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Cultural 'Laboratory' returns

 

The Cultural Laboratory, a showcase of Central Coast talent, will return to Peninsula Theatre, Woy Woy, on Friday, February 15, at 7:30pm.

Performances will include Josephine Gleeson, Stuart Smith, Mike Rubbo, Rowena Fitzgibbon, bush poets Peter Mace and Vic Jefferies, and Phocion Vouros.

The "Laboratory" sponsored by Gosford Council will return to the Peninsula Theatre this year with a simpler format, which will revive the Open Forum as an "essential part of the evening", according to Peninsula Theatre marketing coordinator Ms Lisa Kelly.

"Eighteen year old songstress Josephine Gleeson regularly performs for GMS Juniors and is a YIPA Scholarship winner," Ms Kelly said.

"A student of the Australian Institute of Music where she is studying for a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Voice, Josephine has a professionalism and confidence far beyond her years.

"She will sing three pieces, I'm Not Afraid of Anything, Astonishing and a song by Eva Cassidy.

"Stuart Smith, director of Jon English in Paris, will discuss how Paris has helped launch a new musical production company called Southern Cross Musicals.

"Stuart, along with local musical director Andrew Swan, have collaborated on the reprisal of the rock opera, which includes some adaptations and some new songs and the appearance of Jon English as Menelaus.

"Some of the cast will sing songs from the new production."

Ms Kelly said Mike Rubbo had been a film director for 40 years, having made approximately 60 films.

"He has won an Emmy and 50 other major prizes," Ms Kelly.

"A local from Avoca Beach, Mike has also written and directed five feature films.

"He has been a teacher all his life at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and at Harvard and many other American universities, has been the Head of Documentaries at the ABC and was responsible for bringing Race Around the World to Australia.

"Most recently, Mike has been showing Australian movies on the Banjo Paterson ferry, sailing out of Hardy's Bay.

"He is also doing a blog with Olive Riley who, at 108, is the oldest blogger in the world.

"These days Mike's most interested in showing communities how to make low budget features such as the one he made in Maleny, Queensland, called Even Emus Need To Dance.

"Rowena Fitzgibbon is just 19 and has choreographed this dance especially for the Lab.

"It is simplistic in its origins.

"It has no narrative but looks at the fluidity of the body as it moves through straight lines.

"A sense of calm is produced when things become ordered and show no resistance to outside stresses, giving a sense of release.

"Rowena has completed a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts (Dance) at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.

"After finishing university in 2006, she danced in contemporary style shows in England, and was a resident contact improvisationalist at Roscoe St Gallery, UK.

"Since arriving back in Australia, Rowena has been teaching at the Aboriginal Dance Theatre of Redfern and also at a studio on the Coast.

"At the end of the year, she will go to New York to undertake further studies in the Limon contemporary style dance.

"Bush poets return to the Lab with Peter Mace and Vic Jeffries.

"Vic and Peter took over the Gosford Bush Poets in July 2005.

"They have had success at the Tamworth Country Music Festival Poetry Competition, both having been finalists with Peter winning the Original section in 2007.

"Vic's CD, The Ballad of Sweet Abigail and other Poems, was a finalist at this year's Bush Laureate Awards."

Ms Kelly said Phocion Vouros was a sculptor who fuses Greek heritage into his work.

"Phocion showed great artistic promise at the age of nine, but was unable to go to Art School due to the family's limited finances," Ms Kelly said.

"He instead went to College and became a mechanical engineer which is fortuitous as he now sculpts in metal.

"He regularly exhibits with the Sculpture Society at Darling Park.

"When Phocion came to Australia, he set himself the target of retiring at 55 to sculpt full-time.

"He did retire but, as well as sculpting using a cheap method of producing a bronze look sculpture, Phocion also spends many hours involved in the local Hellenic Club.

"He will show some of his work including a unique bust of Henry Lawson."

The night will be followed by the Open Forum and supper.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 concession.

More information is available by telephoning the box office on 4323 3233.

The Peninsula Theatre is located on the corner of Ocean Beach Rd and McMasters Rds, Woy Woy.

Press release, 5 Feb 2008 Lisa Kelly, Laycock & Peninsula Theatres