Wed 3 Nov 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Farr, Devenie, Parmenter and Parker Four incredibly talented gay New Zealanders have been recognised for their "substantial track records of excellence" in the arts. Composer Gareth Farr, actor Stuart Devenie, choreographer Michael Parmenter and potter/theatre designer John Parker have received Arts Foundation Laureate Awards. Farr's music has been heard or especially commissioned for high-profile events including the 50th anniversary of the New Zealand Symphony, the opening of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He has composed for the concert chamber, for dance, theatre and television and also the Royal New Zealand Ballet. His alter ego Lilith Lacroix, has performed at venues in New Zealand and overseas, to sold-out houses, and has even won a fashion award at the Trentham Races. Devenie has played leads in many well loved plays and television dramas. He was a founding member of Circa Theatre in Wellington and has been an Associate Director at The Court Theatre in Christchurch and also an Artistic Director at Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North. As well as being a leading stage performer, he has had roles in numerous television dramas, is one of the country's top voice-over artists and has directed a number of plays. Parmenter has created a wide range of dance-works, from innovative solo and duo shows to full-length pieces for the opera-house stage. He has choreographed many of these for his own Commotion Company, in addition to numerous works for the Royal New Zealand Ballet and Footnote Dance. He is also recognised as a teacher of distinction and an engaging and challenging writer and speaker. Parker began his career in pottery aged 19 and through his subsequent work and international connections, he helped form the direction ceramics has taken in New Zealand. His work has been exhibited around the world and is held in many collections. While developing his interest in ceramics, he also became involved in theatre design, undertaking design briefs for theatre, ballet and musicals. His credits are numerous including a long history of designing for the Auckland Theatre Company. Also honoured this year is cinematographer Leon Narbey, who has worked on endless films including Desperate Remedies and Whale Rider. Each laureate receives $50,000 in recognition of their contribution to the New Zealand arts. "The laureate awards are about recognising senior New Zealand artists who have a substantial track record of excellence, and will make great work in the future," foundation chairperson Ros Burdon said. The Arts Foundation has awarded 54 laureateships, worth $2.37 million, since it was founded in 2000 to help grow private support for the arts. A series of short programmes on each of the 2010 Laureate Recipients will feature on TVNZ 7 in March 2011.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 3rd November 2010 - 3:53pm