STARTS

Stealing Games steals attention in a captivating story for stage.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Capital E National Theatre for Children presents an action packed and high-paced production of Stealing Games written by Gary Henderson these July school holidays. From Monday 13 – Friday 17 July 2015 at Hannah Playhouse in Wellington, families with children aged 8 and over will experience a striking story about the price of friendship.

When an accident in a playground between four close friends leads to a media frenzy, unsupervised playing is outlawed. As they’re forced to play in private ‘Playparks’ the friends find themselves divided and facing moral and personal challenges for the first time. When Judd decides to take matters into his own hands, and confronts the person who is taking his friends away, he discovers a secret motivation.

Join four actors playing a series of striking roles as they unravel the drama in this highly physical and compelling play featuring slick choreography, punchy percussive composition and perfectly pitched humour for young audiences.

Gary Henderson’s plays have been professionally produced around New Zealand, in South Africa, Australia, Great Britain, Canada and the United States. His most well-travelled play is Skin Tight which won a coveted Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival during a sell-out season in 1998. Gary has also directed the work of other New Zealand playwrights, and has served many times as a director and mentor in the development of scripts by new writers. From 2006 to 2012 he taught playwriting at Unitec’s School of Performing and Screen Arts in Auckland.  Gary was the 2013 recipient of the Playmarket Award, which recognises a playwright who has made a significant artistic contribution to theatre in New Zealand.

Creative Producer of Capital E National Theatre for Children, Marianne Taylor says, “Stealing Games encourages children to think politically and critically. They are encouraged to explore what motivates the characters’ choices and actions and ask important questions like, what are the values behind decisions that affect everybody?”

Stealing Games stars Jack Buchanan (Mr McGee & the Biting Flea, 2014), Angela Fouhy (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2014), Elle Wootton (The Road That Wasn’t There, 2014) and Joe Dekkers-Reihana (Sky Dancer, 2013). With original set and costume design by Brian King and lighting design by Phil Blackburn, the show is a visual feast.

Under the direction of award winning actor and director Jonathon Hendry, Stealing Games will be a must see production.  Since graduating from Toi Whakaari:NZ Drama School in 1988, Jonathon now directs works at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School including leading productions of Sondheim’s Company and Assassins, Shakespeare’s Macbeth and  Love’s Labour’s Lost and is adapting Buchner’s seminal work Woyzeck for the 2015 graduation season.

ENDS.