This Australian Theatre Production Just Got Saved By Taylor Swift

No bad blood here.
Tom Clift
Published on August 05, 2015

Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, but Taylor Swift just took a massive step up in our book after coming to the rescue of a Sydney theatre production, who were told they wouldn't be allowed to use one of the pop star's songs just days before their opening night.

Opening today, Belvoir Theatre Company's Seventeen stars veteran Australian actors Peter Carroll, Maggie Dence, John Godden, Genevieve Lemon, Barry Otto and Anna Volska as a group of seventeen year olds on their last day of school. The play was meant to include a scene where the cast dance to Swift's 2014 hit 'Shake It Off,' but those plans were apparently scuppered on Friday after they were denied the right to use the song.

In a last-ditch effort, director Anna-Louise Sarks took to twitter and petitioned Swift directly.

She also sent tweets to Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and former federal arts minister Tony Burke in the hopes that they could help her get in touch. A number of celebrities, including Tim Minchin and Orange Is the New Black star Yael Stone also got on board, and before long the hashtag #greygrey4taytay was trending around Australia. Then, yesterday afternoon, the pop star with over 61 million followers responded.

Yes!

The reaction from the cast and crew was understandably ecstatic. BuzzFeed Australia was on hand when the news came through, and later tweeted the following Vine.

Anyone who has ever said a bad word about Taylor Swift and/or twitter should be eating a massive slice of humble pie right now. Now let the players play.

Seventeen is at Belvoir Street Theatre from August 5 – September 13. For more information, visit their website.

Via BuzzFeed Australia.

Published on August 05, 2015 by Tom Clift
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