SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
THE CARNIVAL OF PUPPETS
Poppets love puppets – and youngster Daniel Gordon (pictured) was lucky to enjoy a preview of The Carnival of Puppets. The free school-holiday program for children aged five and over will run session times to suit working parents. Tales such as Beauty and the Beast and The Little Bad Wolf are
included, and shows by the Dream Puppets, Red Herring Theatre and
Purple Capsicum Puppets. Running hand-in-hand with the shows are puppet
making and puppet play activities. Bookings are not required.
■ Dandenong library, Stuart Street,
Dandenong, and Springvale library, 411 Springvale Road, Springvale.
Until Friday. 1300 630 920 or greaterdandenonglibraries.com.
CONCERT
BECCY’S BIG HITS TOUR
Country music singer Beccy Cole is celebrating her 40th birthday
and 20 years on the music scene with a compilation record and tour. Beccy’s Big Hits
show includes her most popular tracks. Fans are encouraged to get
involved in the tour by posting a video of themselves performing a song
on Beccy’s Facebook fan page. She will select a “shiny star” from each
tour town to perform at the concert. Likes on Facebook will be
considered. Cost $30.
■ Hallam Hotel, corner of Princes Highway and Hallam Road. 8.30pm this Friday. 136 100 or ticketmaster.com.au.
THEATRE
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Windmill is one of the first companies in the world given the rights to perform The Phantom of the Opera
outside of a professional setting. The Andrew Lloyd Webber show,
directed by Chris Hughes, is the biggest production to be staged at Drum
Theatre in Dandenong. More than four tonnes of lights, five tonnes of
sets, a 27-piece orchestra, hundreds of costumes, and special effects
feature in the performance. From $35.20.
■ Drum Theatre, 226 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong. 8pm this Thursday to Saturday, 2pm Sunday. 9771 6666 or phantomoftheopera.net.au.
CHOIR PERFORMANCE
BEAUTIFUL AFRICA: A NEW GENERATION
The Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda will perform Beautiful Africa: A New Generation,
a free event featuring contemporary gospel and traditional African
music, dance routines and stories of Africa’s rescued orphans and women.
Each child in the choir has lost one or both parents to HIV, war or
poverty and lives in a Watoto children’s village where youngsters
receive care and opportunities.
■ St John’s German Lutheran Parish, 3 Albert Avenue, Springvale. 6.30pm July 17. 9546 6005.
CHILDREN
SPRINGVALE SNOW FEST
The inaugural Springvale Snow Fest will
transform Springvale into a winter wonderland complete with a real snow
play area, lion dance, roving performers and winter decorations. Light
snowfalls along Buckingham Avenue will set the mood as festival goers
enjoy rides, cultural performances, snowman-building and ice sculpting.
Entry of $5 includes all rides.
■ Corner of Buckingham and Balmoral avenues, Springvale. 1pm-7pm July 21. greaterdandenong.com.
ART
HEARTLANDS REFUGEE ART PRIZE AND EXHIBITION
Refugee artists will show their talents at Heartlands Refugee Art Prize and Exhibition,
a free event presented by Dandenong council, Multicultural Arts
Victoria and AMES, which helps refugees and migrants settle in the
community. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, photography and
drawings by artists from diverse cultural backgrounds. Major prizes
total $20,000 and one local artist will be awarded a City of Greater
Dandenong prize of $500.
■ Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre,
corner of Walker and Robinson streets, Dandenong. 11am-5pm weekdays,
11am-3pm Saturdays until July 27. 9706 8441.
