Over 20 of Australia’s bravest celebrities will overcome their fears to help raise funds for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead as they present “Singing with the Stars”, a gala charity event to be held  Friday 5th of April 2013 at Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, 26 – 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont.

The evening will feature a host of personalities making their singing debut with music provided by Musical Director Jamie Rigg and the Jamie Rigg Big Band.  Already confirmed are Hayley and Nathan Bracken, Warwick Capper, Susie Elelman, Ben Elias, My Kitchen Rules Winner Jennifer Evans, “Ready Steady Cook’s” Peter Everett, Candice Falzon, Jeff Fenech, Geoff Field, Sue Ismiel, Steve and Erin Mortimer and Johnny Raper. Also supporting the cause are proper singers Casey Donovan, Deni Hines, Kamahl, Maria Venuti, Mark Vincent and special guests Jane Flemming and Damien Martyn.

“Singing with the Stars will be a chance to raise much needed funds for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and will help make a world of difference for sick children and their families” says Gilly Paxton,  Director – Community Relations & Marketing, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is the largest paediatric centre in NSW and is world-renowned for its high quality, specialised treatment of sick children.  The funds raised at “Singing with the Stars” will assist the hospital towards helping save and improve the lives of those most vulnerable – our sick children.

Individual tickets to the event can be purchased at $250, tables of ten at $2,000 and VIP tables of ten at $5,000 (all prices incl GST).

For further information or interview requests please contact Andrew Cross at Markson Sparks! on (02) 9213 2900 or via email andrew@internationalevents.com.au

To purchase tickets for “Singing with the Stars” online please visit www.singingwiththestars.com.au  or call (02) 9213 2900

For more details on the Children’s Hospital at Westmead please visit http://www.chw.edu.au

Big, Beautiful & Sexy showgirl, Casey Donovan has done an exclusive photo shoot and interview with New Idea Magazine.

Casey shares her thoughts about body image, career and lots more!

It is out tomorrow.  Check it out!

Australia’s very own Big, Beautiful and Sexy showgirl will be appearing on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show on Monday, 28^th January 2013

Broadcast live weekdays between 9-11am, THE MORNING SHOW delivers a mix of news, entertainment and information in a topical and relevant way.  The show is hosted by Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies.

Casey will be appearing on the 1^st episode for 2013.

SmokeFree WA SURVIVAL PERTH 2013 is now just days away! Join us between noon and 7.30pm on Saturday 26^th January 2013 at the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth for this free, family friendly Concert, which provides an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective to Australia Day.

The theme for the Concert is “Jin-unginy ngullah Derbarl Yerrigan, kura kura, nitcha, moonboorli” translated to “Honouring our Swan River, Past, Present and Future”. It encourages us to appreciate the Derbarl Yerrigan (the Swan River) as a spiritual life force and the significance of our waterways.

SmokeFree WA Survival Perth 2013 will be hosted by Deadly award winner, Karla Hart and winner of the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s national Deadly competition, Kevin Kropinyeri. The Concert starts at 12noon with a spectacular Opening Ceremony and Welcome to Country from Fred Pickett, Theresa and Trevor Walley, the Middar Dancers and Urban Youth Crew.

The Opening will be followed by live performances from talented Western Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians and performers including ROMA KNAPP, NGAIRE PIGRAM, CLINT BRANKNELL, KNOWLEDGE BONES, OZ ISLAND, JAKE AND THE COWBOYS and THE MERINDAS. The Concert will close by one of Australia’s most celebrated Indigenous entertainers CASEY DONOVAN.

There will be various areas of shade to set up camp (with limited seating – brings rugs and chairs), and a number of special Zones to explore including the:

• Elders Zone – a marquee for Elders to sit, talk and enjoy a cuppa;
• Healthy Living Zone – a marquee of 17 stalls where Concertgoers can get their health passports stamped;
• Water Zone – which includes Perth’s largest inflatable water slide, a dunk tank and a water gun area; and
• Activity Zone – with beach volleyball, bouncy castle and kid’s activities.

There will also be 20 community and business stalls, the NAIDOC Perth Information Stall, and food for purchase from My Belly, Michelle Michael’s Indigenous catering, Jackie’s Cooking and Mr Super Whip. There will be limited free fruit and bottled water and free water tanks to refill water bottles.

SmokeFree WA Survival Perth 2013 is a smoke, drug and alcohol free event. There will be a police presence and anyone in possession will have the goods confiscated, receive a $200 fine and be asked to leave the Event.

NAIDOC Perth strongly encourages concertgoers to use public transport as there is limited parking available, and you may not be able to leave certain car parks until road closures are lifted. Please see the Show Me Perth website for more information.

SMOKEFREE WA SURVIVAL PERTH 2013 will be broadcast live from Noongar Radio on 100.9FM and will be recorded by West TV for a one hour show that will go to air on Saturday 2 February between 6.00 and 7.00pm and repeated on Wednesday 6 February between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.

Stay on after the Concert for the City of Perth SkyWorks between 8.00pm and 8.30pm. Bring your torch to help make SMOKE FREE WA SURVIVAL PERTH 2013 the brightest spot at SkyWorks and tune into 94.5fm after 8.00pm for the official SkyWorks soundtrack.

Concertgoer Tips:

• Bring money, water bottles, hats, sun cream, rugs and chairs
• Use public transport
• Be Smoke, drug and alcohol free
• Wear red, yellow and black
• Enjoy talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists
• Explore the various zones

For more Information see:

Survival Perth Webpage

Concert Program

NAIDOC Perth on Facebook

History of Aboriginal Protest and Celebration on 26^th January

Big beautiful and sexy songstress Casey Donovan embodies the spirit of 60s icon Mama Cass in this unforgettable show.

Cass Elliot, better known as Mama Cass, was loved the world over for her humour, fashion and optimism, and was the powerful voice that drew together the lush harmonies of superstar group The Mamas and Papas. Without her vibrancy, California Dreamin, Monday Monday and Words of Love wouldn’t be the same. Indeed it was Elliot’s part in Dream a Little Dream of Me that launched her solo career.

In an uplifting, yet moving tribute to Cass Elliot, Casey Donovan will perform all of Elliot’s tunes, as well as The Mamas and Papas favourites.

Having won praise from critics for her performance in The Sapphires, and a Best Supporting Actress award at the 4th Deagu International Music Festival Awards, Donovan’s performance of the music of the great Mama Cass is as big as the legend herself.

SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER AT 8pm

TICKETS
Members $32 / 30 and Under $29
Adults $39 /Concession $35

Member tickets on sale Monday 19 November. Members call 4723 7600 or visit the Box Office to purchase tickets.
Single tickets on sale Monday 3 December

You know the songs and you love the music, but how well do you know the iconic American pop group behind it all? They have sold nearly 40 million records worldwide and were the first group to knock The Beatles from the number one spot on the Billboard charts. They are The Mamas and The Papas.

FLOWERCHILDREN, the exciting Green Room Award Winning musical starring MATT HETHERINGTON and CASEY DONOVAN tells the turbulent story of The Mamas and The Papas, and explores the distrust, dangerous passions, and complex entanglements that lay behind their spectacular rise to fame.

With unforgettable melodies and tight vocal harmonies, FLOWERCHILDREN features a score of the group’s timeless hits including Words of Love, Monday Monday, Dedicated to the One I Love, Creeque Alley, and the iconic California Dreamin’

If you remember the 1960′s, grab your peace jewellery and love beads, ‘be sure to wear some flowers in your hair’, and head down to the Comedy Theatre to re-live the era of flower power – of psychedelic colours, bell bottom jeans, and the brave new world of sex, drugs and rock and roll. If you weren’t there at the time, this is your chance to take a wild and wonderful ride with the group whose music defined a generation.

Presented by MAGNORMOS, written by AFI Award winner PETER FITZPATRICK, directed by AARON JOYNER and featuring the songs of The Mamas and The Papas.

Starring the Green Room Award winning premiere cast:
MATT HETHERINGTON, LAURA FITZPATRICK
DAN HUMPHRIS and CASEY DONOVAN as Mama Cass

Book your tickets for this exclusive and limited season now at http://www.ticketmaster.com.au

FLOWERCHILDREN coming to the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne 18th May – 23rd June 2013

Weekly Performance Times:
Tuesday 7pm
Wednesday 1pm & 8pm
Thursday 8pm
Friday 8pm
Saturday 2pm & 8pm
Sunday 3pm

In a historic day for Australia, a dedicated Indigenous television service will be available for all Australians free-to-air for the first time, when National Indigenous Television (NITV) begins broadcasting on SBS4 digital spectrum from 12 December 2012.

SBS Managing Director, Michael Ebeid, said: “The 12th of December marks an important milestone in Australian broadcasting, and in our nation’s history. SBS is incredibly proud to be playing a role in delivering content about Indigenous Australians, produced by Indigenous Australians, to every Australian household. With NITV part of the SBS family, we will reflect Australia’s diversity in a way no other broadcaster has before.”

NITV Channel Manager, Tanya Denning, said: “NITV has been creating and delivering innovative content representing the many voices of the country’s first Australians. We remain dedicated to having our unique languages and culture reflected within the media landscape, and we’re excited to invite Australians of all backgrounds to tune in, and join us in celebrating our rich and unique culture.”

To celebrate the free-to-air launch, NITV will broadcast a day of special programming starting with a two hour outdoor broadcast, live from the iconic Uluru in the Northern Territory. From the Heart of Our Nation will be a special television event marking the official ‘switch on’ of NITV free-to-air at 12pm (AEDT). Hosted by Indigenous broadcasters Stan Grant and Rhoda Roberts, the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara traditional owners of the area will welcome audiences from around the nation.

From the Heart of Our Nation will be followed by a one hour Living Black special (from 2pm AEDT) from SBS studios in Sydney. Hosted by Karla Grant, SBS’s award-winning Indigenous current affairs program will examine the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media in Australia throughout history.

There will be a special one-hour edition of NITV News with Natalie Ahmat, featuring crosses to reporters around the country, before the broadcast returns to Uluru where the party really gets underway. Some of Australia’s best Indigenous talent – including Christine Anu, Casey Donovan, Troy Cassar Daley, Dan Sultan, Warren H. Williams and Frank Yamma – will take to the stage to perform as the sun sets for a two hour concert hosted by the much-loved Ernie Dingo (from 8pm AEDT).

NITV will begin broadcasting free-to-air from 12pm (AEDT) on 12 December 2012, on SBS4.

BIG BEAUTIFUL & SEXY SONGSTRESS CASEY DONOVAN EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF 60S ICON MAMA CASS IN THIS UNFORGETTABLE SHOW

Big, Beautiful & Sexy Casey Donovan pays tribute to one of the world’s most charismatic vocal stylists and a true 60’s icon – Mama Cass!

Cass Elliot, better known as Mama Cass, was loved the world over for her humour, fashion and optimism, and was the powerful voice that drew together the lush harmonies of superstar group The Mamas and Papas. Without her vibrancy, California Dreamin, Monday Monday and Words of Love wouldn’t be the same. Indeed it was Elliot’s part in Dream a Little Dream of Me that launched her solo career.

Becoming popular with hits such as Make your own Kind of Music and It’s Getting better, Elliot also found success with two of her own television specials in 1969 and 1973, as well as appearances on American variety shows alongside artists including Tom Jones, Julie Andrews and Johnny Cash.

Cass Elliot last performed at the London Palladium in 1974, where she performed to sell-out audiences, and basked in repeated ovations. Having stayed the course in the music business and weathered the tumultuous turns of the band that made her famous, Cass Elliot succumbed to a fatal heart attack on July 29, 1974.

In an uplifting, yet moving tribute to Cass Elliot, Casey Donovan will perform all of Elliot’s tunes, as well as The Mamas and Papas favourites. Bringing inspiration from her upcoming performance in the new Australian musical Flowerchildren – The Mamas and Papas Story, Casey is excited about portraying a woman who is the very embodiment of her Big Beautiful & Sexy ethos.

Having won praise from critics for her performance in the 2010 season of The Sapphires and in Opera Australia’s production Yarrabah and a Best Supporting Actress award at the 4th Deagu International Music Festival Awards, Donovan’s portrayal of the great Mama Cass is set to be as big as the legend herself.

Friday 28 December 2012 – Lizotte’s Newcastle 

Saturday 29 December 2012 – Lizotte’s Central Coast