“.. The show, which premiered in the 2009 Fringe Festival at Bats Theatre, has been picked up by Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular creator Bruce Mactaggart-
- who believes it has the potential to become an international phenomenon.
The show recreates the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission – getting the audience members to play astronauts reporters and mission control staff -
- using consoles modelled on Houston Mission Control’s.
Apollo 13 creators Kip Chapman and Brad Knewstubb along with the rest of the cast and crew – will be spending two weeks rehearsing in Hastings ahead of a 10-day run at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House in October.
In the show’s infancy the consoles were created from plywood and gaffer tape -
- however production values had become slicker – and the technology was more advanced, Chapman said.
“We’re always trying to change and develop the show.”
Apollo 13 was picked up by Downstage Theatre, which ran the show for eight weeks in 2010 to sold-out audiences,
Downstage director Hilary Beaton said. “I saw its immediate potential.
It will be interesting to see how America responds to a Kiwi vision of one of their greatest moments in history.
“The way the audience gets involved in the action with saving the astronaut – it’s very clever.”..”
(cont..)
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