HOTA announces art and live performance for ‘Upspring’

This spring, Home of the Arts (HOTA) will not only welcome the warmer weather, but a new program bursting with great art, live performances and a special production from Queensland Ballet.

‘Upspring’ will land at the Gold Coast venue from October to December and audiences can expect intimate performances by some of Australia’s best singer-songwriters, live music in the sunshine, local storytelling, panel discussions and movies. Also programmed and in a first at HOTA’s Outdoor Stage, Queensland Ballet will present a short and exclusive season of ‘Giselle’. Expected to be a program highlight, the ballet will grace the 12-14 November, in an extra special exclusive performance.

Giselle follows the story of an innocent peasant girl, tricked into love with a deceitful Count, before transforming into a forgiving spirit who saves her lover from a vengeful death. Queensland Ballet’s Artistic Director Li Cunxin said the outdoor venue will be a great backdrop to celebrate this momentous occasion for the Company, after its entire 2020 season was postponed to 2021 as a result of COVID-19.

“We are thrilled to be back on the stage, not only to do what we love, but to give back to our audiences who have been so generously supportive through this unprecedented time,” said Cunxin.

“A story of innocent love and betrayal, Giselle is a masterpiece that has captured the hearts of audiences since it first premiered in Paris in 1841.”

Off the back of the success of their recent live outdoor program, ‘Wonder’, which saw over 16,000 patrons attend the HOTA Parklands over two weeks, HOTA CEO Criena Gehrke said the new program signifies a fresh chapter for the Home of the Arts.

“’Upspring’ is the perfect compilation of live performances and great art in the outdoors that will bring people together to share in the extraordinary experiences HOTA continues to bring to the coast,” Gehrke said.

“There’s something special about springtime, and this next chapter of live events includes some incredible artists and companies that will guarantee everybody a good time as we head into the tail end of the year.”

‘Upspring’ commences this October with its Supper Club events – an opportunity to get up close and personal during a series of Saturday nights in HOTA’s Lakeside Room, with tickets including great food and performance from the irrepressible, Dami Im (17 Oct), Sarah McLeod (24 Oct), Katie Noonan (31 Oct), Washington (7 Nov) and Sahara Beck (28 Nov).

Circa’s ‘Peepshow’ turns cabaret on its head in a sold-out performance on 17 October from the thrillingly acrobatic to the comically playful. On 25 October, one of Australia’s best-selling albums, Neil Diamond’s iconic ‘Hot August Night’, will be performed by The Good Band as they bring their own flavour to the classic tracks on HOTA’s Outdoor Stage.

For cinemagoers, the Gold Coast Film Festival will be curating the Queer Film Festival, 8-10 November in HOTA’s Cinema featuring a series of vivid and engaging films; National Theatre Live returns to the stage with James McAvoy in Cyrano de Bergerac (14 Nov); and there’s a feast of bite-sized cinema with Flickerfest 2020 and more.

‘Magic Beach’ is the new stage adaptation of the classic Australian book by Alison Lester AM on 13-14 November, from the team behind The Gruffalo. The Gold Coast’s popular storytelling night is also on again, ‘Stories in the Key of GC’ returns on
27 November after being the very first live show at HOTA since the venue had to temporarily close its doors earlier this year. MC Fletcher Babb (aka Cold Ghost) will be joined by local writer Sam Morris, investigative journalist Hedley Thomas (Teacher’s Pet), and Gold Coast poet Vivi Baker for a dive into local stories.

On 29 November, the Gold Coast’s Roots Music Festival returns with a star-studded line up of roots artists taking to HOTA’s Outdoor Stage, including Tijuana Cartel, Fat Picnic, Hanlon Brothers, August River Band and MC, DJ Sarah Howells. HOTA joins forces with VAULT to present ‘The F Word’ on 5 December, with a day of panellists discussing feminism in the art world, chaired by one of Australia’s leading curators and art advisors, Alison Kubler.

And throughout December, HOTA’s popular ‘Fridays on the Lawn’ continues with 12 Days of Christmas – free live music throughout the HOTA parklands celebrating the festive season, with performances from several Queensland artists including Benny D Williams, Trichotomy, Bobby Alu, Karl S Williams, and plenty more.

‘Upspring’ will be sure to put a spring in the Gold Coasters’ steps with this jam-packed live program and more to be  announced over the coming months.

All events meet social distancing and hygiene guidelines per HOTA’s COVID safe plan and is available on their website.

For more information on HOTA’s ‘Upspring’ program, visit HOTA’s website.

Media Release supplied by Home of the Arts.