Roxmouth’s musical memoirs
Actor and performer Jonathan Roxmouth’s new show Stage by Stage reflects on his career in South African musical theatre.
Multi-award winning singer, musician, and actor Jonathan Roxmouth dazzled audiences with his recent production Stage by Stage at Pieter Torien Theatre at Montecasino, Fourways.
The show opened on 19 April and features a broad collection of songs from shows that Roxmouth previously appeared in, songs from his upcoming shows and shows that Roxmouth would love to sing in one day.
During Stage by Stage, Roxmouth added his own backstage stories and personal anecdotes reflecting on his upbringing and career. He also spoke about his days at Northcliff High School, and his eventual journey onto the musical theatre stages of South Africa. “The idea behind the show is not to just perform, but to ‘be’,” he explained. “It was initially terrifying being yourself on stage without any roles to assume, and during the run of the show I really got into it. There’s an ease of just talking to an audience and relating my stories,” he said.
This type of audience interaction created a relaxed atmosphere, with musical highlights such as the raucous Broadway Baby, the swinging Luck Be a Lady Tonight, and the groovin’ Beauty School Dropout from Grease.
Roxmouth also delivered his sterling rendition of Music of the Night from The Phantom of The Opera. “Audiences really share a deep relationship with music, and you can definitely see that when I perform. It is great seeing how they light-up listening to familiar melodies,” Roxmouth said.
Due to popular demand, the show’s original eight performances has been extended to 14 performances running up until 11 May.
