SHORTLAND STREET HEARTTHROBS REUNITE ON STAGE FOR BOY BAND COMEDY

Centrepoint Theatre presents
MANNBANND
By Michael Galvin
Starring Blair Strang, Roy Snow, John Wraight
Directed by Kate-Louise Elliott

Palmy’s Centrepoint theatre, known for their reputation of delivering crowd pleasing comedies are stoked to present Michael Galvin’s MannBannd, for their Christmas season. Delving deep into the hilarious inner workings of a boyband well past its prime, this premiere season runs Saturday the 18th of November - Saturday the 16th of December.

Matthew Mann is the greatest songwriter he knows. But the judges on TV ratings phenomenon ‘Kiwi Talent’ are far more interested in the boy-band he fronted 27 years ago. Determined to win the competition, Matthew begrudgingly reforms ‘BoyburNZ’ with his middle-aged bandmates, renames the group ‘Mannbannd’, and sets out to redefine music as we know it.

Written by Shortland Street icon and award-winning playwright Michael Galvin and directed by the multi-talented Kate-Louise Elliott, this hysterical play explores feelings of ambition, failure and the tension that creates within the already turbulent relationships of a reformed boyband. 

Michael Galvin says about Mannbannd “I wanted to write a play that wasn’t like homework, that was pure fun. There’s some deeper meanings and pathos within the script, which allows audiences to relate to the characters, but mainly its all about walking out of the theatre and saying to your friends – well that was a blast.”

Shortland Street fans may be none the wiser that Mannbannd is not the first play Galvin has published. In fact, Galvin has written six full length works, taking home the prestigious Bruce Mason Award for the ‘The Ocean Star’ in 2007.

The cast is its own family reunion as former Shorty Street icons and theatre stars fill their respective roles. Leading the play is Celebrity Treasure Island star Blair Strang (Shortland Street, Nothing Trivial, Choose Love). Strang started his career as an actor, having worked on countless productions since then while also balancing his other career as a lawyer successfully. 

Joining Strang as his bandmates are John Wraight (Shortland Street, Spartacus, Wellington Paranormal) and theatre legend Roy Snow (Shortland Street, Nothing trivial, North By Northwest). Snow is a prestigious and well recognised actor in the theatre/musical theatre scene, working on major theatre productions with Auckland Theatre Company and the Court Theatre. 

Acting opposite Strang is Emma Katene (The Girl On The Train, Destination Mars, White Men). Katene made her name through her extensive body of work in the New Zealand theatre scene.

MANNBANND’S BACK ALRIGHT!

Mannbannd plays:
18 November - 16 December 2023
Book at www.centrepoint.co.nz