Cast

Abi has been involved with Footlights onstage and off since our very first show in 2014, Taking the Minnie, and it’s been impossible to pry her grubby little hands off anything Footlights related since.

She dearly missed her Footlights family during the dark and lonely years known as early 2020, and is just so thrilled to be back in action with Silver Linings.

Abi is a clown who likes to see how many balls she can juggle at once. This time she has taken on performing, lighting design, and the role of publicity manager. She has no regrets.

Cassandra is a playwright, theatre director, producer and the artistic director of Red Scare Theatre Company, but most importantly she’s been a member of Wellington Footlights since its first show in 2014. Cassandra loves having the opportunity to perform with her Footlights whānau, with previous WF highlights including playing Marta in Company (2019), Elizabeth in If/Then (2018), Ana in Flatline with Two Sugars (2017), Mimi in RENT (2015) and Leading Player in Pippin (2014). She also directed 2017’s A New Brain, and has appeared in the ensemble of a number of other Footlights productions.

After foolishly having decided to make her hobby her job by becoming a freelance theatre practitioner, Cassandra has taken up numerous replacement hobbies which she refuses to monetise, including embroidery, quilting, podcasting, game design and playing Animal Crossing.

This is Clara’s first show with the Footlights, and she can’t wait to be back on stage. It is a privilege to be performing live during this topsy-turvy year.

Clara was very involved in theatre during her time at the University of Cambridge. On stage, she played Anna in Spring Awakening, where she perfected the art of making trigonometry sound sexy, and Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors, where the director describes her as, “the sexy one.” We’re sensing a theme here.

Off-stage, she has directed productions of The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute, and Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare. Since returning to New Zealand she has written and produced a solo stand up show, Dry and Damaged, which she performed at last year’s Fringe Festival.

By day, Clara attempts to corrupt young minds by recommending fantasy novels to teenagers at Unity Books. You can often find her hunched over her kitchen table writing fantasy novels of her own.

Ed has been a member of Footlights since the 2015 production of RENT and finds it to be the perfect escape from the world of teaching. Ed has loved being a part of the Footlights whānau and has been involved in nearly every show since joining; including 2016’s Legally Blonde as Emmett Forrest, 2018’s If/Then as Josh and the 2019 production of My Fair Lady playing Professor Henry Higgins.

Ed enjoys long walks on the beach, reading, relentlessly referencing Vines and Brendon Urie.

Ed is thrilled to be performing in Silver Linings and to be contributing to a show that’s donating to such a wonderfully worthy cause as Mary Potter Hospice.

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa.

Emily K Brown is a Director/ Designer/ Performer from Chicago, IL and is very excited to make her Footlights debut! By day, Emily is a 111 operator; and in her spare time, she enjoys photography, true crime podcasts/documentaries (because apparently she doesn’t get enough of that at work…), and of course, as much theatre as she can possibly be involved in! Recent credits include This is Our Youth (Director), 4.48 Psychosis (Director), Cabaret (Fraulein Schneider), and The Addams Family (Wednesday).

Primarily a director and designer, Emily is thrilled to be back on stage with so many talented people. She is incredibly proud of the work everyone involved in the cast, crew, and band has put into this show and equally happy to be raising money for such a worthy cause. If you like Emily and for some reason want to see more of her (ew, why?), you can catch her in her solo show: Numbskull at Valhalla March 10-13 as a part of the 2021 Fringe Festival or you can see her directing work in August, 2021 in Wellington Repertory’s production of: Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer.

Fynn is one of the many Footlight-ians who have escaped Hamilton to Wellington, providing his parents with the excuse that he is leaving to study at Victoria University, a lie he had to follow through on, to his disappointment. He is two months away from finishing and is getting ready to set up his kissogram business.

This is Fynn’s third Footlights project after joining at the beginning of last year, and most recently played Bobby in the last years Company, for which he grew out a beard in an attempt to look thirty-five (to mixed success).

Fynn is hyped to be in Silver Linings, as he has always wanted to wear a bomber jacket on stage.

In his spare time Fynn attempts to eat gluten free, buys cheap wine from Countdown, and consistently beats his flatmate in Smash with no exceptions at all.

This is Helena’s fourth show with Footlights and she still feels gross talking about herself in the third person. Corporate sell out by day, performer and permanently exhausted pigeon by night - she has performed in many shows, all crammed into the last 6 years, which has given her both wonderful experiences, new friends and permanent shin splints.

Being in Footlights is one of her best life experiences so far and she adores all of the members and hijinx that goes along when you have a bunch of theatre nerds crammed in a small space. When she’s not being the comic relief in everyone’s lives, you can find her (but please don't) being a hermit in her house with her 3 rabbits, cat and a good book.

She’s super excited to be a part of Silver Linings and even more excited to not be crammed into lycra. You should be too.

India began performing the moment she could and hasn't stopped since. Just like Ren McCormack, she just can't stand still.

India joined the Wellington Footlights Society in 2017 to choreograph Spamalot and something must've stuck because she's been with us ever since. Some performing highlights in recent years include co-choreographing My Fair Lady, playing Cara in Flatline with Two Sugars and, most recently; Susan in Company.

All around the world Live Performing Arts has come crashing to a halt. After the year we've all had, India is more grateful than ever to be able to perform with her Footlights family.

The beautiful cast and crew you see here are some of the most passionate, kind, talented people you'll ever meet, and so, India hopes you enjoy being a part of the magic during your viewing of Silver Linings: Songs from the Silver Screen.

Karen is a Libran with Scorpio rising, born in the year of the Ox. She is most likely to have belonged to Hufflepuff, and would have a Lynx as her Patronus.

Karen first joined Footlights in 2015 as part of RENT, and is very happy to be part of such a loving, crazy and talented group of people. During her time with the gang she has also appeared in Legally Blonde, A New Brain and Chess.

She has also had the absolute pleasure of directing Heathers and the original musical, Flatline with Two Sugars. One of her major highlights of the past couple of years was performing the role of Diana in Stagecraft’s production of Next to Normal.

2020 has been a crap year for many, and we think this little show will bring a whole lot of joy. Thanks for coming to see it!

Kirsty is so excited to be back on stage with her Footlights family! The one thing that 2020 needed more of was a chance to break all the rules and get lost in the fantasy of live theatre, to escape it all for just one evening and to be brought along on a ride of musical wonder and pure imagination.

The last time Kirsty dabbled on stage was as Casey in the awesome Wellington Rep's production of First Date in 2019. This show was so fun and such a challenge to play a character who never really left the stage and - wait what’s this? She got to eat a burger meal every night, the dream!

Before that she took any chance out there to be involved in theatre whether it was onstage or helping backstage with mics. Kirsty has been lucky enough to perform in some awesome shows, highlights would be: First Date as Casey, Legally Blonde as Elle Woods, Queenstown’s production of The Rocky Horror Show and Red Scare Theatre Company's original Bloodlines.

Originally from the mighty Gore (don’t judge her too harshly for this, remember a cover is not the book!) and having lived in many places and countries over the years, Wellington is where Kirsty has found a place to feel anchored and find her community. Performing on stage brings her such joy and helps to push her to learn new skills and get out of the normality of a 9 to 5.

So sit back, be prepared and let Wellington Footlights take you on a journey once upon a December...

Laura is so happy to be back onstage after what has been a pretty tumultuous year. As chairperson she is so proud of Footlights for coming together to raise money for such a fantastic cause, and for staging such a great show to celebrate the arts during this difficult time.

Laura has been a member of Footlights since its inception in 2014, and has held a number of roles on and off stage ever since. When she’s not been organising the gaggle of cats that is our wonderful membership as Production Manager or Chairperson, she has been a cast member for most Footlights productions in roles such as Joanne in RENT (2015) and Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2017).

Outside of the theatre she works as an Executive Assistant (as she is apparently addicted to organising people) and has two wonderful fur baby kitten brothers called Matthias and Jesper.

Letitia is super excited to be a part of Silver Linings and appreciates how incredible it is that we can all get together and enjoy theatre. Way to go for the team of 5 million!

A member of the Wellington Footlights since 2017, Letitia has performed in a number of productions. Most recently as Kathy in Sondheim’s Company.

Outside of rehearsing for shows Letitia enjoys reading crime novels, cake decorating, and forcing her passion for musicals onto her family, friends and colleagues.

Margaret is absolutely delighted to be back on stage with her favourite fellow stage crazies. Having been a part of Footlights for the past 6 years, she's been involved with all but one of their productions since Pippin, on and off stage - most recently as Sarah in Company.

She's also been making up for lost theatrical time this year, by having just finished performing in Wellington Repertory's delayed (thanks Covid) and sellout production of Ladies in Black.

Margaret is also thrilled to be supporting Mary Potter Hospice, a cause very close to her heart. She'd like to dedicate her performance to Helena - still miss you, fruitloop!

The last time Marley had to write one of these animals, he let Mike do it and sadly at this time it wasn't possible and he had to write it himself.

Marley joined the Footlight family two years ago after watching much of their show as an anonymous spectator. They were so calm that he decided to release his symbolic image for a test drive and go to church.

If you don't meet Marley on stage, it may be because he tied his hair up or did his best to distract himself (unusual attitude for an artist).

For whatever reason, Marley fans are still drumming. He flatly denied it. Marley doesn't play drums. Don't listen to the lies.

*To make his biography more interesting, Marley ran it through google translate a few times.

Michael is a vocal coach, performer, conductor, composer and music teacher working with theatre companies and schools across the Wellington region. He’s extremely proud to be taking to the stage in Silver Linings as a fully fledged Kiwi, having received his citizenship before the world changed (perfect timing some might say).

Since helping found Wellington Footlights, Michael has been involved in almost every show in some capacity - highlights have included MDing Legally Blonde (2016) and Chess (2018), directing My Fair Lady (2019), and playing Collins in RENT (2015) and Roger in A New Brain (2017). Working on Silver Linings, after such a traumatic year, has been a joy and in particular he would like to thank Maya, Nick and Jo for coming onboard with his crazy vision with such energy and positivity. He’s always proud of what Footlights do, but especially so during this time of uncertainty and anxiety. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Nadia is thrilled to be back on stage after taking a good 8 years off. She is feeling extremely excited and blessed to be a part of the Footlights family.

The rehearsal process has been such a treat, she’s feeling incredibly grateful to share time and music and laughs with an awesome group of people after the year we have had.

Patrick joined Wellington Footlights in its first year and since then they have consistently failed to get rid of him.

His first show with Footlights was in 2014 in the Disney revue Taking the Minnie and since then Patrick has been involved with as many Footlights productions as possible, including; RENT as Benjamin Coffin III, Monty Python’s Spamalot as Lancelot, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as William Barfée, My Fair Lady as Alfred P. Doolittle and Company as Harry.

Patrick has also been involved in WITCH productions, Spring Awakening in 2018 and Underscore_ earlier this year.

He is grateful for the opportunity to be back performing post-lockdown in Silver Linings with his Footlights fam and as an avid movie lover, he is very excited to be a part of a show that celebrates film in a year with very few.

Stacey joined The Wellington Footlights Society back in 2014 for their first full musical, Pippin, where she played the personification of awkward intercourse. Her parents were very proud.

Since then Stacey has been involved with as many Footlights shows as she can including; RENT as Maureen Johnson, Legally Blonde as Brooke Wyndham, Heathers: The Musical as Heather Duke, Monty Python’s Spamalot as Patsy, and Company as Amy.

Stacey is overjoyed to be rehearsing with her family again after a frankly shite year (am I allowed to say “shite” Abi?) and is slowly starting to remember how to interact like a normal human again. As much as she ever did at any rate…

Silver Linings has been a beautiful show to work on, and Stacey is excited for the audience to see just how freaking talented everyone in this little company is.

Love and gratitude. Enjoy the show! Xo

*Mike - You are terrible at Crash Bandicoot*

Vishan has been with Footlights since 2017 but this is his first time performing in a musical theatre revue and he has enjoyed being able to work on a variety of content. This show in particular has developed his dancing and stage presence.

As always working with his Footlights fam is a pleasure and the new director Maya has dutifully upheld the spirit of the company in putting together this show in which you will surely be entertained.

Will has been an avid thespian and performer since an early age when he appeared in a production of Charlotte’s Webb as Farmer 3. His favourite (only) line in that show was “it’s a pretty big potato!”

Since then, Will has performed in 30+ shows/concerts over the past 15 years and this is his 7th show with Wellington Footlights having previously appeared in Spamalot (Brother Maynard), A New Brain (Dr. Jafar Berensteiner), The Rising Sun (bar patron and interpretative dancer), Chess (Anatoly), My Fair Lady (Harry and Professor Zoltan Karpathy), and Company (David).

When not performing, Will works at the Ministry for the Environment, plays social football, and watches Netflix with his amazing partner. He is stoked to be a part of Silver Linings and hopes you all enjoy the show.