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Emilia is a call to revolution, a molotov cocktail that provides a shock to the consciousness and sets fire to the status quo. It premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2018, and was written for an entirely female cast. Written by the dynamic Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, the play imagines the life of the real Emilia Bassano, a writer, mother and woman of colour who lived and worked in London during Shakespeare’s golden years. Time has clouded over much of what we know about her, but some scholars hypothesise that she was an influence on some of Shakespeare’s written works for the stage, as well as his sonnets, and is presumed to have been the ‘dark lady’ he wrote about in sonnets 127-152.

This play is a flight of imagination, a dream of what could have been, a statement of what was. It brings a forgotten historical figure into a 20th century spotlight, and challenges archaic gender roles as well as the role of creatives.

Emilia is a mourning, a celebration, and an inflammatory call to rebellion.

The Hawkes Bay Youth Theatre Senior Company class is proud to present the production 'Emilia' by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, September 25-28th, 2024.

Sep 25th, Wednesday 6.30-9pm

Sep 26th, Thursday 6.30-9pm

Sep 28th, Saturday 12.30-3pm / 6.30-9pm

*includes a 30 minute interval

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Waitawhara Tupaea
Former Habyt Student

"Habyt for the better part of 3 years was my safe space; it provided me the confidence to be able to be who I am today."

Lola KiddStudent - Law, Te Reo, Theatre - Victoria University

"HABYT was a transformative part of my upbringing in the Bay. I can confidently say the skills I learnt through HABYT helped my abilities to learn, communicate and articulate ideas as a whole."

Taygen Elliott

Student of Acting - Toi Whakaari

"The HaBYT community has always been one I’ve held close to my heart - there was no other place where I could truly have the freedom to laugh, learn, and express myself in one moment."

HaBYT
class calendar

Hawkes Bay Youth Theatre offers theatre classes for young people aged from 11 to 16 years of age (years 7/8 to year 11). Classes focus on confidence, storytelling, character and performance. 

Periodically, Hawkes Bay Youth Theatre offers open workshops for all young people to attend, whether or not they are affiliated with the company. 

All classes have at least one performance opportunity each year. The senior company often perform at arts festivals, as well as tour nationally and internationally.

About

Our Company

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HaBYT is Hawke’s Bay’s own theatre training company for dedicated young theatre-makers aged from 15 to the early twenties.

Since its inception, HaBYT has produced over 50 plays ranging from the classics to contemporary New Zealand theatre.

HaBYT’s aim is to teach advanced theatre skills through its year round programme of productions, workshops and exposure to professional theatre locally and further afield. Admission to the training company is by audition.

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