Betsy-Jo Warren

To be a successful musical theatre performer you need to have certain skills, qualities and attributes.

Skills needed

“Musical theatre performers need skills in singing, acting and dancing. Performers need to be able to vary their style of singing according to the style of musical theatre” Anon. (n.d.)Musical Theatre Performer-Skills. Available at: http://www.musiccareer.com.au/index.php/Musical_Theatre_Performer [Accessed: 09/02/2017]

This is called the triple threat, this is when a performer can act, sing and dance. This opens many more doors for them in the roles they can play. On my current course I am training on all three art forms in order to extend my knowledge in each and to start the process of becoming a triple threat if I feel I can master all three art forms.

A musical performer also needs discipline. They are expected to perform every single performance the same as the one they did the night before, maybe even the same as the actor before. This is because the director knows that it works and provokes the audience’s emotions in the right way. However because of this need for a good performance every night the performer needs to have the same amount of energy, no matter how stressful their day has been.

Qualities

Flexibility is an extremely important quality for a musical theatre performer, as when you work in the industry you have to be available for auditions, as if you can’t make it to auditions it makes you seem unreliable and not serious for this career pathway. However when you are working within a production your schedule has to revolve around your rehearsals and show times. As your time is not your own, you need to be available to work with those who only need to see you to better this production as they are giving you their time, you need to do the same back.

Networking skills are important in order to open more doors and give you more opportunities within the musical theatre industry. Having good communication skills allows you to make connection within the industry and makes you a familiar face when it comes to auditions. If you are seen as keen and a well known figure for some important people you are more likely to receive an audition opportunities or even roles as you are reliable and keen to do well by them.

Finally enthusiasm is extremely important as when you are passionate about your work you do everything you can to make sure it’s the best it can be. Enthusiasm also helps with perseverance as when you have confidence in what you can do and are trying to sell to others when you are told no it only makes you more determined to get a yes the next time as you know that you are capable to succeed

Betsy-Jo Warren

Attributes

“One, two and three are obvious - huge talent at singing, dancing and acting. Without those, you'd get nowhere. Four would be physical strength/energy/fortitude, because it takes that to cope with 7 shows a week for many months. Five would be humility, sociability, friendliness and directability - in equal proportions. You'd be working in a close environment with a lot of other people and you simply HAVE to get along with everyone. There's no room for selfish, egotistical, unfriendly or uncooperative actors.” Cogito (Four years ago) what do you think are the five most important attributes in a musical theatre performer? And why? Available at: https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20121118101952AAz7MQW [Accessed: 09/02/2017]

I agree with this statement as being talented in all three art forms is a necessity for a musical performer. However in order for them to have reached the level of talent they have, they would have had to have a ridiculous amount of determination and discipline over the years.

Another aspect that would have come into play is their physical and mental health as performers need to stay fit in order to have the strength to perform at high energy for an entire show, as well as sing and dance at the same time, which uses a lot of muscle strength and practice in order to produce the right amount of support while singing with movement. It has been said that musical performers and pop celebrities sing while exercising at the gym to keep up their stamina and the ability to sing while dancing. It is a helpful skill to develop as it allows the performer to put on a show with full energy that will capture and keep the audience interested by.

Different roles in a production require different demands from people; they also differ between pay, hours, and responsibility.

A main role requires the most dedication as they have the most lines to learn and the performer has the biggest interrelationships with all of the people who put the production together, e.g. The director and choreographer. Depending on the role and how big the theatre is that you work in, depends on how much money you earn. The Equity minimum for a performer is £380 per week, however if you work in a bigger theatre which the public pay into like The Royal National theatre you can earn up to £1000 a week. You need to make sure that you are punctual and show that you are committed to your role.

A swing is someone that understudies either one or more parts; they will still perform on stage as a chorus member however, would have learnt the lead role in case the actor cannot make it to a particular show. “They stand ready at each performance to step in for whoever is unable to go on, whether due to illness or vacation or for any other reason. Sometimes, the missing performer is an understudy who gets called upon to cover for an actor in a principal role, which in turn leaves an empty spot in the chorus line that a swing is on hand to fill.” Anon. (n.d) Swing. Available at: http://dictionary.tdf.org/swing/ [Accessed:19/02/2017]

Betsy-Jo Warren

“The official description of ensemble is “a group of supporting entertainers, as actors, dancers, and singers, in a theatrical production.” Kerry,h (n.d.)Why being in the ensemble is awesome. Available at: https://kerryhishon.com/2013/06/28/why-being-in-the-ensemble-is-awesome/ [accsessed:19/02/2017] These people are just as important as the actors themselves as, they help to move the story along through dancing, singing or acting.

A standby is a person who doesn’t go on stage and has first priority if the lead role is sick to perform for them. An understudy will do the same as a swing and perform on stage and will only go on if both the lead role and the standby cannot perform.

A typical day for a musical theatre performer:

Shmoop.com says that a musical theatre performers typical day starts at 9:00am, this is when they would do vocal warm ups to get prepared for any auditions they have or to warm up for the production that they are currently a part of. They also stretch out their bodies so that if they needed to dance they wouldn’t pull any muscles. After this they have a healthy breakfast like granola. Depending on what times they have auditions or rehearsals they will travel moderate distances from place to place to get them done, while keeping up their spirits and putting all of their effort into everything that they do. Between auditions or rehearsals they will then settle down for a quick lunch and prepare themselves for the next half of the day. At around three or four when all of their tasks have been completed they can make their way home to get ready for the show that they have in the evening or the late night job that they have to pay the bills. When the show or shift is finished they can make their way home and settle into bed in order to get a good night’s sleep ready for the next day.

If you want to be a musical theatre performer, you need to get yourself out there and to do that you need different types of application procedures; however which method is the most efficient?

A CV: A performers CV is different to a normal CV, Your CV must include your headshot, Black and white if you are an actor but in colour if you are a presenter. You need to include your contact information and the agency that you belong to, a description of what you look like and the amount of accents you can do, the amount of training you’ve had and finally your previous job credits. “A performer's CV should be only one side of A4. Have a professional portfolio demonstrating your experience (posters, reviews etc)  to take to an interview or to link to from a web site in your CV. If samples are requested do follow the instructions carefully.” Anon. (n.d) How to write an actors/singer’s CV Avalible At: https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/actorcv.htm [Accessed:19/02/2017]

I feel that a CV is a great way to get yourself remembered after an audition as it shows the people casting your capabilities and almost allows them to just go through their checklist of needs and see who can do it.

Betsy-Jo Warren

Personal Statements: Personal statements are a piece of writing which explains why you love the arts and what pathways you have taken because of it, these can help a performer massively as it gives casting directors and producers and idea of who you are and the different characteristics you have, ultimately deciding whether you are directable and easy to work with. I found an example of a paerformers personal statement at: https://www.studential.com/personal-statement-examples/musical-theatre-personal-statement This helped me conclude what makes a good performing personal statement and what they are used for.

Application Forms: These are used before auditions in order to land a role or get into a drama school. These forms include your contact information, medical conditions, ethnicity; education qualifications what your talents are e.g. acting singing or dancing and finally how you are able to fund your fees and living expenses. This is a very formal form and does the same thing as a CV, where it contains just a list of things you can do without the context as to how or why. I feel that this method of application doesn’t showcase the talents that a performer can do and is an unfair judgment upon them.

Auditions: An audition is when a musical theatre performer is able to showcase their talents for a role, in order to have a good audition preparation is key. This depicts how important auditions are, as this is the chance to use your charming personality and talent to impress casting directors, if you don’t have a personality that the director can work with, you’re not going to get far in the industry even if you are extremely talented. I feel auditions are the best method of application as you get to meet people in person and sell yourself, instead of a piece of paper doing it for you.

Portfolios of work: A portfolio is a good way to showcase all of your past productions and all of the different talents you poses, a portfolio can be picture and video based so that you have proof that you can execute what you say you can on our CV and personal statement. The point of a portfolio is that you can keep updating it with new shows that you become a part of and add all the new skills you’ve learned because of it. Though it doesn’t show off your personality, it can show your directability and how you have worked with others, something that is important when in the industry as it’s a team effort to create a successful show. “When it comes to stage work, most actors rely heavily on head shots and resumes as well as the audition itself to showcase their work. With film and television, on the other hand, you often need more materials for promotion, and that's where an acting portfolio starts to make sense. These

Betsy-Jo Warren

portfolios typically include the standard head shot and resume with the addition of a reel.” Anon.(n.d.) How to put together an acting portfolio. Available at: http://work.chron.com/put-together-acting-portfolio-5806.html [Accessed: 19/02/2017]

Casting agencies: Casting agencies help as they know what different auditions are coming up and can put their performers up for them. Being a part of casting agencies can further you as depending on the reputation they have, they can be the reason you are given an audition, as the company usually have very reliable performers. An example of this would be Equity as they are extremely well known and do the best for their performers. Because this is such a trusted company, having it on your CV could show your seriousness and commitment towards musical theatre. I feel casting agencies are extremely helpful and benefit performers everywhere. They are an amazing thing to be involved in and may help you find out about auditions much quicker than you would on your own.

Head shots: Head shots are very important within the industry as performers need head shots that stand out from the others. A head shot will be the first thing a casting director will look at says ActingLondon.co.uk. As if your looks don’t fit the part they won’t look at your CV. Your head shot used to have to be in black and white, “however every year, British casting directors and talent agents are more open to coloured headshots.” Anon. (n.d.) Acting Headshots 101: What actors need to know. Available At: https://actinginlondon.co.uk/acting-headshots/ [Accessed on 19/02/2017]

This means that now you can audition with both, however in the USA your headshot has to be in colour or you are seen as outdated.

Performers have many responsibilities when working on a production. However not every performer has to attend each rehearsal, set up for further improvement of the production being produced. An example of this is that musicians don’t have to attend all of the dance rehearsals. This is because it is a waste of time for them and doesn’t help to further improve the production.

The audition process is different for different types of performers. At the Royal College of Music, “the audition process lasts approximately 15-20 minutes. For some instruments and for voice you may be asked to perform at a second audition on the same day.” Name. surname initial( date created ) Auditions. Available at: http://www.rcm.ac.uk/apply/auditions/ [Accessed: 31/01/17]

This showing that the audition process is quick for musicians as it is easier to differentiate between who can play the required songs better than others.

The website also says that, The RCM issues a list of pre-set songs that you can perform within your audition, this is so that they can judge you on how you execute your piece and if you’re at a high enough standard compared to those who are also auditioning. At Guildhall school, they also have a list of set songs for the performers to practice and perform for their audition. As shown by their website Name, Surname (Date created)BMus audition requirements. Available at: http://www.gsmd.ac.uk/music/auditions/undergraduate_audition_requirements/[Accessed:31/01/17]

Betsy-Jo Warren

This showing that it is something that is expected in most music schools and auditions as it is easier to compare your ability and commitment, as in order to have a successful audition you would need to practice until it sounded like the original.

The audition process is much different for an actor compared to a musician as “All applicants are required to submit an essay as a component of the online application. Juilliard’s Admissions Committee uses your essay to learn more about you as an individual, and gain a sense of who you are beyond your application, transcript and audition. Please write about why you have chosen to become an actor and your personal artistic goals.” Name, Surname (02/01/17) Drama Division Actor Training Program Application and Audition Requirements. Available at: http://www.juilliard.edu/apply-audition/application-audition-requirements/drama-division-actor-training-program-application#audition-process[Accessed: 31/01/17]

I feel that the want to learn about the interests of the applicants creates a much closer bond between the school and the performers, And allows the opportunity for the school to see if their facilities would be beneficial for the applicant’s needs.

The requirements for the auditions for Julliard are “Four memorized monologues (two classical and two contemporary), each approximately two minutes in length. One of the classical selections must be from a play by Shakespeare.” Name, Surname (Date created) Drama Division Actor Training Program Application and Audition Requirements-Audition materials. Available at: http://www.juilliard.edu/apply-audition/application-audition-requirements/drama-division-actor-training-program-application#audition-process[Accessed:31/01/17]

The standard for Juilliard is much higher and this is shown by the requirements of the performers in their auditions compared to other schools such as Guildhall. However does this affect the success of the performers that leave drama school and are looking for acting jobs to start their careers?

Guildhall refers to their most successful students as, Orlando Bloom, Daniel Craig, Hayley Atwell and Simon Russell Beale.

However the most successful graduates from Juilliard are; Robin Williams; Kevin Spacey; John Williams and Miles Davis.

I wonder if its luck that many big Hollywood actors have come from Juilliard or if that film producers see Juilliard as a better form of education and higher them for the acting jobs, over others with the same qualification.

An actor needs to attend band calls in order to know how long they have to say monologues depending on if there is music behind it or not. They also need to attend for transition music so that they know how much time they have before they come onto the stage for a scene.

It is important for dancers to attend band calls as they will be dancing to the musician’s music. It is important for them to now if they are out of time and what speed the song is when played live.

Musical theatre performers also need to attend band calls as like an actor they need to know the timings of speeches. However they may also have a song to sing. It is important to attend band

Betsy-Jo Warren

call as they need to be able to sing at the pace of the band. Timing is key for a production to work and just like Sean jones said in our interview “The director always wants us to get act one to one hour and 10 mins, and act two one hour 15.” This is a challenge in itself as you never want to rush a performance as it won’t appeal to the audience in the same way.

Musicians of course have to attend band calls as they are the band. It is important for them to show off their talents and depict all of the hard work and practice that has gone into creating these songs.

An actor would definitely undertake character development work as they need to be able to think, act and breathe like their character. Actors can use many characterization techniques, some being hot seating and another being the role on the wall. “In order to help you understand, I will lay out the backbone of what I teach at RADA and around the world to professional and student actors alike. This is based around Stanislavski's acting technique and his seven questions which, over the years, I have adapted into 10 key acting questions every actor should answer in order to be a fully rounded and connected actor.

1. Who am I?

2. Where am I?

3. When is it?

4. Where have I just come from?

5. What do I want?

6. Why do I want it?

7. Why do I want it now?

Advertisement

8. What will happen if I don't get it now?

9. How will I get what I want by doing what?

10. What must I overcome?”

Dee, C and Lyn, G (09/05/2009) Character building and what makes a truly great actor. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2009/may/09/character-building-great-actor [Accessed:19/02/2017]

Dancers also need to go through some sort of character development as they need to be able to represent the emotions the people would be feeling at that time. An example being Hairspray, as they dance in a 1960s style however they need to show how the segregation is effect icing them.

It is important for a musical theater performer to go though characterization techniques as they need to act sing and dance as this character. Like an actor they need to do a lot of work on their physical character them self and how they would deliver lines and stand. However they also

Betsy-Jo Warren

need to be able to get the right amount of emotion into the songs they sing in order to show to an audience their internal feelings towards something and someone.

Musicians don’t need to go through any character development as they are not a character within productions.

Actors, dancers, musical theatre performers and musicians all need to take part in the performance. This is because in order to produce a successful performance they need to work as a team. If your team dynamic isn’t good and falls apart then show will the show. Every inch of tension shoes on stage so if you don’t work well with those around you then the audience will know.

Actors, dancers and musical theatre performers all need to attend costume fittings. This is becuase they will be on stage performing as characters and the audience needs to be able to identify what sort of character they are and their social class from heir costume. For many especially actors, as soon as you put on your costume it is easier to get into the mindset of your character as you are now wearing their clothes and giving their statement out to everyone you meet. “As an actor, your costume is so important.  It tells the audience the story of your character.  It adds to the mood of the piece.  It contributes to the overall look of the show.” Kerry, H (03/04/2014) Theatre Etiquette: Concerning Costumes. Available at: https://kerryhishon.com/2013/04/03/theatre-etiquette-concerning-costumes/ [Accessed:19/02/2017]

Musicians only need to attend costume fittings if they are seen on stage, as for shows like Chicago where the band can be seen on the racked steps, they would have to wear costume to fit that time era and what sort of message they are giving to the audience.

Actors, dancers, musical theatre performers and musicians all need to respond to direction as if they are not doing as intended they will not carry out the vision the director had for the production. Actors and musical theatre performers need direction with their characters and how they should develop them throughout the show. Dancers need direction from their choreographer in order for them to learn all of the dance numbers to a high standard, which takes a lot of practice and discipline. Musicians need director from their conductors as they need to be able to play their music in time and the same every single night.

Actors may or may not need to learn choreography depending on what type of show they are performing in. An example of this is when asked Sean Jones said that they didn’t even have a choreographer and all the little movements and actions were directed by the director.

Dancers and musical theatre performer do however need to learn choreography as it is important for them to be able to move the story line on through dance. An example of when a musical theatre performer needs to learn choreography would be in Chicago’s Cell Block Tango. They need to be able to perform in character while showing their anger and frustration though dance.

Musicians however do not need to learn choreography as they may not even be seen by an audience like when at a pantomime and they are too busy playing the songs that are being danced to in order for them to dance to them as well.

Betsy-Jo Warren

Actors and musical performers need to learn lines and moves as they will play the characters that move the story along. If they had no lines or actions they wouldn’t be able to tell a story that an audience was invested in. “Noice’s first and most surprising discovery is that most actors don’t memorize their lines in the traditional sense at all. Rather, they begin by reading the script over and over again, looking for what they call the “throughline” — the causal chain that leads one event in the play to topple into the next and the next. “Almost every line of the script is mined for clues as to the characters, situations, or relationships,” Annie, P (22/02/2012) What Actors Can Teach Us About Memory and Learning. Available at: http://ideas.time.com/2012/02/22/what-actors-can-teach-us-about-memory-and-learning/ [Accessed:19/02/2017]

Dancers may on occasion have to learn lines if they were doing a chorus number with some outbreaks of libretto; however that would be the extent of their need to learn lines for a performance.

Musicians do have to learn lines as they need to be able to cue music to go with them. An example of this would be the last line of libretto before the characters move into a song that they need to play for them.

All actors, dancers, musical theater performers and musicians need to respond to musical direction, this is because, actors and musical they’re performers need to say or sing at certain times in a song. These parts have been chosen to be there by the musical director and shows that they need to take part in some sort of musical directing in order for them to sing or act in time over music. Singers also are musically directed to sing in certain keys in order for songs to sound good for the audience. Dancers need musical direction as they need to be able to hit some of their movements at a certain time. They don’t need as much direction as actors and singers but hey do still need some. It is important for musicians to be musically directed or the songs within the performance will not sound pleasurable to the ear. Musicians have a stressful job and that is why it is important for them to be directed and disciplined in order for them to be confident in what they are doing.

Actors may have to learn song lyrics if they are involved in singing character songs. These are songs which are also performed in the voice of your character as you are not trained or cannot belt out songs.

It is important for dancers and musical theater performers to learn song lyrics as dancers need to be able to perform certain movements on certain lines in the song and or sing along in order to fill out the song and give it more energy. A musical theater performer needs to be able to learn song lyrics in order for them to perform their songs these songs will speed the story line along so it is important for them to learn them properly and to sing them with their characters emotion.

Musicians do need to learn song lyrics but not to sing them. They need to be learnt so that they know what to play depending on what part the performer is singing. They also may need to accompany the performer on stage, this means going at their pace and not following the sheet music properly. As in some moments like somewhere that’s green in little shop of horrors, there are moments at the end of the song where the singer can really take a moment to add an

Betsy-Jo Warren

emotional impactor to the end of the song and use science to their advantage. This meaning that the musicians need to be able to follow the performers lead.

Interrelationships are important within the industry, as though you may be an actor you still might need to be choreographed for a certain scene.

A musical theatre performers’ relationship with the chorographer is an important one, as for many lead roles you need to be a triple threat, this means that you will need to be able to act, sing and dance. The choreographer is an extremely important figure when producing a show as there may be dancing within the singing numbers, but even the actors need some stage choreography for within scenes full of libretto. Choreography could be as small as having to walk to a point on the stage at a certain time or performing a slight arm or head movement. This meaning that as a musical theatre performer you will defiantly have to work with choreographers. If your relationship with the choreographer wasn’t very effective it could lead to bad timing and the ruining of a song within the show. Mainly the dancers would have to dance to queues from the lead singer or actor as the timing needs to be perfect for a show to run smoothly, if you don’t work well with the choreographer it could result in mistakes that the directors and producers can’t afford and resulting in getting a replacement for you.

The relationship with the shows director is important as you need to do your best in order to make their vision come to life. Within the musical theatre industry it is important for performers to work well with directors as it’s their job to move on the story line and make the performance entertaining. If this relationship is not effective then it will result in slowing down the show as you will not be doing as the director has asked therefore, not creating the show that they need and want. It also means that you could be fired from your position as if you’re not listening and doing as the director says, you will be putting the whole show at risk and showing to the producers and casting directors that you are not direct able and shouldn’t be called back for an of their future productions.

“Directors work closely with their creative and production teams, the performers and the producer to create a performance which connects with the audience. They therefore need to be able to coordinate effectively across a range of disciplines and with artistic vision. Specific tasks can vary depending on the actual role and type of theatre but common activities include:

programming and budgeting; working with writers through workshops or script development schemes;

adapting a script and, if the play is newly written, working with the writer or collaborating with playwrights;

breaking down a script, analysing and exploring the content and conducting relevant research;

translating and interpreting a script or musical score;

holding auditions for productions, selecting and hiring designers, musicians, etc.;

Betsy-Jo Warren

managing time and organising people and space” plus many more Anon. (n.d.) Job profile- Theatre director Available at: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/theatre-director [Accessed on: 18/02/2017]

How to become a musical theatre performer

Equity states that “There are BTEC National Diplomas in performing arts, which many colleges teach, these are an equivalent to and a level... These can be a platform to move onto training at a higher level such as the BTEC Higher National Diplomas, or specialist courses at drama school.” career/starting-out/so-you-want-to-be-a-performer/ [Accessed on: 18/02/2017]

However study.com says, “Performing artists usually receive some type of formal training, though it may not necessarily be though a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of fine arts degree program. Some community colleges offer associate’s degrees in the performing arts to prepare student for the entry into a B.A or B.F.A. program.” Anon. (n.d.) Performer: Career info & Requirements. Available at: http://study.com/articles/Perfromer_Career_Information_and_Requirements_for_Becoming_a_Proffessional_Performing_Artist.html [Accessed on: 18/02/2017]

Comparing these two quotes it seems that one pathway to take would be to join a drama school straight after taking your A levels, this qualifying you to then step out into the industry and audition with an agency, Or complete all of your A levels then, attend university in order to receive a B.A or a B.F.A. this would give you another level of qualification however not much experience. It would be up to you to determine whether drama school is right for you and if you’d prefer to receive a B.A or B.F.A. at university or a professional school.

You can take many training routes to become a musical theatre performer.

Sean Jones took one, which is to achieve some sort of GCSE qualification; he ended up with an YTS. And then he joined a drama school (Guildhall) which enabled him to receive the equivalent of a B.A or B.F.A. This allowed him to start his journey into the performing arts industry with the help of equity.

A second pathway into the industry is collecting 5 A*-C grade at GCSE, then go on to do A levels in performing arts. You can then attend a university, to receive a B.A or a B.F.A. This pathway is easier for those who cannot afford extortionate fees asked for by professional drama schools; Mark from splendid took this pathway and is now extremely successful.

I feel that you have more of a chance to become a musical theatre performer when you attend a drama school as you get more experience within the industry and you meet and can make many contacts with producers and agents in the industry as well, When you have to perform your final exam, many agents come to watch this is a great opportunity to be accepted within an agency which those who go to university don’t get. However you need to pick the best drama school for you and your needs. As MADD is heavily dance based with a few singing and acting classes, whereas Mount view or Guildhall are ore drama based.

Betsy-Jo Warren

Is there a careers ladder to climb when you are a musical theatre performer?

The answer is yes, if you are an Equity member this means that you are entitled to a sum of money for just being a part of a production. From talking to Sean Jones who is an Equity member, he says that your salary doesn’t go up with the more of a main character you are. It goes up dependant on how long you have been playing your role.

Many people start off as a chorus member or an understudy; this was where Sean Jones started too. He was lucky enough to be able to go on stage as the lead Mickey was unavailable; because he got to prove himself he was able to secure his role as the understudy for Mickey. While being a part of Blood bothers he also played Eddie for a few years. As his time working on the show lengthened, his salary went up. In this time he used his networking skills and interrelationships with important members of the crew to allow him to play Mickey as a lead role. This took years of determination and because of his work ethic it allowed him to move from understudy, to the lead role.

There are many employment opportunities for a musical theatre performer, you can go into the entertainment business, and perform on cruises and holiday parks. Careers.govt says that performers can also be, dancers, entertainers, on and off screen, and models. Found at: https://www.careers.govt.nz/jobs-database/arts-and-media/entertainment/actor/job-opportunities

Molly Ehrlichman says that, Working conditions for a performer can vary, many performers undergo stress because of their steady unemployment and rejection when auditioning, They rehearse day and night and even on holidays, They may have to change their appearance in order to secure a role, this adds stress as they have time limits for when they need to be ready to perform, if they were asked to lose r gain weight they need to do it quickly. Finally they may need to travel a lot in order to find and audition for shows.

Is there a better drama school to go to?

The University of Lincoln offers a B.A. and a B.F.A. in drama and performing arts; it states that the entry requirements are:

“GCE Advanced levels: BCC

International Baccalaureate: 28 points overall

BTEC Extended diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit.

Access to higher education Diploma: A minimum of 45 level 3 credits at merit or above will be required.

In addition, applicants should have a minimum of three GCSEs at grade C or above including English.” Anon. (n.d.) Entry Requirement. Available at: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/course/dradraub/ [Accessed: 19/02/2017]

Betsy-Jo Warren

Guildhall requires either 2 A levels from E-A, BTEC National Extended Diploma all three passed or a BTEC National Diploma with all two passed. This makes the school easier to be accepted into as many people achieve 2 A Levels in further education. The Main course that they offer is a B, A Honors in acting and the M.A. in acting. These courses are both a full time three year course established to train and prepare you for acting on stage and in film.

I feel that Going to a drama school will better prepare you as a performer to try and get into the industry. You receive the same qualification if you attend University, or a drama school. Which is a B.A or B.F.A.

Professional development is extremely important as it ensures you continue to be competent in your profession. Just because you’ve graduated from drama school and landed a role in a production doesn’t mean you need to stop learning and improving on your talents. Because if you do, those who have kept going and really mastered all of their talents will over pass you and you’ll be far behind as people can do what you do and much more. You need to continue to work on yourself if you want to climb up that ladder and get your dream role.

To make sure this doesn’t happen I would still attend singing lessons once a week and make sure you look after your voice. You also need to keep up your fitness so that if you are thrown a curve ball while performing you are physically capable to dodge it. I’d also just treat every show like your last and put all of your energy in it, this way you do a great job every night and can be seen as very reliable.

What exercises or techniques could you use to develop and improve your performance skills?

For dance you can start by stretching in the morning, this loosens up your muscles and causes you to be less likely to pull a muscle. Steezy says, there are a few places you need to stretch more than others in order to improve you dance ability. The first being your legs and feet, then your hip flexors by lunging, You need to stretch out your Quadriceps and finally your piriformis muscle, by laying on your back, with your right ankle on the opposite legs knee, then pulling your left leg towards your chest until you feel a pull just underneath your bottom.

You can also try muscle memory but performing the same move over and over again until you can do it without thinking about it.

For acting you should try using Jacque le coq’s seven levels of tension. As it requires you to use your whole body also facial expressions and alter your tone of voice to convey a rise in tension within a scene.

Max Stafford Clark is the rehearsal technique where each performer is given a numbered card. The higher the number on the card the higher the status that each performers character is, this can completely alter the performance as if they are part of a higher status then they will have a lot confidence on stage meaning they have good posture and are stood chin up high. Whereas if they are lower class then they will lower themselves and prance around with little amounts of confidence.

For singing think about your posture, your legs need to be shoulder width apart with your shoulders stretched back in order to create a straight pathway for the air traveling from your lungs to your mouth.

Betsy-Jo Warren

You can also try recording yourself, so that you can hear all of the places that you go wrong, and where you need to take a deeper breath.

There are many things you can do to monitor your progress, one of them is really simple, record yourself. If you record yourself acting, singing, or dancing and look at where you need to improve, then you can do the same thing the week after and see if you’ve made any changes.

Another thing you can do is to set yourself a weekly goal. For example it could be to perform that spin in your dance routine without losing your balance. Then after you’ve practice hard within the week, you can look back at your target and see if you’ve improved.

Life style

Time: A musical theater performer would have to consider the amount of time they need to dedicate towards getting auditions and going to rehearsals, Making sure their bodies are well looked after and that they can still make money for when they are not working in productions.

Health: When busy travelling the city to go to meetings and rehearsals, it’s so easy to just pick up a subway or go through a drive though, however this will not keep them in shape in order to dance, sing and act within a performance, it’ll give them low energy and start bad habits that they will struggle to get out of when needing to change their appearance for certain roles.

Training: A musical theatre performer needs to make sure that they are always improving upon their abilities and skills. This means that sometimes they need to set aside some time to practice singing a song they need to learn or going over a dance move that they have been struggling with, as this will only better them and help with the further improvements of a show.

Performance skills

Technical skills are important for a performer, they need to have a good knowledge of what goes on behind the curtain .One of the most important is sound, if they can’t hear the music they have to sing or dance to then they’re going to be out of time. Another technical aspect that a performer should know a little bit about is how the set works. This means if there are any trap doors or drop down set that will fall while scene is being performed. An example of this would be the Lions’ house in Blood Brothers as it was dropped down from the ceiling.

Physical performance skills are extremely important for a musical theatre performer as they use nothing but their bodies to perform every night. In order to be a successful musical theatre performer you need to be able to keep your body fit and able to dance. Now a day’s most musical theatre performers are trained in some sort of dance style, whether that being ballet or jazz. These skills are important as many shows require dancing of some kind and this means that the cast need to be able to do it well. This is why rehearsals and training are extremely important within a show.

Musical theatre performers need to have a range of vocal ability; this includes a varied singing style depending on what style of show you will be performing in. An example of this, would be that a performer who would be singing in Chicago’s Cell block tango, would be different compared to a Cinderella musical like Oklahoma.

Betsy-Jo Warren

In order to make yourself stand out as a performer, you first need to have a professional head shot. A head shot is important as if you don’t look like the part the casting directors won’t even bother looking through the rest of your application. ____ from Splendid says that in order to make yourself known you need to put in the time, this means being half an hour early to events to help set up and the last person to leave offering help to clear away, this showing that you are a genuine person who is dedicated and willing to put in as much time as it takes.

If you network just enough you could eventually meet someone who has a real connection to the industry and help you get an audition and or role in a show.

Practical skills

Planning is essential in order to put on a successful show. It is important that you research into the context of the musical and what was happening in the time it was set. For example Blood Brothers were set in 1960s Liverpool when everyone was losing their jobs. If you research your background it will be easier for you to imagine what it was like to actually be living in those times.

Another thing that a musical performer needs to consider is how people act in those times and what would make them stand out. It’s important that you can find some sort of emotional connection between you and your character in order to play them honestly and well.

It is essential for a musical performer to have learnt their lines and songs before a day of rehearsals, as it will slow down the production if not. It will show the determination and commitment from you as you can then only focus on your characterization and direction within a scene.

Sleep is so important in order to put on a good performance as you need to be able to perform with 110% of your energy. Before going on stage it’s a good idea to relax as you can’t be tense when going on stage, it strains your voice and makes it harder to dance otherwise.

It is important to go through a few characterization techniques in order to get a sense of how to play your character. One of them being role on the wall, this is where you right all of your characters features and emotions down in order to feel how they would feel. Another technique you could try is to hot seating. This is when you sat on a chair as your character while other people ask you questions about yourself. This allows you to create a full back story to your character and think the way they would.

It is important for a musical theatre performer to be determined and is able to take criticism well. As this will help them when being directed by the director as they need performers to act in a particular way as they know it works with the audience. The same goes with the choreographer, dancing is such a huge part of musical theatre and if you are not doing it right you need to make sure you practice and improve as everything depends on whether they can dance in time while singing and not making it look difficult. If you take their criticism with a pinch of salt and make the correct changes you will show that you are mature and a reliable performer to have.

Team work is important when working on a show as you need to be able to lean on your cast to ensure it is successful. Having a good relationship with those who you work with is important to

Betsy-Jo Warren

make the characters so much more believable. Especially if your character is having a love affair as if you don’t fully trust your team it will show on stage.

Name: Mrs. Abi Sweeny

When did they start their career?

How long have they been in this career?

Current role: Dance teacher

Previous Roles:

Interview

Q: Does where you choose to go to school effect your career?

A: Depending on what you want to do, I was mainly dance and musical theatre focused. So I auditioned for a few places and chose MADD as it was quite dance based, I researched who would be teaching, me and what their background was. If you want to go down the route of being a leading lady in a musical then you’d want to do more Acting and singing, and then I’d go to Guilford or Mountview. I’d go to London for that personally.

Q: What was atypical day like for you?

A: A typical day at MADD you have to sign in by 8:30, and then you’d have your first lesson which would be an hour and a half of ballet. And depending on when they are you would have a Ballet lesson a day, a jazz lesson, singing ensemble, at least an hour and 15 minutes of that. Musical theatre class and then some kind of acting lesson. Every week you would have a performance class, you would be chosen at random, 5 people and you would be critiqued in front of your whole year group. However every third week wed have a guest who was in London come in. But you’d basically start at 8:30 and finish at 6:30 with a 40 minutes break.

Q: how much academic work do you do compared to physical?

A: In first year, you do a lot of notation, but as for essays you do nothing like that. It’s all practical. You’ve obviously got to be learning your lines and things but you do nothing academic.

Q: How much exposure do you get to Agents?

A: Not until your third year, you do a Gala show case, and friends of the teachers who are in the industry come to watch. Your third year London show case is purely for agents.

Betsy-Jo Warren

Name: Sean Jones

Age: 46

When did they start their career? When they let school at around 16-18

How long have they been in this career?

Current role: Plays Mickey in Blood Brothers

Previous roles:

January 31st

Q. Did you do a performing arts course or an acting one at guildhall?

A. It was a straight acting course, I always wanted to be an actor and I never wanted to go into musicals, wasn’t a big fan. Blood Brothers was weird because somebody came to talk with him after watching a show (Blood Brothers) and said that there was a man who came on the stage and looked like you, it would be a great part for you, (Mickey). When you’re becoming an actor you never know how to market yourself and essentially you’re becoming a business. It’s a bit like saying I want to be a shop keeper, oh well what do you want to sell, I don’t know. You know you want to be an actor but you don’t know what your strengths are. And because this person said Mickey from blood brothers is a great part for you, I was inspired to go and see it. Purely because I wanted to see how other people saw me as a performer. You know, what type of role am I good for? And when I saw the part of Mickey I was like ‘ahh’ that part suits me, but the only problem with it was that it was a musical. And I wasn’t Musical theatre, so I never thought I’d do it. However I know it’s a clique but I see Blood brothers as a play first and a musical second. It’s more dialogue heavy than song, and the song I have to sing fortunately is a character songs so I don’t have to do an amazing job singing like others can.

Q. When did you start your career and where?

A. Well, I got expelled from school, and went and did a YTS course, it was a bit like An apprenticeship, so you get a job, practically every business would have these YTS courses for trainees, essentially it was a cheap wage because you only got paid the same amount of money as you would being on the dole. So I went to work in the theatre as a YTS trainee, I kind of see that as the start of my career as id left school and that was when I was allowed to throw myself into it, and I was out of education so I was earning about £8 a week to be in the theatre. But that helped me when trying to get into the business.

Case study

Idina Menzel was born on 30th May 1971. She is now famous for being a successful actress singer and song writer.

She rose to fame when she originally played Maureen Johnston in Rent. Her performance was so compelling that she received a Tony award for it. After Rent she moved onto playing the original role of Elphaba in Wicked, for this she received another Tony award. In 2014 she returned to

Betsy-Jo Warren

Broadway playing Elizabeth Vaughanin If/Then. Granting her with her third Tony award. She is a well known and well established performer who can bring life to any role she plays.

However in recent interviews she states “Frozen made me a role model for young girls. But I’m not, I’m a mess” Bryony, G (n.d) Frozen made me a role model for young girls. But I’m not, I’m a mess. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/interviews/idina-menzel-interview-frozen-made-me-a-role-model-but0im-a-mess/ [Accessed: 19/02/2017]

Maybe this showing that she isn’t used to having such a young audience as she’s always taken part on Broadway and film productions.

She says that “she felt like she was living a double life “ being able to sing such a huge well known song at the Oscars, “And then come home and have to go to meditation with my ex, figuring out which days he was visiting our son.” This depicting that she leads a normal life like any of us, being able to spend time with her children and go out to get some alone time, she doesn’t need to rush around anymore as she has established he place as a performer in musical theatre.

Idinas most well known role is Elphaba from Wicked. This is because she was the originating role and put all of her effort into every show. She was unable to perform in the last show of Wicked as she had fell through a trap door and cracked her rib. She did however come onto stage to perform her final song and received a standing ovation.

Idina got her first job singing at weddings when she was 15, she carried n this job throughout all of her time at New York’s University’s Tisch School of the arts where she earned a B.F.A degree in drama.

Live theatre review

I saw Blood Brothers in Sheffield on Tuesday 24th January 2017. Blood Brothers is a musical about two twin brothers, Mickey and Eddie, who were separated at birth, they live in two different social classes but still become lifelong friends, as they grow up their friendship becomes tested as these social classes catch up to them, and they form a love triangle with their childhood friend Linda. The musical is set in Liverpool and depicts the struggles the working class went through in the 1960s following Mickey’s journey through unemployment and imprisonment.

My initial reaction to the beginning of the performance was that Mrs Johnstone was too old. She was played by Lynn Paul who is 67 years old. I felt that I couldn’t believe she was a single mother with a seven year old child as her age didn’t make it believable. This also was shown by the reverb on her microphone as it made it so that she didn’t need to belt out her songs and strain her voice. Taking away from the raw emotion the songs were supposed to make the audience feel. However a positive to her performance was that she was extremely good at portraying a working class woman, she used her posture, accent and facial expressions to depict how desperate she was, as a mother of many children, for a fresh start and the money needed to look after her household. A key moment when this stood out was when she showed her excitement through song that she was moving to another home. The use of green lighting to show a new beginning and emphasise that money would also be coming her way. The use of open body language implies her letting go of her fears as her life seems to have had a struck of

Betsy-Jo Warren

luck and she won’t have to worry about the Loins anymore. Her costume didn’t really change throughout the musical, I feel that this didn’t help to differentiate between her ages either, compared t Mickey who’s costume changed with each age that was played. Her costume was a flowy, flowery dress that had ruffled shoulders. This dress fit the time of which the musical was set however because of her age, for me personally it only aged her further. In act two her costume changed to a trench coat being worn on top of her dress, I feel this showed the audience that she had many more places to be after this change in her life as she had more freedom now that her children had grown up and moved out. As her children grew up it became much more believable that she was their parent as she would be starting to look older as they grew up into their 20s. For me my favourite scene including Mrs Johnstone is when she gave Eddie her locket to remember her and Mickey by. In this scene I feel that the director’s intentions were to show her guilt and vulnerability, and it did. The lighting dimmed and the music became soft to highlight this moment.

Mickey Johnstone was played by Sean Jones who is 46 years old. I feel that Sean successfully portrayed Mickey at different ages. An example of this is when he played a 7 year old in his “I wish I was our Sammy” monologue. He included energetic movement which helped as an audience member to believe that he was seven, when being in my interview with him he said “A child is almost Bipolar, where something is either the best thing in the world or absolutely rubbish”. You can see when he’s playing a young Mickey that he uses this mentality to do it well and true to how an actual child is. I feel it’s easy to portray a child using big actions and a funny voice; however this isn’t true to reality. And as this is a political and tragic musical, all the characters need to be played in a realistic manor.

In his monologue he wears an old, hand me down jumper with shorts. This fits with the time era and his social status as he can’t afford well fitting, new clothes. His shorts are associated with young boys so because of this we overlook the fact that he is a grown man playing a seven year old. The lighting when he’s performing his monologue is just the full bright house lights; this is so that there are no distractions. I also feel as because he breaks the forth wall, the lights make it seem realistic as it makes us question is this him talking to himself or stepping out of the show and hoping to pull onto the audiences heart strings before the ending. As this makes them feel personally connected to Mickey. I felt this was an extremely emotive part of the show and worked well compared to the ending as we see him working with Sammy and lose all of the previous innocence he had left.

Linda played by Danielle Corlass was amazing. She really captured the different stages of growing up for a girl. I feel her most prominent moment was when she and Mickey were 14. And she was trying to get his attention and for him to kiss her. This scene really captured the difference in confidence and maturity between girls and boys at that age. She was wearing a low cut shirt to show off her chest and a very short pencil skirt, this bodycon outfit showing of her curves which she tries to use to her advantage. Her high heels show to the audience that she’s trying to be more adult than what she is. This enabling her to capture a teenage girl well as she wants to be older to have some independence and to have Mickey to mature for her too. I feel that she is better at playing younger characters rather than older ones as in act two; she seemed too young for the age she was playing. We also didn’t see much of a strain on her being a single

Betsy-Jo Warren

parent. For me she didn’t break down as much as she should have for a realistic woman in that situation. Her act of hiding Mickey’s pills was very out of character, which worked well as it showed to the audience that she is changing as well, however I feel one point that let her performance down was how she still treated Eddie like a friend even when she was ,meant to be seen as being Taboo and having an affair. I feel this as an audience member didn’t make sense as she was only conducting innocent meetings with Eddie and showed to us as the audience that her love for Mickey I’d unwavering as she is doing all of this “sneaking around” for him.

Graham Martin Was the actor who was credited for playing the teacher and policeman. To me he was seen as the second comedic character behind Mickey. The scene that highlighted his ability to multirole and depicted the comedic aspects of his character, was the moment when he was playing Eddies teacher, turned round then started playing Mickeys teacher who is run down and doesn’t care about these kids education. The lighting was bright in eddies scene to represent the hope in these children ability and the brightness in their lives as they don’t know how bad could truly be as their parents are fortunate enough to give them a good start. However within Mickey’s scene there was a roll on class room set, Diffusing the light and giving the school a more cramped feeling to it. If you compare where Eddie was to Mickey, you can imply that Eddie is outside in freedom, as he has had a fortunate life, comparing this to Mickey who, is practically locked up at school and is looked down upon by everyone. I feel that Graham was much better at playing a teacher rather than a police officer as he had no urgency about him. I felt that his acting was too calm for the situation everyone knew was unfolding inside. The reason for this is because the way he sneaked through the audience in order to not be seen when surrounding the building was something that a real police officer would do, however I feel his urgency wasn’t there especially when earlier in the show we see him in the Lion’s household almost sharing a drink with Eddies farther, This showing that to the police officer his relationship with this family is important. On the other hand it is clear that he can take direction as he emphasises the moments of comedy for the audience to laugh, this is important to a director as the show needs to be enjoyable for the audience in order to keep running.