The Gaiety Theatre has been putting on shows since the 1900s.

Masses and masses of Manx talent have been unveiled from behind the famous curtain - showcasing the capabilities of our island again and again.

Media Isle of Man caught up with west end director, Tara Overfield-Wilkinson, who is currently working as the associate director and choreographer on the Isle of Man’s ‘Come From Away’, which will be showing at the Gaiety later this year.

Tara has been heavily involved with Manx theatre for nearly 15 years. Working on previous productions such as ‘Miss Saigon’, ‘Sister Act’ and many more.

The island’s version of ‘Come From Away’ is a replica of the award-winning West End version, featuring local talent.

Tara said: ‘I've actually been coming to the Isle of Man for the last 14 years.

‘I've done quite a lot of shows over here. I was doing shows for the DCU (Douglas Choral Union) for a while, and Alex Toohey, who runs Two Feathers productions, was chairman of the DCU 14 years ago and he brought me over to do Miss Saigon.

‘Loads of West End and UK tours, meant that I haven’t been able to get back for a while.

‘Alex got back in touch with me about Jersey Boys in 2024. It turned out that I could juggle my work back home and make it work and we set specific dates to come out, do the directing and the choreography, go back and do my West End shows.’

Tara described the standard of acting in the Isle of Man as ‘super, super high’.

‘Every time I come over, I’m blown away by the talent in the Isle of Man.’

The show Tara is currently working on musical ‘Come From Away’ is in her words the most difficult, simple show you will ever see. It tells the story of a small town in Newfoundland which welcomed nearly 7,000 stranded airline passengers when flights were grounded following the 9/11 attacks.

Tara explained: ‘It's a story about kindness and looking out for people and so in a time of obviously deep terror and frustration.

‘There was 9,000 people who lived in Gander at the time, and overnight, they had 7,000 visitors land at the airport. They took them in, and they looked after them for five days until the air spaces opened up again and they could fly them back home to wherever they came from around the world.’

As a result of travelling to the Isle of Man so often over the last 14 years, Tara actually met her husband Matt - who is Manx.

‘I’m currently sitting in his parents’ bedroom as I do this interview. Every time I come over to do the show, I get to come see my in laws and more of my Manx family.

‘I feel like an honorary Manxie each time I come.’