From competing on TV singing contest, The Voice, to performing with Hi-5 and roles in The Sound of Music and Les Miserables, Altona actress Tayla Thomas is no stranger to the stage.
But none of those performances will have prepared Thomas her latest and most challenging role to date: a pig.
Well, a mother pig to be precise.
Thomas has been cast as Mumma Pig in the upcoming production of The Three Little Pigs from new commercial musical theatre company AG Theatre.
Playing at the historic National Theatre in St Kilda from December 18, Thomas will star in the musical adaption of the famous nursery rhyme alongside Isabelle Davis, Zak Vasiliou, Tristan Sicari, Jake Lonergan) and Ben Hamilton.
The 50-minute children’s musical is directed by Tahra Cannon and written by Stiles & Drewe, the Olivier Award winning minds behind Mary Poppins, Honk! and Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure.
Co-writer Anthony Drewe said Thomas’ character was a pivotal part of the story.
“The adventure begins when Mother Pig feels the sty is getting a bit cramped and that it is time for her piglets to go out into the ‘pig wide world’,” Drewe said.
“It is not long before the Big Bad Wolf is on their trail, and despite his protestations that he is ‘neither big, nor bad, but just a bit misunderstood,’ it is very clear that he has been watching Masterchef Australia and has a particular pork dish in mind.”
After almost a decade as a professional performer, Three Little Pigs will be Thomas’ hometown musical debut.
Unsurprisingly, the new mother has dedicated her performances to her own two little piggies, Florence and Faye.
Cade Lucas
