Spy: Shortland Street star Alison Quigan turns choirmaster in ASB Theatre production

The Heartbreak Choir, from left Munashe Tapfuya, Jodie Dorday, Alison Quigan, Kate Louise Elliott and Esmay August. Photo / Supplied

Acting legend and former Shortland Street stalwart Alison Quigan is about to light up the stage in the effervescent, hilarious and big-hearted production of The Heartbreak Choir, premiering on Valentine’s Day at the ASB Waterfront Theatre.

It is the Auckland Theatre Company’s (ATC) first production for its celebratory 30th year and the perfect time for the actor, director and playwright to take centre stage.

Quigan has been part of the company right from the beginning — she served on its board until last year and is proud of their achievements.

“I was on the Theatre Initiative Panel of CNZ that gave them their first funding in 1993, and was one of the first directors in 1994, when I directed By Degrees by Roger Hall,” Quigan tells Spy.

From 2013 until 2022, she was the performing arts manager of the Mangere Arts Centre /Nga Tohu o Uenuku, where she works to support new projects with emerging practitioners in South Auckland.

Quigan says the future of theatre is bright.

In the ATC’s latest production, she plays the central role of Barbara, a choirmaster in a small Aussie town.

“The choir has been running for eight years and was originally about 25 people, but it has changed because of recent events,” says Quigan.

“The reason they exist is about wanting joy, culture, and beauty in their lives. Choirs are a big part of many people’s lives and often have a wide range of ages,”

Quigan says the music in the play is a showstopper.

“Jason Te Mete is doing an extraordinary job with the music. We sing every day and we are learning and developing so much.”

Her happy place is the rehearsal room, where she and the cast sing, learn and develop.

“It’s where we discover the truth of the story and sometimes that is funny, and sometimes it is heartbreaking.”

Also featuring in this dramedy about a small band of oddballs are acting stalwarts Quigan has enjoyed working with over the decades, including Kate Louise Elliott, Jodie Dorday and David Fane. Quigan has worked in theatre with Elliott since the 90s in a range of productions including Calendar Girls and has directed Fane in two productions for Auckland Theatre Company. She last worked with Dorday in the 90s at Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North, where Quigan was the artistic director from 1986 until 2004.

In her time at Centrepoint she wrote 14 successful plays. Of all of them, she says her favourite was Mum’s Choir, the story of her mother’s journey from death to burial.

“On the opening night of Mum’s Choir, I realised that my work was done at Centrepoint and new opportunities were beckoning,” says Quigan.

That included Shortland Street, where Quigan cemented herself as a household name, playing receptionist Yvonne Jeffries for eight years.

“I loved being on the programme and working with such a great production,” she says.

“I went from performing to 27,000 people a year to 600,000 people per night. The storylines were fantastic and working with actors and the crew was incredibly rewarding.”

Quigan still keenly watches Shorty and is still very proud of it.

“It is very important for us to tell our own stories and to have a programme that uses our accents, our culture and our images on screen. We are constantly swamped by other cultures and must remind ourselves that we have great stories to tell.”

Will she ever make a return to the street? “Well, the character isn’t dead, so it is possible. I seriously doubt it but I’m always open to offers.”

Quigan’s 45-year career has seen her fulfill her passion for theatre, and her service has been recognised with a Queen’s Service Medal.