The Bodyguard, the stage musical based on the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, will have its South African premiere at Artscape in Cape Town in March 2027.

Presented by Showtime Management, the production opens at Artscape on 12 March before transferring to the Teatro at Montecasino in Johannesburg from 23 April.

The musical follows global singing superstar Rachel Marron and former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer, hired to protect her from a mystery stalker. As Farmer struggles to balance his duty to protect Marron and her family with his growing feelings for his client, an unexpected romance unfolds.

The score features several 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”.

Cast to be announced

The all-South African cast will be announced early in October, with fans eager to see who will play the lead roles of Rachel Marron and Frank Farmer.

The Bodyguard continues Showtime Management’s run of major musicals based on Hollywood films. The company recently brought Pretty Woman: The Musical to South Africa for the first time, and a return season of Mamma Mia! is currently on stage in Cape Town before moving to the Teatro at Montecasino from 16 October.

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Film legacy

The Bodyguard was the tenth highest-grossing film in history at the time of its 1992 release. The soundtrack, performed by Whitney Houston, became the best-selling soundtrack album of all time, selling more than 45 million copies worldwide, and winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

“I Will Always Love You”, the lead single, remains the best-selling single by a female artist of all time. The songs “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You” were both nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Local excitement

Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management said the company was excited to bring the show to local audiences.

“Bringing another huge movie-based musical to South Africa for the first time is a thrill,” she said. “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.”

International reviews have praised the production’s staging and energy. The Telegraph called it “spectacularly and ingeniously designed”, while The Independent wrote: “You go in humming the tunes, you come out whooping them!”

Tickets and show times

Early Bird specials offer a 20% discount for selected performances at both venues: Wednesday 17 March and Thursday 18 March at Artscape, and Wednesday 28 April and Thursday 29 April at the Teatro at Montecasino. The offer is valid for bookings made from 30 September to 31 October 2026, with a maximum of six tickets per customer.

‘Terrific Tuesday’ discounts are available for Tuesday performances, and a 20% block booking discount applies to groups of 20 or more on selected shows. Group bookings can be made by contacting sales@showtime.co.za.

The production carries a PG 12+ rating owing to adult themes, language and content, and parental guidance is advised.

Show times are 19:30 from Tuesdays to Fridays, 15:00 and 19:30 on Saturdays, and 14:00 and 18:00 on Sundays, with no Monday performances. Special show times apply on Sunday 14 March (17:00) and Sunday 25 April (17:00), and a 15:00 matinee is scheduled for Tuesday 27 April in Johannesburg. There are no shows on 26 March, Good Friday.

Ticket prices range from R250 to R620, depending on the performance and seating category.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.

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