Young actor hopelessly devoted to the stage
Grease leading role a long-held dream
Young Te Awamutu actor Felix Rowe is preparing to star in the role of Danny Zuko in Hamilton’s Clarence St Theatre’s upcoming musical, Grease.
The production is directed by Kyle Chuen, choreographed by Michaela Gilling and co-musically directed by Nick Braae and Damian Brell.
The show runs from December 3 to December 17, including the special nights of Cheap Tuesday (December 6) and Dress-Up Thursday (December 8).
Before landing the role of Danny, Felix had won a Zony last year for Best Leading Male in a Youth Production and two Waipā Youth Awards this year and in 2020.
“It is always nice to get recognition as a theatre person, just to get that reassurance that you are doing well,” says Felix.
This is the first time he has performed a show outside of school. Felix attended St Peter’s School in Cambridge, where he developed his love for the performing arts. A previous role he took on through St Peter’s was Caractacus Potts in last year’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which Felix says was his “first lead role”. He was also in Bonnie and Clyde as Ted Hinton in 2019, and Miss Saigon as Thuy in 2018.
“Danny has always been a dream role of mine . . . When I saw that Clarence St Threatre was doing Grease, I said to myself that I have to be Danny,” says Felix.
At the heart of the story is a budding romance between hot-rodding gangster Danny Zuko and the sweet new girl in town, Sandy Dumbrowski.
They had a secret fling in the summer, but now back in the context of school, peer pressure and cliques make their love a bit more complicated. Can Danny maintain his “cool dude” status and still make reserved Sandy his girl?
The whole cast sings and dances around Danny and Sandy’s love, with hit songs Greased Lightning, We Go Together and Hopelessly Devoted To You.
The car featured in Felix’s personal favourite song, Greased Lightning is looking spectacular. “When we were able to rehearse with the car, it gave us some fantastic energy, and the guys go all out with the scene,” says Felix.
Felix says that the costumes and set are incredible, and help transport you back to the 1950s era. “Especially the haircut — they use a lot of hairspray to gel to grease my hair back.”
“The jackets for the T-Birds are cool. I love my suit, it looks phenomenal, and so does my letterman sweater and tracksuit,” says Felix.
Felix says the show is so much fun, “even the scenes that I am not a part of and I see from the side of the stage, I think, ‘ Wow, this would be a cool show to go watch’.”
Felix attends Wintec Media Arts School, studying towards his degree in music and performing arts.
“The tutors are really awesome. They all have experience in the theatre industry and they are so wise — it’s incredible learning from them,” says Felix.
Looking to the future, Felix wants to one day be a working actor.
“It doesn’t matter where it is — to be able to say that my job is theatre is the dream.”
Clarence St Theatre has a fully licensed bar and foyer, and is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets to Grease are on sale now at premier.ticketek.co. nz/shows/show.aspx? sh=GREASE22