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Stars Join Te Ahu Celebrations

Friday 13 April 2012, 11:31AM

By Far North District Council

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KAITAIA

Two entertainment icons and an All Black legend have accepted invitations to be special guests at a celebration dinner and cabaret to mark the official opening of the Te Ahu Centre at Kaitaia later this month.

Vocalists and film and television stars Ray Woolf and Tina Cross will bring their highly-acclaimed talents to the entertainment programme while the legendary flying winger Stuart ("Stu") Wilson will be the guest speaker at the evening event at the centre’s community hall.

Profits from the admission-by-ticket event will be applied to the community fund-raising programme which has assisted in the construction of the new complex.

Stu Wilson needs little introduction. The former All Black speedster scored 104 first-class tries, including 54 in the black jersey, and is now a rugby commentator for television and radio.

The two prolific and enduring entertainers both have special reasons to be part of the opening of the new multi-purpose community facility.

In recent years, the Far North has been home to Ray Woolf and his wife Chrissy, while Tina shares Ngati Porou, Ngati Kuri and Te Aupouri descent.

Tina’s family on her mother's side hails from the Far North and for three years she lived at Kaitaia with her grandfather Sonny Petricevich and attended Kaitaia Intermediate and Kaitaia College.

It was in the north in the 1970's that Tina won the first of many talent quests and began to realise a passion for the entertainment industry.

These small beginnings led to awards as New Zealand’s top female vocalist, a Tui for theatrical performance and an Order of New Zealand Merit for services to the music industry.

As a recording artist Tina has conquered charts on both sides of the Tasman as a soloist and as lead singer with the Australian techno pop group Koo De Tah.

In musical theatre, Tina has triumphed in lead roles in The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, Chicago, Boogie Nights, Once Were Warriors, and the Australian production of Sisterella.

Tina will also be well-remembered for her stoic efforts in the television Dancing With The Stars series.

Tina's 2009 performance in the stage show Cats was hailed as a standout and in 2011 she took a lead role in a sell out season of Miss Saigon.

The role of Chorus Queen was actually created just for her in the timeless classic, Wizard Of Oz.

Ray Woolf's credentials also make for impressive reading.

He has been Entertainer of the Year and Most Professional Entertainer and is a Pegasus and a Benny Award winner.

He starred in just about every early television music show produced from C'Mon to On the Beat Side, and Happen Inn before hosting Two-on-One and the Ray Woolf Show between 1977 and 1982.

His acting career was underway with A Going Concern and he followed up with roles in Marlin Bay, Hercules, Zena, Street Legal, The Strip and Orange Roughies.

In more recent times, he has been on screen in feature films including Lucy, Back River Road, Maiden Voyage, Super Fire and King Kong.

Last year he completed a cameo in a new television comedy due to air later this year.

In musical theatre, he took on Hans Christian Anderson, The Music Man, A Slice of Saturday Night, the New Rocky Horror Show and Blood Brothers.

He completed over 100 performances as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, took the lead role in The King and I and has featured in West Side Story.

Tickets for the celebration dinner and cabaret are $120 per person and are available from the i-SITE at Te Ahu Centre.

Group bookings will be accepted for tables seating six, eight and 10 people.