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ALL THAT JAZZ National Playwright Competition
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● Carl Dewhurst ■ The National Jazz Awards, Australia’s most The guitar was last featured in 2014, when prestigious jazz performance competition, re- Carl Morgan took out the prestigious honour. turns in 2022 with the spotlight turned to the Award winning guitarist and 2002 NJA conation’s most talented young guitarists. winner Stephen Magnusson will head this year’s The prize pool includes a recording session judging panel. with Pughouse Studios and $7000 for the winJoining him on the panel is Carl Dewhurst, ner with second and third placegetters receiv- also a 30-year creative music veteran, who is ing $4,000 and $2,000 respectively. considered one Australia’s most accomplished High-level Australian guitarists aged 36 or and highly regarded jazz and improvising guiyounger are invited to submit their application tarists. by August 31. Another judge, Fran Swinn, has carved out Contestants must submit three recordings – her own sound in the Australian musical landone piece by an Australian composer, another scape with her band, The Fran Swinn Trio and ballad and also a blues standard or original. as a member of Improv Mill, Big Guitar and Full details of the Awards and how to enter the Louisa Rankin band. are available on www.wangarattajazz.com/naThis year’s five finalists will be announced tional-jazz-awards/ in late September with the 2022 National Jazz Presented as part of the Wangaratta Festi- Award finals held in Wangaratta on Saturday, val of Jazz and Blues, each year the Awards October 29. focus on a different instrument - guitar, bass, www.wangarattajazz.com/ saxophone, brass, drums, piano or vocals. national-jazz-awards
Six times over the limit: Police
■ A man has returned an alleged reading of more than six times the legal alcohol limit after crashing into two parked cars in Hoppers Crossing. Police were called to Willmott Drive at Derrimut Rd to reports of the crash about 8.10pm on Friday (July 15). Investigators have been told the driver attempted to drive off from the scene but was followed by witnesses who blocked in the vehicle until Police arrived. The driver, a 49-year-old Hoppers Crossing man, was found to be unlicensed and returned an evidentiary breath test of 0.309 He is expected to be charged on summons with a range of offences including unlicensed driving and exceed prescribed concentration of alcohol.
■ The Doncaster Playhouse hosted three one-act plays last weekend, all three finalists in the National Playwright Competition now in its 20th year. The competition faced significant challenges over the past two years with cancelled performances due to the pandemic. COVID again disrupted the competition program this year. Carmen Saarelaht’s R U OK? was presented as a rehearsed reading with its original cast members in COVID isolation. Annie Sterling, Mark Robert Walters, Anthony Fogas and Adeline Close stepped in at short notice and presented a lively reading. Elizabeth Long packs her play A Body Corporate Meeting with laughs and pathos. Peter Nathan directs this gentle comedy of bad manners and hurt feelings with a twist in its tail. Penny (Jessica May) and John (Anthony Fogas) reluctantly host the body corporate meeting. Boorish Jim (Mark Robert Walters) quashes any suggestions and soon has everyone offside. Tension rises, and tempers flare. Margaret (Milijana Cancar), Jim’s longsuffering partner, tries her best to smooth the waters. Dave Wellings’ Dusty Roots, directed by Graeme McCoubrie, is a comedy that packs in many great one-liners. Hank (Conner McLeod) wants to get the rockabilly band back together, no mean feat after more than 20 years. Former singer and go-go dancer Lynelle (Heather King) wants a new hip, “dancing with a Zimmer frame” is last on her list of priorities. Greg (Stephen D’Aagata) has a surprise in store. That is if he can get it out of the lift. Hank’s granddaughter Tayler (Alex Hutchinson) and the band’s drummer Boozy (Richard Ryan) are arguing about climate change. Hank’s dream of getting the band back together is looking decidedly shaky. Three new one-act plays, all with great potential. - Review by Kathryn Keeble
● Nadia Gianinotti portrays Velma Kelly in Chicago at Frankston Arts Centre. Details inside.