New cabaret ‘a little dirtier, a little flirtier’ for summer audiences

From Monroe to Garland, from La La Land to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ,a new musical cabaret about to hit the capital will take audiences on an unforgettable romp through the highlights of Hollywood.

Creator and director Ben Emerson of WITCH Musical Theatre said they set out to produce a slick and cheeky show for a mature crowd ‘‘who wanted something a little dirtier, a little flirtier’’.

‘‘Let’s do something for Gen Z, Millennials and up, that’s a little more leaning into the drag, the burlesque, the cabaret with some cheekiness.’’

Its producers described the show as ‘‘reimagining the golden age of the silver screen, a new take on some of Hollywood’s most memorable musical moments and unforgettable tales’’.

Transforming the Te Auaha theatre space into a cabaret club with a raised stage and catwalk, audiences could expect to modern sensibility.

Emerson said they had ‘‘upped the ante’’ on these classics and made them much more fun and explosive.

Numbers such as Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Another Day of Sun from La La Land will be familiar to many, but they won’t have seen them performed like this before, Emerson said.

The cast draws from leading players of New Zealand’s musical theatre scene including Emily Rose Burns, Bailea Twomey and William Dugigan.

Te Auaha was a great producer of powerful performers bringing their talents to the show including Thomas Laybourn, Emily McDermott, Jade Merematira, Lane Corby and Rebecca Ansel.

Rounding out the ensemble of ROXY were some of the brightest stars of the Wellington drag scene, such as Ginger Velour, Eva Goodcoq and The Everchanging Boy with their burlesque, dance and singing skills.

Emerson was also excited to have the talents onboard of musical director Hayden Taylor, who recently returned home to Wellington after performing as a pianist for a raft of highly regarded musicals in the West End, London.

Taylor said WITCH had managed to attract some of the best musical theatre talent available.

‘‘It’s a pleasure working on a show like this and getting to take these iconic songs to new and exciting levels with these performers.’’

Organisers planned contingencies to hold the show under various levels of the upcoming Covid-19 traffic light system, and would adjust numbers and format accordingly.

ROXY: A New Hollywood Cabaret runs for a limited season at Te Auaha, Dixon St, from December 8-18. Tickets: iTicket