A guide to becoming a musical theatre performer.How to become an actor or actress-The traditional way of getting into the industry is by going to drama school or by taking a drama course at university. There is a variety of performance schools across the UK such as Italia Conti, Trinity and MAD. However the entry to drama schools are very competitive, when applying for drama school they choose applicants to go have an interview and an audition, typically auditions fees apply. Most likely you will be required to present qualifications to ensure you have the ability to study at that level, this could be A levels, GCSE results or relevant experiences. Typically most drama or musical theatre courses last for two to three years which results in a BA degree in acting or musical theatre or a recognised diploma, if the performer has been successful at completing this then it will entitle them to a membership of equity. On the other hand some drama schools may offer a post-graduate course this would be relevant for an actor, actress or musical theatre performer who already have a degree. To be within the musical theatre industry you don’t need to go to a drama school, you may want to take a course at university in acting or performing arts which will have a main focus on acting however this is another possible option to get into the industry.

Performers typically take up additional training in singing, dancing and acting or maybe just the one that isn’t one of their strengths, the reason why performers typically do this is because it helps them to improve and continue to develop after drama school and also because it will increase their chance when going to auditions. Some people may attend local drama workshops and amateur dramatics to enable to get more experience. Not all performers decide to stick at the performing side of the industry so move upwards to directing or into production work such as a choreographer, backstage work within the theatre in lighting or sound. There are many different options within the industry not just performing.

When becoming a musical theatre performer Kudos says that you will be required to work in live performances on stage or radio, you could also work in film or television. As a musical theatre performer you are also required to use all skills you know and be open to learning new ones in all three art forms, performers need to be able to create a believable character, use their voice effectively and use their body, simple movement and specific choreography. This is to help show narrative through the above skills which allows the audience to follow the plot which is needed to bring the character to life. Before a performance you should find out the background information about the character you are playing and watch clips on how other people play the role. By doing this you can also take a few of other peoples’ ideas on how they portray the character and infuse this with your own. Being a musical theatre performer means that you need to have learnt all lines, songs and choreography necessary for your role. Depending on what the show is then you may be required to put on an accent.

Entry routes into the industry-

MADD.

MADD offer a range of courses including a three year full time course which is called “3 year professional musical theatre diploma”, the second course they offer is a one year course called “1 year foundation musical theatre diploma” and finally the last course is also a one year course which

is called “1 year post graduate musical theatre diploma course”.

The three year course is a full time coursehttp://maddcollege.co.uk/full-time/ which includes all three art forms, singing, acting and dancing. During the performers first year at MADD they will focus on techniques and self-discovery , all three art forms will be supported by contextual studies for example there will be some note taking involved, history of musical theatre and fitness health and safety. The performer will also work on their strengths and awareness of weaknesses in their techniques; they will also build on their confidence and stamina. During the performers dance classes they will focus on different styles of dance such as: ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and Pilates. During singing lessons the performer will be required to sing individually but also as part as an ensemble. During acting lessons the performer will work on improvisational techniques, musical theatre and choreographic development, they will also learn about a few practitioners such as Hagen and Stanislavski.

The second year at MADD will entail the core skills learnt from the first year and will be continued throughout the second year to help strengthen and develop these skills further and to higher standards. Performers will also have some additional lessons to coincide with original lessons, they will now start learning another dance style such as ballroom or Latin. Not only this but they will also learn some form of stage combat and acting within songs to widen their knowledge of what is required to be a musical theatre performer. During the performers second year at MADD they will have a chance to audition for as few short plays and musicals for a performance in the schools studio theatre.

In the performers final year the main focus is on their performance and professional attitude in all elements of the industry. They will work within a team as if they were a company; they are required to perform in many production throughout the year within the schools theatre and other outside venues. During the third year performers have opportunity to master classes with casting directors, leading agents, choreographer and directors however they will also focus on branding and how to market their performances which helps them prepare for the industry. The performer’s final year is aimed to allow a successful transition from college into the performing industry.

MADD auditions and Entry requirements- Minimum age 16, as quoted by MADD “entry requirements are dependent upon potential, talent, attitude, and the determination to succeed”. Auditions take place each month throughout the year, once MADD receive the application they will be in the process of getting in touch when the next available audition date is. They will be invited to participate in a short jazz dance class which could also include classical ballet. When auditioning you will need to portray the following to be successfully accepted on to the course, what you need to show throughout your audition is: “all round talent with potential for training and development for employment within a multi-skilled industry”, “A very good sense of musicality”, “personality and presence”, “determination and positive attitude”. You will also need to prepare a musical theatre song for the audition and present the track on a CD or iPod, you will also be required to have a solo dance in any style which is a maximum of two minutes and finally a monologue from either a

published play or an audition monologue book. When applying for the course you will have to fill in an application form which looks like this:

And also a medial form which looks like this:

Bird College.

According to Bird College they offer the following courses-

Bird College have a musical theatre diploma which is a 3 year, full time course and is located at Trinity College London and fees are £11,250 per academic year. The course is a combination of dance and theatre studies with the history behind dance and musical theatre. During the performers first year at Bird College they will do a variety of dance studies including, Ballet, contemporary, tap and jazz. They will also start their theatre studies which include: musical theatre, singing and acting and finally the performer will start their combined studies which are the dance history, fitness, health and safety and music theory. During the performers second year, they will continue with their dance studies of Ballet, contemporary tap and jazz, the performer will also continue with their theatre studies of musical theatre, script and character analysis and singing. Combined studies, fitness, health and safety, history of musical theatre and music theory and

appreciation. In the final year (year 3) the performer finalises their dance studies of ballet, tap, contemporary and jazz. Theatre studies, the performer has their musical theatre performance and solo performance. Last of all they will complete their combined studies of professional employment skills and a solo project viva voice.

The second course they offer is a BA(hons) course in professional dance and musical theatre. This course offers students to develop their performance skills to a high level; they will work with a variety of disciplines within dance and also work with related genres in acting and musical theatre. This course also has a high demand on academic study too. The following will be included within the performers academic studies as stated by Bird: theory related to their practical, learning key skills for the professional world including employment opportunities and lifelong skills and developing artist’s personal vision. During their time at Bird they will be stimulated to become a versatile performer and be able to give and take constructive criticism allowing them to flower/ grow with confidence and maturity. The final year at Bird will allow the students to work in a range of performances and research projects within a combination of written and practical work.

The entry requirements of this course is age 18 and above, there will also be a an audition and interview for the performer to attend. They also need a minimum of 64 UCAS points at A level ( a minimum of 2 grade ‘C’s at A2 level or any other equivalent qualifications. The current fees for Bird are £9,250 per year.

Mountview.

Mountview offer a three year BA HONS in performance which is an acting diploma. The performer will study a variety of areas within their practical lessons, which includes stage combat, screen acting, radio, voice, text, movement and improvisation. During stages of learning it is important to practice, perform and experiment with new things, Mountview quote that no one learned to be a good actor just by reading a book.Mountview allow performers to work in small groups to allow themselves to explore their full potential within their strengths and also expand on their range of imaginative performance skills and also their physical performance skills. Within the students first two years at Mountview they will learn and create projects on contemporary writing such as Shakespeare, European and American drama and original devised work. The students liaise with Mountview’s Industry Liaison team which helps them to prepare and understand life as an actor or actress.Finally their final year includes a public performance and a film which means they will work with professional directors to prepare a variety of productions and a West End showcase which will be performed to casting directors, agents and other people within the industry. There is practical assessment throughout the course.

The entry requirements for mountview for undergraduate courses are: Five GCSE passes, including two at A-level, Four SCE higher Grade passes, BTEC national or higher national certificate or siploma with merit grades and foundation course. The entry requirements for postgraduate courses are a first or second class degree, however those performers with significant practical experience without formal qualifications may be considered. There is an audition and interview process the performer will have to go through. However musical direction students must be able and have the qualification for a very high standard of piano playing.

Amanda Holden Graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in July 1992, she is a well-known English actress, singer and presenter. As soon as Amanda came out of Mountview she secured her first job in Granada’s In Suspicious Circumstances with Edward Woodward. Ever since then she has constantly worked and as quoted by her agent James Grant she is one of Britain’s best-loved personalities.

During Amanda’s first years within the industry she played Liesl Von Trapp in The Sound of Music and Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest. In the 2000’s Amanda had the lead role in the West End version of musical of Thoroughly Modern Millie where she received outstanding reviews and was put forward for a Laurence Oliver Award for Best Actress in a musical.Amanda also starred as Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical in the West End version at Drury Lane theatre which premiered on the 14th June 2011. Amanda won the award for Best Actress in A Musical for the What’s On Stage Awards from her role as Fiona in Shrek the musical. She also won Best Theatre Actress at the Glamour in 2012 Women of the Year Awards, not only did she win this but she also won Best Actress in a Musical for the Cosmopolitan Awards.

RADA.

What does the course entail?

Full time course- is made up of three terms which are the autumn, spring and summer term. Within the first term (autumn term) the performer will look nat approaches to theatre and performance practice which is six hours per week, the performer will also do six hours a week of scene study and finally theorisng the contemporary which is three hours a week. Spring term is made up of approaches to theatre and performance practice which is six hours a week, the performer will also have six hours a week of scene study. Finally in summer term the performer will focus on theory based work as quoted by RADA this “is resesrching skills seminars and dissertation preparation for practice which is one and a half hours a week plus three supervisions.”

Performers College.

Performers offer a full time three year course which results in a professional dance diploma or a professional musical theatre diploma, which also comes with the Performers College diploma, this is known by Trinity College in London and is qualified at a level 6. These diplomas are a university equivalent to a BA(Hons) degree.

Year one at Performers will include an introduction to core subjects which will give the performer a stable platform of techniques and theoretical understanding of the subject matter. They will also find out about the life style of a performer and the purpose why we need to develop a healthy, thinking, enabling the performer to further their training to enable them to have the necessary skills to enhance their career. There will be ongoing assessments throughout the three years which is to monitor the performers progress, the course will entail dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary. The performer will also Pilates and body conditioning, gymnastics, singing and music theory, acting and voice. They will also learn the health and safety within all of the above areas, anatomy and physiology and contextual studies. By the end of the performers first year they are helped by teachers and mentors to guide them in the right direction to fit their individual strengths and enable them to develop on their weaknesses to succeed.

Year two will develop the performer’s core subjects which were studied during year one however there will be a greater focus on strengthening and widening these techniques further. The performers will now be following their specific chosen course in either dance or musical theatre, dancers will have an opportunity to study additional dance styles and choreography whereas musical theatre performers will look into musicianship, singing and acting further in more depth. However both courses will develop the performers skills and knowledge further and encourage them to focus on practical and theory work for the following year when graduating.

In the performer’s final year there will be a greater emphasis on their professional employment skills and their individual career goals. The main aim for year three is to prepare the students for the industry, there are many opportunities for the performers to get experience within the industry in their final year, this could be anything from TV appearances, Pantomimes and corporate work. There are four productions for the courses (both the musical theatre course and the dance course), the dance course will include creating their own show, performing in a show case which is created by the staff at Performers and will also have a chance to appear within a play. Whereas musical theatre performers will perform in a musical, they will also perform in a musical theatre production and play. All students at Performers will be involved in the Annual College show which then guides them to the celebration of graduation day. All of the productions which the students perform in will act as a showcase for people such as agents, choreographers and directors.

Entry requirements-

The entry requirements for Performers is an audition process, the applicant will complete and hand in the application form and the audition fee and required photographs. When Performers receives the application form the applicant will then be presented with an audition date which they will then need to confirm they can make. Auditions are ongoing during the year however if you are applying for an award then it is advised by Performers to apply early as there is a cut-off date for this.

The audition will include a jazz and ballet class, the candidate will also need to show their ability in acting and singing too. For the jazz class, you will be required to be in suitable dancewear for the class, you will also be expected to wear appropriate dancewear for the ballet class however point shoes are not required for this. The next stage of the audition will be singing where you are required to sing a song of your preference however you have to provide the sheet music, it is unacceptable for the auditionee to sing unaccompanied. You will then be expected to perform a contemporary monologue which is 1 minute 30 seconds long. Once this is complete you will have an interview and an examination by their chartered physiotherapist. Finally after all of this and the college will see if they are satisfied by what you presented then you may be offered a place in writing to go to the college. If so they will be asked to complete the registration documents and hand in when completed which results in a place being reserved for the performer.

As shown above the entry requirements for different drama colleges are slightly different however some have similar attributes such as, what is expected to be presented at the audition. Each drama college expects you to have prepared a monologue, song and dance piece to perform for them with the correct backing track of either CD or iPod however some places expect you to present sheet music such as performers. None of the drama schools tell you exactly what they are looking for however MADD tell you they are looking for the following attributes when auditioning “potential, talent, attitude, and the determination to succeed”.

From my own knowledge I know that when going for a musical theatre audition you will need to take a CV with you and a professional headshot. Depending on what the audition is for will depend on what CV and headshot you will need as you need a musical theatre/singing CV and headshot, an acting CV and headshot and a dance CV and headshot. If you have had to prepare a song for the audition as this is what they have listed then you will be expected to bring either the sheet music for their pianist to play your song or a CD with the backing track on.

Depending on what type of audition it is will depend on what clothing you would wear for example if you were going to a dance audition you would need to wear some practical clothes such as a pair of leggings or tight joggers and a suitable top which allows movement because it wouldn’t be appropriate to wear a skirt or a dress to a practical audition. You will also need to take the dance shoes necessary for the audition.

Depending on what has been asked of you for your musical theatre audition will decided what clothing is appropriate for the audition some musical theatre auditions require a small amount of dance to be performed, rather than a solo piece choreographed by yourself you may take part in a short workshop and then be asked to perform the choreography learnt within the workshop within smaller groups.

From our interview with Abi Sweeney I found out that MADD has a big focus on dance as they have about three or four dance lessons a day in many different styles, as quoted by Abi Sweeney “you’d have a ballet lesson a day, a jazz lesson a day”.

Interview with Abi Sweeney-

Me: when applying to performance colleges does where you choose effect your career?

Miss Sweeney: Depending on where you want to do, obviously I was mainly dance and musical theatre. So I auditioned for a few places and I chose MADD because it was quite a dance based and I’d researched who was coming in, who was teaching and what their background was and things like that. But if you want to go down the route of more leading, leading lady, musical then I’d say go for more acting and singing route which would be your Guildford, Mountview, Artshead. That kind of thing, I’d go more London for that, personally yeah.

Paige: What was a typical day like?

Miss Sweeney: A typical day would be you had you sign in by 8/8:30 am and if you’re not there you’re in trouble. Then you’d have your first lesson which would be an hour and a half ballet every day. Then obviously you have different lessons each day but you’d have a ballet lesson a day, a jazz lesson a day, singing ensemble at least an hour and fifteen minutes in that day. Musical theatre class and then some kind of acting lesson monologue or things like that. Every week you’d have a performance class you were choose at random, five people and you were basically critiqued in front of your whole year group. Obviously constructive criticism then you just have to keep doing it, go present your sheet music and it would be treated like an audition, so we did that once a week but every third week we’d have a guest tutor in so somebody in London in a musical would come or a commercial dancer who’s in the industry someone like that. But you work from 8:30 till you leave at 6:30 at night. But you get a forty minute lunch in that, that was my typical day.

Paige: Is that the only break you got?

Miss Sweeney: You have a fifteen minute break in the morning but to be honest you spent most of the time in the studio, you’d have a quick bite to eat and then be back in the studio, practicing for your next class which needs to be on point from what you did the week before.

Ellie: How much academic work do you do in comparison to physical work?

Miss Sweeney: In the first year you do a lot of notation, reading music and things like that but as for essays you do nothing like that at all, it’s all practical. Second and third year was all practical, you’ve obviously got learning your lines and things like that but nothing … nothing academic.

Betsy: How much exposure do you get to agencies?

Miss Sweeney: Not until your third year, we.. there was a thing in our second year where quite a few were going off and having auditions but we didn’t make them aware we were doing that because as far as their concerned you’re not ready until your third year. Till your last term of your third year, that’s when you can go out and audition as much as you want. Obviously agent, you do a gala showcase once a year. You do your singing show once a year, we have a dance show once a year, obviously friends of the teachers that are in the industry come to that, casting agents, you don’t know who’s in that audience, that’s what you’ve always got to think to yourself, these people that are teaching you are in the industry they’ve all got friends, their friends. I go watch my friends shows, do you see what I mean, so you never know, so there’s always exposure, you get people coming in, walking in your class and you don’t know who that person is, so instantly I was like (sat up straight, hand gestures) , you never know who that person is or what they’re looking for. Then you in your third year you have your London showcase which you have to at MADD, I’m not sure if it’s different anywhere else but you have to fund raise from your first year. You need to raise £8000 to have your showcase at the preterm theatre at London.

Ellie: Is that per person or just?

Miss Sweeney: No as a whole, as a whole yeah.

Ellie: So how many people would you say?

Miss Sweeney: in your year group.

Ellie: yes

Miss Sweeney: 21 in my year group.

Ellie: Okay.

Miss Sweeney: It started with 30 and by third year 21 of us graduated. So some people can’t hack it. *laugh* But yeah your third year London showcase that’s purely for agents, people can come and watch it but it’s purely.. it err. All the agencies, agents, casting directors get sent out an invite to come and watch, it’s in an afternoon. On a Monday random afternoon, because that’s when normally at a lunch time if they have a spare 40minutes they’ll come and watch, it’s literally a 40

minute show done and then after you go have drinks and mingle with the casting agents if they want to stay, some just come and watch it take, you have all your CV’s and information and they just take what they want from it.

Paige: How many people get an agent, contract from it?

Miss Sweeney: In our year two people out of the 21 got an agent from that showcase. And that’s it, it wasn’t like, yeah that’s common. It wasn’t the fact either that erm they ring you up and say I want to be your agent its can you come and meet us. So they went to see them in London the week after, and then they got the agent. But I err, one of my friends got an agent through skype. She was put forward by Miss Emma, I don’t know if you’ve met Miss Emma at MADD but she was put forward from Miss Emma. She’s a really good comedy actress erm so she had to sit in a little computer room and had her interview slash audition over skype, she got the agent. So there’s things like that, obviously if they’re not in the UK that’s the kind of thing they do so make sure you sound good on skype.

Ellie: Why did you choose to go to MADD?

Miss Sweeney: Purely for me I was sixteen at the time, so I went, I auditioned because I used to go to Urdan as like an associate and I was always like I want to go to Urdan, I want to go to Urdan, at sixteen my mum was like I don’t want you living in London so basically and that was it. So I auditioned for Phil Winstons and MADD and I got into MADD and err I got a fifty percent scholarship. So that’s kind err and I know a few people who have been there and doing well things like that. I used to go and watch their shows, and they used to do it at the Mansfield theatre, but now they do it at the play house. So I used to go watch the show and then it just became I’m going to MADD. So that was purely it so it wasn’t for any other reason. Like they do more singing and dancing, so that’s where I chose to go.

Paige: What did you have to do for your audition?

Miss Sweeney: My Audition at MADD a monologue, a song and a solo dance. So that would happen, in the morning you’d have a little chat to you a little interview not formal a bit like you were all sat round having a little chat. Then we did a ballet class, a jazz class, a tap class and then we all went had lunch and then it was your individual auditions so it would be your solo dance, I did a tap dance I don’t know why. Because I auditioned for Phil Winstons and did a jazz one and everybody is doing the same thing so I was like right when I’m going to my next audition I’m going to do something different. So I did tap, singing solo and a monologue. And then they spoke to you, the biggest question they kept asking were if I could be any leading lady who would I be, so I think they wanted to know what type of thing I was looking for from them aswell. One thing I will say about Auditions is I went to Phil Winstons Hair scraped back in a bun, leotard on like a little fish in a huge sea. And I went and all the girls were like crop tops on jazz pants, big hair full face of make-up and I literally walked in and thought Oh My God, like that was the biggest, intimidated so when I went to MADD I went as me, so I felt comfortable. If you don’t wear a lot of make-up don’t go thinking that you’ve got to. If you do wear a lot of make-up don’t think you’ve got to go, just go and be yourself. That’s the biggest thing because that’s how you’re going to be when you’re there for three years.

Betsy: What do you need to take to auditions?

Miss Sweeney: To auditions when you’re in the industry?

Betsy: Yes.

Miss Sweeney: For musical theatre you need to take your CV and headshot, talk about headshots in a minute. The same for like commercial auditions, cruise ship auditions all the same, always CV’s and headshot. You can get something called a Z card which has your like, the biggest thing for commercial dance if any of you are interested is that get a portfolio of pictures done all different styles. Which show off you but in different styles so some in trainers and in heels and a dress you need for your portfolio for that. But for musical theatre make sure you’ve got a good headshot sometimes you’re sending your stuff off for an audition, email, email, email is the biggest thing. Send it to everybody yeah, get out there find out, ask people oh have you got that agencies email address. It’s the biggest thing because if they’ve seen you, even if they haven’t got an audition email and say just wondering when your next auditions are or when are you recruiting for performers again that’s the biggest thing. But yeah CV, headshot, good headshot I had some headshots done, I took them to Miss Emma and she was like no, because as you see yourself is not how other people see yourself, so you might think ooo that’s a really good photo of me, but that doesn’t come across to a casting director. So whatever their telling you if your headshot looks good or not, believe them yeah. My headshot I was like I really don’t like it, it’s not a nice photo of me but it got me jobs, do you see what I mean, it got me auditions, it got me an agent, so things like that make sure you’ve got a good headshot. And make sure you go to someone professional, not a selfie. Yeah go somewhere, they will tell you how to sit, what to do and make you look good from an actors perspective.

Betsy: What was the ratio of dance, music and drama?

Miss Sweeney: Err MADD, the thing is with dance there’s so many different styles and if you’re going to be an all-round performer you’ve got to have all these different styles. So on a dance level we did probably a lot more dance than we did singing and acting, but you’d have an acting lesson a day whether it be on your own if we were doing monologues you’d go in solo, they’d work on them but if you were doing an acting piece together you’d have a group acting class. You’d have one solo singing lesson week which is normally about twenty minutes long. But then you’d be doing your ensemble singing together at least one of them a day. Then dance you’d probably have three classes of dance a day, but different styles, technique, ballet, jazz, tap. Pointe you’d have that once a week for an hour and a half, yeah so, there was a lot more dance but when you think about it you were getting a variety of everything in there.

Paige: So you have foundation courses and then you have like the main courses.

Miss Sweeney: Yes.

Paige: So to get onto the main one the main one, the three year diploma, do you have to be strong in each of the art forms say you want to do musical theatre.

Miss Sweeney: See I wasn’t I’ll be honest, I went as a dancer that could act, and I’d done no singing before I went. And they said to me in my audition that you might have to do a bit more work on your singing to become a triple threat but I said yes that’s fine. When I left, I’m not , I’m a confident singer now I’ll go out and sing but I wouldn’t go for a solo singing, I wouldn’t go for a leading singing job because I know myself that I’m not. But what I would that it would help you a lot, there were a lot of

singers who really struggled because they couldn’t dance. Because MADD was so three four hours a day of dance, you see what I mean, it gets to the point where this isn’t what I want to do but it’s what you’ve got to do, do you see what I mean. Unless you are a leading roll really or is heavily based acting in a musical you’re going to probably have to dance at some point. If you’re in the ensemble you’re dancing and you’re singing and you’re acting. So ensemble you’ve got to be triple threat but to get in. Remember you’re going to train. You’re not going as the finishing product yeah, they need to see potential in you. If they see the potential you’re in. Do you see what I mean, don’t ever think oh well I can’t do all three so I’m not going to get in. No because you’re going to learn, you’re going to train with them because that’s what there good at, to train you do you see what I mean. So don’t think ahh I can’t do all, all three. Neither can I so. Anything else?

I also found out from our interview with Sean Jones that he didn’t have the best education as he got expelled from school however he got a YTS which is similar to an apprenticeship and he did this within a theatre which stood him in good grounds for his future as it gave him experience about the industry. He then went to Guildhall and started auditioning for parts however he wanted straight acting jobs as he was never a singer and found it difficult. But what inspired him to perform was his friend telling him to go watch Blood Brothers as he believed Sean was so much like the character Mickey.

Interview with Sean Jones-

Sean Jones is 46 years old.

Ellie: Do you know when you was at Guildhall did you do a performing arts course or straight acting?

Sean: It was just straight acting, I always just wanted to be an actor never wanted to be in musicals, but I’ve made a life out of it. Blood brothers was weird because somebody came to college one day and said there was a show on last night and a bloke came on stage and just looked like you, it’s a brilliant part for you. When you want to be an actor you never know how to market yourself and essentially you’re becoming a business. But you don’t know what you’re selling it’s a bit like saying I want to be a shop keeper, what do you want to sell I don’t know. You know you want to be an actor but you don’t know what the traits are. So someone told me go see blood brothers they’d seen this brilliant part for me which inspired me to go and see it. Purely because I wanted to see how others saw me as a performer you know, what type of role I’m good for. Then when I saw the role of Mickey I was like ah yes that part suits me, the only problem with it was it’s a musical and I wasn’t musical theatre so I never thought I could do it. But I do see Blood brothers as a play first and for most and a musical second. It’s more dialogue heavy than song, the only songs I have to sing fortunately are character songs.

When did you start your career and where?

Sean Jones: I got expelled from school and went and did a YTS course which is a bit like an apprenticeship, so you get a job, every business would have these YTS trainees. Essentially its cheap labour because you only got paid the same amount as dole people so I went to work in a theatre as a YTS trainee, so I did stage management in the daytime and in the evenings I work in very very good youth theatre so I see that as when my career started as that’s when I’d left school and kind of threw

myself. I was only earning about £15 a week but I was earning some money, to be in a theatre. It helped me when I auditioned for Guildhall.

Paige: so if you didn’t want to originally do musical what did you have to adapt?

Sean Jones: when the audition came for Mickey at this stage I’d walken out of a number of auditions partly through nerves and partly through frustration of having to be this triple threat which I’m not, thinking I can’t do that hearing people sing before me and they can’t do what I can do. If I was going in there just to do some acting I’d feel totally confident. Singing wasn’t my strength and I’d said to my agent please stop sending me to these auditions. Everything I was being put forward to do I had to sing. Then they said you’ve got this audition tomorrow and you have to sing so I was like AHH, but before you say anything it’s Blood Brothers, for what part and so they said Mickey and because it had been a part that had obsessed me. What part would you love to do it was always that part so I went and had some singing lessons. I only had one day to prepare so I had that night, I had a friend who was a musical theatre director so I spent an hour and a half with him, going over a song making sure I was totally prepared. I just knew so because I wanted the role so much I was prepared to put the work in and I went down to the theatre and I’d got a recall and that was enough, I’ve just had a recall for a West End Show where I had to sing. So maybe I’m not as bad at singing as I think I am but I’d never go for a straight out singing job. I just had to suck it up but the thing is from not wanting to do business and not enjoying sing to going to one of the biggest theatrical scenarios in the world let alone the country and go into his office sing, it’s this big scary man in front of you it’s hugely intimidating. I thought you know what I’m not going to get this but I’ve got an audition so what I had to do was actually get prepared for once. That’s a lesson to learn though preparations I mean at times I’ve backed out but people say how do you combat nerves, prepare. You cover all vitalities, you learn the lines, you know the songs, make sure you’ve done it in front of friends, in the most embarrassing of situations you don’t get sacred of doing it in front of people. If you go in the room for your audition and you’ve covered all eventualities, if you’re still nervous after that, that’s okay nerves are great, nerves are what actors feel you know.

Betsy: How many rehearsals did you have to prepare for the show?

Sean Jones: we get about a week, every time we go back out on tour they give us a little rehearsal process and depending on how many people are returning on tour will determine how many rehearsal we get so on this tour practically everybody returned from last on so we had about four or five weeks off, so they gave us a day where we did a little run through because we only had a few extra men and that was it. We had one new lady however she wasn’t completely new she’d not been in it for a couple of years. But if you have a handful of people who are absolutely new to it and they are playing more central parts like the narrator or Mrs Lyons or something like that then they will give us a slightly longer rehearsal period. But it costs them money to rehearse because they have to book a space, they have to pay us and to get us down to London for the rehearsal, so they try to avoid it. There was a time where they didn’t have to pay for rehearsals but it was something that equity brought in that they had to pay performers and even then we don’t get paid as much for a whole week of rehearsals as a whole week of performances. So they try to save on that because essentially you are a business, if you go into theatre you are setting up a business.

Ellie: do you know when you play the character Mickey because you’ve played it for so many years, like now do you have to do any warm ups to get into character or do you just walk on stage and you’re Mickey?

Sean Jones: yes, I can kind of, I don’t think there’s a huge, did you come see it the other night?

All: Yes

Sean Jones: as you can tell I don’t think there’s much difference in character to myself. I’m not saying I play myself on stage but I don’t put on too much of an artifice, I kind of go on and play an exaggerated version of myself. So if anything once the costume is on I kind of am a little boy, if anything it’s just energy and er energy, energy is the most important thing that’s the only thing that’s different. I’d have to do slightly more work if I was going on and doing the end part of the show first do you see what I mean because that aspect to Mickey’s character is a lot more Stanislavski in terms of emotion, recall and stuff like that whereas the first half is more like panto which gets you ready on stage, to sus out the audience, gets them involved. As you know I have that whole poem to sus out where they are. I can tell if the audience need warming up or if they are or if they are already there and then I can just sit back and enjoy the character and stuff like that. I have to do a physical warm up before going on because you are running around on a racked stage, you can have twisted ankles, pulled calf muscles, there are all sorts of things that can knacker my legs up so I have to do them. If I do knacker my legs up then they can’t turn round and say well you didn’t do your warm ups so I’m not going to pay you.

Paige: how do you play a seven year old so well because you watch other people trying to play a child and they automatically put on a voice and stuff.

Sean Jones: Well that’s an interesting point when we er, when I did my first audition all those years ago, my audition was with Rob Thomson who’s the director and who created this version all those years ago back in the 80’s and before we even started the audition he said to me I don’t want you to put on a funny voice or childish characteristics because as soon as you start doing that you are commenting on the character. That’s all the sort of stuff you do at Drama College, you don’t have to demonstrate to the audience you are playing that character be that a child, a villain or anything like that because no villain does “HMMHAHA”(rubbing his chin as he did this) this in real life. Do you know what I mean as soon as you start doing that you’re taking the audience out of suspension of this belief because you are turning into this character, so what he said is you run on stage, you’re dressed in a baggy jumper with your hair all messy, you’re covered in mud and you sit on the end of the stage and you say to the audience I’m seven years old. The weird thing about the audience is they will just sit down and say oh okay, what an audience does is they want to hear what the story is and they do a lot of the work for you, so if you say you’re seven years old and you’ve got the energy and the commitment to what the dialogue is rather than anything else then the audience totally buy it. So if I did run on stage and start twiddling with my jumper and (Funny Noise playing with nose) they kind of switch off, like when kids say to you I’m going to do a little play for you so you say okay. I’m driving in the car on the motor way and he’s a police man and he’s a muse that’s dead on the floor. You just go okay so what’s the story and that’s the magic of theatre really, it’s story telling. We are held to account that we create those characters a bit over the top and the director gets very cross with us if we go too far with it, it’s quite easy for me to because I am a bit of a clown and sort enjoy the fun of it a bit much. But they are very very lucent with it, essentially I could do it in my own

clothes and look like a grown man and it come across. The trick is essence what is the essence of a child, kids are quite bipolar if they are amazed their amazed and if it’s utterly rubbish then it is utterly rubbish. You can’t be half way in between so if you just commit to that then the audience just go along with it really.

Mr Sluman: How often does the director come and watch?

Sean Jones: It all depends on as I say sometimes like on our last tour we went to Liverpool and that’s a massive beautiful build and there were other things going on behind the scenes, trying to get the rights for Blood Brothers to go back into the West End. In order for it to go back into the West End Willy Russel has to agree to give the rights because it’s a separate contract. When they took it out the West End to tour he lost the rights to perform it in the West End so in order to get those rights back he has to wooh Willy Russel so we were there in Liverpool and we had this special gala performance. So there’s all these weird politics behind the scenes all this sort of stuff going on and therefore they sent the director, sometimes if it is just a bog standard tour and we aren’t doing anything special we might not see the director, he might come on the last week just to see if everybody’s sort of behaving their selves. So it’s a bit unusual that he’s coming on Saturday, everyone’s a bit ah like um what’s going on.

Mr Sluman: but he does give for warning which is quite nice.

Sean Jones: Not always:

Mr Sluman: oh right, is that the same as agents as well?

Sean Jones: no your agent will always let you know because they will want free tickets. He will only do a sneaky visit if there’s been a bad show report, at the end of the show there’s a show report which gets sent to the office and that will say anything from a lighting key going wrong, or a little bit too late or someone missing an entrance or anything goes in the show report. Any messing around goes in the show report and if there’s a sort of repetitive of something going a miss, maybe the show running time because the show has to be as well. Act one has to be one hour fifteen and act two one hour fourteen, I don’t go on stage with a stop watch so anything like that he might sneak in and see what’s going on but most of the time we know if he’s coming in anyway.

Mr Sluman: Just for your notes what is your relationship like with choreographer, musical director and people like that, can you just explain a little please.

Sean Jones: Well we don’t have a choreographer, but I have a very good relationship with the director, he trusts me I guess part of that is because the amount of time I’ve been in the show. So I do have a certain allowance in terms of adventure, because in a long running show it’s pretty ridged, you know, you’re touring and you’re stuck to a deadline you don’t really try anything new you stick to watch you know and have been told however advent to commit to discover all of those things and suddenly you get British homes where they say can you move from there to there and look over there. So your job as an actor is to make all that rear so it is incredibly ridged but because I have, because Mickey’s character drives a lot of the scenes and because the director sort of trusts me, I do have a little bit of linnet and bring new things to it as long as it doesn’t mess anyone else up. So that can upset some of the others, well how come he gets to do it differently.

Paige: so when you went to drama school and you was taught whatever you was is that actually any different to what you’re doing now, are you being told different things?

Sean Jones: yes, Drama College can’t basically teach you how to act, it teaches you. The best thing about Drama College is you get to explore texts with people who specialise in those texts, so you work on Shakespeare with someone who is incredibly intellectual about Shakespeare, so it’s amazing like that. It is essentially two years learning and the third year is turning that and put on shows for the third year. The reason to go to Drama College is to get a profile so someone can see you, so basically you’re not being changed from one type of performer to another. What a good Drama College will do is see what you’re good at and nurture it and help you market it for when you leave. But you do get a lot of this intellectual stuff going on, when you leave you then go oh right but what you hopefully have is a little tool bag because Stanislavski doesn’t work for everything Brechtian doesn’t work for everything, physical theatre doesn’t work for everything. So you hope you’ll find that the stuff you are doing will be a bit because you have the tools to. We’ve got a lad in the show at the moment that’s doing everything he’s been told but I don’t understand and the director is getting frustrated with him but I’m sat there thinking but Drama College should make you ready for the theatre and if you’re not getting that direction needed then you can do the work yourself. So you have to do that because I’m being told to do that, so how do I make that real for myself. Drama College isn’t going to tell you that you sort of discover that really. It’s sort of weird because getting into Drama College is one thing but leaving and becoming a professional afterwards it’s what you have to learn. Drama College doesn’t tell you how to audition or get certain parts, are any of you looking on going to Drama College?

Nods from some.

Mr Sluman: what would your advice be to potential drama performers?

Sean Jones: I would say get involved with everything that you can, that time allows. I think get involved in as much as you can, they didn’t have drama on the curriculum when I was at school so get involved in a lot of that. And get involved with local youth theatres and go and watch lots of stuff as well because it’s as good to watch something as well as utterly rubbish to watch, it’s inspiring because it’s that. You have to remind yourself, I still do this now when you go to watch something in the theatre you have to remind yourself why you wanted to do it. So you go in and you sit down and all these people are smelling of cheap aftershave and the lights go down and it’s that buzz you know. We can never forget it, so going to the theatre is massive and especially when you do actually audition for drama college, they’ll say to you so what pieces of theatre have you seen, that’s moved you or inspired you and if you go I don’t really know or you know. What they are looking for is, they aren’t looking for brilliant actors they are looking for good actors of course but people who can, they are looking for people who are committed. Who are passionate about theatre that you are you know, that can sit there and talk about it for hours and hours and hours on end. That’s what their looking for and then when they say to you if you don’t get in this year what are you going to do next year? And instead of turning round and saying well I’ve been offered to go and do English in Hull, you turn round and say well if I don’t get in this year then I’m going to try again next year. That’s what they want to hear because once you leave Drama College and the cold harsh reality, of being out of work hits; they want to make sure they’ve invested three years in people that are going to stay in the business for at least ten years. That are going to keep trying and trying not to after two

years go no it wasn’t for me. I went to Guildhall with Julie greyer, Daniel Craig, Damion Lewis, people like that were in my year and the year above but there were also people in my year who’d never worked and gave up after two years. As good as them, everyone leaves on an equal footing, you don’t look at anyone for being any different but the difference is the tenacity to keep going, to not give up all that goes into it. I remember someone saying to me once give it ten years and also said to me you’ll work till you’re in your thirties because I’ve got quite a baby face. When I was 22 leaving Drama College I was a character actor and there were no parts for people who looked young, if you looked young you were supposed to be like Romeo and stuff but I was more bottom theatre so no one was going to cast me. So in my thirties you’ll be working and they were absolutely right, so you’ve got to just keep going is the main thing. That in a nutshell, keep doing it keep getting involved, go see as much as you can.

Ellie: Do you know if you do other acting outside of school performing arts you can do but then you also have like screen acting and naturalism would you say any experience is better?

Sean Jones: yes I mean the thing is, you’ve got to try not to differentiate yourself too much between screen acting and stage acting to a degree because it’s all about tricks, and the only difference between stage acting and screen acting is in theatre you are projecting forwards, in screen that performance comes to you it has to be doubly honest because a camera will pick up any kind of emotion feeling, or awkwardness that you present but if you’re committed to what you do anyway then you make sure every parts you’re honest. What I do as Mickey in the most vital scenes if that was shot by camera I’d probably change that action do you know what I mean, go for honest first and then those things will come with and slot into place, you know it’s obvious in different shots that you have to remain focused because there are different cameras but then you have two hours until the next show forward planning is key.

Live theatre review of Blood Brothers, character analysis-

Sean Jones- mickey-

I feel that Sean Jones successfully played the role of mickey through his different ages, which were 7 years old, 14 years to 18 years old and many older ages. For example “I wish I was our Sammy” monologue was executed well by the facial expressions used, tone of voice and his body language. During this monologue Mickey is seven years old and Sean Jones replicated a seven year old very well by changing his tone of voice effectively and when necessary, this was shown by how one minute Mickey was happy and excited but then quickly flipped to be upset and angry that he isn’t allowed to do the things Sammy can do. His tone of voice showed us this effectively as one minute it was jolly and bubbly whereas when he was angry he was shouting and he had a deeper more aggressive tone. Also Sean Jones’ costume represented a seven year old well too because he wore baggy shorts, a t-shirt and an oversized ripped jumper. I feel that Sean Jones also did very well at playing Mickey as a seven year old as there was a lot of running around and it must have been difficult for him to have the strength to do all the movement on a raked stage. To be able to continue running around and being very energetic while playing a seven year old Sean Jones must have to have good stamina.

When Mickey is 14 years old Sean Jones was very successful at playing the role as when Mickey and Linda were in the field you could see Mickey felt awkward like a fourteen year old does around their

crush and at the crucial time when they want everything to go right their voice goes high pitched. Sean Jones acted like a typical fourteen year old when around a girl they really like, he used body language and movement to show this as when he was shy and flustered he turned his back and also he didn’t stop moving around. This was effective as when you are nervous you can’t keep still so the movement performed allowed us to believe he was actually the age and character he was portraying. Mickey is finding it hard to ask Linda out on a data and he keeps backing away from her because he is scared and shy about it, I feel this was very successful as it seemed as though he was actually a 14-18 year old.

When Mickey gets older he still is influenced by his older brother Sammy like when they were younger as Mickey helps Sammy in the act of crime. Mickey is still looking up to Sammy even though he is being a bad influence on him. I feel that Sean Jones portrayed this well by showing he still wanted to be like Sammy by doing it straight away and not even thinking about it before he did it. His facial expressions showed he looked up to Sammy even though he was in the wrong, his movement was also effective because

Lyn Paul- Mrs Johnstone-

It is my belief that Lyn Paul successfully portrayed the character Mrs Johnstone in act 2 however in act 1 I feel she was not as successful, I think this because during the first half she kept dropping her Liverpool accent and it also wasn’t believable that she was a twenty year old working class mother. Factors that may have made her performance of twenty year old women more successful would be to have more energy, bouncy full of life, I believe she could have shown this through her tone of voice, movement and facial expressions. Her movement was extremely slow to say she was a young woman which made the character less believable, she could of also lifted her voice make it seem as though she was full of life like a young woman has. I feel that if she wore a wig this may have helped with the imagery of the character as she had short grey hair which didn’t help the audience to believe she was a young woman. If her actions, movement, voice and facial expressions had represented a young woman in her twenties then the audience may have been able to believe she was a twenty year old woman however this was not the case. Facial expressions need!!!!

Throughout act 2 I feel she represented Mrs Johnstone well as she fit the role well, she achieved this by using her tone of voice for example when she is showing the love for both of her children (Eddie and Mickey) she had a soft loving tone to her voice which showed the affection towards her children. She also showed working class by having the correct posture of a working woman and also had good effective actions such as showing she was cleaning the kitchen and sorting out everyday chores such as the washing ect. Her costume also represented a working class woman as she was wearing a dress with an apron on the top.

I feel that she did a good job during act 2 of blood brothers however she struggled to reach some of the top notes throughout her songs as she lacked the power needed this may be because of her age however this needed to have been considered when choosing the woman playing Mrs Johnstone. As she was maybe too old to be playing the role of Mrs Johnstone, she may have been too frail which means she lacks the power needed to be successful when playing the role and also singing the necessary songs needed. Also I didn’t feel as though her accent was very successful as she struggled to keep it going throughout, this means that it lacked the impact needed.

Dean Chisnall-Narrator-

Dean Chisnall had a good accent throughout; I also thought that the movement he performed was effective because they linked well with the surroundings as he was only noticeable when he was needed. This was helped by the lighting as when he wasn’t needed he was in the dark to make it less obvious he was on stage however when it was his turn to speak then there was a spot light on him which followed him when he was moving or stayed still if he was static. It was also effective how all the other characters froze what they were doing even if Dean Chisnall didn’t move while he was speaking, the also froze while he was walking around them and speaking. I thought this was extremely effective as he weaved in and out of the characters helping to enhance the structure of the piece. The way the narrator uses all of the above helps the audience to be reminded of the key themes throughout the performance, the themes are: fate, destiny and superstition. At the beginning of the performance he gives the ending away however you do not realise this until the very end of the performance. The way he reminds the audience what is coming up is foreshadowing events to come for example at the beginning when Mrs Johnstone is very superstitious and Mrs Lyons thinks it’s just silly however as time goes on Mrs Lyons become very superstitious like when her husband puts the new shoes on the table she quickly knocks them off and then time has frozen and Dean Chisnall (the narrator) reminds us of the Superstition.

Danielle Corlass-Linda-

I believe that Danielle Corlass was very successful when playing the role of Linda because she changed her use of voice to fit each age she was representing, the ages were 7, 14 to 18 and older. When Linda was a 7 year old she used her voice effectively by being childlike using different tones of voice for example when she was happy and energetic her voice represented this however when she was sad or angry her voice completely changed to shouting and a lower tone which was to suit this role. She also supported this with body language and movement for example she was skipping around having fun, playing games like a typical child would as she gets older these actions change as she is becoming more grown up this is also supported by her costume, once Linda gets older she wears a short mini skirt, a blouse and a pair of high heels this is to show she is maturing into a young woman. Whereas when she was seven years old she wore her hair in pigtails and her clothing was childlike as she wore a yellow dress with a little collar and a red cardigan.

Danielle Corlass was successful in the movement she performed on stage during her teenage years as she was in high heels when she was around the age of fourteen year old, this must have taken a lot of practicing. This will have been very hard on her ankles on the raked stage, before Danielle goes on stage she will have to perform many warm ups to ensure no injury occurs for not being prepared for the role. The more times she plays this role and performs the easier it will get however no matter how long she has been performing this she will still have to warm up before going on stage.

Graham Martin- Policeman/Teacher/Mrs Johnstone’s husband at beginning-

Graham Martin successfully played the role of both the good and bad teacher the way he linked them from one to another was very fluent as when he transformed into the bad teacher he used one fluid movement to ruffel his hair and losen his tie. His use of body langauage was also sucessful as when he was the good upper class teacher he had a good posture and then when he was the bad

teacher he was slouched over. Also when he was the good teacher he was well spoken with proper punciaction then quickly switched to portary the bad teacher which he acurately did.

Graham Martin has many key skills which are needed to be a good actor, Graham played many different characters throughout the performance of blood brothers. Not only did he play each character well but also switched roles quickley and effectively which was shown the best when he transforms from the good upper class teacher to the bad working class teacher. Graham Martin also tells the audience that he multi-roles as during the scene where he is the milk man and then her doctor. As Mrs Johnstone says to him I finally have your money for our milk and he replies I’m not your milkman anymore I’m your doctor.

During the first act Graham Martin also played Mrs Johnstone’s husband for this role he had to dance with her like they did when they first met in the bar, this is a flash back to when they first met and making her feel like she is a curvy beautiful women.Graham Martin played the role of Mrs Johnstone’s husband well as he showed her affection through movement and facial expressions while dancing with her in the bar. The facial expressions used helped the audience to see how much he loved/loves her, he looked into Mrs Johnstone’s eyes which shows thechemistry and connection between the two of them.

Helen has a voice of strength and emotion and has a bubbly personality. Her singing style is musical theatre, pop, rock, C&W, light opera, jazz, blues, soul and big band. She also does impersonations of Cilla Black and Tammy Wynette.

Helen Hobson has experience in musical theatre and has been a range of characters in shows such as Rose Vibert in aspects Of Love, My Fair Lady, Mr Chinders, Grizabella in the UK tour of Cats, Tommy, Closer Than Ever, Stepping Out, Rodgers& Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Chicago.

Becoming a musical theatre performer, according to the stage.

The stage says that an acting course will cover movement and singing skills where as a musical theatre course will cover all three art forms in greater depth. It is easier if you are a triple threat as there are around twice as many musicals in the West End rather than straight plays, most musicals are usually long runs which means the contract may be a yearlong contract where as a typical straight play will only run for around 12 weeks in the West End however musicals also go on tour so your contract could be longer. Typically musicals tend to have a bigger cast which means there is a bigger opportunity to get in as a young graduate. If you would like to be an actor earning a decent wage you either need to find some television work or have the skill to perform in musicals. However saying this does not mean getting musical theatre work is easy as each year drama schools turn out hundreds of graduates who are all as keen and well trained as the year before. This career is more competitive than ever and you need to be dedicated to get far.

For many actors it’s a dream come true to have a yearlong contract in a long running show however it can make some “feel soulless and alienating”.

When looking into this sort of career it is important to have experience in a similar area, for example you could be a workshop assistant in performing a small element of the job would be you have to plan lessons and you would also need to be able to control a class and work with large amounts of people. If this isn’t good for you, you may want to work with undergraduates with local drama and

dance schools as these tend to be more flexible however these sorts of jobs usually go to professionals with stronger records.

Some musical theatre performers may have a secondary income which commonly comes from coaching and teaching, if you are good at singing, dancing and acting and like children then you may end up running your own little drama club on a Saturday morning. You may work with performers/ students ranging from the age of four to eighteen, this can often be rewarding work and especially if you started off enjoying musical theatre by attending a small drama club.

The average musical theatre teacher teaching young people usually have a salary of £25 an hour however if you are an actor, musical theatre performer or dancer then you will need to keep this flexible around you performance commitments. if you know you want to take on this kind of work, it’s worth getting some experience as a workshop assistant; the performing is only one part of the job – classroom control and lesson planning are equally important.You may also find you start working with undergraduates at drama schools or dance colleges. These jobs are also flexible, but tend to go to industry professionals with a strong track record.

Once you have graduated from your three year course at drama school you will have gained the following qualification, a BA(Hons) in musical theatre, however previously drama schools used to offer a vocational diploma but this changed about 20 years ago. Now the performer will be awarded with a degree which has the exact qualifications as if you went to a university, this allows many employment opportunities. This also means that if you decide performing is not for you then your degree will help you get into another job.

The stage has seen many graduates from musical theatre courses go on to be in huge west end productions, not only that but they have also seen musical theatre graduates to become agents, casting directors, theatre producers and directors. However they have seen them become full time teachers and lecturers. A musical theatre career is very demanding and sometimes short lived however it is also one of the most exhilarating jobs you can have as your training will set you up for a range of pathways not just performing.

The skills a musical theatre performer needs are-

In singing dancing and acting, the performer needs to vary their style of singing according to the style of show or musical theatre. Some roles may be more focused on other skills such as acting and characterisation or more dance based, this is dependent on the musical and what the director wants. Some shows may require a full range of dancing skills such as jazz, modern and tap for a show like singin’ in the rain. Musical theatre requires a high amount of performance discipline. The performer is expected to play their parts almost identically for each performance, however they are also required to approach each performance with a high amount of energy and enthusiasm no matter how long the show has been running. Musical theatre performers need to pay specific attention to maintaining their fitness and health as there will be a demanding schedule for the performers which means they need to be performing at the same rate for the duration of the show. The performers also need to plan their daytime activities around the evening performances as the performer is required to apply their maximum energy to all performances making them have a vibrant stage personality.

As a musical theatre performer you should try and develop your relationship with your agent which will maximise your chances of employment, as a musical theatre performer you should also promote

yourself as you are technically your own business. This means you need to be good with time management to ensure you do not double book things for the same day and time.

Requirements of a musical theatre performer-

According to Music School Central musical theatre performers usually have to have triple threat training, being a triple threat performer means that you have specific skills in singing, acting and dancing. When the performer attends Drama School or Performance College, they will be given lessons in each to ensure they have the correct skills required to be successful within the industry. They will teach you and give you tuition in all of these areas, usually you will study several styles of dance, different acting techniques and also you will have solo vocal tuition as well as ensemble classes. To fully benefit from all the training that is being offered you need to be dedicated in all three areas, dancing, singing and acting. Once leaving drama school you should have learnt the correct techniques for a successful audition and all the important employment skills, you need to ensure you have good stamina and dedication to perform in a show for 6 to 8 weeks at a time.

Even though a degree and professional training is not required to be a musical theatre performer, most performers have been to drama college or graduated for university and places like that. There are many different routes into the industry and many places to train, many offer outstanding training in musical theatre and triple threat training.

Musical theatre actors are usually trained at a school where there is an emphasis on being a triple threat. Being a triple threat means the performer needs to be able to perform in all three art forms which are singing, dancing and acting. Most musical theatre performers receive classical voice training from vocal teachers at their performing arts/music school, however this is not always the case as some institutions. Attending a school which has dedicated teachers in all three art forms is a huge benefit, you also must be excellent at auditioning for roles and have good stamina to be able to perform anywhere from 6-8 shows a week.

Responsibilities of a musical theatre performer-

Responsibility Actor DancerMusical theatre

performerMusician

Auditioning

Attending band calls

An actor will not be needed during band calls which means they do not have to attend.

Dancers aren’t needed for band calls which means they do not have to attend.

Depending if they are needed for any musical element of the show will determine if they need to attend band calls.

Undertaking character development work

Depending on what the dance is about or what the choreographer wants.

Musicians do not need to develop a character as they will be playing an instrument and also may not even be on stage when performing.

Attending rehearsals

Taking part in performances

Attending costume fittings

Maybe depending on where they are going to be situated on stage or off stage.

Responding to direction

Learning choreography Slight movement

No movement will need to

Responsibility Actor DancerMusical theatre

performerMusician

maybe required depending on the show.

be learnt as they will be playing their instrument. If there is a singer they m ay need to learn some Slight movement if singing on stage.

Learning lines and moves

A musician does not need to learn lines or choreography. They just need to learn their songs they are required to play.

Responding to musical direction

Actors do not typically need to respond to musical direction however they may need to if their cue to come on is the music.

Learning song lyrics

Most likely an actor will not be required to sing however they may want extra people to join in with the songs.

A dancer may be needed to sing if they want extra people involved in the song.

What technical performance skills does a musical theatre performer need?

According to Rebecca Morris (29th May 2016) A musical theatre performer is required to have a standard level of dancing, singing and acting. A musical theatre performer should be able to harmonize within an ensemble when singing; they should also be able to sing a solo with confidence. The musical theatre performer also needs to be able to stay in key while singing and also performing a certain amount of movement or even dancing. For example in the musical Chicago they need to be a triple threat as they perform all three art forms, during the song Cell Block tango the performers have to be able to sing and dance at the same time meaning they need to have good stamina to ensure they perform both the singing and dancing at the best of their ability. They also need to have a good voice. If they are performing in a musical there will defiantly be some type of dancing, this means it is best if you have had some dance history to ensure you are capable to perform it. For example Rebecca Morris took jazz, tap and ballet in all grades through school and is also trained in pointe. She also still takes side classes to keep her dancing skills fresh between shows and school. However this is not the case for every dancer, some people are naturally gifted in dance which means they will still be able to recall all previously learn skills within dance even after a year without dancing. However some people may need to continue taking classes in between performances and studying and have to practice continuously for years to be able to perform at a high standard. It is good for a performer to show an understanding of different types of dancers and their routines because nobody works in the exact same way. Some people are naturally better at different styles, this is shown at the dance school I go to as I am natural more balletic meaning I have to work harder when it comes to street dancing and commercial as it is a totally different style. However one of the other girls is naturally good at tap allowing her to remember the routines and pick up or learn new movement easily, it only took her two lessons to learn the triple time step however it took the rest of the class a few weeks. This shows that everyone works differently and they all have their own strengths.

A musical theatre performer should show some skill in acting, you don’t need to be outstanding however you do need to be able to portray the emotion of the character you are playing, you also need to engage with the audience to get them to see and feel the emotions you are expressing. You also need to overcome stage fright because nobody likes someone who shows their stage fright. When acting you need to be hard working and someone who understand deadlines, as a musical theatre performer you also need to show up to rehearsals and practices on time unless there is a genuine valid reason not to such as you have to take your kids somewhere as your partner is unable to for some reason. You shouldn’t even think about telling a lie why you cannot come to the rehearsal or are going to be late as the company, director or person running the session will find out causing you to be in more trouble. Not going to a rehearsal or turning up late will result in disappointing the whole cast and letting them down, not only are you making a bad name for yourself but you are also causing the performance to not be to the full potential of the cast.

You also should be courteous towards others and make a good impression for yourself, this will give you enable you to have access to better opportunities within the industry. If you make a really good impression with your current employer they may even employ you again for another performance, a good impression will make people want to work with you. If you walk into practices with the wrong attitude then nobody will want to work with you or see you again in future performances for example if you think and act like you’re the greatest person alive and everyone else is beneath you then they will not want you back. However if you respect others opinions and are polite to all other performers you will have a better chance and will go further within the industry.

Also as a musical theatre performer you also need to be open to constructive criticism, the musical theatre world is about trying new things and overcoming obstacles. During rehearsals if your director tells you to do something or instructs you on how to portray the character then try not to be rude give it a go. There is no harm in trying new things, this will also help you with getting more experiences making you a versatile performer. They are trying to help you grow as a performer,

according to Rebecca Morris not all directors are nice and help you, and some are rude and disrespectful however there are good ones out there within the industry.When auditioning for a musical theatre role, audition for musicals you really want to be part of or roles you really want to play, you will be determined to work harder if you are enthusiastic about the position. If you do not succeed then try not to take it personally as there are other opportunities out there. Christian Borle once said “other people’s success is not your failure”, do not forget this always remind yourself of this.

Helen Hobson.

Helen Hobson played the role of Donna in Mamma Mia in the West End and in the International Tour in 2004 however , she also played both Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers, Helen received great acclaim on tour and in the West End. Not only has seen been in plays and musicals but she has also been in film and television this includes….

Helen says in here interview with Andrew Tomlins that she feels responsible when playing the role of Donna in Mamma Mia for the audience as they pay a high price to go to the theatre. She also says that she has a strong work ethic because it’s been planted in her for a long time. Each performance is also fresh and different because even though they are saying the same lines every time it depends on how you’re feeling in that moment which varies the performance.

Helen didn’t know where her career would take her when she went to drama school however from a young age she was told that a “variety is the spice of life” as stated within her interview this is important to her. When starting out your career you should accept as many opportunities as possible in order to get experience within as much as possible. After she’d played roles as leading ladies within theatre she decided to try in the television industry. Helen then appeared in a Pilot of Judge John Deed even though she only had one line the casting directors automatically knew that she could be a West End theatre actress and they asked her why she took part in it because she only had one line and she said she wanted to try something new. Helen can sing, put on concerts, take part in plays and work in television, having a wide variety gets you well-known and also a wonderful experience.

How would a musical theatre performer, ensure they are ready for a day of rehearsals? “the guardian”

To prepare for a full day of rehearsals the preparations start the night before, depending on what time the rehearsals start you may need to organise your bag with all belongings you will need for the rehearsal such as correct footwear (types of dance shoes e.g ballet, tap, character, jazz). Script, lyrics, extra clothing such as costume or suitable clothing that is required for your role. You may also need to prepare your lunch depending on the job as you may need to provide your own food, remember to take lots of water it is key to keep hydrated.

You will also need to ensure you go to sleep at a reasonable time the night before as you will be required to perform with maximal energy and enthusiasm throughout, which means you need to be refreshed and ready to start rehearsing.

What planning would a musical theatre performer have to consider ensuring they are fully ready for the show they are preparing for?

What I already know from past experiences-Know all choreography, lyrics and words off by heart. When dancing, singing and acting.If you as a performer are unsure about any of the choreography, songs or dialogue then ask questions, they will be happy to help as they would rather you ask questions and perform correctly than stand quietly and mess up.Ensure you have the appropriate costume/ costumes for your roles/ role. Make sure you have had all costumes approved by the director, costume designer. (if you are required to source your own costume for the performance).Always turn up to all rehearsals on time in the correct gear and with the correct equipment required. If you are running late for any reason let them know why.

When preparing for a show a musical theatre performer needs to think about:

Where their character has been? What their character is doing now?

Where is the character going?

Is the character tackling a problem within the song?

Do they make any decisions?

What other characters are they interacting with?

Who is the song for? Anyone in particular?

How does the character physically reflect on their state of mind?

When preparing for an audition you need to read the notice carefully to ensure you know what the production it is, when the performance is and if you already have anything on. You also need to know if there are any requirements for the role such as qualifications in dance, or tuition in singing or past experience in acting. You also need to see if the performance is a straight play or a musical. Within the audition note it will also say the audition dates for production and what you need to prepare, you should also have a brief understanding of the synopsis of the production. Finally you need to see if there are any other requires such as gender, age, height or specific skills such.

The life of an understudy.

When you are an understudy you learn how to be diverse performer as you get to work in an ensemble and also experience being a lead role as you have need to know all the lead role lines, choreography and songs just in case the lead falls ill however you also need to know the ensemble choreography and lines just in case. According to Daisy Bowie-Sell on Whats On Stage it’s sometimes hard when an understudy as you have to win over the audience more as they may be disappointed as they aren’t receiving the first cast performers.

There could be more than one understudy for main characters or roles, this is to ensure they have back up. There is often more than one understudy within big performances, there are several reasons for this for example if both the lead role and the understudy are unwell then there is another back up plan. This is especially important in big professional productions as you can’t let the audience down.

As soon as the lead falls ill or becomes injured it is your time to shine, which means you are now the star of the show meaning you will get the treatment the lead did for example their hair and make-up will get done. Finally it is your time to shine and show the audience, directors and agents what you’re made of. So make the most of the performance enjoy yourself as much as possible and show them that you were made for this role in this show.

You never know next time they cast for the show they could make you the lead instead of the understudy so always make the most of very chance and try your hardest. Even though there is a high chance you won’t perform within the show on stage you still need to know all the lines in case something happens to the lead role you are the back-up, so when you are lucky enough to play the lead then show everyone what you’re capable as it is your time to shine and you never know you could get other jobs from this experience.

From being an understudy you also create strong bonds and relationships with people within the industry such as directors, choreographers, actors and agents. Even though you may not get the chance to go on stage you still get to work within the company and get experience from behind the scenes of a professional production.

Lead roles-

Being a lead role means that you are the star of the show and people have paid especially to come and see you perform on that stage. A lead role also means you will be required to work directly with choreographer, vocal coaches and directors. Being a lead role means you need a wide range of skills including team work for ensemble numbers and working with the rest of the cast as even though you have a main role you will still be expected to work with others within the company. You also need to have good organisation and time management skills to ensure you are fully prepared for rehearsals and performances and finally you need to be dedicated to the show, turning up on time with the correct gear. Turning up with a positive attitude, with energy and enthusiasm to perform. Last but not least is the reward you get from performing, the thrill of performing.

What does a typical day for a performer include?

A typical day for a musical theatre performer starts off by doing there morning vocal warm ups, which prepares them for the auditions ahead of them during that day for example not everyone has an instrument to play so their instrument is their voice. If the performer does have an instrument that they will be required to use during the audition they need to ensure it is tuned and ready to go. As stated on Shmoop musical theatre performer typical day Melody ‘s instrument is her voice which means she needs to ensure her voice is warmed up fully and correctly as one mistake may lead to disappointment. The performer should also do a physical warm up to stretch out all muscles as the auditioner may decide to run a small workshop style dance class to see what their ability is. However if there is a higher standard for the dancing side of the performance then you will more than likely be required to prepare a solo piece to perform to them on the day and hand over the music you have been preparing with. The performer will usually start their day by having a light but filling breakfast, this is so that they have a boost of energy to prepare them for the day. A good breakfast would include something such as fruit, granola or yoghurt, including a drink such as water or milk. Once the performer has had their breakfast they will check their bag to ensure they haven’t forgot anything important for the audition or auditions depending on how many they have during that day

and will set off to ensure they arrive at the venue in plenty of time to ensure you do not have to rush to sign in and prepare yourself for the audition. Punctuality is very important when it comes to auditioning if you do not arrive on time or before then you will not have the opportunity to audition because if you can’t turn up on time or early for the audition then they will not want to run the risk of you not being there for rehearsals or performances.

A well known musical theatre performer is Danny Mac, Danny is well known for also being an actor in hollyoaks from 2011 to 2015 where he played Mark. Danny also reached the final in the fourteenth series of stricly come dancing. In my opinion this shows that he has a wide range of skills from his acting in hollyoaks for six years and his dancing skills shown on stricly come dancing. He was also in the musical sleepless.

According to Louise Dearman’s website she is known for her performances in the West End and also her national tours, she is a British musical theatre actress who graduated from Laine Theatre Arts College. Louise has won an award for musical theatre and opera, not only has she been both witches in wicked but she also became part of the touring cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as she was the narrator. Louise was also in the UK tour of Grease in 2000 when she played the role of Jan.

Louise has most recently been involved in a variety gala evening at Bradford Alhambra in

collaboration with Michael ball, she has also been in a UK tour of Bond and Beyond and she was also

selected to perform in an international production of Tell Me On A Sunday. Louise released her first

album in 2005 called You and I, which she followed with Here Comes The Sun in 2012 and It’s time in

2013. Louise collaborated with Mark Evans where they released a book called Secrets Of Stage

Success In Spring in 2015 which was published by Nick Hern.

According to Mark Shenton, Louise Dearman is one of his top 10 musical theatre actresses she has been part of wicked and has played multiple roles which were both witches Glinda and Elphaba. Louise began her wicked experience in 2010 where she played Glinda (the good witch of the South) until December 2011, as stated by London Theatre Direct. She then returned to the production as Elphaba (the wicked witch of the West) on Monday 29th of October 2012. London theatre direct also told us that this is the first time a leading lady will have performed both role in almost a decade-long history of global musical phenomenon.

Not only has she been part of wicked starring in both leading roles but she has also played Eva Peron in the musical Evita, she was Grizabella in cats and also Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls. Alongside all of this she has also been in Kiss Me Kate, Grease, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Within this musical theatre career she has also released four albums which are You and I which was released in 2010, Here Come The Sun in 2012, It’s Time in 2013 and most recently Bond and Beyond in 2014. Louise Dearman has not only been part of productions herself but also takes on some workshop sessions to help others for example she was involved in the workshops of a West End musical version of Peter Pan. This shows us how it is important to be a versatile performer, it is good to have your preferred roles and skills however people also look for a variety rather than the same old repetitive jobs. As quoted by Dearman herself “as an actress, you strive to challenge yourself to play as many diverse roles as possible throughout your career, and right now I feel like the luckiest girl in the history of musical theatre. I still can’t quite believe that in two months’ time I’ll back in Wicked but this time I won’t come and go by Bubble, I’ll be on a broomstick!”

What does a typical day for a performer include?

A typical day for a musical theatre performer starts off by doing there morning vocal warm ups, which prepares them for the auditions ahead of them during that day for example not everyone has an instrument to play so their instrument is their voice. If the performer does have an instrument that they will be required to use during the audition they need to ensure it is tuned and ready to go. As stated on Shmoop musical theatre performer typical day Melody ‘s instrument is her voice which means she needs to ensure her voice is warmed up fully and correctly as one mistake may lead to disappointment. The performer should also do a physical warm up to stretch out all muscles as the auditioner may decide to run a small workshop style dance class to see what their ability is. However if there is a higher standard for the dancing side of the performance then you will more than likely be required to prepare a solo piece to perform to them on the day and hand over the music you have been preparing with. The performer will usually start their day by having a light but filling breakfast, this is so that they have a boost of energy to prepare them for the day. A good breakfast would include something such as fruit, granola or yoghurt, including a drink such as water or milk. Once the performer has had their breakfast they will check their bag to ensure they haven’t forgot anything important for the audition or auditions depending on how many they have during that day and will set off to ensure they arrive at the venue in plenty of time to ensure you do not have to rush to sign in and prepare yourself for the audition. Punctuality is very important when it comes to auditioning if you do not arrive on time or before then you will not have the opportunity to audition because if you can’t turn up on time or early for the audition then they will not want to run the risk of you not being there for rehearsals or performances.

Requirements of a musical theatre performer-

According to Music School Central musical theatre performers usually have to have triple threat training, being a triple threat performer means that you have specific skills in singing, acting and dancing. When the performer attends drama school or performance college, they will be given lessons in each to ensure they have the correct skills required to be successful within the industry. They will teach you and give you tuition in all of these areas, usually you will study several styles of dance, different acting techniques and also you will have solo vocal tuition as well as ensemble classes. To fully benefit from all the training that is being offered you need to be dedicated in all three areas, dancing, singing and acting. Once leaving drama school you should have learnt the correct techniques for a successful audition and all the important employment skills, you need to ensure you have good stamina and dedication to perform in a show for 6 to 8 weeks at a time.

Even though a degree and professional training is not required to be a musical theatre performer, most performers have been to drama college or graduated for university and places like that. There are many different routes into the industry and many places to train, many offer outstanding training in musical theatre and triple threat training.

Musical theatre actors are usually trained at a school where there is an emphasis on being a triple threat. Being a triple threat means the performer needs to be able to perform in all three art forms which are singing, dancing and acting. Most musical theatre performers receive classical voice training from vocal teachers at their performing arts/music school, however this is not always the case as some institutions. Attending a school which has dedicated teachers in all three art forms is a huge benefit, you also must be excellent at auditioning for roles and have good stamina to be able to perform anywhere from 6-8 shows a week.

When working in an ensemble you need to have good-

Communication- without having good communication your rehearsals will not be very productive as it is hard to get the work done. Communication also may need to happen in between rehearsals if there are some unclear instructions for what needs to be done for the next rehearsal.

Dedication- is key for a musical theatre performer as if you do not turn up to rehearsals then it is difficult for the rehearsal to run smoothly. If not everyone in the ensemble is dedicated and don’t turn up to rehearsals then this will bring the whole performance down. Dedication will also help your trust as a group and it will also help your performance in the long run.

Motivation-Another key skill for a musical theatre performer is motivation as you all need to be motivated to go to rehearsals, not only do you need to be motivated to go to the rehearsals you need to be motivated to make progress on the piece such as on the song or dance. If you do not make any progress throughout the rehearsal you will disappoint the others within the group.

Preparation- you always need to be prepared for rehearsals as if you come to a dance rehearsal in a tight skirt you are not prepared as you are in the wrong clothing which means you will not be able to participate causing you to let your team down. This applies for all three art forms, singing, dancing and acting. If you have not learnt the lyrics for the song you will not be able to make progress throughout the rehearsal as you cannot work on harmonies if you do not know the lyrics, the same applies for dialogue as if you haven’t learnt your lines the rehearsal is unable to run smoothly.

Team work- is very important when working in an ensemble as you need to be able to work together, you also need to let each person express their opinion and then make a group decision rather than one person taking over the group having it their way or no way. A good team needs to have the same target for example they all have to be working towards the same thing to achieve their goal. For example a musical theatre song within a performance each person needs to know exactly what movements to do and at what time, they also need to know their individual harmonies.

Equity is important for all performers as they support performers creating a union which means they will ensure you get paid a minimum for any job you do. Equity will also ensure that your working conditions meet their standard, they pay a minimum of £350 per week however you could get paid more than this depending on your job or role. If you become injured and are unable to perform equity will give you £150 per week for up to a year to help you, this is because part of the fee you pay entails you to insurance for situations like this. If you are a dancer then you can take out extra insurance which enables you to be insured if you have repetitive strain injury.