FINALE is a must-see cabaret of the finest live performances of CPIT's Creative Festival and draws the Festival to a grand and stunning close. The week-long Festival celebrates the work of students enrolled in creative and performing arts programmes at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

Broadcaster and CPIT alumnus Mike McRoberts will MC the evening in which students from CPIT's School of Jazz, CircoArts, Te Puna Wanaka and the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts (NASDA) will perform together in a dramatic final performance that is sure to delight audiences from start to finish. FINALE is a must-see cabaret of the finest live performances of CPIT's Creative Festival and draws the Festival to a grand and stunning close. The week-long Festival celebrates the work of students enrolled in creative and performing arts programmes at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

Broadcaster and CPIT alumnus Mike McRoberts will MC the evening in which students from CPIT's School of Jazz, CircoArts, Te Puna Wanaka and the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts (NASDA) will perform together in a dramatic final performance that is sure to delight audiences from start to finish.For many performers, pursuing a career in physical theatre will take them around the world, and FINALE may be the last time they are seen performing in Christchurch. The students will perform highlights from previous shows as well as new material devised to collaborate with the Jazz School and NASDA students' performances in a spectacular cabaret style show.

Highlights of this year's event will include performances from NASDA's most promising students Laura Bunting, Leroi Kippen, Isla Brentwood and Akina Edmonds, who are well on their way to success having been cast in the Australian production of 'Buddy' earlier this year. The third year students including 2007 NASDA graduate James Nation-Ingle, were all successfully cast in 'Buddy' with Laura Bunting taking top honours as the lead female, Marla Elena, Buddy Holly's wife.

"Not only does this result give NASDA kudos within the Australasian performing arts community, but it also allows prospective students to see the different pathways and opportunities available to them - a break in Australia is a huge thing. It's what our students dream about," says NASDA's course leader for singing programmes, Angela Johnson.

Creative Festival Director Martin Trusttum says FINALE represents the best work from the four performing arts' programmes at CPIT. "FINALE is the ultimate event of the Creative Festival, which itself is the crowning event of Ignition, the CPIT brand that promotes the creative achievements of CPIT students and graduates throughout the year."

"The production for this event is the most extensive of all the shows put on during the Festival. The programme is developed from key works during the year but requires the development of a lot of new material that will allow for effective collaboration. Musical scores need to be found, arrangements made, pieces developed and practiced, and sets built," he says.

"FINALE also includes some staff and graduates. For example, Tom Rainey and Richard Marrett, who both work professionally outside their roles as CPIT tutors, arrange the music for the combined pieces. Essentially, the show brings together aerialists, acrobats, balance artists, dancers, jugglers, singers and musicians in what will be a superb night of virtuoso performance. The talent of our performers is incredible. The students in this show aren't just performers of the future; they are performers in their own right, now. FINALE is CPIT's chance to show off just how good our students are - this is the gem of the Creative faculty's crown!"

ENDS

Event details:

FINALE
Date: Saturday 15 November, 8.00pm
Venue: Christchurch Convention Centre
Tickets: $60 per person, available from Ticketek.

For more information contact:
Martin Trusttum
Design Centre Manager
Office phone: (03) 940 8559
Mobile phone: 021 136 0636
Email: trusttumm@cpit.ac.nz

Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology

National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts

28/10/08