KEY POINTS:
The opening night after-party for Roger Hall's latest comedy, Who Wants to Be 100? was held at SkyCity Theatre on Saturday.
Hall certainly knows how to put bums on seats; opening night was a full house and Auckland Theatre Company chairman Kit Toogood was pleased to report that bookings are coming in thick and fast for the rest of the season.
Guests included Elizabeth McRae, Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Michael Hurst, Judge Carolyn Henwood and her comedian son Dai Henwood, Peter Elliott and new ATC general manager Lester McGrath.
Also attending were the daughters of two well-known New Zealanders who are trying the acting game. Bree Peters, daughter of Winston, will have her professional acting debut in the ATC production of The Crucible next month, and Liesha Ward Knox, daughter of Chris Knox, will appear in the company's production of a local play, My Name Is Gary Cooper, in September.
Who Wants to Be 100? is the third production for ATC's 2007 season. Directed by Alison Quigan (receptionist Yvonne Jeffries on Shortland Street), it tells the story of a QC, a former All Black, a famous artist and a former professor who are reluctant residents of the Regina Rest Home. A satire on old age, it stars Mark Hadlow, Raymond Hawthorne, George Henare, Ray Henwood, Catherine Wilkin and Kate-Louise Elliott. It runs until the end of the month.
