THEATRE WEEK 1

8 – 12 September | 7.00pm

Threatened Panda Fights Back!

Writer
Rex McGregor

Director
Katie Burson

Cast
Missouri Mustaq, Georgina Silk, Siave Irasa, Tom Wardle

About the play
As the World Wildlife Fund’s poster boy for endangered animals, Ling enjoys a comfortable life full of adulation and all the bamboo he can eat. But when a rival species challenges him for the role, he risks losing everything…

About the Director
Katie graduated from Unitec School of Performing and Screen Arts in 2009 and has since worked as an actor, producer, tutor and writer, presenting original work locally and internationally. With a background in classical dance, clowning and mask, Katie has an eclectic and passionate approach to theatre-making.

In the Pound

Writer
Judith Cowley

Director
Christopher Preston

Cast
Sheena Irving, Mike Howell

About the play
The ties that held Bevan and June have broken. Can he charm his way back with their memories of the good times or will their failure as parents win out? New writer, Judith Cowley gets right to the heart of her characters and their situation.

About the Director
1977 at Theatre Corporate then Drama School in London gradually transitioned into developing new plays: Script Forum, London New Play Festival and his own new writing company Maya Productions. Now a Waihekean.

The Perfect Independent Film

Writer
Trace Crawford

Director
Jesse Hilford

Cast
Romain Mereau, Emma Eglinton, Rebecca Parr, Matt MacDougall

About the play
It’s the night after a whopping office party. It was so good Henry and Amy cant remember it! Just as everything starts to become clear Henry and Amy’s world is turned upside down as everything that they know to be true is turned upside down when they are introduced to their screenwriters.

About the Director
In 2012, Jesse Hilford broke his arm while out running. Because of that incident, later that year Jesse directed his first Short and Sweet production: Riding The Red which made it into the gala finals. Earlier this year Jesse had sustained a knee injury and is now directing The Perfect Independent Film.

My Sad Genie

Writer
Lisette de Jong

Director
Tony Forster

ITC
little L productions

Cast
Paula Wray, Tom Kane

About the play
A genie living in present day New Zealand has her chipper mood destroyed in a moment. As she spirals into sadness, her master Trevor struggles to lift her out of her despair and deal with her magic at the same time.

About the ITC
In 2013 little L productions produced This Could be the Start for Short + Sweet, followed by The Rock in 2014. This year we welcome Tony as our director, whose career spans 45-plus stage productions, television and film. little L productions also created the web series “It’s Mel!’

Cryptic

Writer
Louis Mendiola

Director
Thomas Sainsbury

ITC
Bronson Wants Burritos

cast
Sheena Irving, Kermath

About the play
Morgan has done some regrettable things in his life, but is he mean enough to steal a penny off a dead man’s eye? With Kate involved anything is possible…

About the ITC
Story-telling is our jam. Making them fun and new; hot damn! We’re one of the best in…yam? Yeah, our rhyming/rapping skills suck…but we’ll get better. Maybe.

Grace

Writer
Alex Broun

Director
Hamish McGregor

Cast
Jessica Hunt, Hannah Paterson, Vicky MacCulloch

About the play
Three very different women talk candidly about their lives and in doing so discover that they may have more in common than they originally thought. Written by Short + Sweet superstar Alex Broun, Grace is an empowering piece about the courage and strength of women.

About the Director
Hamish transplanted to Auckland from the deep south of Invercargill two years ago. This is his first experience with Short + Sweet. Previous directing highlights have included the Merry Wives of Windsor in 2011 and Avenue Q in 2013 for which he won Best Director at the Northern Area Performance Theatre Awards (NAPTA)

Little Boys’ Room

Writer
Phil Brooks

Director
Fasitua Amosa

ITC
4NZG Theatre

Cast
Phil Brooks, James Jennings, Lauie Sila

About the play
Faith, Duty, Family, Love – can you you put these in order of priority?
Michael is faced with having to choose between everything that matters to him all at once.
They say love conquers all….but life doesn’t always go according to plan.

About the ITC
We are a new, small company, formed in January 2015.
We have a YouTube Channel and Facebook Page dedicated to gaming news and entertainment in general.
Acting is another strong thread that runs through the company and so participating in Short + Sweet is only natural.