‘‘I’ve been wanting to direct That Bloody Woman since it was first created in 2015, so I was thrilled when it was announced that Taieri Musical Society was looking for a director for it,’’ she said.
Morgan and musical director Bridget Telfer-Milne are at the helm of a compact, high-energy cast and production team working on the show, which opens at the Mayfair Theatre next Thursday night, July 22.
Written by Luke Di Somma and Gregory Cooper for the Christchurch Arts Festival, That Bloody Woman manages to combine the fun of a rock concert with a look at one of New Zealand’s most important historical figures.
A touring production of the show was staged to full houses at Dunedin’s Fortune Theatre in 2016.
Through the rock concert format, Kate (Anna Langford) and her ‘‘gang’’ tell her story, and that of the suffrage movement, from temperance to suffrage and taking on anti-suffrage Prime Minister Richard ‘‘King Dick’’ Seddon (Max Beal).
The gang of performers are Kelly Hocking, Jess Clarke, Janine Weatherly, Peter Hocking, Darrel Read, Kieran Kelly, Kane Welsh, Jane Craigie-Read, Bethany Cook, and Chelsea McRae, who are accompanied on stage by a live band.
Morgan said having an all-female production team working on That Bloody Woman created a great atmosphere in rehearsals, and the show’s edgy tone and language were appropriate for the rebellious approach of Kate Sheppard herself.
‘‘Back in the 1800s, the women campaigning for suffrage were regarded as unladylike and brash, and that tone comes through in the show,’’ she said.
The cast of seven women and five men were ‘‘astonishingly talented’’ and intent on immersing themselves in the history.
‘‘As they are each depicting real people from the 1800s, as well as being part of the gang, they have been doing research to help bring them to life,’’ Morgan said.
Taieri Musical Society president Blair Hughson said That Bloody Woman was great fun, and was also a show that New Zealanders should know about.
After Covid-19 had disrupted plans for very large productions, including Mamma Mia, the society had decided to turn its attention to smaller-scale shows, he said.
‘‘That Bloody Woman is a great example of what can be achieved — it is smaller in scale, but the production values and talent are fantastic,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s going to be epic — a full-on rock show and educational too.’’
