Showbiz News

Review: Mamma Mia! an ‘infectiously goofy, endearing’ ABBA legacy

By ellecim | 04/06/2016

ABBA songs are indestructible. You could fire them into the sun and they would come up smiling. Mamma Mia! is a cheerful jukebox musical built around the Swedish pop group’s most enduring and catchy songs. Since it launched in London’s West End in 1999 it has become a global juggernaut, selling million of tickets on worldwide tours…

Conquering fears all in a day’s work

By Showbiz | 03/19/2017

By Kineta Knight Booker If you think belting out pop tunes, while wearing big wigs, big costumes and big makeup and flying was challenging enough, try adding in a fear of heights to the mix. That’s exactly what one of the Divas in Showbiz Christchurch’s Priscilla, Queen of the Desert will be working to overcome this month…

Wicked Leads’ Performance Schedule

By Showbiz | 01/15/2018

We know you have been wanting to know so here it is… the Wicked Leads’ performance schedule. Heather Lee Wilcock (Elphaba) & Rebekah Head (Galinda) Friday, 6 April, 7.30pm Sunday, 8 April, 4.00pm Wednesday, 11 April, 7.30pm Friday, 13 April, 7.30pm Saturday, 14 April, 7.30pm Tuesday, 17 April, 7.30pm Thursday, 19 April, 7.30pm Saturday, 21…

Nuns take to the stage in Broadway hit musical comedy

By Showbiz | 08/07/2017

The final production in the Showbiz Christchurch 2017 season opens at the Isaac Theatre Royal on 8 September. Sister Act – A Divine Musical Comedy follows the exploits of 1970s wannabe disco diva Deloris Van Cartier as she escapes from her gangster boyfriend. Having witnessed him commit a murder, she is put in protective custody…

A Short History of Drag in Theatre

By Showbiz | 04/03/2017

For as long as there’s been theatre, there’s been drag. Transvestism on stage, which began as a form of sublimation (casting men in female roles to exclude women from the arts), eventually became a way for men and women to explore nuances of understanding of gender as society has evolved. Following on from Shakespearean times…

Message from the President

By Showbiz | 08/25/2018

Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed my great pleasure to welcome you to the show of tonight, Les Misérables Victor Hugo’s literary masterpiece was set against the backdrop of the June Revolution of 1832 (not the big one of the 1790s where everyone got their heads chopped off). Although there is no direct translation of…

Les Misérables Cast Announced

By Showbiz | 07/30/2018

Great drama never gets old The 2018 Showbiz season comes to an epic conclusion in September with Les Misérables. Winner of over 100 international awards and seen by over 65 million people worldwide, Les Misérables is a grand and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. This modern classic is based on Victor Hugo’s…

Eternal Themes Get Under Your Skin

By Showbiz | 09/15/2018

Reviewed by Fiona S Giles, Theatreview 15 Sep 2018 If you already have your tickets for Showbiz Christchurch’s production of Les Misérables, then you are fortunate. If not, what are you thinking? Hurry while they are available. Les Mis, as it’s affectionately called, has run continuously in London since 1985 and toured globally. It is more than a…

Hairspray Review: Gloriously uplifting, crispy paced and bright musical

By Showbiz | 06/09/2016

  This gloriously uplifting, crisply paced and bright musical is a triumph that bounces with vim and energy. Christchurch theatre company Showbiz’s production of hit Broadway musical Hairspray is sweet without being sickly and righteous without being worthy. The show, adapted from the 1988 John Waters film, is set in early 1960s Baltimore and tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a young woman…

Big Shoes to Fill

By Showbiz | 12/01/2019

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…

Children’s Musical Theatre 3-Day Workshops

Children’s Musical Theatre 3-Day Workshops – July 2021

By Lisa Phelan | 06/01/2021

Learn what it is like to be involved in a Showbiz production as you spend three days working with members of our creative team. This intensive will focus on creating a well-rounded performance (dancing while acting while singing). Learn auditioning skills and gain confidence needed for future Showbiz auditions (maybe even our upcoming production of…

Showbiz Piano Bar with Trevor Jones

By Paul Christ | 04/04/2021

Showbiz Piano Bar with Trevor Jones – Friday, 28 May 2021 ITR Showbiz is hosting a music theatre night where the audience requests its favourite showtunes for the whole crowd to sing, or individuals bring along the sheet music to favourite musicals and jump up on the mic. Songs could range from West Side Story…

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story

By Paul Christ | 04/04/2021

Book Tickets for 25th July

By Showbiz | 09/24/2020

Way off Broadway – Book your tickets for 25th July here    

Ticket Refund information

By Paul Christ | 09/23/2020

REFUND OPTIONS: All Showbiz Christchurch tickets which have been purchased through Ticketek New Zealand (excluding ‘comps’ or tickets which have not been paid for) have the option of a refund. You can contact Ticketek by sending an email to online@ticketek.co.nz My Fair Lady: Tickets purchased online by credit or debit card for My Fair Lady…

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story – Book Tickets

By Showbiz | 04/30/2020

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story Two hours of the best rock ‘n’ roll songs ever written Find out about tickets

Vocal Studio Term 2 – enroll now!

By Showbiz | 04/01/2020

Showbiz Vocal Studio provides expert vocal tuition in a small group environment, with a focus on repertoire and performance technique specific to the musical theatre stage.  All ability levels are welcome. To enroll, click here

2019 President’s Report

By Showbiz | 03/19/2020

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…

Q&A with Kira Josephson (Eliza Doolitte)

By Showbiz | 03/02/2020

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…

Sarah Greenwood Buchanan

Big Shoes to Fill

By Showbiz | 12/01/2019

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…