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BRENDAN LODGE PHOTOGRAPHY/Supplied
From left, a mix of the new cast and the old cast of we will rock you will hit the stage this week with Danica Manson, pictured, returning as Scaramouche, and Gary Clarke playing Buddy.
After years of cancellations due to Covid, come hell or high water the Palmerston North cast of We Will Rock You will take to the stage.
This week, Act Three Productions will finally bring the Queen inspired rock musical We Will Rock You to the Regent On Broadway’s stage after years of setbacks.
The show is set in the year 2300, where live music has been banned from the Planet Mall.
Everyone wears the same clothes, thinks the same thoughts and goes about in a brain-dead ga-ga haze.
But with the help of the Bohemians, two soul rebels, Galileo and Scaramouche go on an adventure to bring rock back to life.
As cast and crew were running through rehearsals and technical checks on Sunday ahead of their opening night on Thursday, director Phil Anstis was enjoying the reality that the show would go on this time around.
He admitted it had been an emotional ride throughout the cancellations, but his faith that We Will Rock You would return never wavered.
Carly Thomas/Stuff
Phil Anstis has been the director of Palmerston North’s We Will Rock You production for four years. (File photo)
“After we got closed down the first time there was ever a doubt in my mind that it wouldn’t be brought back, the show was too good.”
Danica Manson had been preparing for the lead female role of Scaramouche since the casting call went out in 2019.
She’s been a member of the Act Three since 2013, and to be able to celebrate her 10-year anniversary with the group by finally putting on the show has been a dream come true.
“It’s surreal. I’m probably not going to celebrate until that final curtain is down,” Manson said.
“There’s that kind of slight hesitation … but I’m just so excited that we finally get to showcase our work.”
At least half of the cast is the original cast from 2020, however a few new faces will be seen in the lights, Manson said.
“The amazing thing about this time around is that the creative team and the original cast have really had a lot of time to refine a lot of things and make it even mor exciting and bring out even more of the humour and the emotion,” she said.
“It’s quite amazing. Last time it was great, but this time we have even more layers to it.”
Matthew Dallas/Stuff
President of Act Three Productions Allan Nagy is excited to see the musical come to life once more. (File photo)
Act Three Production’s president Allan Nagy said the setbacks in shows and an $180,000 loss during the cancellations had made the company tighten its purse strings so tight they almost lost it all.
However, with the help of the Ministry of Arts and Culture’s grant of $140,000 and the arts community, the production company had bounced back and were looking forward to the future, he said.
“It’s been a trial certainly over the last few years,” Nagy said.
“The original production, we lost a lot of money on that just because of cancellations, so we almost lost the society over that.
“I know there’s going to be a few tears on opening night because it’s finally getting back to normal.“
The show will run for two weeks from Thursday, August 10 to Saturday, August 19, making up for the shows they missed in 2020 due to Covid.
Tickets can be found on the Regent on Broadway’s website.
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