Waikanae couple hope 50 Golden Years of Musicals will delight

Tricia and Stewart Macpherson can't wait for audiences to enjoy 50 Golden Years of Musicals. Photo / David Haxton

Stewart and Tricia Macpherson have been involved in promoting lots of music shows throughout the years.

All of them have been special, but their latest one is even more so because they’re celebrating 50 years in the entertainment industry.

What better way to celebrate than to organise a series of nationwide concerts, in 10 venues, to celebrate the milestone.

It has led to 50 Golden Years of Musicals, which will allow audiences to relive the Macphersons’ musicals journey, through songs from productions such as Blood Brothers, The Rocky Horror Show, Evita, Starlight Express, Flashdance, Million Dollar Quartet, Cats, American Idiot, Pirates of Penzance, Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde and Phantom of the Opera.

Stewart said work started about a year ago “in terms of writing it and deciding what material we could use”.

“We’ve produced so many musicals over the 50 years that we couldn’t even represent all of those.

“So we had to focus on the most well known, and then the greatest songs from those such as Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, from Evita.

“And then the artists had to be chosen who could sing and act it as well.”

Musical director Tom Rainey arranged the music, which features about 35 songs of varying lengths before four singers started to practise them at their homes.

The singers include Deliah Hannah, Leanne Howell, Matt Pike, and representing all the international artists the Macphersons have brought to New Zealand is none other than tenor Paul Potts.

Potts was Britain’s Got Talent inaugural winner in 2007 with his jaw-dropping rendition of Nessun dorma.

Paul Potts is taking part in 50 Golden Years of Musicals.

The cast has been having two weeks of rehearsals at Southward Theatre in Paraparaumu, where the tour gets underway on April 11-12 before moving to venues in Napier, Rotorua, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim and Christchurch.

The Macphersons have lived in Waikanae for a long time so it was only natural they would choose a local venue to kick-start the tour.

“Our connection with the management is quite strong so I rang them and said ‘do you reckon we could rehearse for two weeks’, which is a big ask, and they have been so supportive of what we’re doing,” Tricia said.

With the artists’ earlier headstart on the songs, a key part is now creating a seamless show, which is what Rainey, director Leigh Evans, narrator Nigel Godfrey, the four singers, musicians and tech support are working towards.

Everyone is having fun, especially Potts, as they strive to create a polished show that will impress audiences.

“It’s all new for Paul because he’s just used to singing his opera stuff,” she said.

“He’s picked this up as a challenge and is having a lot of fun which is great.”

The show would be “special and exciting”.

The Macphersons first met when working in Broadcasting House, Wellington, where Tricia was a technician, and Stewart a deejay for 2ZM.

The radio station ran a few charity concerts, which is where the couple’s passion for musical act promotion started.

Before long they had set up the Stetson Group in 1973, with their first promotion involving a concert tour by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.

They have never looked back as they promoted numerous local and overseas acts.

The couple have loved their work and show no signs of stopping.

“There’s never a dull moment and we still have passion for it,” Stewart said.

To check out the 50 Years of Golden Musicals tour and buy tickets, go to www.thestetsongroup.com