Scarlet Gold

Scarlet & Gold by acclaimed playwright and actor Lorae Parry is a powerful new play with music and dance - inspired by the real events of the 1912 Waihi Gold Miners 'strike. It follows the changing fortunes of three very different women who clash dramatically during the strike. The play opens at Circa Two on November 25.

As the strike drags on leader, Bill Parry, along with many of the miners, is imprisoned in Mt Eden. While the men are in prison, the women take over the fight. Quite quickly, their ordinary lives become extraordinary and they find strength in finding their voices. This long and bitter strike that led to major changes in industrial law and the formation of the Labour Party in 1916 still has significance today.

Scarlet & Gold is a play about love, justice, courage and equity. It harks back to a time when fundamental beliefs about a 'fair-go for all' were entrenched in the New Zealand psyche. The gulf between rich and poor that leads to the strike provides a sombre reflection on the social and economic conditions today.

Background

A finalist in the Adam Play Award, Scarlet & Gold has already demonstrated its 'sparkle' at a recent public reading to a packed audience at Circa. Author Rachel McAlpine described it as "a brilliant work" about a timely and important piece of history. "It's going to be a hit do not doubt it," she said. For those who loved Parry's celebrated play Eugenia, or who laughed themselves silly at Destination Beehive - Scarlet & Gold offers a great pre-Christmas night out.

Directed by Kate JasonSmith, with choreography by Jan Bolwell and musical direction from Laughton Pattrick, Scarlet & Gold also features a large talented cast with Parry in a lead role, as well as celebrated actors: Todd Rippon, Carmel McGlone and Jon Pheloung among many others.

The play is being produced independently without government agency funding. We have already secured over $28,000 of our budget from donations, private investment, play readings and arts' patrons.

How you can help

We'd be incredibly grateful if you could help us raise the remaining $7,000 we need to support our large talented cast and improve our meagre budgets for staging, props and costumes. You can help us 'get over the wire' by donating to our crowdfunding campaign on Boosted.

You can also support us by circulating: this link to our website to your friends and whanau - https://loraeparry.com/

Organising: a pre-Christmas group booking: http://www.circa.co.nz/package/scarlet-gold/

Or, promote us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scarletandgoldtheplay/