Tag Archives: Bronwyn Judd

ARCHIVE – 23 October 2008 meeting

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yo sup, homes.

Our third meeting was held on Thursday, 23 October in the Toi Ora Live Art Trust Studio, and was another brilliant meeting of minds.

Highlights:
– Chapman-Tripp award-winning playwright Kirk Torrance, talked about his approaches to structure, and very generously answered heaps of questions on his work and craft; check out his next play, Flintlock Musket, being read at Double Shot at The Edge on 6 December 2008;
– a cooler name for the group was discussed and the front-runners are: Niu Voices, Niu Ink; Niu Blood; The Banana Boat; more suggestions welcome between now and the next meeting when all names will be put to a vote;
– a questionnaire was handed out for members’ perusal and optional completion; a self-explanatory copy is attached;
– after a brief discussion, Jenni Heka, Michelle Johansson and David Mamea will look at putting together a funding proposal for the inaugural 2009 Banana Boat season;
– Jonathan Riley’s scene, a romantic romp in Auckland Zoo, was read by the group with much hilarity, with Mark Amery gamely reading the part of a lavalava- and beanie-wearing Samoan fairy called Makigi;
– Eric Smith’s scene, an intense cross-cultural family drama, provided the group with an excellent change of pace and tone, provoking in-depth discussion followed by Eric having to put up with demands of “What happens next?!”;
– all of the above was done with Bayley Johansson, Bronwen Judd, Sandra Kailahi and Child, Ollie Maiava, Chetan Patel, Phoenix Seve, and Stan Wolfgramm also in attendance;
– and apologies were received from Fasitua Amosa, Tarisi Vunidilo, Louise Tu’u, Nina Tapu and Fiona Collins.

If you want to share your scene/s with the group, please email it/them to David by Thursday, 27 November 2008.

NEXT MEETING will be on THURSDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2008 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm – this is not the fourth Thursday of November; this will be the last meeting for 2008. It will be held at the funky Toi Ora Live Art Trust Studio, 19 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

And since this will be the last meeting for 2008, please bring a plate for some after-meeting eating and drinking.

Usually there’d be a word from our sponsor Playmarket, by way of Jenni, but she’s pretty busy – but I’m sure she’d say something like…
– big ups to Chetan and Eric, whose script was chosen for development as part of Playmarket’s Pasifika Playwright Development Forum for 2009; Ali Foa’i was the other playwright to be chosen for development;
– look at the Manukau Festival of Arts (www.mfa.org.nz) for some great free opportunities to learn and share and be inspired;
– and see you at the next meeting!

Thanks, ah, Jenni!

Share

ARCHIVE – 25 September 2008 meeting

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Welcome to the Pasifika Playwrights Group.

Our second meeting was held on Thursday, 25 September, and was a great success. Highlights included:
– Tarisi Vunidilo from Creative New Zealand (CNZ) gave us a talk on increasing the chances of getting CNZ funding, as well as about changes to the funding rounds to be implemented in 2009;
– Jenni Heka from Playmarket challenged the group to come up with three production-ready plays, and three reading-ready plays by September 2009 (see below for her Agenda);
– facilitator David Mamea laid down some ground rules for the group like “Thou shalt check thine ego at the door” and “Critique the work, not the writer”;
– Stan Wolfgramm of Drum Productions provided a producer’s insight into getting Pasifika stories Out There;
– Arnette Arapai told everyone to get off their arses and Just Do It;
– all of which was discussed, digested and enjoyed by Fasitua Amosa, Fiona Collins, Glen Compain, Michelle Johansson, Bronwyn Judd, Chetan Patel, Jonathan Riley, Eric Smith, Nina Tapu and Victoria Schmidt.

It was agreed – in principle, and to be formalised at the next meeting – that the Pasifika Playwrights Group will develop members’ writing, with the goal of putting on The Banana Boat Season – a season of Pasifika plays and readings in late 2009.

How will the group do this? Through monthly meetings where the following will happen:
– a practitioner will talk to the group about their experience, give advice and – most importantly – provide inspiration;
– general discussion of what the guest speaker had to say;
– and workshopping and/or exercises to stimulate, develop and inspire our own writing.

Sounds like a motto for the group: Develop – Support – Inspire. All we need now is a cooler name than ‘Pasifika Playwrights Group’ – all suggestions welcome, to be tossed about and voted on in the next couple of meetings.

NEXT MEETING will be on THURSDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2008 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. The location will be advised closer to the date.

And now for a word from our sponsor:

JENNI’S WORD!

Wow, did I leave the meeting last week motivated and inspired. I even started writing! Which is no small feat for me as I normally find every excuse under the sun to not even get started!

Things really got animated when David Mamea bravely put the opening scene for his play on the table for the group to discuss! Fiona Collins and Jonathan Riley have both offered to bring in their work to be discussed and/or workshopped for the next meeting on the 23rd October!

I have been filling in the rest of the Playmarket team about what we have been up to here in Auckland, and they are excited and can’t wait to see what we produce for the Banana Boat Season.

Yes, I have an agenda. My role as Maori and Pasifika Playwright Development Coordinator is to encourage and help our playwrights develop their skills. The Pasifika Playwrights Group has been formed to motivate, inspire and give playwrights the opportunity to develop. I also threw down the challenge for the group to have three fully developed works for production by September 2009. The first step is bring in your work so we can start workshopping. Tell me what you need and I will try to get those experts in to help.

I am currently talking to The Edge to have our meetings permanently hosted there. Watch this space for confirmation.

Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting on the 23rd October 2008!

Jenni Heka
Maori and Pasifika Playwright Development Coordinator
Playmarket

Thanks, Jenni!

Share