Band

This is Shawn’s second show with Footlights (and an official member since last week!), previously music directing Company in 2019. His past music directing credits include Seussical!, Guys & Dolls, 42nd Street, Curtains, Grease, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Pageant, Once Upon a Mattress, Peter Pan, Gypsy, and many more.

Away from the glittering back passage that is Old Compton Street, Shawn is musical director of the Bach Choir of Wellington and tutor at Massey University. Originally from New Jersey (yeah, go on - make a joke), Shawn now calls Wellington home and is grateful to his Footlights whānau for making it that much more homey.

He’d like to thank the cast and crew for their focus, energy, and good humour, the production staff for being organised and always onto it, and his patient husband Stephen.

Ed was initially taking a short rest to scale down his number of commitments after feeling a little flat. However, after a perfect pitch from a fellow guitarist, Ed is back and feeling sharp. This is Ed’s second time in the band for a Footlights show after The Rising Sun, which was part of the Heart & Music Festival. Ed has been a performing member of Footlights since 2015 and has loved working with such a stellar group of people, no matter how major or minor his contributions may be.

This is not only Michael's first time in a Footlights show, but his first time in any show. More used to playing with friends for audiences of zero, it's been quite the experience!

Currently a student, Footlights managed to tempt him from his natural habitat of Victoria University’s computer labs. Michael is grateful to Footlights for offering the opportunity of a foray into musical theatre. It's a truly wonderful group to be playing with, and he’s thoroughly enjoyed the process.

Jevon is thrilled to be playing electric bass in the Soho Cinders band. Originally a self-taught guitarist and drummer, she fell in love with the bass and supporting performers on stage. Her most recent shows include Stagecraft’s performance of That Bloody Woman; Wellington Repertory's performances of First Date and Ladies in Black; Kauri Theatre's performance of Shortland Street; and Wellington Footlights' performance of Company. Last year she played drums on stage in Red Scare Theatre's homegrown show, That's All She Wrote.

Tom has been playing music since before iPhones existed. Just like the iPhone, he got good around the release of the 4s. This is his second Footlights show, following 2020’s Silver Linings. Elsewhere he’s played in Red Scare Theatre’s Four Nights at the Green Barrow Pub (2019), and Kauri Theatre’s production of Shortland Street: The Musical (2021), a definite highlight.

He's really looking forward to performing these songs with the rest of the wonderful band and cast, and is hoping that the last few months of extra practice have paid off. Fingers crossed.