Hairspray is currently AussieTheatre.com’s featured show, and we chat to cast member Kirby Burgess about the show and her role as Dance Captain…
Hairspray is currently AussieTheatre.com’s featured show, and we chat to cast member Kirby Burgess about the show and her role as Dance Captain…
“The dynamic works really well… Everyone has a lot of support for each other and pride in the production.” Kirby does confess however, that the role has been a big learning curve for her. With big show biz personalities she has had to hone in on how to communicate with people: “Not everyone is the same”, she says. Kirby’s demands as Dance Captain are further intensified as she is one of the few on-stage swing cast members and is similarly the understudy for Tracy Turnblad. This has meant that Kirby has learnt most of the Caucasian roles in the production, male roles included, in case a cast member cannot perform. To date, Kirby has played every female Caucasian role she is the swing for. This would seem an incredibly challenging assignment but Burgess says that she retains the choreography and script through practise, not through pen and paper study. Thus the process of learning the lines and the individual nuances of each role has been eased by simply rehearsing. “It’s more of a physical thing for me rather than an academic”, she explains. Kirby’s introduction to musical theatre was at the tender age of three. Having just moved into a new suburb her parents thought the best way for Kirby and her older sister to make friends would be to get involved in the local theatre group. Unknown to her parents at the time was that from this chance encounter with local theatre Kirby would kindle a lifelong love of performing. A secondary career plan was never considered. For Kirby, it wasn’t optional. Her love of performing meant that no matter in what capacity or how successful, she would be committed to pursuing a career musical theatre. “It has never occurred to me that I would do anything else, even if I was struggling for my whole life, I would rather do that”, she said. Kirby’s professional career launch came at the age of 18 when she won the prestigious ASCAP/Talent Development Project scholarship and was whisked away for elite musical theatre training in the home of the musical: Broadway. As a part of the program the final workshop was to perform a cabaret piece. From her performance Kirby was scouted and asked to participate as the only international act in Broadway’s Rising Stars Celebration – quite an incredible feat considering that she was the youngest performer. After her Broadway experience, Kirby’s first professional gig was in the ensemble for Australia’s production of High School Musical. Kirby learnt a lot from this show, “I didn’t really know musical theatre or how it all ran… The show didn’t go for as long as we hoped but it didn’t matter. It was a wonderful experience”. Now with some professional productions under her belt, Kirby is experienced and wiser. When asked about her tips for young aspiring performers Kirby says that it is important to accept the element of rejection that constant auditioning brings:
“You won’t get the job more than you will get the job, accept this early on or this may not be the career for you”, she warns. Questioned about what role’s she would love to play in the future Kirby replies anything that is a triple threat. She cannot decide which of singing, dancing and acting she enjoys most. “That’s like asking which child you love more!”, she laughs Strong female characters such as Velma Kelly in Chicago or Nancy in Oliver are roles she would eventually like to land. In terms of a long term career in musical theatre, rather than moving toward choreographic or directorial work, Kirby sees herself always in a performing capacity. “Performing is definitely where the heart is”, she said. Somewhere on the horizon she hopes for a Helpmann award or even a Tony award. With raw determination, commitment and hard work on her side, such achievement is certainly not unforeseeable.
Hairspray The Musical Now playing at Lyric Theatre, Star City, Sydney For Bookings, click here
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