Kirrah hits the big league with The Bodyguard

Posted on 23 March, 2017

This week Kirrah Amosa began rehearsals for Australia’s next blockbuster musical – The Bodyguard.

The accomplished 22-year-old Canberra singer says she had to almost pinch herself on Monday as she walked into the ABC Studios in Ultimo to learn the song and dance routines with a celebrity cast including Paulini, Kip Gamblin, and Prinni Stevens ahead of a year-long national tour.

She is also getting used to living away from her large family – she is the eldest of six – although the upshot of leaving Canberra is having her own apartment in Sydney.

“That’s another thing I am pinching myself over. I have an apartment to myself with amazing views and a bath! I am doing the whole eating chocolates and strawberries in the bath with candles after rehearsals. I wonder is this actually my life?”

Based on the 1990’s Warner Bros movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, The Bodyguard’s Australian tour starts at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on 21 April, before playing in Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

It means the next four weeks will be intense for Kirrah, who is not only part of the ensemble cast but is understudy for both female leads including Rachel, played by Paulini, and Nicki, played by Prinni.

“I am feeling a little overwhelmed by it all but equally exhilarated.”

Kirrah is a Canberra success story, having been performing for almost ten years. She was featured as one of HerCanberra “15 Women to Watch in 2015”.

She’s had lead roles for a variety of musical productions including the Narrator in Papermoon’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Gabriella in Bertri Barren’s High School Musical.

More recently, she’s been Pilar in Legally Blonde – The Musical, a soloist in Cabaret, and Elphaba in the ACT production of Wicked, which earned her a Canberra Area Theatre Award for ‘Best Leading Actress in a Musical’.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Music from the Australian National University’s School of Music, Kirrah is probably best known in Canberra for her membership of various ensembles which include Tuchasoul, and Kaleid.

Landing the role of understudies to both female leads in The Bodyguard, which debuted at London’s Adelphi Theatre in November 2012, was a thrill – and a big step on to the national stage. But Kirrah has also worked hard to progress in the industry.

“This is what I want to do with my life and this is the next step. I know I can do this and I know I will love doing it.”

When asked whether the first-night nerves of a major international show would hit her harder than previous roles, Kirrah is philosophical.

“I don’t actually get nervous as such. This is everything that I want to do and everything I want to share. I can’t really explain it. But this is not work and there is nothing laborious about it.

“Sing is natural for me, it’s second nature and it is when I am at my happiest.”

Tickets to The Bodyguard can be ordered here.