Madeleines coming again to Whitianga.

Yes, the Madeleines will be here in Mercury Bay for a concert, 7.30pm Friday, 28 July at the Monkey House Theatre in Coghill Street, Whitianga.

These three women are international standard of remarkable vocal ability and harmony. They are exciting to watch, performing an extensive range of music from the Andrew Sisters to current popular hits.

“We are going to do something slightly different for this concert,” says Madeleines’ leader, Hannah Kee. Hannah grew up in Whitianga and started dance lessons at the age of four with Joelene Murray.

Joelene’s dance studio was in the Monkey Theatre in Coghill Street, Whitianga, the very place The Madeleines will perform Friday evening, 27 July at 7.30pm

Hannah feels she is truly coming home when she comes to Whitianga.

“We are going to do a Gatsby style 1920’s concert and it will be colourful and exciting; we provide something elevated - bespoke events,” says Hannah.

Vintage Pageant Finalist: On a whim earlier this year, Hannah decided to enter Australia. New Zealand Vintage Pageant.

“I love vintage. You have to be a vintage enthusiast to even enter,” says Hannah. “This quest is a little like the old-style pageants but with a vintage twist. There are three categories and talent and hobbies come into it. These vintage pageants are very popular, the biggest one is Viva Las Vegas. Vintage is the period anywhere between 1920s and 1960s. I am nervous but I’m in now.”

Hannah confesses she is a bit stressed about being prepared. “We can offer aspects that aren’t specifically vintage so I’m glad I bring my singing and the years f presenting a variety of shows will stand by me. There are 12 finalists from New Zealand and Australia, and I feel very fortunate to be one of them.”

Hannah was ten, and a student at Mercury Bay Area School, when she won a talent quest which confirmed her childhood dream of being a performer. She loved her ballet and was good at it when at 11, she won a scholarship to a ballet workshop in Wellington for promising dancers. The Mercury Bay Lionesses sponsored Hannah’s trip to Wellington, all to encourage a very talented young girl focussed on being a professional performer. Hannah toured New Zealand when she was 16 having won a part in the live stage show, Starlight Express. She was the youngest on stage. But New Zealand did not have a lot of opportunities in the performing arts at the time, so Hannah went over to Australia, then on to China and then London, keeping very busy in live stage productions. But then Covid hit, and Hannah finally came home to NZ. She took the experience she had gained overseas and with Shannon, started their production and entertainment business together.

“Having always had a passion for vintage fashion and music, a vintage vocal trio had always been a dream of mine,” says Hannah. “We looked around and nobody was really doing anything like what we do in Auckland, so it was the perfect time to fill that gap. We want to help contribute to the creative scene in Aotearoa, and to create sustainable careers in performance for ourselves and other local talent.”

I don't specifically need anyone to do anything, but it would be great if you could include the details of the festival (Vintage Fest NZ) and mention that people can come along and support if they want. (Obviously it is far away, but they just like to see their festival shouted out)

We love this business. There’s a lot of talent in New Zealand. I would love it if people felt they could stay and have a career here. I also teach singing and with the Madeleines, we are producing other acts.

Requesting her hometowns help:

Vintage Fest New Zealand is the final part of the Vintage Pageant. Hannah needs lots of people to mix it with the vintage competition. Hopefully, some people from mercury Bay will come to the Vintage fest and they can follow it online. Vintage Fest NZ 2023 “Old Hollywood”, Hosted at Lincoln Event Centre, 15 Meijer Drive, Christchurch. Sat 23 Sep 2023, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Tickets are between $15- $30.

Hannah adds, “I know being around and working in a community of people who are positive makes all the difference. Whitianga gave that to me early in my life.”

Get your tickets for the concert at Monkey House Theatre on Friday, 27 July from Eventfinda or at the Monkey House.

Caption: The Madeleines.