Stars of show are ready to rock as New Plymouth Operatic’s We Will Rock You opens this week

Danica Manson and William Deane play Scaramouche and Galileo in New Plymouth Operatic's We Will Rock You, opening this week at the TSB Showplace.

New Plymouth is about to get rocked, with New Plymouth Operatic Society season of Ben Elton’s We Will Rock You opening this week. Stratford Press editor Ilona Hanne caught up with the actors playing the parts of Scaramouche and Galileo (Danica Manson and William Deane) to ask them a few questions about their characters, themselves, and just what it is like to play these iconic roles.

Neither of you is new to the role you play in this production, with Danica having played Scaramouche in Palmerston North in 2021, and William having played Galileo in 2019 in Auckland. So what has drawn you both back to your roles?

William: Galileo is the most fun role to play vocally. I mean, you are singing Queen! Then add to that the musical is written by Ben Elton, he’s such a legend in comedy, so Galileo is a role with great vocals and a fun storyline too.

Danica: Scaramouche is definitely one of my all-time favourite roles, and singing Queen is something that is every performer’s dream I think. I actually feel incredibly honoured to be able to perform Queen songs on stage.

Are your performances as Scaramouche and Galileo respectively different to the last time you brought the roles to life - how?

Danica: In some ways the character is similar to how I played Scaramouche in Palmy, but one thing I find interesting is in the Palmerston North version Scaramouche had an accent, but doesn’t in this one. As an actor, it’s been interesting saying the same lines, but with a different voice in a way, it means I have to think about how I draw out the intent in those lines and the meaning behind them.

William: Yes, this Scaramouche has certainly changed. It’s a different director so obviously very different visually. I think in this version Scaramouche is more elaborate and there is a new humanity brought out in the character, along with a comedic side.

The song list in the show is obviously packed with great hits, do you have a favourite song to sing in the show?

William: Hammer to Fall. It’s a really poignant part of the story and it’s a great song to sing, especially with Danica. Bohemian Rhapsody is also fun to sing as it involves the whole cast and is such a big song, but Hammer to Fall is still my favourite.

Danica: Yes, Hammer to Fall. I love it. I really love singing it with William, and hearing how our voices blend together in it. There’s a real energy in the song you can feel, and it’s a song that whenever we do it in rehearsal, as we leave the stage we get that feeling - ‘yes, that was good’. It’s a really special song.

You both seem to love the roles you have in this show, especially as they are both roles you have played before. But other than this role, what is the one musical role you dream of being cast for?

William: Chris in Miss Saigon. I did play it once back in high school but would love to revisit it as an adult performer. It’s an amazing story and a really challenging vocal role as well.

Danica: Oh, I have several I think, that’s a hard question. Probably the role I would most love to play would be of Jo in Little Women the musical. It’s an amazing role and the songs have a really good range. I also love the story itself, and Jo’s character - she’s all about challenging society’s expectations of women, the story is about female empowerment, and it’s a role focused on being strong and independent as a woman.

Danica, you grew up in Taranaki, going to school here. Were you involved in theatre as a teenager?

Danica: Oh yes! I was a student at Sacred Heart and we did The Wizard of Oz one year there, I was also part of a group called The Tenners, it was 10 girls and we did barbershop-style singing. I also took drama as a class in high school so was in all the drama showcases and things.

William, you are a bit of a gin aficionado, having produced White Rhino - a premixed gin, lemon and sparkling water drink with your brother Oliver through your company Part Time Rangers. While you are in New Plymouth are you planning to sample some of the many gins and other boutique drinks and foods we have in the region?

William: Yes absolutely. Juno Gin is one of the sponsors of We Will Rock You and I know they do distillery tours, so I plan to take a tour there and obviously sample the gin too. Taranaki certainly has lots of food and drink places for people to explore and I am enjoying spending time here and trying things out.

William, Part Time Rangers didn’t just produce premixed drinks, but it raised funds for various projects in Africa, a continent you spent time in - what do you love about Africa and where did you enjoy travelling there?

My godmother worked for Tear Fund and my mother did some volunteer work in Africa and fell in love with it. She took us with her on a trip and we all loved it. My brother and I spent time there building new classrooms for a school, I did some English and PE teaching in Ethiopia. I think Ethiopia is an incredible country, and the best thing about it is the people. Everyone is so open and friendly. Sports is massive there and you can be somewhere where you don’t speak the language but soccer will connect you. The food is incredible too, I don’t think Ethiopian food has really taken off in New Zealand yet, but it should!

Danica, you spent your teenage years in Taranaki. So when you weren’t in school, where did you hang out and what did you do?

I was such a theatre geek. I really was. I didn’t have time to just hang out, I was always doing something. I had singing lessons, dance lessons, theatre rehearsals. I was always rushing to a class or practice. I’d get home and just have time to eat, get changed, do some homework and grab my stuff to rush out again. My parents played taxi a lot over those years, so thanks Mum and Dad - they kept me going and able to do all the things I loved!

New Plymouth Operatic’s We Will Rock You opens on Thursday this week, and will run a community-accessible performance with audio description and sign interpretation for a matinee performance in June. A backstage touch tour will also be available prior to the performance on that day. People can book in person at the TSB Showplace box office for tickets to the community-accessible performance, with a 50 per cent discount for hearing or sight-impaired ticket buyers and their companion.

Win: The Stratford Press has double passes to We Will Rock You to give away to some lucky readers. To be in to win, simply email editor@stratfordpress.co.nz with We Will Rock You in the subject line. Entries close at noon, Tuesday, May 30, and the winners will be contacted that day. Tickets are not exchangeable.

The Details:

What: New Plymouth Operatic presents We Will Rock You

When: May 25 to June 10

Where: TSB Showplace, New Plymouth

Details: Tickets available via Ticketek