Peterborough’s Glenn to star in American Idiot in New Zealand

Glenn Adamson who has been starring in An American Idiot and is joining the NZ show. Photo: PNDphoto

Glenn, who has played Theo on the 2019 nationwide tour, from January to July, is to reprise the role when he joins the New Zealand cast later this month for performances throughout October.

Coincidentally, it is the first time the American Idiot producers have put a show on in New Zealand – the producers being Selladoor Worldwide, who this week took full control of operations at Peterborough New Theatre (formerly the Broadway).

And it is not the only coincidence; Glenn did his degree at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, where Selladoor founders David Hutchinson and Phillip Rowntree met and launched their then fledgling company, now something of an empire, a decade ago.

All a far cry from the 27-year-old’s days in Thomas Deacon Academy school productions and the Key Youth Theatre in his home city (when he was known as Glenn Betteridge).

“We started rehearsals back in November last year so it was pretty much nine months of American Idiot,” says Glenn, who on his “summer off” had been teaching a class in Kettering and doing a photo shoot for his stint in panto, Sleeping Beauty, this December in Potters Bar.

“Touring with American Idiot has been amazing, we have had the time of our lives.

“I am a big Green Day fan and I love the music and choreography. I love the character, too. Theo is a bit of a lost youth who gets left behind and and spends his time watching TV. Nothing like me.”

Glenn still spends a lot of time with family in Peterborough and says: “I really love what Selladoor are doing in Peterborough and I do hope the theatre works out, it will be great to see it take off. Maybe I will get to perform in my home city again.”

Glenn did perform at the then Broadway as a teenager in the ensemble of Aladdin played by Peterborough’s Donna Steele (now head of drama at Tu Danse Studios in Newark Road).

“I worked with Donna at KYT and I remember she directed me in Godspell. She was one of the reasons I went to LIPA – Donna was the biggest musical theatre name in Peterborough when I was growing up.

“But those days at the Key really set me up to achieve what I have. I really do believe that is the best training ever, even though I studied at LIPA.

“There are a lot of people from Peterborough in this industry and that is down to the fact that we have such a good youth theatre set-up. Quite a lot went to LIPA and I always thought that was down to Donna.”