Avant-Galeries: Revealed programming for the Hamilton Summer Art Festival

More than 50 shows and events ranging from torrid adult cabaret to in-depth discussions within the literary intelligentsia will be held in a green setting on the way back from the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival in February.

The annual festival, which is in its twentieth year of existence, is firmly established as the most important artistic event of the Waikato. Always welcomed enthusiastically by local and international culture buffs, the open-air festival features a selection of works from the creative community of Waikato and a handpicked selection of national touring shows and international on 20 sites in gardens of 54 hectares.

The programming of the 2019 festival, which runs from February 20 to March 3, was revealed at a special launch ceremony in the gardens Wednesday afternoon attended by dozens of dignitaries, local politicians, artists , actors and other creators.

Theater, music, dance, circus, comedy and literature all feature in the program designed to appeal to all ages and budgets, the main act being a show entitled Deluxe Deluxe, produced by the Australian cabaret company Strut & Fret.

Scottish folk duo Jamie McClennan and Emily Smith; Italian jazz violinist Luca Ciarla; popular duo of Hamilton Looking for Alaska; and Aria nominated Australian duo Mama Kin Spender are among the musical artists.

The Pacific Crystal Palace will host stars of the comedy Pax Assadi, Melanie Bracewell, Wilson Dixon and 7 dayss the Ben Hurley pillar.

Literature will be represented by Nicky Pellegrino speaking about her writing and local literary luminaries Denise Irvine and Venetia Sherson in conversation with Roni Albert. The trio will discuss Stand By Me – A Story of Te Whakaruruhau: The Waikato Women's Shelter and other works.

Another show is The case of Katherine Mansfield, one one woman show starring Fay Van Der Meulen as the title writer.

Van Der Meulen, one of Morrissville College's drama students, Louise Keenan, won the Up and Coming Actor Award at Norfolk Island Theater Festival 2016 and has just completed her second year at Victoria University, where she is studying a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Theater Studies.

Van Der Meulen and Keenan often talked about doing a one-woman show together. During a search for appropriate scripts, Van Der Meulen passed the The case of Katherine Mansfield New Zealand playwright Catherine Downes, who delves into the thoughts and aspirations of young Mansfield as she searches for her voice, individuality, health and freedom.

The two men agreed that this would be a perfect piece to mark the 125th anniversary celebrations in New Zealand and under the auspices of the new Keenan Cheeky Pukeko Productions theater company.

Actress and storyteller Penny Ashton will present her show Olive Copperbottom at the Court of the Medici. The production of a woman is described as Oliver! crossed with Blackadder, with a spirited feminist touch.

Another show that is worth seeing is The cremerie, which combines live music, theater, dance and fiery red wax. It is described as a stormy story of two rival cheese makers: "the passions overflow when the curd is separated from the whey".

The festival program also includes the return of popular annual events such as the opera at dusk and the Sunset Symphony.

The details of the 2019 season will soon be available on the festival website – hgaf.co.nz – and on the festival's Facebook page.

Tickets will go on sale from Thursday on ticketek.co.nz.