Bloody Broadway 2 - perfect tonic for post rugby gloom

Bloody Broadway 2 - perfect tonic for post rugby gloom.

With the World Cup over, New Zealanders have two options: sink into post rugby depression, or throw themselves straight into another arena of ritualised violence for the masses.

After the success of last year's Halloween show Bloody Broadway, Wellington's Energy Theatre have resurrected it - this time bigger, better, and bloodier than before. It's the perfect Halloween season treat for Wellingtonians looking for a cathartic experience to fill the void of post-World Cup emptiness.

Featuring 36 songs from 24 musicals, Bloody Broadway 2: The Resurrection is a concert event that combines professional level singing and music with special effects makeup and costuming to bring the stage to life. Five performances in the lead up to Halloween feature 13 of Wellington’s most talented young actors, singers and dancers supported by a full 20-piece orchestra.

Featuring songs from Sweeney Todd, Phantom of the Opera, Jekyll & Hyde, Beauty and the Beast, Blood Brothers, Love Never Dies, Little Shop of Horrors, Reefer Madness, Evil Dead: The Musical, Into the Woods, Wicked and many more, the show is billed as a cavalcade of surprises that will have audience members on the edge of their seat.

Director Sam Benton says the show's unique cross section of music and singing talent crosses genres such as rock, opera and musical theatre, and will appeal to a wide audience.

“We founded Energy Theatre as we saw a gap in the market for daring and provocative musical theatre. We want to break down conventions and the notion of what musical theatre is," says Sam, who also directed last year's sellout season of Bloody Broadway.

“We seek to showcase not only popular musicals, but ones you have probably never heard before. Bloody Broadway 2 features songs from four versions of the Phantom of the Opera – before we started creating the show, I didn’t know that many existed! Part of our vision involves introducing our audiences to shows and songs that are not well-known, particularly in New Zealand, and I think we’ve accomplished that."

This year's show features some exceptionally talented performers. Thomas Barker, who wowed audiences earlier this year as Bottom in the New Zealand School of Music’s season of A Midsummer Night’s Dream returns. 2010/2011 PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist Rachel Day will also be showcasing her skills, along with talented singer and actress Ivy Padilla, who played the lead role of Kim in Wellington Musical Theatre's production of Miss Saigon last year and in Whangerei earlier this year.

Jared Pallesen (pictured left), who has sung with the New Zealand Opera, and made his professional musical theatre debut at the age of 18 in the 2009 New Zealand tour of Starlight Express, will be another standout.

Director of Bloody Broadway 2 Sam Benton singles out Thomas Barker in particular as an outstanding performer, who brings an incredible amount of energy to the stage.

“He’s got a number of dark character songs in the show, and he brings a real pathos to his performance, both in voice and in his dramatic performance.”

Sam, who co-founded Energy Theatre and is a human rights lawyer by day, says the challenges of running a theatre company are immense, but also immensely rewarding. He says one of the best things about the show is that everyone involved is incredibly passionate and dedicated to the cause.

“We’re a bunch of theatre and music lovers who do all of this off our own backs for no payment. The fact that everyone on and off stage have donated their time, is incredible. We’ve got the up–and-coming stars of musical theatre, composition, lighting, makeup and costume design all here, giving their time and energy to create something amazing.”

Sam warns that the show contains some strong language and horror themes and is unsuitable for a younger audience. "This is edgy, in-your-face theatre.

Choreographer Sam McLeod, who received great reviews for the recent Zomburlesque cabaret show in Wellington, has created some thrilling dance numbers that bring to life the musical arrangements of our outstanding musical director Hayden Taylor, which are spine-tingling when performed with the fantastic orchestra"

Tickets are available at www.iticketexpress.co.nz

Bloody Broadway 2: Resurrection – 26-29 October @8pm with a 2pm matinee on the Saturday 29th. The Front Room, 5 Hania Street, Wellington.

To view more photos visit Energy Theatre at https://www.facebook.com/energytheatre

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