Ashburton Courier: April 15, 2021

NEWS
6 Ashburton Courier, April 15, 2021
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Counting the beats, finally
LINDA.CLARKE
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Nicola Thomson is looking forward to her first
show with the Variety Theatre of Ashburton.
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Ashburton Intermediate School
deputy principal Nicola Thomson
has been singinginthe shower and
practisingsomefancyfootwork
ahead of the VarietyTheatre of
Ashburton’s May show.
It’s Only Rock nRoll Baby will run
from May 21­29and it’s acoviddespatching,
toe­tapping happy
music and danceshowthatwill have
huge appeal.
Nicolasaysshe is excited and abit
nervousfor herfirst show,asher best
singing performances previously
have beenconfined to karaoke.
She was encouragedtoaudition by
intermediateart teacher Rochelle
Cooney,who hadheard her sing and
was impressed. “Iblame her.”
Nowshe hopes staff and students
will be inspired by her stage
adventureand come along to see one
of the eight shows that will be in the
Ashburton Trust Event Centre.
Nicolahas four solos, including Big
Spender and Country Road.
Mel Neumann, who spends her
days workingfor the Ashburton
DistrictCouncil, will be singing three
solos, including True Colours and
Somewhere Overthe Rainbow.
She’s been part of theVariety
Theatre since2012and is stepping
into the limelight as asoloist for the
first time.
Mel saidmusic didn’texactlyrun in
her family but she loved it and was
seizingthe chance to perform.
She is abit nervous, but putting
hours of training in the countdownto
the show next month.
It’s Only Rock nRoll Baby was
originally plannedfor May last year,
but covid put paid to that.
The theatreran auditions again
last November andre­selected acast
of singersand dancers that has both
familiar and newfaces. Half the
original castwere unavailable or had
left the district.
The showhas been compiledby
Gavin Templeton,with his daughter
Sarah as musical director and Jessie
Thomson as choreographer. The
numbers have been chosen because
they are all songsthatwedance to,
laugh to, sing to andcry to.
The castofabout 30 has been
practisinginthe theatre’s rooms at
Wills Street in the lead­up.
Show director Gavin Templeton and soloist Mel Neumann.
One scene sees themdressedin
zombie costumes, which they created
themselves in afun but messy team
bonding session. The wardrobe
department is alsopromising one
spectacularcostumethat will only be
revealedatshow time.
Gavin said it had been nineyears
since the theatrestaged asongand
dance show andthe whole company
was lookingforward to it.
VarietyTheatre presidentKim
Vesseysaidthere was some fabulous
talent in the show and somevoices
werenew to the area.
‘‘Thereare alot of oldvoices as
well, butthat is what we love about
thetheatre.’’
There will be eight shows,
including amatinee.
Full cast list
Maddy Wilson, Murran Carter­Buller,
Georgie Cartney, Darlene Peters, Anna
Gray, Sheree Tait, Tiffany McRae, Brian
Taylor, Mackenzie Edmond, Dayle
Stoliker, Emily­Jane Farr, Lesley
Stoliker, Abbey Marshall, Rocky Bull,
Summah Ralston, Viv Horsburgh,
Tania Gordon, Peter Murray, Kate
Templeton, Mel Neumann, Ellie Lawn,
Nicola Thomson, Line Ferriman, Audra
Ceullar, Sally Eames, Chris Woods,
Denesa Chan.
Peter Murray leads the Timewarp.
Soloist Denesa Chan.
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Bubbles and bling forgood cause
An afternoon dedicated to food,
fragrance andwine will offerfun and
the opportunity to support agood
cause:Hospice Mid Canterbury.
Bubbles andBling on May 29 will
be at Trott’s Community Gardens and
funds raised willhelp hospice
provide servicesand therapies for
those with life­limitingillnesses.
Hospicedoes not receivegovernment
funding.
In what could be aperfect gift for
Mother’s Day,Bubbles and Bling
featuresaglass of bubblesonarrival,
asumptuous afternoon teaprepared
by Ashburtonchef Chantelle Quinn
and two special guests showcasing
their fragrance and wineranges.
Presenting on theday will be
Benny Castles,partner, designer, and
director of WORLD, andVirginie Le
Brun, marketingmanager of No.1
Family Estate winesand Shortland
Street actress.
Benny will take an eye­opening and
entertaining masterclass on the
history, culture andthecult of
fragrance while Virginie will be
introducing thewines of No.1 Family
Estate wholead the industry in using
MéthodeTraditionelle. Includedin
her presentation is ademonstration
of “sabrage”which is theopening of
Benny Castles
thewine using asabre.
Bubblesand Bling will run from
1.30pm­4pm. Tickets are $95 and are
available from belinda@hospicemc.
nz, phone 3078387 (seated event). All
ticketsgointhe draw to win an unset
diamond valuedat$3500.
All proceeds stay local, going
towards ongoingservices and
Virginie Le Brun
therapies at HospiceMid
Canterbury.
Ticketsare availableathospice on
weekdays from 9am to 1pm.
Hospice Mid Canterbury is grateful
to Midlands, who arethe principal
event sponsor and to the many other
local businessessupporting Bubbles
and Bling.