August 18, 2024 • 35 mins
In this episode, We sit down AGAIN with Kim 🥰 an accomplished theater performer currently starring in Six the Musical.
Kim reflects on her journey from dream roles like Anita and Catherine to the high-energy demands of Six. She shares personal insights on overcoming challenges, maintaining vocal and physical health, and the importance of self-compassion in a demanding career.
Highlight: Kim discusses her recent roles' emotional and physical challenges, particularly in West Side Story and Six. She opens up about the tough decision to leave a dream role early due to exhaustion and how embracing self-kindness has been crucial to her performance growth.
What to expect:
- Kim’s experience juggling intense roles and ✨maintaining her health✨
- Insight into the rigorous demands of performing in Six
- Tips on handling audition nerves and managing expectations
- The importance of self-care and realistic goal-setting in a performing career
🚀 Join the Performer's Mindset Hub for FREE:
Free community with tools to support your journey.
Click here to join now!
💻 Check out Momentum 2.0 Program:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us today on the Dive Podcast we have the
incredibly talented Kim Hodgson,who is currently captivating
audiences as Catherine of Aragonin the global phenomenon Six,
the Musical.
Kim's journey to this lead rolehas been nothing short of
inspiring and today she's hereto share it all with us.
(00:21):
In this episode, we're going tobe diving deep into Kim's path,
from her early days in theindustry to becoming a leading
lady on some of the biggeststages in Australia.
We'll talk about the importanceof putting yourself first,
nurturing that inner childwithin us all, and how all of
these principles have guided herthrough every challenge and
(00:42):
show, no matter how daunting theodds were.
Kim also opens up with us aboutthe realities of auditioning
for major musical productionsand offers invaluable advice for
the next generation ofperformers.
So whether you're gearing upfor your first big audition or
you're just looking to get themost out of every opportunity,
this episode is for you.
(01:03):
Let's dive in Well.
Welcome back to the podcast.
You're actually the firstperson to be brought back into
the dive podcast, kimmy.
Yay, how exciting oh it'sawesome and we were just talking
that your last episode that wehad was actually the second
episode of theive podcast allthe way back in January and it
(01:25):
still rated the top five mostdownloaded episode in the Dive
history, which is just wild tome, that is so wild to me.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
How exciting.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So of course we had to get you back on and you're
currently in sixth the musicalin Melbourne at the time of
recording this and I'm going tobe going into that and a bit
about your journey and I'm justso excited to have you on.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Thanks, tau, thanks for having me again.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
So, kim, can you just take us through your journey
again from starting musicaltheatre to now leading this role
of Catherine of Aragon in SixthMusical, and what were some of
the key moments or decisionsthat kind of helped you position
yourself in a way to now begetting these lead roles?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, I think I touched on this on our on the
last time we had a chat, butwhen I was at university,
university in Brisbane, at theConservatorium of Music.
I graduated from there 11 yearsago and I know I just I can't
understand how time has gone soquickly.
It's so wild, and I guess sincethen, the first, probably nine
(02:41):
years of my career I have spentbeing an understudy, and so
since graduating I have probablyspent the last nine years of my
career being an understudy, andso what that means is that I
(03:02):
have been in the ensemble andalso covering lead roles, which
is a really challenging job.
I did not book my own role in abig commercial mainstream
touring musical until I did MissSaigon, which was last year,
(03:24):
and so I guess it's taken areally long time for me to
transition from being a cover inthe ensemble to booking a lead
role.
And I think, to go back to thequestion, I think where I am now
playing Aragon in Six has beena result of the things that have
(03:49):
just happened just leading upto it, and so when people, I
guess, saw me in Miss Saigonplaying the role of Gigi, from
there I then played Anita inWest Side to now playing
Catherine of Argon in Six, Ithink have all kind of just been
(04:10):
a consequence of each other andI think the universe has
aligned itself in a way that ithas all just kind of.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Directioned itself in that direction.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah, yeah, that was a very long-winded answer, but I
think just to in a littlecapsule.
I guess, where I am now has allbeen truly dependent on these
last little things that havejust happened to me in my later
part of my career currently,which is something that has been
(04:42):
kind of completely out of mycontrol well, it's been awesome
watching you just shine andyou're such a hilarious
individual but also so talented.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And I kind of asked that question because a lot of
us and a lot of the viewers thatwatch and listen to the podcast
, are aspiring musical theatreperformers.
But we also have performers inthe industry and we can
sometimes feel when we're in theindustry, or even leading up to
getting in, that we're eithertypecasts or we're just the
dancer or just these labels andthings that we put on ourselves.
(05:12):
So did you find I mean in yourkind of story that it was more
of a natural progression thatyou went into being a lead?
Were you always wanting to be alead from the start?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
you always wanting to be a lead from the start, I
have felt pretty passionatelyabout leading a company and
telling a story.
I have always felt very, verypassionate about that, and it's
a funny thing because, I think,objectively, you look at it and
you're like, well, that doesn'tthat take a bit of ego, or
doesn't that?
I don't know, there's something, there's this, maybe a stigma
attached to that.
But I feel, personally, as anartist, I've always felt very
(05:48):
strongly about leading a companyand telling a story, and I
found that the way that mycareer has kind of played out, I
did feel like I mean, nine orten years is a long time to be
feeling like you've beenpigeonholed in, pigeonholed into
a particular track type, Iguess, and so it does make you
(06:12):
question whether you are goodenough right and I guess that
has been the ongoing challengeand battle for me mentally is
that I have had to try andconvince myself that I am good
enough to do that, and that'shard.
(06:36):
That's a long time.
I mean it's not a long time inthe scheme of like how many
years people work industry, butnine, ten years is a really long
time to be working so hard at aparticular thing to not maybe
pass the opportunity within thattime.
It's a long time to bequestioning your capabilities
(06:57):
and your skills and I guess inthe end, really now that I'm
here, it kind of doesn't reallyhave to do anything with me and
it has a lot to do with timingand when things are right they
will happen, that's it.
And.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
I know maybe, guests, in that progression you always
wanted to be a lead and startingthe ensemble, because with
these beautiful, wonderfulbigger goals that we aspire to,
there is that progression thatwe need to understand and take
acknowledgement over.
And I guess through that time,when you were in the ensemble
and then you were covering andgetting those little
opportunities to then go on, youwere talking about reassuring
(07:39):
yourself.
It was probably in those momentsthat when you did go on for
that lead, you were like, oh,that's right, this is where I
was wanting to be.
But I guess that's a reallycool way to actually, even if
people are looking to become alead, that if you don't get a
lead straight away, being anensemble covering, getting a
taste for it, because sometimeswhat we actually want, we don't
(07:59):
actually know what it's likeuntil we're there.
And I know it could have maybeI know it didn't happen for you,
but maybe for some other peoplethey I know, for an example,
people that want to be a swingthey go and be a swing and very
quickly realize that oh, it'snot actually what they thought
it was going to be.
And but I guess for you did youhave that experience going in
and then going on for the leadand going actually.
(08:21):
Yes, this is definitelysomething I want to continue.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yeah, absolutely.
I think.
I mean I would have had it noother way than to have had the
jobs that I've had, because I'velearned so much, and I think
all of that learning leading upto this point has really made a
(08:46):
huge difference, I think, in thetype of performer that I am and
the way that, I, guess, holdmyself as a performer.
And the thing is that, yes, Ihad so many of those moments in
the ensemble and you're workingso hard, you work so hard as an
ensemble member and you playsuch an important part in adding
(09:06):
the little details to the storythat's been told.
And then, on the side of that,you work so many hours to try
and make sure that you're readyto go on and to lead the company
in a way that you're going tobe proud of and that the company
are going to be happy with.
And when you finally get to dothat role and you finally get to
(09:27):
celebrate the hard work thatyou have done for yourself and
that everyone has, like kind ofchampioned you to get to that
point, it is truly eye-openingand, yes, it will either
solidify what you know and trulyfeel is right for you and what
(09:50):
you want to do and what you'repassionate about and what you
want to strive towards.
And two, it can really make youthink differently.
I actually don't know if this isme.
There is a huge responsibility.
I guess it really does dependon the type of roles that you're
covering, but the job that youhave to do as a lead is also
(10:10):
very difficult, and the thing isthe exciting thing as a cover
is you do it.
Maybe you never get to do itwhich has happened to me before
but then you do get to do itevery so often, and so it's very
exciting.
You were doing the show with awhole lot of adrenaline and
beautiful like feelings in yourbody that you're just never
(10:32):
experienced, and then to be ableto do that and try and
replicate that magic and it'snot even replicating the magic,
because really that's what livetheater is you just do it, and
it's different every night.
But to consistently provideaudiences with a magical
performance in a role is a verytough job, and so that is also
(10:57):
another thing that I'm learningis that, as much as I have
absolutely strived and wanted todo this, it is challenging in
the way that I do it everysingle night.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Yes, there's no okay.
We're going on for a cover oncea week.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
This is the full gig.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, and that's amazing because now you've had
that experience of Gigi andCatherine and Anita and really
stepping into that, looking atthem all as an individual
character.
There's some pretty tough roles, like to not only take on board
but to do eight shows a week.
How has that influenced yourmaybe perspective now as a
performer and as a lead, and hasyour kind of routine changed in
(11:40):
the way that you're lookingafter yourself?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, it's really interesting because, although
they have been like my firstroles that I have been, that
I've booked, I have learned somuch about myself that, honestly
, I never thought that I wouldever have to learn.
And I'm almost 32 and I've beendoing this forever and I have
learned the most about myselfprobably in the past year and a
(12:11):
half, two years, and most ofthat has been because of the
jobs that I've booked.
I think, firstly, when I didMiss Saigon, that was a dream
role and a dream show and I hadgiven all of my heart and my
spirit to that show, to thepoint where I left the contract
(12:33):
early because it got to a pointwhere I actually had nothing
left to give.
I felt so passionately aboutthe show and I gave so much of
myself that I had very littleleft to give and I said to
myself I respect the show andthe story so much that I can't
(12:54):
not give it what I want to giveit, and so, because I can't do
that, I have to step away, whichis so wild to me to think that
I would ever come to a decisionlike that when it's the first
role that I've ever booked.
It's a dream show, it's a dreamrole and I didn't have anything
booked.
After that I didn't haveanything, and I think that
(13:14):
there's also this like pressurethat you put on yourself is to I
need to book another one, Ineed to prove myself, I need to
back it up, I need to make surethat it wasn't a fluke, I need
to make sure that it wasn't justcoincidental, and so that was a
really hard decision that Ithink I had to make to realize
(13:36):
what it was that I was actuallydoing and what was required of
to be able to do things that I'mreally passionate about and
give whatever I could give.
So that was a huge learningexperience for me.
Not long after that, after Imade that decision that I wasn't
going to move forward with thatcontract, west Side Story
(13:57):
happened, and I think I remembertalking to you about this while
I was auditioning for this role.
I honestly did not think thatwas a role that I could be doing
in my 30s on a rake stage, andI was in a frenzy trying to
train, to ready myself to doanother dream role in a show
(14:24):
that I absolutely loved.
I did it five years previous tojoining the latest production
and I covered the role and Isaid I'm never going to be able
to do this again Like I'mliterally.
I'm in my thirties.
I can't be doing this showagain in another five years.
I don't think my body will beable to do it again in another
five years.
I don't think my body will beable to do it.
(14:52):
And I had a lot of doubt goinginto that room and I had a lot
of fear and I ended up saying tomyself you know what?
I've actually got nothing tolose.
I need to go in there formyself and just do it.
When they said we actually wantyou to do the job, I thought
well, I'm going to have tofigure out how I can do this.
Thankfully, I was doing a sixshow week they were single shows
and it was a short season and Ithought you know what I can do
(15:15):
this?
I trained a lot.
I trained really hard and I hadto learn how to speak to my
body very kindly, because it wasdoing things that I never
thought that it would be able todo at the age that I am, and it
was a really challengingexperience in the way that I
(15:38):
just had to be so kind and sograteful that my body was able
to do this multiple times a weekand it was something that I
didn't think I would be capableof doing, and I did get injured,
and I was injured for likealmost the whole way through the
season, but I somehow I don'tknow how I somehow managed to
(15:59):
figure out ways to help my body,and that was hours of like
conditioning, ice baths, rollingout, laying on the Shakti mat,
but truly, I think the mostbeneficial thing was literally
speaking to my body and sayingthat I'm actually okay because
(16:21):
we're just going to tell thisstory only a couple more times
and you're safe.
I don't know how I did it, butwe got through it.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I mean, I think you hit the nail on the head in
terms of feeling safe and Irecently would been teaching a
lot of students and getting inthe room and really noticing
that since I don't want to bringup COVID, but since COVID I
feel like there's a lot of usthat are especially students
that are scared to be morevulnerable and to put yourself
(16:53):
out there is to really bringthat fun back and really
bringing yourself to a placewhere you can feel safe, because
I feel like that's when you canproduce your best work,
especially since the pandemicthat we had and it's just
(17:17):
awesome that you've said thatand the importance of it's not
just the ice baths and thepractical things, but a lot of
the time and the things thateven I'm learning right now is
the free things are the mostlike powerful, our breath or the
simple tool of mindset andgetting on board with yourself
and being literally talking toyourself and saying you know
what, putting things intoperspective like you just did
Six shows.
It's all good, because we allhave that inner child within us
(17:40):
that is needing reassurance andone of the most beautiful things
is that we can give it toourselves and it's really the
only assurance we're reallylooking for and that's just so
beautiful that you were able todo that and continue and into a
beautiful another role.
How was that like from makingthat decision from Gigi I mean,
(18:00):
you still did Gigi for such awonderful time and long time,
which was cool, but what wasthat like then getting that next
stage of okay, now I'm going tobe Anita?
Was that that kind ofaffirmation or reassurance that
you were looking for?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yeah, it was a very full circle moment to have been
gifted the opportunity of thislike time, to be able to do that
role, and I think that's alsoanother thing that I learned
that it's okay to step away fromthings and that something will
(18:37):
come if it's meant to come.
Because really, at that point Ihad no other job and I thought,
you know what, maybe it's timefor me to have a little break,
maybe it's time to have moretime for me.
And I had a little break, likea tiny break between.
But I thought you know what Iwould absolutely love to play
Anita and to do it for such ashort amount of time.
(18:59):
I said after this I can have abreak.
In the meantime I wasauditioning for Six.
Actually, it was the weekbefore, it was the week before
my one-on-one no, it was twodays before my one-on-one
rehearsals for the Anitachoreography.
I had my Six audition and I wasa bit hesitant, to be honest,
(19:21):
to audition for Six because Ihad seen it in the original
Australian touring productionand I thought, gosh, those girls
work hard, they work reallyhard and that looks like a hard
show.
Energetically, physically,vocally.
It looks like a hard show.
And my mindset at that time,thinking okay, maybe it is time
(19:42):
to have a break.
And I said you know what?
I remember auditioning for thisshow, roja, whenever it came
the way back when, and Icouldn't finish the auditions
because I was doing Fangirls atthe time, so I was only there
for, I think, one or two daysand I ended up auditioning for a
(20:05):
couple of characters and I feltvery comfortable doing the
Aragon material.
That was way back when.
And I thought, you know what,maybe I'll just go in again and
maybe this time I'll have abetter idea of what I actually
should look at before going in,because there's a lot of
material and I would probablyfit into maybe a number of
(20:26):
different queens.
I thought you know what, maybeI'll just give it a go.
It's gonna be hard, but youknow what I'm like.
I'm a like theater girl, likethrough and through.
This is like a pop show.
I haven't done like poppythings since growing up.
I was'm very like empty.
I thought you know what, whynot just do it?
(20:48):
And I went in there and look, Idon't know if I did the best
that I could when I first sang,but I knew that the panel had
seen me do Gigi, and had seen meplay Anita, and I just thought
(21:10):
I actually can only do the bestthat I can do and if they
believe in me then maybe theywill see me for something.
I ended up spending two dayslearning a whole lot of
choreography, a whole lot of,and the choreography is amazing.
It's so detailed, it's so fun,so fun, it's so fun.
(21:31):
And I sang for a couple of thequeens and did a couple of the
monologues and thought I onlyhad two days, because then I was
into rehearsals for West Sideand I couldn't complete the rest
of it.
So we had to smash out all ofthe material that we could, had
to film it all.
So it was in a really shortamount of time and I'm thinking,
oh well, I guess you just dowhat you've got to do and the
(21:53):
way that things worked out, it'svery funny.
Halfway through the season Iended up finding out that I
booked Aragon and I thought Idon't know if I'm going to be
able to do that show.
I thought I don't know if I'mgoing to be able to do that show
.
I honestly was like that is ahard show and I know I'm
currently doing probably one ofthe hardest things that I've
ever done.
But I don't know if I'm goingto be able to do that and I just
(22:15):
thought what have I done?
What have I done?
And learning the show wasprobably one of the hardest
things I think I have ever done.
It is.
They're so detailed and it isso wonderfully complicated and
challenging in it's very likesimple.
It's simple, but it's notsimple because it's really dense
(22:36):
.
The material is really denseand I thought I am lucky that
I've learned how to speak kindlyto myself, because I need to
speak kindly to my brain,because I have not had to learn
something as intricate as thisfor a very long time and I had a
few meltdowns and I had to goback and be like, okay, I
(23:00):
remember how to talk to myselfkindly and to be patient with
myself, because it's all welland good to be a perfectionist
but unfortunately, when you areexhausted from full days of
rehearsals and your brain's notquite keeping up that, it just
takes time and so I'm now intothe season and I'm having the
(23:23):
best time.
It's one of the funnest showsI've ever done.
As hard as it is energetically.
It is one of the most fun showsI've ever done with such a
great group of people, reallygreat group of people.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
So wonderful and I mean I got to see it for opening
night in Melbourne because itwas so fun and it was awesome to
see you out there and I meangosh.
I mean, for anyone that doesn'tknow about Six, it's yeah, I'm
just reading it from here it's aglobal phenomenon which has
taken the world by storm.
It's arrived in Melbourne.
Currently, if you're here tocome and see it, as it's
captivating so many beautifulaudiences and it's really cool
(23:58):
because it actually I absolutelyloved it myself because I got
to see it for opening and, oh mygosh, there's no interval.
You're on stage.
For how long is it?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
90 minutes, 80 89 yeah, something like that yeah,
80 something minutes.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
It's full on, yeah and I really love this kind of
progression that I'm seeing inyour career and how really
looking at your mindset andlooking back on yourself and
really looking after yourselfand actually acknowledging when
things are going to be tough,because sometimes we just push
that to the side, right, we'relike, oh no, we just whatever,
don't acknowledge it.
But I think there was so muchpower and correct me if I'm
(24:34):
wrong from what I'm hearing isthat there was a lot of power in
acknowledging and going okay,this is tough, I don't know how
I'm going to do this, but youknow, by actually acknowledging
it, you probably lowered thestakes for yourself in a way and
actually gave yourself space to, yeah, go into each of those
roles and are you actually?
Do you feel like you're moreproud of yourself that you?
For each of those times that'shappened, you've kind of come
(25:02):
into it not feeling that youcould do it, and then now it's
something that is just soawesomely fulfilling.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
I think in my entire time that I've been working in
this industry, I've not beenmore proud of myself till now.
I think I've overcome some ofthe hardest challenges mentally
and physically, emotionally andto be able to look at what I'm
doing and knowing how hard I hadto really work at being patient
(25:32):
with myself and being kind tomyself.
I'm all the more proud forwhere I'm at and what I'm doing
because of it, because that'sthe hardest thing.
You can train as hard as youwant, you can do as many singing
lessons and dancing lessons asyou want, but there is nothing
that will train you more thanthe practice of being kind to
(25:52):
yourself.
So, yeah, I'm so proud.
I'm so proud I constantly givemyself pats on the back because
I'm like girl, you are doingthis.
Remember when you were crying,like the other day, when you
were like I can't do anything, Ihave no talent, and then you're
like girl, you're doing this sodramatic, it's so dramatic, but
(26:14):
it is.
Yeah, it is.
I mean, that's the fun of it.
Really, you'd laugh or you cry,but I'm really proud of myself.
I'm proud of you as well thanks, so six is obviously a very
high energy show and requires aproud of you as well, thanks.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
So Six is obviously a very, very high energy show and
requires a lot of you.
How do you maintain your vocalhealth, your physical health,
especially under the pressure ofperforming in such a demanding
environment for eight shows aweek?
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Yeah, I have figured out a nice little routine for
myself.
I started training actuallybefore West Side Story and I've
kind of tried to keep that upleading into it, and then whilst
I was rehearsing I kepttraining.
So physically I've reallystrived towards conditioning my
body so that I'm really strong,especially with costumes and
(27:03):
with the high energy like cardio, cardiovascular requirement of
the show.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Our names and our fame and our faces.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
We're all about the glories and the disgraces
Divorced, beheaded, died.
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
But just for you, tonight we'reDivorced, beheaded, died From
the show.
I've tried to maintain mytraining so that I feel like
(27:54):
when I'm doing my job I don'tfeel as exhausted.
But in saying that it meansthere's a whole lot more
exertion of energy.
So I'm eating so much more, I'msleeping so much more.
I nap, I, I power nap.
I was power napping atrehearsals.
I'd take myself at lunchtime.
After I had lunch with thegroup, I would take myself to
(28:14):
the rehearsal room and nap.
I nap every day.
I'm steaming, I'm doing all thevocal health stuff.
I'm trying to just be soconscious of allocating time in
my day for myself just to makesure that I have enough to give
and in order to be able to dothat, even though it's a minutes
(28:37):
of my day, sometimes it ishours of my day preparing myself
, make sure that I'm okay andthat I'm good to go.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
So, it takes time.
So much power in that?
Because I think a lotespecially students, aspiring
students they want to hustlelike, they just want to go, go.
And we learn through the earlyyears that if we don't listen to
our bodies, it will tell us forsure.
And that I think as well, notonly stepping into being a lead,
(29:10):
but it's really that shift frombeing a student to a
professional, when you reallyput your job first or maybe even
your job second, in the waythat you put yourself first and
seeing how that's played out ofyour career and how rewarding
that has been, is reallyinspiring.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
That's very kind.
Yeah, it's not easy, is it no?
Speaker 1 (29:34):
So I know, sometimes even I say to myself like, why
am I doing this?
For example, I'm such a morningperson.
I think we were talking.
We went for coffee not thatlong ago about how I'm such a
morning person and now I get toshows and it's interval and if
I'm not on I'm like nodding tosleep.
I mean, you couldn't do that insix.
It's hilarious what thisindustry does to us.
(29:56):
My gosh.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
I know it's hard to keep up.
It's hard to keep up, but youknow what?
Sleep is a huge thing.
I feel like sleep naps, powernaps, meditations, anything to
get some sort of rest, is a hugebenefit.
I think, to keeping up with thedemand absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Let's just take a step back for a second and I
want to talk about auditionsbecause a lot of students on
here they want to knoweverything.
They want to second.
And I want to talk aboutauditions because a lot of
students on here they want toknow everything.
They want to know what I needto expect and how can I best
show myself, how can I stand out, All that stuff.
But I would love to know if youhave any guidance on to give to
a student that is going inmaybe for the first time for a
(30:41):
big major musical audition.
The nerves are sitting in,they're not sure what's going to
happen.
What advice would you give tothis new generation that's
coming through?
Speaker 2 (30:51):
I think it's important not to put unrealistic
expectations on yourself.
I think it's important to berealistic of potential outcomes
so that you're not feelingdevastated afterwards or this
might actually be the momentthat you get the job too.
(31:13):
So I think, with those twothings, I think it's important
for you to go in knowing thatyou've done the work, that you
are worthy of the time, to showthe work that you've done and to
walk away from it knowing thatyou've done everything that you
(31:37):
could, you've put the work inand that, regardless of the
result of the result, itactually doesn't matter because
you're so worthy, regardless ofthe decision that's being made
at the end of the day.
And I think it's reallyimportant that, as long as you
(31:59):
go in there with the mindset ofI have something to show you, I
have something that I've beenworking on.
You've given me a time to showthat.
So I'm going to take the spaceand I'm going to take the time
that you've allocated to me toshow you what I can do.
And I think it's really hard.
(32:20):
It's really hard in likehigh-pressure situations and
environments like an audition,to get overwhelmed with the
amount of people that are therethe producers, the directors,
the content that you're learning.
I know I get very overwhelmedwhen I go into a dance school
because I have terrible pickupskills and I get.
(32:42):
I get terrified of what peoplethink of me because I am a
working performer and I can'tpick up simple things, because I
get overwhelmed and that issomething that, honestly, I've
done how many jobs and I stillhave that fear.
So to reassure you that itmight not get easier, but what
(33:09):
can change is your mindset andjust relieving yourself of any
unnecessary pressure andexpectation that it doesn't.
It's not serving what you'redoing.
And if you can separate that,then you will at least set
(33:29):
yourself up for some sort ofsuccess.
And that doesn't mean booking ajob.
That means going in there anddoing a good job.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Great, fantastic.
Oh, it's so awesome.
I've loved speaking to you.
I feel like we've just gonedown memory lane and also just
seeing all the amount, I thinkit's really beautiful.
I mean, we always get so manybeautiful messages on this
podcast as we were all in thesame boat at the end of the day
and I feel, as much as we cankind of break the barrier
(33:55):
between professionals andstudents we were all students
once and it's so awesome to hearyour vulnerability and even
your guidance of stuff thatyou're going through today,
because I feel like when you area student and you're you, we
just put all about theseprofessionals in such a high
category.
But we are all, we've all gotour own things and it's just.
(34:16):
It's awesome, and I know thatthe community is going to get a
lot out of our discussion todaygood yay well, if you want to
catch Kim, you've got to go andcheck out Six the musical.
You've got to go and check outSixth the Musical.
You've got to go check her out.
She is currently in Melbournefrom the time of filming at the
Comedy Theatre until October20th.
Then they're heading over tothe Theatre Royale in Sydney
(34:39):
from the 25th of October andthen heading to Brisbane from
the 2nd of January 2025.
You can also check out all thetickets on 6themusicalcomau.
Thank you so much, kim.
It's been awesome chatting withyou and I can't wait to catch
up with you again.
It's just been awesomeconnecting and, yeah, thanks.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Thanks Tim.
Thanks for having me Bye.
Joining us today on the Dive Podcast we have the
incredibly talented Kim Hodgson,who is currently captivating
audiences as Catherine of Aragonin the global phenomenon Six,
the Musical.
Kim's journey to this lead rolehas been nothing short of
inspiring and today she's hereto share it all with us.
(00:21):
In this episode, we're going tobe diving deep into Kim's path,
from her early days in theindustry to becoming a leading
lady on some of the biggeststages in Australia.
We'll talk about the importanceof putting yourself first,
nurturing that inner childwithin us all, and how all of
these principles have guided herthrough every challenge and
(00:42):
show, no matter how daunting theodds were.
Kim also opens up with us aboutthe realities of auditioning
for major musical productionsand offers invaluable advice for
the next generation ofperformers.
So whether you're gearing upfor your first big audition or
you're just looking to get themost out of every opportunity,
this episode is for you.
(01:03):
Let's dive in Well.
Welcome back to the podcast.
You're actually the firstperson to be brought back into
the dive podcast, kimmy.
Yay, how exciting oh it'sawesome and we were just talking
that your last episode that wehad was actually the second
episode of theive podcast allthe way back in January and it
(01:25):
still rated the top five mostdownloaded episode in the Dive
history, which is just wild tome, that is so wild to me.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
How exciting.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So of course we had to get you back on and you're
currently in sixth the musicalin Melbourne at the time of
recording this and I'm going tobe going into that and a bit
about your journey and I'm justso excited to have you on.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Thanks, tau, thanks for having me again.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
So, kim, can you just take us through your journey
again from starting musicaltheatre to now leading this role
of Catherine of Aragon in SixthMusical, and what were some of
the key moments or decisionsthat kind of helped you position
yourself in a way to now begetting these lead roles?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, I think I touched on this on our on the
last time we had a chat, butwhen I was at university,
university in Brisbane, at theConservatorium of Music.
I graduated from there 11 yearsago and I know I just I can't
understand how time has gone soquickly.
It's so wild, and I guess sincethen, the first, probably nine
(02:41):
years of my career I have spentbeing an understudy, and so
since graduating I have probablyspent the last nine years of my
career being an understudy, andso what that means is that I
(03:02):
have been in the ensemble andalso covering lead roles, which
is a really challenging job.
I did not book my own role in abig commercial mainstream
touring musical until I did MissSaigon, which was last year,
(03:24):
and so I guess it's taken areally long time for me to
transition from being a cover inthe ensemble to booking a lead
role.
And I think, to go back to thequestion, I think where I am now
playing Aragon in Six has beena result of the things that have
(03:49):
just happened just leading upto it, and so when people, I
guess, saw me in Miss Saigonplaying the role of Gigi, from
there I then played Anita inWest Side to now playing
Catherine of Argon in Six, Ithink have all kind of just been
(04:10):
a consequence of each other andI think the universe has
aligned itself in a way that ithas all just kind of.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Directioned itself in that direction.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah, yeah, that was a very long-winded answer, but I
think just to in a littlecapsule.
I guess, where I am now has allbeen truly dependent on these
last little things that havejust happened to me in my later
part of my career currently,which is something that has been
(04:42):
kind of completely out of mycontrol well, it's been awesome
watching you just shine andyou're such a hilarious
individual but also so talented.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And I kind of asked that question because a lot of
us and a lot of the viewers thatwatch and listen to the podcast
, are aspiring musical theatreperformers.
But we also have performers inthe industry and we can
sometimes feel when we're in theindustry, or even leading up to
getting in, that we're eithertypecasts or we're just the
dancer or just these labels andthings that we put on ourselves.
(05:12):
So did you find I mean in yourkind of story that it was more
of a natural progression thatyou went into being a lead?
Were you always wanting to be alead from the start?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
you always wanting to be a lead from the start, I
have felt pretty passionatelyabout leading a company and
telling a story.
I have always felt very, verypassionate about that, and it's
a funny thing because, I think,objectively, you look at it and
you're like, well, that doesn'tthat take a bit of ego, or
doesn't that?
I don't know, there's something, there's this, maybe a stigma
attached to that.
But I feel, personally, as anartist, I've always felt very
(05:48):
strongly about leading a companyand telling a story, and I
found that the way that mycareer has kind of played out, I
did feel like I mean, nine orten years is a long time to be
feeling like you've beenpigeonholed in, pigeonholed into
a particular track type, Iguess, and so it does make you
(06:12):
question whether you are goodenough right and I guess that
has been the ongoing challengeand battle for me mentally is
that I have had to try andconvince myself that I am good
enough to do that, and that'shard.
(06:36):
That's a long time.
I mean it's not a long time inthe scheme of like how many
years people work industry, butnine, ten years is a really long
time to be working so hard at aparticular thing to not maybe
pass the opportunity within thattime.
It's a long time to bequestioning your capabilities
(06:57):
and your skills and I guess inthe end, really now that I'm
here, it kind of doesn't reallyhave to do anything with me and
it has a lot to do with timingand when things are right they
will happen, that's it.
And.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
I know maybe, guests, in that progression you always
wanted to be a lead and startingthe ensemble, because with
these beautiful, wonderfulbigger goals that we aspire to,
there is that progression thatwe need to understand and take
acknowledgement over.
And I guess through that time,when you were in the ensemble
and then you were covering andgetting those little
opportunities to then go on, youwere talking about reassuring
(07:39):
yourself.
It was probably in those momentsthat when you did go on for
that lead, you were like, oh,that's right, this is where I
was wanting to be.
But I guess that's a reallycool way to actually, even if
people are looking to become alead, that if you don't get a
lead straight away, being anensemble covering, getting a
taste for it, because sometimeswhat we actually want, we don't
(07:59):
actually know what it's likeuntil we're there.
And I know it could have maybeI know it didn't happen for you,
but maybe for some other peoplethey I know, for an example,
people that want to be a swingthey go and be a swing and very
quickly realize that oh, it'snot actually what they thought
it was going to be.
And but I guess for you did youhave that experience going in
and then going on for the leadand going actually.
(08:21):
Yes, this is definitelysomething I want to continue.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yeah, absolutely.
I think.
I mean I would have had it noother way than to have had the
jobs that I've had, because I'velearned so much, and I think
all of that learning leading upto this point has really made a
(08:46):
huge difference, I think, in thetype of performer that I am and
the way that, I, guess, holdmyself as a performer.
And the thing is that, yes, Ihad so many of those moments in
the ensemble and you're workingso hard, you work so hard as an
ensemble member and you playsuch an important part in adding
(09:06):
the little details to the storythat's been told.
And then, on the side of that,you work so many hours to try
and make sure that you're readyto go on and to lead the company
in a way that you're going tobe proud of and that the company
are going to be happy with.
And when you finally get to dothat role and you finally get to
(09:27):
celebrate the hard work thatyou have done for yourself and
that everyone has, like kind ofchampioned you to get to that
point, it is truly eye-openingand, yes, it will either
solidify what you know and trulyfeel is right for you and what
(09:50):
you want to do and what you'repassionate about and what you
want to strive towards.
And two, it can really make youthink differently.
I actually don't know if this isme.
There is a huge responsibility.
I guess it really does dependon the type of roles that you're
covering, but the job that youhave to do as a lead is also
(10:10):
very difficult, and the thing isthe exciting thing as a cover
is you do it.
Maybe you never get to do itwhich has happened to me before
but then you do get to do itevery so often, and so it's very
exciting.
You were doing the show with awhole lot of adrenaline and
beautiful like feelings in yourbody that you're just never
(10:32):
experienced, and then to be ableto do that and try and
replicate that magic and it'snot even replicating the magic,
because really that's what livetheater is you just do it, and
it's different every night.
But to consistently provideaudiences with a magical
performance in a role is a verytough job, and so that is also
(10:57):
another thing that I'm learningis that, as much as I have
absolutely strived and wanted todo this, it is challenging in
the way that I do it everysingle night.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Yes, there's no okay.
We're going on for a cover oncea week.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
This is the full gig.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, and that's amazing because now you've had
that experience of Gigi andCatherine and Anita and really
stepping into that, looking atthem all as an individual
character.
There's some pretty tough roles, like to not only take on board
but to do eight shows a week.
How has that influenced yourmaybe perspective now as a
performer and as a lead, and hasyour kind of routine changed in
(11:40):
the way that you're lookingafter yourself?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, it's really interesting because, although
they have been like my firstroles that I have been, that
I've booked, I have learned somuch about myself that, honestly
, I never thought that I wouldever have to learn.
And I'm almost 32 and I've beendoing this forever and I have
learned the most about myselfprobably in the past year and a
(12:11):
half, two years, and most ofthat has been because of the
jobs that I've booked.
I think, firstly, when I didMiss Saigon, that was a dream
role and a dream show and I hadgiven all of my heart and my
spirit to that show, to thepoint where I left the contract
(12:33):
early because it got to a pointwhere I actually had nothing
left to give.
I felt so passionately aboutthe show and I gave so much of
myself that I had very littleleft to give and I said to
myself I respect the show andthe story so much that I can't
(12:54):
not give it what I want to giveit, and so, because I can't do
that, I have to step away, whichis so wild to me to think that
I would ever come to a decisionlike that when it's the first
role that I've ever booked.
It's a dream show, it's a dreamrole and I didn't have anything
booked.
After that I didn't haveanything, and I think that
(13:14):
there's also this like pressurethat you put on yourself is to I
need to book another one, Ineed to prove myself, I need to
back it up, I need to make surethat it wasn't a fluke, I need
to make sure that it wasn't justcoincidental, and so that was a
really hard decision that Ithink I had to make to realize
(13:36):
what it was that I was actuallydoing and what was required of
to be able to do things that I'mreally passionate about and
give whatever I could give.
So that was a huge learningexperience for me.
Not long after that, after Imade that decision that I wasn't
going to move forward with thatcontract, west Side Story
(13:57):
happened, and I think I remembertalking to you about this while
I was auditioning for this role.
I honestly did not think thatwas a role that I could be doing
in my 30s on a rake stage, andI was in a frenzy trying to
train, to ready myself to doanother dream role in a show
(14:24):
that I absolutely loved.
I did it five years previous tojoining the latest production
and I covered the role and Isaid I'm never going to be able
to do this again Like I'mliterally.
I'm in my thirties.
I can't be doing this showagain in another five years.
I don't think my body will beable to do it again in another
five years.
I don't think my body will beable to do it.
(14:52):
And I had a lot of doubt goinginto that room and I had a lot
of fear and I ended up saying tomyself you know what?
I've actually got nothing tolose.
I need to go in there formyself and just do it.
When they said we actually wantyou to do the job, I thought
well, I'm going to have tofigure out how I can do this.
Thankfully, I was doing a sixshow week they were single shows
and it was a short season and Ithought you know what I can do
(15:15):
this?
I trained a lot.
I trained really hard and I hadto learn how to speak to my
body very kindly, because it wasdoing things that I never
thought that it would be able todo at the age that I am, and it
was a really challengingexperience in the way that I
(15:38):
just had to be so kind and sograteful that my body was able
to do this multiple times a weekand it was something that I
didn't think I would be capableof doing, and I did get injured,
and I was injured for likealmost the whole way through the
season, but I somehow I don'tknow how I somehow managed to
(15:59):
figure out ways to help my body,and that was hours of like
conditioning, ice baths, rollingout, laying on the Shakti mat,
but truly, I think the mostbeneficial thing was literally
speaking to my body and sayingthat I'm actually okay because
(16:21):
we're just going to tell thisstory only a couple more times
and you're safe.
I don't know how I did it, butwe got through it.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I mean, I think you hit the nail on the head in
terms of feeling safe and Irecently would been teaching a
lot of students and getting inthe room and really noticing
that since I don't want to bringup COVID, but since COVID I
feel like there's a lot of usthat are especially students
that are scared to be morevulnerable and to put yourself
(16:53):
out there is to really bringthat fun back and really
bringing yourself to a placewhere you can feel safe, because
I feel like that's when you canproduce your best work,
especially since the pandemicthat we had and it's just
(17:17):
awesome that you've said thatand the importance of it's not
just the ice baths and thepractical things, but a lot of
the time and the things thateven I'm learning right now is
the free things are the mostlike powerful, our breath or the
simple tool of mindset andgetting on board with yourself
and being literally talking toyourself and saying you know
what, putting things intoperspective like you just did
Six shows.
It's all good, because we allhave that inner child within us
(17:40):
that is needing reassurance andone of the most beautiful things
is that we can give it toourselves and it's really the
only assurance we're reallylooking for and that's just so
beautiful that you were able todo that and continue and into a
beautiful another role.
How was that like from makingthat decision from Gigi I mean,
(18:00):
you still did Gigi for such awonderful time and long time,
which was cool, but what wasthat like then getting that next
stage of okay, now I'm going tobe Anita?
Was that that kind ofaffirmation or reassurance that
you were looking for?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yeah, it was a very full circle moment to have been
gifted the opportunity of thislike time, to be able to do that
role, and I think that's alsoanother thing that I learned
that it's okay to step away fromthings and that something will
(18:37):
come if it's meant to come.
Because really, at that point Ihad no other job and I thought,
you know what, maybe it's timefor me to have a little break,
maybe it's time to have moretime for me.
And I had a little break, likea tiny break between.
But I thought you know what Iwould absolutely love to play
Anita and to do it for such ashort amount of time.
(18:59):
I said after this I can have abreak.
In the meantime I wasauditioning for Six.
Actually, it was the weekbefore, it was the week before
my one-on-one no, it was twodays before my one-on-one
rehearsals for the Anitachoreography.
I had my Six audition and I wasa bit hesitant, to be honest,
(19:21):
to audition for Six because Ihad seen it in the original
Australian touring productionand I thought, gosh, those girls
work hard, they work reallyhard and that looks like a hard
show.
Energetically, physically,vocally.
It looks like a hard show.
And my mindset at that time,thinking okay, maybe it is time
(19:42):
to have a break.
And I said you know what?
I remember auditioning for thisshow, roja, whenever it came
the way back when, and Icouldn't finish the auditions
because I was doing Fangirls atthe time, so I was only there
for, I think, one or two daysand I ended up auditioning for a
(20:05):
couple of characters and I feltvery comfortable doing the
Aragon material.
That was way back when.
And I thought, you know what,maybe I'll just go in again and
maybe this time I'll have abetter idea of what I actually
should look at before going in,because there's a lot of
material and I would probablyfit into maybe a number of
(20:26):
different queens.
I thought you know what, maybeI'll just give it a go.
It's gonna be hard, but youknow what I'm like.
I'm a like theater girl, likethrough and through.
This is like a pop show.
I haven't done like poppythings since growing up.
I was'm very like empty.
I thought you know what, whynot just do it?
(20:48):
And I went in there and look, Idon't know if I did the best
that I could when I first sang,but I knew that the panel had
seen me do Gigi, and had seen meplay Anita, and I just thought
(21:10):
I actually can only do the bestthat I can do and if they
believe in me then maybe theywill see me for something.
I ended up spending two dayslearning a whole lot of
choreography, a whole lot of,and the choreography is amazing.
It's so detailed, it's so fun,so fun, it's so fun.
(21:31):
And I sang for a couple of thequeens and did a couple of the
monologues and thought I onlyhad two days, because then I was
into rehearsals for West Sideand I couldn't complete the rest
of it.
So we had to smash out all ofthe material that we could, had
to film it all.
So it was in a really shortamount of time and I'm thinking,
oh well, I guess you just dowhat you've got to do and the
(21:53):
way that things worked out, it'svery funny.
Halfway through the season Iended up finding out that I
booked Aragon and I thought Idon't know if I'm going to be
able to do that show.
I thought I don't know if I'mgoing to be able to do that show
.
I honestly was like that is ahard show and I know I'm
currently doing probably one ofthe hardest things that I've
ever done.
But I don't know if I'm goingto be able to do that and I just
(22:15):
thought what have I done?
What have I done?
And learning the show wasprobably one of the hardest
things I think I have ever done.
It is.
They're so detailed and it isso wonderfully complicated and
challenging in it's very likesimple.
It's simple, but it's notsimple because it's really dense
(22:36):
.
The material is really denseand I thought I am lucky that
I've learned how to speak kindlyto myself, because I need to
speak kindly to my brain,because I have not had to learn
something as intricate as thisfor a very long time and I had a
few meltdowns and I had to goback and be like, okay, I
(23:00):
remember how to talk to myselfkindly and to be patient with
myself, because it's all welland good to be a perfectionist
but unfortunately, when you areexhausted from full days of
rehearsals and your brain's notquite keeping up that, it just
takes time and so I'm now intothe season and I'm having the
(23:23):
best time.
It's one of the funnest showsI've ever done.
As hard as it is energetically.
It is one of the most fun showsI've ever done with such a
great group of people, reallygreat group of people.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
So wonderful and I mean I got to see it for opening
night in Melbourne because itwas so fun and it was awesome to
see you out there and I meangosh.
I mean, for anyone that doesn'tknow about Six, it's yeah, I'm
just reading it from here it's aglobal phenomenon which has
taken the world by storm.
It's arrived in Melbourne.
Currently, if you're here tocome and see it, as it's
captivating so many beautifulaudiences and it's really cool
(23:58):
because it actually I absolutelyloved it myself because I got
to see it for opening and, oh mygosh, there's no interval.
You're on stage.
For how long is it?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
90 minutes, 80 89 yeah, something like that yeah,
80 something minutes.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
It's full on, yeah and I really love this kind of
progression that I'm seeing inyour career and how really
looking at your mindset andlooking back on yourself and
really looking after yourselfand actually acknowledging when
things are going to be tough,because sometimes we just push
that to the side, right, we'relike, oh no, we just whatever,
don't acknowledge it.
But I think there was so muchpower and correct me if I'm
(24:34):
wrong from what I'm hearing isthat there was a lot of power in
acknowledging and going okay,this is tough, I don't know how
I'm going to do this, but youknow, by actually acknowledging
it, you probably lowered thestakes for yourself in a way and
actually gave yourself space to, yeah, go into each of those
roles and are you actually?
Do you feel like you're moreproud of yourself that you?
For each of those times that'shappened, you've kind of come
(25:02):
into it not feeling that youcould do it, and then now it's
something that is just soawesomely fulfilling.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
I think in my entire time that I've been working in
this industry, I've not beenmore proud of myself till now.
I think I've overcome some ofthe hardest challenges mentally
and physically, emotionally andto be able to look at what I'm
doing and knowing how hard I hadto really work at being patient
(25:32):
with myself and being kind tomyself.
I'm all the more proud forwhere I'm at and what I'm doing
because of it, because that'sthe hardest thing.
You can train as hard as youwant, you can do as many singing
lessons and dancing lessons asyou want, but there is nothing
that will train you more thanthe practice of being kind to
(25:52):
yourself.
So, yeah, I'm so proud.
I'm so proud I constantly givemyself pats on the back because
I'm like girl, you are doingthis.
Remember when you were crying,like the other day, when you
were like I can't do anything, Ihave no talent, and then you're
like girl, you're doing this sodramatic, it's so dramatic, but
(26:14):
it is.
Yeah, it is.
I mean, that's the fun of it.
Really, you'd laugh or you cry,but I'm really proud of myself.
I'm proud of you as well thanks, so six is obviously a very
high energy show and requires aproud of you as well, thanks.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
So Six is obviously a very, very high energy show and
requires a lot of you.
How do you maintain your vocalhealth, your physical health,
especially under the pressure ofperforming in such a demanding
environment for eight shows aweek?
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Yeah, I have figured out a nice little routine for
myself.
I started training actuallybefore West Side Story and I've
kind of tried to keep that upleading into it, and then whilst
I was rehearsing I kepttraining.
So physically I've reallystrived towards conditioning my
body so that I'm really strong,especially with costumes and
(27:03):
with the high energy like cardio, cardiovascular requirement of
the show.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Our names and our fame and our faces.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
We're all about the glories and the disgraces
Divorced, beheaded, died.
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
But just for you, tonight we'reDivorced, beheaded, died From
the show.
I've tried to maintain mytraining so that I feel like
(27:54):
when I'm doing my job I don'tfeel as exhausted.
But in saying that it meansthere's a whole lot more
exertion of energy.
So I'm eating so much more, I'msleeping so much more.
I nap, I, I power nap.
I was power napping atrehearsals.
I'd take myself at lunchtime.
After I had lunch with thegroup, I would take myself to
(28:14):
the rehearsal room and nap.
I nap every day.
I'm steaming, I'm doing all thevocal health stuff.
I'm trying to just be soconscious of allocating time in
my day for myself just to makesure that I have enough to give
and in order to be able to dothat, even though it's a minutes
(28:37):
of my day, sometimes it ishours of my day preparing myself
, make sure that I'm okay andthat I'm good to go.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
So, it takes time.
So much power in that?
Because I think a lotespecially students, aspiring
students they want to hustlelike, they just want to go, go.
And we learn through the earlyyears that if we don't listen to
our bodies, it will tell us forsure.
And that I think as well, notonly stepping into being a lead,
(29:10):
but it's really that shift frombeing a student to a
professional, when you reallyput your job first or maybe even
your job second, in the waythat you put yourself first and
seeing how that's played out ofyour career and how rewarding
that has been, is reallyinspiring.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
That's very kind.
Yeah, it's not easy, is it no?
Speaker 1 (29:34):
So I know, sometimes even I say to myself like, why
am I doing this?
For example, I'm such a morningperson.
I think we were talking.
We went for coffee not thatlong ago about how I'm such a
morning person and now I get toshows and it's interval and if
I'm not on I'm like nodding tosleep.
I mean, you couldn't do that insix.
It's hilarious what thisindustry does to us.
(29:56):
My gosh.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
I know it's hard to keep up.
It's hard to keep up, but youknow what?
Sleep is a huge thing.
I feel like sleep naps, powernaps, meditations, anything to
get some sort of rest, is a hugebenefit.
I think, to keeping up with thedemand absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Let's just take a step back for a second and I
want to talk about auditionsbecause a lot of students on
here they want to knoweverything.
They want to second.
And I want to talk aboutauditions because a lot of
students on here they want toknow everything.
They want to know what I needto expect and how can I best
show myself, how can I stand out, All that stuff.
But I would love to know if youhave any guidance on to give to
a student that is going inmaybe for the first time for a
(30:41):
big major musical audition.
The nerves are sitting in,they're not sure what's going to
happen.
What advice would you give tothis new generation that's
coming through?
Speaker 2 (30:51):
I think it's important not to put unrealistic
expectations on yourself.
I think it's important to berealistic of potential outcomes
so that you're not feelingdevastated afterwards or this
might actually be the momentthat you get the job too.
(31:13):
So I think, with those twothings, I think it's important
for you to go in knowing thatyou've done the work, that you
are worthy of the time, to showthe work that you've done and to
walk away from it knowing thatyou've done everything that you
(31:37):
could, you've put the work inand that, regardless of the
result of the result, itactually doesn't matter because
you're so worthy, regardless ofthe decision that's being made
at the end of the day.
And I think it's reallyimportant that, as long as you
(31:59):
go in there with the mindset ofI have something to show you, I
have something that I've beenworking on.
You've given me a time to showthat.
So I'm going to take the spaceand I'm going to take the time
that you've allocated to me toshow you what I can do.
And I think it's really hard.
(32:20):
It's really hard in likehigh-pressure situations and
environments like an audition,to get overwhelmed with the
amount of people that are therethe producers, the directors,
the content that you're learning.
I know I get very overwhelmedwhen I go into a dance school
because I have terrible pickupskills and I get.
(32:42):
I get terrified of what peoplethink of me because I am a
working performer and I can'tpick up simple things, because I
get overwhelmed and that issomething that, honestly, I've
done how many jobs and I stillhave that fear.
So to reassure you that itmight not get easier, but what
(33:09):
can change is your mindset andjust relieving yourself of any
unnecessary pressure andexpectation that it doesn't.
It's not serving what you'redoing.
And if you can separate that,then you will at least set
(33:29):
yourself up for some sort ofsuccess.
And that doesn't mean booking ajob.
That means going in there anddoing a good job.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Great, fantastic.
Oh, it's so awesome.
I've loved speaking to you.
I feel like we've just gonedown memory lane and also just
seeing all the amount, I thinkit's really beautiful.
I mean, we always get so manybeautiful messages on this
podcast as we were all in thesame boat at the end of the day
and I feel, as much as we cankind of break the barrier
(33:55):
between professionals andstudents we were all students
once and it's so awesome to hearyour vulnerability and even
your guidance of stuff thatyou're going through today,
because I feel like when you area student and you're you, we
just put all about theseprofessionals in such a high
category.
But we are all, we've all gotour own things and it's just.
(34:16):
It's awesome, and I know thatthe community is going to get a
lot out of our discussion todaygood yay well, if you want to
catch Kim, you've got to go andcheck out Six the musical.
You've got to go and check outSixth the Musical.
You've got to go check her out.
She is currently in Melbournefrom the time of filming at the
Comedy Theatre until October20th.
Then they're heading over tothe Theatre Royale in Sydney
(34:39):
from the 25th of October andthen heading to Brisbane from
the 2nd of January 2025.
You can also check out all thetickets on 6themusicalcomau.
Thank you so much, kim.
It's been awesome chatting withyou and I can't wait to catch
up with you again.
It's just been awesomeconnecting and, yeah, thanks.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Thanks Tim.
Thanks for having me Bye.
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