Wollongong’s arts precinct is about to be hearing a lot of Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!
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The much anticipated, grand Aurora Spiegeltent will set down its pegs and canvas next week to host a month long season of Marcia Hines’ new show Velvet.
Picture people suspended from the ceiling on silks and hula-hoops, contortionists in sequin studded leotards, flamboyant cabaret performers and then there’s the disco diva Hines.
Considering it’s the first time the Illawarra will see a Spiegeltent, and Velvet, Hines isn’t too sure how audiences in the ‘Gong will receive the boogie wonderland.
“I don’t have a crystal ball but here’s hoping. I remember I came down for the [Merrigong season] launch, everybody in the theatre was really excited about it,” she said.
“I think it’s just a great vibe, the whole tent thing, it’s pulling you back in history because that’s the way entertainment used to be, I call it the fancy shmancy tent; it’s quite beautiful.”
Velvet is the main event for the Spiegeltent season which will also see some of Australia’s best comedians, singers and performers throughout April.
The show has already had sell-out success over the past two years at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide with its fusion of ‘70s and ‘80s disco, dance, acrobatics, circus and cabaret.
Hines’ character guides a young man, confused of who he is or wants to do, on his life’s journey after he walks into the club.
“It’s loosely based upon a club that was the happening place to be,” she said.
“That’s where everybody was seen and where everybody went to be seen.”
The singer is referring to the infamous New York City nightclub, Studio 54, which was where supermodels, actors and celebrities came to play in the late ‘70s early ‘80s – and even Hines hit the dance-floor at least once.
She said the club was “pretty strange and pretty happening” but nothing too outrageous that she hadn’t seen before since performing in the musical Hair, other than the rich and famous.
It’s been a long and eventful career for the 63-year-old American-Australian who made her stage musical debut, at the age of 16, in the Australian production of Hair.
This was followed with several hit singles as a recording artist in the late 1970s. To date she’s released 22 albums selling 2.6 million copies.
“I do still miss the tactile side of music where when I was coming up you’d buy an album and take off the plastic and gazed into the eyes of performer that you have a crush on,” she said.
“I still think vinyl is a truer sound than using a CD, there’s a warmth vinyl records have got.
“When I was coming up, you bought the album you didn’t buy a track. It’s not right, it’s not wrong, it’s just the way it is.”
FREE SNEAK PEEK PARTY
Friday April 7 the Aurora Spiegeltent doors will fly open for a free sneak peek party for all!
The bar will be open; the DJ will be pumping tunes, with live entertainment on stage and a chance to hang out with some of the cast from Velvet from 5pm to 7.30pm.