"IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE": SHAKESPEARE IN SONG, Sat 14 and Sun 15 Feb at 3pm - Botanic Gardens Band Rotunda, Free!

By Dunedin Summer Shakespeare | Posted: Thursday Feb 05, 2026

Introducing the wonderful local musos who've created new songs for the Bard's old words.

Click on the artists' names for pix and bio.

*Ian Chapman (formerly known as Dr. Glam) will be leaning into his nautical persona for a stirring rendition of "Full Fathom Five" AND a mashup of monologues from Richard III + King Lear.

*Mārama Grant will bring her gorgeous voice and harmonies to lush renditions of "Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more" AND "Fear no more the heat o' the sun".

* Arlie McCormick -- professional singer and singing teacher extraordinaire -- has re-fashioned "It was a lover and his lass" into a new pop standard: "Pretty Ring Time".

* Shannon Burnett -- multi-instrumentalist and recent Six60 Scholarship recipient -- has crafted a poignant guitar ballad of "Under the greenwood tree" (with a new chorus).

* And these two dynamos have teamed up for a gorgeous, ear-worm duet of "Cuckoo, Cuckoo".

Nick Tipa (Romeo, Bottom, Cmplt Wrks Abrgd) is teaming up with Alex Martyn (Artist, Teacher) to create original renditions of "Hey, ho, the wind and the rain" and "Take, o take those lips away" -- both in Te Reo Māori.

* Sylvie Harper -- a pop artist with national radio play and multiple singles on Spotify -- has crafted a gorgeous ballad from Desdemona's "Willow Song".

* Tomuri Spicer -- Six60 Scholarship recipient and DSS regular (Tybalt, Fairy / Musician) -- has adapted Puck's final monologue into a Te Reo Māori waiata.

* Grace Gemmell is an award-winning songwriter, who's crafted an upbeat, contemporary take on Twelfth Night's "O Mistress mine".

* ERIS is a female-fronted band, who've created a raw, grunge-infused take on the Fairies "Lullaby" from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

*Sahara Pohatu-Trow is a multi-faceted theatre maker, juggling flaming hoops for a second year as our heroic Stage Manager.

*Tom Acklin (Crossfade) ensures our artists sound fab, bringing his amazing technical know-how + gear as our Sound Engineer.

* Matthew Morgan is finally stepping out from behind our tech to be our emcee ("Willy Shakes"), who can teach us all a thing or two about Shakespeare's best insults.

* Kim Morgan returns as Director and Producer, creating this season's songbook, coordinating our many talented musos, and holding the koha tin after each show.