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Tag Archives: Arnette Arapai
November Fono
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s November fono in Grey Lynn.
Present were Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Grant Bayley, Samson Chan-Boon, Jenni Heka, Leki Jackson Bourke, Leroy Lakamu, Shadon Meredith, Natalie Malietoa-Moa, David Mamea, Suli Moa, Leilani Salesa, and Leilani Unasa.
Apologies were received from a night-shootin’ Bobby Romia, an always-giggin’ James Nokise, a lu’au suppin’ Geraldine Warren, a middle-a-rehearsin’ Louise Tu’u, a baby-sittin’ Claire Noble, a catch-uppin’ Teresa Brown, and a stuck-at-work Chris Molloy.
BANANA BOAT BUSINESS
Jenni had something about Spit.It.Out, a reading/performance opportunity for closet-performer writers and brazenly-out-there-already performers. This minute taker has of course lost the piece of paper Jenni entrusted him with – for actual details please either check our Facebook page or email Jenni.
Banana Boat’s end-of-year drinkies will be on Thursday 6 December at the Neighbourhood Bar in Kingsland. Check our Facebook page for more details.
COMING UP
Louise Tu’u’s Gaga: the unmentionable goes up for just two nights: Monday-Tuesday 3-4 December 2012 in Newton.
SCRIPT READINGS
Aroha spoke about his public reading of Luncheon earlier in the week. No matter what was said, David was just gutted on missing out, damn it.
David’s first full-length draft of Goodbye My Feleni was generously read by Shadon, Samson, Andy and Leki, with Leilani U. very kindly reading the directions. David is grateful to everyone’s forbearance for the hour-long reading – and always, grateful for any and all feedback on the draft’s strengths and weaknesses.
NEXT FONO
– will be on Thursday 24 January 2013 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn. This will be the first fono for 2013.
Arnette Arapai’s “Let’s Talk About…” – Pollywood Ten2012 on 3, 9 and 14 November 2012
October Fono
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s October fono in Grey Lynn.
Present were Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Bobby Romia, Chris Molloy, Grant Bayley, Jonathan Riley, Joy Vaele, Leilani Salesa, Leilani Unasa, and David Mamea.
Apologies were received from a Nippon-travelling Louise Tu’u, an otherwise-engaged Geraldine Warren, and a dreadfully sick Jenni Heka.
BANANA BOAT BUSINESS
David was going to spring an annual general meeting on this fono… until he saw that the trust deed does not require an AGM. Still, we like to be transparent: Banana Boat’s maiden financial accounts are with the Charities Commission.
COMING UP
Ahi Karunaharan‘s one-man play, The Mourning After, is still playing at the Circa in Wellington.
SCRIPT READINGS
Bobby read his intriguing and absorbing monologue, Frozen Smile, which he’s planning to expand into a full-length play. We’re hooked.
Leilani‘s play-in-progress, Church Street, was read by the group, and she openly discussed her development process to date; its first appearance was at our August fono. We’re enchanted.
Aroha shared the first draft of his play, Luncheon, fulfilling the promise of his April fono teaser-reading. We’re riveted.
We here at Banana Boat count ourselves damnably honoured to be at the bleeding edge of Pasifika and Maori writing with our monthly fono. Luck has nothing to do with it.
NEXT FONO
– will be on Thursday 22 November at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn. This will be the last fono for 2012.
There is a high probability of a Festive Season Fa’afiafiaga sometime early in December – details will follow sometime in November.
July Fono
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s July fono in Grey Lynn, which was very kindly run by Leilani Unasa.
Present were Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Grant Bayley, Jason Greenwood, David Mamea, Jenni Heka, Louise Tu’u, and Leilani.
Apologies were received from James Nokise, Kahurangi Carter, and Geraldine Warren.
BANANA BOAT BUSINESS
David apologised profusely to Arnette for not crediting her for running the previous month’s fono (the minutes have been very belatedly fixed). Just this once, she stayed her hand, and David understood just how lucky he was.
COMING UP
Enter the Banana winner Suli Moa‘s A Heart’s Path will have its world premiere in October as part of the 2012 Matala Tongan Festival. When we know more, you will know more.
Kila Kokonut Krew’s tenth anniversary remounting of The Taro King is due at the Mangere Arts Centre 16-21 August 2012.
Jenni, Louise and David reported on the reading of Goretti Chadwick’s Galulolo (Tsunami), which they attended earlier in the evening. Auckland Theatre Company will be be mounting Galulolo 11-20 October 2012.
SCRIPT READINGS
The July fono was just spoilt with not one but two readings: Aroha‘s short play, Poi; and Jason‘s short story, Mae. Man, we’re spoilt alright.
NEXT FONO
– will be on Thursday 23 August at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.
June Fono
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s June fono in Grey Lynn, which was very kindly run by Arnette.
Present were ARNETTE ARAPAI, GRANT BAYLEY, RAWIRI, STAN WOLFGRAMM, and DAVID MAMEA.
Apologies were received from Journalist-of-the-Year nominee AROHA AWARAU, a keeping-warm-and-hydrating KAHURANGI CARTER, a show-opening LEILANI UNASA, and a travelling play-reading escorting JENNI HEKA.
BANANA BOAT BUSINESS
Banana Boat has a website! You’re at it right now! ISN’T THIS COOL?
NEWS TO USE
Radio New Zealand and Playmarket Brown Ink are hosting an Audio Drama: A Writer’s Dream workshop on Friday 6 July in Auckland. For more details, click on the Opportunities link at Playmarket.
COMING UP
Arnette’s looking forward to the 2012 Playmarket Brown Ink announcements due at the end of July.
Two nights to go at Wakapurei 2012: Rough, Raw and Ready, with Dianna Fuemana’s My Mother Dreaming and Mitch Tawhi Thomas’s Have Car Will Travel.
And two nights to go on Indigenous Theatre’s run of Chris Molloy‘s The Revival. Buy your tickets here.
And rumours abound of a tenth anniversary remounting of Kila Kokonut Krew’s seminal The Taro King – keep your eyes peeled in August.
SCRIPT READING
Grant very generously shared a recent draft of his Earthquake Weather script with the group. You and your script have come a long way, baby! We look forward to the next stage of its evolution.
NEXT FONO
– will be on THURSDAY 26 JULY, at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.
May Fono
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Welcome to a belated after-match report from Banana Boat’s May fono in Grey Lynn.
Present were GRANT BAYLEY, KAHURANGI CARTER, OLE MAIAVA, JONATHAN RILEY, ARNETTE ARAPAI and DAVID MAMEA.
Apologies were received from a Big Apple-devouring JENNI HEKA, a Wellington-swingin’ AROHA AWARAU, an ever-gigging JAMES NOKISE, a child-wrangling LEILANI UNASA, and a wish-I-was-there-but-I-am-writing GERALDINE WARREN.
My apologies if you were present but are not listed or gave apologies but are not listed – I have lost my notes, and my memory was never… something. Email me and I shall make the corrections.
16Jun12: My profuse apologies to the one, the only Ole for having forgotten his presence – an unexplainable mistake given how his reading of Jonathan‘s script had everyone in stitches.
BANANA BOAT BUSINESS
Enter the Banana‘s inaugural writers are Suli Moa and Rob Mokaraka. Go hard, boys! We look forward to your next reading at a future Banana Boat fono!
NEWS TO USE
Playmarket’s Brown Ink 2012 development programme is now open for applications – the deadline is Friday 1 June 2012.
COMING UP
GreyView Productions’ – that’s members Eric Smith & Chetan Patel – 3 Up season opens on 14 June and runs for a mere three nights until 16 June. 3 Up is three short plays by Chetan, David Mamea and Eric, all at the Herald Theatre, all that quality for a mere $25/$15/$15. Tickets can be bought online here. Details about the evening are rampant on Facebook, GreyView, and Chocolate Stigmata.
SCRIPT READING
Jonathan shared his latest script with those assembled, the prolific so-and-so. It was, as always with Mr Riley’s scribblings, a hoot to read and we look forward to it’s next stage of development… after his long-awaited Makigi has been staged.
18Jun12: My further apologies for the typos and ambiguous phrases that made this post so confusing, second-rate and potentially upsetting to those present. They have been fixed.
NEXT FONO
– will be on THURSDAY 28 JUNE, at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.
April Fono
Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s April fono in Grey Lynn.
Present were GRANT BAYLEY, AROHA AWARAU, ERIC SMITH, ARNETTE ARAPAI and DAVID MAMEA.
Apologies were received from a Mangere Arts Centre-ushering JENNI HEKA.
BANANA BOAT BUSINESS
David didn’t even have any gossip to share. Shame.
NEWS TO USE
Playmarket’s Brown Ink 2012 development programme is now open for applications – the deadline is Friday 1 June 2012.
COMING UP
Massive Company‘s The Brave is playing at the Mangere Arts Centre until Sunday 29 April 2012. Go. Go now because it’s the main reason why these minutes are up now rather than months from today.
GreyView‘s 3Up opens in June – brace yourself for not one, not two, but three plays from three Banana Boat writers. The season runs from Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 June 2012 at the Herald. (There’s a public reading of the plays-in-progress in Ponsonby on Saturday 12 May – go here for more details.)
Aroha and Arnette did some stand-up at the Classic since the last fono. They may do some more there in the near future so start haunting those open-mic nights now.
GreyView’s I Don’t Do Coconut will return in November.
SCRIPT READING
Grant shared the first few pages of an as-yet untitled new play that he’s working on, which sparked some lively talk about love and life.
Aroha shared the first few pages of his play, Luncheon, which was a tasty wee teaser (and Aroha has promised to share more at the next fono, WHICH HE BETTER).
NEXT FONO
– will be on THURSDAY 24 MAY, at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.
March Fono
Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Welcome to another belated after-match report from Banana Boat’s March fono in Grey Lynn.
Present were ARNETTE ARAPAI, AROHA AWARAU, DAVID MAMEA and LEILANI UNASA.
Apologies were received from a Wellington-bound JENNI HEKA, a passing-through-Whakamaru GRANT BAYLEY, an in-class(-and-writing) GERALDINE WARREN, ERIC SMITH, a Wellington-bound-also JAMES NOKISE, and a still-somewhere-on-the-Continent LOUISE TU’U.
BANANA BOAT BUSINESS
No matter Arnette and Aroha’s wiles, David refused to give any details with regard to the Enter the Banana programme.
NEWS TO USE
Update: JONATHAN RILEY’s Makigi won Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright at the 2012 Adam Awards.
COMING UP
Massive Company’s The Brave opens in April.
GreyView’s 3Up is to open in June.
SCRIPT READING
After a brief staring competition, neither a script reading nor a writing exercise was foisted upon those present.
NEXT FONO
– will be on THURSDAY 26 APRIL, at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.
Minutes: 27 August 2009
Bananaboat Monthly Meeting
Bananaboat Monthly Meeting
Chair: Jenni Heka
Present: Arnette Arapai, Albert Belz, Tina, Phoenix Seve, Michelle Johansson, Eric Smith
Guests: Year 13 drama students from Henderson High School
Present: Arnette Arapai, Albert Belz, Tina, Phoenix Seve, Michelle Johansson, Eric Smith
Guests: Year 13 drama students from Henderson High School
The meeting began with the traditional opening prayer lead by a newcomer, in this case one of our visiting students.
Discussion around the on-going search for funding and the effect of that on what Bananaboat has been looking at doing for some months eg. Productions, jukebox etc.
Jenni gave an account of what she has been doing in terms of constantly trying to find ways to secure some sort of funding to realise something. There appears to be no real change other than a continuous slog to attain something going forward.
The financial reality and the toil that has eventuated out of trying to stage something from the groups support efforts to encourage writing has begged that we perhaps look at formalising the function/tenets of the group. A clear indication is required of what the group is about and what its goals are. In Jenni’s words, “laying down what the group is about.” eg. Are we a writer’s support group that focuses solely on writers support sans any aspirations to produce the work of its members?
This is something that may need to be looked at future meetings.
Arnette has also offered to look at getting some information from the Companies Office as part of providing the group information around the formation of a trust which will help in giving the group some legitimacy around this entire issue of funding and formalising the group. This will also be an on-going point likely to be discussed going forward.
After the requisite tea-break Introductions were called for so that we would get some background as per usual on our visitors and vice versa our visitors on the attending group members. The resading session ensued with 3 pieces provided generously by Chetan Patel, Dena Kennedy and Michelle Johansson. Each of the pieces were well received and feedback was provided.
As is normal the meeting moved to a recap of where attendees were at in terms of their work following which our guests were rightfully acknowledged for their participation and contribution of energy to a meeting that struggled for positive fiscal news but was boundless in positive creative energy.
The meeting was duly closed with a brief and heartfelt prayer from one of our visiting drama students.