Raising funds for our Rotary projects is always a problem. Using a Movie as a fundraiser usually meets with a fair degree of success, although selling sufficient seats to make a good profit can be a challenge. The Lighthouse Cinema in Petone is always extremely supportive.
The Youth committee spent most of last year, post Covid restrictions, searching for a suitable film – to no avail! It was partly because of this experience, that when I read a very positive revue in the Saturday Dominion Post about a Musical “In the Heights” that I jumped into gear.
What partly persuaded me, was that the reviewer started by admitting that he’d always felt that he was “no great fan of Musicals” He continued that although he’d sat through dozens of such films, he hadn’t “flat out loved a Musical – until now”! His closing words were “In the Heights isn’t just a great Musical, it’s a great and brave piece of film making. See it”!
This seemed a great recommendation and so I was at the Lighthouse Monday morning to make my (provisional) booking. I had to wait until the Board meeting that night to gain approval. The film was being launched in New Zealand the following Thursday. To my amazement, I found that 3 other organisations were ahead of me!
I was able to book for the 6.00pm session, 5 weeks ahead, on Wednesday 28 July. This enabled us to sell all 112 seats in the largest theatre. A very pleasing aspect of this was that well over half the seats were sold to people with virtually no Rotary connection. I invited Paul (and Christine) Giles to organise raffles and they did a sterling job. The generosity of club members enabled them to complete 3 very attractive baskets.
I loved every moment of the film and would happily have returned to see it again, but as we left the theatre it became obvious that not everyone had enjoyed it as much as I had. That was soon balanced, however, by numerous people coming over, or calling the next day, to say how much they had enjoyed it.
The moral of this story is that when you choose a movie for over 100 people there will be a wide range of levels of enjoyment. With the story told through “Rap” some found it difficult to “Tune in” to the words. Also, it was very loud, but I’ve learnt that it is impossible for theatres to alter the volume on films.
To me, the dance (amazing choreography) and songs “a raucous, glorious and immensely tuneful and skillful blend of samba, jazz, pop and hip hop, that came ringing out of the movie at every conceivable moment” – (Critics words not mine) were amazing.
Finally, the “message”. As a Rotary friend who has lived around the world said: “This could have been set and carried the same message anywhere around the world. – Africa, South America, European and Asian countries, especially amongst immigrant communities”
Was it worth the effort? Definitely!
Youth projects in the Hutt Valley will benefit from the profit of $1,519, nearly $500 of which was raised by the raffles.
And, finally, most of us enjoyed a great night out!
Jaye Howey
9 August 2021