Sweet William or Born to be Bard

This vibrant musical includes genres from jazz, rock, swing, blues to classical, all accompanied by a superb professional live band including some of NZ's top musicians, such as Richie Pickard on bass and Adam Tobeck on drums. Written and composed by NZ's Neill Pickard QSM, and brought to life by Enchanting Productions who produced The Secret Garden, A Little Night Music, Oliver! and The Sound of Music, whether you're interested in Shakespeare's life and entanglements, want to see Queen Elizabeth I dancing with her courtiers, or hear Shakespeare's son, Hamnet, singing Greensleeves, there's something for everyone. A gem of a musical, being performed for the first time ever with a multi-generational cast, it also stars Jonathan Densem (John Shakespeare), John Bayne (Lord Hunsdon), Stephen Evans (Dick Tarleton), Eve Kelly Lyford (Anne Hathaway), Amy Potts (Anne Whateley), Eli Davis (Will Kemp), Sean Lean-Massey (Earl of Essex), Kimberley Fenton (Emilia Bassano) and Reuben Oh (Richard Burbage). And you won't want to miss these rising talents: James R Howey (Earl of Southampton), Oscar Stove (Heminges and trumpeter), and Ben Cumberpatch (Young Will). With a cast of 45 and a seven-piece band all performing in the beautiful venue The Piano, Christchurch is in for a musical treat of epic proportions!