SIT Music Graduates Feature In Concert Selection

Musical co-creator and musical director, Dr Sally Bodkin-Allen, isn’t finished yet with developing the Southland born-and-bred musical, 18 Eden Avenue. The latest rendering is a cabaret-style version of the show, focusing on the musical content, and SIT Music graduates are present in abundance.

Dr Bodkin-Allen described the show’s new format as a concert. “We’re not performing the entire show, just the songs,” she said. A live eight-piece band will play on-stage, with six cast members singing the musical numbers. Between songs the cast will chat to the audience, providing commentary and some story telling.

Four of the eight musicians in the band are SIT graduates. Dr Bodkin-Allen had selected musicians who had good skills and were reliable. The four graduates also had connections with KSOM (Kennedy School of Music), where they work as tutors. It made sense to draw from the experienced musicians there, she added.

SIT Bachelor of Contemporary Music alumni, Devin Ledington (bass), Lachlan Hickford (guitar), Davi Amorim (drums) and Marcus Crowe (keyboard) form the core band. Dr Bodkin-Allen described the group as “excellent musicians who are highly skilled on their instruments and work well together”, and noted that while the musicians were more accustomed to playing rock music than musical theatre, “this really shows just how diverse their training at SIT has been”. The band is rounded out with Ewan Adam and Chloë Litchfield on violin, Rose Colleen on cello, and Emma Jarman, who plays clarinet, tenor and alto saxophone. “It's quite special to be working professionally with a group that contains so many students whom I have taught at SIT,” Dr Bodkin-Allen said.

Dr Bodkin-Allen explained the live music format is a significant development in the evolution of the show because the musical was originally performed with backing tracks. “Having already started rehearsals it’s so exciting hearing the songs with live music, it’s quite special.” There had been a lot of work going on in the background to develop the new format, including hiring a professional musical theatre arranger to reduce the scoring of the 15 songs from 15 instruments down to eight. “So the songs in the concert are new, slightly updated versions of the [originals]”, she said.

SIT had supported the new arrangements of the songs with a grant, and ILT had recently provided funding as well. “I’m very grateful for their support,” said Dr Bodkin-Allen. “It’s a big production - there’s lighting, sound, recording – it’s a lot, and we wouldn’t be able to do this without support.”

Of the original cast, four were reprising their roles, and with two original cast members unavailable, there were two new faces on board: Ben Johnson from Dunedin, a very experienced musical theatre performer, and Sam McGregor of Invercargill, plays the teenage boy role. Another SIT alumna appears in the concert cast; Liv Cochrane, who plays the role of Sophie, has a Bachelor of Contemporary Music from SIT.

SIT graduate, Marcus Crowe, has been involved from the inception of 18 Eden Avenue, as the show’s pianist for the last three years. “My very first experience playing for the show was in 2021, I love it, it’s super fun.” He enjoys the process and has found it satisfying seeing all the different parts of the performance merging. “Each practice you see all the different components coming together; you understand why your part is there.”

He noted being involved in the musical added to his role as a music teacher. “It’s great to be able to practise the thing that you teach.” Some of his students will go to the show and one is in the show. “It’s an opportunity to be a good role model,” he added.

Recent winner of the Keyboards Player of the Year in The Southland Musicians Club Southland Music Awards for 2024, Mr Crowe moved from Taupo to Invercargill in 2017 to pursue a double degree in Contemporary Music and Audio Production; he stayed and settled here due to the musical opportunities which have arisen. “I’ve properly put down roots... I realised Invercargill actually has a good music scene. We’re smaller, we know each other, The Southland Musicians Club do a good job of involving lots of musicians. I have met some amazing musicians through them.”

After working part-time as a music teacher with Kennedy School of Music during his studies, Mr Crowe went to full-time music teaching once graduating in 2020. “The stars aligned perfectly; there was no stress about what I’d be doing after studying.” Describing it as a 10 out of 10, he said “It’s so satisfying ... this is the right thing to be doing ... music teaching has given me all these opportunities.”

18 Eden Avenue in concert takes place at the Civic Theatre, Invercargill for one night only, on Saturday, 24th of August. Tickets are available at: https://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/show.aspxsh=EDENAVE24

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