Seventies party with Ali Harper

Ali Harper will be on stage at Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre on April 7, in Yesterday, a musical celebrating the greatest hits of the 70s.

Caption: Ali Harper will be on stage at Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre on April 7, in Yesterday, a musical celebrating the greatest hits of the 70s.

Ali Harper can't wait to hit the road as part of a new musical featuring the greatest hits of the 70s.

Yesterday will be hitting the stages of 12 New Zealand cities including the Toitoi: Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre on April 7.

Harper says the show has "awesome music".

"I love the music of the 70s from the likes of Abba, Kenny Rogers, Boney M, Leo Sayer — it's all very close to my heart. It's music I grew up with and still love to sing," Harper said.

The two-hour show of non-stop hits, colourful choreography and informative and humorous banter comes under the musical direction of Tom Rainey who will also appear on stage along with his son Jimmy on saxophone.

The show also includes Matthew Pike, Leanne Howell and Cole Johnson.
Harper says audiences will love the familiar songs.

"I love being on the road and how lucky are we to be able to be doing this? I have travelled a lot and any time you are on a tour with a troupe you develop a special bond with your fellow travellers. You also appreciate just what a magnificent country we live in."

Harper has a special bond with Hawke's Bay.

"I love Hawke's Bay. We were married at Ormlie Lodge, my in-laws live in Havelock North and I have many friends and connections in the region. I'm really looking forward to performing in the refurbished theatre."

The award-winning performer, whose career spans more than 30 years, has starred in many musicals and plays throughout New Zealand and in New York.

NZ tours include The Court Theatre production of the one-woman show Songs for Nobodies where Ali was awarded Best One Woman Show at New York's United Solo Festival on 42nd Street in 2018.

Other tours include Chess, Evita, Pirates of Penzance, Oklahoma and the one-woman play Bombshells, where Ali was awarded Best Actress in New York in 2014 and Chapman Tripp Best Actress in Wellington in 2008.

She says she admires stars such as Dolly Parton who has great resilience and work ethic.

"She's certainly not a one-hit wonder, in fact most of the stars from the 70s were long-standing. I admire them. People like Helen Reddy. I was rehearsing her song I am Woman for this tour the way I always learn my music — earphones in and belting it out while walking along the beach. I thought I was alone and was really going for it when I looked up and saw a couple walking towards me laughing. They gave me the thumbs up so I can't have sounded too bad," Harper said with a laugh.

She said the audience can expect nostalgia and a celebration of the stars from yesterday.

"We will be dancing on stage and I'm pretty sure the audience will be dancing as well."
SIDEBAR:
Yesterday
Toitoi: Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre
April 7, 7.30pm
Tickets from Ticketek