Stage kudos and TheatreFest finals invitation for Havelock North High School drama group

Jack Warren (left) as the scheming Lord Angelo, Molly Power as the Prologue and Bianca Kirk as novice nun Isabella in an excerpt from Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. Photo/File

Havelock North High School drama group Three's A Company has been selected to perform in the TheatreFest finals in Invercargill this month.

Theatre New Zealand's Lower North Island Regional TheatreFest was held in Hastings last weekend with seven teams from Wellington and Hawkes Bay competing at the Playhouse Theatre. The Three's A Company drama team, Jack Warren, Bianca Kirk, Molly Power and drama teacher Matt Brebner, were joint winners of the Best Youth Production for their performance of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.

Hawke's Bay TheatreFest organiser Anne Corney said the team were told they got into the final on Sunday and are working hard to fundraise for the trip.

"They're absolutely excited. It's the ultimate achievement and goal for the annual TheatreFest." she said.

The drama group has been given just two weeks' notice to raise $3000 for the trip down to the TheatreFest final in Invercargill.

Measure for Measure role-director Matt Brebner said fundraising efforts have been boosted by random acts of generosity from students and members of the public.

"We had one guy just walk off the street the other day and write a cheque for $200. Kids who I don't even teach have been coming up to me and giving me their lunch money to put towards the trip," he said.

Mr Brebner said the positive competition result was welcomed by the school following the recent Havelock North water crisis.

"The school's had a pretty rough time because of the water crisis. We were closed for two days and the three days before and after we were closed I was only teaching a small portion of my class because kids were too scared to come to school, or they were sick.

"We lost a whole week of school just before the production competition."
Three's a Company will be one of eight teams from throughout New Zealand competing at the National TheatreFest on the 9th and 10th of September.

The final dress rehearsal before the competition will be performed at Duart House at 10.45am next Friday.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the Havelock North High School drama group's travel expenses can make a donation to their Give A Little fundraising website: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/hnhsthreesacompany.