Richard Harris's 'Stepping Out'.
Artists featured: Colin McColl
30 & 31 July - Hawkes Bay Opera House, Hastings
5 - 7 August - Baycourt Theatre, Tauranga
5 - 7 August - Baycourt Theatre, Tauranga
Suzanne Paul will bask in the glow of stage lights in Auckland Theatre Company's tour of the TelstraClear season of STEPPING OUT by Richard Harris.
A consummate performer, business woman and TV personality, Paul won over the hearts of New Zealanders and the judges to win the third season of Dancing with the Stars.
Described as side splittingly funny and totally feel-good, STEPPING OUT charts the extraordinary transformation of a bunch of cheerful and rhythmically challenged women
(and one awkward man!) from a herd of hippos into a svelte chorus line.
The group has come to escape the dull routine of their lives; to have fun and give it a go. No pressure, no-one's watching and hopefully no-one ever will. That is until they're
invited to give the public performance of a lifetime. Disbelief is replaced by a mix of sheer terror and exhilaration as they prepare for the show.
"As soon as I read the script, I desperately wanted the part," says Paul. "It was my story, being told. When I arrived in New Zealand 19 years ago I didn't know anyone, so I took night classes in all sorts of things; tap dancing at the local church hall was one of them, just like in the play. There were about a dozen of us, all ages, shapes & sizes and we used to have such a laugh every week, I loved it!"
"To get the chance to dust off those old tap shoes and do a bit of the old soft, shoe shuffle again is fantastic, plus it's a really funny play so that's an added bonus." "Every now and again a show comes along and you can't help but be swept up by its
charm," says Auckland Theatre Company Artistic Director, Colin McColl, adding "it's a perfect heart-warming hot toddy on a cold winter's night."
"Television talent shows like X-FACTOR, NEW ZEALAND IDOL and BRITIAIN'S GOT TALENT just go to show that these days practically anyone has the chance to jump
on the fame train. So when the spotlight turns on Mavis Turner's weekly tap class, excitement and total panic go side by side as this bunch of amateur dancers realise that
potential fame is one fabulous tap routine away," he says.
Christchurch director and choreographer Sandra Rasmussen will take up the role of both ex-professional dancer Mavis Turner and the real life choreographer for the show.
Rasmussen is one of New Zealand's finest musical directors having appeared in over 90 productions at the Court Theatre. She comes to the show fresh with ideas and all the new
steps being tapped out on Broadway after a recent trip to New York.
Penny Dodd is a pianist, conductor, arranger, composer and musical director of over 30 years experience in NZ, Australia and the UK, making her professional debut in a speaking role as Mrs Fraser in this production of Stepping Out. Penny is best known for conducting musicals, musically directing twelve seasons of Coca Cola Christmas in the Park, and as arranger/conductor for the APO and the CSO in Symphonic Rock concerts. Highlights have included rehearsals for Opera New Zealand including Don Giovanni with Dame Kiri te Kanawa, dance classes for Limbs Dance Company, and London Contemporary Dance School. A particular highlight was playing for Tommy Tune (Tap Your Troubles Away) in rehearsals for Mack and Mabel at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane,
and channelling Mrs Fraser by playing for community tap dance classes in Clapham, London in 1989.
After playing in Auckland the production will tour the upper North Island. Auckland Theatre Company hopes to build on the successful FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY tour to further grow audiences for its work by continuing to work in partnership with local venues in each city.
A consummate performer, business woman and TV personality, Paul won over the hearts of New Zealanders and the judges to win the third season of Dancing with the Stars.
Described as side splittingly funny and totally feel-good, STEPPING OUT charts the extraordinary transformation of a bunch of cheerful and rhythmically challenged women
(and one awkward man!) from a herd of hippos into a svelte chorus line.
The group has come to escape the dull routine of their lives; to have fun and give it a go. No pressure, no-one's watching and hopefully no-one ever will. That is until they're
invited to give the public performance of a lifetime. Disbelief is replaced by a mix of sheer terror and exhilaration as they prepare for the show.
"As soon as I read the script, I desperately wanted the part," says Paul. "It was my story, being told. When I arrived in New Zealand 19 years ago I didn't know anyone, so I took night classes in all sorts of things; tap dancing at the local church hall was one of them, just like in the play. There were about a dozen of us, all ages, shapes & sizes and we used to have such a laugh every week, I loved it!"
"To get the chance to dust off those old tap shoes and do a bit of the old soft, shoe shuffle again is fantastic, plus it's a really funny play so that's an added bonus." "Every now and again a show comes along and you can't help but be swept up by its
charm," says Auckland Theatre Company Artistic Director, Colin McColl, adding "it's a perfect heart-warming hot toddy on a cold winter's night."
"Television talent shows like X-FACTOR, NEW ZEALAND IDOL and BRITIAIN'S GOT TALENT just go to show that these days practically anyone has the chance to jump
on the fame train. So when the spotlight turns on Mavis Turner's weekly tap class, excitement and total panic go side by side as this bunch of amateur dancers realise that
potential fame is one fabulous tap routine away," he says.
Christchurch director and choreographer Sandra Rasmussen will take up the role of both ex-professional dancer Mavis Turner and the real life choreographer for the show.
Rasmussen is one of New Zealand's finest musical directors having appeared in over 90 productions at the Court Theatre. She comes to the show fresh with ideas and all the new
steps being tapped out on Broadway after a recent trip to New York.
Penny Dodd is a pianist, conductor, arranger, composer and musical director of over 30 years experience in NZ, Australia and the UK, making her professional debut in a speaking role as Mrs Fraser in this production of Stepping Out. Penny is best known for conducting musicals, musically directing twelve seasons of Coca Cola Christmas in the Park, and as arranger/conductor for the APO and the CSO in Symphonic Rock concerts. Highlights have included rehearsals for Opera New Zealand including Don Giovanni with Dame Kiri te Kanawa, dance classes for Limbs Dance Company, and London Contemporary Dance School. A particular highlight was playing for Tommy Tune (Tap Your Troubles Away) in rehearsals for Mack and Mabel at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane,
and channelling Mrs Fraser by playing for community tap dance classes in Clapham, London in 1989.
After playing in Auckland the production will tour the upper North Island. Auckland Theatre Company hopes to build on the successful FOUR FLAT WHITES IN ITALY tour to further grow audiences for its work by continuing to work in partnership with local venues in each city.
