A Night at the Caravanserai 2015
The magnificent Phil Goodridge will be your master of ceremonies, guiding you from act to act with his wit and charm throughout this evening of vaudevillian variety with performances by James Burke, Mike Fleet, KeiKei DeMurre, The Island Belles, Stephanie Moyst, Charlene Manning, Christina Penney, Michael Connway, Phil Goodridge, Janice & Andrea, Company of Gypsys, Sam Carroll, Seraka Dance Co, and SPECIAL GUEST AUDRA SIMMONS (Toronto ON).
Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door. Advanced tickets are on sale now through Seraka Dance Company online using the PayPal button (below), or at Rosie the Rebel (335 Duckworth Street) starting August 1.
You can still get your tickets at the door for $20!
Your tickets will be held at the door under your reservation name; please bring ID to pick up your tickets. All tickets are final sale.
A graduate of York University’s Theatre program (performance/playwriting), he’s worked with several companies including Best Kind Productions (Urinetown, Avenue Q), TaDa! Productions (Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret, Alice In Wonderland, The Rocky Horror Show, White Christmas , Chicago, Evita and several Our Divas concerts), Joint Productions (Don’t Dress For Dinner), RCA Theatre (iFrancoPhone, Makin’ Time With The Yanks), Rising Tide Theatre’s Summer In The Bight, c2c (Bent, Beyond Therapy) , Beothuck Street Players (Blood Brothers, Jesus Christ Superstar) Peter MacDonald Productions (Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Anne of Green Gables). He can next be seen as Scuttle the seagull in Theatre St. John’s production of The Little Mermaid, and in TaDa’s Our Divas Do Christmas
He has written several plays including Eli and The Deathcurse, Above and Below, The Thieves’ Tale, Once Upon a Blah Blah Blah…, and Aquarium. His most recent play, The Ogre’s Purse (RCA Theatre) toured schools across the province in 2014. As a director he has worked with Shakespeare by the Sea (Above and Below, Romeo and Juliet) as well as his own work Three Tales of Terror: Old Time Radio Drama and The Saucy Personnel. He is also singer/songwriter performing solo as well as part of the duo The Duds with Melanie O’Brien Hutton.
Philip is thrilled to be hosting Caravanserai for a second year in a row!
Facebook: The Duds
Audra Simmons is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Dark Side Studio. In 2007, she formed Lavish, which performs modern and tribal fusion belly dance with a twist. Among its diverse collection of work, Lavish’s repertoire includes two full length productions, STEP (2010) and Affogato (2011), which toured Ontario and Quebec. Lavish has also appeared at Tribal Fest, the New York Theatrical Bellydance Conference, and is the host of artist-in-residence program The Lavish Project.
Audra began studying belly dance intensively with Yasmina Ramzy at Arabesque Academy in 2000, and taught there from 2001-2004. Today, she continues her training with Rachel Brice, with whom she has studied since 2004. She holds her General Skills Certification from FatChanceBellydance, Level 2 Certification from the Suhaila Salimpour School of Bellydance, and Initiation and Cultivation Certifications in Rachel Brice’s 8 Elements. In addition to her dance training, she has a Grade 9 designation, with honours, in piano, from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
At the Caravanserai, you’ll see solos by Audra, as well as a collaboration with Vanessa, Karen & Susan of Seraka Dance Co which incorporates concepts from The Lavish Project 2015 – a project of 14 artists from across North America that took place this past June in Toronto.
The Company of Gypsys represent an eclectic group of woman who share a passion for belly dance. They offer a place for woman to come together for physical fitness, support, encouragement and empowerment. Through belly dance they strive to promote the concepts of a healthy mind, body and spirit. Formally founded in 2011, the Company of Gypsys does not prescribe to any particular style of belly dance, instead, they focus on dancing for fun.
Dancing at the Caravanserai are Peggy, Ashley, Bonnie, Amelia, & Kara.
Island Belles are a performance based troupe who are hoping to spread awareness about the amazing art form that it Burlesque. With a combination of new faces and experienced performers these lovely ladies are devoted to providing the best performances possible and that’s just what they do. This troupe has a little something for everyone, so keep your eyes out for up and coming shows because these girls are headed for big things.
Facebook: Island Belles Burlesque
Website: www.islandbellesburlesque.com
The impatient, impertinent, impractical and impure, your very own… KeiKei de Murre! Easily recognizable in the local burlesque scene, beginning with Jezebel Express and The Purity Girls in 2006, KeiKei has been a popular stage siren ever since she first slid off her glasses and shook down her multicoloured hair. Known for her stage presence and audience interaction (along with her green mane), a night with KeiKei de Murre is one not easily forgotten. Currently a member of the glitter brigade at Island Belles Burlesque, she has a love of old school burlesque styles and combines it with her fierce unyielding personality to bring you to your knees, but still have you on your feet screaming for more!
KeiKei will be performing as a solo artist, bringing along on of her favourite fan dance pieces to share at Caravanserai.
Lynn Panting is a local dancer and choreographer who has been creating innovative dance works for the past ten years. In 2013, she was shortlisted for the Newfoundland and Labrador Art Council’s Arts Educator of the Year Award. Panting has been featured in a number of Neighbourhood Dance Works productions including the Festival of New Dance. Panting has also created work for Sound Symposium and Wonderbolt as well as self-producing her own shows which bring her vibrant work front and centre with new audiences. Panting is known for creating dances that appeal to a wide audience and she often works with artists from other disciplines to generate a theatrical yet lyrical blend of choreography. Her work is at time humorous, heartfelt, bold and always original.
Panting is deeply committed to the growth of creativity and self-confidence through movement and likes to collaborate with individuals outside of the dance community. Panting holds a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Memorial University as well as a Master of Humanities concentrating in performance, dance and the body.
Dancing with Lynn at the Caravanserai is Dylan Brenton!
Video: Improv score and collaboration with Sean Panting and Heavy Weather
Video: “I’m Not Calling You A Liar – A Short Piece for Large Ensemble”
Flamenco dancer Christina Penney is a native Newfoundlander who fell in love with the passion of flamenco in 1998. She has since studied with some of the top flamenco dancers in Canada and the UK, and has also repeatedly traveled to Spain for intensive training and to immerse herself in the Spanish culture. She has taught flamenco lessons from beginner to advanced levels, and enjoys performing in the local arts scene.
At the Caravanserai, Christina is accompanied by singer Sean Harris of El Viento Flamenco/Compañía Azul, flamenco guitarist Manny Companjen, and percussionist Anthony Tucker of El Viento Flamenco.
Facebook: El Viento Flamenco
Sam Carroll began belly dancing in 2010 and quickly fell in love with the challenging and expressive art form. She’s taken regular classes with Vanessa Elizabeth (of St. John’s Seraka Studios) and is Basic Black certified (with Toronto’s Dark Side Studios). Her dance style is best categorized as “modern fusion” and she has an extra soft spot in her heart for cathartic, lyrical pieces.
Mike Fleet is a local alto sax player who has been playing in St. John’s in various Jazz and Rock groups for several years, and also performs as a solo artist. The most recent project he is involved with is the Slampiece Orchestra.
Facebook: Slam-Piece Orchestra
Michael Conway was born and raised in St. John’s and has been performing his magic around Newfoundland since 2007. He started with birthday parties and has worked his way up to sold-out shows with large illusions at the Arts & Cultuer Centre. The magic Michael presents is light-hearted and friendly. It brings a smile to people young and old!
Facebook: Michael Conway Magic
Website: www.mcmagic.com
Andrea began her dance journey nearly 10 years ago, where her experience began with both troupe and solo choreography, as well as teaching. Six years later she met Janice in one of her dance classes, and they have been dancing, choreographing, and growing as dancers both together and solo ever since. The combination of their fresh ideas and their love of vintage-inspired, industrial, and sometimes macabre music, has led to a style which might be described as whimsical with a touch of attitude.
Stephanie Moyst began dancing at the age of 4 and 40 years later has no intention of stopping. She started teaching and choreographing at the age of 16. Stephanie was owner/operator of Dancenterprise in Alberta for 20 years and since moving home formed Tuckamore Dance Company. She specializes in contemporary dance and dabbles in the theatrics of musicals. She loves collaborating with live vocalist and musicians….art inspiring art.
At the Caravanserai, Stephanie is dancing with live vocals from Charlene Mannings!
Charlene Mannings originally came from Brampton, ON and began studying classical music in Sudbury where she obtained her music performance diploma at Cambrian College. Later she went to St. John’s and is currently studying under Dr. Jane Leibel at Memorial University School of Music. Charlene has sung with the university’s choir as a soloist for their concert series as well as for the city of St. John’s Association of Women Police conference. Recently she was in an opera with the Halifax Summer Opera Festival in the opera Julius Caesar in Egypt. Currently she performed in a production with the Memorial School of Music Opera Workshop, working on Jacques Offenbach’s Les Mariage Aux Lanternes where she is played the role of Denies.
At the Caravanserai, Charlene accompanies Stephanie Moyst!
James Burke first discovered his love of juggling while visiting Edinburgh, and has since used the medium as a method of self-expression and communication, enjoying the challenges and rewards of connecting audiences through visual arts. Trained by world leaders in juggling at the Jonglier Katakomben in Berlin, James also studied multiple other disciplines to better his craft, including clown under Ian Wallace. His performance style focuses on object manipulation and flow, melding juggling, dance, character, and showmanship. A consummate entertainer, James’ acts are constantly evolving, and his personal fascination with movement has taken him all across Newfoundland, Canada, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, England and Ireland. Notably, James performed at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, and is a member of the local Wonderbolt Circus.
James is excited to showcase his new ideas and techniques in his hometown of St. John’s and is delighted to participate in Caravanserai, where he’ll be performing TWO numbers for your enjoyment.
You can read the call for submissions here.
The show will need a stage manager, a runner or two, and someone to work the door with tickets sales. If you’re interested in lending a hand, email info@seraka.com.
