Calling taitamariki in the Bay of Islands.
Do you want to create a piece of theatre about your rohe?
Kia ora koutotu e taitamariki.
In the second week of the April school holidays (Sunday 16 April – Saturday 22 April), Upsurge Festival is running a weeklong project for taitamariki between ages 16 and 24.
During that week you will work with two awesome tutors – actor, writer and director Jamie McCaskill (Māori Sidesteps) and actor, director and singer Carrie Green (Under the Vines).
You will need to be available to come everyday to devise a work about life in the Bay of Islands and perform it at the end of the week. It might involve songs, movement or short scenes, that’s up to you.
It is free and lunch will be provided everyday. If getting to the venue is a problem, we can help with transport.
If you would like to be considered, you need to get in touch with us. The project is open to anyone in the Bay of Islands aged 16-24. You don’t need previous performance experience but we’d love for you to send us a message or email about why you would like to be part of this, as numbers are limited.
This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, to tell your story and work with some of the best actors/writers and devisors in the motu.
Ngā mihi maioha,
Caroline and Dave Armstrong – Upsurge Festival Directors
Jamie and Carrie – Tōku Kainga tutors
Jamie McCaskill (Ngāti Tamaterā)
Jamie is Director, Actor, Writer, Musician and Producer based in Wellington. He is the Director of Wellington-based independent māori theatre company Tikapa Productions and is the founder of the popular show band The Māori Sidesteps. Jamie’s latest play Hide the Dog, co-written with Palawa writer Nathan Maynard, is currently touring through Australia, premiering at The Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney Festival 2023.
Carrie Green (Ngāti Porou)
Carrie graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 2012. She has worked with Circa Theatre, Capital E, Centrepoint Theatre, Court Theatre, Radio New Zealand, Tawata Productions, Taki Rua, Silo Theatre and World of Wearable Art. Her credits include Mr Burns – A Post-Electric Play, Bless the Child, Cellfish, He Kura Korero and It’s Behind You. She was the winner of ‘Outstanding New Playwright 2016’ and ‘Actor of the Year 2019’ at the Wellington Theatre Awards. Carrie is currently playing Nic in TV1s Under the Vines.