 13 October, with stalls, art activities, great food and music, and heaps of fun for families and arty types.
The plan is to promote creative, sustainable, reuse and recycling of ‘materials’ and to have a fun community ARTplay day. There will also be tours of the Armidale Community Garden and Museum of Education, along with a Waste to Art exhibition, and live music to follow at the popular Black Gully Music Festival on the reserve behind the museum.
A giant projection is planned for the outside wall of the museum showing the 2000 works from the NERAM collection. To make this happen, art-lovers are invited to make a pledge for as little as $5 (and upwards) towards an art work of their choice.
PHOENIX RISING
THE Armidale Drama and Musical Society is planning to refurbish the old Armidale Playhouse and open it for public performances.
Two design concepts (one a traditional proscenium arch, the other a quasi theatre-in-the-round plan) will be discussed on Thursday 24 October 7pm at the Playhouse, corner Beardy and Ohio Streets. Architect Tony Deakin will be in attendance to answer questions. Costings range from $162,400 to $173, 700 and would require largish grants and/or donations. A much cheaper “quick-fix” option is also available for around $5000. This would make it possible for the Playhouse to open for business almost immediately – to be followed later by the more extensive renovations.
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