 _________________
This column is presented
thanks to
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Ever wondered what the life of a performer just starting out in the musical theatre
industry is like?
For the past few years, AussieTheatre.com has taken a peek inside the life
of a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), via both Lucy
Maunder (2006 graduate) and Gemma-Ashley Kaplan (2007 graduate).
Now, 2008 graduate Kate Walder gives us an extraordinary insight into the life of a
WAAPA graduate.
Every Tuesday, we'll be having Coffee With Kate Walder to hear
about what she's been up to over the past seven days.
We'll be there every step of the way as we follow her journey from the 2008
WAAPA Showcase through to the strenuous audition process, general performances and future
success.
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Wednesday, July 29
Hello esteemed followers. Again my apologies for a belated entry, but this week
has been rather insane…
On Monday we previewed at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington. Suffice to say we
were all extremely nervous and it was a bit of a jittery show, but it was great to finally
be in front of an audience and be fuelled by their response. It was also a great trial run for the proper
preview, which was on Thursday night at the Soho Theatre. This was the “industry”
event and it was a really wonderful night. The show ran so much more smoothly than on
Monday and we were far more relaxed. After the show, our director casually informed us
that Miriam Margoyles was in the audience. As in the
Miriam Margoyles from Harry Potter and Romeo and Juliet, to name a few.
I nearly had a heart attack, but apparently she loved it!
Backtracking slightly, on Tuesday I had one of the most phenomenal singing lessons
of my life. Anyone who knows me is fully aware of my debilitating fear of belting. However
this teacher just said to me “Oh it’s easy, this is how you belt” and
showed me in about 25 seconds. I was so overjoyed I nearly cried. For non-singers, it
probably doesn’t mean anything but belting is crucial for Music Theatre and you are
severely limited if you can’t produce that sound. I have struggled with it for so
long and now it feels unbelievably easy. It also means that a whole plethora of material
has just become available to me. I am so
excited to start working with her on a regular basis.
There is a lot more I could talk about, but one subject takes precedence –
Team Saturday. I have recently become friends with WAAPA grad Luke Barron and La Salle
grad Ashleigh Fleming, both of whom I mentioned briefly last week. Our initial coffee
dates quickly became extraordinary motivational sessions and we have now started our own
Saturday workshops, where we bring songs and monologues to work on with each other. As
quaint as it sounds, I can’t begin to explain how beneficial and inspiring these days
have been. It is really hard trying to crack into the industry on your own and even more
challenging to stay positive. It is essential to have like-minded people around you who
are willing to assist you in whatever way they can. Although I came here determined to do
this on my own, I feel extremely lucky to have such generous and supportive people on the
journey with me.
----
Tuesday, July 21
It’s amazing how quickly your life can change in this industry. It was only a
couple of weeks ago that I felt completely stuck and as though I was thrashing aimlessly
around, achieving nothing. Suddenly I am so busy that I don’t even have time to
comment on my friend’s facebook updates… and that’s saying something!
This week was predominantly spent in the rehearsal room, engrossed in passionate, complex
discussions about the circumstances of the play, our characters, and their respective
journeys. It was the first time this has been able to occur because the actor who plays
one of the key characters has been overseas. He returned on Monday and it’s been
wonderful to have him back and feel our scenes start to fly. I’d be lying if I said I
wasn’t a little apprehensive about the preview tomorrow night, as there is still much
more I want to excavate from the script and explore in rehearsals. However I’m also
very excited to let that all go and be charged by the energy that only an audience can
provide. Whatever happens, I feel extremely privileged to be performing in a play on a
London stage!
Not only have I been honing my acting skills this week, I have also been scrupulously
teaching myself the art of “gatecrashing.” In fact, I have become so expert in
this field that I have been renamed “The Kate Crasher” by the very likeable Luke
Barron, who has been witness to my limitless powers of infiltration. It began on Thursday
with the Mamma Mia auditions. I couldn’t get a time, but I went anyway.
After much waiting around I managed to speak to the organiser, who dubiously took my
headshot and CV and said he’d see what he could do. He returned five minutes later
saying “it’s your lucky day” and after another five minutes I was in the
room. Although it’s not really my sort of show, I’m so glad I did it. I felt so
unbelievably invigorated when I left and it rekindled this immense sense of purpose. I
also met a lovely La Salle graduate there who has also recently moved to London. We were
comparing notes and she gave me some fantastic leads to follow up – workshops,
singing teachers, etc. As a result, I had a super productive day on Friday making calls,
sending emails and I now have an audition next week. It is for a series of weekly advanced
performer sessions, where casting directors from West End shows come and workshop material
with you. It sounds like an excellent way to learn as well as get seen by the right
people.
The other appearance I will be making as The Kate Crasher is at the Les Mis
International touring cast auditions. For some reason, there is an open call in Wales next
Monday so a few of us are planning an infiltration mission of the highest degree. As I
said, I am just so pumped from last week’s experience and it has made me realise how
important it is to keep on the circuit. The more you do, the better you get at them, the
closer you get to landing that job. Talent and skill are crucial, but persistence is the
ultimate asset.
----
Tuesday, July 14
Hello friends! Unfortunately I have exhausted all my creative energy for the day
at rehearsals, so I may be forced to employ more traditional column writing skills this
week. My brain is on the verge of imploding from eight hours of script analysis and
exhaustive character discussion, so if I start using poor syntax and malapropisms, it
posthumously means that I’m really fired and need to hit the crack.
I really hope you know what a malapropism is or I just lost my entire readership.
Monday
Rehearsal for the play, then Priscilla! I find it rather amusing that from the
plethora of West End shows, I decided to go to an Australian musical which I have seen at
least 87 times. However I have such affection for this show and I was very interested to
see how it had been adapted to reach a British audience. It was definitely a different
experience, but it unquestionably retained its beauty, integrity and sense of fun. It
turned out to be quite an oddly nostalgic night, as I also bumped into a whole
congregation of Australian dancers who I had last seen backstage at the 1999 Warringah
Eisteddfod. The “Gumleaf Mafia” (a very apt phrase I was recently introduced to)
is certainly rampant in London; I’m finding it exceedingly difficult to meet anyone
else!
Tuesday
A series of non-descript and irrelevant social activities.
Wednesday
Strikingly similar to Tuesday, plus rehearsal.
Thursday
Resumed the job hunt with renewed vigour, following promise to self that only places of
interest would be considered, i.e. Front of house positions at theatres, organic food
shops, natural therapy clinics and bookshops. Life’s too short to sell burgers and
ribs.
Friday
Continued my pursuit of agents and casting directors.
I desperately tried to get an Evita audition, to no avail, but I have refused to
budge with Mamma Mia – the International tour. I have been very
conscientious without being a stalker in my attempts to get an audition for this show, but
I was recently informed that I had been put on a waiting list. If worst comes to worst, I
plan to gatecrash the audition. There comes a point in every performer’s career where
they must fight for what they want, think outside the square and avoid Security at all
costs!
This week is going to be extremely busy with rehearsals, as we preview next Monday night
at the Old Red Lion Theatre and again on Thursday at the Soho Theatre. Hopefully I will
make the show and won’t be incarcerated for trespassing or psychotic conduct. At any
rate, I fully expect next week’s column to be sufficiently more entertaining than
usual!
----
Tuesday, July 7
Hello all. This feels a little strange considering I only wrote my previous column
a few days ago, but I am determined to get back on track! You’ll also be pleased to
know that there are no major meltdowns to report, as this week proved to be considerably
better than the last.
Basically I have been glued to my computer, researching theatre companies, casting
directors, shows and cast lists. The only time I have deviated from this is to go to
rehearsal or hand out flyers in Knightsbridge (what doesn’t kill you makes you
stronger). It doesn’t sound like a lot, but doing your research and keeping in the
loop is a full-time job! This is especially true in my case because I have relocated to a
completely new country and have to become familiar with a completely new industry. As you
can imagine, the initial groundwork is rather extensive.
When I first arrived I bought a book called “The Actors’ Yearbook”
which is a comprehensive guide to all the theatre companies, agents and casting directors
in the UK. I have found this very useful in ascertaining who the most appropriate people
to contact are and on Friday I sent out a series of headshot/CV/covering letter packages
to the top Music Theatre casting directors. Although it is difficult to get an audition
without an agent, it’s important to be proactive and get onto their radar.
Meanwhile, in the land of French playwrights and comedic adaptations, the play is
moving along well. I had a rehearsal last Thursday which turned out to be more of a
character discussion and movement workshop; something I was very thankful for. I have been
feeling quite removed from the piece and from my character. I haven’t quite been able
to find an “in” and have desperately been trying to not judge her. The workshop
was extremely useful in exploring my character physically, particularly because I am often
inclined to become so involved in the emotional transformation that I neglect the
physical. I’m really looking forward to developing these new ideas in rehearsals this
week
Would you look at that - a column with no angst! I must be delirious, or maybe
I’ve finally realised that getting caught up in mind-made torment and
self-flagellation is utterly pointless...
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We
are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
President Barack Obama
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Friday, July 3
Belated friendly gesture! I always use “greetings” so I looked up the
thesaurus and that was the alternative. Now I know you must be thinking that I’m a
terribly unreliable columnist and since I’ve moved to London I am neglecting my duty
to be a punctual Tuesday writer… and you’d be right. The truth is, London is
tough. It’s a wonderful city but also quite unforgiving. My world is pretty out of
whack at the moment and I guess the lack of structure is filtering into all aspects of my
life.
As you can see this is going to be quite an honest column and less hilarious than
usual. I started the week determined to get a bill-paying job and within a couple of days
I had an interview, a restaurant trial and a shift for a Promotions company. I was pleased
– I had devoted so much time searching for work and sending off my hospitality CV and
it seemed as though I would finally be employed. However I left the interview with an
inexplicable sinking feeling and the restaurant trial was so anxiety producing that I
actually had to feign illness. I suppose I should have been proud that I so convincingly
“acted” my way out of the situation, but I came home that night quite miserable.
The next morning I spent four hours dressed as a bus conductor (complete with oversized
hat and tie), trying to sign people up for Ghost Bus Tours in Leicester Square. One could
say “career highlight”, I would say, “eternally scarred.”
If there’s one thing I dislike more than smelly people on long-haul flights,
it’s being forced to sell people things they don’t want. By Saturday I was
really down, so I did what I always do when I can’t quite articulate what is
upsetting me and called my parents. Whoever is lucky enough to answer first has to do the
counselling. This time it was Dad. After the inevitable tears, I realised what the problem
was. I had been spending all my time chasing the contingency plan. I had been so concerned
about being financially secure that I was just reverting back to previous patterns, making
choices that were safe but which I knew would make me deeply unhappy. I was aiming low and
that’s not what I came here to do. So I made a commitment to myself; to aim high, to
ardently pursue the life I truly want and to take that leap of faith.
For the next few weeks, I will be sending out my CV and headshot to all the
appropriate casting directors in London. I will do my research, know what shows are on and
which ones are about to recast. I will invest whole-heartedly in this industry and give
myself the best possible opportunity. Even after all the setbacks and obstacles, it is
still the most meaningful way I know how to live. It’s about time I started living
it.
----
Tuesday, June 23
Contrary to my last column’s concluding statement, this week was actually
fairly uneventful. Other than a couple of rehearsals for the play, each day mostly
unfolded in the following manner:
1. Wake-up and semi-consciously contemplate how I should fill the next 12 hours.
2. Rule out impulsively catching the train to Paris or spending all my money on London
fashion and resolve to devote hours to online job and agent hunting.
3. Wander down to local shops in order to find a pub or café with free wifi.
4. Get completely distracted by extravagant cheese shops in local markets.
5. Get completely distracted by extravagant cake shops in local markets.
6. Grudgingly drag myself away from every other shop that represents immense
pleasure/frivolous spending and find aforementioned wifi provider.
7. Get completely distracted by facebook and a sexy Irishman.
8. Upon further inspection, discover that there is nothing sexy about the Irishman other
than his accent and attempt to concentrate on the task at hand.
9. Exhaust every avenue of potential employment until it is clear I have entered a state
of utter delirium and gone partially blind.
10. Decide to explore a new route home, inevitably become completely disoriented and end
up in a most unsavoury part of the neighbourhood, get yelled at by hoodlums, experience my
life flashing before my eyes, thankfully stumble upon a familiar landmark and successfully
navigate my way back to my house.
Now that I’ve illustrated the tedious and occasionally life-threatening activities
which comprised 95% of my week, I can follow up on the first read of the play. I must
admit I was still feeling a little hesitant about the whole thing until we all got
together last Tuesday. It just happened so quickly and I was wary about committing myself
to something when I still felt very displaced. But by the end of the night my fears were
alleviated. It was stimulating and exciting to hear the whole script come to life and I
was very impressed by how bold and gutsy the actors were with their choices. It feels like
an extremely safe rehearsal space, devoid of judgement and everyone seems committed to
injecting a lot of fun into the scenes. As actors we sometimes lose sight of the fact that
it’s supposed to be enjoyable, but ultimately an audience always responds best to
performers with an infectious sense of play.
I am not rehearsing much this week but we all have a rigorous rehearsal schedule for July,
leading up to the London preview. I am hopeful that the next few days will present the
fruit of last week’s labour, in regards to jobs and agent responses. Otherwise,
it’s back to the cheese stall.
----
Tuesday, June 16
It is with immense joy and a substantial degree of stress that I write from my new
house in Maida Hill, London. I was lucky enough to be put in touch with an actor/all-round
nice guy from Australia who had found a beautiful house with his cousin and needed someone
to take up residence in the third room. I had barely walked through the front door when I
agreed to move in. It is such a great house and although I may be forced to mortgage my
soul, donate vital organs and sell my body to pay the rent, it is well worth the
sacrifice!
I’ve just realised that the predominant subject matter of my columns lately has been
Real Estate, which I’m sure is fascinating to no-one other than my parents. It’s
probably time I discussed the performing arts and continued to report on the exponential
growth of my illustrious career. Self-deprecation aside, I actually have some good news.
I’ve decided to do the play I was offered a couple of weeks ago. It is an adaptation
of the French comedy La Dispute by Marivaux and it previews at the Soho Theatre,
followed by a short run at the Edinburgh Festival. I’m really looking forward to the
whole experience. It will be a great chance to meet people, get some exposure and most
importantly to feel involved in theatre again. We are doing a first read tonight so
I’ll be sure to keep you posted on the progress and eventual performances!
Now that I have a house and some acting work, all I need is a job to pay the bills. I have
been very diligent in this department and have spent a lot of time severely embellishing
my CV to equip me for positions for which I am grossly underqualified. Finally the hard
work paid off and I have managed to find a part-time job as Hostess at a sophisticated
Latino/Cuban bar. The pay isn’ great, but the work is hard. Just kidding, it's a good
place to start and I'm looking forward to having a vague trace of an income. Even if it
takes me a while to get other work, I should be able to afford rent and a can of chickpeas
once a fortnight.
To end on a less domestic and more relevant note, I saw the wonderful show La Clique last
Thursday. It is a variety show with mainly circus acts and the skill of the performers is
formidable. The fantastic thing about London is that there is such a plethora of different
and innovative theatre. It really is an amazing city to live in, particularly as an
artist. I can’t imagine I’ll be bored anytime soon.
----
Tuesday, June 9
Civilised greetings! I am writing with a dignified reserve and unimposing
enthusiasm from a garden in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. As I sit with my Devonshire tea
at an old friend's house, life could be adequately defined as most pleasing. I look up to
see a fox casually saunter across the lawn and I half expect Noel Coward to appear at any
given moment.
As you may have inferred, it’s been a really lovely week. I’ve recovered from
the jetlag and sense of displacement that I initially felt and am quickly figuring out my
way around London. This week has predominantly been about searching websites for rooms to
rent, which has proven to be quite an interesting experience. I had one particularly
amusing phone conversation with a student from Italy who replied with either “Please
repeat” or “Yes you pay to Landlord” to every question I asked. The only
time he deviated from these responses was when he proudly informed me that he had just
completed a series of rigorous English language classes. I didn’t have the heart to
tell him that he’d probably misread the course title and been learning Swahili.
The other highlight of the week is what I now refer to as “The Lambeth North
Incident.” I must admit that I had high hopes for this room, as the guy sounded great
on the phone, it was in a fantastic area and the picture looked remarkably impressive
considering the cheap price. As soon as I exited the tube station I was convinced I was
going to be murdered. In fact, it was a pleasant surprise to arrive at the flat with my
internal organs in their respective positions and my limbs still attached. However as I
approached the ex-Council housing estate, it was clear my emotional self wouldn’t be
leaving unscathed. I was too terrified to take the lift for fear of being swallowed into
the ether, so I bravely ascended the stairs. The neighbours were kind enough to give me a
welcoming cacophony of domestic noises, including shouting, slamming doors, crying babies
and the suspicious sound of something heavy falling to the floor. When I arrived at the
flat, it was clear that the photo posted online had been taken out of an Interior Design
magazine. The room bore a far greater resemblance to a well-lit prison cell and I was
quite sure it was co-inhabited by a traditional creature of the London Underground. I
politely thanked the man for his time and ran screaming from the building.
Of course I’ve seen a few at nice houses too. I’ve also handed out my resume to
a number of theatres, bookshops and other fun looking places to work. Obviously I am keen
to move into a place permanently, find a job and become a massive West End star, but as a
very helpful WAAPA grad said to me last week: you have to take a few steps backwards here
before you can start to move your career forward in the way that you want.
----
Tuesday, June 2
First and foremost, my sincerest apologies for missing last week’s entry. I
promise to never do it again. Unfortunately at the time I usually write my column I was
trapped between an aisle seat woman and window seat man, quietly devastated that neither
were my dreamy Spanish love-god who I had planned to meet on the plane. However the window
seat man did befriend me and kindly spent the next 25 hours imparting his comprehensive
knowledge of thermodynamics and the A380 airbus. I would not have minded so much had he
been accustomed to more contemporary standards of hygiene. To compound the fun, an hour
into the flight a small child in the next row vomited. I now consider the final landing at
Heathrow to be one of the most joyful experiences of my life.
I arrived at the Chesterfield utterly bewildered and severely jetlagged. The splendour of
the hotel didn’t help my feelings of complete displacement, although it did make me
feel like a total princess (which I suppose was the purpose of the exercise)! That night I
went to see Sunset Boulevard at the Comedy Theatre with the lovely Tyran Parke. My first
West End show! Unfortunately I was so delirious I can barely remember the evening, but
I’m told it was most enjoyable.
The next day few days flew by in a whirlwind of immense confusion, loneliness and
disbelief. I caught up with some friends, checked out a couple of rooms, circumnavigated
Covent Garden 17 times partly out of curiosity but mostly due to the fact that I kept
getting on the wrong bus, experienced THE WORST coffee of my life, cried, reprimanded
myself for being so impulsive and considered getting the next flight home, somehow ended
up auditioning for a role in a play which is going to the Edinburgh festival, got the role
(although I may have to decline the offer due to specific funding requirements from the
company) and started to explore the oversized monopoly board that is London. The week
ended with a lovely lunch, attended by a bunch of Australian performers who are currently
working on the West End… and me. Needless to say I felt mildly underqualified, but it
was wonderful to meet such esteemed theatre practitioners and be made to feel so welcome.
In summation, overwhelmed is an understatement. But I am also starting to feel very
excited by the possibility that this city presents. There is an incredible energy which
bubbles underneath this place, making you feel alive and fostering creativity. I
can’t wait to be settled here, begin to build a life for myself and eventually call
London home.
----
Tuesday, May 19
It is a weird feeling, knowing that this time next week I’ll be on a flight
to the other side of the world, without a job, room or family waiting for me and with only
23kg of personal items to my name. I had planned to use the convenient unaccompanied
baggage service provided by Qantas to air freight my extra luggage, but I just discovered
that it costs $87,000 per kilogram, plus a small administration fee which would require me
to mortgage my house and commit myself to a lifetime of airline servitude. Apparently
Australia Post is a much more affordable option, as long as I can fit all my earthly goods
into a box with the dimensions of a postage stamp. This week may prove to be more
stressful than anticipated.
Other than the aforementioned matter, I am pretty much ready to go! Well, I am still
burning my Music Theatre CD’s and I still have to learn a couple of monologues…
and pack… and I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to have a look at a map of London and
see where I’m actually going… and I can’t say I’m really dealing well
with saying goodbye to friends and family… but other than all of THAT, I’m ready
to go. This week may prove to be more irrationally hysterical and wildly chaotic than
previously anticipated.
Although I have been in a whirlwind of planning, I finally managed to see Breast
Wishes, which moved to the Riverside Theatre for a short run last week. Directed by
the incomparable Jason Langley, with Musical Direction by the quietly brilliant Michael
Tyack and performed by a stellar cast, the show had no choice but to be a success. I found
it both riotously entertaining and very moving. Overall, a credit to Australian theatre.
The week finished on a less respectable note, with a marathon Saturday of farewell drinks,
teary goodbyes and waking up at 4am wedged between my friend’s two lounges, with the
unnerving feeling that a large McChicken meal had been recently inhaled. But I
couldn’t have wished for a more beautiful day and perhaps my final resting position
that night is somewhat of a metaphor for what lies ahead. I am sure that in the ensuing
months I will feel halfway between Sydney and London, stuck in a kind of No-Man’s
Land. But as they say, “leap… and the net will appear.”
----
Tuesday, May 12
Considering I have spent such a preposterous amount of time this week contacting
people in London via facebook, I have decided that in this column I shall detail my
activities and thoughts in a succession of status updates.
Kate Walder is both perplexed and excited that everyone she knows has a brother,
sister, neighbour and ex-girlfriend who is now living in London.
Kate Walder thanks everyone for their kind offers to be put in contact with said
brothers, sisters, neighbours and ex-girlfriends but has already contacted 7,000 other
brothers, sisters, neighbours and ex-girlfriends and is probably OK for now.
Kate Walder is not particularly au fait with facebook introductory etiquette. The
absence of general human contact and conversational flow makes it slightly awkward.
Kate Walder is multi-tasking. The CD burning marathon continues, although her
interest in converting all her music theatre CD’s onto her laptop has SERIOUSLY
waned.
Kate Walder is thrilled to hear that a number of her friends have just been cast in
Jekyll and Hyde!
Kate Walder is feeling a bit deflated by the fact that she is not auditioning and
has sold her soul to a steakhouse.
Kate Walder accepts her choices and understands that everyone has a different
journey in this industry.
Kate Walder experiences a
fleeting contentedness, but again questions her decisions after five hours recommending
the beef fillet over the half duck.
Kate Walder is trying to
organise bank transfers, insurance numbers, sim cards and internet connection from half a
world away.
Kate Walder. Are we there
yet?!!
Kate Walder is trying to
justify taking the red heels, the blue heels, the green, the sparkly black, the regular
black and the brown in her suitcase in place of a warm coat.
Kate Walder just received a
very comforting and informative phone call from a friend in Liverpool, England. Apparently
the shoes must stay behind.
Kate Walder is being
outrageously spoiled by her Dad in the Blue Mountains. Wine, walks and quality time. I
should go overseas more often!
Kate Walder is pleased to
announce that her life as a waitress is officially over!
Kate Walder vehemently
renounces all suggestions that the above statement may need to be revised upon entry into
the UK. She hereby declares that she will clean toilets before taking another order.
Kate Walder is feeling a
little overwhelmed but nonetheless excited by what lies ahead.
Kate Walder has only one
more column to write to write from Australian shores. See you next week!
----
Tuesday, May 5
If I was writing for the Socialite Times or for a Psychological Health Journal
(Repression: how to work in a restaurant without stabbing your boss), I could write
lengthy and informed articles based on this week’s events. However, as this is a
theatre website I’m just going to cut straight to Friday night because that was
undoubtedly the most exciting and relevant part of my week.
I feel like a performer again! I mentioned in the last column that I was singing at a
Charity Ball for OZWAC, an organisation which raises money and awareness for women and
children’s health in Western Sydney. I wasn’t really sure what to expect. All I
knew was that they needed me to sing about five Broadway classics, it was in Penrith and I
would know about two of the 300 guests.
I had such a wonderful time! After I performed my material I made friends with the band
and they had me singing backing vocals with them for the rest of the night. They were such
a fantastic group of musicians with an infectious energy and singing with them allowed me
to relax and actually have fun. Often when you take your passion into a training
institution the love of the craft falls by the wayside. It suddenly becomes very serious
and you start to view it all as a job, a set of skills and a seemingly endless quest for
self-improvement. I haven’t experienced that kind of joy and sheer pleasure from
singing on stage in such a long time. It was a valuable lesson in taking any opportunity
that presents itself.
On another note, I saw a co-operative production of the English play DNA last Wednesday.
My friend and WAAPA graduate Ben Giraud had a role in it and the rest of the cast was
comprised of NIDA graduates. It was a very interesting piece of writing and I thought
there were some standout performances. Talking to Ben after, he mentioned that although
the role wasn’t enormous he had learnt so much from his involvement. After the OZWAC
gig on Friday night I thought about that conversation. Sometimes the shows or gigs that
you expect little from turn out to be the most rewarding experiences.
----
Tuesday, April 28
Hello again. I’ll start this
week’s column by saying what I say every week which is that this week has been very
much like every other week and I am at least 87% positive that the next three weeks will
resemble the last twenty-one weeks, however I am hopeful that after the said three weeks,
the remaining twenty-two weeks will be new, original and entirely different from week to
week.
I’m glad we’ve got that clear.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this but I’m performing at a charity
ball this Friday night. It’s for an organisation called OZWAC which is a medical
research foundation for women and children’s health. The theme is Hollywood so
I’ve been asked to sing a collection of popular Broadway songs of my choice. It seems
like a wonderful cause and I am delighted to be performing. It has also forced me to
purchase more sheet music and learn new material, which is particularly productive for my
move to London.
Now that we’ve reached the section of the column where I discuss each
incremental step in my London preparation, I can announce the most recent update. In an
incredible act of generosity and total insanity, my dad has booked me in to the
Chesterfield Mayfair for the first night I arrive. It is the best hotel in London! He
explained that I may as well have one night of luxury considering I’ll be
“slumming it” for the next two years. I’m certainly not arguing. I very
much look forward to writing my column from the Butler’s restaurant one month from
today!
To finish on a completely different note, I had the pleasure and privilege of
spending time with my wonderful friend Caleb Rixon last week. As everyone knows, Cal had a
severe stroke at the end of last year and defied all odds to survive it. He has continued
to astonish and amaze experts with his remarkable improvements and simply being in his
presence was deeply affecting. At WAAPA I always looked up to Cal as a performer and felt
that he was destined for something special. But it is clear that his wisdom, vitality and
spirit will be more far-reaching than I ever imagined. He is such an inspiration and for
all of us intensely driven people, he reminds us that the things of real value and meaning
in life, we already have.
----
Tuesday, April 21
Fervent greetings! I’m afraid this is going to be a rather brief column as there is
very little to report. Last week was a hellish week in the fudge trade and waitressing
business, but I now feel comfortable that I have sufficient savings for London. As of
today I am cutting down my work commitments in order to completely focus on preparing for
the move. I am starting to consolidate all the tentative plans that I have made, such as
setting up a bank account, confirming accommodation plans and structuring an immediate
plan of action. Obviously I won’t be following a strict itinerary as I want time to
just be in a new city and explore, but I understand the necessity of having some clear
short term goals. Otherwise I am quite likely to end up in the corner of a Parisian
cabaret lounge writing existential poetry on a napkin.
There are a small number of performing related activities I have engaged in this
week, including learning songs for my collection of audition material, reading Sanford
Meisner’s wonderful book about acting and seeing Guys and Dolls at the Capitol which was a very
slick show indeed. However, considering I have not been pursuing a career here in Sydney
nor avidly throwing myself into the scene, I would like to devote this column to the
achievements of my ex-classmates – the 2008 WAAPA graduates.
The Production Company has just announced the cast of their upcoming show Crazy For You and I am delighted that Nat Jobe,
Adam Rennie, Andy Baker, Daniel Hamill and Brianne Turk have all been cast. Dave Burrows
recently filmed a commercial and is now rehearsing an opera at the State theatre in
Melbourne. Katie McKee has just finished the New Zealand tour of My Fair Lady with Opera Australia and Gretel
Scarlett is appearing in Breast Wishes which is
scheduled for a national tour. Whenever I hear about the success of my friends it boosts
my morale and inspires me to stay committed to this industry. Although we are living in a
difficult economic climate, I am glad that many of my talented and hard-working colleagues
are being given the opportunity to start realising their dreams.
----
Tuesday, April 14
Hi everyone. It slightly perplexes me to say that before writing this week’s
column I had to look back through my diary to see what I did. I can’t decide if that
means I have an intoxicatingly thrilling life in which I move from one momentous event to
the next, or that I am filling my days with trivial domestic activities which my memory
wishes to immediately discard, or that I am developing premature Alzheimer’s disease.
I think the answer is… Sorry, what was the question?
As I have previously mentioned, much of my time these days is spent organising my
fast-approaching move overseas. When I say organising, I am predominantly referring to
working 30 hours in a restaurant and 20 hours selling fudge at the Royal Easter Show. Life
out of drama school is HIGHLY prestigious. Although each shift truly robs me of my soul,
it is actually serving as a tremendous source of motivation. With each bar of fudge I
sell, the greater my need is to immerse myself in theatre, the stronger my passion is to
create and build a professional career and the more resolute my desire to single-handedly
blow up the hospitality industry.
Of course I have been somewhat productive. I have been emailing a number of “friends
of friends” and I have now accumulated quite a substantial list of London contacts.
Obviously I don’t mean that I have arranged a lunch date with Cameron Mackintosh but
I at least have a network of people who can help me out when I arrive.
Most notably, last week I attended a private viewing of what can only be described as a
sensational display of cinematography; my headshots. It was so private that only Kurt and
I were invited. It was actually very fun and although some of the shots made me want to
consume only celery and laxatives for the rest of my life, there were some great ones too.
I am about to order them so watch out for a new profile picture in the next couple of
weeks!
In the words of my dear and hilarious friend Andy Baker: best of luck, kind regards,
farewell, bye.
----
Tuesday, April 7
It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen. Kate had
finally run out of ideas for her column and had shamefully reverted to plagiarising the
first line from George Orwell’s 1984, which was oddly pertinent as daylight
saving had never been a smooth transition for Kate.
The week had been rather busy yet enjoyable. Much of it was spent in a hospitality-induced
haze as part of her continued effort to save money for London. However on Wednesday she
had the pleasure of seeing her friend David Whitney in the Bell Shakespeare production of
The Alchemist. It was a wildly entertaining and high-energy show, which she thought was
made very accessible to a modern audience considering it was written in the 17th century.
She enjoyed it immensely, largely due to the wonderful performance by her aforementioned
friend and also because she was accompanied by a most illustrious
performer/writer/director who now customarily receives a notable mention in her columns.
The following day Kate had her headshots session at Blueprint studios. Even though she had
not attained her completely achievable goal of losing 40 kg before the shoot, she had
great fun and is positive that the viewing tomorrow will proceed without eliciting
feelings of sheer repugnance. She also has enormous faith in the art of
“photo-shopping” and is convinced that even if 45 minutes of hair and make-up
can’t make her look good, Microsoft software can.
Finally, on Sunday night Kate attended Showqueen where she watched a stellar line-up of
performers including Vanessa Raspa, Monique Montez and the superb Lucy Maunder. Kate could
go on to talk about the glorious voices of the girls and their refreshingly different song
choices but she instead pauses here to contemplate why she insisted on writing the entire
column in the third person.
No reasonable conclusion can be reached. Some things you just have to put down to being a
crazy artist.
----
Tuesday, March 31
BREAKING NEWS! It is with great joy and some degree of bewilderment that I write
this week’s unprecedented column. What I am about to say will no doubt render you
speechless and in some cases cause eyeballs to abandon their sockets in hysterical
disbelief.
I had an audition! A couple of weeks ago my ex-acting teacher from my pre-WAAPA days
called to inform me about the upcoming Bell Shakespeare General Auditions. He gave me all
the relevant information and suggested I try to get a time, as it would be a good
opportunity to be seen. On Tuesday afternoon I received a call asking if I could come in
the next day. I responded with a professional amount of calm enthusiasm that I would love
to. I subsequently phoned my ex-acting teacher in a state of sheer panic and left a
completely incoherent message, from which he managed to decipher the words “very
short”, “unimpressive” and “help.” We are both still unsure
whether I was referring to the monologue or myself.
To cut a long story short, I did the audition and it was a great experience. It was the
first time I have actually been excited in that situation and not terrified. Although I
was not as prepared as I would have liked to be, I think they understood that I had been
studying a rigorous Music Theatre degree and had not spent the last three years immersed
in heightened text. It was really wonderful to feel creatively engaged again and after
workshopping the piece, they gave me some very helpful feedback.
The overriding lesson that I learnt was to ALWAYS BE PREPARED. I heard it a million times
at WAAPA, but it’s not until you find yourself in that kind of terror inducing
situation that you realise the profundity of those words. It made me instantly realise
that I simply MUST continue to keep up my skills – to do regular voice sessions, to
play around with new pieces of text physically and to keep extending my knowledge of
repertoire. Having said all of that, I really am happy with the way I acquitted myself and
it turned out to be quite a revitalising experience.
I also had the pleasure of seeing Travesties at the Opera House last week. I absolutely
loved it. Tom Stoppard is a genius and the cast and crew brought his play to life
flawlessly. It is a hilarious, fiercely intelligent and superbly acted show and I urge all
theatre-loving Sydneysiders to see it!
----
Tuesday, March 24
Hello everyone and welcome to three coffees, two cups of English breakfast tea and
severe writer’s block with Kate. I have just spent the last half an hour staring
vacantly at the screen while my brain has been doing back-flips. Wait, did I just refer to
myself as a writer? Considering the desolate wasteland of my performance experience over
the last three months, column 16 could well be the pinnacle of my career so I suppose
professional versatility is not such a bad thing!
Obviously my primary focus these days is preparing for London. Along with the logistical
plans, I’ve also been thinking a lot about what I will need as a performing artist. I
am building up a comprehensive repertoire of song material and monologues while also
reading a lot of plays and motivational literature. When I was in Perth last weekend, one
of my ex-teachers from WAAPA recommended I speak to a friend of his who graduated from the
Music Theatre course many years ago and has since had a stellar career on the West End.
When I phoned him the next day I was very interested in what he had to say about
preparation for the move. The best advice he could give me, he said, was developing and
sustaining the right attitude. “I don’t know what you’re into, but
seriously, read all those books.”
It’s a good thing I am “into” that sort of material. Last year Neil Semer -
Buddha of the vocal world, strongly suggested I read The Power of Now. It changed
everything for me and I wouldn’t have had the confidence to showcase let alone move
overseas had I not absorbed many of its principles into my life. I therefore found it very
affirming to hear someone of his calibre speak with the same appreciation and
understanding of such philosophy. In this profession especially, the way you feel about
yourself is crucial.
I have also been diligently burning all my music theatre CD’s onto my laptop. It
sounds mundane but when you have in excess of 900 cast recordings, it’s quite a task.
During my time at WAAPA my Dad developed a keen interest, if not a maniacal obsession with
scoping Ebay for such recordings. There is no way in hell I am carting them all the way to
London so I have begun the epic burning. I may be sometime.
Last but not least, I went to Showqueen last night and saw a fantastic line-up of
entertainers. Hosted by the multi-talented Shaun Rennie, there were performances by Marika
Aubrey, Margi de Ferranti, Susan-Ann Walker and the wonderful Matt McFarlane (ok, I’m
a little biased). It was a great show and I’m thrilled to see quality cabaret being
performed regularly in Sydney.
Well I’m all out of creative juice. Until next week
----
Tuesday, March 17
Greetings from sunny Perth! That’s right, I’m back in the West Country.
It turns out that I failed Tap so I have to repeat the course. Just kidding. I’m
actually over here for my cousin’s wedding, although anyone who knows me would find
that explanation plausible and entirely justified.
It just so happens that the family affair coincides perfectly with the first round of
WAAPA shows for the year, so I have been lucky enough to see both Rent (3rd yr)
and Tales of King Arthur (2nd yr). It is such a lovely experience to watch
friends from the years below develop and mature as performers and I’m thrilled to
have had the opportunity to experience some of their work before I move to London.
I also managed to squeeze in another lesson with singing guru Neil Semer, who has been
teaching at WAAPA following the Brisbane workshop. As expected, I had a completely
mind-blowing lesson and have subsequently decided to embark on a vocal pilgrimage to
Germany, where he teaches a Summer school in July. Is it financially viable? No. Will it
be stimulating, challenging, and totally necessary for my professional, emotional,
spiritual, intellectual, literal and metaphorical growth as a performer? Yes.
Perhaps I’ll just add it to the small sum of money I’ve already borrowed from my
parents. Even though I could single-handedly stimulate the Australian economy and rescue
the nation from possible recession with the amount I currently owe, I’m sure they
won’t mind lending me a little more (she says, as the distant thud from her mother
fainting reverberates across the Nullabor).
In other news, I received a phone call from London the other day from someone who read
about my forthcoming move and has been kind enough to take an interest. She is heavily
involved in theatre administration and production and provided me with loads of
information about living as an Australian in the UK theatre scene (all the best soup
kitchens, second-hand clothing stores, most comfortable bus shelters, etc).
Well there’s not much else to report. I’ve had a great time in Perth catching up
with friends and staff and being re-inspired and encouraged. It unexpectedly boosted my
morale and as my departure date looms I have to admit that the fear is waning. Whatever
happens, I am truly glad that I have chosen the life of a performer.
----
Tuesday, March 10
Dearest followers, The more uneventful my life becomes, the harder this is to
write. The highlight of my week was sending my visa application to the British High
Commission and unfortunately I am not skilled enough to turn the posting of a letter into
an entertaining literary spoof. However, it is my duty to document my trials and
tribulations so I will endeavour to honour the premise of this column and the tradition
set by my highly successful predecessors.
List of tribulations for week ending 10th March:
ˇ Lack of auditions.
ˇ Evidence of dwindling income, causing much distress over feasibility of move to London.
ˇ Requested to attend comprehensive Job Seeker workshops by Centrelink. I am now
convinced that the organisation was established as a bureaucratic “Dementor” and
wishes to suck the life out of me.
ˇ Shameful recognition that Harry Potter phraseology has been absorbed into my everyday
lexicon (see above).
If you’re still reading by now and haven’t decided that I’m a prematurely
bitter old wench, then I shall reward you with a list of positives!
ˇ I went to see The Musical of Musicals -the Musical! last week at the Parade
Theatre. It was absolutely hysterical; a brilliantly written show and superbly performed
by the four cast members.
ˇ I had a few lovely catch-ups with friends who are generously giving me lots of advice
about London or putting me in contact with people over there. It’s both astonishing
and comforting to discover how extensive the network of Australian performers is in the
UK.
ˇ I ate my Mum’s leftover birthday cake for breakfast this morning (it’s
important to embrace the small victories).
As unexciting as all of this seems, I am actually very much enjoying the early stages of
life in the professional theatre world. I have met some wonderful people in the last few
months who have really challenged the way I think about the industry and inspired me with
their relentless but unimposing determination. It’s a different sort of
determination, one that doesn’t stem from an intense desire to simply
“succeed”. It is instead a determination to be as creative as possible, to trust
an original idea and explore, workshop, publish or perform it, to show the world something
new. Now that’s something to aspire to.
----
Tuesday, March 3
Well this certainly has been one crazy week. On Tuesday I drove down to Canberra to
spend some time with my Dad and see an old friend who I trained with at an acting college
before WAAPA. I went to the Degas exhibition, I ate myself into oblivion at every
available opportunity, I unintentionally circumnavigated the city because the only method
of travel is via “round a bouts” and then exited the capital as swiftly as
possible. It was nice to get out of Sydney for a while, but two days in Canberra is quite
enough.
On Friday morning I raced over to my friend’s house for a quick rehearsal of my
workshop material, then I raced home, raced to the airport and had a casual descent into
Brisbane. I was staying at a friend’s on Friday night and although she had instructed
me to get a cab to her house, I decided to listen to my financial conscience screaming
“SAVE FOR LONDON!” and opted for public transport. 17 hours later, 5 trains, a
50 km walk and a hill that would easily dwarf Mt Everest, I arrived.
The workshop began early the following morning in a residential conference centre not far
from the city. The two days were structured in a masterclass format, where each person had
20 minutes of individual attention while everyone else watched. Neil’s approach is
incredibly intuitive so it was fascinating to observe him work. I learnt so much from
continually being in his presence and witnessing his comments, instructions and
explanations. It was an intensive and exhausting weekend but a wonderful experience.
When I got home yesterday in my sleep-deprived state, I suddenly started getting cold feet
about London. I’d had such a fantastic weekend, I had made an awesome new friend and
couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps my decision to move was premature and
impulsive. Once again I sat down and worked through all the pros and cons, but it was
something my friend had said down in Canberra last week which finally settled me.
“You’re not going to London to immediately burst onto the West End. You’re
going to broaden yourself as a person, to have new experiences, to learn more about the
world and about life.”
She’s right of course. I truly believe that the best actors have a thorough knowledge
of and empathy for the human experience. They are not just masters of their profession,
but curious and informed about the world in which we live. In order to be an interesting
artist I need to have, or at least pursue an interesting life. So it’s about time I
got out and explored the world.
Fear alleviated, ticket still booked, column finished.
----
Tuesday, February 24
Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, pessimists, masochists, pagans and die-hard
fans... Actually, I’ll express that more succinctly:
Dear performing artists and Dad. I have decided that it’s time I stopped writing with
such an undercurrent of cynicism and relieve you all from the sense of hopelessness I
undoubtedly convey each week.
(insert new and shiny personality)
This week began with wonder and joy! On Wednesday I had a singing session where my voice
soared and my heart sang. On Friday I went to a theatre jazz class where my footwork was
unsurpassed and my turn combinations sublime. Today I handed in my UK visa application
with precision and elegance and I skipped all the way home, stopping only once to pick a
daffodil.
(immediately discard new personality, set fire to it using a flame-thrower and assume
natural persona of inherent cynicism)
Let’s start again. I spent part of the week compiling and rehearsing a selection of
music theatre repertoire for the workshop I am doing next weekend in Brisbane. It’s
run by Neil Semer, a fantastic vocal coach from New York and I am nervous but very excited
to be involved. On Wednesday night I saw Angels in America performed by an
excellent cast including the wonderful Tyran Parke (a WAAPA graduate). It is such a moving
and compelling piece of contemporary theatre and I thought the company brought the story
to life with ease, sensitivity and courage. On Thursday night I went to see Gutenberg!
The Musical! with James Millar and David Harris. It was a lot of fun and the two of
them are so talented that they are always a pleasure to watch on stage.
Other than that, I have been diligently figuring out the practicalities of my impending
move to London. I booked my flight for 25th May so now that I have an exact date I can
start attending to the details, e.g arranging to stay on friends’ couches, selling my
car, calculating how much money I need to earn and save per week, etc. It will take a lot
of organising but I thrive on working towards a goal and I am thrilled to have a found a
sense of purpose again.
To finish, (insert highly amusing and witty statement which skilfully brings column to
a comfortable and satisfying end).
----
Tuesday, February 17
Goodness, has another week passed already? Time certainly flies when you’re
doing nothing. I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine’s Day. Although I’m
currently single, I couldn’t be more pleased for all the deliriously happy couples
who were able to bask in the warmth of each others’ unbridled and all-consuming
passion. Now let us never speak of it again.
Considering the underwhelming scale of last week’s activities, I shall move through
them as swiftly as possible.
Tuesday – nothing. Wednesday – mildly productive afternoon singing session.
Thursday – lunch with a friend who is currently starring in Underbelly and has acting
auditions coming out of her ears, but cancels them to go on her “all expenses
paid” romantic holiday to QLD. Thursday, immediately after departure of friend -
wine. Friday – decision to cancel interview for position of children’s
entertainer. Realisation that hosting a child’s party requires singing, dancing and
tolerance. Acknowledgement that my interest in exploring emotional “blocks”
would not be appreciated by five year olds, particularly if I then yell at them for not
taking their work seriously. Saturday/Sunday/Monday – a succession of other equally
career-defining events.
Now, you might be thinking, “What is this girl actually doing with her life? Why
doesn’t she just cut her losses and become a sandwich maker? Who is she anyway? What
is this website? Where am I? ” But the truth is, I have been sitting on a little
secret which has been the source of my renewed zeal and motivation…
I’m moving to London! Hoorah! I’ve been reluctant to announce it in case my
circumstances change, but the more I plan and research and start to build a network of
London contacts, the more cemented the notion has become in my mind. After the
disappointing outcome of showcase, I realised that the likelihood of working in the next
twelve months is slim to none. I have always wanted to go to Europe and I still have an
unused around-the-world trip from my parents, so it just makes sense. There is a whole lot
more I could say about this, but I’ll leave the finer details for future columns. For
the moment, it seems pertinent to finish with an old adage:
GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD! Hello new and possibly equally as cruel, with an 87% greater chance
of rainfall, but twice as exciting world!
----
Tuesday, February 10
Hello fellow thespians. Well it’s that time of the week again; where all of
you wait with bated breath to read about my trials and tribulations from the previous
week, and where I hope to God I can recall something of vague relevance and make it mildly
interesting by writing about it in the style of a murder mystery. I hope my subject matter
isn’t becoming too obscure. If I start discussing the conflict in the Middle East in
iambic pentameter, please feel free to lodge a complaint.
Last week was not unlike the previous week, with the only notable difference being that it
wasn’t a musical comedy. In fact, it could be said that the last seven days bore a
far greater resemblance to a comedy of errors. It didn’t involve any of the
traditional identity confusion or cross-dressing (at least not on my part), but it did
concern a number of accidental career ventures.
I had lunch with my voice teacher from a course I did before WAAPA, where I thought I
might perhaps extricate some information about teaching positions. Instead I left with a
job selling fudge at his weekend market stall. Apparently on really good days I might even
sell jam! I then applied for a few jobs in arbitrary fields in order to receive Centrelink
payments, but one of the companies actually called me back and now I have an interview for
a children’s disco host. It is as yet unclear if the position involves “suit
work”, but I feel confident that WAAPA has prepared me for the demands of such a
role.
One of the highlights of the week was attending the Aussietheatre.com birthday drinks on
the weekend, where I had a very interesting talk with a WAAPA grad from many years ago. He
is a hugely successful performer/writer/director and it was great talking to someone who
has been in my position before and can speak with the benefit of hindsight. I was also
lucky enough to see the first part of The War of the Roses on Thursday with Cate
Blanchett, John Gaden and Robert Menzies, to name a few. It was a truly mesmerising and
intelligent production, brilliantly acted and quite unlike anything I have ever seen.
To finish the week, I went to another play-reading where we read Easy Virtue by Noel
Coward. I really enjoy doing these. They are a great opportunity to discover a new play,
make bold choices with a character in a scene you are reading for the first time, practise
accents and have the ensuing thought-provoking discussions. But also, as the wise man said
to the destitute actor, “80% of success is showing up.”
Kate
----
Tuesday, February 3
Proudly presenting: “The Life and Times of Kate’s short visit to
Melbourne” – a musical comedy in 3 acts.
It was a pleasant Tuesday afternoon at Sydney airport. Kate had arrived early and was
eating an over-priced, mass produced sandwich which she suspected had a “conveniently
missing” use-by date of 1937. Soon the boarding call came over the loudspeaker and
after a short flight, she had landed in Melbourne.
The rest of the week unfolded with a dreary inevitability.
The End.
Ok, I’ll admit my heart was never in it. It’s just that the thing with musical
comedies is they traditionally have music. Also, the central character usually experiences
some sort of conflict and I suddenly realised that the only complication I encountered
during my visit was when my train was delayed by seven minutes. Not Pulitzer Prize
material, but I’ll consider doing some re-writes.
I did have a lovely week in Melbourne though, despite the 45 degree heat! I caught up with
some of my best friends from WAAPA who are now based down there and it was wonderful to
share our thoughts about life after drama school, boost each others’ morale and share
in the excitement of new goals and future plans. I also had lunch with an actor I met
during our Showcase Tour, who was kind enough to impart some of the wisdom and tricks of
the trade he has acquired over the years.
One of the highlights of the week was seeing Wicked, which I thought was not only
a visually exquisite production but also extremely well performed by the whole cast,
considering how demanding the show is. There are a number of WAAPA grads in the cast and I
felt both proud and re-inspired watching them, as I know how hard they have worked to be
there.
Well that’s about all the theatre-related news I have to report this week. I could go
on to talk about the debauchery of the Friday night WAAPA reunion/Drew’s 21st but I
think that could get a little off the topic, mainly because I emptied my memory early on
in the night to make room for more wine. I have a feeling this week will involve a lot
more focus, planning and self-control, but if it doesn’t, I will be doing it all for
the sake of “art."
Kate
----
Tuesday, January 27
Happy Australia Day everyone! It has come to my attention that I have a tendency to
begin every column with a festive greeting of some description. You may think it’s
because I am a lovely person that wants to spread good will in the world, but in truth it
allows me to trick myself into thinking I’m still on holidays and I consequently
don’t feel so guilty about not doing anything career related for the past week!
Last Monday I decided it was time to get back in shape in case any auditions do
spontaneously appear, so I began with a crazy Bikram Yoga class in 7000 degree heat. I
spent the entire two hours silently cursing the teacher, everyone in the room and the
universe for putting me through such a tortuous experience. On Tuesday I went for a long
run and again mentally yelled expletives at all the skinny women in magazines who
subliminally guilt me into engaging in such painful forms of exercise. On Wednesday I went
to a jazz/funk/hip-hop class at Sydney Dance, which actually made me really happy! But by
Thursday I felt as though every ball and socket joint in my body had been ripped apart so
I decided it was best to post-pone all other fitness ventures to a later date. Possibly
2011.
The simple fact of the matter is - nothing is happening! There are just no auditions at
the moment. This time last year, Wicked, Alter Boys and My Fair Lady
were auditioning, not to mention re-casting for Priscilla and Cats and
the production of new works like The Hatpin. We graduated at a particularly
unfortunate time, so the best we can all do is keep our skills up and our ears to the
ground.
On that note, I’m off to Melbourne tomorrow to pursue some tenuous links to artistic
survival. By that I mean see some theatre, have lunch with a seasoned Melbourne actor who
seemed to like what I did in showcase and is willing to offer some advice, have a meeting
with an agent, catch up with grads from my year and see if anything is in the pipeline and
of course spend all my hard-earned holiday cash on Melbourne fashion that makes me feel
like I have a new personality.
My mum just read this and told me I sound bitter and twisted, to which I responded that
it’s only natural to laugh at yourself when things aren’t going the way you want
them too. I then got on my soapbox and defended my self-deprecating sense of humour in the
light of my ailing faith in theatre and humanity itself. My brother walked past and said,
“you are way too intense, you’re supposed to be an entertainer.”
Next week’s column shall be written as a light musical comedy.
----
Tuesday, January 20
Greetings all. This week has proven to be moderately enjoyable, ranging from
excited anticipation to bitter disappointment and finally ending with a calm resolve. This
seems to be the common trajectory of my week and I am starting to think that either a) I
am emotionally unstable b) this is the life of a performer and I’m just going to have
to get used to it or c) all of the above. I vote d) none of the above. I just have an
unbelievably interesting life and a penchant for writing brilliant weekly memoirs.
Shall we start with the excited anticipation? Last Tuesday I had an interview with an
agency who had proven to be very approachable and enthusiastic over the phone. I met both
the agents and and I left feeling positive about the possibility of a future relationship.
However the following day I received an email saying that unfortunately I was too close to
someone they already represented and it would not be fair to her (cue: bitter
disappointment). Of course I fully understand and appreciate their ethics on the matter.
Obviously it wasn’t meant to be, but if my look-alike accidentally happened to have
her shampoo spiked with peroxide and woke up irreversibly blonde, that wouldn’t be
such a bad thing.
So I was at a loss about what to do. After three years of activity and constant momentum,
I felt like I had exhausted all avenues of finding representation. I had spent the last
two months making call after call, sending emails, handing in headshots to no avail. I
called my very wise singing teacher from my pre-WAAPA days and we arranged to catch up, so
on Thursday I went over and had an extremely insightful and much needed chat. She and her
partner are both intensely creative, intelligent performers and teachers with bucket loads
of experience between them and they very generously spent hours imparting their wisdom. I
left feeling uplifted, inspired and with a big decision to make. I won’t go into
details now because my plans are still tenuous, so you’ll just have to wait for
future instalments to find out!
Lastly, a few fellow WAAPA grads and I went to a play reading on Sunday organised by Jason
Langley. We read a play called Out In The Open by Jonathon Harvey. We had some
lunch, we had some wine, I played an over-weight black cockney woman (I’m very
versatile), and I watched some incredible acting and a beautiful story unfold. It’s a
great way to keep your skills up, discover new texts and spend a Sunday afternoon!
That’s it from me. See you all metaphorically next week.
----
Tuesday, January 13
First and foremost, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and have
been busy penning your New Year resolutions. I have decided to take a particularly modest
and conservative approach this year. We are, after all, entering a time of global
financial uncertainty, so I have renamed 2009 "the super fun year of immense
productivity, successful romantic endeavours, spectacularly lucrative professional
pursuits, international acclaim and world peace." I don’t think that’s too
much to ask.
As you can imagine, this past week has been absolutely crazy. I slept, I read a book, I
slept some more. Then I ate. I’m exhausted! Actually I should give myself some
credit. Last Monday I called the agents who had asked me to phone in January. The fact
that at least half of them were still sunning themselves on a beach somewhere probably
worked in my favour because they were so relaxed they were more than happy to arrange a
time for an interview. I also called all the Sydney casting agents to organise a go-see or
at least get their email addresses to send through my headshot and CV. It’s very
important to get on file so that they have your details when a suitable casting brief
comes along.
I also applied for a singing workshop in Brisbane at the end of February. Neil Semer, who
is an absolutely brilliant vocal coach from New York, is running it. He came to WAAPA last
March and he not only revolutionised my approach to singing but also had a profound effect
on me in a personal capacity. He accepted me into the workshop so I am very excited to
work with him again.
Other than that, I have just been trying to sort out my life as a returned Sydneysider and
prepare for my first year in the professional world. I have been compiling a collection of
audition material as well as planning singing lessons and dance classes. I have also been
valiantly searching for houses even though Surry Hills and Paddington haven’t caught
on to the not-so-recent invention of internal bathroom facilities. A bedroom that
doesn’t get suspiciously smaller as you walk towards the opposite wall is also a
plus. I am moving out with my lovely friend who is a WAAPA Acting graduate and her NIDA
graduate boyfriend, so I’m sure there will be many intense discussions this year on
the abstract nature of pathos in the metaphysical realm of absurdist theatre. I’ll be
sure to fill you in. In the meantime, have a great week.
----
Tuesday, December 16
Hi everyone! This is the last column for the year so I will wholeheartedly
endeavour to make you laugh and cry and change your life. Please note that I am not liable
if none of the above occur.
The past week I have been reflecting a lot on the transition from WAAPA to the
professional world and I have to be honest, it’s been a harsh wake-up call. Even
though I never had any delusions about the nature of the industry, I think many of us saw
showcase as a platform from which we could burst onto the scene and launch our stellar
careers. That’s a slight exaggeration but I really don’t think any of us were
prepared for the seemingly grinding halt that your life comes to when you graduate.
I won’t go into details because I know these feelings are inextricably linked to
drama school nostalgia. I am only beginning to fully realise that I don’t have
classes, teachers and resources at my fingertips and keeping my skills up will be costly.
I am also only beginning to fully realise what life is like without the financial support
of centrelink. I wonder if there is such thing as a starving actresses’ pension?
Of course it isn’t all bad. I have had some wonderful catch-ups with previous grads
this week where we have discussed these very things and they have given me much insight
and comfort. I also went to Showqueens on Sunday night at the Supper Club which was a
fantastic night of entertainment. The line-up included my lovely friend Adam Rennie,
Marney McQueen, Brendan Irving and the legendary Toni Lamond, who left me feeling so
inspired I thought I might spontaneously combust.
I have also been preparing a short cabaret slot that I am performing this Saturday as part
of the 6th Annual Cabaret Showcase Competition at Bar Me, so it was extremely helpful to
see one of Australia’s pre-eminent theatre and cabaret icons in her element.
To finish I’d like to leave you with a quote. "My will shall shape the future.
Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear
any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or
lose, only I hold the key to my destiny." – Elaine Maxwell.
Thanks so much for reading and I hope you all have a lovely Christmas. See you in the New
Year!
----
Tuesday, December 9
Well here it is, another week in the life of me. I am starting to get quite bored
with myself so if anyone would like to give me a job or perhaps a visa to work overseas it
would make both me and my column more interesting!
Now as I mentioned last week, the big lesson I have had to learn during this period of
transition from WAAPA into the industry is the need to be proactive. I have recently put
this advice into action and the last seven days have been quite productive. I had a
meeting with an agent on Tuesday as well as a meeting with a casting director. I emailed
off a dozen headshots and CVs as well as following up a series of phone messages I had
left. It sounds trivial but calling again and keeping your name at the forefront of
someone’s memory can make all the difference. Of course it can also irritate them but
you just have to use your discretion. Take for example last week when I phoned an agent
and he said they had been considering me but unfortunately I looked exactly like a girl
they’d just signed two months ago. Using my superb tact and personal skills, I
replied in a casual scream "but I’m a different person inside!" Luckily
some agents have a sense of humour.
On a different note, I saw a fantastic movie the other night called Men’s Group.
Set in the rougher suburbs of Sydney, it is a brilliantly acted and directed piece of
Australian work that will resonate deeply with anyone who has ever known a typical Aussie
bloke – the type that thinks expressing one’s feelings is a
"sook-fest". It makes me very happy to see Australian stories being told.
Allow me to juxtapose that with something at the completely opposite end of the theatrical
spectrum - Little Shop Of Horrors. This is also an extremely high quality
production and enormous fun to watch. Although it is a co-op, it would give any
professional show a run for its money.
You may have noticed that the alleged "productivity" I spoke of earlier appeared
to cease rather quickly and there’s a good reason for that... it was my birthday! So
in truth much of the week was spent wining and dining. But as of next week, I am back in
the game!
----
Tuesday, December 2
I began my last column by saying the previous seven days had been an absolute
rollercoaster ride. Well apparently the guy operating the aforementioned metaphorical
rollercoaster went for a cigarette break and forgot to let me off. Except this week it was
twice as fast and it was raining.
Disaster struck when my two avenues of distraction evaporated. The comp tickets to shows
ran out and with every piece of chocolate I ate, the prospect of obesity seemed imminent.
Combined with the very quiet response from agencies, it wasn’t the easiest of weeks.
On Tuesday we had rehearsals for the Opera and Arts Support Foundation concert and for
Kookaburra’s Up Close And Musical. This post-showcase period is always a
difficult time to be with your classmates because some people get calls from agencies and
some don’t. So you can imagine my relief and excitement when I was informed of a top
secret surprise mission – Kaplan style. On Thursday morning Gem flew in from New York
for a whirlwind Sydney visit. It had been a year since we last saw each other and it was
wonderful to have someone take my mind off all the unease and inspire me with stories of
life and theatre in the Big Apple.
On Friday night we performed in the concert along with other theatre luminaries such as
Tony Farrell, Margi Di Ferranti, James Millar, Melle Stewart, Tyran Parke, Shaun Rennie
and Virginia Gay to name a few. I’m so glad we were able to be involved in such an
important event and extend our gratitude to the Foundation, which has been financially
supporting young emerging artists for many years. Afterwards we rushed to the Seymour
Centre to perform our short cabaret at Up Close And Musical.
That all sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought. All
I know is that after the show I felt very lost and it took the wise words of a friend to
force me to get some perspective. "The industry doesn’t wait for anyone and you
cannot wait for it." I have since spent the weekend being extremely proactive and
fostering a much more positive attitude. That, in the end, is what gets you there.
----
Tuesday, November 25
Hello all. Wow that week went quickly! Unfortunately I'm not famous yet but I
suppose patience is a virtue. I'll give it till Christmas. If I'm not on Broadway by then
I'm becoming a plumber.
The last seven days has been an absolute rollercoaster ride. On Tuesday we heard the
terrible news about our dear friend Cal, the details of which everyone is now aware. It
was a devastating shock that left none of us in the mood for doing a technical rehearsal
of showcase. That evening we all tried to come to terms with what had happened and somehow
prepare ourselves for the following day.
Something that I have learnt in my time at WAAPA is the necessary skill of
compartmentalising my emotions or rather, detaching from reality in order to focus on the
task at hand. Often it is very useful and interesting to allow whatever you are feeling to
become a part of your performance, but in cases such as these you have to find a way to
temporarily put it aside. While our thoughts for Cal were in our hearts and minds, we had
a very important few hours ahead of us.
The shows went extremely well. It was fantastic being in a space the size of the Everest
theatre at the Seymour Centre. Afterwards we all congregated in the foyer for the standard
'down a glass of wine to ease the nerves' and chat with the invited guests, namely
representatives from talent and casting agencies. Showcase in Sydney also marks the
official end of our WAAPA journey. From here on in, we're on our own!
For most of us, the next few weeks will be spent securing an agent. In the meantime I have
been trying to distract myself from sitting obsessively by the telephone and willing it to
ring (and for it not to be from a family member asking if I'm employed yet). My attempts
have taken on two forms, the first - eat as much chocolate as is available, the second -
see as many shows as possible, one of which absolutely blew my mind. Complicite: A
Disappearing Number is a brilliant piece of work. It is so refreshing to see
intelligent theatre that challenges the way you think about the world. I have also never
seen such a seamless and creative use of different media - visual projections, movement,
singing and acting. I very much hope to be involved in that sort of work one day. Perhaps
I should lay off the chocolate.
Have a great week.
Kate x
----
Tuesday, November 18
Hello everyone and welcome to the first Coffee with Kate. I’d like to start by
extending my thanks to AussieTheatre.com for giving me the chance to talk at
length about myself on a weekly basis. I’d also like to thank the wonderful
Gemma-Ashley Kaplan for setting the bar so extraordinarily high by conquering the
entertainment industry on a national, international and inter-galactic scale in her first
year out. It's a hard act to follow!
Jokes aside, I am very much looking forward to sharing the next year with you as I
embark on my journey into the unknown…beginning with Showcase!
We arrived in Melbourne last weekend, blotchy-eyed and tear-stained from saying our
goodbyes at the annual airport scene in Perth. It’s always very emotional because it
marks the end of a huge chapter of our lives. WAAPA is such an intensive time of study and
self-discovery and it is exciting but also sad to accept that it’s all over. However
we couldn’t spend too long dwelling on the past because we immediately launched into
a hectic week of Equity meetings, showcase rehearsals and performances, go-sees with
various casting agencies and of course exploring Melbourne!
Showcase day was both nerve-racking and exhilarating. We’re lucky to have a morning
show for friends and family that allows us to adjust to the new space we’re working
in. Chapel off Chapel is a lovely venue but very different to the theatre at WAAPA so it
was great to have a preview before the industry show in the afternoon. We have just
arrived in Sydney and will be doing it all over again at the Seymour Centre. I am
originally from Sydney and am delighted to have the opportunity to perform in my home city
after so long.
To conclude, Gem is one of my closest friends and I have watched her career unfold this
year with enormous pride and excitement as I'm sure you all have. I have no idea what the
next year holds for me but I hope that it is filled with creativity, mistakes, learning,
inspiration and adventure so that I can be as informative and helpful as possible in
writing these columns for you. If you would ever like to contact me or ask me to write
about something in the column, please feel free to send an email to info@aussietheatre.com and it'll be forwarded to
me. |
