A big year on Centrepoint’s stage

Centrepoint Theatre’s new artistic director has announced the theatre’s 2018 programme.

Dan Pengelly said the theatre was focusing on ‘‘great entertainment’’.

‘‘We have been scouring New Zealand and the world for the best scripts to use and ideas to steal. We are blimmin’ excited about the shows that we are producing and presenting... for 2018.’’

Palmerston North’s Centrepoint Theatre opens its 2018 season in February with The Love List, from Canadian playwright Norm Foster.

Pengelly said the show has been adapted especially for Palmerston North and will star Siobhan Marshall (Outrageous Fortune)

and Millen Baird (Auckland Daze).

April will see the Auckland Theatre Company visiting with Still Life with Chickens.

Next in the 2018 line-upwill be the musical That Bloody Woman,

showcasing-suffragist and activist Kate Sheppard. It combines a professional cast with Manawatu¯ amateur actors.

The National Theatresports Champs will come to the Centrepoint stage in June, followed by family shows, Peter Pan and The Messy Magic Adventure.

The next show will be Club Cabaret, which Pengelly said was ‘‘a variety show of epic proportions that will leave you in awe’’, followed by Promise and Promiscuity, which was ‘‘New Zealander Penny Ashton’s collaboration with Jane Austen’’. ‘‘Penny tackles all of Austen’s characters with song, dance & appalling cross-stitching.’’

Centrepoint Theatre’s Basement Company will present its production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle in October and then at the end of the year the theatre will be ‘‘keeping with tradition with another Kiwi comedy’’, Hudson & Halls Live.