Hi Everyone,  The very popular event Hidden Sydney – of which many ALVA members attended and enjoyed – is back with some new and very exciting events and formats.  Please see below all about this event and all the booking details courtesy of Olivia Ansell who got us all involved last time.  And featuring ALVA Bloke Mark Kristian.

From the Producers of Hidden Sydney – The Glittering Mile, KINGS BLOODY CROSS…tales from the Glitterati & Criminale is talking heads program running over three weekends in Kings Cross, as part of Vivid Sydney.   More information can be found here.  The producers of wildly popular immersive cabaret Hidden Sydney – The Glittering Mile, are returning their smash hit show for Vivid Sydney in tandem with a curated season of raw and riveting ‘in conversation events’ featuring Kings Cross luminaries as part of Vivid Ideas.

Presented over three weekends from Saturday 27 May 27 to Sunday 11 June, Kings Bloody Cross will engage audiences with thrilling insight into the dirty half mile’sPeople, Bohemia and Place.  Rub shoulders with original Les Girls and hear fascinating stories about ‘ungentrified’ Sydney – the heady days of rock n roll, free love, corruption, opportunity, sex, greed and politics.   Join Mark Kristian and Sydney’s favourite hoofers Saturday, 27 May as they spin a few “backstage yarns” on the legacy that was Les Girls.

Host: Mark Kristian       Guests: Colleen Windsor and Monique Kelly

Date: Saturday May 27, 2017

Venue: The World Bar – 24 Bayswater Road, Potts Point

Time: 11:15am – 12:30pm

Queens of the Cross –  Les Girls was a Sydney institution, running 34 years and starring some of Australia’s most successful and adored cabaret entertainers, whose stories inspired the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Carlotta and her ensemble of flamboyant dancers pioneered change for gay and transgender people, during an era that was unaccepting and dangerous.   The 1970s Drag Queen Scene was a sub culture of feathers, sequins and fabulously brave souls coming together, who despite their differences, looked out for each other and paved the culture of Gay Sydney.

BOOK NOW

It is with great pleasure that ALVA welcomes Angela Ayers to the membership fold. Angela became the Golden girl on NZ television in the 70’s through her actor entertainer television appearances with Peter Sinclair and Craig Scott on TV shows Happen Inn and Sing.  By her early 20’s she had 2 hit records and had become a household name.  This led to her being named “New Zealand’s Queen of Television” and “Most popular Female Artist”.  Shortly after moving to Australia, she won the plum role of Maggie in the Australian Production of A Chorus Line subsequently winning the only scholarship the New York Shakespearean Festival Trust had ever awarded to study ballet / jazz in Los Angeles.  A steady stream of significant roles in the musical theatre circuit kept her in Australia throughout the 80’s including West Side Story, The Rocky Horror Show, Joseph and the Amazing  Technicolour Dreamcoat, Cabaret, Chicago, and Guys and Dolls with Anthony Warlow and the late Ricky May.

In the late 80’s Angela had moved to London but was lured back to Australia by Gordon Frost to star in the Australian National Tour of Jerry’s Girls alongside Marcia Hines, Judi Connelli and Jeannie Little.  In 1998 she wrote her own one woman cabaret show entitled I Can Cook Too performing with the legendary Jazz Pianist Ray Alldridge.  This show worked all over Australia and New Zealand to rave reviews such as:  “Never mind that she can cook, this woman can really sing cabaret.  Ayers has a rich and true voice, her technique is polished and her articulation superb.”  (The Sun Herald, Australia)

In a career of many high lights Angela rates one of them as being singing the New Zealand National Anthem to over 90,000 people at the Bledisloe Cup Match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Angela has appeared on all National variety shows including Don Lane Show, Mike Walsh Show, Ray Martin and Kerrie Ann Kennerley show, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, Countdown plus the 2 Ronnie’s Television specials.  She was a regular favourite entertainer in the 80’s and 90’s on the Cruise ships and entertained the troops in the Sinai with the late Ricky May.

Returning to NZ she starred in musicals such as 42nd St, Jerry’s Girls, Mums the Word, numerous television credits as Shortland Street, Spin Doctors and Menopause the Musical both in Australia and New Zealand.  2014 Angela played Miss Potts in Hairy Maclary at The Opera House and you may have seen her on several television commercials.  Angela’s cabaret show is in demand throughout Australia and is popular with the Senior Citizens Concerts alongside her new show Simple Dreams the songs of Linda Ronstadt.  Currently she is working with some fellow jazz musicians and appearing regularly at the Opera Bar and The Golden Sheaf Hotel.

The 2017 Annual Banquet Welcomes Denise Drysdale.  

Monday 22 May 2017

11am Arrival at Moore Park Golf Club – Cnr Anzac Pde & Cleveland St, Moore Park Sydney NSW

Earlybird Price – $65 (up to May 15. Must enter “earlybird” as the coupon code when purchasing online.)

Full Price – $75 (from May 16) 

Pre Lunch Music in the Lounge courtesy ‘Music Man’ John Watson, Bubbly on Arrival, Delicious 2 Course Meal – Tea & Coffee – Cash Bar service available

Dress: Glitzy Glamour

To purchase a ticket to the upcoming banquet, click here. 

Special Guest Speaker:  Denise Drysdale

As a popular regular on Channel 10’s Studio 10 – Denise has hosted several television shows, radio programs and appeared in movies. She is renowned for her many stints with Ernie Sigley and Darryl Somers on Hey, Hey Its Saturday. Denise has entertained audiences in the corporate arena and in Clubs around Australia. A truly versatile and dynamic entertainer, in 2005 Channel 9 selected Denise as one of the 50 most significant people on TV in the last 50 years winning two Silver Logie Awards for her work. Denise began her career as a dancing three-year-old & made her television debut at 11! Photographed at 16 by a Channel Nine photographer, Denise went on to win the annual Girl of the Year Award with Everybody’s magazine in 1964. When Denise claimed to be a singer, despite never having sung professionally in her life, her singing career was launched. Following an Australian tour with Ray Brown and the Whispers, she was offered a recording contract & went on to appear in 26 episodes of the ABC’s Dig We Must. Cool fact:  Denise was employed as Melbourne’s first go-go dancer at age 17! There is so much more, but you’ll have to attend the banquet to hear it all from this amazing woman herself…..

Thrilled my revealing chat with legendary Hollywood star Tab Hunter is airing on Studio 10 this coming Monday. What a total charmer! And the stories from an amazing career..85 and still going strong!