Showtime Management, SA Producers of the soon to be staged international hit musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert has announced the three boys who join the all South African cast alternating the role of Benji when the show opens next month at Artscape.
Ten year olds, Jack Fokkens and Jagger Vosloo and eight year old Alexander Wallace take to the stage as Benji, the son of lead role Tick played by Daniel Buys (Jersey Boys, West Side Story, Saturday Night Fever). Benji is the real reason Tick convinces his fellow friends Bernadette and Felicia to head off into the desert in a big pink bus for a four-week stint at a Hotel Casino Resort in Alice Springs, the same resort managed by his estranged wife Marion played by Taryn-Lee Buys (Singin’ in the Rain, Jersey Boys). Interestingly, the roles of the estranged couple are played by real life husband and wife!
Tick hasn’t seen eight-year-old Benji for years and is nervous about exposing him to his colourful lifestyle, only to be surprised that Marion has raised him to be sweet and open-minded so he’s fully supportive of his father’s sexuality and career.
“The role of Benji presents itself as a wonderful opportunity for a young actor to work with multi-talented all South African cast and creative team in one of the best known productions in the world.” says SA Producer, Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management. “This is going to be an exceptional learning curve especially as the boys will be working with top Australian Director, Simon Phillips who directed the original stage production of Priscilla and Andrew Hallsworth, also from Australia who co-choreographed the international production of Priscilla, for Broadway with Ross Coleman.”
The three Benjis
The three Benjis share a love of dancing, singing and acting and their enthusiasm for this, their first professional musical theatre role is infectious. The youngest of four children, Jack Fokkens has been performing in ballet productions since he was four years old, most recently in Cape Town City Ballet’s Peter Pan. He is an accomplished pianist and French Horn player, and when not practicing, he loves learning new tricks at the College of Magic. Jack is starring in his first international movie The Kissing Booth, to be released on Netflix later this year.
Fellow Benji, Alexander Wallace has been entertaining friends and family since he could walk and talk. Also an early starter, Alexander has attended the Waterfront Theatre School for the past four years where he is studying dance and drama. He has featured in various international commercials and has starred in several movies, most recently acting as the young Eric Bana in The Forgiven. This is Alexander’s first professional theatre production.
Jagger Vosloo recently starred in The Magic Carpet, a school rendition of Aladdin. He enjoys playing guitar, and attending Hip Hop classes. Jagger comes from a family with strong theatrical ties so it seems he is destined to be in the theatre. In his spare time he enjoys playing Xbox, ramping on his scooter and building Lego.
Adventure of a lifetime!
Presented by Showtime Management in association with Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and Nullarbor Productions and brought to South Africa by BBC First, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a heart-warming and uplifting tale of three drag artist friends who hop aboard a battered old bus – aka “Priscilla” – and go off on the adventure of a lifetime through the Australian Outback, to perform in Alice Springs. On the way they find friendship, love and far more than they ever dreamed of.
What: Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Where and when: Artscape, 26 March to 23 April
Book: Computicket
Next: Montecasino’s Teatro, 29 April – 18 June
WS
