RAV - Regional Arts Victoria - The peak body for regional arts activity in Victoria

Showcase Victoria - 2009

Showcase Victoria is the premier annual promotional event for producers and presenters involved in touring performing arts throughout Victoria.

The event is co-produced by VAPAC and Regional Arts Victoria and allows presenters from all over Victoria to gather, discuss and sample the latest works in a wide variety of performing arts genres with a view to buying into future tours. It also gives producers and artists with a production ready to tour or currently in development a fabulous opportunity to promote their work, with an aim to extending audiences and increasing their profile through touring.

Expressions of interest were sought late last year and the applications requested for early February. The selection panel, made up of presenter and producer representatives, was overwhelmed by around 90 applications and had to whittle the number down by over half.

Showcase gives producers the opportunity to show a live excerpt, give a pitch or take part in the Expo Session, a static set-up of displays and booths where producers can meet presenters one-on-one.

Some of the confirmed producers presenting live excerpts this year are...

Rachel Berger, for her show Hold the Pickle. Rachel took a break from stand-up comedy to develop this one woman show narrating her parents dramatic escape from Poland to eventually set up a Deli here in Melbourne.

Vulgargrad - the kings of Russian criminal sound. Led by charismatic actor, Jacek Koman, Vulgargrad dredges up the sounds of the Russian underworld with considerable black humour and excellent musicianship.

Footage of Vulgargrad live on Spicks & Specks.

Angus Cerini, for his show Wretch. Recently premiering at La Mama, this raw and emotional two-hander about a young man facing jail received rave reviews.

Annalisa Kerrigan will be presenting a range of music theatre works including Celtic Whispers. Annalisa is well know is music circles for her beautiful, clear soprano voice and her production of very popular stage shows.

Slava and Leonard Grigorian for their classical guitar concert. These two virtuoso guitarists have wowed concert goers throughout the world, having toured to over a dozen countries and releasing three albums

Footage of Slava and Leonard Grigorian.

Kutcha Edwards for his concert Yuyukatha. This is a touring version of Kutcha's well received show Songlines of Mutti Mutti Man. Kutcha is a member of the Stolen Generation and has become a legend of contemporary Indigenous music.

Footage of Kutcha on RocKwiz.

The 2009 Showcase Victoria takes place on 15 & 16 May at the Malthouse Theatre.

After Showcase, based on presenter interest, the selection panel will produce a shortlist of productions to go into tour development. Tour development involves creating an itinerary for touring the production that includes as many of the interested venues as possible and then applying to Arts Victoria for funding to cover the touring costs.

All 11 tours in Regional Arts Victoria's 2009 touring program came through Showcase Victoria.