Gobsmacked

27/08/2024

Proud of you Jess Sanders. Can’t wait to see you in action!!

16/08/2024

I’m at the airport about to leave Perth after directing my 50th musical at St Andrew’s Grammar with principal Craig Monaghan who hired me 12 years ago as the performing arts director in Egypt for the biggest theatre in international school - Cairo English School in the middle east at the time. That’s where my career started directing musicals. So special that Craig witnessed my first one in Egypt and this week, 12 years later, my 50th musical at his school in Perth. They absolutely brought their A-game to the stage last night and completely wowed the audience with their performance - ‘The Beetles’.
Absolutely loved coming to Perth for the first time and I can’t wait to come back in 2 years time!!

29/07/2024

Imagine performing as a Gobsmacked main character in another country and experiencing a whole new culture. This is about to become a reality in the October school holidays where we’re taking a group of students from New Zealand and Australia to China to perform a mini Gobsmacked musical with local Chinese students at an international school. You don’t want to miss this gobsmacking opportunity. All proceeds go towards 'Love the One' Charity.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScx0Oo66ziSPWyMQ9eWzwHg-71sGtNj8Z832QElVXY4ECW8sg/viewform?pli=1

23/07/2024

Trek to the Top performed by LAC and PNCAS

23/07/2024

At the end of last term Palmerston North SDA and Longburn Adventist College - Year 7 & 8 performed ‘Trek to the Top’ - the story of Edmund Hillary conquering Everest for the first time. In just 3 weeks they pulled together an incredible show. I am so proud of them. Their hard work well and truly paid off. Thank you to all their hard working teachers who made sure they knew all their lines and learnt their songs and held the fort backstage to make sure they were in the right place at the right time. Special mention to Karla (SDA principal) and Rachel (head of intermediate) as my key organisers and stage managers behind stage who worked so unbelievably hard to make sure the kids were all in the right place and of course the amazing Toni who did my PowerPoint and stayed up the top with me for all the shows and thanks to Nicole and her beautiful family for hosting me. It was such an amazing accomplishment by all and it’s amazing to witness how far each of our main characters and performers improved from the beginning until showtime!

10/06/2024

Tonight carncot is performing ‘The Beetles’ at the Regent Theatre’ in Palmerston North. They’ve been working so hard and it’s going to be awesome! Door sales are still available for the 6:30pm show! https://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/show.aspx?sh=BEETLES24

29/01/2024

Wow thank you for these amazing photos Suzanna. What an unforgettable experience it was to see Kate Liao and the children they brought over with them from China dancing and acting with their prosthetic limbs together with our awesome Gobsmacked kids from schools all over the Bay of Plenty. How amazing that we had Tom Rutherford and Sam Uffindel from parliament there to witness this miracle and on top of this the kids did a Gobsmacked musical in a week for the first time! What an incredible team we had to make this happen 🙏🏼

26/01/2024

This is what happened this week!! Shanshan Kong, the founder of LovetheOne charity approached me and asked if I could pull off a musical in ONE week after I directed her children in one of my Gobsmacked shows last year. I told her I’ve never done that before! I’ve only just managed to figure out how to pull musicals off in 3 weeks let alone a week!! But then she told me Kate Liao’s inspirational story and how she survived an earthquake in China and now dances on prosthetic legs and how her and her husband (prosthetic specialist) founded their charity ‘Morning Star’ where they fund disabled children to be fitted with prosthetic limbs in hope to give these children a next to normal life. She told me her vision to bring her and her husband, Charles and the children they’ve helped to experience a Gobsmacked musical and share her powerful testimony. After hearing her story I was brought to tears and moved deeply by her story. I told her I’ll do it! If Kate can overcome what she has, surely I can figure out a way to give her and these beautiful children the experience of a musical in just a week. So together with 70 children from schools across Tauranga and Rotorua from schools I’ve directed Gobsmacked musicals in we came together and performed ‘The Tale of Dilbert Clancy’ in just ONE week!! There wasn’t a dry eye. We all played our part in this miracle and the perfect team come together to make it happen! Thank you to the talented Seuseu family, Jess, Julia, Emma, Eden and Shawna who volunteered their time to help pull this unbelievable week off! The story made not just ‘The Bay of Plenty Times’ but the ‘NZ Herald’

Kate Liao was the only survivor in her building after 2008 Sichuan Province earthquake.

20/01/2024

What an amazing week it has been and a privilege it was to be asked to direct and produce the Pathfinder North New Zealand Camporee musical for 2024. I had an amazing team who stepped forward to say they’d love to help write the musical about Abraham’s story. A big thank you to Hannah Andrykanus who wrote the first half of the musical and Olepa Korenhof who helped me finish it and perfect it and Anna Beaden who wrote the comical Angel parts and of course Josiah Ruff and Noah Seuseu who produced the music for the songs for this musical ‘Legacy’. Together God created a masterpiece with the amazingly talented Seuseu family bringing it alive on stage with their singing, dancing and acting! In two weeks they learnt to dance and act to support the angelic voices that God has already blessed them with as a family.

31/12/2023

And...... just like that, it’s a wrap for 2023! With the backlog of schools because of Covid I had to figure out a way to direct musicals that have usually taken me 4 1/2 weeks in the past to teach. I returned back to my drawing board and changed my format so that I could pull off musicals in just 3 weeks (15 literal days) to fit the 8 schools that were booked in. This new magical formula has proven to be even more effective and has got even better results out of kids and cleaner shows from start to finish. So this year I had the privilege to teach 3500 kids across the Bay of Plenty to over 10,000 people who came to sit in our audiences to watch our original Gobsmacked musicals. I lead and directed 2 Gobsmacked Holiday Programs with over 250 kids involved, I fit in a trip to America, even a trip to Sydney - Australia where I won a Shark like competition called ‘Hyve’ that’s for small businesses that are making a difference and impact in their community. I made it to TV for the first time on Hope Channel where I got to share some of my Gobsmacked journey. It has been the most rewarding year of my life this far but certainly the busiest year I’ve ever lived. What should have broken me as I reflect, only made me stronger, more resilient as I have pushed through one of the hardest and toughest years of my life that has taken me beyond limits I didn’t even know were possible. All I can say is it’s a true miracle I made it through but it has taught me what’s actually possible when it has to be possible 🙏🏼 I celebrated directing 40 musicals with Bethlehem College Primary this year. It’s hard to believe that since 2012 I have now directed 43 musicals. Bring on 2024 and the exciting opportunities that are in the pipeline!

And...... just like that, it’s a wrap for 2023! With the backlog of schools because of Covid I had to figure out a way to direct musicals that have usually t...

06/12/2023

If you want to be a main character in our upcoming holiday program school musical ‘The Tale of Dilbert Clancy’ then make sure you come to the TGA church at 3:30 on Friday Dec 8 - we can’t wait to see you then! If you want to sing a solo, prepare your own song. Memorise the lines for your favourite main character found on my website, otherwise just turn up on Friday and we’ll figure out the best part for you!!

03/12/2023

As the summer holiday season approaches, we're excited to announce an incredible opportunity to make a meaningful impact while getting to do what you love most – SING, ACT and DANCE! Gobsmacked is thrilled to host a special Charity Performing Arts Holiday Program aimed at bringing its first FULL Gobsmacked musical to stage for students aged between 6 – 14 years old in just ONE week complete with main characters, dances, acts, singing, costumes, props and everything that comes with making our Gobsmacked shows come to life!

We have partnered with a charity trust and invited the Morning Star Charity which supports disabled children with prostheses from China to join us. We have a very special guest coming from China named Kate Liao who lost her legs in an earthquake. Against all odds she is still performing as a professional dancer and singer today with her new artificial legs. She will be helping me teach all the Gobsmacked songs and dances alongside me with her 9 million online followers and TV film crew. Together we will bring to the stage one of Gobsmacked’s most favourite musicals, ‘The Tale of Dilbert Clancy & the simply enormous gold nugget of Cooee Dupp’ which will tell the story about what greed can do to our hearts if we let it creep in.

Join us on January 22 – 26 (Mon - Fri 2024) for our holiday program at the Holy Trinity Church - 215 Devonport Rd, Tauranga and you will not only have the chance to find your talents and gifts in the performing arts but you’ll also be contributing directly to a charity that makes a real difference. Every ticket purchased, course fee and donation made will be made directly to support the charity trust empowering us to make a meaningful impact together.

We encourage you to spread the word among your friends and family and invite them to join us so that we can come together, celebrate the performing arts and create a positive change in our community this holiday season!

Auditions for main characters, speaking parts and solo singing and rapping parts will be held at 3:30pm at the Tauranga Seventh-day Adventist Church - 25 Moffatt Rd, Bethlehem on Friday December 8 at 3:30pm. If you can't make this date and time please send through your video auditions to [email protected].

To register please visit my website at www.gobsmacked.nz or contact me directly at [email protected]

We can’t wait to see you there!

01/12/2023

I had tears streaming down my face watching this powerful haka from the Kapahaka group from Oropi School. Thank you so much Oropi School for the big impact you made on my life in the last 3 weeks. To every teacher and student at Oropi School thank you for making me feel so welcomed and loved while directing your musical. You are a very special school with a lot of talent. What an AMAZING show you put on for your community.

30/11/2023

I couldn’t feel more proud of the 350 students from Oropi School who performed ‘The Beetles’ this week. What an exceptional show they delivered. For most of these children it was the first time they had EVER performed on stage in front of an audience. There was tears, there was laughter and there was such a buzz in all four audiences they had this week. Thank you for being such a welcoming and wonderful school to work with. I’m going to miss you all so much. You’re meant to change the world around you just as the last song says that you sing about. I hope with all my heart that each one of you does just that. You only get one life to make an impact and be the person you were born to be. There’s a reason why there’s no one like you in the world because the world needs YOU!!! Get out there and be a star that shines brightly in people’s lives. -up

25/11/2023

19/11/2023

Feeling so proud of my beautiful Kimmy who is like a sister to me who hosted her biggest women’s event yet to date! Seeing the inception of ‘She’s Unleashed’ and to now see what it is today with over 200 powerhouse women attending last night’s charitable ‘She’s Unleashed’ event. To be amongst women who who are all making such a difference in their own boss babe unique careers who are all changing so many peoples lives around them with the amazing work they do in their communities was amazing. I feel honoured to have a sister who is bringing these women together so we can stand up and support the women who don’t have a voice. All your hard work paid off with what you did to raise money for Women’s Refuge. Thank you Kim for making a real difference in our community and empowering so many women to make an impact. You’re an inspiration to so many. Thank you for asking me to MC your event. I felt very honoured to be apart of your hard work, dream and vision to see women be the very best version of themselves 💕

17/11/2023

8 days of practice with Oropi School! Next week they’ll be on the big stage at the Bethlehem Performing Arts Centre performing ‘The Beetles’. Oropi School are going to be AMAAAAAAAZING! Come and watch them shine on stage Tuesday Nov 28 at 6:30 or Wednesday Nov 29 at 4pm or 6:30pm!

01/11/2023

What an amazing community you are Taumata. I’m going to miss you all so much. Thank you for your hugs, smiles and working so hard for me everyday. It was so much fun and together we knocked that big bad boy off!!! Be very proud of everything you achieved!

Gobsmacked t-shirts and the book ‘Trek to the Top’ that has been written especially for this show will be on sale in the school foyer for the next two weeks. You can pay by cash or internet banking. You can also order USB’s (the professional recording of the show too). Come along to my musical theatre class from 5 - 5:30 or my FREE outreach community dance/drama and singing class that follows from 5:30 - 7pm at the Tauranga Adventist church every Tuesday starting next week. Also we have the most unique experience happening over the summer from January 22 - 26 where I’m partnering with the charity LovetheOne to put on a performing arts holiday program at the Holy Trinity Church, all proceeds go to the charity who build artificial limbs for those who have lost them. You can find someone/people to sponsor you to come. A tv crew is coming out from China to film the week. We are going to be performing ‘The Tale of Dilbert Clancy’ on the very last night. Go to www.gobsmacked.nz to register and enrol with kids from all over Tauranga.

30/10/2023

You don’t want to miss this show tonight at 6:30 and tomorrow at 4pm and 6:30. 70 years since Edmund Hillary’s climbed Mt Everest! Book tickets here! https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/

10/09/2023

A glimpse of Bethlehem College Primary School performing ‘Trek to the Top’ to over 1500 people this past week. They made us so proud and were just phenomenal with what they achieved in just 3 weeks. The hard work has paid off and what a tribute it was to Edmund Hillary as we reflect in the 70th year since he conquered Everest.

08/09/2023

PHOTOS - ‘Trek to the Top’ was performed by 430 students from Bethlehem College Primary school this week and it marked 70 years since Ed Hillary reached the top of Everest and my 40th musical (the first 8 musicals I directed in Egypt at the Cairo English school where they had just built the biggest theatre in middle eastern schools in our particular international school and I was blessed to be hired on the spot by Craig Monaghan as the performing arts director when I was teaching as a primary teacher in London. This amazing opportunity gave me the confidence I needed to start Gobsmacked in Tauranga, NZ where I have directed 29 musicals, 1 in Rotorua and 2 in Palmerston North, my hometown where I grew up). What a colourful journey it has been where I have nearly given up on so many different occasions. But I can honestly say by only God’s strength behind me do I celebrate this impossible mountaintop that I never even knew was possible to conquer. Incredibly thankful for my creative team - Melanie Schubert (my extraordinary script writer), Josiah Ruff (my talented music producer), my mum who washes and mends every costume and has made so many sacrifices her whole life to ensure I succeed and my stepdad, Peter who can put his hands to anything and has built all my sets and prop. This has been my solid team and there have been so many more that have carried me and helped me bring the real magic to the kids who transpire it to the stage. Principals, teachers and friends came to celebrate from all over Tauranga this momentous occasion including Dave Bell, the first principal who ever believed in me here in NZ and gave me the chance to prove my 5 week turnaround to turn kids into superstars here in NZ. From there a flurry of schools hired me to direct their musical and eight years on I have perfected my model and can now turn shows around in just 3 weeks from start to finish. It’s been a really hard climb up, harder than you know and considering everything I’ve endured I truly feel proud that I’ve miraculously managed to direct 40 musicals by the age of 35. Right now I pause to summit and reflect on the most arduous climb. I’ll start climbing again next week but for now I catch my breath and thank God for where He’s taken me.

Photo credits: Raewyn Otto & Shawna Murray

08/09/2023

‘Trek to the Top’ was performed by 430 students from Bethlehem College Primary school this week and it marked 70 years since Ed Hillary reached the top of Everest and my 40th musical (the first 8 musicals I directed in Egypt at the Cairo English school where they had just built the biggest theatre in middle eastern schools in our particular international school and I was blessed to be hired on the spot by Craig Monaghan as the performing arts director when I was teaching as a primary teacher in London. This amazing opportunity gave me the confidence I needed to start Gobsmacked in Tauranga, NZ where I have directed 29 musicals, 1 in Rotorua and 2 in Palmerston North, my hometown where I grew up). What a colourful journey it has been where I have nearly given up on so many different occasions. But I can honestly say by only God’s strength behind me do I celebrate this impossible mountaintop that I never even knew was possible to conquer. Incredibly thankful for my creative team - Melanie Schubert (my extraordinary script writer), Josiah Ruff (my talented music producer), my mum who washes and mends every costume and has made so many sacrifices her whole life to ensure I succeed and my stepdad, Peter who can put his hands to anything and has built all my sets and prop. This has been my solid team that has carried me and helped me bring the real magic to the kids who transpire it to the stage. Principals came to celebrate from all over Tauranga this momentous occasion including Dave Bell, the first principal who ever believed in me here in NZ and gave me the chance to prove my 5 week magical turnaround to turn kids into superstars here in NZ. From there a flurry of schools hired me to direct their musical and eight years on I have perfected my model and can now turn shows around in just 3 weeks from start to finish. It’s been a really hard climb up, harder than you know and considering everything I’ve endured I truly feel proud that I’ve miraculously managed to direct 40 musicals by the age of 35. Right now I pause to summit and reflect on the most arduous climb. I’ll start climbing again next week but for now I catch my breath and thank God for where He’s taken me.

23/08/2023

The testimony of how Gobsmacked came to be made it to TV this week - Hope Channel NZ. It's so exciting to make it to television. Currently in the middle of directing my 40th musical... what a crazy and fun journey this has been! I'm so incredibly blessed to be living out my dream job and have the platform to speak into young peoples lives.

18/08/2023

Day 1 & 2: A snap shot of the first two days of Bethlehem College Primary preparing for ‘Trek to the Top’ - the musical that tells the story of Edmund Hillary summiting Mt Everest for the first time. They are going to be AMAZING! You can’t miss this show - Sep 5 & 6 (my 40th show!) The enthusiasm and excitement is contagious. Every child who is coming to classes with me are giving me their absolute best!

14/08/2023

Our main characters that were selected for the upcoming Taumata Gobsmacked musical today - Trek to the Top! Fun day of auditions! So many talented kids and only a few parts to give out. You made it so tough but I couldn’t be prouder of everyone who gave it their best shot! Well done! Happy learning! Looking forward to working with you all next term.