Jessie Thomson and Jo Castelow - Variety Theatre

After the smash-hit success of Popzilla in 2023, Variety Theatre Ashburton is back with an electrifying new production – Rockzilla! Luke caugh up with Director Jessie Thomson and Musical Director Jo Castelow to ask what we can look forward to. Find more and book your tickets here: Rockzilla – The Ultimate Entertaining Experience! – Ashburton Event Centre

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
It proved a smash hit two years ago, Popzilla. Now
Variety Theater is back with an electrifying sequel, Rockzilla at
the End of the Months, directed and choreographed by Jesse Thompson,
musically directed by Joe Castello. Both dropped by the studio
to give me a wee heads up on what we
can expect. Songs from the likes of Queen Bon Joe v.

(00:23):
Green Day, big harmony numbers, and even a seven piece
version of this Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's been incredible to watch Joe working with it coming together,
because yeah, she teaches each part and then they bring
it together and it just sounds incredible.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Some of our we've got a few numbers that are
our compellers, so no, no, come that.

Speaker 4 (00:45):
I've still got the goosebumps and I think back to Cabinet.
Oh yes, yep, that sound of silence.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah. But I'm of course a great I'm into harmony,
so I just always wanted a couple of show stopping
harmony songs.

Speaker 4 (00:59):
Yeah, yeah, right on.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
You've got to take the audience on a ride. You know,
it can't all be the same level. It's got to change,
go up and down, and you know, be fast and
slow and take our guess, take the audience on a journey.
And if you have everything exactly the same, it doesn't work.
So we've all got memories of songs, and you know
it's it's a journey.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
Is this like a musical variety show or is there
a bit of a story to it?

Speaker 2 (01:25):
No, there's no story to it. It is just a
compilation of songs. So we've got songs that have all
thirty eight cast members on stage, just thirty eight. And
then there's songs where we've got just the kids on stage,
or we've got trios, we've got duos, and then we've
got I've got a group of five epic dancers that

(01:46):
have been working their butts off that are amazing.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
Some soloists and the ensemble are dancing there as well.
You need Yeah, see.

Speaker 4 (01:55):
What age range are we working with.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Our youngest member is seven, Lauren Templeton. Yeah, yeah, working
her butt off.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Oh I don't know if.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
Thanks for them.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
We're in good hands. But it comes wisdom. Remember, Yeah,
well saved. And I hear that. My movie man, Joe Danielsons, does.

Speaker 4 (02:22):
He have a solo that's cool? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (02:26):
No, he's one talented lad Joe.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, he plays a big part in the harmony's singing. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (02:30):
Yeah, where's the Zilla come from?

Speaker 3 (02:32):
What's the It's a funny story with We're sitting at
the Summerset Grosser trying to make up a name, and
I don't know, it just sort of came to I think.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
We were on Google trying to think of things, and
we're like, we knew we had pop music and we
wanted to add something.

Speaker 4 (02:47):
Yeah, okay, so you're not like big fans of Godzilla.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
That's what I was thinking.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Chinese whispers, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
Has good ring to it, easy to remember something.

Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah, it's a p for a show.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, so it's going to be a night of sing
long yes.

Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, yeah tapping, So tapping will be they will, but
the songs will be in your head when you go home.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (03:14):
You know, we're so lucky that we have layer upon
layer of fantastic singers. Yeah, you know, and they you know,
I talk about the first rehearsal you could have actually
you know, started a power station off the energy in
the room that was so excited, and I think that's
the lovely thing for us. Yeah, three rehearsal, it's just
so cool and so enjoyable.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
Yeah so three shows only.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
Right, Yeah, so you can't You can't wait a week
to hear what the hype's about. You need to get
your tickets.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Not that you would need to wait. We know it's
going to be a good time. So Friday the thirty
first at seven thirty pm, and then two shows Saturday,
the first of November and matinee at two pm, and
then again evening seven thirty. You can find all these
details and your spot through the ashburtn Event Center website.

(04:04):
Go and catch up with Gudrin at the booking office
for Variety Theaters rock Zilla