Big names to open new arts centre
The Ka¯ piti Performing Arts Centre opens on Saturday February 22 with a public open day.
The open day will start a 14-day opening season celebration as local talent and two of the biggest names in New Zealand performing arts put the centre through its paces.
Performances by the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will help showcase the centre as an important venue for touring shows.
“We are incredibly excited to finally be at the stage where we can open the doors to the public,” said Ka¯ piti College Board of Trustees chairwoman Cas Carter who has led the fundraising campaign since the concept was first mooted some years ago.
“This has been an enormous project for the Ka¯ piti community and with so many people contributing to it in so many ways, we are delighted to be able to share the completed centre.
“The public open day is our way of showing the people of this district and beyond what a truly magnificent facility Ka¯ piti now has.”
During the opening season one of New Zealand’s great names in performing arts, Sir Jon Trimmer, from Paeka¯ ka¯ riki, will also be honoured as patron of the centre.
The Sir Jon Trimmer Contemporary Theatre named in his honour recognises Sir Jon’s lifelong contribution to ballet and youth arts development, and to the centre. The open day’s gold coin entry will also assist the campaign as funds are still required to achieve the target set to pay for the centre.
“We believe this performing arts centre will have an enormous impact on the community and will quickly establish itself at the centre of Ka¯ piti’s cultural life in the performing arts, it will be a space for the whole of Ka¯ piti and beyond to enjoy not just our local arts but visiting artists as well.
“The immediate interest from the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra have proven that.”
“We are delighted to be the first company to perform at the newest and most fabulous venue in Ka¯ piti,” Royal New Zealand
Ballet executive director Lester McGrath said.
“It’s an exciting time for the Ka¯ piti community whose collective vision and unwavering efforts have resulted in the creation of this versatile, modern and accessible theatre.”
Local groups and students will also feature strongly in the programme across a wide range of art forms, reflecting the community and college partnership that created the centre.
Ka¯ piti mayor K Gurunathan is looking forward to seeing this regional asset open its doors to the community.
“The centre will offer an affordable space for community performers and will greatly enhance our district’s ability to host professional theatre performances which is very exciting for our community and our district’s economy.”
The NZSO will present a concert to bring the opening season to a dramatic conclusion on March 7 and tickets are available now.
New manager of the centre Sonia Hardie is also looking forward to the opening season.
“We’ll be working hard to ensure all of the theatre facilities and systems are in place to accommodate this wide-ranging programme and beyond.”