Join Maisy Stapleton and Paula Towers this Arts Thursday to meet two special guests from two local landmark organisations.

Randi Linnegar

King Street Gallery on William is in the centre of Sydney’s arts district, not far from the AGNSW and the MCA.

Since opening originally in King St, Newtown in the 1980s, it has grown to represent many established artists including Lucy Culliton, Elisabeth Cummings, Ross Laurie, Euan Macleod, Idris Murphy, Wendy Sharpe, and Guy Warren.

As well as showcasing a number of Australia’s leading artists, King St Gallery is more than a gallery – director Randi Linnegar also offers advice on conservation and collection management as well as on purchasing. She is joining us to outline how, through changing times and challenges including Covid, the gallery has not only survived but thrived.

Stefanie Jones

Actor and musical theatre star Stefanie Jones also joins us on Arts Thursday to tell us about an exciting new production which premieres at the Hayes Theatre in Potts Point next month. A not-for-profit company, the Hayes Theatre specialises in music theatre and cabaret and its productions have won numerous awards.

Stefanie starred in the successful stage versions of Muriel’s Wedding, and Once The Musical, and this latest production Half Time looks set to be equally as popular.

Half Time opens on April 1 for a month-long season and features stage royalty, after whom the theatre was named – Nancye Hayes AM, plus other well-known performers including Lena Cruz (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Shortland Street), actor and director Dolores Dunbar (Funny Girl, My Fair Lady), showbiz veteran Donna Lee (Oklahoma, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast), and acclaimed West End performer Wendy-Lee Purdy.

Half Time is the true story of 10 ordinary seniors who audition to dance at halftime for a major basketball team. Only after making the cut do they learn they’ll be dancing in a style entirely new to them: hip-hop.

Stefanie will give us an overview of the resurgence of interest in musicals and what makes them a popular formula in continuing to attract large audiences.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

King Street Gallery: https://kingstreetgallery.com.au/

Hayes Theatre Co: https://hayestheatre.com.au/

DON’T WORRY IF YOU MISS THE PROGRAM!

If you miss the program you can listen again by going to /arts/artsthursday/ and clicking on the date 18 March 2021.

Tune into Arts Thursday with Maisy Stapleton and Paula Towers every fortnight from 10:30 to noon.