South Delta Secondary grad Cameron Anderson will portray Macheath in Seven Tyrants Theatre's remount of Beggar's Opera.
Macheath is a very rich, complicated and difficult character, says Anderson, adding that makes it a fun role in which to sink his teeth.
"It gives me a lot of work to do and lets me have a lot of fun onstage."
The musical is also a chance for Anderson, 29, to once again work with David Newham, who adapted John Gay's classic script and is also directing.
Anderson, who went on to study theatre at the University of Victoria, says they were both involved in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at South Delta Secondary.
"Dave always had a very strong vision of what he wanted to do. He was very dedicated. That hasn't changed."
Anderson says he's generally worked in theatre but has also started to do some film and TV acting as well, in addition to tackling some improv comedy.
He fell in love with acting in high school, he says.
Beggar's Opera runs from March 4 to 14 at Jericho Arts Centre, 1675 Discovery St., Vancouver. Evening performances from Tuesday to Sunday are at 8 p.m. Tickets ($20 on Tuesdays, $29 on the other nights) are available at www.ticketstonight.ca or 1-877-840-0457.
Seven Tyrants premiered the musical last April at Performance Works.
The action is "jampacked into ten explosive 'fantasias' - each a unique, live 'theatrical music video' - coming together to realize an opera distinctly for the modern age," states a release from the theatre group.