Byron Bay News

The Age of Aquarius comes home to Byron Bay

Published

2 years ago

28 October 2022

JeffG

The Age of Aquarius comes home to Byron Bay

Bangalow Theatre Company to stage Hair, the ultimate ‘Tribal Love-Rock Musical’

By MARGARET DEKKER

It’s crazy to think man that the psychedelic cult classic Hair hasn’t been performed in Byron Bay.

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With its celebration of hippie counterculture, anti-convention, anti-war and lots of peace, love and long hair baby, Australia’s own iconic “hippie-town” (well, it was) is the obvious stage.

Even Byron’s legendary welcome sign still tells us today to “Cheer Up. Slow Down. Chill Out.” In between love and peace symbols.

Now finally 56 years on, Northern Rivers theatregoers will get their chance to experience the original, definitive rock musical Hair, in Byron Bay, in all its sensual, rebellious, and pioneering rock glory, with the show coming to the Byron Theatre amphitheatre in March 2023.

Bringing this electric opus to life – which was first staged and controversially-so, Off-Broadway in the 1967 Summer of Love – is award-winning director, Byron Shire thespian (and self-described once hippie herself) Kate Foster and the Bangalow Theatre Company.

“I want it to be really intimate and we’ve secured the Byron Theatre for that reason, it has this lovely intimacy we need for this show,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.

A solid, 6-month rehearsal schedule is now underway weekly in Bangalow Hall together with Assistant Director Anouska Gammon, to ‘Let the Sunshine In’ by next Autumn.

True to Hair’s own revolutionary roots, Kate Foster is applying similar ‘experimental’ techniques to early rehearsals, uniting a tribe of 15 local, passionate and already transfixed cast members: think improvisational exercises, yoga, candles, incense and evocative Indian ragas in the cast’s very own Bangalow ‘be-in.’

“It was so beautiful, just creating that level playing field with the cast. Hugging, chatting, then we spent two hours choreographing the open scene, Aquarius. It was such a good first rehearsal, it was just magic,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.

“This is a tribe show, this isn’t your chorus and leads show but essentially a tribe of people who are on stage the whole time, transforming, costume-changing, ad-libbing,” Kate added.

Hair was written in 1967 by Gerome Ragni and James Rado to bring to the stage the social revolution the friends saw happening around them in their own streets of New York, in the mid-sixties; rising anti-Vietnam War, anti-conscription sentiment, new Eastern philosophy, hallucinogens, free love .. as a new generation of ‘true patriots’ emerged, dodging the draft and wanting, protesting a better, happier America. As original producer, Michael Butler said then, “Hair is the strongest anti-war statement ever written.”

Entertainment and theatre portrait photographer

Kate Foster echoes that original view.

“Young patriotic Americans were saying ‘no, we don’t want to go off and die.’ The protests we see in the show are directly referenced, like the assassination of American President, John F. Kennedy. He was seen as their saviour and he was taken from them, it led to a revolution of youth wanting to take control of their lives.”

Student protests, high school dropouts, flag burning, experimental drugs, sexual repression, racial integration, interracial relationships, and passivism are explored against a backdrop of the previous decade of conservative 1950s.

“It just blew society wide open. Such an electric, explosive time to be alive and these are all the amazing things the show deals with.

“And the show was created to be controversial, like never seen before. Previously musicals had been straight out of Rodgers and Hammerstein,” Kate Foster, Director Hair explains.

For the first time on stage, Hair challenged taboos of inequality, race relations, corruption in politics, domestic violence, environmental destruction, and human rights. It may leave audiences today wondering if anything’s really changed in five decades.

“The play itself has become a sort of time capsule. It was written in 1967 by Gerome Ragni and James Rado about their lives and that time of youth revolution in Vietnam War America. There have been so many rewrites and versions and directions taken but I want this show to be true to Hair’s original intention. I want it to be authentic, I want it to ring super-true to the 1960s, be a time capsule of 1968 in sound, set, lighting and wardrobe,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.

A pure interpretation of the script is an unusual tack for the typically experimental, unconventional Foster who in 2017 was awarded a Gold Coast Area Theatre Award for ‘Best Director of a Community Theatre Musical’ for her contemporary take on the stage classic, ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ again with Bangalow Theatre Company.

“I’m approaching the script with respect. I don’t want to mess with it,” Kate Foster, Director Hair told The Northern Rivers Times.

As for feeling any pressure in staging this truly original and almost ‘sacred’ rock musical, performed everywhere from the West End in London to Gorky Park in Moscow and countless countries in between, in its 55-year reign;

“Nothing creative comes out of fear,” Kate Foster said.

Performance has been Kate’s life since she was four years old; as actor, choreographer, short film cast member, Performing Arts degree holder, talent scout, committee member and director. But it’s Hair that’s always been her dream show.

“I went and saw the show six times when I was seventeen, at the height of my own ‘hippie phase’ (laughs.) Hair transported me into this world I’d never been to before, as a young adult wanting to escape .. I was absolutely transported to an era I wished I’d been a part of, that free, open-hearted world of the late 1960s .. it absolutely captured me. Ever since then I’ve been in love with it. And I’ve tried to bottle a little bit of that feeling and release it into this show.”

“Me directing the show now, you could say has been 30-years in the making,” Kate smiles.

There is no ‘Tribal Love-Rock Musical’ without the skilled interpretation of Galt MacDermot’s Grammy Award-winning score by Bangalow Theatre Company’s Music Director Margaret Curtis and her local live band, with Choreography by Shir Manu.

It’s important to stress, the entire show is staged by tireless and highly skilled volunteers.

“The Bangalow Theatre Company has an amazing network of volunteers who are very excited and can’t wait for this show to start. It’s really important to acknowledge the thousands of volunteer-hours that go into bringing this show to the community, so we hope the community comes to the show to make sure local theatre continues to happen,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.

And by 2023, the show aims to lure a whole new generation of audience, to its new-age of Aquarius ..

“Everyone who’s aged 40-plus knows the show from 30 years ago, it’s now the younger generation I’m hoping to attract, to have the same powerful experience I had 30 years ago,” Kate Foster, Hair Director said.

As for her staging the definitive hippie musical in the definitive hippie town? Even Kate Foster can’t believe the .. dramatic irony and her luck.

“Byron is a perfect place to stage Hair .. it’s Byron!” Kate Foster laughed, out loud.

For the latest information on the show and ticket sale dates, visit Bangalow Theatre Company: bangalowtheatre.com.au

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Byron Bay News

Byron Bay RDE – Regional Disability and Seniors Expo 2024: Call for Exhibitors

Published

2 days ago

15 May 2024

Liam

Byron Bay RDE – Regional Disability and Seniors Expo 2024: Call for Exhibitors

In regional New South Wales, individuals with disabilities and seniors, along with their caregivers, often encounter difficulties in accessing the essential resources and support that are more readily available in larger urban centres. This disparity is frequently due to a lack of awareness about the local services and support systems, compelling many to undertake unnecessary travel to metropolitan areas or, worse, to forego critical assistance altogether.

Sharon Fulwood, an event manager, and parent to two children with disabilities, understands these challenges from personal experience, particularly in navigating the complexities of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) within her community. To bridge this gap, Sharon is spearheading the inaugural Byron Bay Regional Disability Expo (RDE), which will also feature a Seniors Expo, providing a much-needed platform for accessing a plethora of services locally.

Set for July 5, 2024, at the Cavanbah Centre in Byron Bay, the expo aims to empower, educate, and connect individuals with disabilities, seniors, and caregivers with the latest resources, technologies, and services available to them. This event promises to be a pivotal resource, eliminating the need for long-distance travel by consolidating a wide range of services under one roof.

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Exhibitor Invitation: To ensure the success of this vital initiative, Sharon invites providers of products and services related to developmental delays, health conditions, congenital disabilities, aging, and more to participate in this enriching expo. Exhibiting at the Byron Bay RDE offers a unique opportunity to network with other organisations, collaborate on solutions, and engage directly with end-users—thereby playing an active role in enhancing the lives of the local disability and senior communities.

Event Details:

Date: Friday, 5 July 2024
Venue: Cavanbah Centre, 249 Ewingsdale Rd, Byron Bay

Exhibitors at the Byron Bay RDE will gain invaluable exposure and direct feedback from the community, enhancing their ability to serve and support. This event is not just an expo but a community effort to bring local and regional resources to the forefront, ensuring that those who need them most are well-informed and supported.

For more information on how to participate or register as an exhibitor, please visit the official Byron Bay RDE website or contact the event management team directly. Join us in making a significant impact in the Byron Bay community—your expertise and services can make a real difference.

For more Byron Bay news, click here.

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2022 Floods

$300,000 funding agreement to help deliver flood resilient land in the Byron Shire

Published

2 days ago

15 May 2024

Liam

Janelle Saffin, Paul Scully, Michael Lyon Resilient Lands Program Saddle Road Precinct

$300,000 funding agreement to help deliver flood resilient land in the Byron Shire

The NSW Government is providing Byron Shire Council $300,000 through the Resilient Lands Program to provide safe, flood resilient land for new housing at the Saddle Road Precinct in Brunswick Heads.

The funding from the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) will allow Council to complete a Structure Plan, Infrastructure Priority Plan, technical studies, and community engagement to investigate suitability for new housing and public infrastructure in the precinct.

Located on the western side of the Pacific Motorway, the site is just five minutes by car to Brunswick Heads and eight to Mullumbimby. It is well above projected flood heights which will provide opportunities for new homes off the flood plain.

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Saddle Road is the third site to be identified under the RA’s Resilient Lands Program (RLP). The site is also the first to be identified outside of the Lismore LGA under the program, and has also been flagged in Byron Shire Council’s Residential Strategy as a key site for future residential development.

It follows the recent announcement of 400 new lots in East Lismore and up to 50 new households in the Mount Pleasant Estate at Goonellabah.

While the final number of homes at Saddle Road will be determined following detailed planning and community engagement, based on site-specifications, it is estimated between 500-800 homes could be delivered.

The RLP is accelerating the delivery of new land and housing options, linking with the $700 million Resilient Homes Program (RHP), giving flood impacted homeowners a pathway to move to a safer location.

The RA will work with RHP buyback participants to secure suitable and affordable land and will provide further support to those eligible who wish to relocate their existing homes.

For more information, visit NSW Reconstruction Authority.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“This funding is a win-win for the community and Byron Shire Council.

“Not only will it help to unlock flood-resilient lots for people to build on, it also helps Council and the NSW Government deliver on its promise of more homes for our growing population.

“The land is positioned near existing services and an established community and will provide a beautiful, safe place to live for those affected by the nearby flood plain.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said:

“The announcement of this third site under the Resilient Lands Program is the first one outside of Lismore.

“Locals communities and Councils can be assured that the wheels of the RLP are starting to turn right across the Northern Rivers.

“This announcement will be followed by others in our local government areas and will see more land become available, giving people accepting buybacks in the Resilient Homes Program a variety of places to choose from.”

Byron Shire Council Mayor Michael Lyon said:

“We are thrilled to receive this initial funding support which will not only benefit members of our community displaced by the natural disasters in 2022, but also address the housing crisis that has existed since before the floods.

“Council can now get on with the important job of structure planning for this site on The Saddle Road and get the land ready for building flood-resilient houses more quickly which is a huge win.

“The work ahead includes an Aboriginal Heritage and Environmental Sensitivity Assessment, a Structure Plan that includes a vision and concept plan for the site, a Planning Proposal to amend Council’s LEP and an Infrastructure Priority Plan that addresses the infrastructure required to support a new community such as roads, sewer and water.

“As these works are progressed, we look forward to working with our community to achieve the best outcomes.”

For more Byron Bay news, click here.

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Bangalow News

Have Your Say on Byron Shire’s New Active Transport Plan

Published

1 week ago

9 May 2024

Liam

Have Your Say on Byron Shire’s New Active Transport Plan

Byron Shire Council is inviting feedback from all residents who walk, roll, and ride within the community. The council has undertaken a significant review of its existing Bike Plan and Pedestrian Access and Mobility Plan, both of which were initially developed in 2018 after extensive community input. Six years on, it’s time to evaluate the plans’ effectiveness, set new priorities, and celebrate the achievements thus far.

Shelley Currie, the Council’s Road Safety Officer, highlighted a major update in the review process: the merging of the two previous plans into a singular, comprehensive document dubbed the Active Transport Plan. “The goals, objectives, and outcomes of the previous plans closely align, so consolidating them into one unified plan is a strategic move to streamline our efforts and resources,” explained Ms. Currie.

Objectives of the Active Transport Plan include:

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Enhancing opportunities for active travel.
Boosting the connectivity of paths and cycleways throughout the Shire.
Designing and implementing high-quality infrastructure to ensure maximum safety and accessibility.
Providing amenities that enhance the attractiveness of walking, rolling, and riding.
Encouraging the use of bicycles for shorter trips.

A draft of the Active Transport Plan is currently on public exhibition, and Byron Shire Council is seeking input from the community to refine and enhance the proposal. Residents are encouraged to review the draft plan and contribute their perspectives and suggestions.

Details for Public Feedback:

Read the Draft: The draft Active Transport Plan is available for public viewing.
Provide Feedback: Residents can submit their comments and suggestions to help shape the final plan.
Deadline for Submissions: Feedback must be submitted by 31 May 2024.

For more information and detailed instructions on how to make a submission, please visit Byron Shire Council’s official website at Have your say on our Active Transport Plan – Byron Shire Council.

For more Byron Bay news, click here.

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