Family first for Cody
Thumbs up for school production
FRESH from his run on Broadway, Gold Coast singer-songwriter Cody Simpson was happy to be in the audience for a preview of his younger brother’s school production before jetting back to his LA base.
Cody finished a fivemonth run as a lead in the Broadway production of Anastasia, a musical based on the legend of the Russian princess rumoured to have escaped execution during the Russian Revolution.
“It was an amazing experience, a challenge and an occasion to rise to,” Cody said.
“It was eight shows a week for five months, so around 120-130 shows all up. I enjoyed the structure of it and having to take responsibility to be in top form for every show.”
Cody said he called on the discipline he developed training as an elite junior swimmer on the Gold Coast before he was discovered via YouTube and signed to Atlantic Records at 13.
The family moved to the US but parents Brad and Angie, sister Alli and brother Tom returned to Australia last year, leaving Cody behind to forge ahead with his music career.
He was on the Gold Coast to attend Alli’s 21st birthday and was happy to help out with Tom’s school musical production of Strictly Ballroom at All Saints Anglican School.
The 22-year-old addressed the cast and crew a few days earlier and watched a runthrough of the show.
Part way through, he left the theatre to reschedule his flight so he could be there for the official preview.
“It’s very, very good,” he said. “There’s a lot of talented kids at All Saints as usual, that’s a never ending thing.
“Tom came to New York to see my show so I wanted to make sure I was there for his. He’s amazing and very talented also.”
Alli, a singer and model, also helped back stage with hair and make-up.
All Saints Anglican School’s production of Strictly Ballroom opens tonight.