A man of many talents

GLORIOUS FOOD: Graham Dack with some of his scrumptious food at the River Traders Market. PHOTO/ STUARTMUNRO

Graham Dack is a theatre director, actor, dedicated cook, children's writer, playwright - and a prison manager.
This tall man with a steady gaze is manager of the high security units at Whanganui prison and has also been with the probation service at its national office in Wellington.
He worked in high security prisons in London for 10 years before coming to live in New Zealand.
He also loves to cook and he and wife Mary run a food stall at the Whanganui River Traders Market every Saturday morning (rain or shine).
A stall which has customers following their noses as they head toward the delicious smells surrounding the Dacks' stall where there are plump golden Cornish pasties, an array of fresh muffins and Graham is usually at the back whipping up waffles and delectable wraps to order.
"I love cooking - I'm a bit of a chef at heart really,'' he said.
Though the couple came to New Zealand 10 years ago their first plan had been to head down to Cornwall from London on England's south coast and set up a cafe.
"But it just didn't happen. It was disappointing at the time but we came to New Zealand and we love it here in Wanganui. We have a great life and there are wonderful people here.''
Graham always has something on the boil ... well, several things at once because that's the way he likes to run his life - full, satisfying and always interesting.
Monday to Friday he manages the high security units at Whanganui prison where he keeps a close eye on the safety of staff and inmates.
Friday night he's prepping the food for his Saturday morning food stall and Saturday morning the show is on with rows of fabulous treats under the stall's gazebo.
And if he's not acting in an amateur theatre production, then the likelihood is he'll be directing it or writing it - and he's on the AmDram Theatre committee as well.
His acting chops started about five years ago when wife Mary, who loves working with theatre wardrobe, persuaded him to give it a go. He's never looked back.
He's acted in Wanganui productions of Black Adder and Are You Being Served?.
During his two years in Wellington he was fortunate to have been cast in Agatha Christie's extraordinarily successful play The Mousetrap.
"And it really is an amazing play."
His latest venture is directing the musical play Blue Eyes, a nostalgic piece about Frank Sinatra written by April Phillips, an award-winning playwright who after coming out from Britain started her professional theatre career in the 1980s at Wanganui's Four Seasons Theatre.
Blue Eyes won the 2003 Stellar Award for best musical production when performed at Circa Theatre, Wellington.
Graham says it is a beautiful piece and appropriate as this year marks 100 years since Sinatra's birth.
"Very timely, and of course the music is wonderful."
The play tells of a daughter (played by Karen Ellet) who, when sifting through her mum's possessions after her death, discovers an old hat box.
In it, along with a sequined dress, feather boa and sheet music, she finds a pile of old letters written by her mum to Frank Sinatra.
The letters tell the story of a young woman who heads off into the world to become a jazz singer.
But this excited, joyous young woman writing the letters was certainly not the mum her daughter had known.
With the combination of great jazz hits like New York New York, My Way, Fly Me to the Moon and The Lady is a Tramp the show is a veritable musical feast.
Graham is very excited with his cast he has assembled.
The singers include Denise McNeill, Shelley Walls and Dave Griffiths, while the onstage band is led by Abigail Livesay on piano accompanied by Michael Smyth on clarinet and Michael Franklin-Brown on drums.
The theatre will be set up like as a night club, called The Blue Orchid, and the show celebrates with a gala opening on Thursday, September 17, at 7.30pm.
"It's a great cast and audiences will really enjoy it," reckons Graham.
And next up for him is playing the role of McDuff in the outdoor production of Macbeth in a Shakespeare in the park production at the Bason Botanical Reserve in Wanganui in February.