RORY NOLAN

Rory was no stranger to the stage during his time at College, an interest he has continued since graduating. Since returning to New Zealand earlier this year after 8 months living in the Netherlands, he is currently juggling his acting commitments whilst working as a lawyer at the commercial law firm Bell Gully. 

Rory is now appearing as one of the leading roles in Amici Productions' version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic Phantom of the Opera, playing the part of Raoul. The production is playing at Auckland's Civic Theatre in February/March 2016.  He is hugely excited for the role which is easily his biggest theatre credit to date, and feels it is a dream come true to be acting in such an iconic musical on the beautiful Civic stage.  

Rory attended the Boys’ School from 2003-2004 and joined the College in 2005 until graduating in 2009. He is best remembered at the College for the lead role he played as Jean Valjean in the production of ‘Les Miserables’. He says this role was a particular highlight and that it was amazing to play such an epic and iconic musical role at such a young age.

‘I was relatively inexperienced at that stage, and I feel that it was the time I spent playing this role which ignited my passion for performance and equipped me with the necessary theatre skills to progress forward,’ he says. He credits the support from the fantastic Music and Drama Departments for the tremendous opportunities for him to thrive in Performing Arts, in particular Ms Emma Bishop and Mr Ross Gerritsen. Rory has also had vocal tuition with Robyn Kennerly (who teaches singing at the College) since 2008.

Since graduating from the College, Rory has appeared in numerous productions including a featured ensemble role in Miss Saigon (Auckland Civic Theatre, 2011), and several leading roles including The Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds (2012), and Sky in Mamma Mia (Auckland Civic Theatre, 2014). Rory has toured professionally as a performer with Operatunity Entertainment since 2013, completing three nationwide tours performing in musical theatre productions in 25 centres around New Zealand. Rory has also worked as an actor, appearing in several television commercials, plays and also having a brief stint on the long-running soap opera Shortland Street, playing petty criminal, Jimmy Taylor. 

Fellow Old Collegians Mark Bradley (2010) and Tiffany Utama (2009) are also involved in the production.

For those interested in seeing Rory in Phantom of the Opera, tickets are now available on Ticketmaster: http://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/The-Phantom-Of-The-Opera-tickets/artist/804174?tm_link=edp_Artist_Name