Yes it’s actually Hugh Jackman! Hughlight of my week (see what I did there). The Wolverine and Greatest Showman star is in Auckland and I was very lucky to be invited to today’s media conference Q&A to hear Hugh sing as well as hear Keala Settle perform This Is Me, her smash hit from The Greatest Showman.
Keala’s mother was Maori and when she shared she hadn’t been home for 12 years until now and she felt her mother’s spirit when she saw Aotearoa, everyone was crying. I actually forgot to put on mascara and it was meant to be because she made me teary.
Last year the Oceanian Leadership students had made a viral video singing This is Me which attracted Hugh to come here to AUT South Campus and meet the students, and announce he’ll have 50 of them in his live show here. What a life changing opportunity.
Maori artisans presented him with taonga of greenstone in a woven case and the AUT Vice Chancellor made him an honorary Navigator.
It was an incredibly moving performance with Oceanian leadership students also performing a haka that had Hugh visibly moved.
Hugh Jackman’s ‘The Man The Music The Show’ tour will include New Zealand live show dates on 6th and 7th September 2019.
Keala wore a dress by New Zealand Maori fashion brand Hard Out Kiwi.
About the show
Produced by TEG DAINTY the tour will see Jackman perform hit songs from The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables and more from Broadway and film, accompanied by a live orchestra at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Friday, September 6 and Saturday, September 7.
The Man. The Music. The Show. national tour dates are:
AUCKLAND: 2 SHOWS – Fri September 6 at 8pm & Sat Sept 7 at 2pm | Spark Arena
Tickets for The Man. The Music. The Show. go on sale on Thursday, March 7 from 12 noon at www.ticketmaster.co.nz
Photos by Megan Robinson live at the media call.
26 February 2019