Showbiz News
Quiz: Name that Musical
Can you name the Showbiz show from its photo? 20 multi-choice questions. The answers will be shown at the end of the quiz.
2019 President’s Report
Another great year has almost flown by and what an interesting one it has been. Three spectacular productions that brought over 25,000 patrons into the theatre at a time when Christchurch most needed some fabulous entertainment and escapism. In the final quarter of the year, both Michael Bayly and Markham Lee resigned from their roles…
Covid-19 and Showbiz Christchurch
Updated 20 March 2020 After much consultation and deliberation, Showbiz Christchurch has made the difficult decision to postpone our 2020 Season. During these unprecedented times and in accordance with the ongoing updates from the Ministry of Health and from the Prime Minister, our primary consideration is the health and wellbeing of all those associated with…
Q&A with Kira Josephson (Eliza Doolitte)
What is the relevance of My Fair Lady to a modern audience? My Fair Lady deals with a lot of universal themes – education, class structure, inequality of sexes. I think those are all very important issues that unfortunately are still relevant. The play is set in 1912, but even now in society women are…
Big Shoes to Fill
That is how Sarah Buchanan describes taking on the role of Showbiz Christchurch president following the resignation of Markham Lee about three weeks ago. Having a strong association with the company since 1989, Mrs Buchanan said taking on the role is an exciting new change. Mr Lee has served as president of Showbiz on and…
Miss Saigon Musical Blazes in Christchurch
By Violi Calvert, Australian Filipina Magazine. October 01, 2019. The Miss Saigon musical staged by Showbiz Christchurch at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch opened last Friday (September 27) to a captivated audience. Judging by the number of people up on their feet in [a] standing ovation at the end of the show, it was a huge success. Even during…
Miss Saigon – the refugee story that still needs to be heard
By Emma Dyer Miss Saigon starts in 1975 at the very end of American involvement in the Vietnam conflict, the Fall of Saigon. If, like me, you go to see Miss Saigon with a preconceived idea of the show, prepare to have your expectations delightfully challenged. I had read and heard a lot about both the show itself…
‘Realistic and gritty’ Miss Saigon musical doesn’t disappoint
Review: Patrick Shepherd, Stuff Entertainment, Sep 28 2019 Miss Saigon is one of the iconic shows of its generation and this production goes right to the heart of it. Those who love the musical will not be disappointed and those who don’t know it, well, this is a great opportunity to do so. This realistic and…
Flipping Fried Eggs
An Eventful Trip Around South Vietnam From an interview with Aircraft Engineer, Corporal Colin Creighton, No. 41 Squadron, RNZAF The New Zealand Government was a reluctant participant in the Vietnam War, and it chose not to commit its air combat squadrons to the conflict. Instead, individual RNZAF pilots were seconded to other air forces. Sixteen…
Bụi đời – the dust of life
They’re called Bui-Doi The dust of life Conceived in Hell And born in strife They are the living reminder Of all the good we failed to do We can’t forget Must not forget That they are all our children, too Miss Saigon [1] Mỹ lai ‘Amerasians’ The children of American GIs and Vietnamese women “Wisps…