QPAC has revealed that two-time Grammy winner and reggae icon Shaggy will perform in the Brisbane run of Sting’s musical The Last Ship from April 9.
Famous for songs such as Angel, Boombastic, Oh Carolina and It Wasn’t Me, Jamaican-born Shaggy has sold more than 40 million records.
He will appear in The Last Ship playing the Wallsend Ferryman alongside Sting, who stars as shipyard foreman Jackie White.
“I’m honoured to join Sting onstage in Brisbane and am especially grateful to help bring a story so personal to him to life,” Shaggy said.
QPAC chief executive Rachel Healy said Shaggy’s addition to The Last Ship cast would be the first time the two music stars had stepped into character roles together.
“To witness two close friends bring Sting’s own story to life is a rare and unmissable experience, and we’re thrilled that Queensland’s new Glasshouse Theatre will host the only Australian season of this remarkable creative partnership,” she said.
The Last Ship was inspired by Sting’s childhood in Wallsend in the UK, and tells the story of a community facing the disappearance of their shipyard.
Sting wrote the show’s songs and has previously starred in productions in North America.
No stranger to acting, the music star has appeared in films including Quadrophenia, Dune and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Shaggy remains among the top three most-streamed reggae artists worldwide and his new album, Lottery, drops in May.
Sting and Shaggy previously toured together and collaborated on the 2018 album 44/876.
The Last Ship plays from April 9 to May 3.
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Nick Dent is a Culture Reporter at Brisbane Times, covering arts and things to do in the city.Connect via email.