The pink lady’s first production
Stephanie Mitchell chats to Gill Weatherall ahead of her directorial debut.
She’s a sight to be seen with hot pink stilettos, a pink dress with matching cardigan, and bright pink hair, but Gillian Weatherall, who likes to go by Gill.e, won’t even be visible at Roots and Wings when the play comes to New Plymouth in May.
Instead she’ll be behind the scenes making her directorial debut.
‘‘I call myself a micro manager and I don’t think many people like that in a director. But I am a micro manager.’’
Gill has been involved in theatre, in some shape or form, since she was 13 years old when she was in pantomimes at the Little Theatre where her mum was the tea lady.
She returned to the Little Theatre 10 years ago, after taking some time off to be a mother, and did front of house and cleaning up until one day she got promoted.
‘‘A colleague said to me they needed a stage manager and I said ‘oh what does a stage manager do?’, and he goes ‘oh not much’, and I thought ‘I can do that’.
‘‘It was a load of rubbish, stage managers do everything,’’ she said.
Gill said she adored stage managing. It was perfect for her as she as a people pleaser and she could make everyone’s jobs easier.
Later on she got involved with New Plymouth Repertory Theatre (her favourite theatre) and she was recently asked to direct by New Plymouth Repertory Society president Fleur Coombe.
‘‘I love directing.
‘‘I wanted to do a topic that would make people go away and think. And I think I have done that.’’
Roots and Wings, written by Frank Vickery, is set in the 1990s and follows the journey of young
"I love directing. I wanted to do a topic that would make people go away and think. And I think I have done that."
Gill Weatherall
boy who is gay and hasn’t told his parents yet.
Everything comes to a head when the boy is in a car crash, which results in his parents finding out and the play follows their reactions.
The cast is a mixture of theatre regulars as well as some new performers.
Morris West and Gillian Somers play the boys parents. The pair have actually played husband and wife many times.
Simon Mace plays the lead Nigel. It is fitting that Mace, who plays a cabaret performer, has a Masters Degree in music.
‘‘They (audience) will definitely laugh and I would be surprised if they don’t cry,’’ Gill said.
‘‘They will go away and think about what they’ve seen.’’
Although directing has taken up a lot of her time, Gill says she would absolutely direct again if she was given the opportunity.
❚ Roots and Wings runs from May 1 - 12. Tickets are $22 and available through Ticketek. Tornado Benefit Concert
A concert to support families affected by the tornado that hit coastal Taranaki in April will take place on Sunday April 29th at the Rahotu Tavern. A number of Taranaki bands will play at the fundraiser including Blistered Fingers, Shady Rudy, and Laconic Zephyr. There will be a coffee cart, foot carts, and a sausage sizzle. The concert runs from
2pm - 6pm. Entry by gold coin donation and non-perishable food item.
World Peace Exhibition
On show at the Art Cafe´, located in the Top Town cinema complex, until the end of June are a series of paintings by local artist Vivienne Jack. Titled ‘Together we can change the world’, Vivienne says ‘‘I am an international artist. I believe in World Peace which can be brought about by respect and love for all people including ourselves, regardless of race, age, gender, sexuality or disability. All my art is painted with LOVE and with this philosophy in mind. It is my way of spreading this message around the world.’’
Govett Brewster Art Gallery/ Len Lye Centre
❚ Animated stories from Mo Willems, the American writer and illustrator, screens each day through the school holidays in the Len Lye Centre Cinema, at 10.30am and 1.30pm weekdays, and 10.30am weekends until Sunday April 29. Entry is by donation.
❚ The last day to see the exhibitions Abstractions: Work from the GovettBrewster Collection and Fiona Connor: Object Classrooms is Sunday April 29. The Govett-Brewster staff will then work to change the exhibitions for the next suite opening Saturday May 12.
❚ The last day of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery’s April School Holiday Art is Friday 27 April. Drop in to the 10am – 12pm or 1pm – 3pm sessions, kids bring an adult. Entry is by donation, no booking necessary.
❚ Call in to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre on Sunday afternoon for hands on, art making sessions for the whole family. From
1pm to 3pm, stay as little or as long as the kids are keen. Entry by donation. The documentary With My Back Turned to the World about the abstract painter Agnes Martin screens at the Len Lye Centre Cinema on Saturday April 28 at
3.30pm. Entry is by donation.
❚ The humorous tale, Superegos, screens at the Len Lye Centre Cinema on Sunday April 29, 4pm. The free film selected by Goethe-Institut NZ has English subtitles. Booking essential
❚ Writer and journalist David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) interviews author David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) for Rolling Stone magazine in this drama The End of the Tour, screening at the Len Lye Centre Cinema on Thursday May 3, 7pm. Entry is $12 or $10 concession
❚ Term 2 weekly after-school art classes start on Wednesday May 2 for ages 6-8 and Thursday May 3 for ages 9-12. The term costs $60 per child. See govettbrewster.com for this term’s focus and to book.
❚ The monthly Pre-School Art session is on Friday May 4, 10.30am –
11.30am. Have fun with the gallery educators seeing and making art, with tips for caregivers engaging little people in art. Free entry, play groups and early childhood centres welcome, please book.
To be included in the entertainment snippets please email
by noon on the Monday of the given week. Please send a 100 word blurb about your event, including the name, a brief description, the time and location.