Tag Archives: Geraldine Warren

April Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , ,

Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni

Welcome to a very late after-match report from Banana Boat’s April fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Geraldine Warren, Jonathan Riley, JD Williams and Leilani Unasa.

Apologies were received from Grant Bayley and an in-production Jenni Heka and David Mamea.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

There was no business worth mentioning this month.

COMING UP

Eric Smith & Chetan Patel’s second mounting of I Don’t Do Coconut played at TAPAC, Western Springs.

David Mamea’s premiere season of Goodbye My Feleni played at Basement Theatre, Auckland City.

SCRIPT READINGS

Being a super-short meeting, there were no script readings this month.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 23 May 2013 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

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February Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , ,

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 February fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Deejay Williams, Geraldine Warren, Venus Stephens, and David Mamea.

Apologies were received from Grant Bayley and Jenni Heka.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

No business occurred to David to share.

COMING UP

Chris Molloy’s The Last Taniwha runs 4-7 March at the Basement Theatre.

Kila Kokonut Krew’s The Factory is part of the Auckland Arts Festival, 6-24 March at Q Theatre.

Arnette Arapai’s Tongan Morris Men runs 6-9 March at the Musgrove Theatre.

Eric Smith’s I Don’t Do Coconut runs 10-13 March at TAPAC.

Who’s for naming the first week of March Banana Boat Week?!

SCRIPT READINGS

Promised readings by Leilani Unasa and Aroha Awarau did not happen unfortunately. We expect they will happen in the March fono.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 28 March 2013 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

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January Fono

Boat Business, Film, Theatre, , , , ,

Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava

Welcome to a rather late after-match report from Banana Boat’s January fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Aroha Awarau, Grant Bayley, David Mamea, Leilani Unasa, and Geraldine Warren.

Apologies were received from an in-the-neighbourhood-but-double-booked James Nokise, a deep-in-rehearsal Arnette Arapai, a middle-a-pre-prod Louise Tu’u, and an I’m-in-Rarotonga-with-a-drink-with-a-tiny-umbrella Jenni Heka.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Banana Boat’s end-of-year drinkies function was very well received.

Apparently the trustees met and schemed schemes for the long-term good of the trust. Details to follow.

COMING UP

(Apologies that the lateness of this post means that some of these shows have finished.)

Louise Tu’u’s Horse and other farm animals goes up in mid-February.

Victor Rodger’s Black Faggot premieres in mid-March at the Basement Theatre.

Chris Molloy’s The Last Taniwha opens in early March at the Basement Theatre.

Kila Kokonut Krew’s The Factory is part of the Auckland Arts Festival in March.

… Damn, there’s a lot of brown theatre out there.

SCRIPT READINGS

Grant very generously shared a revised first draft of his maiden screenplay. It was an impressive screenwriting debut, with enthusiasm all round for a second draft.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 28 February 2013 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

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September Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , , ,

Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Talofa lava
Taloha ni
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s September fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were Grant Bayley, Louise Tu’u, Bobby Romia, Aroha Awarau, Geraldine Warren, David Mamea, and Jenni Heka.

No apologies were received.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Geraldine was welcomed back!

Jenni shared some news.

Aroha had a full on month of play watching and he shared his views to a very appreciative audience.

COMING UP

Louise‘s We Should Practice is holding workshops on applying for International Residencies, Wednesday 10 to Thursday 11 October 2012 – more details here.

Suli Moa‘s A Heart’s Path is on right now!

SCRIPT READINGS

Louise gave the fono the “Five Items Exercise”.  It was challenging!  It was hilarious!  It was fun! 

David visited the meeting with another undercooked TV pilot spec script.

NEXT FONO

– will be on Thursday 25 October at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

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TIMEWARP: November fono

Boat Business, Theatre, ,

Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei

Welcome to another belated after-match report from Banana Boat’s November fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, GERALDINE WARREN, and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received [BUT LOST IN THE MISTS OF TIME].

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

Still waiting on those rumours of a development stream.

Beginning to wonder if the trust is a mirage.

NEWS TO USE

No news to use this month.

COMING UP

A Banana Boat retreat is being organised for early 2012. Be careful what you wish for.

SCRIPT READING

Geraldine provided a monologue which was very well received in its deceptive simplicity. Go Geraldine!

NEXT FONO

– will actually be an end-of-year thing on FRIDAY 9 DECEMBER, details to follow.

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September Fono

Boat Business, , ,

Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Talofa lava

Welcome to an astoundingly timely after-match report from Banana Boat’s September fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, SEI KOSUGI, GERALDINE WARREN, and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from an otherwise-committed ANOUSHKA KLAUS, a South-bound LEILANI UNASA, and a whanau-fettered JENNI HEKA.

SEI KOSUGI —

— was welcomed to the fono in typical Banana Boat style. She is an associate professor who teaches Pacific Literature at Osaka University, Japan. Thanks for joining us tonight, Sei!

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

DAVID reported on the progress of Banana Boat becoming a trust, and all the trusty-goodness this will offer its members.

There was also an announcement that the declining attendance numbers have not gone unnoticed but that the fono will continue onwards under the lone guidance of David, but with support from Leilani and Jenni. Speaking of Leilani and Jenni, they have stepped back from the monthly meetings due to ongoing commitments but are still Bananas par excellence – read further for what they’re working on.

There will be more to Banana Boat than the monthly fono: there will be something put in place for those members who are beyond the monthly hang-outs but still needing someTHING to get their projects to The Next Level. The Boat is here to help. Watch this space.

NEWS TO USE

No news to use this month.

COMING UP

A Banana Boat workshop has been scheduled for 26 NOVEMBER. Brace for impact.

SCRIPT READING

A script exercise was sprung on attendees: here’s a narrative of a couple’s typical day.

What a yawner.

Make it interesting!

NEXT FONO

– will be on THURSDAY 27 OCTOBER 2011, at the TOI ORA LIVE ART STUDIO, 6 PUTIKI STREET, GREY LYNN.

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July Fono

Boat Business, , , ,

Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula

Welcome to the super-late after-match report from Banana Boat’s July fono in Mangere Town Centre.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, MAUREEN FEPULEA’I, GERALDINE WARREN, LEILANI UNASA, and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from JAMES NOKISE, ERIC SMITH, and JENNI HEKA.

BANANA BOAT BUSINESS

No Banana Boat business news this month.

Although there is a demand (the noun, not the verb) for master classes in Auckland.

NEWS TO USE

Playmarket’s Brown Ink initiative is still considering the scripts to push to the next level.

Playmarket writing clinics are to take place in Wellington and Christchurch in the near future – check the Playmarket website for more information.

There’s a women playwright’s conference in Sweden later in the year – the deadline for application is October. For more information, ask Leilani.

Lo – there’s a Maori and Pasifika film writers support group that meets on Monday evenings, from 6pm to 8pm in Galatos Street (in a building, of course). For more details, contact Rob Williams via Leilani.

COMING UP

SHONA TARAI, JONNY SAGALA, VENUS and LEILANI are part of an exhibition at the Fresh Gallery in Otara opening in either late July or early August. Peel your eyes.

MAUREEN’s award-winning “E Ono Tama’i Pato” is having a reading tour!
– Goodman Fielder Room, Aotea Centre – 31 October @ 7pm;
– Corbans Estate Art Centre, Henderson – 1 November @ 7pm;
– Papakura Art Gallery, Papakura – 2 November @ 7pm;
– Te Papa Museum, Wellington – 3 November, time TBC.

Banana Boat has booked dates for some Christmas Cheer around late November to early December. Be afraid.

SCRIPT READING

DAVID dusted off a short script, having been inspired/reminded by Grant’s script reading last month. It needs a lot of work.

NEXT FONO

– will be on THURSDAY 18 AUGUST 2011 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

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June Fono

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

Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana
Tena koutou

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s June fono in Grey Lynn.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, JENNI HEKA, SHONA TARAI, GERALDINE WARREN, LEILANI UNASA, and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from MAUREEN FEPULEA’I, CHRIS MOLLOY, JAMES NOKISE, ERIC SMITH, VENUS STEPHENS, and JASON TAOUMA.

Banana Boat Business

LEILANI was kind enough to take questions about Indigenous Theatre’s run of CHRIS MOLLOY’s The Last Taniwha.  Her answers were enlightening.

JENNI was also kind enough to do a Q&A on Hekama Creative’s run of MICHAEL REWIRI-THORSEN’s Strong Hands. Her openness was appreciated.

VENUS STEPHEN’s monologue in the Matariki Festival’s Maori Monologues had a number of favourable mentions.  Go Venus!

The next slew of Creative Clinics, Newbie Writers Workshop, and proposed Master Class are slated for the Southside Festival (previously the Manukau Festival) in September-October this year. Details will be advised closer to that time.

News to Use

The 2011 Survive + Thrive Forum is back, and on for one day only:  Thursday 14 July.  Book now or brace for disappointment.

Coming Up

LEILANI and JENNI are part of the Short + Sweet season.  There are unconfirmed rumours that CHRIS MOLLOY and JONATHAN RILEY are also involved.  Short + Sweet has been running since 5 July and runs this Saturday.  Mark Saturday 16 July in your diaries.  Go on.  Now.

Auckland Theatre Company’s Young & Hungry season runs from 23 July to 6 August.  Get inspired.  Git.

SHONA TARAI, JONNY SAGALA, VENUS and LEILANI are part of an exhibition at the Fresh Gallery in Otara opening in either late July or early August.  Peel your eyes.

Banana Boat has booked dates for some Christmas Cheer around late November to early December. Be afraid.

Script Reading

GRANT’s musical, “Earthquake Weather”, was read by those present, enjoyed, with feedback given to Grant for his consideration.  Thanks, Grant – we look forward to the next draft.

Next Fono

– will be on THURSDAY 28 JULY 2011 at the Mangere Arts Centre, corner of Orly Avenue and Bader Drive, Mangere Town Centre.

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May Fono

Boat Business, Theatre, , , , ,

Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei
Kia orana

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s May southside fono.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, VENUS SMITH, JASON TAOUMA, LEILANI UNASA, GERALDINE WARREN, and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from MAUREEN FEPULEA’I, JENNI HEKA, CHETAN PATEL, ERIC SMITH and LOUISE TU’U.

Banana Boat Business

The next slew of Creative Clinics, Newbie Writers Workshop, and proposed Master Class have been pushed back to the Southside Festival (previously the Manukau Festival) in September-October this year. Details will be advised closer to that time.

News to Use

Playmarket’s Brown Ink initiative, previously the Pasifika and Maori development initiatives, is looking for submissions, due 08 JULY 2011. Get writing.

Coming Up

It’s almost Matariki by the time you read this, woot woot. Two Bananas have plays in production in a theatre near YOU:

– Michael Rewiri-Thorsen‘s play, Strong Hands, has a three day run on 15-17 June at the Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall. Strong Hands is brought to you by Jenni Heka’s HEKAMA CREATIVE production company.

– Chris Molloy‘s play, The Last Taniwha, has a three day run on 23-25 June at the Mangere Arts Centre, Mangere. The Last Taniwha is produced by LEILANI.

Banana Boat has booked dates for some Christmas Cheer around late November to early December. Be afraid.

Script Reading

Not so much a reading as a Dragons Den Banana Boat-style as JASON pitched his idea for a feature script he’s working on. He more than held his own as question after question after suggestion were thrown at him. We wish him all the best with his writing and look forward to the next stage of his project.

Writing Exercise

Bananas were put through their paces, first asked to come up with a character description in eight minutes, then given a mere fifteen minutes in which to write a monologue.

Next Fono

– will be on THURSDAY 30 JUNE 2011 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn. Yes, this is the fifth Thursday of the month – but with Bananas Michael and Chris’s plays running on the third and fourth Thursdays of June respectively, we gots to accommodate, knowwhatimean?

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April Fono

Boat Business, , , , , , , , , ,

Kia orana
Tena koutou
Ni sa bula
Taloha ni
Talofa lava
Fakaalofa lahi atu
Malo e lelei

Welcome to the after-match report from Banana Boat’s April fono.

Present were GRANT BAYLEY, ANA CORBETT, JENNI HEKA, CHETAN PATEL, ERIC SMITH, VENUS SMITH, SHONA TARAI, LOUISE TU’U, LEILANI UNASA, GERALDINE WARREN, and DAVID MAMEA.

Apologies were received from a not-in-Aucks JAMES NOKISE.

Banana Boat Business

LEILANI proudly announced a Master Class with Kath Akuhata-Brown, to be held in June, made possible in partnership with the New Zealand Film Commission. Watch this space for more details.

News to Use

Playmarket are taking the New Writers and Creative Clinics workshops on the road. Check out their website for more information.

Banana Boat’s Matariki Creative Clinic is looking for some plays to develop. Think you’ve got what it takes? Deadline is 20 MAY 2011. The Clinic itself will be in June. See below for further details.

Playmarket’s Brown Ink initiative, previously the Pasifika and Maori development initiatives, is looking for submissions, due 08 JULY 2011. Get writing.

Coming Up

Correction: the rumour of LOUISE’s Le Tauvaga being mounted in May is untrue. Banana Boat apologises to Louise for the random-seeming queries stemming from last month’s minutes.

Banana Boat clinics are going two for two at this year’s Matariki in June:
– Creative Clinics, 11-12 June, with an evening presentation on Sunday the 12th;
– Newbies Workshop, 12 June.

And speaking of Matariki, two Banana Boat writers’ works will be on:
– CHRIS MOLLOY’s The Last Taniwha; and
– MICHAEL REWIRI-THORSEN’s Strong Hands.

The Creative Clinics will be travelling to the Hawkins Theatre in Papakura in September/October, dates and times to be advised closer to the time.

Banana Boat has already booked dates for some Christmas Cheer in late November, early December. Be afraid.

Writing Exercise

Again. Although it was called a fun activity in introduction, all meeting attendees saw right through that but humoured the creative spirit that is Banana Boat.

Script Reading

Taking a break this month. (And my apologies again to LEILANI for setting the April meeting a whole week earlier than the traditional “fourth Thursday of every month”.)

Next Fono

– will be on THURSDAY 26 19 MAY 2011 at the Mangere Arts Centre, Corner of Orly Avenue and Bader Drive, Mangere. Fono are currently alternating between Grey Lynn and Mangere.

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