Daring Shakespeare like you have never seen it before. SHAKEITUP! presents Passionate Acts, an accessible collection of sexy Shakespeare scenes at one of the most incredible locations in Auckland, the Pah Homestead TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre. SHAKEITUP! is the brainchild of actor, artist and creator Grae Burton and actor director Alistair Browning. Browning has recently returned from an International Actors Fellowship at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and will be familiar to local audiences from his roles in the award nominated film Shopping, his NZFT award winning role in the film Rain and many theatrical productions all over New Zealand. Burton most recently appeared as core cast in Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud and prior to that was the Artistic Director for Summer Shakespeare for the Top of the South Summer Shakespeare Tour, which was for five years the largest outdoor theatre tour in the country. “It’s great to get back to my Shakespeare roots, this will be a great season for everyone, featuring accessible, bite sized sexy and fun scenes from the bard.” Says Burton. Passionate Acts will feature accessible bite-sized scenes from some of Shakespeare’s most popular plays including Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Richard III, Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. All these scenes will be performed by a company of six. Joining Browning and Burton in the SHAKEITUP! Company will be NZFTV award winning (the film Crush) actress Donogh Rees, Listener Critic and AFTA award winning actress Katherine Kennard, who will be familiar to audiences from her recent role as Jo in Nothing Trivial, producer and performer from this year’s QTheatre season of Titus Andronicus Jason Hodzelmans and newcomer to the stage, recent Actors Program graduate Moana McArtney. This will mark the first full theatre season to perform at the Pah Homestead, a prospect that excites the Director of The Wallace Arts Trust, Sir James Wallace. “This was always a part of the original plan for the Pah, to create greater access and opportunity for all art forms to flourish with access for the greater community. Introducing opportunities for families to picnic in amongst the sculpture garden, see professional theatre performance and experience the art collection brings all facets of that plan together.” Located in the grounds of Monte Cecilia Park, the TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre opened to the public in August 2010 and in the first three years has received over 300,000 visitors. It is home to the bulk of the 6000+ strong collection of New Zealand contemporary art, people enjoying and experiencing the regularly turnaround of exhibitions at the venue “This is an opportunity for new audiences to receive an utterly unique arts experience in Auckland, and for those who have experienced The Pah to see it in a new light, as a spectacular backdrop to a fantastic season of theatre.” Says Burton. The performance will take place in locations at the venue. Audiences are invited to arrive at 6pm, enjoy the hospitality of Dawsons Catering at the Pah Cafe, with food and beverages available to purchase before and during the show and be seated on the veranda of the sculpture garden for the show beginning at 7pm. The performance duration is approximately 2 hours including a brief interval. WHAT: SHAKEITUP! presents PASSIONATE ACTS WHERE: The Pah Homestead TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre, 72 Hillsborough Road Auckland – www.tsbbankwallaceartscentre.org.nz WHEN: FEBRUARY 12,13,14,15,18,19,20,21,22 2014 SHOW BEGINS 7pm TO BOOK: www.shakeitup.co.nz TICKETS: $30 FULL, $20 CONCESSION (Seniors, Students, Industry), $70 FAMILY PASS (2 Adults, 2 Children under 15) FOR MORE TICKETTING AND SHOW INFORMATION CONTACT GRAE BURTON – 027 4723 669 – thegrae@gmail.com