About the cast and creative team
CREATIVE TEAM
Costa Kerdemelidis – Story, Music & Lyrics
[Mr Santorini]
Introducing Costa Kerdemelidis
Composer and Author
Costa arrived in New Zealand by sea from Greece on the ‘Goya’ in May 1951. His family were fleeing the civil war back in their home country and came to New Zealand to start their new lives right here in Christchurch.
Costa opened Christchurch’s first and only Greek restaurant featuring live music, the ‘Mykonos’ in 1979. In 1986 he introduced ‘Souvlaki’ to the locals and in 1993 he opened the ‘Santorini Greek Ouzeri’, an iconic Greek family restaurant on Cambridge Terrace, right in the heart of Christchurch.
He could be seen there every night together with his wife Despina and their three sons playing bouzouki on stage while Ouzo-powered patrons gleefully danced through the kitchen and on the tables and barrels until late, sampling flavoursome traditional Greek dishes created from local produce by his own beloved mother Marika. The Santorini Ouzeri was abruptly closed due to earthquake damage on February 22nd, 2011 and never re-opened. The building was subsequently demolished a year later.
Costa decided to write his musical ‘Breaking Plates’, with a script that was inspired by the adventures that took place over 18 years at his beloved Santorini. Breaking Plates the musical production has been 10 years in the making and features 23 original songs. Costa continues to live in Christchurch with his wife and family.
Ravil Atlas – Director
Introducing Ravil Atlas
Director/vocal coach/production consultant
Ravil Atlas is well known for his expertise in singing technique, pedagogy, and vocal coaching. He is also accomplished as a choral director, orchestral conductor, and stage director. For more than 25 years, Ravil was a leading soloist in opera, choral, and musical theatre in the US, UK, and Italy, including long runs in Broadway shows. Among the highlights were playing Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Ubaldo Piangi in Phantom of the Opera, 2 years with Grammy award winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer, and 4 years at famed international opera house Teatro all Scala in Milan.
Since arriving in Christchurch 13 years ago, Ravil has immersed himself in all kinds of music and theatre making including directorial stints at North Canterbury Musical Society, Repertory Theatre, Showbiz, Atlas Voices Opera, and many highly reviewed musicals at Burnside High School. He has conducting credits with Showbiz, The CSO, Atlas Voices, the National Youth Choir, and Bluff Opera.
Ravil has been mentoring Costa in developing Breaking Plates for the past 6 years. It is a triumph to see a new musical in Christchurch, written about Christchurch, by one of its residents. This heartfelt story is something Ravil has believed in and is grateful to be able to bring it to life in this production.
Ravil’s latest endeavour will see Christchurch with a new resident professional musical theatre company. Named Ovation Musical Theatre. Stay tuned.
Deen Coulson – Musical Director
Introducing Deen Coulson
Musical Director and Orchestrator
Deen is locally well known as a choral director for world music choir Global Voices, tutor at Ara Music Arts and the Christchurch School of Music, and as a Jester at the Court Theatre. But his passion for musical theatre began with the North Canterbury Musicals 2015 production of Beauty and the Beast, and he has been working with musicals ever since.
Since 2015, Deen has been involved with many theatre companies and shows in many different capacities, his most notable being Assistant Musical Director for ‘Broadway Hitmen’ (Showbiz, 2018), and for ‘The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber’ (Showbiz, 2019). Deen has also been a part of the orchestra for ‘Songs For A New World’ (So Keen Productions, 2017) and many more.
Outside of musical theatre, Deen is a frontman for his own originals band, ‘The Deen Coulson Project’, which is set to release a new EP in late 2023. Stay tuned for that!
Deen has been working hard with Costa and Ravil on Breaking Plates – The Musical since 2018 and is very excited for people to come and see this beautiful show after so long in the making.
George Kerdemelidis – Art (Mural and Dancing Lady)
Graphic Design – Martin Little (Tonic Design)
CAST
Michael Bayly – Yorgo
Introducing Michael Bayly as Yorgo
Wellington born Michael gained a BFA in Photography (Elam) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Opera from Auckland University prior to touring Australasia performing in musical theatre, opera, theatre and television.
Michael’s musical theatre credits include Blood Brothers, The Secret Garden, Full Marx!, Chess, Rush!, West Side Story, Cinderella, Crazy Dreams, Sweet Charity, Me and My Girl, and The Mikado. Opera credits include Carmen, La Boheme, The Pearl Fishers, The Flying Dutchman, The Magic Flute, Aida, Il trovatore and Die Fledermaus.
Since settling in Christchurch Michael has appeared in Court Theatre and Showbiz productions including Miss Saigon, Sweeney Todd, Putting it Together, Cabaret, Bad Jelly The Witch and Kiss Me Kate, and a variety of concerts and major events.
Alyssa Parkinson – Agapi
Introducing Alyssa Parkinson as Agapi
Alyssa is an Invercargill born performer. Now based in Christchurch, she is studying a Bachelors Degree of Musical Theatre at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts.
She is a foundation student of Greenstone Academy, run by vocal coaches Amanda and Ravil Atlas. With twelve years of dance and ten years of vocal training, Alyssa found her love for the Arts as a young child and began taking part in her high-school productions of Fame (ensemble), All Shook Up (Lorraine) and Alice in Wonderland (Alice).
Her passion for theatre led her to CIMTSS where she was given the chance to work with Broadway legends such as Andrea Burns, Joshua Henry and Hayden Tee. Alyssa was also lucky enough to work with NZ Opera star Jonathan Lemalu.
She has had the amazing opportunity to be a performer in the ILT Christmas show multiple times as a dancer and soloist singer. Alyssa has just recently been featured as a soloist in the Coca Cola Christmas in the Park 2022, singing “Oh Santa” with Mariah Mckernan.
Daniel Brown – Ali
Introducing Daniel Brown as Ali
Daniel has been performing in musical theatre productions throughout Christchurch since 2015. Highlights include ensemble roles in Grease, Hair, Rent, Spring Awakening, the role of J.D. in Heathers (MUSOC), and the role of Jesus in Godspell (Riccarton Players).
During the day, he works as an Energy Manager at Lincoln University.
Mathew Hatten – Achilles
Introducing Matthew Hatten as Achilles
Mathew has just graduated from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA), gaining a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Music Theatre). Although currently based in Christchurch, Mathew is relocating to the UK in June to further his studies and expand his performance opportunities.
His most recent theatre credits include; a Featured Soloist in Outcast! – a Candid Cabaret (Play Space Productions), Kenickie in Grease, Colin Mackintosh in Riverside Drive, Ensemble in The Drowsy Chaperone and Glen in The Wedding Singer (NASDA), Michael Wormwood/Ensemble in Matilda (Showbiz Christchurch), and Skip in the NZ Premier of Glory Days (Semicolon Productions).
Mathew was delighted when asked to step into the role of Achilles, even at short notice. He feels a special connection to the piece, as his mother spent 6 years on the Greek island of Crete; he has also visited the island himself, as well as others.
Mathew is looking forward to bringing this beautiful and deeply moving story to life on stage.
Donna Palmer – Yiayia
Introducing Donna Palmer as Yiayia
Donna began her theatrical journey some time ago, with Kirwee Players and Halswell Drama Group having fun in shows including Nunsense, Witches of Eastwick and Fiddler on the Roof.
In 2018 she joined CentreStage Rolleston for their inaugural and amazing show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and she has been involved in every show with them since then. She has thoroughly enjoyed playing the loveable singing teapot, Mrs Potts, in Beauty and the Beast, Lady Farrow and the Crone in the hilarious Blackadder II, and Bonnie’s mum, Emma, in Bonnie and Clyde. She also absolutely loved playing Ruth in Elmwood Players’ 2019 production of Calendar Girls.
Angus Howat – Damien
Introducing Angus Howat as Damien
Angus is so thrilled to be performing in the world premiere of Breaking Plates. Being a part of such a meaningful and significant part of Christchurch storytelling is incredibly humbling and even more exciting is to be telling it in musical form. Angus has been performing across Canterbury for the past decade in a wide variety of theatre.
Some of his highlights have been Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Company and Spring Awakening among others. Angus has also started out doing some directing work as of 2022 with MUSOCs production of Addams Family.
He hopes you enjoy the show as much as he has enjoyed working on it.
Scott Christie – Stavros
Introducing Scott Christie as Stavros
Scott is a Christchurch based performer. Originally from Dunedin, he moved to Christchurch in 2019 to study Musical Theatre at NASDA. During his time at NASDA he portrayed Thomas in The Book of Everything, Leaf in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and George in The Drowsy Chaperone. Since graduating, he has appeared as a swing in Enchanting Productions’ A Little Night Music, Don in Kirwee Players Singin’ in the Rain, and in the chorus for New Zealand Opera’s Macbeth.
Later in March he is flying to Wellington to perform in a new show by Celia Macdonald; A Fat Girl’s Cry.
Scott couldn’t be more excited, and is honoured to be involved in such a heartfelt musical as Breaking Plates.
Eli Davis – Jason
Introducing Eli Davis as Jason
Ngāti Awa
Eli is recent graduate from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts completing his Bachelor of Performing Arts (Musical Theatre).
Eli is an Ōtautahi (Christchurch) based performer but is originally from Hokitika on the West Coast of the South Island. Eli wants this career to take him around the world and perform anywhere and everywhere.
His most recent theatre credits include NASDA’s 3rd Year Production of ‘Grease’ (2022) Semicolon Productions production of ‘Glory Days’ (2022) NASDA’s 2nd Year Production of “The Wedding Singer” (2021) The JK Performing Arts production of “Elf the Musical” (2020), NASDA’s end of year production “Finale” (2020) NASDA’s “Musical Theatre Ensembles” (2020).
Eli was ecstatic to be asked to be apart of this production even though it was late notice, partially because he wants to travel to Greece and partially because he is thrilled to bring this piece of Christchurch history to life in the form of this beautiful musical!
Blair McHugh – Mohammed
Introducing Blair McHugh
Blair began performing in Musical Theatre with shows for UC MuSoc – the first in 1989 voicing Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. His first appearance with Showbiz Christchurch was the 1993 production of Anything Goes performing in thirty plus productions over the subsequent years, including Les Misérables, Into the Woods (Steward), 42nd Street (Pat Denning), Chess (Walter), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey II), 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Jesus Christ Superstar (Pilate), Cats (Growltiger), Joseph (Pharaoh), Sweeney Todd (Pirelli), Buddy (Hipockets), Avenue Q (Brian), The Phantom of the Opera (Piangi), Mamma Mia! (Harry), and Sister Act (Joey).
Other productions include Un Ballo in Maschera, Rigoletto, Carmen, and A Christmas Carol as a member of the Canterbury Opera Chorus, Chicago (Billy Flynn) for Variety Theatre Ashburton, Joseph (Jacob/Potiphar) for North Canterbury Musical Theatre, ELF The Musical (Santa) for JK Performing Arts, and The Secret Garden (Ben Wetherstaff), A Little Night Music (Mr Lindquist) for Enchanting Productions.
Blair is a foundation member of Atlas Voices and the CSO Ensemble Choir (Ravil Atlas) and The Vocal Collective (Richard Marrett), and a Producer for CIMTSS – the Christchurch International Musical Theatre Summer School (Luke Di Somma). His “Day Job” is Kaiako Hangarau (Technology Teacher) at Te Kura Tuarua O Pūtaringamotu (Riccarton High School).
*Parental Advisory: Explicit Language and adult themes. Reference to earthquake and earthquake scene may affect some viewers. Running time 2 hours 20 min (including interval).