Latest news with #PacificTheatre
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Council-backed venue brings Pacific-led theatre to Auckland stage
The cast of Tafatolu perform at Basement Theatre. Photo: Basement Theatre Auckland Council is bringing Pacific-led theatre to the heart of the city by funding the venue for Tafatolu , a new 50-minute play blending Sāmoan mythology, live music and physical theatre. The production has not received direct council funding, but its debut at Basement Theatre aims to show how subsidised access to city venues can shape the stories seen by Auckland audiences. Emily Trent, Auckland Council's head of arts and culture, says the venue support is part of a wider commitment to ensure the city's arts scene reflects Auckland's diverse population. "Auckland Council has facilitated Tafatolu by funding the venue where it is being held," Trent says. "The production itself has not received any direct funding from the council. "However, through our regional grants and cultural initiatives, the council does prioritise opportunities that reflect Auckland's diverse population. "This results in multiple events and artworks being brought to life that reflect Auckland's unique identity, which includes the cultures of Pacific peoples." Trent cites an example: in the last financial year, 43 out of 246 applicants - approximately 20 percent - who received funding from the Creative Communities Scheme, delivered in partnership with Creative New Zealand, were Pacific-led or for Pacific communities. "Seven of 46 grants from the council's Regional Arts and Culture fund were for initiatives led by Pacific communities and/organisations, or those that demonstrated strong outcomes for Pacific artists. They included Black Grace, Siva Afi Festival, and Ngā Rangatahi Toa. "Two major annual events with a Pacific focus are regularly funded by Auckland Council, Polyfest and the Pacific Music Awards. Together, they represent 19.2 percent in value of funding delivered from the Regional Events fund," Trent says. The council also supports various Moana Oceania and Pacific arts and culture initiatives, including Te Maeva Nui 2025, a major Cook Islands/Kūku 'Airani cultural festival, and the Lagi-Maama Academy, which assists grassroots and smaller groups to exhibit and perform across the city. Current examples are Taimwanuokai|Forget Me Not by artists Kaetaeta Watson and Louisa Humphry MNZM at Māngere Arts Centre, and Noken/Men by Veronika Kanem at the Central Library. The council's backing extends to the Aotearoa Arts Fair, featuring Niuean-New Zealand artist Sully Paea MNZM, presented by Fresh Gallery Ōtara, along with other exhibitions at council facilities such as the recent Fafangu: to Awaken at Māngere Arts Centre. Basement Theatre, a hub for independent and emerging performances in Auckland. Photo: Basement Theatre Tafatolu , written and directed by Nikeidrian Lologa-Peters (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tūhoe; Magiagi, Papase'ea - Samoa), combines the traditional Sāmoan Fale Aitu theatre form with contemporary storytelling to explore themes of friendship, identity, and growth under the gaze of Sāmoan gods. The story follows best friends Tautai and Maau, whose refusal to change draws the attention of Nafanua, the goddess of war, Fiapoko, the god of knowledge, and Fa'ataualofa, the god of love. Lologa-Peters says the central city location matters as much as the production itself. "We tell our stories at home, in community halls, in churches but they also belong in our city's main theatres. That visibility matters for the next generation of storytellers." Lologa-Peters directs the production, which features performances by Tristin Katoa, Lologa-Peters, Josephine Mavaega, Lijah Mavaega, and Nētane Taukiuvea. Lijah Mavaega is also the musical director and composer, while Fuimaono-Tuimafuiva Falesātaua Joshua (Mush) Iosefo is the dramaturg, and Jonjon Tolovae is responsible for costume design. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
King Charles to commemorate VP Day with address
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will travel to Sydney to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific. King Charles will also pay tribute to military personnel and reflect on the horrors of war in the Asia-Pacific region. VP Day commemorates the anniversary of Japan's surrender to Allied forces in 1945 following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The day holds a significant space in Australia's history, with many elderly members of the community remembering the days of celebration following the closure of the Pacific Theatre.
The Province
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
What are the limits of grace? Katherine Gauthier's immersive play Meeting asks tough questions
Meeting, a new play about trauma, secrets and healing, is making its world premiere at Vancouver's Pacific Theatre Sebastien Archibald, Carmela Sison, Kaitlin Williams, Chris Lam and Marcus Youssef star in the world premiere of Katherine Gauthier's Meeting at Pacific Theatre May 14-June 7. Photo by Chelsey Stuyt / Pacific Theatre Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. When: May 14-June 7 Where: Pacific Theatre, 1440 W. 12th Ave., Vancouver Tickets: $20-40 at This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors A sex addict, a love addict, a porn addict, a codependent and a sexual anorexic walk into a room. The room is a church basement and it's the setting of Meeting, a new play about trauma, secrets and healing by Canadian actor/writer Katherine Gauthier. 'This play was born out of questions I couldn't stop asking,' Gauthier said. 'What do we do with people whose sexual preferences risk destroying them? And, more broadly: what are the limits of our grace?' Gauthier made her theatre bones in Vancouver, acting in various shows at Pacific Theatre and other local stages. Now living in Toronto, she has appeared in a dozen productions at Soulpepper Theatre Co. and received four Dora and two Jessie nominations. Film and TV credits include The Boys, Saving Hope, The Strain and Albatross, a 2022 thriller for which she won Best Actress from Hamburg Film Awards. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Meeting began taking shape six years ago. During its development, Gauthier interviewed clinical psychologists and spoke with people who had lived experience with addiction, abuse and trauma. She also spent time observing real-life support group meetings similar to the one portrayed in the play. 'I was always very transparent about what I was doing, but it felt really important that the play be grounded in authenticity,' she said. 'That's also where the psychological consultants came into play. Because I'm dealing with such nuanced and complicated topics, I wanted to make sure that I was doing so with care and making it feel as accurate to people with physical experience as possible.' Adding to the authenticity of the experience is the setting. Rather than in a theatre, performances take place in a communal meeting room at the Chalmers Heritage Building, the site that is home to Pacific Theatre and its stage. Seating is limited to 45 audience members. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The audience is in close proximity to the actors,' director Chelsea Haberlin said. 'You're not apart from the performance. It's a very alive and cathartic experience for the audience.' Though she's had a couple of one acts produced, Meeting is Gauthier's first full-length play. 'You wouldn't know that she's a fairly new playwright from reading the script,' said Haberlin, who knew of Gauthier from the latter's Vancouver theatre work. 'She's taken her experience as an actor and what she understands about the craft and turned it into a really extraordinary piece of theatre.' The Pacific Theatre/ITSAZOO (with support from Neworld Theatre) production marks the world premiere of Meeting. Rehearsals with the cast, including Sebastien Archibald, Carmela Sison, Kaitlin Williams, Chris Lam and Marcus Youssef, are Gauthier's first opportunities to see actors embody the characters. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There's something about a skilled actor meeting a complex character. They bring so much of themselves that you learn about these characters when you see them breathe and hear the sound of their voices. Each one of these actors is teaching me about what this play is, who these people are, and what they're hunting for.' With Meeting, Gauthier hopes that the intimacy of the presentation will help audience members to feel compassion for the characters. There are also protocols in place in case the material triggers any audience members. 'Theatre allows you to really spend time with people who are outside of your experience,' she said. 'Sometimes that means that you feel less alone. Or you feel compassion for someone who's very different than you. That's what I saw was at the heart of the meetings I attended. These communal, collective experiences can save your life. Being together with people can actually save your life.' Vancouver Canucks News Vancouver Canucks News News
Vancouver Sun
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
What are the limits of grace? Katherine Gauthier's immersive play Meeting asks tough questions
When: May 14-June 7 Where: Pacific Theatre, 1440 W. 12th Ave., Vancouver Tickets: $20-40 at A sex addict, a love addict, a porn addict, a codependent and a sexual anorexic walk into a room. The room is a church basement and it's the setting of Meeting, a new play about trauma, secrets and healing by Canadian actor/writer Katherine Gauthier. 'This play was born out of questions I couldn't stop asking,' Gauthier said. 'What do we do with people whose sexual preferences risk destroying them? And, more broadly: what are the limits of our grace?' Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Gauthier made her theatre bones in Vancouver, acting in various shows at Pacific Theatre and other local stages. Now living in Toronto, she has appeared in a dozen productions at Soulpepper Theatre Co. and received four Dora and two Jessie nominations. Film and TV credits include The Boys, Saving Hope, The Strain and Albatross, a 2022 thriller for which she won Best Actress from Hamburg Film Awards. Meeting began taking shape six years ago. During its development, Gauthier interviewed clinical psychologists and spoke with people who had lived experience with addiction, abuse and trauma. She also spent time observing real-life support group meetings similar to the one portrayed in the play. 'I was always very transparent about what I was doing, but it felt really important that the play be grounded in authenticity,' she said. 'That's also where the psychological consultants came into play. Because I'm dealing with such nuanced and complicated topics, I wanted to make sure that I was doing so with care and making it feel as accurate to people with physical experience as possible.' Adding to the authenticity of the experience is the setting. Rather than in a theatre, performances take place in a communal meeting room at the Chalmers Heritage Building, the site that is home to Pacific Theatre and its stage. Seating is limited to 45 audience members. 'The audience is in close proximity to the actors,' director Chelsea Haberlin said. 'You're not apart from the performance. It's a very alive and cathartic experience for the audience.' Though she's had a couple of one acts produced, Meeting is Gauthier's first full-length play. 'You wouldn't know that she's a fairly new playwright from reading the script,' said Haberlin, who knew of Gauthier from the latter's Vancouver theatre work. 'She's taken her experience as an actor and what she understands about the craft and turned it into a really extraordinary piece of theatre.' The Pacific Theatre/ITSAZOO (with support from Neworld Theatre) production marks the world premiere of Meeting. Rehearsals with the cast, including Sebastien Archibald, Carmela Sison, Kaitlin Williams, Chris Lam and Marcus Youssef, are Gauthier's first opportunities to see actors embody the characters. 'There's something about a skilled actor meeting a complex character. They bring so much of themselves that you learn about these characters when you see them breathe and hear the sound of their voices. Each one of these actors is teaching me about what this play is, who these people are, and what they're hunting for.' With Meeting, Gauthier hopes that the intimacy of the presentation will help audience members to feel compassion for the characters. There are also protocols in place in case the material triggers any audience members. 'Theatre allows you to really spend time with people who are outside of your experience,' she said. 'Sometimes that means that you feel less alone. Or you feel compassion for someone who's very different than you. That's what I saw was at the heart of the meetings I attended. These communal, collective experiences can save your life. Being together with people can actually save your life.'
CBC
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Kim's Convenience creator's new play examines his childhood as son of head pastor in a Korean church
Ins Choi grew up attending a Korean church in Toronto, where his dad was the preacher and his grandfather before him. Although he earned a master's degree in theology and expected to become a pastor himself, Choi went on to become a playwright and author. His name might be familiar to fans of the CBC hit sitcom Kim's Convenience, which was actually a play before it was on television. The show, created by Choi, was inspired by his time working in a convenience store in Toronto. But now, he's written a new play that looks at growing up in a Korean church as the son of the preacher. Son of a Preacherman runs April 2 to 13 at the Pacific Theatre in Vancouver. Choi spoke with CBC's The Early Edition ahead of the premiere. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. I understand the play is semi-autobiographical? Yeah, it's pretty much completely autobiographical. It tells kind of my origin story, if you will. My father is a preacher. I grew up in the church. My grandfather is a preacher. There's a lot of preachers in my family. And so there, I guess it tells, in short, it tells the story of me being pressured to be a preacher and choosing to be an artist. And what denomination was your family part of? It was non-denominational at first. My dad moved to Toronto in 1975 with us. I was one year old, and I think technically it was non-denominational, but then after a while it became technically evangelical free. I feel like all Korean churches kind of feel the same. What was it like growing up in that space? Pretty great. The church I went to is called Toronto Korean Bethel Church, an immigrant church. Many immigrant churches are usually a hub for the community. Now, it's maybe a little different, but back in the 70s, the Korean churches in Korean communities were the community centre, the language school, Taekwondo classes, history, Korean history classes — all of that would happen. Plus, they had the best food in the city; the best Korean food in the city would be at the Korean church. All these grandmothers, you know. It'd be so warm, like one big huge family gathering every Sunday. I have a lot of great memories of sports activities and clubs and camps. You come from a long line of preachers. You became a playwright and author — you're a storyteller. Do you see telling stories as a way of sharing your own ideas and experiences with people much in the same way that a preacher might? It's funny. It didn't occur to me until a few years ago. I watched my dad in his tiny little storage locker office in our apartment, which he turned into an office with, like, milk crates, planks of wood and mounds of duct tape, and he would read. It would just be filled with books. It was like the backyard shed from the movie A Beautiful Mind. It was, like, just pictures on the walls and books. I'd watch him read a bunch of things, a bunch of books, and then start writing what he's going to say in his sermon, and then he would rehearse how he would say his sermon. That's kind of what I do. I read a lot of things. Then I write. And then I get up on some kind of stage and speak to an audience with the intention of making them laugh. Definitely, there's an entertainment value, but also to kind of connect with them, to give the audience a sense of community connection, even if it's for, like, an hour or two that one evening. Kim's Convenience, the play, of course, which preceded the television program, took on a fairly traditional format with characters and a story arc. What can the audience expect with Son of a Preacherman? This is a very different play. I don't know. It's a bunch of stories and songs that I wrote and one poem. It lasts 75 minutes. Me and Kaitlin Williams, the artistic director of Pacific Theatre and the director of Son of a Preacherman, she and I became friends, and we started working on this about a year ago. I had written a bunch of things, and she helped me sift through it and collect it and kind of put it together. We didn't really quite know what it was. And then she came to Toronto about a month or two ago, and we did a bit of a public reading, a first reading of the play to an audience, and it went over super well. It's part stand-up, part origin story, part just storytelling, part concert.
