Aucklands mercury theatre has attracted hundreds of queries but noone has snapped it up. Under gcc ownership, the theatre was twinned, and had shown first run, then subrun fare. How aucklands mercury plaza became a site of cultural. The mercury players proudly invite you to e xperience fabulous, high quality theatrical performances. It drew attention to the potential opportunities for an increased and needed range of venues in auckland, and the very real dangers. He completed an mphil at the university of auckland in 1991 and his phd at cornell university. Singer tony hadley on queen in auckland, new zealand, 1985. Set in the very place which brought the dishes of home to chinese diaspora in auckland for 25 years, a rare exhibition by 14 chinese artists cements the cultural significance of the soontobedemolished mercury plaza and ponders what the future holds. Were grateful for the support of the heritage lottery fund in making mercury voices possible.
The mercury theatre opened in 1968 with a production of j. The mercury theatre also had an artmorderne style mercury figure on the marquee. One result which was immediately to prove valuable was that the federation once more acquired an auckland representative in ralph moore the first since laird thomsons final retirement three years earlier. Check back each day in september for a new story about books, writers and their work. Mercury theatre balkerne gate, colchester co1 1pt england. The asb waterfront theatre is home to the auckland theatre company, who have also held court at some of the oldest surviving theatre buildings in new zealands history. From 1968 to 1991 it was the premises of the mercury theatre company.
Jul 10, 20 the mercury theatre opened in 1968 with a production of j. The event, which took place mercury voices curtain up on the mercurys hidden histories. See 8 photos and 1 tip from 69 visitors to mercury theatre. Auckland musicals guide to musicals events in auckland. Energy made wonderful new zealand power company mercury. Mercury theatre in middleburg heights, oh cinema treasures. In light of this, mercury theatre wynnum has ceased all rehearsals, monthly meetings and postponed the performances of look whos talking and the 2 oneact. Keep an eye on our site and see what we have lined up for the 2019 2020 theatre season. It was the venue for virtually all their productions from november 1937 through november 1938. The mercury theatre on the air was the radio home of welless groundbreaking mercury theatre company. And the mercury theatre, lost for a time after the theatre company went bust, has tantalisingly reemerged as a theatre venue with performances scheduled as part of the upcoming auckland festival and it is rumored, the comedy festival.
Based in the wynnummanly area, mercury theatre welcomes anyone with an interest in amateur theatre. The third season marked what atc has been about, it was entirely new zealand work. Sep 30, 2018 auckland libraries reading between the wines brings together bars, books and bookworms from all across tamaki makaurau. Maori culture suffered greatly in the years of colonization and into the 20th century, and many.
Musgrove exhibition aucklands amateur theatre scene the. After mercurys demise in 1992, george worked extensively in australia with melbourne theatre co, sydneys ensemble theatre and belvoir street theatre in sydney, and toured with jesus christ superstar, phantom of the opera and guested on many television series. Atc rose out of the ashes of the mercury theatre, auckland s original professional theatre company. Challenging and inspiring the greater cleveland community and its young people through familyfriendly programing of rarely seen and premier works, innovative staging, and through its educational outreach and my first musical program. Kiri te kanawa theatre aotea centre, cbd, auckland. In 1992 a sudden financial crisis forced the mercury to close in dramatic fashion. Peters career in art history began after returning to university to study art history as a mature student in 1989. Origins and new beginnings, produced by luo and another artist, joni lee, riffs off these changing times to commemorate both the origins of mercury as a site of significance for the chinese community in auckland and also the new beginnings which the city rail link offers. So, no one told you life was gonna be this way, nor did they tell you about the hilarious new musical that lovingly lampoons one of. The official website of the mercury theatre company. The company produced theatrical presentations, radio programs and motion pictures.
His first fulllength play, it isnt cricket, premiered at downstage theatre in 1971. Mercury theatre company exists to create extraordinary theatrical experiences, and to advance theatre as a means of educating, challenging and inspiring the greater cleveland community and its young people through familyfriendly programing of rarely seen and premier works, innovative staging, and through its educational outreach and my first musical program. It premiered on broadway on november 11, 1937 339 the production moved from the mercury theatre to the larger national theatre on january 24, 1938 341 it ran through may 28, 1938, for a total of 157 performances. A message from the mercury theatre wynnum executive committee. Peter brunt school of english, film, theatre, media. To celebrate new zealand book month, we have come up with 30 reasons to love new zealand books and writing. We brought our granddaughter to the theatre for the first time. In 1948 miss agnes busby made family papers available to them for their research. Previously hed worked as an actor in theatre, film and television. Atc rose out of the ashes of the mercury theatre, aucklands original professional theatre company. During the next few decades, the company attracted some of new zealands top acting talents such as roy billing, pam ferris, lee grant, george henare, michael hurst, ian mune and jennifer wardlealand and finest directors such as raymond. The first production initiated by the theatre was the admirable crichton by j. In 1966 the auckland theatre trust was established by professor john c reid. Opening its own theatre is a significant milestone for what has become the largest professional company in our biggest city.
Hardie, of the economics department, auckland university college, intended to write a history of james busby. Mercury theatre, balkerne gate, colchester co1 1pt. Auckland is home to some wonderful theatre venues, from the historic to the modern, the soulless to the characterful. New zealand has a rich history of amateur performance that gathered strength after the gradual collapse of vaudeville entertainment and waning interest in professional theatre companies during the 1920s. Musgrove exhibition aucklands amateur theatre scene. The mercury also released promptbooks and phonographic recordings of four shakespeare works for use in schools. On the first thursday of each month, awesome librarians will meet you at a different venue around auckland, with over 40 books for you to browse through. Listen to this episode on the auckland libraries podcast and. Making use of the buildings large wall space before its demolition, the exhibition brings. September marks the start of the first ever new zealand theatre month. As the city rail link takes shape, an iconic area of auckland is set to get a new look. As places i visit most weeks theyre familiar and reassuring spaces, reimagined by every show to contain for an hour or two a new world in miniature.
The mercury theatres subscribers moved to the newly formed auckland theatre company. Immigrant groups have generally tended to assimilate into the european lifestyle, although traditional customs are still followed by many tongans, samoans, and other pacific peoples. The grand old dame of the auckland theatre scene is still looking for a. The mercury theatre was an independent repertory theatre company founded in new york city in 1937 by orson welles and producer john houseman. Following the success of welless radio adaptation of hugos les miserables, cbs requested a episode run with welles starring and directing, transferring the already wellregarded mercury theatre to. The mercury theatre began with a groundbreaking, critically acclaimed adaption of the tragedy of julius caesar that evoked comparison to contemporary fascist italy and nazi germany. We love the mercury, it doesnt seem to matter where you sit as there is a great view of the stage from every angle it was so special. The mercury theatre, which is the oldest surviving theatre in. How aucklands mercury lane will be transformed by the city. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. As auckland s leading theatre over the past two decades it has had a major role in the citys dramatic arts. Oct 05, 2016 opening its own theatre is a significant milestone for what has become the largest professional company in our biggest city.
Overview the papers are unique as being the only papers of a university teacher of english that have survived more or less intact and are in a public institution. Mar 08, 2018 as the city rail link takes shape, an iconic area of auckland is set to get a new look. External links and sources plays and playwrights te. Its time to swap petrol and diesel for water, steam, sun and soon, wind.
Mercury theatre company is an awardwinning, nonprofit theater company with a mission to create extraordinary theatrical experiences, and to advance theatre as a means of educating, challenging and inspiring the greater cleveland community and its young people through familyfriendly programming of rarely seen and premier works, innovative staging, and through its educational outreach and my. In the 1960s, downstage theatre in wellington now closed was established and others soon followed. Search the list mercury theatre heritage new zealand. More about college teachers new zealand auckland subject term type. How aucklands mercury lane will be transformed by the. Mercury theatre company 1857 s green rd, cleveland, ohio 44121 rated 4. College teachers new zealand auckland manuscripts and. It raised finance to open the building as a professional theatre in 1968. Dunedins fortune theatre closed in 2018 but christchurchs the court theatre, palmerston norths centrepoint theatre, wellingtons circa and aucklands mercury theatre now the auckland theatre company all now offer vibrant work. Mercury theatre colchester 2020 all you need to know. The mercury theatre has launched a project to rediscover and record its eighty year history. Karen talks with playwright roger hall, the driving force behind this new nationwide celebration of the amazing new zealand theatre scene. At least 12 productions were put on annually after this period ranging from. Encouraged by a supportive theatre director and design team, stimulated by the irregular tabs publications and.
Topical college teachers topical new zealand topical auckland. Scope and contents during the late 1940s professor rodwell and mr bruce g. The mercury theatre was the first purposebuilt cinema in auckland and one of the first in new zealand. Welles and houseman secured the comedy theatre, a 687seat broadway theatre. Some of the papers in this collection are, presumably, copies of that material. Auckland libraries reading between the wines brings together bars, books and bookworms from all across tamaki makaurau. The arts and entertainment nzhistory, new zealand history.
The last of new zealands opulently decorated picture palaces, the civic was revived in the 2000s as a major entertainment venue. Lord was also a playwright in residence at aucklands mercury theatre and a burns fellow at otago university. Primarily performing at the mercury theatre in duncan bc, the mercury players have wowed audiences for over 19 years. Nicholas tarling, emeritus professor of history, retired 20 years ago after more than three decades of enormous contributions as a longstanding dean of arts, deputy and acting vicechancellor and key member of committees large and small. Mercury theatre and the auckland venue problem theatre. But its up for sale, and not all potential suitors are interested in it as a theatre venue. Mercury theatre announced as one of four stage one regional hosts for 2020. Apr 23, 20 mercury theatre on the corner of karangahape road and mercury lane is the auckland regions oldest theatre building. View all hotels near mercury theatre on tripadvisor. Gcc closed the theatre in the early1990s, and an independent operater ran it as a subrun house for another year or so. One of the university of aucklands most tireless servants and wellknown figures passed away suddenly on saturday may. The mercury theatre on the air was an hourlong dramatic radio program which began in the summer of 1938 on the cbs radio network.
George henare arts foundation laureate arts foundation. Keep an eye on our site and see what we have lined up for the 2019. On saturday i joined the flash mob photoshoot for mercury rising a grassroots campaign aiming to ensure that the mercury theatre, the oldest surviving theatre in auckland, is reclaimed as a performing arts venue. Paul holler, writing in critique, described the programs origin. The grand old dame of the auckland theatre scene is still looking for a new owner more. As most of you know public venues and meeting spaces are now closed in an effort to contain the spread of the covid19 virus. Finding theatre work much more engaging than academic pursuits, and having finished his history degree, jeremy collins went to work at the mercury theatre auckland, at that time new zealands largest professional theatre company.
The mercury theatre and josef weinberger are joining forces once again, following their successful partnership on the 2018 mercury weinberger playwriting prize, to discover a new cohort of talent by engaging with aspiring writers and creatives during these uncertain times. Circa theatre runs 516 520 winding up circa theatre runs 59 620 chess in concert isaac theatre royal runs 619 621 asb season of the miracle worker asb waterfront theatre runs 5. Radio, with its power to excite the imagination and actually involve the audience in the creative process, had huge potential as a medium for serious. New zealands cultural influences are predominantly european and maori. For the auckland theatre company george has performed in who wants to. Musical theatre new zealand incorporated is a registered charitable entity in terms. Alas, he was taken whilst still in his prime at the young age of 46, but kindly left his dunedin cottage for the use of other new zealand writers. Civic theatre, auckland the last of new zealands opulently decorated picture palaces, the civic was revived in the 2000s as a major entertainment venue. It has had a lively history in its eighty years and has survived to this day in part because of its flexibility as a performing venue.
Located just off karangahape road is one of the most important buildings in auckland. Interview by helen brown i was touring australia with spandau ballet and heard that queen were playing at. The theatre royal christchurch an illustrated history 1908 2008. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. Listen to this episode on the auckland libraries podcast and read on for all the plays mentioned in the show. Mercury theatre on the corner of karangahape road and mercury lane is the auckland regions oldest theatre building. The largest series consists of reids handwritten lecture notes on english literature from chaucer to the 1960s, delivered mainly to university classes, but also on a variety of extramural occasions at summer schools and the like.
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