The Bodyguard Musical Books Artscape and Montecasino Runs

Artscape in Cape Town will host the opening of The Bodyguard The Musical on March 12, 2027, marking the country’s first staging of the international production before it transfers to the Teatro at Montecasino in Johannesburg on April 24. The scheduling across two of South Africa’s flagship theatres represents a formal commitment by both venues, and it comes with a structured ticketing and access framework that audiences will need to navigate.

The production, based on the 1992 Hollywood film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, will be led by Gqeberha-born singer Belinda Davids in the role of Rachel Marron, the superstar singer played by Houston in the film. For Davids, the move represents a shift from her work as a soloist into her first role in musical theatre, performing opposite the character of Frank Farmer, the bodyguard associated with Costner’s screen performance. Her four-octave vocal range mirrors Houston’s, a fact that has shaped the expectations surrounding the casting.

The show’s score is built on 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.

Davids arrives in the role with a public track record on international competition platforms. She reached the finals of Series 14 of Britain’s Got Talent in 2020, where judge Simon Cowell, on hearing that she would be covering Whitney Houston material, suggested those would be “tough shoes to fill”. Davids responded with a rendition of One Moment in Time that drew a standing ovation from Cowell, who commented: “That was the audition we’d been waiting for all season.” In 2023 she earned a Golden Buzzer on Got Talent: All-Stars in Spain, advancing to the final in a moment broadcast across Europe.

Meanwhile, Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management, the company behind the production, framed the casting decision in terms of the demands of the role. “This is such a huge, challenging vocal role, and Belinda has built a reputation around the world as one of the best in the business when it comes to giving Whitney Houston’s songs the same incredible power as the originals,” Feldman said. Davids, for her part, said: “I have loved Whitney Houston since I was a child, so to have this new opportunity, and fresh, exciting challenges, is a wonderful blessing. I’m so grateful.”

The production will be mounted with an all-South African cast, crew and band, a detail that places local practitioners at the centre of the international show’s debut run in the country.

On the commercial and access side, the ticketing arrangements are clearly defined. Early bird bookings carry a 20% discount for selected performances on March 17 and 18 at Artscape and April 28 and 29 at Montecasino. The offer runs until October 31, 2026, and is subject to limited ticket availability, with a maximum of six tickets per customer. Sales are handled exclusively through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.za, making the platform the sole authorised channel for the run. Further context on the production and its South African debut is available at https://bolanderlifestyle.co.za/entertainment/2026-10-17-belinda-davids-to-star-in-the-bodyguard-musical-s-south-african-debut/.

The production also carries a formal content classification: a PG 12+ rating, applied due to adult themes, language and content, with parental guidance advised. That rating gives parents a clear signal about the show’s suitability for younger audience members.

For audiences tracking the run, the key dates are fixed: the Cape Town opening at Artscape on March 12, 2027, the Johannesburg transfer to the Teatro at Montecasino on April 24, and the close of the discounted early bird window on October 31, 2026. Whether the early bird offer draws full houses before the October deadline remains to be seen.