Business owners have rolled up their sleeves and come up with new (and sometimes inventive!) ideas to get their beloved city back up and running. Green-stickered restaurants have reopened, cafés have relocated, personal training sessions are being held in parks, and some shops are offering free wood and sand alongside their regular wares! Here at Brown Bear we salute the Cantabrian spirit and invite you to update us all about your business. If you’re up and running, if you’ve moved or if your opening hours have changed, leave a comment and let us and our fellow Cantabrians know right here and now!

24 June – The Open Stage, Hagley Community Centre
25 June – CPSA Building, Christchurch Polytech in Madras Street
1, 2, 8 & 9 July – Elmwood Auditorium in Aikmans Road

And while the laughing goes on with Scared Scriptless, The Court Theatre is busy raising money for their new home, The Shed in Addington. A milestone for the fundraising efforts will be the one-night musical extravaganza concert Carry on Court at the Aurora Centre on 7 July.

Carry on Court will feature great Kiwi entertainers including Ali Harper, George Henare, Paul Barrett, Nic Kyle, Lynda Milligan, Yvonne Martin and Michael Lee Porter. Ross Gumbley will be the MC for the show. He says: “The Court holds a special place in the hearts of many actors up and down the country. It has been very heartening to have had so many offer their support.”

The stellar cast will perform songs from musicals recently produced by The Court Theatre, including South Pacific, My Fair Lady and Guys and Dolls. Christchurch Musical Director Luke Di Somma says: “This will be a great and varied evening of music, sung by this country’s finest singing actors. It is a joy to be able to help The Court Theatre rebuild in such sumptuous and glitzy fashion.”

With $4.62 million to raise, Carry on Court is only just the beginning of a string of fundraising activities planned for the coming months. If you want to help The Court Theatre carry on, the show on 7 July is a great way to show your support while having a fantastic time. Tickets are $100, include a glass of complimentary bubbly and can be bought via phone (03 963 0870) or at The Court Theatre website.

Carry on Court: 7 July 2011, 8pm

The Canterbury Celebration Theatre is a heated marquee-style theatre with seating for 150 people. The Wintergarden Season in this awesome, cosy venue will feature a massive range of events from 3 July till 30 July 2011. Shows include theatre productions, concerts, comedy events and kids’ shows. Christchurch-based entertainment promoter Ben McDonald says: “It will be wonderful to bring good quality theatre and entertainment back to Christchurch.”

Highlights for music lovers include Classics in the Afternoon on Thursdays, Opera Night on Mondays, The Warratahs, and glitz and glam show Vegas, while theatre devotees can get their fill with shows ranging from dark comedy to epic plays and cabaret shows.

For the kids, the Canterbury Celebration Theatre will host a series of events for the TV2KidsFest 2011 alongside theatre shows, The Flying Kiwi Circus and The Dance Project.

Apart from great entertainment you’ll find a cash bar and snack platters will be available at cabaret and music shows. With an intimate seating arrangement, tickets are bound to sell out fast, so go on and browse the Canterbury Celebration Theatre website for details on all events and book your tickets via phone (+64 3 332 0039).

Canterbury Celebration Theatre Wintergarden Season 2011: 3 – 30 July 2011

So far, preliminary assessments showed that Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch Town Hall and AMI Stadium have suffered structural and superficial damage. Christchurch Art Gallery has been engaged to remove artworks from the Convention Centre and Town Hall, but so far it’s not clear when exactly the two venues can reopen. Mayor Bob Parker says:  “We need a clear understanding of the scale of work required to preserve this wonderful building. We are determined to ensure the Town Hall continues to be one of the defining features of our city. Christchurch Convention Centre is also very important to us as a city.”

Work at Christchurch’s AMI Stadium is underway and the stadium will be closed for the remainder of 2011. AMI Stadium is expected to open again in February 2012, right in time for the Super Rugby and the South African cricket tour of New Zealand.

The CBS Canterbury Arena, on the other hand, is back open already. The CBS Canterbury Arena Ticketek Box Office is open five days a week from 8am till 7pm for ticket sales. One of the biggest upcoming events is the International Ice Hockey USA vs Canada event on 30 July 2011.

Isaac Theatre Royal’s structural report reads: “The building, although moderately damaged, has performed extremely well in an event much greater than any strengthening was designed for.” Isaac Theatre Royal will be closed until 31 October 2011 to allow for remedial work on the Edwardian building. General Manager Neil Cox says: “The goodwill and support we have received from the wider global entertainment world towards our city, our people and our theatre has been astounding. We will draw on that good nature and support going forward to ensure Isaac Theatre Royal will be a shining light once again for performing arts in Christchurch.”