On of the smaller musical societies around is staging one of the most ambitious productions in its almost 60-year history.
The Alexandra Musical Society has chosen Evita as its annual show, which is always held as part of the Blossom Festival.
''I'd say we're definitely punching above our weight, but we'd never want to put limits on ourselves,'' society secretary Dona Foley said yesterday.
''The set is probably the most extensive of any we've built. The music is complicated, the timing is complicated. The costume changes are tricky - the leading lady has 15 costume changes. The dance moves are hard, we're in a small theatre and the whole thing is technically difficult, to the extent that there's not much room, so it's all hands on deck.''
Evita, the society's 58th annual show, opened on Saturday.
The group prided itself on taking on a challenge, Ms Foley said.
''This show is certainly that - more challenging and demanding than we imagined, most probably, but the audiences are loving it, and that's the main thing.''
The past two annual productions were rock and roll shows so it was time for a change of pace, she said.
''Evita is a big show, a really big show and something completely different to anything we've done before.''
The set, built by Grant Ruffell, Russell Fawcett, Trevor Goudie and Hamish Pirie, was double-storeyed and extended the full width of the stage.
Two sweeping staircases were added, along with six columns to set the scene for the rock opera, which is based on the life story of Eva Peron, the second wife of Argentinian president Juan Peron.
''After all the work that went into it, we're looking for somewhere we can store the set, otherwise it will have to be broken down and recycled. Ideally, we'd like to save it, so we can re-use it, but we don't have the space at our rooms,'' Ms Foley said.
Without the generosity of sponsors and the volunteers who devoted their time to the project, it would be impossible to stage an annual production.
''This relies heavily on goodwill and in fact, it's a community project, very much a community effort.''
In return, the society aimed to foster and develop young people who showed a talent for the performing arts or any of the technical skills needed to stage a show, she said.
''There's been quite a few young people from here gone on to successful careers in the performing arts and there's been others who have gone on to work as sound technicians, lighting people or to work in special effects.''
The 26-strong cast were mostly from in and around the wider Central Otago area.
The cast includes Tiffany Menzies, of Queenstown, as Eva Peron, Bradford Meurk , of Palmerston North, as the narrator, Che Guevara, and Bruce Potter, of Alexandra, as Juan Peron. Scott Andrew, of Palmerston North is the director and Steve Miles, of Dunedin, is musical director.
Evita closes this Friday, October 2.
