Musical theatre drawcard for city | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Wanganui people have an opportunity to attend a range of musical theatre workshops when New Zealand's national body has its AGM in the city next month.

The Musical Theatre NZ 52nd AGM and Volunteer Training Workshops take place at the Wanganui Function Centre on March 16 to 18.

Amdram past president Edwyna McDonald is the Wanganui co-ordinator for the event. She's expecting at least 200 people from outside the district to attend.

The workshops and seminars on Saturday and Sunday are open to the public, at a cost of $30 for non-members.

Subjects vary from costume, vocal technique, sound and lighting to simply "getting laughs".

The conference is to be opened by April Phillips, an actress, singer, producer and playwright with a Wanganui past.

She attributes her basic stage training to her time at Four Seasons Theatre under director David Smiles.

Since then she has acted for television and stage, sung in bands and written plays and musicals performed in New Zealand and overseas.

Perhaps the best known of these is Stiff, which has been performed by the River City Players at Wanganui's Gilligan Theatre as well as elsewhere in New Zealand, Australia and London.

The weekend has a dinner with entertainment by Ms Phillips and Andrew London on Friday night and a dinner and dance with band Lounge Suite on Saturday night.

On Sunday there's a breakfast and tour of the Royal Wanganui Opera House.

Participants will be encouraged to take advantage of the Whanganui Artists' Open Studios weekend happening at the same time, Mrs McDonald said.

For more information on the AGM and workshops, see www.mtnz.co.nz.