Two Abbotsford residents are among the cast of a Theatre Under the Stars musical in Stanley Park.
Jessia Spenst, a graduate of Yale Secondary, and Tim Howe, a graduate of Robert Bateman Secondary, are featured in We Will Rock You.
The production, which opens July 2 in Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl, is based on Queen’s most iconic rock-and-roll hits.
We Will Rock You follows follows Galileo and Scaramouche and their gang of misfits 300 years in the future, as they rise up to fight for their freedom from the oppressive Killer Queen, who has banned all music.
Spenst plays the role of Scaramouche, while Howe takes on the role of Killer Queen’s second-in-command, Khashoggi.
The musical features over 20 hits from the band’s legendary songbook, including Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are the Champions, and Another One Bites the Dust.
Spenst, 23, participated in musical theatre at Yale Secondary, where she received awards for the “outstanding junior” and “outstanding senior” for her work on each year’s spring production.
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She was awarded a district scholarship in fine arts upon graduating in 2016.
After two years of post-secondary education in psychology, Spenst felt like something was missing and auditioned for the fall 2019 intake of Capilano University’s musical theatre program.
She graduated from there on the dean’s list this year.
Spenst has also performed locally, including with Gallery 7 Theatre.
Howe is a graduate of University of the Fraser Valley’s theatre program.
Recent stage credits include the ensemble in The Sound of Music at the Arts Club, Cliff in Cabaret for Royal City Musical Theatre, and Jasper in The Aliens for Sticks and Stones Theatre.
He won an Ovation Award as Outstanding Performer for his role in A Broadway Holiday at the Gateway Theatre in December 2021.
Howe also has film credits on Arrow, The Twilight Zone and A Million Little Things.
We Will Rock You runs July 2 to Aug. 27. Visit tuts.ca for tickets and show times.