"Hau kāinga rallies to save the whenua and the kiwi in the face of injustice.
"So, a serious kaupapa delivered via plenty of light-hearted fun moments and characters and great New Zealand rock anthems."
Leah says Aotearoa was just too great an opportunity to pass up for many reasons.
"Firstly, it is a wonderful local story, so we are supporting local, and it is a story that looks, feels and sounds like Aotearoa NZ - including a significant wairua Māori aspect to the story line.
"Secondly, most of the creative team are doing their roles for the first time, including myself as a first-time director."
She says they have had a great team of mentors around them in support.
"It has been wonderful to be part of trying out a new mentoring programme in service of growing our Rotorua Musical Theatre membership and finding new talent on and off stage."
Leah says it is a nice small cast, so manageable for a team of newbies. There are 16 onstage and almost half are new faces to the Rotorua Musical Theatre stage.
"We also have a live band of five talented musicians.
"The production and backstage teams are also fantastic and talented at what they do. Rehearsals are going extremely well and it is all coming together, looking and sounding fantastic."
She says it has been a wonderful learning journey, to be able to try a new role and to watch others grow in their new roles – on and off stage.
"The mentoring programme has resulted in a wonderful collaboration of exciting ideas and energy.
"A special mention to the show's writer Jamie Lawrence who has had us fall in love again with these great New Zealand songs and artists."
Leah says the goal is that people will have such a great time that they will want to be part of the next RMT production – "there's something for everyone on and off stage".
"In these difficult times we need to support local where ever we can so it just made sense to choose a NZ story with NZ music.
"I feel so privileged to have been in this role for this show. This has been such a special project and a highlight for me that I will never forget."
Musical director Richard Anaru encourages people to check out the show because, a part from the fact it is such a great play, everyone has worked so hard and given so much time to put this show together.
"There are some extremely emotive and powerful scenes in this show, and it is so typically Kiwi with very topical issues underpinned.
"Music is such an important component of any culture and these songs are a huge part of my own, personal journey in the music business.
"They guided my generation through an evolving landscape of Kiwi art. I can remember where I was when I first heard most of these songs."
- Tickets are available by emailing tickets@rotoruamusicaltheatre.co.nz. There are no Monday or Tuesday tickets available. Casablanca Theatre is also open tomorrow
from 11am to 2pm for people to buy tickets.
