January 26, 2025 • 41 mins
In this episode, Taylor chats with the incredible Asmara about her journey into the musical theatre industry, sharing insights, lessons, and moments of growth for aspiring artists.
Here’s what you can expect in this episode:
🎭 Training Foundations & Hard Work – Asmara reflects on her beginnings, training at PSA, and how a strong foundation shapes your career.
🌟 The Reality of the Industry – From cruise ships to Wedding Singer and Miss Saigon, hear about her challenges and triumphs in auditions, training, and performing.
💡 Lessons for Emerging Artists – Discover how authenticity, continuous learning, and filling your cup outside of theatre are keys to long-term success.
🙌 Navigating Energy & Connection – Tips on managing yourself, building connections, and embracing growth through every experience.
✨ Key Takeaway: Never stop learning, stay true to yourself, and enjoy the journey.
🚀 Join the Performer's Mindset Hub for FREE:
Free community with tools to support your journey.
Click here to join now!
💻 Check out Momentum 2.0 Program:
Watch FREE From Graduate to Pro Masterclass & learn the 3 Steps To Becoming a Sustainable Musical Theatre Professional.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello and welcome back to another episode on the
Dive podcast.
If you are new here, my name isTaylor Scanlon.
I am a musical theatreprofessional and I've been in
the industry for over 10 yearsand alongside, that is my love,
passion and mission to helpemerging musical theatre
performers step into theindustry confidently and
sustainably so how you can getthere and teaching you how to
(00:23):
get there without the burnoutsand without the struggle and
without the hyper hustling andwithout the doubt you know 2025,
I think it's time to step intothe most potent and powerful
version of you and it is myabsolute treat and passion to
help you explore that.
Before we dive in to theepisode, I just want to let you
know about a masterclass that Iam running At the time of
posting this episode.
(00:43):
I just want to let you knowabout a masterclass that I am
running At the time of postingthis episode.
It is actually happeningtonight.
So, if you happen to belistening to this straight away,
on the 27th of January at 6pmtonight, I'm running a
masterclass online completelyfree, and it is all about the
three-step roadmap to building asustainable career in musical
theatre.
(01:03):
If you happen to not make itand you're not free tonight.
It will be down in the shownotes of this episode so you can
watch the replay and not miss asecond.
There's some exciting bonusesand really, really exciting
announcements inside thismasterclass and it's just going
to help you reshape and start tostep into 2025 with a bit more
(01:23):
confidence and a bit moreclarity.
All right, that's enough for me.
Enjoy the episode.
We talk a lot on going in andout of the industry when it's
time to train, when it's time togo and when it's time to really
reflect and step intounderstanding what you really
really need.
Asmar and I actually grew uparound the same suburb, so it's
(01:44):
amazing and I didn't even knowthat before this podcast.
So enjoy the podcast and I willsee you on the next one.
See, you See you.
Well, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I'm so happy.
I love podcasts.
Yeah, I don't know.
I'm so happy.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
I love podcasts.
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I just love to chat.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Have you been on many ?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Not at all, but I like to listen to them and I
love to chat.
Yeah, well, thanks for comingon.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
I'm so excited to chat so we were just chatting a
little bit before and thispodcast is really for emerging
musical theatre artists lookingto get into the industry.
We both had different stories.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
We both trained at Patrick's, but not at the same
time, right?
I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I don't believe so.
No, it's so true.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I feel like you were already on the Hall of Fame when
I arrived.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That's crazy.
I was at PSA yesterday justcreating some quarry for dance
class tonight and you walk upthe steps and there's just a
bill like what do they call itlike?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
a billboard?
Yeah, like a banner.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Massive banner on my face and I'm like, oh God.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Is it so crazy?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
And I think 18 or something.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I think it's so endearing.
They're just so proud, you know, of all the artists that come
through and they really producelike great work and great
artists.
It's pretty incredible, it'samazing and an honour, actually,
I think.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
And I recently watched a bunch of the end of
year shows that they've done.
It's just insane.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
The talent is just like, oh, it's like immeasurable
, it's incredible.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I went up to a bunch of the full-time students
afterwards and was like, if youcan dance like that, you can get
through any dance aroundAnything.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Anything, absolutely anything, and I think, when
you're in the training.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
I mean, both of us probably felt the same.
You don't know how hard you'reworking, you don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah, it becomes your normal.
It becomes like just what youthink is like, it's just your
everyday.
Oh my gosh, and it's just youreveryday, oh my.
God and you just train so hard,they work you so hard, but it
is so important, yeah, and likeyou're a beast I think that's
what, for your sake.
I did like brains a little, butI love it Like we're so
dedicated and so hardcore and wejust like smash it.
(03:58):
We don't think twice, we don'task questions unless we need to.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
And it's good, it's great.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I, I really enjoyed the hard work ethic training
there.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Yeah, I think it's helped both of us go into the
industry with a little bit moreease in terms of what we have to
take on board, because I find,when we've trained a certain way
for so long, everything else,if it's not as high pressure or
stuff, it's like oh, I can getthrough this absolutely, I feel
very comfortable in the artistthat I am.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
I just feel like it's like oh, I can get through this
.
Absolutely I feel verycomfortable in the artist that I
am.
I just feel like it's soimportant to put the hard yards
in early, I think, in my opinion.
I think you put it in there andthen everything kind of just
feels like you're so familiarand you're so capable and
empowered as well to do the bestwork possible, because you just
know where the mark is, whereto find it, until you have the
(04:45):
tools you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Absolutely yeah, and I feel like there's that kind of
shift that's happening now thatpeople I know back when I was
training it was I respondedreally well to like getting
yelled at on my work.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Me too, but.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
I know a lot of people shut down with that now
and there's things that I youjust can't talk to students.
I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
And we'll have to evolve and change with the times
.
But I also think there are somethings that really respond to
people respond to and somethings that people don't, and I
also think that's part of beingan artist, and a training artist
is like identifying what worksfor you.
Okay, that really works for me,mr man, is like yelling at me
(05:27):
and that's cool and wow, itreally got the best out of me.
Or when you have a differentkind of day, just keeping to
yourself and having, like Idon't know, a tea at lunch, or
just like.
Finding what works for you isalso really important and a
really great tool that you haveto find as you go on.
And it also changes, because Ifeel like when I was younger, oh
could do anything.
I was like whatever, oh yeah asI'm older I'm like I need triple
(05:48):
turn split bang up down one,then going out ready to go for
our bus four hours, sleepanother class, class, studio,
like the whole thing.
But I think now, as I'm older,I'm like I need eight hours
sleep, I need to eat well andlike fill my cup, and I think
everything evolves and youchange as well.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
So it's super important to keep tabs on that
as well, Did you find that I hada really similar experience in
the fact that I went from this?
I had quite this perfectionismabout my training and I wanted
to always do it.
120%, which we're taught andthen got booked of full-time and
I started training and I wantedto bring all of that to eight
shows a week and obviously itwas just not sustainable not at
(06:31):
all totally oh my gosh, did youhave a similar experience after
training?
Yeah how'd you kind of navigatethat?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I feel like I was similar and I feel like anyone
who's worked with me will belike that girl is insane her
pants in a good way.
You know what I mean.
I feel like anyone who's workedwith me will be like that girl
is insane-o pants in a good way.
You know what I mean.
I feel like I try my best to.
I think it's less about going150% at all times and delivering
(06:57):
your best work every single day, whatever day you may be having
.
I think it's about showing upand being authentic to the work
and leaving what you do have onthe floor, but also knowing that
you have a mountain to climbfor the whole week.
Do you know what I mean?
And I also think it's sointeresting with the H-Show week
as well, like your workloadreally is the back end of it.
(07:18):
The Friday, saturday, sunday.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I know.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
The most taxing and it's so hard and it is just
something that you have to findwhat works for you.
Like I haven't been in thatkind of hr week for a little bit
now, but yeah, I really try andlike not gym on the saturday,
sunday, because I used to hitlike the gym saturday morning,
sunday morning, and then I wouldbe like like on the saturday,
(07:41):
so it's just about finding whatpeaks, ebbs and flows really
fill your cup, or like Mondaysis like strictly no training,
like I don't go to gym, I don'tdo anything.
It's like a super life-heavyadmin day.
I just don't do anything.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
And it comes from trial and error a lot of the
times, and I feel that there'sthis massive need, especially
for students looking to get in.
They want to know every tool,every step, everything, and
there's tools and things that Ilove teaching and that can help.
But a lot of what you're goingto learn is just by going and
doing and going.
How did that feel?
Do I want that again?
And then again, it's going tobe different on every show.
(08:17):
Absolutely, you know the showthat I'm recently doing, sunset.
I'm not really dancing overlythat much, so I can, I could do
gym, or I could do that there'snot overly a massive strain on
the body.
So you, it's that constantdance between learning what your
body needs, what you needoutside.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
And I think, yeah, it is trial and error, but people
are so different.
Maybe you do really want toremain active and that makes you
feel like you springboard intothe week, or maybe you just want
to take it a little slower andyou don't wake up is just like
what whatever else you have inyour life really complements.
I think what is important isalso like having hobbies outside
(09:13):
of theater.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I love this nearly every single guest I have on.
It's the best thing and I justI'll let you guys go with it,
because everyone that comes onsays do do something outside of
theatre.
You just have to, and I feellike it's the best thing to hear
, because when you're training,it's your whole entire life, so
you can't even think aboutanything else.
But again, when you've justgone from like nine to five five
(09:36):
days or something a weektraining, it's your whole life
to then eight shows, which isafter rehearsals.
you're kind of barely at work.
When you're at work, it's fullon you work four hours a day,
man, like it's actually such aprivilege, like on a Friday, and
then if you're in a show andyou're not covering anyone, you
don't have to come in forrehearsals.
It's just like.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
I know that's kind of the life I live.
I live in ensemble no coverland which I love.
But I mean I, I end up being aworkload, but I do usually end
up there.
It's great.
So then you have your daysbasically to do as you wish, and
I think that's importantbecause I feel like we sacrifice
and we work so hard to build uplike our credits and our career
(10:16):
, and then you get into a showsometimes and you're like is
this it?
Like?
Not in a I want more way, butjust in a.
What do I do now that I haveachieved the thing?
Speaker 1 (10:26):
that I want.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And I think it's important to know that there are
things outside of work thatreally fulfill work, because I
feel like if you hyperfixate andyou're just at a thousand
percent only thinking about work, well, personally I find that I
just become a little bitshrunken as a human.
I feel like my heart is not asfull.
(10:49):
I feel like, oh, I didn't nailthe double turn, I didn't you
hyper focus on it all and Ithink it actually doesn't serve
you as an artist because,therefore, because your mind is
like so concentrated instead ofbeing more open to things and I
think also being on a longrunning show as well you find
moments of spontaneity, and ifyou're not present and you are
(11:11):
only focused on what I do everynight, you can't find those
moments and share connectionwith the people that you're
surrounded with.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
For sure.
Yeah, what have you foundrecently that's like really
helped you, or do you have anylike other hobbies and things
that you like to do outside ofwork?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
This one is kind of controversial because it's a
little like dangerous, it'sgiving.
Don't do it on contract, but bereally safe.
I love to snowboard.
It's so crazy, cool.
I definitely don't do itbecause it's summer.
It's crazy, it's hot outside,but I but I do try and get up to
the mountain.
Yeah, oh, my gosh.
I love it Because I have time.
I've never done it.
(11:47):
It's so crazy, it feels extreme, but like if anyone ever took a
video of me, it'd be likeyou're going two kilometres per
hour.
It feels so fast, but on thevideo it looks awful.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Because I feel like I'm moving my body.
My mind is stimulated becauseobviously it's like I'm not that
proficient, but I like to goand figure it out.
It's so expensive.
So please hold on thesnowboarding at all times.
It's so expensive.
But I also feel like I'vereally found like a hobby and
love for the gym as well.
I feel very like empowered, butalso I feel strong and I feel
(12:21):
like I'm moving my body, becauseI feel like I go to class a lot
as well, which I really doenjoy because I think that
everyone has things to learn atevery point in life.
But yeah, I just feel like gym,I feel like moving my body in
different ways really stimulatesmy mind and I like to read as
(12:41):
well, but that also is like thattakes a lot of time Sometimes.
I feel a little guilty doingnothing, just reading, but I do
really like it.
Isn't that funny?
Yeah, I feel like I've neverread so many books this year,
especially when I was on tour inManila.
I was like beach and book,kindle, beach and beach.
It wasn't a beach, it was apool.
Pool and Kindle and journalingwas huge for me.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Yes, I love this.
Yeah, journaling was huge forme.
Yes, I love this, love this.
Yeah.
Yeah, I also didn't.
I don't think I read a fullbook until I was 18 and I was on
a contract.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
It's so hard.
Yeah, it is such a feat.
I will be honest putting a booktop to bottom, for me
personally is like a hard time.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
And then journaling.
Has that always been kind of apractice for you, or what did
that kind of it's?
Speaker 2 (13:25):
actually super new.
I feel like, especially whenyou're busy and you feel like
you have a lot of things goingon, for me I like that goes to
the back burner.
I'm not really like writingthat much, but I think because
we had so much free time and theschedule so set while I was
away in the philippines, I waslike super keen to like get on
top of that yes writing versionof myself and it is awesome but
(13:50):
it was just like it unlockedsomething.
I think that was superintrospective and super
self-reflective, which I thinkis also super important to do
because, like I said, you spendlike x amount of time and no
eight times a week with the samepeople all the time.
Sometimes that is reallyexhausting.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
And I almost think that half of our job isn't even
the singing, dancing, actingit's actually like managing
yourself in a workplace andmanaging.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Managing your energy.
Yes, the people around you.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Yes, because that is also insane.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
And musical theatre people.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Yeah, take that as you will.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I just went to a christmas party with my families
in doveton which is like outlike daniel oh wow, actually I
kind of grew up that way.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
I grew up in wantona south, I grew up.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I went to scoresby secondary, are you?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
kidding.
My mom lives in wantona on studroad.
I lived or like around there.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I, my God, I lived in Roval for a second.
That's a little bit further,but yeah, my nan lived in
Montana.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
That's where I'm from and I'm busy.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Busy.
But what I was saying was, yeah, musical theatre people.
So I went to this Christmasparty and I'm dressed quite nice
and everything, and sometimesyou just forget where you come
from, totally Whatever.
And I get to where you comefrom and whatever.
And I brought my fiance, alisonhe, he's brazilian and he's got
not really his first language,he's not english, and I just go
back there and they oh, isn't itso funny, and we forget oh my
(15:20):
gosh, but it's so humbling, liketo go back.
Yeah, there was definitelysomething I was trying to think
about.
I could keep forgetting, butanyway, just knowing that I want
to remember it might come back.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
It might come back.
What were we talking about?
Managing our energies andenergy?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Got it.
These are your bit of people?
Is that when, like, I'm aroundmy family and stuff that aren't
these like, hey, how are yougoing?
It's this expression and stuffwe actually don't realise how
taxing it can be to be in thearts and to just be on because a
lot of people that are in thearts I mean, I actually consider
myself quite an introvert andthe older I'm getting, the more
introverted I am, because Irealise slowing down is actually
(16:01):
the fastest way to go anywhere.
But then, yeah, going to thisChristmas party and just
noticing like, oh, to just talkwithout this Without this sense
of like, like you're on it, andthe dramatics.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
And putting your best foot forward all the time is
really taxing and yank as wellsometimes, but we're all just
keen to do a good job and keento get on the next one if we
feel like we want to.
You know as well.
So I totally understand.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, so yeah, super important about trying to
navigate your energy, and I feellike when you're coming out of
training as well, you're wantingto be friends with anyone.
When you're first starting out,you want to go to every event,
every closing night drinks orend of week drinks, and you just
want to be liked and loved byeveryone and want to soak it all
up, which is awesome.
But I think as you go on, youstart to learn like, oh, I
(16:49):
actually don't have to befriends with everyone.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I don't need to gel with everyone if it doesn't
naturally work that way and Ithink it's like just a general
human thing about FOMO, likeeveryone wants to be accepted,
everyone wants to be loved andappreciated, and I think, yeah,
like you said, it's just likenavigating.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And I think it's something you just naturally
learn as you go.
Totally yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Going back on that thing of I think people want to
know all the steps so that theycan just go in and do it all and
do it perfect the first time ontheir first contract.
But I'm still like we're bothstill learning.
Like any other show I do.
It's a whole other challenge,totally.
It's a whole other thing.
That which is really special,because I find that we always
learn something so unique fromeach show as well.
(17:33):
Yes, about ourselves about, andthat comes back to that
reflection.
I also journal heaps and that'sbeen a practice for many years
now, just because I live all upin my head.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
I'm all here.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
I'm all in the crown, chakra crown.
All I do is think and createand boom, boom boom that I need
to physically get pen to paperand flood it out on the journal.
See what's actually going on.
Get my feet into some grass.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I love the beach.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
The beach is so calming.
Are you a water sign?
Speaker 2 (18:04):
I'm actually a fire sign.
What's the day today?
Today it's my birthday.
What's the date?
Speaker 1 (18:07):
today the 5th, Today.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, no, it's my birthday in less than 10 days,
oh nice yeah.
So I'm like so excited it'sfiery.
Yeah, I'm a fire sign.
I love that water, baby I haveto get in there, yeah it has a
lot of water, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Oh my gosh, were you anywhere before that?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I actually wasn't super serious about dance or
singing or acting Like unwell,let's talk about this.
It was crazy because my mum andI she's so funny, I love her,
she's the best but she had thiskind of rule when growing up If
I didn't study I couldn't go todance.
Like she was like, if youhaven't done your homework, if
you haven't done this, it's likeI guess like a reward system.
But also she like obviouslydidn't know she was just as
(18:49):
informed or uninformed as I wasabout like having a career in
the industry.
So she kind of like thoughtthat school was going to be my
thing.
So I actually I guess casual isthe right word because my poor
mum, like I, didn't hardly evergo to dance class.
I would like I went to thestudio called Boyd Dance Academy
, I guess, whenever I studiedand I would do like ballet and
(19:12):
jazz stuff there and I've movedaround a bit kind of as I grew
up so I didn't really feel likeI trained at a specific place.
But then these girls that werein my class were like, oh, we
auditioned for full-time courseslike transit and PSA.
Yeah, oh well, like at the timewhen I heard about it, transit
had just auditioned.
I was like I could do that andI did.
(19:33):
Because then the audition forPSA came up and I was like this
is in, like 2016.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Sure made Big, but they were like.
I auditioned, I got intotransit, I was like I could do
that.
I could totally do that.
And then I talked to my mum.
My mum was like I guess, do itif you want.
It's just an audition night.
And I was like cool.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
So I did it, no pressure, just like yeah, go on.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
And the audition was crazy.
I obviously just had never beenin that kind of high-pressure
environment and I was likethriving.
I loved the energy, I think atthe end of the audition I was
like I really think that this islike the place for me.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Was this the PSA audition?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah, and this is when they were at Port Melbourne
.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Yeah, so you must have done that, because I did
full time in Port Melbourne,yeah yes, so then I was also at
PSA when it was in Green Streetway back when.
Which is kind of like.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Kind of cool as well, and I can't believe that they
still have a sign on thebuilding.
You know, iconic without anyoneto get that down?
Speaker 1 (20:27):
staying there forever I think I still have the
original track suit we had.
We all had to buy matchingtrack, oh my god zipper.
It's got like a little emblem.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah, I actually.
Fun fact, I think I may haveraided the psa wardrobe while it
was in port melbourne, becauseI think I have like a little
short short yeah, that is old.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
We always, like todd, was like, that's all you're
wearing in is comps, like,because it was just comps, comps
, comps.
Right, of course, to start.
You know, like, cultivate thename of them.
I know, I know it was cool.
And then, yeah, I must haveleft when you kind of were
auditioning.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Then yeah, well, I think I did the last.
So the last year that they wereat Paran which is a great
location, to be honest, that'strue.
Like way more convenient.
Melbourne was a hike.
I mean, I had a car, yes, butlike I was like we go From one
turn of South to Port Melbourneevery day.
I was like this is crazy.
(21:17):
Yeah, so I didn't really train.
And then I auditioned for PSAand I was like something about
the energy in the room.
I just felt like taking care ofis the wrong word, but I just
felt like this is the place tobe.
Like I was like I don't knowthis.
It really sparked somethingwithin me even at the audition.
I was like I really hope I getin.
Like I was like I really hopethat they take me.
And then I got a letter oremail I don't know what they
(21:38):
were doing back, yeah, and I waslike, wow, cool, I got in,
that's awesome.
And then, yeah, I did a yearand a half of performing what
they called performing arts then, which is now.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
There's so many streams now I can't keep up.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I know I think they call it the dance course now.
Okay, which was performing artsthen.
So there was like no singing,no acting, kind of like focus
which is what I did.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
And I did a year and a half of that and I, like you,
know how they send you forauditions.
Sometimes I think you're ready,sorry, and yeah, I auditioned
for a cruise ship and I bookedit and I was like what.
Yeah.
So I was like slay and I kindof had a bit of back and forth
with Todd and he was like Idon't think you should go, I
(22:22):
want you to do musical theatre.
And I was like Todd, I thinkI'm going to go and he was like,
ooh, did you go?
I did Okay, and he was like, ifyou go, will you promise to
come back and train in musicaltheatre?
Crazy that I agreed, but I didhe has his side, he knows.
Yeah, he just correct, andthat's what I think is really
(22:43):
interesting about all thefull-time courses.
But specifically about PSA, Ijust think they have this third
eye.
I don't know, it's a weirdtuition thing that they have
that they have seen so manyartists go through all these
avenues, that they kind of knowand they see and plant kind of
like seeds for you.
Yeah, because I don't know at19 why I thought I was so bold,
(23:04):
but I was just like.
I was like, oh, yeah, I'm going.
And they're like why?
And I was like I was likewhat's a job?
Oh, I'm gonna learn way more onthe job than like staying in
full-time.
Not that I don't love PSA, I dolove you shout out to PSA.
But yeah, so I left.
So I did like a year and a halfand I left and did my cruise
ship.
(23:24):
Yeah, I came back and it wasawesome, like it was great time
of my life.
I was so young.
I definitely think I would doit way differently now.
But I came back and then I waslike, okay, I think I'm ready.
What I thought was ready,whatever also the definition of
ready no one's ever ready, butbt dubs for anything.
I was like I think I'm gonnalike focus my eye on musicals
(23:45):
and things like that.
I think I like went into acouple rooms and it was awful.
I was awful.
I was like this is not for me.
I was like it's not about that,it wasn't for me.
I like just walked out and waslike.
I was like I just don't havethe tools.
I was like I'm not strongenough.
I know, not in my mind, but Ijust didn't have strong enough
skill set in the other areasthat were.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
It's a very different world than cruise ships.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
It was eye-opening.
I was like humbled, I was likewhoa.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
So what did you do from there?
What did you do?
Did you get back into trainingyourself?
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Yeah.
So I came back in 2018,mid-2018, and I like just had no
idea what to do.
I think I like started singinglessons.
I went in for a couple ofthings, I think Hamilton at the
time was auditioning.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
I can't believe that's still going.
It's correct, sailors.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Good for them and I was just like not up to par.
I knew the people that were inthe industry.
I knew the people that I wantedto be like, I knew where I had
come from and I was like there'sa huge gap within myself,
really really knew that.
So I actually like got a retailjob, was doing singing lessons
(24:56):
and then, like Mikey Ralph waslike auditioning doing like a
small thing, legally Blonde atChapel of Chapel, and I
auditioned and I got it and Iwas like well, cool, and I
really worked hard and I wasgiven a role.
So that was crazy and I waslike, oh, I don't know if this
is out of my depth, but I reallytook the challenge on.
I felt really accomplished tokind of work on that while I was
working a retail job and kindof like hustling that's it and
(25:19):
then in my mind I was like oh, Ipromised Todd I would go back
and train and I was like.
You know what you have to do it.
You have to go back.
You just don't have the tools.
You're not good enough.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
That's great that you had that awareness to know what
you needed and kind of put yourego a little down and like out
the side yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
It was huge, I think, for me at the time because I
was like, oh, like I just cameback from Conchur, I'm just a
baddie, whatever.
Then I was like, like yourdancing is fine and also that
needs work as well, but it was asinging, acting and also just
being comfortable, I think, in aroom with a piano and like with
(26:01):
all these people.
That is a really specific skill, I think, also what I think we
are leaning towards now.
But when I was in full-time, Idon't feel like auditioning was
a separate skill, right, I feellike you worked on skills and
then, like when you go to theaudition, it, it's like oh, hee,
hee, ha ha.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Auditioning is a whole nother thing, whole thing.
It's a skill in itself.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
I just, I just feel like at the time there was not
enough emphasis on that.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
No.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
And I feel like please hold that.
Going forward, I was like, oh,that's a different thing.
Because?
Because I was like, oh, that'sa different thing.
Because I was like, oh yeah, Ican sing, it's fine.
Whatever you go in the room,you're like shaking your papers,
you're like looking around,you're like there's seven people
behind a plastic trestle table.
This is awful.
Like you know what I mean.
It's just like something thatyou're not used to.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
So in 2020, I went back to musical to PSA to study
musical theatre and that washuge.
It was so funny.
Like a lot of people were likewhat are you doing here?
You're back, and I was like letme tell you.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
That's so brave as well.
Like that would have been a lotat the time it was pretty huge
and I was like still kind ofyoung.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
I started musical theatre when I was 21.
So like a lot of things hadkind of like happened through
training and stuff, but I waslike it'll be okay yeah like so
what?
and I also like was not up to aprofessional standard.
When I started full-time thefirst time, like unwell couldn't
pick up the choreography.
(27:23):
I could like muscle my waythrough kind of things, but I
really had to work hard,especially picking.
I feel like a lot of what we dois mental and I was just like
eons behind.
I was just like trying so hard.
I famously was like a backcorner girl.
I was in the back corner foreverything, well, forever.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
But a part of me was like just go back, everything
will be fine and that was like,that was the like an almost like
a turning point for you goingback into training and yeah,
yeah I think that's also likesomething that I'm really
champion now is training.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Like, even when you're in the industry and when
you feel like you've kicked thegoal or done the thing, like
there's more things to be done,like there are more shows to be
in, there are more projects tobe a part of, there are other
creative avenues that can beunlocked, and I think that is a
super important lesson I feellike kind of taught me from like
, because I was just like what,if you only go for a year Like
(28:16):
it'll be fine, or two years,whatever, like you're still in
the world, you're still makingconnections.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
And you can still audition and still do stuff
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
And I felt like I was really just another one of the
sardines and it was so good.
I kind of love it that way andlike, obviously COVID hit 2020.
So did I hit 2020?
Speaker 1 (28:39):
so, dude, I feel like I was wasting my year no not at
all.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
I actually was like in 2020 bloody upskilling, like
you know what I mean, and Ithink that was awesome.
Yeah, I actually was.
This is like exactly where Ineed to be and I was like, maybe
this is the universe.
Being like this is your timelike I'm giving you a whole year
how the long cover lasted forforever.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Yes, to hang out, so you did that MT during that.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
I did MT online for like the whole year of 2020 and
then a little bit into 2021.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
And so then you finished that.
Well, it's a two-year course.
I did a year because I left,because I thankfully booked a
time.
Which is incredible, which isexactly the plan In a musical,
yes, in a musical.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
And I was, was like you know what everything worked
out, and I think the universealways puts but how funny if you
didn't have that awareness andyou kind of let your ego be like
, oh, but I've worked andthere's no and just stopped
yourself and stayed in your headyeah then that may have I
probably might be stilladditional.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Yes, yeah, out there looking for a job, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Well, I absolutely love watching you perform.
You're an absolute beast and socaptivating to watch.
And was that wedding singerthat you got into?
Speaker 2 (29:40):
yeah, yes so that was wedding singer, that kind of
like spawned out of like.
I had worked with mikeypreviously on like what?
I guess it's a small thing, butI also like kind of tried to go
to class when I could and likehe was still like doing classes
online and he teaches throughPSA sometimes and yeah, I just
kind of cultivate thatconnection and stuff.
And actually a real funny storyabout how I auditioned I
(30:03):
actually didn't know I had anaudition at all.
I actually that week, I thinklike West Side Story, moulin
Rouge Wedding Singer, wasauditioning all at the same time
.
That was like a huge weekend.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
You know how it is in Australia.
We need to do like a PSA publicservice now.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
I know.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
To all the people that are organising these
auditions.
Can we just like spread them?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
out.
Can we spread them out, please,please and thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
It's always like November or like mid, I don't
know.
It's March or it's March August.
December.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, every single year, let's just sprinkle them
out.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Thank you everyone.
Not all of a sudden in the sameweek.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
I just can't believe it.
I can't believe that it happenslike that.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
I don't know.
Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
And I was just like preparing for those shows and I
was like just sitting at myex-partner's place and we were
just like hanging out and then Iwas like sitting looking at my
sheet music scenes, whatever,and then my phone is like
buzzing.
It's Mikey Rath, me, and I mean, love him, he's this.
But at the time we weren'treally I don't, I wouldn't, I
would have really never expecteda personal phone call and it
(31:00):
was like, hey, it wasn't hisvoice, it was someone else.
It was like, hey, I'm blah blahfrom the wedding singer, just
wondering if you're coming toyour call back.
And I was like I actuallydidn't know that I had a call
back, or when is it.
And they're like it's literallyright now and I was like, haha,
that's so funny.
I was like, yeah, okay, great.
And I hear like hubbub in theback and like I hear mikey be
like I think she should justcome.
(31:22):
And I was like, oh, and theywere like, can you come, how
fast?
And I lived in warhorn, whichis like bloody across town
they'll.
I was like where's the audition?
They're like ministry.
I was like, oh god they're likeyou should just see you tomorrow
they'll yeah, they were likebring whatever you can, just
bring like a heel, and we'll seeyou in like literally as fast
as you can and you did and Iwent and everyone had learned
(31:42):
the combo, they had been thereand there for an hour doing a
marathon and I was like I justshowed up in the last 15 minutes
and I was walked through thechoreography for like in like
five minutes and they're likecool, like you're gonna go at
the end of all the rounds, likeyou'll just figure it out, and I
was like this.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
I was like maybe not my but he obviously saw
something in you from workingwith you before yeah, and which
is I'm so grateful for him.
Yeah, he's wonderful, like thathe can.
He has a real art for seeing.
He's another one like like toddwho really kind of see that
potential and strength in peopleand I think I feel like he's
really good at recognising thegrowth in people.
(32:19):
Yes, like knowing.
Okay, they're still working onthat, but can acknowledge those
steps along the way.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
I think he also likes to work with artists that are
super aware and love to do goodwork.
That was how I booked WeddingSinger, but it was crazy.
And then they handed me afterthe dance round.
They handed me some sheet musicand I was like you should learn
that in an hour, see you backhere.
And I was like my god it wasinsane.
And then, like after the wholepalaver of the first day, yeah,
(32:45):
like I got a call back from nextweek and it was awesome and I
felt really strongly about it,and then I just waited and then
I got a call there you go youjust book your first job.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
it happens like like that I don't know, it's so crazy
I know, oh my gosh.
And then that went for a littlewhile, didn't it?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
It did it kind of stanced, didn't stop and start.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Yes, we did.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
We had three different casts, yep.
So the first leg of the tourwas like Adelaide, melbourne,
and then we had kind of like inlockdown but we were.
So we flew to Sydney to likequarantine for like a week,
quarantine to like isolate for aweek, and then we went to the
Gold Coast.
So that was like the first leg.
(33:22):
And then the second leg wasSydney return oh no, not Sydney
return a Sydney season as aMelbourne return at the art
center, and then that was kindof like cap that.
And then we did New Zealand,which was like our third
iteration of the cast and the Ilove.
I loved everyone that camethrough wedding singer I don't
know if it was just because itwas my first one was really
special, but you're always thefirst the third cast of wedding
(33:45):
singer really has my heart.
I love all those people and itwas just so special and it's
such a fun show and we wouldjust let work dancing down so
hard it was like I heard it wasa dance it was crazy and I also,
think, because it was my firstshow, I was like oh, like every
show is like this no, so nottrue, right so not true, yeah,
but yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
So it was awesome it was cool, it was so good yeah so
then obviously you're now stillworking in in the theater, and
then it's like gone, and yes,for a little while.
Which?
Speaker 2 (34:14):
is huge.
Yeah, it was a mammoth and Ithink the show is a mammoth and
it was like I think we were justtalking pre-us recording about
how, like some shows you dance alot and some shows you don't
dance that much.
Miss Saigon was one of those.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Literally no dancing, famously no dancing in Miss.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Saigon, as my friend Nigel Huckle would say.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Yeah famously, but it was a different kind of
challenge.
I feel like I was mentally in areally interesting spot when we
started, so I felt like I wasapproaching it in a way, like I
was navigating a lot ofdifferent things and I don't
know I would definitely do itway differently if I had to do
it again, but it was like reallyeye-opening but I really loved.
(34:58):
I love that, like it takes avillage, that kind of energy.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
It's so magical.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Because there are 42 cast members, 42.
Massive, insane, insane.
How is that coordinated?
And like that's just the castand then you have, like, all
your other departments.
It was just a huge productionand I was so privileged and
honoured to tell that story andit was like a little heavy
sometimes and a little difficultbut it was something that, like
(35:27):
, I'm so proud that I had thetools to navigate and it was a
huge life change for me and likethe first show that I worked on
, that like I was really givingsinger-actor, which I love, yes,
it was kind huge life changefor me.
And like the first show that Iworked on, that like I was
really giving singer-actor,which I love, yes, it was pretty
good.
And I also feel like,especially in a Saigon I don't
know if a lot of shows like thisthat exist, like this, that
like the ensemble acting is soimportant.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
And I really like relished in, like telling that
story every night.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I just found it so powerful and so beautiful that
we could move mountains with nota lot of text.
You know what I mean?
I mean, yeah, we were chattingbefore.
It's an absolute masterpiece.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I saw it three times when I was here in melbourne and
I was just like, oh my gosh,and it's really special and it's
just like written sobeautifully and I think people
some there's like a little bitof like back and forth and
controversy about Miss Saigon,but I think the time in which it
existed like it's a historypiece you know what I mean Like
it's about real life.
It's not like it never happened,like the story itself is
(36:27):
fabricated, but the world inwhich it exists, and the
specificities of the GIs and,like the Asian women, that I
think women are the backbone ofevery life and story.
So I think, well, they reallyare.
They birth children.
You heard it here.
So I think that it's a reallybeautiful piece that really
exists and is important to tell.
(36:48):
And now that it's told, whoknows when, we're going to see
Miss Saigon in Australia again.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
That's it, oh my gosh .
And so now you're doing anaughty, a very naughty
Christmas, a very naughtyChristmas, and that's on
versatility, everyone.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
They're hilarious.
I am so chuffed and happy to bea part of the cast.
It's actually a bloody stellarcast.
We are maybe one of my alsofavourite cast A big love heart.
React on that one because Ijust am obsessed and there's
only eight of us.
It cast a big love heart.
(37:24):
React on that one because Ijust say I'm obsessed and
there's only eight of us.
It's small but mighty, from 42to, I know, and actually my I
love a smaller cast, everythingjust very so intimate and, yes,
safe and close.
But also another show that Ithink I owe a great deal of
gratitude to my past connections, because I was contacted by
Alistair Smith, who I workedwith on Wedding Singer, who
recommended me.
So also make those connections,y'all, and do a good job.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
And then kindness goes a long way yeah, people
really respond to that.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
And if you can light up a room and you can really go
on the floor and do good workand take the work really
seriously, but not yourself toomuch, that that goes a long way,
that's it.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Yeah, oh my gosh, that's really good.
Well, it's been so awesomechatting to you.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
We could chat for hours.
We should get a coffee.
We should, absolutely I wouldlove to.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
One thing I love about this show is that I get to
meet up with people that Ihaven't had a chance to you know
, really sit down.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I feel like we're kind of like psas, like been
like this yeah, we've neverreally I know across where we
were absolutely.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Yeah, well, we're from the same suburbs.
It's a little jam gosh.
Isn't it crazy to think maybe Isaw you at knock city shopping?
Speaker 2 (38:26):
center.
One day I used to work ateastland stop hilarious.
While I was doing lily bond, Iwould fold t-shirts on beans.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
So for any of the artists that are listening in
they're emerging artists,they're starting auditioning or
they're looking to get into theindustry do you have kind of put
you on the spot and is thereany kind of advice that you
would give them to kind offinish off the episode?
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Never stop learning.
I know it sounds cliche, but Ithink it's just so important.
Like I go to class every week,you'll all see me there.
That's it no matter howgrandiose your career may feel
or how accomplished you are,it's never too late, like I'll
always tell you, and alsofocusing on your weaknesses,
(39:11):
like take that singing class ordo something that makes you
uncomfortable because it justmakes you such a more rounded
artist that was awful Englishbut it makes you a well-rounded
artist and have hobbies outsideso you can fill your cup from
somewhere else.
So you can do your best work andbe fun.
(39:33):
Oh my God, I feel like whenyou're like a new artist of the
industry, you like get in theroom, you're like so prim and
proper.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Your hair is slick.
You're like just be a human,actually enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Totally and just like enjoy.
Yes exactly, and enjoy yourselfin the journey.
Don't get too introspective andtoo like.
I didn't sing that.
Note right, everything is goingto be all right.
Just go home and practice.
Do the work In the room.
If you feel like you're notnailing it, go home, just go
(40:08):
over it a little bit.
Come back the next day and justlearn to nail it.
Learn to nail it.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Learn to nail it.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
It's not that simple but it also is At the same time.
I think you have to put in thework to really reap the rewards
and benefits of this industry.
We've travelled both for work,and I just think that you don't
get that unless you have reallycommitted to yourself and put
yourself in the best positionthat you can.
(40:37):
So go, learn, go learn, get toclass get to class absolutely
amazing.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Well, thank you so much for being on.
It's been so lovely chattingand I'm sure we'll have you on
again in the future.
Absolutely, and if you want tofollow asmara's journey, I'll
put her Instagram in the bio.
She's going to check it out ina TikTok.
Yes, that's it, and yeah, havea wonderful rest of your time on
A Very Naughty Christmas.
Thank you, come to the show.
(41:05):
Come to the show.
That's it.
That's it Amazing.
Thank you, thank you.
Hello and welcome back to another episode on the
Dive podcast.
If you are new here, my name isTaylor Scanlon.
I am a musical theatreprofessional and I've been in
the industry for over 10 yearsand alongside, that is my love,
passion and mission to helpemerging musical theatre
performers step into theindustry confidently and
sustainably so how you can getthere and teaching you how to
(00:23):
get there without the burnoutsand without the struggle and
without the hyper hustling andwithout the doubt you know 2025,
I think it's time to step intothe most potent and powerful
version of you and it is myabsolute treat and passion to
help you explore that.
Before we dive in to theepisode, I just want to let you
know about a masterclass that Iam running At the time of
posting this episode.
(00:43):
I just want to let you knowabout a masterclass that I am
running At the time of postingthis episode.
It is actually happeningtonight.
So, if you happen to belistening to this straight away,
on the 27th of January at 6pmtonight, I'm running a
masterclass online completelyfree, and it is all about the
three-step roadmap to building asustainable career in musical
theatre.
(01:03):
If you happen to not make itand you're not free tonight.
It will be down in the shownotes of this episode so you can
watch the replay and not miss asecond.
There's some exciting bonusesand really, really exciting
announcements inside thismasterclass and it's just going
to help you reshape and start tostep into 2025 with a bit more
(01:23):
confidence and a bit moreclarity.
All right, that's enough for me.
Enjoy the episode.
We talk a lot on going in andout of the industry when it's
time to train, when it's time togo and when it's time to really
reflect and step intounderstanding what you really
really need.
Asmar and I actually grew uparound the same suburb, so it's
(01:44):
amazing and I didn't even knowthat before this podcast.
So enjoy the podcast and I willsee you on the next one.
See, you See you.
Well, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I'm so happy.
I love podcasts.
Yeah, I don't know.
I'm so happy.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
I love podcasts.
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I just love to chat.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Have you been on many ?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Not at all, but I like to listen to them and I
love to chat.
Yeah, well, thanks for comingon.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
I'm so excited to chat so we were just chatting a
little bit before and thispodcast is really for emerging
musical theatre artists lookingto get into the industry.
We both had different stories.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
We both trained at Patrick's, but not at the same
time, right?
I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I don't believe so.
No, it's so true.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I feel like you were already on the Hall of Fame when
I arrived.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That's crazy.
I was at PSA yesterday justcreating some quarry for dance
class tonight and you walk upthe steps and there's just a
bill like what do they call itlike?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
a billboard?
Yeah, like a banner.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Massive banner on my face and I'm like, oh God.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Is it so crazy?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
And I think 18 or something.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I think it's so endearing.
They're just so proud, you know, of all the artists that come
through and they really producelike great work and great
artists.
It's pretty incredible, it'samazing and an honour, actually,
I think.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
And I recently watched a bunch of the end of
year shows that they've done.
It's just insane.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
The talent is just like, oh, it's like immeasurable
, it's incredible.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I went up to a bunch of the full-time students
afterwards and was like, if youcan dance like that, you can get
through any dance aroundAnything.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Anything, absolutely anything, and I think, when
you're in the training.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
I mean, both of us probably felt the same.
You don't know how hard you'reworking, you don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah, it becomes your normal.
It becomes like just what youthink is like, it's just your
everyday.
Oh my gosh, and it's just youreveryday, oh my.
God and you just train so hard,they work you so hard, but it
is so important, yeah, and likeyou're a beast I think that's
what, for your sake.
I did like brains a little, butI love it Like we're so
dedicated and so hardcore and wejust like smash it.
(03:58):
We don't think twice, we don'task questions unless we need to.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
And it's good, it's great.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I, I really enjoyed the hard work ethic training
there.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Yeah, I think it's helped both of us go into the
industry with a little bit moreease in terms of what we have to
take on board, because I find,when we've trained a certain way
for so long, everything else,if it's not as high pressure or
stuff, it's like oh, I can getthrough this absolutely, I feel
very comfortable in the artistthat I am.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
I just feel like it's like oh, I can get through this
.
Absolutely I feel verycomfortable in the artist that I
am.
I just feel like it's soimportant to put the hard yards
in early, I think, in my opinion.
I think you put it in there andthen everything kind of just
feels like you're so familiarand you're so capable and
empowered as well to do the bestwork possible, because you just
know where the mark is, whereto find it, until you have the
(04:45):
tools you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Absolutely yeah, and I feel like there's that kind of
shift that's happening now thatpeople I know back when I was
training it was I respondedreally well to like getting
yelled at on my work.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Me too, but.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
I know a lot of people shut down with that now
and there's things that I youjust can't talk to students.
I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
And we'll have to evolve and change with the times
.
But I also think there are somethings that really respond to
people respond to and somethings that people don't, and I
also think that's part of beingan artist, and a training artist
is like identifying what worksfor you.
Okay, that really works for me,mr man, is like yelling at me
(05:27):
and that's cool and wow, itreally got the best out of me.
Or when you have a differentkind of day, just keeping to
yourself and having, like Idon't know, a tea at lunch, or
just like.
Finding what works for you isalso really important and a
really great tool that you haveto find as you go on.
And it also changes, because Ifeel like when I was younger, oh
could do anything.
I was like whatever, oh yeah asI'm older I'm like I need triple
(05:48):
turn split bang up down one,then going out ready to go for
our bus four hours, sleepanother class, class, studio,
like the whole thing.
But I think now, as I'm older,I'm like I need eight hours
sleep, I need to eat well andlike fill my cup, and I think
everything evolves and youchange as well.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
So it's super important to keep tabs on that
as well, Did you find that I hada really similar experience in
the fact that I went from this?
I had quite this perfectionismabout my training and I wanted
to always do it.
120%, which we're taught andthen got booked of full-time and
I started training and I wantedto bring all of that to eight
shows a week and obviously itwas just not sustainable not at
(06:31):
all totally oh my gosh, did youhave a similar experience after
training?
Yeah how'd you kind of navigatethat?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I feel like I was similar and I feel like anyone
who's worked with me will belike that girl is insane her
pants in a good way.
You know what I mean.
I feel like anyone who's workedwith me will be like that girl
is insane-o pants in a good way.
You know what I mean.
I feel like I try my best to.
I think it's less about going150% at all times and delivering
(06:57):
your best work every single day, whatever day you may be having
.
I think it's about showing upand being authentic to the work
and leaving what you do have onthe floor, but also knowing that
you have a mountain to climbfor the whole week.
Do you know what I mean?
And I also think it's sointeresting with the H-Show week
as well, like your workloadreally is the back end of it.
(07:18):
The Friday, saturday, sunday.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I know.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
The most taxing and it's so hard and it is just
something that you have to findwhat works for you.
Like I haven't been in thatkind of hr week for a little bit
now, but yeah, I really try andlike not gym on the saturday,
sunday, because I used to hitlike the gym saturday morning,
sunday morning, and then I wouldbe like like on the saturday,
(07:41):
so it's just about finding whatpeaks, ebbs and flows really
fill your cup, or like Mondaysis like strictly no training,
like I don't go to gym, I don'tdo anything.
It's like a super life-heavyadmin day.
I just don't do anything.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
And it comes from trial and error a lot of the
times, and I feel that there'sthis massive need, especially
for students looking to get in.
They want to know every tool,every step, everything, and
there's tools and things that Ilove teaching and that can help.
But a lot of what you're goingto learn is just by going and
doing and going.
How did that feel?
Do I want that again?
And then again, it's going tobe different on every show.
(08:17):
Absolutely, you know the showthat I'm recently doing, sunset.
I'm not really dancing overlythat much, so I can, I could do
gym, or I could do that there'snot overly a massive strain on
the body.
So you, it's that constantdance between learning what your
body needs, what you needoutside.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
And I think, yeah, it is trial and error, but people
are so different.
Maybe you do really want toremain active and that makes you
feel like you springboard intothe week, or maybe you just want
to take it a little slower andyou don't wake up is just like
what whatever else you have inyour life really complements.
I think what is important isalso like having hobbies outside
(09:13):
of theater.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I love this nearly every single guest I have on.
It's the best thing and I justI'll let you guys go with it,
because everyone that comes onsays do do something outside of
theatre.
You just have to, and I feellike it's the best thing to hear
, because when you're training,it's your whole entire life, so
you can't even think aboutanything else.
But again, when you've justgone from like nine to five five
(09:36):
days or something a weektraining, it's your whole life
to then eight shows, which isafter rehearsals.
you're kind of barely at work.
When you're at work, it's fullon you work four hours a day,
man, like it's actually such aprivilege, like on a Friday, and
then if you're in a show andyou're not covering anyone, you
don't have to come in forrehearsals.
It's just like.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
I know that's kind of the life I live.
I live in ensemble no coverland which I love.
But I mean I, I end up being aworkload, but I do usually end
up there.
It's great.
So then you have your daysbasically to do as you wish, and
I think that's importantbecause I feel like we sacrifice
and we work so hard to build uplike our credits and our career
(10:16):
, and then you get into a showsometimes and you're like is
this it?
Like?
Not in a I want more way, butjust in a.
What do I do now that I haveachieved the thing?
Speaker 1 (10:26):
that I want.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And I think it's important to know that there are
things outside of work thatreally fulfill work, because I
feel like if you hyperfixate andyou're just at a thousand
percent only thinking about work, well, personally I find that I
just become a little bitshrunken as a human.
I feel like my heart is not asfull.
(10:49):
I feel like, oh, I didn't nailthe double turn, I didn't you
hyper focus on it all and Ithink it actually doesn't serve
you as an artist because,therefore, because your mind is
like so concentrated instead ofbeing more open to things and I
think also being on a longrunning show as well you find
moments of spontaneity, and ifyou're not present and you are
(11:11):
only focused on what I do everynight, you can't find those
moments and share connectionwith the people that you're
surrounded with.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
For sure.
Yeah, what have you foundrecently that's like really
helped you, or do you have anylike other hobbies and things
that you like to do outside ofwork?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
This one is kind of controversial because it's a
little like dangerous, it'sgiving.
Don't do it on contract, but bereally safe.
I love to snowboard.
It's so crazy, cool.
I definitely don't do itbecause it's summer.
It's crazy, it's hot outside,but I but I do try and get up to
the mountain.
Yeah, oh, my gosh.
I love it Because I have time.
I've never done it.
(11:47):
It's so crazy, it feels extreme, but like if anyone ever took a
video of me, it'd be likeyou're going two kilometres per
hour.
It feels so fast, but on thevideo it looks awful.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Because I feel like I'm moving my body.
My mind is stimulated becauseobviously it's like I'm not that
proficient, but I like to goand figure it out.
It's so expensive.
So please hold on thesnowboarding at all times.
It's so expensive.
But I also feel like I'vereally found like a hobby and
love for the gym as well.
I feel very like empowered, butalso I feel strong and I feel
(12:21):
like I'm moving my body, becauseI feel like I go to class a lot
as well, which I really doenjoy because I think that
everyone has things to learn atevery point in life.
But yeah, I just feel like gym,I feel like moving my body in
different ways really stimulatesmy mind and I like to read as
(12:41):
well, but that also is like thattakes a lot of time Sometimes.
I feel a little guilty doingnothing, just reading, but I do
really like it.
Isn't that funny?
Yeah, I feel like I've neverread so many books this year,
especially when I was on tour inManila.
I was like beach and book,kindle, beach and beach.
It wasn't a beach, it was apool.
Pool and Kindle and journalingwas huge for me.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Yes, I love this.
Yeah, journaling was huge forme.
Yes, I love this, love this.
Yeah.
Yeah, I also didn't.
I don't think I read a fullbook until I was 18 and I was on
a contract.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
It's so hard.
Yeah, it is such a feat.
I will be honest putting a booktop to bottom, for me
personally is like a hard time.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
And then journaling.
Has that always been kind of apractice for you, or what did
that kind of it's?
Speaker 2 (13:25):
actually super new.
I feel like, especially whenyou're busy and you feel like
you have a lot of things goingon, for me I like that goes to
the back burner.
I'm not really like writingthat much, but I think because
we had so much free time and theschedule so set while I was
away in the philippines, I waslike super keen to like get on
top of that yes writing versionof myself and it is awesome but
(13:50):
it was just like it unlockedsomething.
I think that was superintrospective and super
self-reflective, which I thinkis also super important to do
because, like I said, you spendlike x amount of time and no
eight times a week with the samepeople all the time.
Sometimes that is reallyexhausting.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
And I almost think that half of our job isn't even
the singing, dancing, actingit's actually like managing
yourself in a workplace andmanaging.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Managing your energy.
Yes, the people around you.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Yes, because that is also insane.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
And musical theatre people.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Yeah, take that as you will.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I just went to a christmas party with my families
in doveton which is like outlike daniel oh wow, actually I
kind of grew up that way.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
I grew up in wantona south, I grew up.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I went to scoresby secondary, are you?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
kidding.
My mom lives in wantona on studroad.
I lived or like around there.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I, my God, I lived in Roval for a second.
That's a little bit further,but yeah, my nan lived in
Montana.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
That's where I'm from and I'm busy.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Busy.
But what I was saying was, yeah, musical theatre people.
So I went to this Christmasparty and I'm dressed quite nice
and everything, and sometimesyou just forget where you come
from, totally Whatever.
And I get to where you comefrom and whatever.
And I brought my fiance, alisonhe, he's brazilian and he's got
not really his first language,he's not english, and I just go
back there and they oh, isn't itso funny, and we forget oh my
(15:20):
gosh, but it's so humbling, liketo go back.
Yeah, there was definitelysomething I was trying to think
about.
I could keep forgetting, butanyway, just knowing that I want
to remember it might come back.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
It might come back.
What were we talking about?
Managing our energies andenergy?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Got it.
These are your bit of people?
Is that when, like, I'm aroundmy family and stuff that aren't
these like, hey, how are yougoing?
It's this expression and stuffwe actually don't realise how
taxing it can be to be in thearts and to just be on because a
lot of people that are in thearts I mean, I actually consider
myself quite an introvert andthe older I'm getting, the more
introverted I am, because Irealise slowing down is actually
(16:01):
the fastest way to go anywhere.
But then, yeah, going to thisChristmas party and just
noticing like, oh, to just talkwithout this Without this sense
of like, like you're on it, andthe dramatics.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
And putting your best foot forward all the time is
really taxing and yank as wellsometimes, but we're all just
keen to do a good job and keento get on the next one if we
feel like we want to.
You know as well.
So I totally understand.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, so yeah, super important about trying to
navigate your energy, and I feellike when you're coming out of
training as well, you're wantingto be friends with anyone.
When you're first starting out,you want to go to every event,
every closing night drinks orend of week drinks, and you just
want to be liked and loved byeveryone and want to soak it all
up, which is awesome.
But I think as you go on, youstart to learn like, oh, I
(16:49):
actually don't have to befriends with everyone.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I don't need to gel with everyone if it doesn't
naturally work that way and Ithink it's like just a general
human thing about FOMO, likeeveryone wants to be accepted,
everyone wants to be loved andappreciated, and I think, yeah,
like you said, it's just likenavigating.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And I think it's something you just naturally
learn as you go.
Totally yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Going back on that thing of I think people want to
know all the steps so that theycan just go in and do it all and
do it perfect the first time ontheir first contract.
But I'm still like we're bothstill learning.
Like any other show I do.
It's a whole other challenge,totally.
It's a whole other thing.
That which is really special,because I find that we always
learn something so unique fromeach show as well.
(17:33):
Yes, about ourselves about, andthat comes back to that
reflection.
I also journal heaps and that'sbeen a practice for many years
now, just because I live all upin my head.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
I'm all here.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
I'm all in the crown, chakra crown.
All I do is think and createand boom, boom boom that I need
to physically get pen to paperand flood it out on the journal.
See what's actually going on.
Get my feet into some grass.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I love the beach.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
The beach is so calming.
Are you a water sign?
Speaker 2 (18:04):
I'm actually a fire sign.
What's the day today?
Today it's my birthday.
What's the date?
Speaker 1 (18:07):
today the 5th, Today.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, no, it's my birthday in less than 10 days,
oh nice yeah.
So I'm like so excited it'sfiery.
Yeah, I'm a fire sign.
I love that water, baby I haveto get in there, yeah it has a
lot of water, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Oh my gosh, were you anywhere before that?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I actually wasn't super serious about dance or
singing or acting Like unwell,let's talk about this.
It was crazy because my mum andI she's so funny, I love her,
she's the best but she had thiskind of rule when growing up If
I didn't study I couldn't go todance.
Like she was like, if youhaven't done your homework, if
you haven't done this, it's likeI guess like a reward system.
But also she like obviouslydidn't know she was just as
(18:49):
informed or uninformed as I wasabout like having a career in
the industry.
So she kind of like thoughtthat school was going to be my
thing.
So I actually I guess casual isthe right word because my poor
mum, like I, didn't hardly evergo to dance class.
I would like I went to thestudio called Boyd Dance Academy
, I guess, whenever I studiedand I would do like ballet and
(19:12):
jazz stuff there and I've movedaround a bit kind of as I grew
up so I didn't really feel likeI trained at a specific place.
But then these girls that werein my class were like, oh, we
auditioned for full-time courseslike transit and PSA.
Yeah, oh well, like at the timewhen I heard about it, transit
had just auditioned.
I was like I could do that andI did.
(19:33):
Because then the audition forPSA came up and I was like this
is in, like 2016.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Sure made Big, but they were like.
I auditioned, I got intotransit, I was like I could do
that.
I could totally do that.
And then I talked to my mum.
My mum was like I guess, do itif you want.
It's just an audition night.
And I was like cool.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
So I did it, no pressure, just like yeah, go on.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
And the audition was crazy.
I obviously just had never beenin that kind of high-pressure
environment and I was likethriving.
I loved the energy, I think atthe end of the audition I was
like I really think that this islike the place for me.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Was this the PSA audition?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah, and this is when they were at Port Melbourne
.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Yeah, so you must have done that, because I did
full time in Port Melbourne,yeah yes, so then I was also at
PSA when it was in Green Streetway back when.
Which is kind of like.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Kind of cool as well, and I can't believe that they
still have a sign on thebuilding.
You know, iconic without anyoneto get that down?
Speaker 1 (20:27):
staying there forever I think I still have the
original track suit we had.
We all had to buy matchingtrack, oh my god zipper.
It's got like a little emblem.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah, I actually.
Fun fact, I think I may haveraided the psa wardrobe while it
was in port melbourne, becauseI think I have like a little
short short yeah, that is old.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
We always, like todd, was like, that's all you're
wearing in is comps, like,because it was just comps, comps
, comps.
Right, of course, to start.
You know, like, cultivate thename of them.
I know, I know it was cool.
And then, yeah, I must haveleft when you kind of were
auditioning.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Then yeah, well, I think I did the last.
So the last year that they wereat Paran which is a great
location, to be honest, that'strue.
Like way more convenient.
Melbourne was a hike.
I mean, I had a car, yes, butlike I was like we go From one
turn of South to Port Melbourneevery day.
I was like this is crazy.
(21:17):
Yeah, so I didn't really train.
And then I auditioned for PSAand I was like something about
the energy in the room.
I just felt like taking care ofis the wrong word, but I just
felt like this is the place tobe.
Like I was like I don't knowthis.
It really sparked somethingwithin me even at the audition.
I was like I really hope I getin.
Like I was like I really hopethat they take me.
And then I got a letter oremail I don't know what they
(21:38):
were doing back, yeah, and I waslike, wow, cool, I got in,
that's awesome.
And then, yeah, I did a yearand a half of performing what
they called performing arts then, which is now.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
There's so many streams now I can't keep up.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I know I think they call it the dance course now.
Okay, which was performing artsthen.
So there was like no singing,no acting, kind of like focus
which is what I did.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
And I did a year and a half of that and I, like you,
know how they send you forauditions.
Sometimes I think you're ready,sorry, and yeah, I auditioned
for a cruise ship and I bookedit and I was like what.
Yeah.
So I was like slay and I kindof had a bit of back and forth
with Todd and he was like Idon't think you should go, I
(22:22):
want you to do musical theatre.
And I was like Todd, I thinkI'm going to go and he was like,
ooh, did you go?
I did Okay, and he was like, ifyou go, will you promise to
come back and train in musicaltheatre?
Crazy that I agreed, but I didhe has his side, he knows.
Yeah, he just correct, andthat's what I think is really
(22:43):
interesting about all thefull-time courses.
But specifically about PSA, Ijust think they have this third
eye.
I don't know, it's a weirdtuition thing that they have
that they have seen so manyartists go through all these
avenues, that they kind of knowand they see and plant kind of
like seeds for you.
Yeah, because I don't know at19 why I thought I was so bold,
(23:04):
but I was just like.
I was like, oh, yeah, I'm going.
And they're like why?
And I was like I was likewhat's a job?
Oh, I'm gonna learn way more onthe job than like staying in
full-time.
Not that I don't love PSA, I dolove you shout out to PSA.
But yeah, so I left.
So I did like a year and a halfand I left and did my cruise
ship.
(23:24):
Yeah, I came back and it wasawesome, like it was great time
of my life.
I was so young.
I definitely think I would doit way differently now.
But I came back and then I waslike, okay, I think I'm ready.
What I thought was ready,whatever also the definition of
ready no one's ever ready, butbt dubs for anything.
I was like I think I'm gonnalike focus my eye on musicals
(23:45):
and things like that.
I think I like went into acouple rooms and it was awful.
I was awful.
I was like this is not for me.
I was like it's not about that,it wasn't for me.
I like just walked out and waslike.
I was like I just don't havethe tools.
I was like I'm not strongenough.
I know, not in my mind, but Ijust didn't have strong enough
skill set in the other areasthat were.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
It's a very different world than cruise ships.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
It was eye-opening.
I was like humbled, I was likewhoa.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
So what did you do from there?
What did you do?
Did you get back into trainingyourself?
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Yeah.
So I came back in 2018,mid-2018, and I like just had no
idea what to do.
I think I like started singinglessons.
I went in for a couple ofthings, I think Hamilton at the
time was auditioning.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
I can't believe that's still going.
It's correct, sailors.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Good for them and I was just like not up to par.
I knew the people that were inthe industry.
I knew the people that I wantedto be like, I knew where I had
come from and I was like there'sa huge gap within myself,
really really knew that.
So I actually like got a retailjob, was doing singing lessons
(24:56):
and then, like Mikey Ralph waslike auditioning doing like a
small thing, legally Blonde atChapel of Chapel, and I
auditioned and I got it and Iwas like well, cool, and I
really worked hard and I wasgiven a role.
So that was crazy and I waslike, oh, I don't know if this
is out of my depth, but I reallytook the challenge on.
I felt really accomplished tokind of work on that while I was
working a retail job and kindof like hustling that's it and
(25:19):
then in my mind I was like oh, Ipromised Todd I would go back
and train and I was like.
You know what you have to do it.
You have to go back.
You just don't have the tools.
You're not good enough.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
That's great that you had that awareness to know what
you needed and kind of put yourego a little down and like out
the side yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
It was huge, I think, for me at the time because I
was like, oh, like I just cameback from Conchur, I'm just a
baddie, whatever.
Then I was like, like yourdancing is fine and also that
needs work as well, but it was asinging, acting and also just
being comfortable, I think, in aroom with a piano and like with
(26:01):
all these people.
That is a really specific skill, I think, also what I think we
are leaning towards now.
But when I was in full-time, Idon't feel like auditioning was
a separate skill, right, I feellike you worked on skills and
then, like when you go to theaudition, it, it's like oh, hee,
hee, ha ha.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Auditioning is a whole nother thing, whole thing.
It's a skill in itself.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
I just, I just feel like at the time there was not
enough emphasis on that.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
No.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
And I feel like please hold that.
Going forward, I was like, oh,that's a different thing.
Because?
Because I was like, oh, that'sa different thing.
Because I was like, oh yeah, Ican sing, it's fine.
Whatever you go in the room,you're like shaking your papers,
you're like looking around,you're like there's seven people
behind a plastic trestle table.
This is awful.
Like you know what I mean.
It's just like something thatyou're not used to.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
So in 2020, I went back to musical to PSA to study
musical theatre and that washuge.
It was so funny.
Like a lot of people were likewhat are you doing here?
You're back, and I was like letme tell you.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
That's so brave as well.
Like that would have been a lotat the time it was pretty huge
and I was like still kind ofyoung.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
I started musical theatre when I was 21.
So like a lot of things hadkind of like happened through
training and stuff, but I waslike it'll be okay yeah like so
what?
and I also like was not up to aprofessional standard.
When I started full-time thefirst time, like unwell couldn't
pick up the choreography.
(27:23):
I could like muscle my waythrough kind of things, but I
really had to work hard,especially picking.
I feel like a lot of what we dois mental and I was just like
eons behind.
I was just like trying so hard.
I famously was like a backcorner girl.
I was in the back corner foreverything, well, forever.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
But a part of me was like just go back, everything
will be fine and that was like,that was the like an almost like
a turning point for you goingback into training and yeah,
yeah I think that's also likesomething that I'm really
champion now is training.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Like, even when you're in the industry and when
you feel like you've kicked thegoal or done the thing, like
there's more things to be done,like there are more shows to be
in, there are more projects tobe a part of, there are other
creative avenues that can beunlocked, and I think that is a
super important lesson I feellike kind of taught me from like
, because I was just like what,if you only go for a year Like
(28:16):
it'll be fine, or two years,whatever, like you're still in
the world, you're still makingconnections.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
And you can still audition and still do stuff
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
And I felt like I was really just another one of the
sardines and it was so good.
I kind of love it that way andlike, obviously COVID hit 2020.
So did I hit 2020?
Speaker 1 (28:39):
so, dude, I feel like I was wasting my year no not at
all.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
I actually was like in 2020 bloody upskilling, like
you know what I mean, and Ithink that was awesome.
Yeah, I actually was.
This is like exactly where Ineed to be and I was like, maybe
this is the universe.
Being like this is your timelike I'm giving you a whole year
how the long cover lasted forforever.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Yes, to hang out, so you did that MT during that.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
I did MT online for like the whole year of 2020 and
then a little bit into 2021.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
And so then you finished that.
Well, it's a two-year course.
I did a year because I left,because I thankfully booked a
time.
Which is incredible, which isexactly the plan In a musical,
yes, in a musical.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
And I was, was like you know what everything worked
out, and I think the universealways puts but how funny if you
didn't have that awareness andyou kind of let your ego be like
, oh, but I've worked andthere's no and just stopped
yourself and stayed in your headyeah then that may have I
probably might be stilladditional.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Yes, yeah, out there looking for a job, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Well, I absolutely love watching you perform.
You're an absolute beast and socaptivating to watch.
And was that wedding singerthat you got into?
Speaker 2 (29:40):
yeah, yes so that was wedding singer, that kind of
like spawned out of like.
I had worked with mikeypreviously on like what?
I guess it's a small thing, butI also like kind of tried to go
to class when I could and likehe was still like doing classes
online and he teaches throughPSA sometimes and yeah, I just
kind of cultivate thatconnection and stuff.
And actually a real funny storyabout how I auditioned I
(30:03):
actually didn't know I had anaudition at all.
I actually that week, I thinklike West Side Story, moulin
Rouge Wedding Singer, wasauditioning all at the same time
.
That was like a huge weekend.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
You know how it is in Australia.
We need to do like a PSA publicservice now.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
I know.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
To all the people that are organising these
auditions.
Can we just like spread them?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
out.
Can we spread them out, please,please and thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
It's always like November or like mid, I don't
know.
It's March or it's March August.
December.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, every single year, let's just sprinkle them
out.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Thank you everyone.
Not all of a sudden in the sameweek.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
I just can't believe it.
I can't believe that it happenslike that.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
I don't know.
Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
And I was just like preparing for those shows and I
was like just sitting at myex-partner's place and we were
just like hanging out and then Iwas like sitting looking at my
sheet music scenes, whatever,and then my phone is like
buzzing.
It's Mikey Rath, me, and I mean, love him, he's this.
But at the time we weren'treally I don't, I wouldn't, I
would have really never expecteda personal phone call and it
(31:00):
was like, hey, it wasn't hisvoice, it was someone else.
It was like, hey, I'm blah blahfrom the wedding singer, just
wondering if you're coming toyour call back.
And I was like I actuallydidn't know that I had a call
back, or when is it.
And they're like it's literallyright now and I was like, haha,
that's so funny.
I was like, yeah, okay, great.
And I hear like hubbub in theback and like I hear mikey be
like I think she should justcome.
(31:22):
And I was like, oh, and theywere like, can you come, how
fast?
And I lived in warhorn, whichis like bloody across town
they'll.
I was like where's the audition?
They're like ministry.
I was like, oh god they're likeyou should just see you tomorrow
they'll yeah, they were likebring whatever you can, just
bring like a heel, and we'll seeyou in like literally as fast
as you can and you did and Iwent and everyone had learned
(31:42):
the combo, they had been thereand there for an hour doing a
marathon and I was like I justshowed up in the last 15 minutes
and I was walked through thechoreography for like in like
five minutes and they're likecool, like you're gonna go at
the end of all the rounds, likeyou'll just figure it out, and I
was like this.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
I was like maybe not my but he obviously saw
something in you from workingwith you before yeah, and which
is I'm so grateful for him.
Yeah, he's wonderful, like thathe can.
He has a real art for seeing.
He's another one like like toddwho really kind of see that
potential and strength in peopleand I think I feel like he's
really good at recognising thegrowth in people.
(32:19):
Yes, like knowing.
Okay, they're still working onthat, but can acknowledge those
steps along the way.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
I think he also likes to work with artists that are
super aware and love to do goodwork.
That was how I booked WeddingSinger, but it was crazy.
And then they handed me afterthe dance round.
They handed me some sheet musicand I was like you should learn
that in an hour, see you backhere.
And I was like my god it wasinsane.
And then, like after the wholepalaver of the first day, yeah,
(32:45):
like I got a call back from nextweek and it was awesome and I
felt really strongly about it,and then I just waited and then
I got a call there you go youjust book your first job.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
it happens like like that I don't know, it's so crazy
I know, oh my gosh.
And then that went for a littlewhile, didn't it?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
It did it kind of stanced, didn't stop and start.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Yes, we did.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
We had three different casts, yep.
So the first leg of the tourwas like Adelaide, melbourne,
and then we had kind of like inlockdown but we were.
So we flew to Sydney to likequarantine for like a week,
quarantine to like isolate for aweek, and then we went to the
Gold Coast.
So that was like the first leg.
(33:22):
And then the second leg wasSydney return oh no, not Sydney
return a Sydney season as aMelbourne return at the art
center, and then that was kindof like cap that.
And then we did New Zealand,which was like our third
iteration of the cast and the Ilove.
I loved everyone that camethrough wedding singer I don't
know if it was just because itwas my first one was really
special, but you're always thefirst the third cast of wedding
(33:45):
singer really has my heart.
I love all those people and itwas just so special and it's
such a fun show and we wouldjust let work dancing down so
hard it was like I heard it wasa dance it was crazy and I also,
think, because it was my firstshow, I was like oh, like every
show is like this no, so nottrue, right so not true, yeah,
but yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
So it was awesome it was cool, it was so good yeah so
then obviously you're now stillworking in in the theater, and
then it's like gone, and yes,for a little while.
Which?
Speaker 2 (34:14):
is huge.
Yeah, it was a mammoth and Ithink the show is a mammoth and
it was like I think we were justtalking pre-us recording about
how, like some shows you dance alot and some shows you don't
dance that much.
Miss Saigon was one of those.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Literally no dancing, famously no dancing in Miss.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Saigon, as my friend Nigel Huckle would say.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Yeah famously, but it was a different kind of
challenge.
I feel like I was mentally in areally interesting spot when we
started, so I felt like I wasapproaching it in a way, like I
was navigating a lot ofdifferent things and I don't
know I would definitely do itway differently if I had to do
it again, but it was like reallyeye-opening but I really loved.
(34:58):
I love that, like it takes avillage, that kind of energy.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
It's so magical.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Because there are 42 cast members, 42.
Massive, insane, insane.
How is that coordinated?
And like that's just the castand then you have, like, all
your other departments.
It was just a huge productionand I was so privileged and
honoured to tell that story andit was like a little heavy
sometimes and a little difficultbut it was something that, like
(35:27):
, I'm so proud that I had thetools to navigate and it was a
huge life change for me and likethe first show that I worked on
, that like I was really givingsinger-actor, which I love, yes,
it was kind huge life changefor me.
And like the first show that Iworked on, that like I was
really giving singer-actor,which I love, yes, it was pretty
good.
And I also feel like,especially in a Saigon I don't
know if a lot of shows like thisthat exist, like this, that
like the ensemble acting is soimportant.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
And I really like relished in, like telling that
story every night.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I just found it so powerful and so beautiful that
we could move mountains with nota lot of text.
You know what I mean?
I mean, yeah, we were chattingbefore.
It's an absolute masterpiece.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I saw it three times when I was here in melbourne and
I was just like, oh my gosh,and it's really special and it's
just like written sobeautifully and I think people
some there's like a little bitof like back and forth and
controversy about Miss Saigon,but I think the time in which it
existed like it's a historypiece you know what I mean Like
it's about real life.
It's not like it never happened,like the story itself is
(36:27):
fabricated, but the world inwhich it exists, and the
specificities of the GIs and,like the Asian women, that I
think women are the backbone ofevery life and story.
So I think, well, they reallyare.
They birth children.
You heard it here.
So I think that it's a reallybeautiful piece that really
exists and is important to tell.
(36:48):
And now that it's told, whoknows when, we're going to see
Miss Saigon in Australia again.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
That's it, oh my gosh .
And so now you're doing anaughty, a very naughty
Christmas, a very naughtyChristmas, and that's on
versatility, everyone.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
They're hilarious.
I am so chuffed and happy to bea part of the cast.
It's actually a bloody stellarcast.
We are maybe one of my alsofavourite cast A big love heart.
React on that one because Ijust am obsessed and there's
only eight of us.
It cast a big love heart.
(37:24):
React on that one because Ijust say I'm obsessed and
there's only eight of us.
It's small but mighty, from 42to, I know, and actually my I
love a smaller cast, everythingjust very so intimate and, yes,
safe and close.
But also another show that Ithink I owe a great deal of
gratitude to my past connections, because I was contacted by
Alistair Smith, who I workedwith on Wedding Singer, who
recommended me.
So also make those connections,y'all, and do a good job.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
And then kindness goes a long way yeah, people
really respond to that.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
And if you can light up a room and you can really go
on the floor and do good workand take the work really
seriously, but not yourself toomuch, that that goes a long way,
that's it.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Yeah, oh my gosh, that's really good.
Well, it's been so awesomechatting to you.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
We could chat for hours.
We should get a coffee.
We should, absolutely I wouldlove to.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
One thing I love about this show is that I get to
meet up with people that Ihaven't had a chance to you know
, really sit down.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I feel like we're kind of like psas, like been
like this yeah, we've neverreally I know across where we
were absolutely.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Yeah, well, we're from the same suburbs.
It's a little jam gosh.
Isn't it crazy to think maybe Isaw you at knock city shopping?
Speaker 2 (38:26):
center.
One day I used to work ateastland stop hilarious.
While I was doing lily bond, Iwould fold t-shirts on beans.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
So for any of the artists that are listening in
they're emerging artists,they're starting auditioning or
they're looking to get into theindustry do you have kind of put
you on the spot and is thereany kind of advice that you
would give them to kind offinish off the episode?
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Never stop learning.
I know it sounds cliche, but Ithink it's just so important.
Like I go to class every week,you'll all see me there.
That's it no matter howgrandiose your career may feel
or how accomplished you are,it's never too late, like I'll
always tell you, and alsofocusing on your weaknesses,
(39:11):
like take that singing class ordo something that makes you
uncomfortable because it justmakes you such a more rounded
artist that was awful Englishbut it makes you a well-rounded
artist and have hobbies outsideso you can fill your cup from
somewhere else.
So you can do your best work andbe fun.
(39:33):
Oh my God, I feel like whenyou're like a new artist of the
industry, you like get in theroom, you're like so prim and
proper.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Your hair is slick.
You're like just be a human,actually enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Totally and just like enjoy.
Yes exactly, and enjoy yourselfin the journey.
Don't get too introspective andtoo like.
I didn't sing that.
Note right, everything is goingto be all right.
Just go home and practice.
Do the work In the room.
If you feel like you're notnailing it, go home, just go
(40:08):
over it a little bit.
Come back the next day and justlearn to nail it.
Learn to nail it.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Learn to nail it.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
It's not that simple but it also is At the same time.
I think you have to put in thework to really reap the rewards
and benefits of this industry.
We've travelled both for work,and I just think that you don't
get that unless you have reallycommitted to yourself and put
yourself in the best positionthat you can.
(40:37):
So go, learn, go learn, get toclass get to class absolutely
amazing.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Well, thank you so much for being on.
It's been so lovely chattingand I'm sure we'll have you on
again in the future.
Absolutely, and if you want tofollow asmara's journey, I'll
put her Instagram in the bio.
She's going to check it out ina TikTok.
Yes, that's it, and yeah, havea wonderful rest of your time on
A Very Naughty Christmas.
Thank you, come to the show.
(41:05):
Come to the show.
That's it.
That's it Amazing.
Thank you, thank you.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com