Jackie Clarke is MC for awards
All nominations were collated and sent to the judges at the end of last week for the Southern Tararua Business Awards.
There are about the same numbers as for the inaugural event but they come from different businesses.
The venue for the awards dinner will be the Woodville Sports Stadium.
“It’s a bit bigger than the Pahiatua Town Hall, so we will be able to get a few more people in. We’re hoping to sell 200-plus tickets,” says one of the organisers, councillor Shirley Hull.
It will be a black tie event on October 13 with the catering being handled by the Black Stump team. The menu looks pretty fantastic.
“I’m looking forward to that,” said councillor Hull. “We’re looking at decorations, we want to make it look spectacular for people when they arrive. I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised as they walk in the door.”
Ticket sales went on sale today at Managh Electrical in Pahiatua.
“I’m sure they’ll be scooped up like hot cakes by all the people who have been nominated, their friends and family — they will all want to come along. The inaugural event two years ago was just fantastic, the whole community engaged. This time we will give people more time during the interval and afterwards to mingle. Once the district gets together, they’ve got plenty to talk about.
“We’re really looking forward to it. The support we’ve received from the community is unprecedented. I phoned Joy from Ormond Street Motels to see if we could book a room for MC and entertainer Jackie Clarke. She opened her arms to her and is going to sponsor accommodation for the night. That’s the sort of response we’re getting from the community.
“It’s been good to engage Woodville. We’re trying to use the facilities and services from the area, so we can support the district as well and we will do the same when we take it to the rest of the district.
“We’re just delighted with the reception we’ve got. We’re looking forward to seeing who the winners are and celebrating with people on the night, celebrating our businesses and our customer services and the people who are getting out and being part of our community,” said councillor Hull.
Jackie Clarke has performed with everyone from Dave Dobbyn to the NZSO. Jackie is instantly recognisable from her time judging NZ Idol — she was the one in the middle wearing the bling. Prior TV credits include judge of the TV1 talent show Showcase, co-host of Saturday Live (TV2), a starring role in TV3’s hit comedy series Skitz and its spin-off sitcom The Semisis, and Christmas in the Park for many years. Jackie has also presented four documentaries — Wise Women and Song (TV1), Twins (TV2), ANZAC Songs (TVNZ) and the Scottish episode of The Settlers series (TVNZ).
Jackie is no stranger to the stage having starred in A Christmas Carol (ATC), Mum’s the Word (NZ tour), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (NZ tour), Porgy and Bess (Mercury Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Sky City Theatre), The Underwater Melon Man (NZ International Festival of the Arts) and The World Goes Round (Sky City Theatre). Jackie is also a mainstay of the annual kids’ theatrical blockbuster The Hairy Maclary Show. Jackie completed a successful season of Broadway Bigger Than Ever at Palmerston North’s Regent Theatre and ATC’s 2006 Christmas production Sweet Charity.
Jackie loves a show tune and has belted them out in several revues — Sirens (with Tina Cross) for the Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch Symphony and Taranaki Arts Festival, Broadway Songbirds with Ellie Smith at Downstage Theatre and the Christchurch Festival and Love Hate Relationship with Tim Beveridge and Penny Dodd for the Tauranga Arts Festival.
Jackie is well known as part of the kitsch kiwiana trio When The Cat’s Been Spayed, which boasted two successful albums, national tours, Lotto advertisements and its own Country Calendar special. She’s also toured with Dave Dobbyn, Annie Crummer and the Netherworld Dancing Toys and guested on recordings by Crummer, Dobbyn, The NDTs, Wayne Mason, Greg Johnson and Jonathon Besser. She cut her teeth as a teenager in the band Marching Orders and was a big part of the Wellington music scene in the 80s featuring in The Laundrettes, Putty, Big Fiddle and Strung Out.
Jackie sings in many groups, including the alt country combo The Darlings, vocal quartet The Lady Killers and the polyester sensation Abbalicious. She even finds time to sing in the a cappella gospel choir Jubilation and jam on Hi 5 songs at home with sons Stan and Ernie.