Behind the scenes Capital E National Arts Festival

This week on drama on the waterfront, we hang out with the team at Capital E as they get busy with the Capital E National Arts Festival.

After a stellar sell out first weekend of the Capital E National Arts Festival at Circa Theatre with Caterpillars, Trick of the Light Theatre presents their latest work, Beards! Beards! Beards!

Trick of the Light Theatre have been busy ensuring this show has giant moustaches, can be packed into four boxes and two suitcases, and has Christina Aguilera style recordings as part of the show.

The show has sold over 230 tickets and only a few are left for Saturday 21 March at 10am and 1pm. Bookings can be made via capitale.org.nz

Meanwhile staff at Capital E have been busy ensuring that cast member Abby Howells’ face is everywhere around town. Seriously. It’s ridiculous.

Nick Zwart with giant moustache.

Cast member Abby Howells and Director Hannah Smith standing next to life sized ad shell image of Abby Howells.

The audience at Circa Theatre for Capital E National Arts Festival's opening weekend.

Capital E’s Sarah Leary and Pippa Drakeford at the Newtown Festival.

Ralph McCubbin Howell recording swish sounds.

Paul Waggott getting his Christina on.

Zany caterpillars and the world’s most magnificent beard at NZ’s biggest arts festival for children

“One week left until the Festival begins and the opening performance, Caterpillars, is selling fast!” says an excited Capital E National Arts Festival producer, Melanie Hamilton. “And we were met with more exciting news when we got to the office this morning…”

The Kallo Collective’s Caterpillars at the Capital E National Arts Festival, opens Sat 7 March at Circa. Photography by Gemma Tweedie.

Following a fantastic season in Auckland, where Caterpillars saw its New Zealand premiere; the production by Kallo Collective and produced by Show Pony, won Best Costume and Best Theatre Production at the Auckland Fringe. With only 27 tickets left to the 10am show this Saturday (7 March) at Circa Theatre, bookings will be highly recommended as this show WILL sell-out.

Show Pony has produced another production as part of the Capital E National Arts Festival, also on at Circa Theatre. On Friday of last week at Anvil House, Beards! Beards! Beards! invited an audience of eager school children to preview the hilarious play, in which our heroine, Beatrix, tries to grow the world’s most magnificent beard.

Beards! Beards! Beards! preview at Anvil House.

“Children are the most honest critics of work, and we were thrilled to say that they enjoyed a high energy sneak preview of what’s to come to the stage very soon.” – Melanie Hamilton

Even at E Central on Queens Wharf, children are coming in to create their own beard. Open daily from Monday – Saturday form 9.30am – 3.30pm.

There are only two public performances of each Capital E National Arts Festival production on at Circa: Caterpillars on 7 March at 10am and 11:30am, and Beards! Beards! Beards! on 21 March at 10am and 1pm. To book for either, contact Capital E on 913-3740 or visit www.capitale.org.nz.