Nic Kyle - William Shakespeare
Nic studied at NASDA and has been working professionally as an actor and singer for 20 years across New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Germany and the UK.
His London theatre credits include Savage (The Arts Theatre, West End), The Grand Tour (Finborough Theatre), Closer to Heaven (Union Theatre), Party (Above the Stag Theatre), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Battersea Barge Theatre), and Monty Python’s Spamalot (English Theatre Frankfurt). He has also appeared in numerous Secret Cinema London productions including Miller’s Crossing, Star Wars, Dr. Strangelove, 28 Days Later and Back to the Future.
New Zealand and Australian credits include The Producers, La Cage Aux Folles, Anything Goes, Cabaret, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The History Boys, Grease, Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar, Ladies Night, Twelfth Night, Wolf Play, Blood Brothers, Sweeney Todd, Assassins, In the Next Room, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest, Miss Saigon and Shrek The Musical (New Zealand and Middle East tours).
Nic has played Charlie in the New Zealand premiere of Kinky Boots at Auckland’s Civic Theatre and Wellington’s St James Theatre, and Harold Hill in the Auckland season of The Music Man at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre.
Concert credits include The Music of the Night Canadian Concert Tour, The Elaine Paige Tour, and performances with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. He has written and performed seven solo shows, was nominated for Best Actor in a New Play (BroadwayWorld) for Savage, and in 2023 received the Variety Arts Club of New Zealand’s Top Male Artist of the Year award.
Juliet Reynolds-Midgley - Queen Elizabeth I
Daughter of English Tenor Vernon Midgley and New Zealand Soprano Alexandra Gordon, Juliet was born and grew up in England. Beginning her career in England, Juliet performed as a soloist in numerous concerts throughout the UK. She recorded the role of Ngana for CBS’s South Pacific with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jose Carreras, Sarah Vaughan and Mandy Patinkin, toured Italy with Michel LeGrand and the Ambrosian Opera Chorus (Fauré and Duruflé Requiems), recorded guide vocals for Kate Winslet in Sense and Sensibility and performed as a soloist for Festival Cruise Lines in the Caribbean.
Juliet furthered her studies, when visiting Aotearoa, by spending a year at the Christchurch Jazz School where she first met Neill Pickard, the founder of the school. She is delighted to be a part of bringing his original musical to a wider audience.
Since settling in Aotearoa, she has appeared as a soloist with the CSO on many occasions, written and performed the Streisand inspired cabaret show for the Christchurch International Cabaret Festival, featured in Starry Nights, Coca Cola Christmas in the Park, and with Malcolm McNeill for President Clinton during his APEC visit. She had a long-standing residency with her jazz band at The Crowne Plaza (Christchurch) and released her jazz album “Haven’t We Met” in 2000.
Her Court Theatre credits include Side by Side, Calendar Girls, Pacific Post, August Osage County, Blood Brothers (Mrs Lyons), The Mikado (Katisha), Once, Next To Normal (Diana), Murder on the Orient Express, Fun Home (Helen). Other stage credits include Sweeny Todd (Mrs Lovett), Beauty and the Beast (Mrs Potts), Mama Mia (Donna)(Showbiz Christchurch).
As well as performing, Juliet is passionate about teaching at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art. (NASDA at ARA)
Richie Pickard
Richie graduated with Honours in Jazz performance from the University of Canterbury in 2005 and has played extensively throughout New Zealand and globally in a range of formats.
As both an electric and double bass player he has performed with international artists including Josh Groban, Elaine Paige and Mary Coughlan and with some of New Zealand’s top musicians, bands, and songwriters including Breaks Co-op, Julia Deans, Dave Dobbyn, Sol3mio, Kevin Field, Anika Moa and Annie Crummer.
Richie’s recording credits include work with Julia Deans, The Eastern, Hawkins, Paul McLaney, Ed Waaka, Oval Office and, most extensively, with songwriter, Nadia Reid, whom he has recorded and performed with for the past 15 years and recently toured with through Europe and the UK.
Theatre and television credits include work on ‘Mahana’ film soundtrack, X Factor NZ, Dancing with the Stars and the World of Wearable Arts Festival.
Most recently, Richie has performed in ‘& Juliet’ for Amici productions, ‘Charlie & the Chocolate Factory' and ‘Come from Away’ with Showbiz Christchurch, and 'Strictly Ballroom' for the Court Theatre.
Gabriel Baird
Gabriel Baird is a musician working in Christchurch. He is the Associate Principal Bassoonist of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and Accompanist at the University of Canterbury.
Gabriel has had a long association with Enchanting Productions having been the Accompanist for The Secret Garden: Spring Edition, Bassoonist in our Mark Dorrell-led band for A Little Night Music, Music Arranger and Bassoonist for Paul Graham Brown's Fairystories, and now Music Arranger and Director for Sweet William.
Gabriel has also been the Music Director for musicals with MUSOC at the University of Canterbury.
