Nelson Youth Theatre is delighted to present Hairspray - The Broadway Musical - winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical!

Move over Nelson! Tracy Turnblad, the girl with the big hair is on her way!

Come and enjoy this exuberant, energetic and colourful show! Hairspray will delight audiences by sweeping them away to 1960's Baltimore where change is in the air! Loveable plus-size heroine, Tracy Turnblad, has a passion for dancing, and wins a spot on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show". Overnight she finds herself transformed from outsider to teen celebrity. Can a larger than life adolescent manage to vanquish the programme's reigning princess, integrate the television show, and find true love without messing her hair?

With catchy songs and sparkling choreography, this show is a dazzling recreation of the fun that was the '60s. As The New York Times says, "If life were everything it should be, it would be more like Hairspray. It's irresistible!"

Multi award winning Scottish folk singer Emily Smith and New Zealand born multi-instrumentalist Jamie McClennan return to tour NZ in Feb 2015 with their inspiring blend of traditional and original folk songs and instrumentals.
Emily’s beautiful voice eases tired ears and lifts souls with its simple beauty. She also plays accordion and piano. Performing with long time musical partner Jamie McClennan on guitar, fiddle and backing vocals, they are a highly talented duo presenting the best of Scottish folk music.

Emily was named BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year back in 2002. The accolades continued as she won the USA Songwriting Competition in 2005, Scots Singer of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2008, and she received two nominations in the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (Folk Singer of the Year & Best Traditional Track). Kiwi born Jamie moved to Scotland in 2000 and having worked with Emily since the start of her career has established himself as a respected session musician and producer on the Scottish music scene.
Having now worked together for over a decade Smith and McClennan have toured all over the world, from Cambridge Folk Festival all the way down to the National Folk Festival in Australia, via Europe, Russia, Canada and New Zealand.

TV appearances include BBC Four’s Transatlantic Sessions, BBC One’s Songs of Praise, Scotland’s Hogmanay Live, NZ’s Good Morning Show and an exclusive performance for Sky Arts Channel.

In 2014 Emily released her much-anticipated new album ‘Echoes’, produced by Jamie. On this, her fifth studio album, Emily continues to draw on her talent as one of the finest interpreters of traditional song in the UK. Unshakeably Scottish but with farther, wider horizons, their new material sees time worn texts weave beautifully alongside contemporary covers blurring the borders of old and new to create her finest album yet.

Seen by over 22 million people worldwide

"The show you will never forget"
Daily Mail

"Joyous! I love this show"
Sunday Express

BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY tours New Zealand in March and April 2015, taking in 21 venues around the country.

Experience the drama, passion and excitement as a cast of phenomenally talented actors and musicians tell Buddy Holly's story, from his meteoric rise to fame, to his final legendary performance at The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Featuring two terrific hours of the greatest songs ever written, including That'll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, Johnny B. Goode, Raining In My Heart, Everyday, Shout and many many more, this show is just Peggy Sue-perb!

With the Big Bopper's Chantilly Lace and Ritchie Valens' La Bamba completing a stellar musical line-up, BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY is a not to be missed evening of family entertainment.

In less than one year, French pianist Claire Rouault gained an exceptional renown in New Zealand. Claire was chosen amongst the "favorite places and people in NZ" for 2014 by "North&South" magazine.
Claire performed her first solo concert with an orchestra when she was 11 years old. She studied at the National Superior Music Conservatory of Paris, France's top music school (Piano First Prize with honours). She won two major competitions, the Claude Kahn competition (2001) and the Anton Rubinstein Competition (2003).

Together with her partner, Claire created "Piano on Tour", which endeavours to make high quality music concerts more accessible in New Zealand.

The NZ Male Choir is combining with the Nelson Male Voice Choir for the Nelson Arts Festival to entertain their audience with music from around the globe. The music will include old favourites, some light opera and contemporary music from New Zealand composer, Philip Norman.
The New Zealand Male Choir is an auditioned choir of about 60 members from throughout New Zealand. They give their time and their commitment voluntarily for the joy of singing. The choir meets once a month for rehearsals. The South Island members usually meet in Kaikoura and the North Island members in Cambridge. They rehearse together and give a concert with the full choir two or three times a year. The music team are Robert Aburn (Musical Director), Shelley Spang (Accompanist) and Judy Barrett (Accompanist).
The choir has travelled overseas and has given concerts in Australia and Europe. In 2010 they took part in the Eisteddfod competition in Wales where they came third. Following the competition they sang in Windsor Castle, Notre Dame and La Madeleine cathedrals in Paris as well as Salzburg and Vienna. Next year they are performing in Canada.

All ages are welcome to our ceilidh where you get to join in the traditional Scottish ceilidh dances.

The Celtic Pipe Band (which is the best band in the top of the South) provide entertainment, while you recover from the dancing. They will also be joined by all the CPB developing players in the learner programme. Helen's Highland Dancers will also perform traditional and contemporary dances.

Enjoy our rendition of Robbie Burn's Ode to the Haggis, then have a taste of the wee beastie for supper! There is a cash bar, raffles and our old kilts will be up for auction!

The City of Nelson Highland Pipe Band turns 90, with a Ceilidh style concert that is a feast of all things Scottish - from traditional full band performances to Celtic singing, dancing and contemporary performances. Expect to hear piping solos and duets, drum salutes, traditional tunes such as Scotland the Brave and new tunes like The Red Fox.
The band was formed in 1924, and this year celebrates its strong and long-standing presence in the Nelson community.

The City of Nelson Highland Pipe Band turns 90, with a Ceilidh style concert that is a feast of all things Scottish - from traditional full band performances to Celtic singing, dancing and contemporary performances. Expect to hear piping solos and duets, drum salutes, traditional tunes such as Scotland the Brave and new tunes like The Red Fox.
The band was formed in 1924, and this year celebrates its strong and long-standing presence in the Nelson community.

The City of Nelson Highland Pipe Band turns 90, with a Ceilidh style concert that is a feast of all things Scottish - from traditional full band performances to Celtic singing, dancing and contemporary performances. Expect to hear piping solos and duets, drum salutes, traditional tunes such as Scotland the Brave and new tunes like The Red Fox.
The band was formed in 1924, and this year celebrates its strong and long-standing presence in the Nelson community.

The City of Nelson Highland Pipe Band turns 90, with a Ceilidh style concert that is a feast of all things Scottish - from traditional full band performances to Celtic singing, dancing and contemporary performances. Expect to hear piping solos and duets, drum salutes, traditional tunes such as Scotland the Brave and new tunes like The Red Fox.
The band was formed in 1924, and this year celebrates its strong and long-standing presence in the Nelson community.