Melbourne actor Jason Chasland bids farewell to Palmerston North

Jason Chasland hopes to return to Palmerston North in the summer to continue playing Galileo in We Will Rock You. Photo / Ben Pryor

Jason Chasland's life over the past 18 months has all the makings of a musical. So many ups and downs, dreams dashed, separation from his partner, a chance to shine on a stage that gave him some teenage firsts, to be part of a theatre society again.

There's no happy ending - yet, but tiara and corgi toes crossed, Chasland will be back at the Regent on Broadway this summer playing Galileo in Act Three Productions' staging of We Will Rock You. After just four shows, the musical was postponed because of the community transmission of Delta in New Zealand.

On Saturday, Chasland will return to Melbourne, where he has lived for the past four years, and his partner whom he has missed greatly since arriving in Palmerston North in the first week of July for rehearsals.

He doesn't yet know if he will have to go into quarantine on his return to Victoria.

Chasland, who grew up in Masterton, says he's done a lot of shows but the cast, crew and production values of We Will Rock You are world-class. It was a shame the show had to be stopped so soon.

Chasland said multiple times to the cast he knew the standard of Act Three shows was high but not to this level. He also told them everyone is as kind as they are talented.

What he enjoyed about being in a theatre society again was the love and support people showed. A supportive family environment is what the society is about, providing high-quality shows but in a safe and warm environment, he says.

Chasland saw his first musical at the Regent - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat when he was 16 and it was also the venue of his first concert - True Bliss.

The tenor says the Regent still felt just as big, majestic and special as when he first visited.

During rehearsals, he got a bronchial chest infection but it had cleared up by opening night.

Chasland has spent time in Manawatū as he has aunts and uncles who live here. He says apart from the bird poo in The Square, he found Palmy so clean and even at night he felt safe - as a Kiwi he is proud of that.

Chasland says the first six months of lockdown in Melbourne last year were really hard. Work was cancelled as was a planned work trip to the United States.

The actor, dancer, singer and model started making online content and repurposing leather jackets. Melbourne will be in lockdown when he returns and the cancellations and postponements are continuing.

Covid-19 has been so hard on everyone but for artists in Australia there is no support. He's lost a lot of work but that has also given him perspective on what is important.

Theatre is not normal at the moment, it's more like an amazing privilege, he says.

He mainly performs using the alias Leather Lungs, it's more an amour than a drag name. As a child Judy Garland was called Leather Lungs. Chasland's Leather Lungs does punk/drag shows and shows about self-empowerment and body positivity.

He misses the Melbourne he moved to. Melburnians have been in lockdown so long their spirits are starting to crumble and there is an anger and depression he hasn't noticed here.

In Palmy, everyone is smiling with their eyes despite wearing masks.

In 2005, Chasland gained an advanced diploma in musical theatre from the Wellington Performing Arts Centre. His StarNow profile says he's keen to try anything and everything to succeed in a profession he loves.

Jason Chasland's next act awaits.

• Act Three Productions has launched a Givealittle crowdfunding campaign to offset costs incurred by the postponement of We Will Rock You.