Rugby player Ruby Tui’s book Straight Up inspires Rotorua production

Ruby the Tui, an Anne Samson School of Ballet production, will be performed at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre on Saturday. Hazel Herries plays 16-year-old Ruby.

More than 100 Rotorua students are taking the stage in a production based on New Zealand rugby player Ruby Tui’s autobiography.

Ruby the Tui, an Anne Samson School of Ballet production, will be performed at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre on Saturday at 1pm and 6pm.

Samson told the Rotorua Daily Post the production was based on Tui’s book Straight Up, released in 2022.

Tui’s autobiography detailed a childhood marred by drugs and domestic violence. Sport was the young Ruby’s escape.

“I read it twice and it really resonated with me,” Samson said. “And I thought, ‘How can I put that into a really meaningful production for the students, especially in today’s world?’”

Samson said she sought permission from Tui’s manager and publisher. She received “Ruby’s blessing” in June.

She and “a couple of other ballet mums” brainstormed the story. They came up with “a really creative story about a little bird called Ruby”.

“It’s kind of her story, but in New Zealand native birds.”

Samson said 111 Rotorua students were performing, aged between 5 and 17.

She spent thousands of hours on the production, including remodelling costumes from her “costume bank”.

She was proud of her creations, which were “very colourful” and “quite vibrant”.

Samson said Tui was overseas but understood some of her family members would attend the production, “which is pretty special”.

Samson said “the whole whānau” would enjoy it, from children to grandparents.

Thayo-Matisse Gapes, 17, plays a kiwi in the production.

“The kiwi is the god of the forest and is one of Ruby Tui’s protectors ... telling her that following the magpies and the bad people is the wrong path to go and that she should make better choices and follow the right path,” said Thayo-Matisse.

“I am very grateful to be the kiwi – it’s a very cool costume, and it’s a very fun role to be getting to dance with her.”

Thayo-Matisse said she had been rehearsing for about six months, which had been “a lot of work”.

“It’s been absolute chaos, but it’s been so much fun.”

Thayo-Matisse said she planned to read Tui’s book after the show.

Ruby Tui pictured in 2022 when she released her autobiography. Photo / Michael Craig

Tui’s manager, Dan Sing, said Tui would have loved to be there for the production’s opening night, but she was in Britain.

“We were extremely touched that Anne drew inspiration from the book to create the performing arts piece Ruby the Tui.”

Sing said Tui sent her best wishes to the performers and everyone involved who had worked “so hard to bring this to life”.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.