Bream Bay Community Spirit: Seuss Bonanza

Two more sleeps until the grand opening night of Seussical, the musical based on the rhythmical language and story books of Dr Seuss, and the slew of children in the cast are really excited. Bring your kids along to share in their enthusiasm.

The cast has worked hard to portray Dr Seuss characters - monkeys, birds, kangaroos, whos, The Cat in the Hat and a loyal elephant. The costuming is subtle, the storyline endearing, the orchestra talented and the choreography - of over 30 individuals young and old - a big job for director, Peter Flower. It was all coming together last weekend at a dress rehearsal, with technical details such as lighting still being worked out.

Some of the highlights for me were May Seager, the sour kangaroo (in her second show at ORT), with her emotive gospel singing voice, Maura Flower's energetic performance as The Cat in the Hat, who pulls the show together while leading JoJo astray. Jojo, 11 year-old Jamie Lymburn who is also a drum major with the Waipu Pipe Band, is a who whose imagination and curiosity nearly get him and his tiny planet, the size of a speck of dust, and all the whos who live there, killed. It is the "thinks he thinks" that create the problems.

The grand opening is Saturday, July 27, at 7.30pm followed by matinees on Sunday, July 28 and Saturday and Sunday August 3 and 4. Friday, August 9 is an evening performance and then there will be three matinees on Saturdays, August 10 and 17 and Sunday, August 18. Evening shows begin at 7.30pm and matinees at 2pm.

Ticket prices are $30 per adult and $15 per school age child. For groups of 10 or more tickets are discounted to $25 per adult and $12 per child. There is an opening weekend price special (this includes Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28) of $60 for two adults and up to two children free. Go to www.ort.org.nz for tickets.

Learn to trap

Tracking tunnels are useful tools to help find out what and how many predators you have on your patch, and also to check on how efficient you are in trapping them.

This workshop is free and open to anyone interested. It is being run by volunteers who help the Department of Conservation look after the shorebirds on the Mangawhai Spit. There will be a hands-on demonstration by the Black Trakka Company from near Warkworth.

The volunteer trapping groups always need more members in Waipu and Mangawhai, so come along to meet other like-minded people, have some fun and learn to trap.

The workshop is Saturday, August 3 from 10am-noon at the Mangawhai Fishing Club in Alamar Crescent (off North St), Mangawhai. For further information please phone Jane on (09) 431-5828 or email janevaughan@orcon.net.nz

Album launched

Ruakaka's Tammy D'Ath launched her first album to a crowd much larger than she expected at the Waterline Brasserie at Marsden Cove, last Friday night.

"I thought I'd be speaking to about 20 people so I really appreciate your support," Tammy said to a full restaurant. She thanked several close friends, her backup singers, her mentor and big sister Gina, Wards' Music in Whangarei and especially her parents Jeff and Sheryl and her keyboardist and producer, Stuart Pearce, who helped make her album.

"Where to from here? Good question, take my CD through New Zealand as I travel," Tammy said. "I enjoy milking and inseminating cows and singing with my band, the Mermaids, but working and gigging don't mix. If I do too many gigs while I'm inseminating, my success rate goes down with pregnancies so I have to choose. I'll do one gig on a work trip, but not many more."

Tammy's album is a mix of covers and originals. It is easy listening and wonderful to sing along with. Her originals are touching with enjoyable musical themes. She said people love covers - "they love to sing and dance to them", and she was right as people sang and danced to her music throughout the evening.

To purchase her CD, email tammydath@gmail.com and check her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/tammydath.