BACK‘Afloat: 20 years after The Rise’ is an original dystopian musical written by Rangitoto student Harrison Maxwell and alumni Sammy Hook. It is set in a world where rising sea levels have submerged cities and made all land inhabitable, forcing the remaining survivors to live on boats aboard a floating empire. Harrison and Sammy have composed over 20 songs for the show and wrote every line of dialogue themselves. A large portion of the writing was done in hotel hallways in New York and on plane trips as the pair toured America at the start of the year. They are now partnering with Rangitoto College’s Drama Department to produce this show and bring it to life at the Glen Eden Playhouse Theatre on June 28th and 29th. The journey of writing and producing an original musical has been an experience unlike any other. It has allowed Harrison and Sammy to grow their artistic abilities and explore a new side of theatre. The band, cast, and tech crew all consist of rangatahi aged 18 years old and under so they can all experience the power of working in a professional theatre. Afloat is not a show to be missed.
