Michael is directing 2 episodes of Legend of the Seeker. The first is 1.8 , Denna. It is scheduled to air on December 13, 2008. The name and airing date of the second, 1.11, has not yet been accounced.
Michael will play one of the lead roles in the "thinking man's exploitation film", B!tch Slap, expected to premiere late 2008/early 2009. He will play the gangster, Gage, who is set upon by a trio of women trying to get his $200 million in diamonds. The film is being made by Hercules & Xena… More executive producer Eric Gruendemann and Herc/Xena director Rick Jacobson. Thy co-wrote and co-produced the film, and Jacobson directed. At this writing (early August 2008 ), it is in post-production. The official website, wwwb!tchslapmovie.com , recently went live and contains the trailer, full cast and crew list, and profiles of the characters. Michael's Hercules co-star Kevin Sorbo has a small role in it, and Xena co-stars Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor have cameos playing nuns. Of particular interest to fans of Michael Hurst is the mini documentary he's done (in his best David Attenborough) explaining B!tch Slap. See it on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3o2DVlZ4nA Even if you have no interest in the film, this little piece of video is must-see. Hilarious!
Michael is the director of a huge production (27 people plus a 7-piece band) of The Threepenny Opera for Silo Theatre and The Large Group (Michael and his wife Jennifer Ward-Lealand's theatre company) which is on now in Auckland until 21 June 2008 at the Maidment Theatre. It has proved to… More be a huge hit with the critics. Excerpts from the reviews (note: tv.com will not allow the correct spelling of "klassic" because of some potential "js exploits", whatever they are): Metro : " . . . a mesmerising, ambitious production of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's klassic that feels freshly minted, an instant klassic that sets a high benchmark for theatre this year. . . . a production that has all the qualities of a musical spectacular. . . . It is only June, but if I had money on it, The Threepenny Opera is already the theatre experience of the year." National Business Review : " . . . a magnificent night of razzle dazzle theatre, set in a scary and ugly criminal underworld to wonderfully oompapa jazz. This may turn out to be the production of the year in this city." New Zealand Herald : " . . . an edgy production, full of dangerous surprises, with moments of theatrical brilliance . . . The finale is a tour-de-force with Michael Hurst's innate sense of theatricality merging with a set design that has John Verryt at his exuberant best. Productions on this scale are a rare treat - the 27 member cast and a sizzling jazz combo have triumphantly revitalised a timeless klassic. Go and see it." Lumiere Reader: "( Threepenny Opera ) asks some hard questions about violence, treatment of the poor and warns against oversentimentalising reality, and director Hurst doesn't shirk from these ideas. . . . The deus ex machina ending . . . had me in stitches . . . It was brilliantly done and sounded the perfect satirical note to round off a satisfying theatrical experience. Go and see it, it's well worth it." www.theatreview.co.nz: "This post modern deconstruction is in fact klassic vintage Bertolt Brecht. . . . Then there's the music, where the heart and soul of the piece is expressed with explosive passion." Jennifer, playing Jenny Diver, received critical notice as well. One of the critics remarked on her "long-legged, husky voiced splendour" while another said her "performance is touching and her singing torching". Yay, Michael!
Michael will join Kevin Sorbo on stage at Creation Entertainment's GrandSlam Summit at the Burbank Airport Marriott, April 11-13, 2008. (See Michael's official site, http://michaelhurst.co.nz or michaelhurstnow.com). Both Michael and Kevin will be celebrity guests at the Friday night… More cocktail party, and will appear on stage, separately and together, on Saturday. This will be the first time they've appeared together since the 2000 Pasadena Hercules/Xena con. This is a general sci fi con with guests from StarTrek, Buffy, Battlestar, Smallville, Stargate, etc. See Creation's website for details or to book: http://creationent.com/cal/stgs.htm
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