The Plaza Theatre is celebrating its 50th year in September 2009. To begin the birthday celebrations “Shane Cortese and his 50’s Jukebox Show Class of 58” will be rocking the theatre’s seats with music from the year The Plaza was born. Shane has starred in many musicals in the West End of London and throughout the United Kingdom where he started his performance career. He returned home for the role of Dominic Warner on Shortland Street - a role the New Zealand public has not forgotten even after the character was killed off in dramatic fashion. He was the street’s longest serving villain, having played him over a two year period.
More recently, Shane danced his way into the hearts of the New Zealand public on the hit show ’Dancing with the Stars’. He and dance partner Nerida Lister shimmied their way into the final, and on their way raised $156,000 for Shane’s chosen charity, the Starship Foundation.
The Class of 58 has played to sell out performances in New Zealand’s largest theatres. They play some of the best Rock ’n’ Roll music ever written, and a memorable part of the show is Shane doing the Elvis numbers, a role he played for a year in London. You can check out their website www.classof58.co.nz
And if that’s not enough to get you reminiscing, The Plaza would like to take you back to the early picture days of cinema. Saturday and Sunday will host a film festival presented by The New Zealand Film Archives. Saturday’s afternoon programme focuses on footage from the Waikato region and ends on a nostalgic note with the feature film “Don’t Let It Get You” A light-hearted comedy with music set in Sydney and Rotorua. It’s best described as a tonic film that doesn’t let the blues get you. When it finishes, you feel as if the time has gone too fast and you leave the theatre wanting to see it all over again. Produced and directed by John O Shea and starring Howard Morrison, Gary Wallace, Carmen Duncan with special guest star Kiri Te Kanawa. The celebrations finish on Sunday with a trip down memory lane and footage from the 1950’s.
So please come along and get your popcorn and celebrate the birthday of the South Waikato’s Performing Arts Centre.
Timetable of Events
Date Time Event Cost
Friday 11th September 2009 7.30pm Shane Cortese and the Class of 58 $35
(Doors open at 6.30pm)
Tickets available at:
The Plaza 07 883 8596
Putaruru Information Centre: 07 883 7284
Tokoroa Information Centre: 07 886 8872
Fraser’s Bookshop Matamata: 07 888 7787
Saturday 12th September 2009 2.00pm The New Zealand Film Archive
ADULTS $5 CHILD $3 (Doors open at 1.00pm) The Waikato Programme
ALL ABOUT THE WAIKATO 1931 - 1972 , 90.00
A compilation of 19 films showing the Waikato in all its glory . The programme includes recreational activities - trout fishing, sports, and regattas. Power From the River , a rousing Government film on the development of hydro electric power on the Waikato River, showing the men who worked around the clock to build the stations will be shown. Newsreel clips include the 1948 Waikato Winter Show and the Frankton Tornado as well as the Queen’s visit to Turangawaewae Marae in 1954 and the Sole Brothers Circus performing in Matamata. MP Hilda Ross puts in an appearance and the 1956 Springbok game in Hamilton is played in front of a crowd of 31,000 people. The 1957 parade of homes is shown as well as the Hamilton County Blue Grass Band in 1968.
Saturday 12th September 2009 7.30pm The New Zealand Film Archive
ADULTS $5 CHILD $3 (Doors open at 6.30pm)
DON'T LET IT GET YOU, 1966, 80.00 Feature Film
New Zealand’s first pop musical, produced by Pacific Films.
Cast : Howard Morrison, Gary Wallace, Carmen Duncan
Special guest star : Normie Rowe
Guest artist : Kiri Te Kanawa
With: Harry Lavington, Alma Woods, Tanya Binning, Ernie Leonard, Eric Wood , Anne Sharland
And Featuring: Rim D. Paul, Gerry Merito, Herma Keil, Gwynn Owen, Lew Pryme, Eddie Lowe, Eliza Keil, Keri Summers, Paul Walden and the Quin Tikis
Producer & Director: John O'Shea, Pacific Films
“A light-hearted comedy with music. Set in Sydney and Rotorua, the story centres around ‘The Rotorua Festival’, a young drummer (Gary Wallace) and his girl Judy Beech (Carmen Duncan). Howard Morrison plays himself and as such comes across on screen as naturally as if he were sitting right opposite you. Rim D. Paul, Eddie Lowe and the Quin Tikis are seen in many mad-cap situations; also more serious ones, as when Eddie Lowe and Kerri Summers sing ‘Why am I Alone Now’. Kiri Te Kanawa is delightful and the expressions on the children’s faces when she sings to them in a Maori meeting house are truly unique. Gerry Merito, Herma and Eliza Keil, Gwynn Owen, Lew Pryme and the Impacts are seen in various zany situations throughout the film. William Broadhead (Harry Lavington) and Mrs. Beech (Alma Woods) are the villains of the story. They join forces to part Gary and Judy. To sum up ‘Don’t Let It Get You’ can best be described as a tonic film that doesn’t let the blues get you. When it finishes, you feel as if the time has gone too fast and you leave the theatre wanting to see it all over again.” - (from Pacific Films press material)
Sunday 13th September 2009 2.00pm The New Zealand Film Archive
ADULTS $5 CHILD $3 (Doors open at 1.00pm) 1950’S Programme
FILMS - newsreels, documentaries and sports coverage from The Film Archive
1959 was learning to drive on a Ford Prefect in the days of bottled milk deliveries; Selwyn Toogood was on the radio, Edmund Hillary returned from Antarctica, the Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened and the Rugby 3rd Test British Isles Vs. NZ attracted 57,000 people! Come along and see...
