A play about pioneer Dunedin dance instructor Lily Stevens will premiere at the 2009 Dunedin Fringe Festival.
Lily will be produced by Dunedin dancers and choreographers Kilda Northcott and Lyne Pringle for the festival.
The play examines Stevens' quest for the perfect three-minute competition dance and includes a thwarted love affair and her subsequent extended sojourn overseas.
Northcott and Pringle will recruit and train student dancers from the Dunedin School of Dance to be involved in the production.
Lily will premiere on the Fortune Theatre main stage from April 1 until April 5.
Artist funding for the festival was confirmed yesterday, with 17 acts to receive funding to produce new work.
"Creative New Zealand have identified that developing potential artists and their work is a strategic priority for our organisation," Creative New Zealand programmes manager Rose Campbell said.
"Fringe festivals can play an important role in supporting and encouraging emergent artists, in particular, to present work to an audience.
"Artists are enabled to take risks and to experiment with new directions."
The 2009 Fringe Festival will feature more than 40 acts from March 26 to April 5 next year.
