Beth Waite - Director

Beth Waite trained in Musical Theatre Voice at the University of Otago. She went on to receive Masters of Arts with Distinction in Theatre Studies focusing on revisionist feminist intervention adaptation theory with the creation and performance a one-woman show about Wendy Darling from J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.

She works as a senior teacher at The Voice Lab NZ where she specialises in musical theatre repertoire selection. Alongside teaching, her work ranges from performance, directing and producing around Ōtepoti. Performance credits include The First Time, Chicago, I Love You - You’re Perfect - Now Change, and Ovation, for which she was nominated for an Otago Southland Theatre Award.  She was selected as an Emerging Professional for Christchurch International Musical Theatre Summer School in 2014 and 2018 where she received instruction from a robust international teaching staff including Andrea Burns and Jonathan Groff. Directing credits include Women Like Us (Little Scorpion), Now. Here. This. (Arcade Theatre Company) and Footloose (St. Hilda’s Collegiate). She was also the Vocal Director for Highlights, a celebration of Musical Theatre in collaboration with Musical Theatre Dunedin, Taieri Musical Society and Showbiz Dunedin.

Beth is looking forward to putting Legally Blonde on stage and cannot wait to share her love for all things 2000s romcom nostalgia with the cast and audience members of Ōtepoti.

Samuel Leaper - Musical Director

Samuel, a local Dunedin musician, is delighted to have the opportunity to work with Musical Theatre Dunedin as musical director for Legally Blonde. Having been consistently involved with musical theatre since his high school days, this will be Samuel’s second show in the role of musical director, coming off of a sold out run of shows in 2022, working with East Otago Musical Theatre to bring to life ‘Chicago’, a show in which he was nominated for Best Musical Director at the Otago Southland Theatre Awards. 

Having many accolades to his name, Samuel has spent time with his band touring New Zealand, living in 660 Castle Street as an inaugural recipient of Six60’s scholarship, and now works as a live sound engineer, mixing both local and touring bands as they perform throughout Dunedin. As well as this, Samuel is completing a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Otago (although he enjoys part time study so he can fit everything else in!). 

Samuel can’t wait to start working with the talented members of the creative team, cast, crew, and band to put one of his favourite shows together and has been getting stuck in to navigating the hundreds of key changes through the score!

Cadyne Geary - Choreographer

Cadyne is delighted to be given the opportunity to choreograph Legally Blonde, a dream musical for her. Primarily Cadyne is a trained Jazz, Hip Hop and Musical Theatre dancer and Legally Blonde combines these styles flawlessly.

Cadyne is a secondary teacher at Te Kura o Hira Tapu (St Hilda’s Collegiate), working alongside young wahine who inspire her, sharing a love of dance and physical education. She trained in Physical Education at University of Otago, and holds a postgraduate diploma of Secondary Teaching.

Cadyne has been a dance and performance educator for many years now working at Black + White Dance Studio as an Aerobics coach and contemporary dance teacher.

Cadyne is also currently teaching BodyStep at Les Mills Dunedin, combining her love of fitness and fun. Cadyne is a contracted choreographer and tutor, with past projects including the Taieri Musical Holiday Programme, DKCM corporate entertainment gigs and most recently, choreographing Moana Junior for Taieri Musical Society for which she was nominated for an Otago Southland Theatre Award.

Cadyne also finds a home on the stage and has performed in theatre shows such as The Cabaret (produced by Nic Laughton and Lauren Johnson), Taieri Musical’s Chicago, Mamma Mia, Mary Poppins, Grease, Showbiz Dunedin’s The Highlights and Musical Theatre Dunedin’s Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.

Cadyne is thrilled to bring her absolute love of Dance and Performance onto the “pink” stage (which happens to be her favourite colour) with a talented, hard working cast and creative team.