Onehunga gets new arts venue

‘‘The arts is not something many people become rich out of, really those who make it have a very grounded outlook as to what the industry is about.’’

For Julian Harrison drama classes shouldn’t be all about turning people into superstars.

The longtime actor and performing arts teacher of over 20 years is set to open One-Hunger, a new community arts centre in Onehunga on August 1.

Harrison says he wants the school to get away from a focus many drama classes have in which they over-emphasise the idea of turning children into stars.

‘‘For the very young drama is about play, it’s about building social skills and confidence, self-expression and these sorts of things… being able to be creative freely without being judged.’’

Harrison wants to combine this with a focus of giving actors a proper grounding as far as what the industry is like.

‘‘The arts is not something many people become rich out of, really those who make it have a very grounded outlook as to what the industry is about.

‘‘They work at their craft and to start with you need to find all those skills and fuel those creative juices in the young people, rather than this glossy idea of ‘my little sweetheart is going to be the next superstar’.

‘‘That may end up happening but it’s not the point of the classes.’’

One-Hunger is open to all ages with the youngest registered student just 5 years old and the oldest 72, Harrison says.

The Mt Wellington resident has worked in more than 150 stage and screen productions.

But it’s Harrison’s ‘‘hyperactive’’ personality that lends itself to teaching.

‘‘There’s a lot of waiting around in film and TV, the relationships you forge, for me, are not the same as what you do working intensively with a cast over a short period of time.

‘‘I love the interaction with a live audience... perhaps I’m a bit too expressive for live TV, you have to rein things back a lot I think in acting with a camera.’’

One-Hunger classes kick off in the first week of August and take place at the Dolphin Theatre, 12 Spring St, Onehunga.

For more information go to onehungerperformingarts.com or contact 09 571 2343.