The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate - The Musical
Nino Raphael | Theatre
The Project
"lively, rowdy, upbeat, energetic...master composer and lyricist Nino Raphael has created catchy tunes with words that roll off the tongue" ~ Regional News
"an exciting honour to be present at the small beginning of something big..." ~ Theatreview
'The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate- The Musical' is a new musical theatre work, with music and lyrics by Te Whanganu-a-tara's own Nino Raphael.
Based on Margaret Mahy's beloved children's book, and created in collaboration with the Mahy Estate, this production brings new life and music to one of New Zealand's favourite stories. Following its sell-out debut at the 2024 New Zealand Fringe Festival, 'The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate- The Musical' is entering a development stage. The creative team is currently in the process of editing and refining the show, building towards a full-length premiere season in 2025.
As a part of developing the musical, a week of workshopping has been arranged in collaboration with Hannah Playhouse- who will be hosting the production in their theatre, from August 12-17th. Over this week, new collaborators- including a musical director, musicians, script supervisors, choreographers, and actors- are coming onboard, to elevate and polish the existing show. At the end of the week, the latest iteration of the production will be previewed.
The purpose of this Boosted campaign is to raise funds, in order to pay the workshop artists equitably for their time.
Writer & Composer: Nino Raphael
Creative Producer: James Ladanyi
Musical Director: Hayden Taylor
Assistant Director: Greta Casey-Solly
Project Owner

Nino Raphael
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