Once Upon a Musical

Wellington Operatic are becoming known for their ambitious Autumn productions which are often a celebration of some theatrical musical genre, this year was no exception choosing the modern musical as a central theme. The young and the youthful musical follower, know these like the back of their hand, they are the musicals of their generation and with that in mind Wellington handed the reins of this production to a 17 year old, a brave move, but Ashleigh has a passion that shone through this production and also combined performing himself in much of the show which is a challenge for even the most experienced director, but it worked.
The piece opened with a full company number of the well-known Seasons of Love from Rent, the strength of the harmonies were strong and Christina Green the vocal coach had obviously woven her magic here. The journey through musicals was swift and snappy and there was very little breathing room for the performers, this kept the audience engaged and ready for the next experience. Ashleigh and the team had approached the combination of numbers with thought and consideration for the whole company, the more mature members being given just as much lime light as the young although this was a show which truly showcased the youth as they move on into the more adult company. Highlights from a performance focus were the choreography of Footloose ,Kids Game - Blood Brothers, With You - Ghost where Christina showed powerful emotion, A whole new world – Aladdin, My name is Tallulah – Bugsy Malone and I don’t know how to love him - Jesus Christ Superstar.
Visually thought had gone into how each number was presented visually and on the whole costume was simple and flattering while portraying the style of each of the production extracts. As has come to be expected the talented Matt Redstone lit the show with sensitivity and created the mood beautifully, the lighting of the Miss Saigon section was particularly impressive. The Art Centre is not a particularly large or easy venue to light creatively but Matt’s knowledge and skill shines through.
Congratulations, on opening night this show already was zappy and fun, you brought fun to Wellington, well done all.

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