By JESSE GRAHAM
THE YARRA Ranges Council last night launched its Culture Tracks program for the year, giving audience a taste of the performances at Healesville’s Memo Hall.
Visitors packed into the Memo, on Wednesday 10 February, for the opening night of the year-long program, which features exhibitions, music and theatre performances at the council’s venues in Healesville, Warburton, Lilydale, Montrose, Upwey and Mooroolbark.
After refreshments, visitors saw a performance by flash mob dancers in the foyer, as part of the council’s Dance Here program, before taking a seat in the Memo’s main room.
Human Animal Exchange performers, Sarah Hamilton and Justine Campbell, performed a spoken word segment of their show, They Saw a Thylacine, to start the night.
The lyrical performance tells the story of two women who saw the last Tasmanian Tiger, and the audience was silent as the lights dimmed and Hamilton and Campbell’s voices came out of the darkness.
Yarra Ranges Council’s manager of arts, culture and heritage, Greg Box, then introduced the program and said the events gave the community the opportunity to “track across” the area, going from venue to venue for more than 50 events.
Over the night, attendees watched previews of Boy Out of the Country and The Phantom of the Opera – performed as a radio-play – as well as a stirring performance from Jeff Jenkins for his Bob Dylan-inspired show, DYLANesque.
The Melbourne Ballet Company also gave a demonstration of their ballet, Arche, which will be performed at Burrinja in Upwey on 19 March.
Ryrie Ward councillor Fiona McAllister said the council had made a “significant” commitment to the arts with the program, which is now in its third year.
She said she was sometimes asked by residents why the council invested in the arts, and gave a stirring response to the crowd.
“If we don’t, local artists won’t blossom and grow,” Cr McAllister said.
“If we don’t, our wonderful community won’t get to share these exquisite gems, some of which you’ve seen tonight, and our wonderful community might not be able to take an hour, an afternoon or an evening to experience something different, something wonderful.”
“It challenges us and changes us, and makes us feel so many emotions … it transports us and transfixes us.”
Regional arts co-ordinator for urban region Malcolm Russell said shows such as Kate Miller-Heidke’s were already selling out, and recommended crowds see Grammy-nominated musician and former Mooroolbark local, Barney McAll, perform on 13 August.
Dance Here, also a Yarra Ranges Council program, will feature 38 free performances in public spaces between 15 March and 15 April.
For the full Culture Tracks program, more information, or to buy tickets for the shows, visit ach.yarraranges.vic.gov.au.
