Writers at the Rails: Jesse Oliver, David ‘Ghost Boy’ Stavanger, David Hallett
The Rails | Sun 5 August | 2pm | FREE
Writers at the Rails’ 26th anniversary show will be one of the Writers Festival feature events this Sunday with festival guest, and winner of the 2017 Australian Poetry Slam, Jesse Oliver, featuring alongside David ‘Ghostboy’ Stavanger and host David Hallett.
The show will include invited readings and a Poetry Slam.
BANG! Academy of Arts presents Two Wolves
Byron Theatre | 14 & 15 August | 7pm | $15-25
BANG! Academy of Arts’ crowdfunding campaign has paid off. Their Kickstarter project was successfully completed with 110 per cent funding received from 137 backers, exceeding their goal of raising $12,000 to cover production costs for Two Wolves, the new collaboration between local artist and director Anouska Gammon and award-winning kids/teens author Tristan Bancks, Cumulus Visual Effects, soundscape designer and engineer Pat Davern, and various other experienced (and first-time!) cast and crew. Two Wolves is a fast-paced and suspenseful story aimed at audiences aged 10+ as it deals with complex themes including coming-of-age choices and consequences, expectations of manliness, family loyalty and trust in authority.
Two Wolves is playing at the Byron Theatre with matinees for schools on both days. For bookings call 6685 6807 or book online at www.byroncentre.com.au
Country Club Comedy – Mike Bennett, Mandy Nolan, Suraj
Ocean Shores Country Club | Tues 7 August | 7pm | Free
Mad Mike is an unstoppable comedy talent. After five years as a barman DJ in some of Australia’s best-known resorts, as a precursor to his 15 years as a stunt and visual comedy performer at Movie World GC – Mike lives, breathes, eats and sleeps performance.
Mike comes to the Ocean Shores Country Club this Tuesday bringing more than 20 years of entertainment experience with him. Mike is a comedy legend; don’t miss this opportunity to come see one of the most charismatic, authentic and hardworking comedians on the circuit.
Stories in the Club: Drawn from Life
Byron Writers Festival Feature: Stories in the Club: Drawn From Life with Delta Kaye, Simon Richardson, Dr Mary Gardner, Adam Shoemaker & Jenni Cargill.
Byron Theatre | Sat 8 August | 8pm | $15
Curated by local storyteller Jenni Cargill-Strong and supported by the Ngara Institute, Stories in the Club: Drawn from Life has become a new Mullumbimby institution. This month is one year since it kicked off and, excitingly, this coincides with its becoming a Feature Event for the Byron Bay Writers Festival, ‘Live Storytelling; Stories of Place’, supported by Brookfarm and held at the Byron Theatre. Jenni has put together a polished lineup of five local storytellers: Delta Kaye, Simon Richardson, Mary Gardner, Adam Shoemaker and herself.
Delta Kaye is an inspiring and articulate speaker. She has a performance background and for some years toured schools, telling tales and teaching culture. At the February Stories in the Club, 200 storylovers came to hear environmental stories and two of the stories that generated the most excited feedback were by Dr Mary Gardner and the mayor Simon Richardson. If you missed that event, make sure you catch them this time. Also featured is Adam Shoemaker, specialist in Indigenous literature and culture. His story goes back to his Canadian roots in northern Ontario.
Tickets on www.byronwritersfestival.com/feature-events
Ballina Players Auditions
Looking for children, teens and adults: auditions are by appointment only
A busy few weeks for Ballina Players! While auditions have just been completed for Ballina Players’ Christmas production of The Boy from Oz, preparations are now underway for auditions for their January production, Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and the Beast will be performed from 11 till 20 January for a minimum of eight performances. Beauty and the Beast tells the story of a cold-blooded prince who has been magically transformed into an unsightly creature as punishment for his selfish ways. To revert into his true human form, the Beast must first earn the love of a bright, beautiful young woman whom he has imprisoned in his enchanted castle, before it is too late.
Contact Mike on 0402 491 036
Comedy that Rocks – Dave Eastgate, Jackie Loeb, MC Mandy Nolan
Mullumbimby Ex-Services | Mon13 August | 7pm | $20-25
If you like your comedy octane charged and pumping with talent, then don’t miss Comedy that Rocks when comedian Mandy Nolan presents two of Australia’s leading rock’n’roll comedians: Jackie Loeb and Dave Eastgate. Jackie is a musical superstar, who now lives most of the year in LA where she goes to auditions, does standup and acts in sitcoms. Dave Eastgate starred alongside Magda Szubanski and Jane Turner in Open Slather. He most recently starred in the US hit Ronnie Chieng: International Student. He’s even been nominated for a Logie award. Fellow comedian Ellen Briggs nearly lost her shit at his last show saying, ‘I’ve never laughed at anyone that hard’. Mandy Nolan, her comedic offsider, sulked for a while but then got over it.
Tix available on mandynolan.com.au or at the club
Hammer & Hand Exhibition
Byron Arts & Industry Estate | Fri 3 August | 5pm | FREE
Ten years! The team at Hammer and Hand Jewellery and Metal Collective are excited, proud and grateful to be celebrating 10 years in business in Byron. Knowing just how hard it is to stay in business has made their upcoming exhibition NeXt all the more reason to celebrate.
The 11 current members believe that the gallery’s success is down to great teamwork and the way Hammer and Hand is run as a collective, meaning that each member has a share of the rent and has their regular day in the gallery/workshop. Customers can come and browse the work of all 11 metal artists, chat with and watch the rostered member at work.
Hammer and Hand Jewellery and Metal Collective celebrate 10 years in business and look forward to the next 10 with an exhibition of new work titled NeXt.