Season’s greetings to you all.
Thursday 4 December saw the Pasifika Playwrights Group meet for the last time for 2008. Welcome to the after-match report.
Present at the meeting were: Arnette Arapai, Aroha Awarau, Jenni Heka, Bronwen Judd, Ezekiel Kennedy, Stacey Leilua, Ole Maiava, Tanya Muagututia, Chetan Patel, Phieng Phongsa, Jonathan Riley, Phoenix Seve, Eric Smith, Nina Tapu, Stan Wolfgramm and David Mamea.
Apologies were received from Michelle Johannson and Sandra Kailahi.
Group Name
After a few months of operating under the descriptive but mouthful of “Pasifika Playwrights Group”, a new, ideally sexier, name has been mooted since September. Despite some last-second suggestions by Jonathan – the highlight being “Shak(in)spears” replete with Pasifika-style hunting/fishing spears in its emblem – BANANA BOAT garnered the most votes.
And then on the brink of ratification, Stan rightly pointed out that maybe BANANA BOAT should mean something – at the moment, it’s just a name. With September 2009 screaming towards the group, it was agreed that BANANA BOAT be a working title of sorts, and open to change.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 22 January 2009 at the Toi Ora Live Art Studio, 19 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.
2009
David and Jenni spoke about the challenges confronting the group, uppermost being that the inaugural BANANA BOAT SEASON is a mere ten months away. Things have to happen, like:
– scripts, if they’re not already in progress, need to start now;
– full-length plays are not the only way to go – one act plays, short pieces and anything else in between (within reason) are welcome for consideration;
– the selection process will be done by assessors who will be independent of the group and/or its participants (ie., likely to be Palagi, male and middle-aged).
(There was also some discussion of The Edge’s offer of The Basement as a venue but this has changed substantially since the 4 December meeting. Updates to follow.)
This is our tentative timeline:
– 22 JANUARY 2009 – monthly meetings resume
– MARCH – official call for submissions
– MAY – submissions close
– JUNE – selections made; teams are formed
– JULY – pre-production commences
– AUGUST – rehearsals commence
– SEPTEMBER – inaugural 2009 Banana Boat Season
‘Ka fefe! E faigofie!
Readings
Scenes were read by the group and discussed in depth. Material was generously supplied by:
– Phoenix, from his play-in-development, “Fale of Troy”;
– Eric, from his play-in-progress, “Le Va”; and
– David, from his radio-play-in-progress, “Skyblue”.
Speaking of Eric and Phoenix’s scenes – and all the other writing we’ve read at earlier meetings – the quality of writing we have amongst our group continues to astound me. The inaugural Banana Boat season is going to knock some socks (and jandals) off. I’m excited. Aren’t you excited?
Scenes to be read at the next meeting are due to David by end of day Thursday 15 January 2009. Readings will be changing up a gear: no single scenes, please – either a complete act for full-length plays or complete one-act and shorter plays.
Jenni’s busy with the Christmas spirit at the moment but I’m sure she’d like to spread the news that Arnette has been accepted onto the 2009 intake of prestigious Masters in Creative Writing Course (Scriptwriting) at Victoria University in Wellington.
