The Bodyguard makes its South African premiere in March 2027, proudly presented by Showtime Management. Based on the iconic film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, this electrifying musical brings the unforgettable story of superstar Rachel Marron and her bodyguard, Frank Farmer, to the stage. When fame, danger and desire collide, an unexpected romance unfolds – backed by some of Whitney Houston’s biggest hits, including “I Will Always Love You,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “Queen of the Night,” “I Have Nothing,” “Run to You” and “So Emotional.” THE BODYGUARD opens at Artscape in Cape Town on 12 March 2027 before transferring to the Teatro at Montecasino in Johannesburg on 23 April 2027. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster, the exclusive ticketing agent.
This marks back-to-back shows based on blockbuster Hollywood films for Showtime Management, who recently brought PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL to South Africa for the first time and now a return season of MAMMA MIA! which is currently on stage and enjoying critical acclaim in Cape Town before moving to Montecasino’s Teatro from 16 October. This further cements the reputation of this leading local promoter and producer for being synonymous with major musicals featuring an all-South African cast, crew and musicians. The phenomenal cast will be announced early in October, with fans clamouring to see which stars will play which roles – particularly the iconic leads, Rachel Marron and Frank Farmer.
At the time of its release in 1992, The Bodyguard was the tenth highest-grossing film in history, with the soundtrack, performed by Whitney Houston, broke all records, becoming the best-selling soundtrack album in history, selling more than 45 million copies worldwide. It also won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. “I Will Always Love You”, the lead single, was a mega-hit – the best-selling single by a female artist of all time. The Oscars were fans, too, with the songs “I Have Nothing” and “Run To You” both nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management is excited for local audiences to experience the new show. “Bringing another huge movie-based musical to South Africa for the first time is a thrill,” she says. “We can’t wait to announce our wonderful cast as we bring these famous screen characters to the stage. Our audiences loved PRETTY WOMAN, and we know that THE BODYGUARD will be just as popular.”
With its combination of chart-topping music, glamorous superstar energy, romance and edge-of-your-seat drama, THE BODYGUARD is a spectacular theatrical experience for Whitney Houston fans and musical theatre audiences alike. It’s an unforgettable love story that sees a former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer, hired as a private bodyguard to protect global singing superstar Rachel Marron from a mystery stalker, struggling to balance his duty to protect her and her family with his growing feelings for his client. A review of the international production on TripAdvisor praises the high-energy staging and events, saying “Audiences consistently enjoy the dazzling stage sets, stunning costume changes, vibrant choreography, and thrilling theatrical highlights.” The Telegraph’s Tim Hatley called it “Spectacularly and ingeniously designed” and The Independent proclaimed, “You go in humming the tunes, you come out whooping them!”
Don’t miss Early Bird specials for both seasons: 20% discount for Wednesday 17 March and Thursday 18 March at Artscape, Cape Town and for Wednesday 28 April and Thursday 29 April at the Teatro at Montecasino, Johannesburg. Maximum six tickets per customer. Limited tickets available. Only valid tickets purchased through the exclusively appointed Ticketmaster will be honoured.
Note: this production has a PG rating 12+ owing to adult themes, language and content. Parental guidance is advised. Terrific Tuesday discounts available. Ts and Cs apply. A 20% block booking discount is offered on groups of 20+ on selected shows for specific price categories.
