It was almost by accident that Uatesoni Filikitonga landed the lead role in Musical Theatre Ōamaru’s production of School of Rock.

The new Waitaki Boys’ High School teacher didn’t know about the show, until the day of the auditions.

“I saw it on Facebook, and thought I might just pop in and see if I can audition.

“I didn’t know there was, like, an information evening, and there was a pretty lengthy sign-up process.”

He was given a script and a song to learn, and told to come back in two hours.

”So yeah, I had two hours to prepare for an audition, did it, and surprisingly I got it.”

Perhaps more surprised, was the production crew of Musical Theatre Oamaru (MTO), having a recent graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School walk into their auditions unannounced.

Production manager Melissa Yockney said they were “really excited” to have Uatesoni on board as Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star who poses as a substitute teacher to earn some extra cash. The role in the movie of the same name is played by Jack Black.

This is Uatesoni’s first year at Waitaki Boys’, and he is on a LAT (limited authority to teach) licence, due to a skills shortage.

He teaches English and Pacific studies, and is the Pasifika dean, as well as performing arts coordinator. 

It was “quite a lengthy process” of getting references, and checking he qualified for the LAT, and next year he starts the two-year exercise of earning his teaching diploma.

“So I can teach and get the credits at the same time.”

He moved down with his wife Ebony and son Uatesoni Junior (15 months), after coming here to visit Ebony’s mother, who is a teacher at Weston School.

“So I came here for a holiday after we graduated, and then the opportunity came up to teach here, to be with the Pasifika students here.

“I didn’t know there was quite a big Pasifika population here, so yeah, I think I just found myself where I needed to be at the moment.”

Uatesoni had always seen teaching in his future, but more as a sort of “end-game”.

“I just didn’t expect to do it so early, but I guess it’s good to try and get the qualification out of the way, while I’m still young,” he said.

He mostly grew up in Auckland, but went to live in Tonga when he was in year 6 at school, returning to Auckland part way through year 8.

His passion was Pacific dance or movement.

“I love theatre shows as well. Screen, I’m warming up to - I find it weird looking at my face on a TV screen, watching something that I’m doing.” 

He plays guitar and sings and has always loved music, but as a school pupil went through a phase of being “shy and nervous”.

“I was mocked quite a lot for wanting to do drama.

“So I just thought, I’ll go play rugby, until I physically [couldn’t] play rugby anymore, and then I was like, ‘oh, I’ll give this drama thing a crack’.

“So I auditioned for a year 12 combined production between Auckland Grammar and Epsom Girls, and I got in, and I got the lead role on my first try, so I never looked back since then.”

Uatesoni is enjoying working on the School of Rock, which opens on Wednesday (July 5) and runs until Saturday (July 8). 

“It’s really fun . . . I love that we’re doing a show with kids - because they naturally bring all the fun energy.”

He said the MTO team was “awesome to work with”. 

“It’s been really fun, and a little bit tiring." 

“I must say this is the biggest work/life balance I’ve had to deal with - being a father, husband, teacher and rugby coach - yeah, I’m doing it all at the moment, but I’m surviving!

“I think performing for me is always just a way to blow off some steam, so when I’m on stage, it feels like nothing else matters - I can just be who I want to be.

“I did the show, because I didn’t want to get lazy with my craft. I wanted to somehow stay fit with my craft, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to do so.”

Once School of Rock is finished, Uatesoni is working on developing a one-man show, which he hopes to perform later in the year.

“In drama school, in your first year, there’s a project called Solos. So you basically make your own show, and only you can be in it with minimal props.

He is going to use that solo show as a base, using other tools he had learned throughout his three years, and describes it as a “light-hearted way of attacking racism”. 

In his role as performing arts coordinator at an all boys school, Uatesoni’s admits he has his work cut out for him.

“It’s hard at a boys school, I went to a boys school as well, so I think it’s the classic stigma of boys don’t do drama. But I find that the people who always try and put you down, are the ones who would never get up and do it.

“So I guess my work so far has been trying to encourage as many people as I can to at least sing, or to at least give drama a go, or to at least express yourself creatively.”

Scrano, the Waitaki Boys’ inter-house drama competition which took place at the end of June, was “an awesome opportunity” for a lot more boys to get a taste of performing, he said.

“You’re like, ‘oh wow I never thought you’d get up there, but yet here you are’, so that was a good experience for myself, and I guess for the community, and for the boys as well to see. Especially people they hold up, like First XV players, getting up there and doing the drama as well, which is awesome.” 

For those who are keen to see more of Uatesoni's acting, a film he was involved in as part of his last assessment with Toi Whakaari will be showing in Dunedin for the New Zealand International Film Festival in August. It is called Freedom Fighter and is in the running for best short film, he said.

Tickets for School of Rock, being held at Ōamaru Opera House this week (July 5-8), are still available.