New Massey Theatre Lab a North Shore asset
massey-university
Thu May 16 2013 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
New Massey Theatre Lab a North Shore asset
Thursday, 16 May 2013, 5:22 pm
Press Release: Massey University
May 16, 2013
New Massey Theatre Lab a North Shore asset
A brand new performing arts space has opened at the Albany campus, and it will prove an asset to students at Massey and the wider performing arts community.
Lecturer in Theatre Dr Rand Hazou is excited about the new space and the opportunities for students and the wider community to make use of the space.
“Theatre programmes in universities around the world are constantly battling against shrinking budgets and classes, and here it’s expanding, which is really exciting.”
Dr Hazou, a Palestinian-Kiwi theatre maker who grew up in Jordan, is especially interested in the role of documentary theatre as a way of connecting with a community, and of tapping into untold true stories within communities.
The opening launch featured a presentation by Auckland Arts Festival artistic director Carla van Zon and chief executive David Inns on the immense work that goes in to the creation of an arts festival, and the logistics behind fitting all the different acts in.
An energetic dance and drums display from Drums of the Pacific, a Cook Islands dance troupe, had the audience up and dancing. This was followed by two award-winning short plays by playwright and theatre lecturer Associate Professor Angie Farrow, from the School of English and Media Studies. Titled Tango Partner and Lifetime, the plays were extracts from the season Dancing Till We Drop, featuring 10 of Dr Farrow’s short plays.
The evening rounded off with an excerpt from a burlesque performance Birds of Paradise, featuring stunning costumes and quirky comedy hatched by Morag Magnolia Brownlie.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
The re-purposed theatre has a sprung wooden floor, lighting rig, and can be set up in a variety of ways.
Dr Hazou thanked former Head of School Dr John Muirhead for his vision and commitment to the establishment of the Theatre Lab.
“This is an asset that students from across the campus can use to explore expressive arts, and an additional performance space that the community can also tap into,” says Dr Hazou.
Performances and activities including drama, poetry readings, storytelling and film will be held at the Theatre Lab as part of Open Day on Saturday, May 18. The Theatre Lab is located in the Sir Neil Waters Lecture Theatre Building, in the former Bennetts bookshop space.
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from Massey University on InfoPages.