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Upbeat for Thursday 30 June 2016

  • Who has the grit?

    1:50 PM.Graham Pushee was one of the preliminary judges for the 2016 Lexus Song Quest, and had the tough job of deciding who, of the dozens that applied, has what it takes to compete for New Zealand's most… Read more Audio

  • The puppet mistress

    1:40 PM.Red Leap Theatre is touring its latest show round the North island. Ella Becroft plays the central character in Dust Pilgrim, a young girl running away from her troubled mother. Audio

  • Celebrating great Cantabrians

    1:20 PM.Renowned journalist Mike Crean and musician Mark Walton talks about their afternoon of Words and Music celebrating Great Cantabrians to raise money for the Christchurch School of Music. Mike has… Read more Audio

  • Light under foot

    1:00 PM.Nederlands Dans Theater is performing in New Zealand for the first time this week in Auckland. Artistic Director Paul Lightfoot talks about spending over thirty years working with the company he… Read more Audio

1pm Light under foot

Stop Motion a dance work by Paul Lightfoot, for Nederlands Dans Theater

Stop Motion a dance work by Paul Lightfoot, for Nederlands Dans Theater Photo: Nederlands Dans Theater

Nederlands Dans Theater is performing in New Zealand for the first time this week in Auckland. Artistic Director Paul Lightfoot talks about spending over thirty years working with the company he joined as an 18 year old.

 1.20 Celebrating great Cantabrians

Journalist Mike Crean

Journalist Mike Crean Photo: Supplied

Renowned journalist Mike Crean and musician Mark Walton talks about their afternoon of Words and Music celebrating Great Cantabrians to raise money for the Christchurch School of Music. Mike has selected 15 of his favourite people from the hundreds of obituaries he wrote for the Christchurch Press over the years. In between each of Mike’s short selections Mark Walton will play musical cameos. 

1.40  The puppet mistress

Ella Becroft and Tom Eason in Dust Pilgrim by Red Leap Theatre

Ella Becroft and Tom Eason in Dust Pilgrim by Red Leap Theatre Photo: Supplied

Red Leap Theatre is touring its latest show round the North island. Ella Becroft plays the central character in Dust Pilgrim, a young girl running away from her troubled mother.

1.50 Who has the grit?

Graham Pushee preliminary judge Lexus Song Quest 2016

Graham Pushee Australian counter tenor and preliminary judge Lexus Song Quest 2016 Photo: Supplied

Preliminary judge for the 2016 Lexus Song Quest Graham Pushee had the tough job of deciding who of the dozens that applied had what it takes to compete for New Zealand's most prestigious singing prize. The Australian counter tenor says sometimes it's about being really tough and seeing who has the grit to make the cut.