Song Programme - Short+Sweet New Zealand

Monopoly – the Musical!

Writer, Director & Musical Director Vicki Millar
Arrangements & Music Production Cliff Bradley
Costumes Barbara Hart
Choreographer Alexandra McKellar
Cast Merrin Cavel, Alexandra McKellar, Anika Perese, Whitney Channings, JP Watson, Bill Crisp
Produced by Vicki Millar Creative

The classic board game bursts into song as 1930s Londoners fight for property supremacy. Lord Waddington (The Top Hat) leads the parade, but beautiful feminist Lady Victoria (The Car) meets her match in working-class visionary Tom (The Iron). Who will win this musical battle of classes & convictions? Monopoly © 2014 Hasbro. Used with permission.

Vicki Millar holds an M.A. in Musical Theatre Writing from the University of London, and has been producing her work in Australia, New Zealand & the UK since 1996.

Featured on TVNZ’s Good Morning Show, her musical I Wish I Learned was shortlisted for the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival. Monopoly – the Musical! is her first show to be performed in Short+Sweet.

Karaoke Heaven

Writer Jun Bin Lee
Directors & Musical Directors Jun Bin Lee & Amanda Grace Leo
Cast Amanda Grace Leo & Boni Te Rongopai Tukiwaho
Produced by The Oryza Foundation for Asian Performing Arts

A musical about the beauty of karaoke, the most wonderful thing ever invented.

Jun Bin Lee composed The Adventures of Kazu & Kengo (a.k.a. This is how Ninjas say Hi…!), the winning piece in Short+Sweet Song 2013.

The Might of Aphrodite

Writer Erica Barlow (NSW)
Director Julian Toy-Cronin
Musical Director Rob Simpson
Choreographer Rebecca Smith
Cast Rebecca Smith, Brandon Rhoades & Amanda Burnett

A modern musical of ancient wrath. Though she was the Goddess of Love, mythology leaves no doubt that Aphrodite was not to be trifled with. Two friends discover just how creative a goddess’s vengeance can be.

Julian is a trained secondary school Drama teacher and has many years of experience as both actor and director in theatres around Auckland. His directorial debut, the one-act play Doll, won best play in the Dolphin Theatre One-Act Play Festival. This is his first time participating in Short+Sweet.

Love and Other Mysteries

Writer, Director & Musical Director Patrick Kelly
Cast Alexandra McKellar
Produced by Harmonious Events Publishing

From the date night, to the accidental pregnancy, to the two years later.
You wonder: how much of it is love and how much was just circumstance?

Alexandra performed in a Short+Sweet Theatre Wildcard piece in 2012.

This Paper City

Script Writer & Director Natalie Beran
Lyrics Cliff Hedley
Music Cliff Hedley & This Paper City
Cast Daley Winterstein & Natalie Beran
Voice Daniel Watterson
Produced by Mercury Jane Productions

Detective Andy Brennen takes the lead on a new case, his partner… an old flame. While he works to solve the case, he’ll have to try to solve another mystery – love.

Natalie Beran is a drama graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA New York) and also holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies (Radio – AUT). Natalie is the Program Manager of The Actors’ Program and has worked as a radio announcer/producer, actress and voice over artist in New Zealand, Sweden, Canada and the USA.

Natalie was crew in Short+Sweet 2012, and in 2013 took part in two Short+Sweet Theatre pieces: The Blue Balloon (as actor) and The Birthday (as actor, writer and director).

Flatmates

Writer Rose Duxfield (WLG)
Director Katie Flood
Arranger, Musical Director & Pianist Zac Johns
Cast Anna Haydon, Megan O’Reilly & Lexi Clare

Sophia’s a vegan, Jo’s a carnivore and Lucy just wants someone to do the dishes.

Coming from a performing background Katie recently found she enjoys being behind the scenes just as much as being on-stage. Recently: Director’s Assistant on Mamma Mia! at the Civic Theatre; Co-Director of In Transit at
Auckland Music Theatre; Founder of the University of Auckland Glee Club; Events Intern at The Drama League and Second Stage Theatre, New York City. @ktflood

Cushion

Writer Rex McGregor (AKL)
Director Alex Walker
Musical Director & Pianist Amy Hsu
Cast Anna Haydon, Nicole Steven, Courtney Abbot, Caleb Ryan, Tainui Kuru & Todd Waters

Trish deals with a predicament in the only way she knows how.

This is Alex’s first Short & Sweet – and his first endeavour as a director! As an actor, Alex trained at UNITEC’s School of Performing and Screen Arts, and has worked with many directors including Cameron Rhodes, Ian Mune, Elena Stejko, Jeff Szusterman, Conrad Newport and Melanie Camp.

Henry & Hyde

Book Co-Writer & Composer J.M. Eisenman (USA)
Book Co-Writer & Lyricist Thomas Adams (USA)
Director Andrew Potvin
Musical Director & Keyboardist Sam Jury
Cast Lane Twigden, Matthew Carr & Olivia Shaw
Produced by Andrew Potvin Design & Management

A down under retelling of the Jekyll & Hyde story.

Andrew is thrilled to be a part of the 2014 Short+Sweet Festival. He recently finished his Masters in Tourism from Auckland University of Technology focusing on how urban lighting impacts the tourism experience. Andrew is a committee member of the Auckland Music Theatre Inc, a venue technician for Q Theatre and owner of Masters of Entropy Inc.

A Girl Like Maria

Scriptwriter Tim Butler
Lyricists, Composers & Music Producers Tim Butler & Natalie Cowan
Director Johnny Givins
Musical Director Andy Manning
Choreographer Tanya Paliakova
Designer Valentina Serebrennikova
Director’s Assistant Rick Schaeffers
Cast Johnny Givins, Kyle Holtz, Alani Lewis, Min Kim, Niwa Whatuira, Danny Bailey, Tharina Bouwer & Rebekah Palmer

The story of William’s first love and sex as a 15 year old, A Girl Like Maria takes us back to the halcion days of innocence and the need to get laid. This memory of his sexual awakening as a young man is a roller coaster of passion, frustration, startling insights and transformation with a wide range of musical styles from Broadway to funk. Based on the graduation film by Tim Butler.

Well known in the television industry as a director and producer, Johnny returns to his theatrical roots (Theatre Corporate, Mercury Theatre, Court Theatre) to direct this live vibrant musical with recent On Screen Acting Graduates and friends. Johnny has adapted this short film to the stage for Short+Sweet Song 2014.