November 24, 2024 • 44 mins
Struggling with audition nerves, rejection, or finding your place in the industry?
In this episode, we dive into Charlotte Page’s journey from aspiring performer to a swing in Sunset Boulevard.
Learn how she overcame self-doubt, built resilience through rejection, and balanced the demands of musical theatre with self-care.
Whether you're navigating your first auditions or dreaming of booking your first show, this episode is packed with relatable stories, mindset hacks, and actionable advice to help you thrive in your musical theatre career.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here we are.
Hi Shasha, Hi Shasha.
Charlotte Page on the podcastNumber one fan now becomes on
the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Guys, I'm off.
How are you?
I'm good.
How are you, I'm so good.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It's so good to have you on, and especially someone
that's just not only graduatedbut you've been on in a full
major musical.
We've just been doing SunsetBoulevard together.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Both swings, your onstage swing.
What's that been like?
It has been amazing.
It has been such a greatintroduction to the industry.
When I got that phone call andmy agent said you've booked
Sunset Boulevard and then shefollowed it up with and you've
booked a swing, oh my gosh,their feelings were terrifying
to be, honest, I was terrified.
I thought I don't think you everthink that you can do it.
And then you're put in asituation where you book that
gig and you're like oh my gosh,how do they know that I can do
(00:51):
this?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Where were you when you got the call?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I was at home and I'd just been for coffee with a
couple of members of my cohortand they'd said have you found
out about Sunset yet?
And I was just like oh no, I'mnot sure what's going on.
I I'm not sure what's going on.
I got home, I sat down at mydesk, I was working and, yeah, I
got a call and I didn't haveanyone at home.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
So I was like what do I do?
And I just yeah so manyemotions.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It was the best call I've ever received.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yeah, no, it's amazing, and we just did it in
Melbourne and Sydney Working atthe Opera House.
How awesome was that.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
It was.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I know walking every day, just like I know it doesn't
feel real sometimes, did it?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Billy Boucher would always say you've peaked too
early.
Like you've first been workingat the Opera House, I was like,
oh, I know it set a really highbar, but yeah, oh my gosh.
It was just, yeah, reallysurreal, especially, I don't
know about you, but when wewalked it was really emotional.
There were a lot of tears.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Yeah, I'd never actually even been in the Opera
House, let alone perform there,not even as a tourist.
I just walked around it andthought that's nice.
Yeah that's nice.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
So then let's track back a little bit, because you
trained at the Con and you'revery passionate about your time
there.
How long were you there?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
I was there for three years, but they've actually had
a name change now.
So, they are the QueenslandAcademy of Excellence in Musical
Theatre, qaemt, so I know welike to say clamped but I am a
con kid because it was the conup until I left You're right, so
what year did you start there?
I started in 2021 and thengraduated last year in 2020.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Wow, was that after COVID yes.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Oh wow, yeah, I was living in Tassie at the time, so
I was really fortunate to notbe in the thick of COVID.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And you grew up in Tassie, didn't you?
I did, yeah, I'm a Launcestongirl, proud Tassie girl, oh my
gosh.
So what was the dance school,the school that you went to
there?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I started at Launceston Dance Centre with
Miss Marianne.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Oh, very good.
How old were you when you werestarting?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I think I was three.
Yeah, I started ballet and thenmom always said she was like
when I was in high school Istruggled to stand up in front
of.
She was a prefect and she waslike I always struggled to stand
up and speak, and so big thingwhen she said, when I had you
girls, I've got a big sister,she was like I didn't want you
to have those same confidenceissues.
So she enrolled us in balletand then yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Three years old.
Yeah, oh my gosh, I started mydance training at 14.
Like it's just crazy, I know, Iknow.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
No, it's all I've.
Yeah, it's been most of my lifebeing on stage, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Oh my gosh.
And so obviously you did thething in Tassie.
What was the kind of momentwhere you started to feel like
maybe I need outsource and go tothat next step.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I had a really interesting path after school so
I'd always danced when I was 11.
I got into Latin and ballroomdancing, which I feel like is a
big part of my journey, so worthnoting that was something that
I did for about eight years andcompeted and I loved that and I
think that was my firstintroduction to acting in a way
because there's a lot ofstorytelling in Latin and
ballroom dancing.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I loved hearing this about you.
I didn't even find this outuntil later in the seven months
of meeting each other.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I know, I think we only talked about it in the last
week.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Wait, so you competed .
Yes, yes, oh my gosh, that mustbe a whole different world.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
It's a very different world.
Yeah, so I started ballroomwhen I was 11.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
And the guy, andrew Palmer, who came to Tassie and
opened up the studio.
I had a friend who'd startedand she was like you should come
along and have a go, becauseI'd always been dancing and that
was where I found.
I guess my thing Like that waswhen I, within a year, I was
like I'm much better at thisthan I am at ballet, and I never
had ballet feet.
(04:21):
Yeah, I started competing when Iwas about 11 or 12 and then,
yeah, it's a very it's a verydifferent world to musical
theatre, the slick back hair andthe fake tan and the glitzy
costumes and.
but I loved it.
I loved it and that was where Ireally felt like I found my
niche and my passion.
And, yeah, it took us overseasa couple of times.
We went to Russia and we wentto Latvia, did you?
(04:43):
Yeah, which was awesome when Iwas 15 and then 17, and then had
a bit of a break when Ifinished high school.
My dance partner, henry, wentoff traveling and then he came
back and we went for coffee andhe was like I want to do the
Aussies.
So we did six months ofhardcore training and went back
and did our last competitiontogether when I was 19.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, and so what was the shift between that and then
going into musical theatre?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Actually the first amateur theatre show I did in
Tassie was Strictly Ballroom, sothat was funny because I was
like worlds collide.
And I think theatre for mestarted in high school when I
was competing in Latin and thenI started singing at school when
I was cast in like our schoolmusical.
It's a weird combinationbecause I think it took me a
while to grow well.
It took me a long time toactually grow my confidence in
(05:27):
my other abilities.
In singing I'd only ever knowndancing.
Yeah, strictly Born was a funnyone because, I was like this is
both of the things that I'vedone for a long time.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
That was obviously the perfect thing.
Yeah, yeah, it's crazy howthings happen.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
I know, I know yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Oh my gosh.
So that was good, so good.
So then you did three years atthe, what it's called now QAEMT,
but it was the con when I wasthere.
The con when you were there.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
And so when were auditions for Sunset?
Was that the first auditionyou'd ever done?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Was there other experiences I'd had?
We, once we get to third yearat the con, we're allowed to
audition for.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Right.
So for the first two yearsyou're not allowed to audition.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
No, paul, who runs the course there, and it's
really true.
You've come here to learn andyou're still cooking as you
would say in first and secondyear, but in third year, opens
up that opportunity for you tostart becoming an auditioner.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Seeing for things and getting in the room.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Getting in the room.
So my first audition was Greaseand my second audition was what
else did I go to?
I think I auditioned forsomething else in person.
I actually can't remember whatit was, but I think I had two
auditions.
Oh, Chicago.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
And that was on my birthday.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Oh, really yes, and so it was such a full circle
moment because I auditioned forChicago on my 26th birthday, got
cut and on my 27th birthday Icelebrated it in sunset wow, and
I was like this is so weird howmuch could happen in a?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
year.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Oh my god but yeah, not much could shake me that day
.
I was like it's my birthday,I'm gonna go have a nice day um,
so I did Greece, chicago, andthen it was that period of time
when I graduated where therewere heaps of auditions.
I think Grand Hog Day wasauditioning, sunset was
auditioning.
Yeah, I feel there was aboutfive auditions it all rains and
it pours.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
When it rains, it pours.
I feel, with auditions, yeah,it's either nothing and then one
month where there's five.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Literally it was crazy, but at the time we were
all like what a privilege We'vejust graduated and now we're
getting seen for all of thesemusicals and I think most of
them were.
It was really good.
It was good and I think thefact that there were a few
auditions as well took thepressure off because it felt
like, okay, there's all thesedifferent shows coming.
(07:34):
I might not be right for any ofthem, I might be right for one
of them, I don't really know butit meant that I didn't put all
my eggs in one basket.
This is the only showauditioning right now Just the
pressures increased a little bitsometimes basket.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
This is the only show auditioning right now.
Just the pressures increased alittle bit sometimes.
So you did three of theauditions at that time and what
was the first auditionexperience like that you'd ever
done Was that Greece?
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, so what was that like?
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Sharing the truth, because you trained for so long
to then finally go and do thething and you're there.
What is it like?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
It was actually so funny because Greece came up and
I think I looked at that.
I was obviously aware I wasstill studying as well, so I
didn't have that bachelor'sdegree yet, so I didn't want to
put too much pressure on it.
But you are so nervous thatfirst audition and I think the
nerves for me were increasedbecause I was studying it was
like this is what it is and, asthey say, you're a professional
(08:26):
auditioner, you're not aprofessional performer.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
That's what we do.
You've got to get the job, yes.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
So then I didn't really have the ability to walk
in.
Even after two years oftraining, I still walked in,
terrified.
I was so nervous and I thinkI'd learnt three different
characters' material.
I think it was like Marty.
I might have learnt Sandy.
We'd done Grace at uni, so Iwas familiar with it which was
good do you find that helped alittle bit?
(08:52):
it did a little bit at least youknew the material of what the
angle kind of was going yeah, Iknew the material, but I walked
in and as much as I tried topretend like I was so confident,
I just was so, so scared.
I was so scared and I didn'taudition well, because I
actually didn't back myself thatday I really walked out and I
think I felt the pressure too.
I was living in Brisbane, I'dflown to Melbourne for the
(09:12):
audition, so it was thatintroduction to okay.
This is also like the expensivepart of auditioning.
If I'm going to be Brisbanebased and I'm going to be doing
this all the time to walk in,sing a song and be like, if I'm
going to be Brisbane based andI'm going to be doing this all
the time.
To walk in, sing a song and belike thanks, that's all we need
to see.
I was like, oh, this is theindustry Like?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
welcome to the industry.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So it was actually a really good introduction.
Yeah, yeah, because it made mego.
All right, I don't want to A Idon't want to feel this
terrified when I walk in.
That was a big thing that Itook away from it.
But B I was like this is whatit is and I was a bit of like
there was acceptance in thatmoment of that rejection being
(09:50):
like all right on to the next, Iknow.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
So then you ended up.
Was it Chicago?
The second one.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Chicago was the second one, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And how did you feel going into that?
Obviously, you're probably sodifferent.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
So different.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
So different?
Yeah, what do you feel likechanged since the Grease
audition?
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I think I walked out and went.
I don't want to walk in feelingthe way I walked into Grease.
I already walked in feelingreally just high anxiety, and I
don't think I set myself up wellfor that audition.
I think on the day, I sataround and I practiced the songs
a million times, even thoughI'd already done that.
I knew what I was doing, yeah,and I you psyched yourself out,
(10:26):
absolutely psyched myself out.
The difference between Greeceand Chicago, though, was that
dance was first in Chicago, andI think, naturally, I feel more
comfortable and in my elementwalking into a dance audition
first.
Yes, so yeah, the difference wasthat just in itself, I thought,
okay, I'm doing the thing thatI feel the most confident in yes
, so that was good, and it wasalso my birthday, like I know,
(10:48):
right so you're like, even if Iget cut, it's my birthday.
It's my birthday every auditionI walk into because I've walked
in thinking okay, I needsomething else that's going to,
even if I get rejected today.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That's it.
What do they say?
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Rejection is redirection.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, my mindset was I was just in a healthier,
happier place.
I think, when I walked in forChicago.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah, when you were talking about, you didn't back
yourself in the first time andthen you were able to the second
time.
Was there anything elsespecific that you did that
allowed you?
It can be something simple thatallowed you to feel like you
were backing yourself, going in.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah, I listened to the five minute it is by.
I've got to remember what it'scalled the Arts Wellbeing
Collective do a pre-perform.
It's called a performance.
Energy like meditation.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
And we were introduced to this at uni.
I can't remember if it was justlike on a worksheet we got
given after a workshop orsomething, but it was like this
is a really good resource.
You should listen to thisfantastic.
I have a five minutes calledextend breath.
It's just like a deep breathingmeditation.
And then this is calledperformance energy and I'd
started listening to it when wewere doing shows, when I was in
(11:56):
first year and we were doingGrease, and then it became
something that I would listen toand before Grease audition I
did not listen to it.
And I don't know how.
I think it's easy to see thatthis could have actually had a
big impact.
But, if you haven't listened toit.
Yeah, I'll link it into thisepisode for sure.
Amazing, and it's very fittingbecause I'm creating things
(12:20):
right now.
I know, and that's.
We've obviously been able totalk about this stuff so much
throughout sunset.
But I've never been a bigperson on in meditation, but I
find it incredibly relaxing.
It actually makes me cry yes itmakes me cry because I think the
way it's structured it alwaysreminds me that I do this
because I love it and I thinkthat is really powerful before
walking into an audition havingthat mindset, even if I get a no
(12:40):
today.
I do this because I love it andit's just a really nice
reminder and I listen to itbefore my sunset audition.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
There you go.
So, who knows, there we go.
Well, definitely, I'lldefinitely check it out.
I didn't even know they hadthat.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, there we go.
Oh definitely, I'll definitelycheck it out.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I didn't even know they had that, so that's
fantastic.
Yeah, it's really good.
I really love all the work thatthey do as well.
Yeah, and that's it.
I think a lot of us gosh givingme a mindset hack at 18, I
would have told you to piss off.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I used to be like this too.
I was like meditation.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Yeah, I don't have time.
Who's like such a high, likeI've been such an anxious kid?
I was like, imagine, I know, ohmy gosh, I was just yeah anyway
.
But now, having done now Iteach yoga and I've done all of
that and really understood thebenefits of it is it's, yeah,
fundamentally how I live nowwith learning about it and
teaching people.
So if people are hearing about,oh, meditate or stuff, things
like the arts, well-being, arts,well-being collective and even
(13:35):
the stuff that I've started topost, I've always found, even
when I was just a slight,tangent that would go on.
Now I remember trying Pilateslike reform of Pilates for the
first time but I never did itbeforehand and then my
introduction to it was from adancer or an artist that was
actually teaching it, andsometimes that's a really cool
way to start going into thingsthat maybe you're not
(13:59):
comfortable with, likemeditation or yoga actually
being taught by a performer,because then we're able to
actually make it morph to yourexact needs, and I'm sure that
meditation had it was based onthat.
You're about to go into anaudition and to give your values
and to all of that as well.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Yeah, it's just really relatable and, yeah, just
incredibly calming.
And I think that is soimportant to walk in
clear-minded because, you don'tknow what's going to be thrown
at you but, walking in andworrying about that beforehand
isn't going to serve you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
And when we're going into auditions it's all in the
we're in our heads massively.
We don't even sometimes believewe're in a body, we're just
like but what if this, what ifthat?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
So, just taking a moment and you walk out and you
go.
What just happened?
What just happened, yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
So then you did the Chicago.
You felt a little bit moreself-worth and a bit more stable
from doing this meditation,which was amazing.
And then Sunset happened.
So what was there anydifferences?
What did you learn from theChicago audition that allowed
you to step into Sunset in adifferent way?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I think just a little bit of like rejection actually
really helped me with resilience.
So, getting the nose was goodbecause it made me go.
I'm determined to get a yes.
Not necessarily in a way that Iwould walk in and act any
different than I usually would,but I definitely think for me
there was just a biggerconfidence in myself.
(15:25):
And there was also anotherelement that might've helped in
the way that when I went into myaudition so I was actually
auditioning for Sunset inMelbourne that was my original
Sunset, I think it must havebeen.
Melbourne was auditioning afterSydney and I couldn't make my
time due to a family we had.
I think I might have had afuneral or something but, I
(15:47):
couldn't make it and I contactedmy agent Sorry, not my agent
because I wasn't with them yetbut I contacted Uni, our admin
lady dummy there, who wasorganising all of that for us.
Then she said absolutely justask if you can change it.
So I ended up going in Sydney,which also meant that I walked
into the audition.
I was very like by myself.
I wasn't there with any of mycohort members, I wasn't there
with any, I didn't know anyone,and so I really felt like I
(16:12):
could just unapologetically walkDo you know what I mean?
Like I didn't have anythingholding me back or I wasn't
worried about making sure that Iwasn't worried about what
everyone else was doing.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
I felt like I turned up.
I was like hey, like Katie, whobooked it as well.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
We met each other in the bathroom.
Wow, we ended up going for likea beer at the pub after.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I called back and became really good friends.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I love this story yeah and we were like oh, she
goes.
Imagine if we booked this andshe quickly went oh no, I don't
want to think about that.
No, we can't think about that.
And then we did so.
That was really funny, but Ilike walked in fresh, I was like
I'm going to just be myself,say hi to everyone, and it was
(16:57):
such a lovely.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Everyone knew each other, but instead of sitting
back and being like everyoneknows each, other.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I was like I'm going to talk to people and meet
people and start to which.
Then I felt like I walked infeeling more confident because I
just had conversations withpeople in the room and people
are nice, don't?
Think that you're going to walkinto an audition and everyone's
sitting there like this which Ithink is a bit of a stigma.
Everyone's so focused and youtalk to anyone.
It's just not like that.
That's what's been so niceabout working and doing Sunset
(17:19):
it's, oh, everyone is so nice.
Everyone has your back.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
It's not as scary as I think it can sometimes be
played out and we talk aboutthis a lot, especially with a
lot of performers you get taughtso strictly about what the
industry is and then you havethe experience, which I feel is
consistently changing.
When I was starting out, it wasa whole different world to where
it is now.
What was it like then, steppingfrom now?
(17:47):
You've you did the training,you've done the auditions, you
got in and now you're starting.
That's a long time to get there, from your ballroom kind of
days and being in Tassie doingauditions, and now you're about
to start rehearsals for Sunset.
What was that like?
Because did you have to move.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Yes, I'm Brisbane based, so then, like I moved
there for the con and Brucey'sbeen home, since yeah, so you
had to move down to Melbourne tostart rehearsals?
Yeah, but I lived in Melbourneback in 2017 to 2019 because
this is my second degree, so Idid a.
Bachelor of Communications andworked in marketing and then
ended up back in Tassie and thenI've moved around a little bit.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
So coming back to Melbourne definitely felt like a
little piece of home, which wasnice, but I had, from the time
I found out, which must havebeen late November, to when we
started, which was the first orsecond of April.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Yeah, it was quite a big gap.
Yeah, it was about four monthsbefore, like from finding out to
when we started, which wasreally lovely because I felt
like I had a lot of time to workout and set up how I thought I
would swing and you always thinkyou're going to swing a certain
.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
This is how you think you're going to do it, and then
you get there and you're likeoh my gosh.
But I remember doing a lot oflike mindset stuff and making
sure I was like staying activeand getting out and doing all
the things that I like to do inthat time, because I knew that
once we started it was going tobe pretty busy.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
But just preparing myself mentally really for what
could come.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I wasn't really sure what to expect, and that's it,
because you're wanting toprepare for something that you
don't even know what's actually.
I didn't know how to do it.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
And you guys have said it too.
Like when we started yourselfand you embarrassed the DCs.
No one knows how to swing.
Really there's a little elementof it studying at the con.
In our third year show wedouble cast, so you do have two
tracks.
That was the only time I'd beenintroduced into that, but for
me I was terrified of swingingharmonies oh yes in true me
(19:40):
fashion.
I found I just never told youthis.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
I found an old 19 something score of sunset and I
learned all of the harmoniesbefore I got through it were the
same.
Yes, oh good, and I wasn't sureif they would be, but I know
myself and I knew that, swimmingif you would be.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
But I know myself and I knew that.
If you think that you couldnever swing harmonies, trust me
you can, because I went into.
I knew no music theory when Istarted at the con I'd never
done anything like this oh same.
But I feel like I'm more like Ilearned by listening, like my
ear.
So I felt, okay, I've got theear for, I think, singing the
harmonies, but how am I actuallygoing to hack this?
(20:14):
And I thought I'm just going tostart now.
And I thought, even if they'rethe same, or even if they're not
, at least I've got a little bitof a head start.
So that was actually what I didand I feel like a lot of.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
I was need to make that really clear.
Maybe don't go look at it.
I am very.
That was definitely me being alittle bit anxious about it and
wanting to get ahead.
You do what suits you.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
For me it worked out well, but it could have been a
completely different score, andI actually could have set myself
up for failure.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
So it actually probably wouldn't be my first
piece of advice, but definitely,yeah, finding what works for
you.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
You don't know how to swing before you get there.
You just have to learn it.
But whatever they've seen inthe audition room, I had to keep
reminding myself.
It was enough for them to knowthat I could do it, and that
should have given me though Idoubt it at times enough
confidence in myself to go.
And then you just work it outas you go.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Yeah, so let's talk about swinging, let's talk about
that, and you've been.
I think it was even near theend of Sydney, you had quite a
good go at doing different rolesand stuff like that.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I did.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Yeah, because you were on stage swing for Sunset
and for anyone that maybedoesn't know what that is, what
is an on-stage swing?
Speaker 2 (21:27):
So essentially you have your own plot every night,
so it's in the show, and thenyou.
I guess in worst case scenarioyou can be removed in a sense.
So I think there was probablymaybe one or two shows they had
to cut my role out which leftPort Campbell on his own,
because he's the other on stagesinging and we do most of our
(21:47):
scenes together.
So a bit of interpretationthere, and I had to do that once
too, and I said to you and Bez.
What do I do when I walk on?
He's not going to be there andBez was like just make it up
Like you're creative.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Yeah, that's it.
Find a new intention.
I was like, okay, great.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
So yeah, and then I would swing into other tracks if
they needed me and then theymight put a few times, like
they'd put an offstage swinginto my track.
Regan would do my track.
I think I got about sevenswings in the last two weeks at
Sunset or three weeks at SunsetGosh.
It was great.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Yeah, and you loved it.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
You were great I love it, it's so fun.
I love the feeling.
I love those nerves.
I think you have to like I loveit.
I know right, I miss it becauseyou become, you don't really
get.
I tend to not.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, you just get comfortable, you know what to
expect.
So it becomes a little bit lesschill what's going to happen.
And then, all of a sudden, oh,by the way, you're on for this
character tonight.
Okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I mean, I guess I'm a bit biased because I've been
swinging for a little while,yeah, and doing it.
But yeah, you definitely get toif I could go back.
I just get bored.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Yeah, it's so I think you can't get complacent.
It keeps you really in the showand there's something that's
really cool about going.
I know all these tracks.
Like I could do all of thesetracks and that's really.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
that's great for confidence, because it's just
yeah, it reminds you that you'recapable of more than you always
think you are A hidden thingthat I really loved about
swinging is that it really givesyou the bigger picture idea of
a scene, of the show in itsentirety, Whereas when I've just
been on for an ensemble trackyou just live in your own little
world.
You don't even notice scenes orthings that are happening.
But being a swing is a reallycool thing in the fact that you
(23:32):
get to.
You really need to understandthe bigger picture and I find
the more that I go on fordifferent people I'm more aware
of like the scene as a whole andI get to actually enjoy it even
more.
Yeah, Don't you agree?
Speaker 2 (23:43):
And things that you actually didn't notice.
Yes, Small things but we werereally lucky to have such a like
, such a beautiful supportivecast and I never felt like I
couldn't say to Maddie or say toMary, hey, in this moment, here
, do you hand that bottle tothat person?
Yes, and everyone was always sowilling to be like, yep, you do
this.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
But sometimes you'd say, hey, do you just double
checking because you'd havesomething in your notes and
they'd be like oh, that doesn'thappen anymore, or that's
changed, I know, and you go oh,oh right, I do that on stage, I
love it.
I got to come on stage a fairfew times with you as Campbell.
We had fun, we did andsomething that I didn't realise
(24:20):
until I actually went on withyou something that I do.
I guess it's like a copingmechanism that I just find works
for me.
When I go on, if I'm a bitnervous, like the key thing that
I fundamentally do is bring funto it.
So before I go on.
I go like this we're going to dothis, this, this, and that's
all going to be good.
Let's go, just bring the funelements.
That's always helped me go on,because it allowed I always
(24:43):
remind myself that it's reallynot that serious.
What we're doing is really notthat serious and we're actually
meant to have fun.
And if I'm having fun and I'menjoying what I'm doing on stage
, it allows me to do a muchbetter job as opposed to but is
it the right hand, left hand?
What about this?
It doesn't serve you.
No, it doesn't serve.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
And it's the other thing to remind yourself when
you walk off and you've made aminor mistake which you're going
to do as a swing.
I think that's a reallyimportant thing to know.
You cannot ruminate on thosemistakes.
They're going be able to walkaway and go.
The audience don't know.
(25:23):
The majority of the peoplesitting in the audience have
never seen the show.
They don't know that youaccidentally used your left hand
instead of your right.
I know that the dance captainsand the rest do, but you can
give those notes and you go.
Oh sorry, I forgot about that.
No, all good, just want it tojust note it down and then you
move on because, yeah, there'sno, it just doesn't serve you to
sit around.
And I think two things I'velearnt are trust and perspective
(25:46):
.
Trust yourself, trust thepeople that are around you, and
the perspective thing it's notthat serious.
I always say and I said this toRegan once, I think Regan's
offstage swing and we've workedvery much together which has
been awesome, very much lent oneach other throughout this
period, which has been great.
And I said to her one day it's abit morbid.
But I said one day it's a bitmorbid.
But I said one day, like when Idie no one's going to stand up
and say Charlotte was a reallygreat swing.
(26:08):
Charlotte always knew whichhand went up in the scene.
That we did I love that and Ijust it helps me go.
We are not like, we're notsuper humans, we cannot get
everything right and it's ourjob to keep the show running.
And yeah, of course, there'smoments that are more crucial
than others in terms of likesafety you don't want to run
(26:28):
into someone, or?
Cause any traffic issues orforget important props, those
things.
But as long as you put yourbest foot forward, do your best
and remember that you cannot beperfect every time you walk out
on that stage which is when thefun is the fun and you walk off
(26:51):
as you have before I go on.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Oh, absolutely yes, and it's a running thing that I
find with every swing I've beenable to work with some really
talented swings, including youand going.
It's a really funny thing thatI still do to this day.
You will go on for the firstshow.
You'll get so many things andmaybe there's like a few things
that are like that could bebetter, and then the next
opportunity you get to go on,you'll do really well in the
things that you stuffed up inand then all of a sudden, now
one thing that you got reallywell done is all stuffed up and
(27:14):
it's just like this jumble.
So if you're not humorous aboutit and you can't move forward
with the sense of humility, solong as no one's being hurt and
everyone's known yeah yeah, andof course you're on top of your
work to a certain extent,Absolutely there's definitely.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
It's a balance, but I think we found a really nice
balance in Sunset and I think.
All credit to you, and Bez aswell, just creating such a
lovely environment for us tofeel like we could make mistakes
, and it wasn't the end of theworld.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
That's it.
Both Amy and I have worked withmany different types of people
and in those roles as well, thathave been quite strict and come
down, and we've just found thatwe just come from a place of.
We've been there, we are swings, we've had that experience and
we know how nerve wracking itcan be.
So I find that only kindnessand support and actually seeing
(28:02):
people as a human first is goingto actually help them more than
why are you not doing this?
Speaker 2 (28:06):
I'm so glad that you guys are like that.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
We were talking about this yesterday, about when I'm
ever in a position, that is, ofbeing a dance captain or
providing notes in any capacity,I'm always coming from that
place of they're actuallyprofessional artists that are
being paid to be here.
They're not my children that Ineed to keep a hold of.
You know what I mean.
(28:29):
So, like they, I always thinkif someone gets something wrong,
I inherently know, or come froma frame of mind that no one
actually ever wants to do itwrong.
Everyone wants to do their best.
And they probably already knowthat they haven't, oh all the
time the amount of times I don'thave to even know, because
someone will come up to me andbe like did you see that?
I just have to say, and a lotof the times I might not be
(28:50):
watching, and I'll be like ohyeah, I don't know, shah, I'm
going to have to come in at 10amto go over that and I'll just
say it.
But sometimes just sitting backand you and be like, oh my God.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Oh, you walk off with that.
Look like yep, yeah, you knowthat I did that before.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Yeah, but again it comes down to that having fun
with it, basically.
So why don't we finish off withsome things to think about?
If there's students that listeninto the dive and they're
looking to become a pro, they'rewanting to use their skills,
the things that they've trainedfor so long to make a career out
(29:24):
of it skills, things thatthey've trained for so long to
make a career out of it.
And I would love to know anyeither advice that you would
give maybe younger Charlottethat, coming from the world of
studying, to thinking, okay, Ineed to do all these things to
move forward to now havingexperience of doing auditions,
getting into a show, living thelifestyle that you dreamed of.
What would be some word ofadvice to people that are just
(29:46):
in that cusp they're auditioningnow, maybe getting rejected,
they're going through themotions.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I would say find other things that fill your cup.
I have a lot of interests andhobbies and when I started at
the con I remember walking awayfrom my first couple of days
feeling am I an imposter?
Because I was hearing peopleall the time like name drop and
talk about so many differentmusicals that I'd never heard of
.
And I thought do I like know,do I know enough about this
(30:14):
industry, or am I you know?
Yeah, I just felt like a littlebit out of place.
I knew how much I loved it and Iwas obviously there.
I'd proven myself.
I got my foot in the door and Iwas at the con, so I didn't
need to then prove that side ofit.
But for me, I stay sane byhaving other things in my life
(30:37):
that make me happy.
I'm really close with my family.
I've always loved sport and Ifound that during the times
where because your job is yourhobby, is your passion, it's
everything.
We do this because we love itso much.
But I feel like the times whenI've been able to turn up to uni
or turn up to work sunset orturn up to an audition as my
best self is when I am fillingmy cup with the other things
(30:59):
that make me happy.
Yes, you have to keep learningand you have to keep going to
the dance classes and havingyour singing lessons and
upskilling and always being keenand eager to learn, but you
don't have to be this person wholives and breathes musical
theatre and it's absolutelyeverything about you.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
It's actually not sustainable.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
No, and I wish I knew that in my first sort of year
of uni, I thought it had to bemy everything.
And then you decide of who youare and what makes you who you
are, and it was a big thing forme.
Just like be myself.
Like be yourself.
Don't turn up and pretend,because you know you're going to
turn up and pretend to besomeone else.
Well, you've got to sustainthat for seven months on a
contract I know right.
(31:39):
So I was like I'm not going tobe that, I just want to.
Yeah, I want more youngerperformers to know that there
can, you can have other thingsthat make you happy.
You can be a yoga instructor,you can do the Melbourne half
marathon.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
There's a lot of people who like run.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
Now there's a lot of performers who I follow.
Now they wouldn't know who I am, but I see what they do and
they have these other hobbiesand I love that.
I actually find that reallyinspiring, because when these
times have come and it's onlybeen two weeks since Sunset's
finished but we've essentiallygot about a three month break I
didn't want to get to that pointor the point when I'm out of
work which is going to come.
Inevitably.
There's going to be times whenI'm in between contracts where I
(32:19):
feel like I have nothing else.
So I try my best and I wouldstart it now, if you're even an
aspiring performer, because whenyou get to uni it's basically a
nine to five unpaid job.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
It's a full-time job, and I guess maybe that's what
we get taught.
So then that's what we expect,absolutely.
When you finish, or even youget into eight show weeks.
You've just gone from this nineto whatever everyday class.
So then, when you're now leftto your own devices, and even if
you just did one class or a dayor something, it doesn't feel
enough.
(32:48):
But just knowing that it is morethan enough.
It's just the years that youtrain I always say is like the
intensive, kind of like pressurecooker moment to get you ready,
to get you cooked, to get youready.
But then when you actually gointo real life you're 18 or
whatever.
At that time it's a good timeto do all those things.
But when we're talking aboutsustainability and the longevity
, when we do eight show weeks,we're not there eight, 12 hours
(33:12):
a day?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
No, on a Friday we rock up at 6.30 at our one-hour
call time.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And finish by like 10.15 or something like that.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
Yeah, and like for me and I think you were similar I
like to get outdoors, Go for acoffee with a mate.
I also work in marketing andthat other side as well, so
what's maybe there that I couldstart to?
Do or look at other work forwhen we have these breaks.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
And I guess as well when you are studying, because
it is your whole life.
When you now get all thisopportunity to, in quotes,
discover who you are or do that,I think a really cool stepping
stone and what I love teachingstudents is to find what you
actually love to do.
Like for me, I really lovedperforming, but I also loved
educating and teaching.
So whenever I'm not performing,I'm always teaching a class or
(33:55):
now creating my own programswhere I can teach, and so that
fulfills me.
But I always, again, like whatyou were just saying really
helpful thing to do is actuallyjust live your life and be with
family and do random things.
When we were in Sydney, a bunchof us went bowling, yeah, and I
have never had more fun.
I think it was the best day outof the whole entire sunset run
(34:16):
Silly fun.
Because it was stupid and sillyand fun, and I think sometimes
we forget to actually have funas artists.
Yeah, because we are sodisciplined to go and do the
things and rock up and stuff,but we actually begin to lose
sight of that we're human andthat we love to just be stupid
and have fun and actually enjoythis life that you're creating
(34:37):
for yourself.
It doesn't actually have to bethat hard.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
No, absolutely, and I also have been a big believer
in.
When you do those things andyou feel your cup outside of
work.
That's when you walk into theroom and you bring the best
energy.
And that energy that filtersout everyone, and if you're
going to walk in because you'reconstantly exhausted, because
you come to work, but that dayyou've done two dance classes
and had a singing lesson and,like you, just it's everything
(35:02):
and you think that's what youhave to do.
You also need to rest and I'mnot great at that, I'm the same.
I struggle to sit down and watcha TV show.
I always feel like I have to bedoing something.
So it's something that I needto work on still, but definitely
, yeah, that energy does filterthrough.
So the more you look afteryourself, I think, the better
the vibe and energy andpositivity and sense of that in
(35:25):
the company is going to benefit.
So absolutely, and I know yourbest for you, but be your best
for everyone else around you too.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
That's it, and we were chatting yesterday a little
bit about this and I'vepersonally been on a bit of
discovery and why I want toteach the things I want to teach
and how I got to this stagewhere, yes, I'm a yogi and I
love all of that and likemeditation and soundbars, like
I'm there with the sage andloving my life, you know,
outside of a show, and then Iget into the show and it's game
on, let's go, we're going todance.
But something that reallycrucially happened for me was
(35:55):
about five years into my careerwe'll chat about this.
That I was in musicals.
I was out, I was partying a lot.
That I was in musicals, I wasout, I was partying a lot, I was
about 10% to 20% looking aftermyself properly, like the food I
was eating, the people I wasaround, all of that and then the
rest was just like go, it wasalways the next thing and I
ended up getting you don't seeit on social media, but I hurt
(36:15):
my back.
I was out for three weeksbedridden.
There were so many differentthings upon my journey maybe
I'll start sharing.
That actually took me out anddidn't allow me to actually
perform at the capacity that itlooked shiny from the outside.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Oh, taylor's working again.
He's there.
I know you make such a goodpoint there, literally, and it
wasn't until I know.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
I think we've got to just start sharing the real
stuff on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
It's so scary though it's funny.
We're on stage every nightbeing vulnerable, but no one
wants to share that stuff onsocial.
Some people do and I take myhat off to them yeah.
It's all glossy, isn't it?
So it's good.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
And then it wasn't until a dear friend, best friend
of mine, introduced me to yogaand I was like, oh, here we go,
like come into a yoga, just do anice stretch and I'll be fine.
And what's the next thing?
I need a HIIT workout.
What's the next thing?
I need a hit workout.
I want to do a dance two hourdance, anyway.
(37:08):
That's where I was at.
And then I did this class and Iwas like wait, what is this?
It allowed me to get out of mymind and into my body.
I was like that was an hour.
It felt like 25 minutes to me.
Anyway, what I'm saying is thatwhen I started to explore yoga
but it may be different thingsfor everyone yeah, going to afl,
whatever it is for you toactually like, step outside of
the performing world.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
That's not the most calming experience, maybe not.
Afl.
Go for run.
I like running, running.
There you go.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
But what I'm basically saying is that I ended
up realizing that I needed tostop and I needed to really make
my self-care and my mindset apriority.
And the amazing thing thathappened is, as soon as I
started to do that I keptbooking shows, but not only book
shows I was able to sustainthem and have less shows off.
Nothing wrong with going offAbsolutely not.
(37:54):
Just put that out there.
But we build and we train sohard to get there.
Isn't it going to be so muchbetter to actually live there
completely and be super open andready to take on the eight
shows and sustain it forlongevity and so through?
that's obviously why we're heretoday and we're sharing these
things and how important it is,because I think we can do it.
We can do this industry and Isee a lot of artists do this
(38:16):
industry burnt out and thehustle culture and putting all
of your eggs in one basket andjust going, but it's just not
sustainable.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
And that's what you want to be you want to be able
to have a sustainable career.
No one wants to go, wants tohear that dreaded word You've
got a career ending injury oryou've got it.
And you just go.
I wish I looked after myselfmore.
Like I wish I did, and you dohear people say things like that
in a lot of industries, notjust this one, but ones that
require you emotionally andphysically.
(38:45):
Do you think that?
Speaker 1 (38:46):
because I'm almost really wanting to just change
the stigma around self-carebecause I feel I have this like
thought coming in that I feellike a lot of artists think that
there has to be something wronglike to go into self-care.
I need to do it because mymindset or stuff like that it
can actually see it as somethingthat's quite neutral and
supportive, like whenever I'mteaching or even in myself, it's
(39:09):
actually getting a realitycheck of what do I want and make
it something that's actuallymore empowering.
Spend time journaling toactually write out what you want
.
I remember this amazing quotefrom this guy that said the
number one reason why peopledon't achieve what they want is
because they don't write it downwhat they want or they don't
actually specifically know.
They're just like, oh yeah, abit of this and that would be
(39:29):
cool if that or maybe this.
If you're not actuallyspecifically clear on what you
want, you're not actually goingto move forward, but do you
agree?
Like just trying to move there.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
It's a classic one too, like the stigma around
going to see a psychologist.
Exactly what you just saidEveryone thinks that you have to
have something wrong to go andsee someone and start to talk
about, maybe, how you're feelingSometimes you don't have to
have something wrong.
No, it's just a healthy thingto do.
I absolutely agree thisself-care thing and self-care
looks so different for everyone.
Self-care- for you looks sodifferent than self-care for me.
(40:00):
So also don't try not to beclouded by what someone else's
self-care looks like, becausefor you it's going to a yoga
class, for me it can sometimesbe as simple as going and having
dinner at my sister's house andthen I walk home.
I go home feeling so muchbetter, but it's the first thing
that we sacrifice Always thefirst thing that we sacrifice.
I've even been like that interms of self-care with, like,
(40:21):
my body physically, like I'vebeen.
I'm a pretty active person interms of like I used to go to
the gym like six times a weekand once we started the show I
couldn't do that.
Like that was not, that didn'twork for me and at first I was
like I still need to be doingthat.
But then, when I was able tostep back and go, that's
actually not looking aftermyself, that's not self-care,
that is actually self-sabotageand that's how I'm going to end
(40:42):
up really burnt out and really,yeah, probably injured, to be
honest.
So, yeah, sometimes self-careis actually going that's not
working for me right now andadjusting it.
I know like you're really bigon journaling as well.
I need to yeah, I need to getbetter at it, but I did find my
journal.
I got back to Melbourne and Ifound a journal that my friend
gifted me when I booked Sunsetand I'd written in it for the
(41:04):
first week of rehearsals and Ikicked myself that I didn't
continue that but it was reallyinteresting to read back on how
I was feeling and like thenerves.
I know it was crazy but so coolto have that as well.
Yeah, that was almost self-caresitting down and reading that
and going wow.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
Reflection.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
Look how much I've grown in the last seven months.
It was cool.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
I feel like we could just talk for hours and hours
and hours, yeah, and I honestlyjust love meeting you and that's
a really cool privilege as wellthat to be in musical theatre.
You do get to meet just arandom bunch of people for that
short period of time or longperiod of time and then all of a
sudden you don't see them again.
So it's just been reallyawesome connecting.
But is there any last bit ofadvice that you would give the
(41:44):
listeners listening in who are,yeah, students looking to get
into the industry, or evenemerging artists that they're in
their first shows?
Yeah and yeah.
What would be Charlotte Page'sfinal advice?
Speaker 2 (41:55):
My advice would be you can make a career out of
this, and I wish I knew thatearlier.
I did the thing.
I went off.
I got a degree that would allowme to have a stable
nine-to-five job.
So if you are like me and youare not fresh out of school
maybe you're 23, 24 like I wasyou're working a nine-to-five
and you have this other thingthat you love and you're always
(42:16):
sitting there wondering, like mybiggest things, this is going
Mel Robbins, Mel Robbins things.
This is going, mel Robbins, buttake a risk, have a crack If I
didn't imagine like I alwaysthink back.
I'm like imagine if I didn't go, imagine if I didn't accept my
offer because I thought that Ihad to buy a house in that next
12 months.
Or imagine if I didn't acceptthat offer because all my
friends back home were settlingdown, having babies and getting
(42:37):
married and I went I should dothat instead of actually
following my heart and takingthe risk.
So just have a crack.
There is nothing, you havenothing to lose in seeing how it
goes, and if it doesn't workout for you or you decide it's
not for you, then you gave it acrack.
That was my biggest thing thefear of regret, the fear of not
making that choice, and I thinkfor me at the time it felt very
(42:59):
now or never.
And, yeah, I'm just so gladthat there was something inside
me that was like I think youshould audition for this school
and I think you should see wherethis takes you.
So, yeah, if you're umming andahhing, I think my advice would
be more for people who were likeme and have always performed,
but you're just not quite sure.
It's not, you're not too old.
(43:20):
Firstly, can I just say that Ithought I was too old when I was
23.
I was like everyone's going tobe younger, and it's not.
There's lots of ages.
Yeah, take the risk, have acrack.
You can always go back to anine to five job.
There is always something elsethat you can do.
But yeah, we're only in our 20sonce and I think it's the best
time to start.
(43:40):
That's my advice.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
I love it.
Thank you so much for being on.
How can people find you on thesocial media?
Speaker 2 (43:47):
I'll put your oh gosh , I'm trying to think.
Speaker 1 (43:50):
I think I'm underscore, underscore page on
Instagram or add it into theshow notes if you want to watch
Shasha's journey.
And yeah, you'll probably beseeing lots of Charlotte on my
socials we're always together.
Singapore, that's it.
It's going to SingaporeFebruary, which is really cool.
So I can't wait to go andexplore there, because I've
never been there.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Yeah, never been.
I've been once for three days,but I'm really excited to live
there for a few weeks.
It'll be great, great.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
You're so welcome.
Here we are.
Hi Shasha, Hi Shasha.
Charlotte Page on the podcastNumber one fan now becomes on
the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Guys, I'm off.
How are you?
I'm good.
How are you, I'm so good.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It's so good to have you on, and especially someone
that's just not only graduatedbut you've been on in a full
major musical.
We've just been doing SunsetBoulevard together.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Both swings, your onstage swing.
What's that been like?
It has been amazing.
It has been such a greatintroduction to the industry.
When I got that phone call andmy agent said you've booked
Sunset Boulevard and then shefollowed it up with and you've
booked a swing, oh my gosh,their feelings were terrifying
to be, honest, I was terrified.
I thought I don't think you everthink that you can do it.
And then you're put in asituation where you book that
gig and you're like oh my gosh,how do they know that I can do
(00:51):
this?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Where were you when you got the call?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I was at home and I'd just been for coffee with a
couple of members of my cohortand they'd said have you found
out about Sunset yet?
And I was just like oh no, I'mnot sure what's going on.
I I'm not sure what's going on.
I got home, I sat down at mydesk, I was working and, yeah, I
got a call and I didn't haveanyone at home.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
So I was like what do I do?
And I just yeah so manyemotions.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It was the best call I've ever received.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yeah, no, it's amazing, and we just did it in
Melbourne and Sydney Working atthe Opera House.
How awesome was that.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
It was.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I know walking every day, just like I know it doesn't
feel real sometimes, did it?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Billy Boucher would always say you've peaked too
early.
Like you've first been workingat the Opera House, I was like,
oh, I know it set a really highbar, but yeah, oh my gosh.
It was just, yeah, reallysurreal, especially, I don't
know about you, but when wewalked it was really emotional.
There were a lot of tears.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Yeah, I'd never actually even been in the Opera
House, let alone perform there,not even as a tourist.
I just walked around it andthought that's nice.
Yeah that's nice.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
So then let's track back a little bit, because you
trained at the Con and you'revery passionate about your time
there.
How long were you there?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
I was there for three years, but they've actually had
a name change now.
So, they are the QueenslandAcademy of Excellence in Musical
Theatre, qaemt, so I know welike to say clamped but I am a
con kid because it was the conup until I left You're right, so
what year did you start there?
I started in 2021 and thengraduated last year in 2020.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Wow, was that after COVID yes.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Oh wow, yeah, I was living in Tassie at the time, so
I was really fortunate to notbe in the thick of COVID.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And you grew up in Tassie, didn't you?
I did, yeah, I'm a Launcestongirl, proud Tassie girl, oh my
gosh.
So what was the dance school,the school that you went to
there?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I started at Launceston Dance Centre with
Miss Marianne.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Oh, very good.
How old were you when you werestarting?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I think I was three.
Yeah, I started ballet and thenmom always said she was like
when I was in high school Istruggled to stand up in front
of.
She was a prefect and she waslike I always struggled to stand
up and speak, and so big thingwhen she said, when I had you
girls, I've got a big sister,she was like I didn't want you
to have those same confidenceissues.
So she enrolled us in balletand then yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Three years old.
Yeah, oh my gosh, I started mydance training at 14.
Like it's just crazy, I know, Iknow.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
No, it's all I've.
Yeah, it's been most of my lifebeing on stage, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Oh my gosh.
And so obviously you did thething in Tassie.
What was the kind of momentwhere you started to feel like
maybe I need outsource and go tothat next step.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I had a really interesting path after school so
I'd always danced when I was 11.
I got into Latin and ballroomdancing, which I feel like is a
big part of my journey, so worthnoting that was something that
I did for about eight years andcompeted and I loved that and I
think that was my firstintroduction to acting in a way
because there's a lot ofstorytelling in Latin and
ballroom dancing.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I loved hearing this about you.
I didn't even find this outuntil later in the seven months
of meeting each other.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I know, I think we only talked about it in the last
week.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Wait, so you competed .
Yes, yes, oh my gosh, that mustbe a whole different world.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
It's a very different world.
Yeah, so I started ballroomwhen I was 11.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
And the guy, andrew Palmer, who came to Tassie and
opened up the studio.
I had a friend who'd startedand she was like you should come
along and have a go, becauseI'd always been dancing and that
was where I found.
I guess my thing Like that waswhen I, within a year, I was
like I'm much better at thisthan I am at ballet, and I never
had ballet feet.
(04:21):
Yeah, I started competing when Iwas about 11 or 12 and then,
yeah, it's a very it's a verydifferent world to musical
theatre, the slick back hair andthe fake tan and the glitzy
costumes and.
but I loved it.
I loved it and that was where Ireally felt like I found my
niche and my passion.
And, yeah, it took us overseasa couple of times.
We went to Russia and we wentto Latvia, did you?
(04:43):
Yeah, which was awesome when Iwas 15 and then 17, and then had
a bit of a break when Ifinished high school.
My dance partner, henry, wentoff traveling and then he came
back and we went for coffee andhe was like I want to do the
Aussies.
So we did six months ofhardcore training and went back
and did our last competitiontogether when I was 19.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, and so what was the shift between that and then
going into musical theatre?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Actually the first amateur theatre show I did in
Tassie was Strictly Ballroom, sothat was funny because I was
like worlds collide.
And I think theatre for mestarted in high school when I
was competing in Latin and thenI started singing at school when
I was cast in like our schoolmusical.
It's a weird combinationbecause I think it took me a
while to grow well.
It took me a long time toactually grow my confidence in
(05:27):
my other abilities.
In singing I'd only ever knowndancing.
Yeah, strictly Born was a funnyone because, I was like this is
both of the things that I'vedone for a long time.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
That was obviously the perfect thing.
Yeah, yeah, it's crazy howthings happen.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
I know, I know yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Oh my gosh.
So that was good, so good.
So then you did three years atthe, what it's called now QAEMT,
but it was the con when I wasthere.
The con when you were there.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
And so when were auditions for Sunset?
Was that the first auditionyou'd ever done?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Was there other experiences I'd had?
We, once we get to third yearat the con, we're allowed to
audition for.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Right.
So for the first two yearsyou're not allowed to audition.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
No, paul, who runs the course there, and it's
really true.
You've come here to learn andyou're still cooking as you
would say in first and secondyear, but in third year, opens
up that opportunity for you tostart becoming an auditioner.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Seeing for things and getting in the room.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Getting in the room.
So my first audition was Greaseand my second audition was what
else did I go to?
I think I auditioned forsomething else in person.
I actually can't remember whatit was, but I think I had two
auditions.
Oh, Chicago.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
And that was on my birthday.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Oh, really yes, and so it was such a full circle
moment because I auditioned forChicago on my 26th birthday, got
cut and on my 27th birthday Icelebrated it in sunset wow, and
I was like this is so weird howmuch could happen in a?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
year.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Oh my god but yeah, not much could shake me that day
.
I was like it's my birthday,I'm gonna go have a nice day um,
so I did Greece, chicago, andthen it was that period of time
when I graduated where therewere heaps of auditions.
I think Grand Hog Day wasauditioning, sunset was
auditioning.
Yeah, I feel there was aboutfive auditions it all rains and
it pours.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
When it rains, it pours.
I feel, with auditions, yeah,it's either nothing and then one
month where there's five.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Literally it was crazy, but at the time we were
all like what a privilege We'vejust graduated and now we're
getting seen for all of thesemusicals and I think most of
them were.
It was really good.
It was good and I think thefact that there were a few
auditions as well took thepressure off because it felt
like, okay, there's all thesedifferent shows coming.
(07:34):
I might not be right for any ofthem, I might be right for one
of them, I don't really know butit meant that I didn't put all
my eggs in one basket.
This is the only showauditioning right now Just the
pressures increased a little bitsometimes basket.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
This is the only show auditioning right now.
Just the pressures increased alittle bit sometimes.
So you did three of theauditions at that time and what
was the first auditionexperience like that you'd ever
done Was that Greece?
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, so what was that like?
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Sharing the truth, because you trained for so long
to then finally go and do thething and you're there.
What is it like?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
It was actually so funny because Greece came up and
I think I looked at that.
I was obviously aware I wasstill studying as well, so I
didn't have that bachelor'sdegree yet, so I didn't want to
put too much pressure on it.
But you are so nervous thatfirst audition and I think the
nerves for me were increasedbecause I was studying it was
like this is what it is and, asthey say, you're a professional
(08:26):
auditioner, you're not aprofessional performer.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
That's what we do.
You've got to get the job, yes.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
So then I didn't really have the ability to walk
in.
Even after two years oftraining, I still walked in,
terrified.
I was so nervous and I thinkI'd learnt three different
characters' material.
I think it was like Marty.
I might have learnt Sandy.
We'd done Grace at uni, so Iwas familiar with it which was
good do you find that helped alittle bit?
(08:52):
it did a little bit at least youknew the material of what the
angle kind of was going yeah, Iknew the material, but I walked
in and as much as I tried topretend like I was so confident,
I just was so, so scared.
I was so scared and I didn'taudition well, because I
actually didn't back myself thatday I really walked out and I
think I felt the pressure too.
I was living in Brisbane, I'dflown to Melbourne for the
(09:12):
audition, so it was thatintroduction to okay.
This is also like the expensivepart of auditioning.
If I'm going to be Brisbanebased and I'm going to be doing
this all the time to walk in,sing a song and be like, if I'm
going to be Brisbane based andI'm going to be doing this all
the time.
To walk in, sing a song and belike thanks, that's all we need
to see.
I was like, oh, this is theindustry Like?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
welcome to the industry.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So it was actually a really good introduction.
Yeah, yeah, because it made mego.
All right, I don't want to A Idon't want to feel this
terrified when I walk in.
That was a big thing that Itook away from it.
But B I was like this is whatit is and I was a bit of like
there was acceptance in thatmoment of that rejection being
(09:50):
like all right on to the next, Iknow.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
So then you ended up.
Was it Chicago?
The second one.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Chicago was the second one, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And how did you feel going into that?
Obviously, you're probably sodifferent.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
So different.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
So different?
Yeah, what do you feel likechanged since the Grease
audition?
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I think I walked out and went.
I don't want to walk in feelingthe way I walked into Grease.
I already walked in feelingreally just high anxiety, and I
don't think I set myself up wellfor that audition.
I think on the day, I sataround and I practiced the songs
a million times, even thoughI'd already done that.
I knew what I was doing, yeah,and I you psyched yourself out,
(10:26):
absolutely psyched myself out.
The difference between Greeceand Chicago, though, was that
dance was first in Chicago, andI think, naturally, I feel more
comfortable and in my elementwalking into a dance audition
first.
Yes, so yeah, the difference wasthat just in itself, I thought,
okay, I'm doing the thing thatI feel the most confident in yes
, so that was good, and it wasalso my birthday, like I know,
(10:48):
right so you're like, even if Iget cut, it's my birthday.
It's my birthday every auditionI walk into because I've walked
in thinking okay, I needsomething else that's going to,
even if I get rejected today.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That's it.
What do they say?
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Rejection is redirection.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, my mindset was I was just in a healthier,
happier place.
I think, when I walked in forChicago.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah, when you were talking about, you didn't back
yourself in the first time andthen you were able to the second
time.
Was there anything elsespecific that you did that
allowed you?
It can be something simple thatallowed you to feel like you
were backing yourself, going in.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah, I listened to the five minute it is by.
I've got to remember what it'scalled the Arts Wellbeing
Collective do a pre-perform.
It's called a performance.
Energy like meditation.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
And we were introduced to this at uni.
I can't remember if it was justlike on a worksheet we got
given after a workshop orsomething, but it was like this
is a really good resource.
You should listen to thisfantastic.
I have a five minutes calledextend breath.
It's just like a deep breathingmeditation.
And then this is calledperformance energy and I'd
started listening to it when wewere doing shows, when I was in
(11:56):
first year and we were doingGrease, and then it became
something that I would listen toand before Grease audition I
did not listen to it.
And I don't know how.
I think it's easy to see thatthis could have actually had a
big impact.
But, if you haven't listened toit.
Yeah, I'll link it into thisepisode for sure.
Amazing, and it's very fittingbecause I'm creating things
(12:20):
right now.
I know, and that's.
We've obviously been able totalk about this stuff so much
throughout sunset.
But I've never been a bigperson on in meditation, but I
find it incredibly relaxing.
It actually makes me cry yes itmakes me cry because I think the
way it's structured it alwaysreminds me that I do this
because I love it and I thinkthat is really powerful before
walking into an audition havingthat mindset, even if I get a no
(12:40):
today.
I do this because I love it andit's just a really nice
reminder and I listen to itbefore my sunset audition.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
There you go.
So, who knows, there we go.
Well, definitely, I'lldefinitely check it out.
I didn't even know they hadthat.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, there we go.
Oh definitely, I'll definitelycheck it out.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I didn't even know they had that, so that's
fantastic.
Yeah, it's really good.
I really love all the work thatthey do as well.
Yeah, and that's it.
I think a lot of us gosh givingme a mindset hack at 18, I
would have told you to piss off.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I used to be like this too.
I was like meditation.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Yeah, I don't have time.
Who's like such a high, likeI've been such an anxious kid?
I was like, imagine, I know, ohmy gosh, I was just yeah anyway
.
But now, having done now Iteach yoga and I've done all of
that and really understood thebenefits of it is it's, yeah,
fundamentally how I live nowwith learning about it and
teaching people.
So if people are hearing about,oh, meditate or stuff, things
like the arts, well-being, arts,well-being collective and even
(13:35):
the stuff that I've started topost, I've always found, even
when I was just a slight,tangent that would go on.
Now I remember trying Pilateslike reform of Pilates for the
first time but I never did itbeforehand and then my
introduction to it was from adancer or an artist that was
actually teaching it, andsometimes that's a really cool
way to start going into thingsthat maybe you're not
(13:59):
comfortable with, likemeditation or yoga actually
being taught by a performer,because then we're able to
actually make it morph to yourexact needs, and I'm sure that
meditation had it was based onthat.
You're about to go into anaudition and to give your values
and to all of that as well.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Yeah, it's just really relatable and, yeah, just
incredibly calming.
And I think that is soimportant to walk in
clear-minded because, you don'tknow what's going to be thrown
at you but, walking in andworrying about that beforehand
isn't going to serve you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
And when we're going into auditions it's all in the
we're in our heads massively.
We don't even sometimes believewe're in a body, we're just
like but what if this, what ifthat?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
So, just taking a moment and you walk out and you
go.
What just happened?
What just happened, yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
So then you did the Chicago.
You felt a little bit moreself-worth and a bit more stable
from doing this meditation,which was amazing.
And then Sunset happened.
So what was there anydifferences?
What did you learn from theChicago audition that allowed
you to step into Sunset in adifferent way?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I think just a little bit of like rejection actually
really helped me with resilience.
So, getting the nose was goodbecause it made me go.
I'm determined to get a yes.
Not necessarily in a way that Iwould walk in and act any
different than I usually would,but I definitely think for me
there was just a biggerconfidence in myself.
(15:25):
And there was also anotherelement that might've helped in
the way that when I went into myaudition so I was actually
auditioning for Sunset inMelbourne that was my original
Sunset, I think it must havebeen.
Melbourne was auditioning afterSydney and I couldn't make my
time due to a family we had.
I think I might have had afuneral or something but, I
(15:47):
couldn't make it and I contactedmy agent Sorry, not my agent
because I wasn't with them yetbut I contacted Uni, our admin
lady dummy there, who wasorganising all of that for us.
Then she said absolutely justask if you can change it.
So I ended up going in Sydney,which also meant that I walked
into the audition.
I was very like by myself.
I wasn't there with any of mycohort members, I wasn't there
with any, I didn't know anyone,and so I really felt like I
(16:12):
could just unapologetically walkDo you know what I mean?
Like I didn't have anythingholding me back or I wasn't
worried about making sure that Iwasn't worried about what
everyone else was doing.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
I felt like I turned up.
I was like hey, like Katie, whobooked it as well.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
We met each other in the bathroom.
Wow, we ended up going for likea beer at the pub after.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I called back and became really good friends.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I love this story yeah and we were like oh, she
goes.
Imagine if we booked this andshe quickly went oh no, I don't
want to think about that.
No, we can't think about that.
And then we did so.
That was really funny, but Ilike walked in fresh, I was like
I'm going to just be myself,say hi to everyone, and it was
(16:57):
such a lovely.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Everyone knew each other, but instead of sitting
back and being like everyoneknows each, other.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I was like I'm going to talk to people and meet
people and start to which.
Then I felt like I walked infeeling more confident because I
just had conversations withpeople in the room and people
are nice, don't?
Think that you're going to walkinto an audition and everyone's
sitting there like this which Ithink is a bit of a stigma.
Everyone's so focused and youtalk to anyone.
It's just not like that.
That's what's been so niceabout working and doing Sunset
(17:19):
it's, oh, everyone is so nice.
Everyone has your back.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
It's not as scary as I think it can sometimes be
played out and we talk aboutthis a lot, especially with a
lot of performers you get taughtso strictly about what the
industry is and then you havethe experience, which I feel is
consistently changing.
When I was starting out, it wasa whole different world to where
it is now.
What was it like then, steppingfrom now?
(17:47):
You've you did the training,you've done the auditions, you
got in and now you're starting.
That's a long time to get there, from your ballroom kind of
days and being in Tassie doingauditions, and now you're about
to start rehearsals for Sunset.
What was that like?
Because did you have to move.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Yes, I'm Brisbane based, so then, like I moved
there for the con and Brucey'sbeen home, since yeah, so you
had to move down to Melbourne tostart rehearsals?
Yeah, but I lived in Melbourneback in 2017 to 2019 because
this is my second degree, so Idid a.
Bachelor of Communications andworked in marketing and then
ended up back in Tassie and thenI've moved around a little bit.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
So coming back to Melbourne definitely felt like a
little piece of home, which wasnice, but I had, from the time
I found out, which must havebeen late November, to when we
started, which was the first orsecond of April.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Yeah, it was quite a big gap.
Yeah, it was about four monthsbefore, like from finding out to
when we started, which wasreally lovely because I felt
like I had a lot of time to workout and set up how I thought I
would swing and you always thinkyou're going to swing a certain
.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
This is how you think you're going to do it, and then
you get there and you're likeoh my gosh.
But I remember doing a lot oflike mindset stuff and making
sure I was like staying activeand getting out and doing all
the things that I like to do inthat time, because I knew that
once we started it was going tobe pretty busy.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
But just preparing myself mentally really for what
could come.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I wasn't really sure what to expect, and that's it,
because you're wanting toprepare for something that you
don't even know what's actually.
I didn't know how to do it.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
And you guys have said it too.
Like when we started yourselfand you embarrassed the DCs.
No one knows how to swing.
Really there's a little elementof it studying at the con.
In our third year show wedouble cast, so you do have two
tracks.
That was the only time I'd beenintroduced into that, but for
me I was terrified of swingingharmonies oh yes in true me
(19:40):
fashion.
I found I just never told youthis.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
I found an old 19 something score of sunset and I
learned all of the harmoniesbefore I got through it were the
same.
Yes, oh good, and I wasn't sureif they would be, but I know
myself and I knew that, swimmingif you would be.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
But I know myself and I knew that.
If you think that you couldnever swing harmonies, trust me
you can, because I went into.
I knew no music theory when Istarted at the con I'd never
done anything like this oh same.
But I feel like I'm more like Ilearned by listening, like my
ear.
So I felt, okay, I've got theear for, I think, singing the
harmonies, but how am I actuallygoing to hack this?
(20:14):
And I thought I'm just going tostart now.
And I thought, even if they'rethe same, or even if they're not
, at least I've got a little bitof a head start.
So that was actually what I didand I feel like a lot of.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
I was need to make that really clear.
Maybe don't go look at it.
I am very.
That was definitely me being alittle bit anxious about it and
wanting to get ahead.
You do what suits you.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
For me it worked out well, but it could have been a
completely different score, andI actually could have set myself
up for failure.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
So it actually probably wouldn't be my first
piece of advice, but definitely,yeah, finding what works for
you.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
You don't know how to swing before you get there.
You just have to learn it.
But whatever they've seen inthe audition room, I had to keep
reminding myself.
It was enough for them to knowthat I could do it, and that
should have given me though Idoubt it at times enough
confidence in myself to go.
And then you just work it outas you go.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Yeah, so let's talk about swinging, let's talk about
that, and you've been.
I think it was even near theend of Sydney, you had quite a
good go at doing different rolesand stuff like that.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I did.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Yeah, because you were on stage swing for Sunset
and for anyone that maybedoesn't know what that is, what
is an on-stage swing?
Speaker 2 (21:27):
So essentially you have your own plot every night,
so it's in the show, and thenyou.
I guess in worst case scenarioyou can be removed in a sense.
So I think there was probablymaybe one or two shows they had
to cut my role out which leftPort Campbell on his own,
because he's the other on stagesinging and we do most of our
(21:47):
scenes together.
So a bit of interpretationthere, and I had to do that once
too, and I said to you and Bez.
What do I do when I walk on?
He's not going to be there andBez was like just make it up
Like you're creative.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Yeah, that's it.
Find a new intention.
I was like, okay, great.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
So yeah, and then I would swing into other tracks if
they needed me and then theymight put a few times, like
they'd put an offstage swinginto my track.
Regan would do my track.
I think I got about sevenswings in the last two weeks at
Sunset or three weeks at SunsetGosh.
It was great.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Yeah, and you loved it.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
You were great I love it, it's so fun.
I love the feeling.
I love those nerves.
I think you have to like I loveit.
I know right, I miss it becauseyou become, you don't really
get.
I tend to not.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, you just get comfortable, you know what to
expect.
So it becomes a little bit lesschill what's going to happen.
And then, all of a sudden, oh,by the way, you're on for this
character tonight.
Okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I mean, I guess I'm a bit biased because I've been
swinging for a little while,yeah, and doing it.
But yeah, you definitely get toif I could go back.
I just get bored.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Yeah, it's so I think you can't get complacent.
It keeps you really in the showand there's something that's
really cool about going.
I know all these tracks.
Like I could do all of thesetracks and that's really.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
that's great for confidence, because it's just
yeah, it reminds you that you'recapable of more than you always
think you are A hidden thingthat I really loved about
swinging is that it really givesyou the bigger picture idea of
a scene, of the show in itsentirety, Whereas when I've just
been on for an ensemble trackyou just live in your own little
world.
You don't even notice scenes orthings that are happening.
But being a swing is a reallycool thing in the fact that you
(23:32):
get to.
You really need to understandthe bigger picture and I find
the more that I go on fordifferent people I'm more aware
of like the scene as a whole andI get to actually enjoy it even
more.
Yeah, Don't you agree?
Speaker 2 (23:43):
And things that you actually didn't notice.
Yes, Small things but we werereally lucky to have such a like
, such a beautiful supportivecast and I never felt like I
couldn't say to Maddie or say toMary, hey, in this moment, here
, do you hand that bottle tothat person?
Yes, and everyone was always sowilling to be like, yep, you do
this.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
But sometimes you'd say, hey, do you just double
checking because you'd havesomething in your notes and
they'd be like oh, that doesn'thappen anymore, or that's
changed, I know, and you go oh,oh right, I do that on stage, I
love it.
I got to come on stage a fairfew times with you as Campbell.
We had fun, we did andsomething that I didn't realise
(24:20):
until I actually went on withyou something that I do.
I guess it's like a copingmechanism that I just find works
for me.
When I go on, if I'm a bitnervous, like the key thing that
I fundamentally do is bring funto it.
So before I go on.
I go like this we're going to dothis, this, this, and that's
all going to be good.
Let's go, just bring the funelements.
That's always helped me go on,because it allowed I always
(24:43):
remind myself that it's reallynot that serious.
What we're doing is really notthat serious and we're actually
meant to have fun.
And if I'm having fun and I'menjoying what I'm doing on stage
, it allows me to do a muchbetter job as opposed to but is
it the right hand, left hand?
What about this?
It doesn't serve you.
No, it doesn't serve.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
And it's the other thing to remind yourself when
you walk off and you've made aminor mistake which you're going
to do as a swing.
I think that's a reallyimportant thing to know.
You cannot ruminate on thosemistakes.
They're going be able to walkaway and go.
The audience don't know.
(25:23):
The majority of the peoplesitting in the audience have
never seen the show.
They don't know that youaccidentally used your left hand
instead of your right.
I know that the dance captainsand the rest do, but you can
give those notes and you go.
Oh sorry, I forgot about that.
No, all good, just want it tojust note it down and then you
move on because, yeah, there'sno, it just doesn't serve you to
sit around.
And I think two things I'velearnt are trust and perspective
(25:46):
.
Trust yourself, trust thepeople that are around you, and
the perspective thing it's notthat serious.
I always say and I said this toRegan once, I think Regan's
offstage swing and we've workedvery much together which has
been awesome, very much lent oneach other throughout this
period, which has been great.
And I said to her one day it's abit morbid.
But I said one day it's a bitmorbid.
But I said one day, like when Idie no one's going to stand up
and say Charlotte was a reallygreat swing.
(26:08):
Charlotte always knew whichhand went up in the scene.
That we did I love that and Ijust it helps me go.
We are not like, we're notsuper humans, we cannot get
everything right and it's ourjob to keep the show running.
And yeah, of course, there'smoments that are more crucial
than others in terms of likesafety you don't want to run
(26:28):
into someone, or?
Cause any traffic issues orforget important props, those
things.
But as long as you put yourbest foot forward, do your best
and remember that you cannot beperfect every time you walk out
on that stage which is when thefun is the fun and you walk off
(26:51):
as you have before I go on.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Oh, absolutely yes, and it's a running thing that I
find with every swing I've beenable to work with some really
talented swings, including youand going.
It's a really funny thing thatI still do to this day.
You will go on for the firstshow.
You'll get so many things andmaybe there's like a few things
that are like that could bebetter, and then the next
opportunity you get to go on,you'll do really well in the
things that you stuffed up inand then all of a sudden, now
one thing that you got reallywell done is all stuffed up and
(27:14):
it's just like this jumble.
So if you're not humorous aboutit and you can't move forward
with the sense of humility, solong as no one's being hurt and
everyone's known yeah yeah, andof course you're on top of your
work to a certain extent,Absolutely there's definitely.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
It's a balance, but I think we found a really nice
balance in Sunset and I think.
All credit to you, and Bez aswell, just creating such a
lovely environment for us tofeel like we could make mistakes
, and it wasn't the end of theworld.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
That's it.
Both Amy and I have worked withmany different types of people
and in those roles as well, thathave been quite strict and come
down, and we've just found thatwe just come from a place of.
We've been there, we are swings, we've had that experience and
we know how nerve wracking itcan be.
So I find that only kindnessand support and actually seeing
(28:02):
people as a human first is goingto actually help them more than
why are you not doing this?
Speaker 2 (28:06):
I'm so glad that you guys are like that.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
We were talking about this yesterday, about when I'm
ever in a position, that is, ofbeing a dance captain or
providing notes in any capacity,I'm always coming from that
place of they're actuallyprofessional artists that are
being paid to be here.
They're not my children that Ineed to keep a hold of.
You know what I mean.
(28:29):
So, like they, I always thinkif someone gets something wrong,
I inherently know, or come froma frame of mind that no one
actually ever wants to do itwrong.
Everyone wants to do their best.
And they probably already knowthat they haven't, oh all the
time the amount of times I don'thave to even know, because
someone will come up to me andbe like did you see that?
I just have to say, and a lotof the times I might not be
(28:50):
watching, and I'll be like ohyeah, I don't know, shah, I'm
going to have to come in at 10amto go over that and I'll just
say it.
But sometimes just sitting backand you and be like, oh my God.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Oh, you walk off with that.
Look like yep, yeah, you knowthat I did that before.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Yeah, but again it comes down to that having fun
with it, basically.
So why don't we finish off withsome things to think about?
If there's students that listeninto the dive and they're
looking to become a pro, they'rewanting to use their skills,
the things that they've trainedfor so long to make a career out
(29:24):
of it skills, things thatthey've trained for so long to
make a career out of it.
And I would love to know anyeither advice that you would
give maybe younger Charlottethat, coming from the world of
studying, to thinking, okay, Ineed to do all these things to
move forward to now havingexperience of doing auditions,
getting into a show, living thelifestyle that you dreamed of.
What would be some word ofadvice to people that are just
(29:46):
in that cusp they're auditioningnow, maybe getting rejected,
they're going through themotions.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I would say find other things that fill your cup.
I have a lot of interests andhobbies and when I started at
the con I remember walking awayfrom my first couple of days
feeling am I an imposter?
Because I was hearing peopleall the time like name drop and
talk about so many differentmusicals that I'd never heard of
.
And I thought do I like know,do I know enough about this
(30:14):
industry, or am I you know?
Yeah, I just felt like a littlebit out of place.
I knew how much I loved it and Iwas obviously there.
I'd proven myself.
I got my foot in the door and Iwas at the con, so I didn't
need to then prove that side ofit.
But for me, I stay sane byhaving other things in my life
(30:37):
that make me happy.
I'm really close with my family.
I've always loved sport and Ifound that during the times
where because your job is yourhobby, is your passion, it's
everything.
We do this because we love itso much.
But I feel like the times whenI've been able to turn up to uni
or turn up to work sunset orturn up to an audition as my
best self is when I am fillingmy cup with the other things
(30:59):
that make me happy.
Yes, you have to keep learningand you have to keep going to
the dance classes and havingyour singing lessons and
upskilling and always being keenand eager to learn, but you
don't have to be this person wholives and breathes musical
theatre and it's absolutelyeverything about you.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
It's actually not sustainable.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
No, and I wish I knew that in my first sort of year
of uni, I thought it had to bemy everything.
And then you decide of who youare and what makes you who you
are, and it was a big thing forme.
Just like be myself.
Like be yourself.
Don't turn up and pretend,because you know you're going to
turn up and pretend to besomeone else.
Well, you've got to sustainthat for seven months on a
contract I know right.
(31:39):
So I was like I'm not going tobe that, I just want to.
Yeah, I want more youngerperformers to know that there
can, you can have other thingsthat make you happy.
You can be a yoga instructor,you can do the Melbourne half
marathon.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
There's a lot of people who like run.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
Now there's a lot of performers who I follow.
Now they wouldn't know who I am, but I see what they do and
they have these other hobbiesand I love that.
I actually find that reallyinspiring, because when these
times have come and it's onlybeen two weeks since Sunset's
finished but we've essentiallygot about a three month break I
didn't want to get to that pointor the point when I'm out of
work which is going to come.
Inevitably.
There's going to be times whenI'm in between contracts where I
(32:19):
feel like I have nothing else.
So I try my best and I wouldstart it now, if you're even an
aspiring performer, because whenyou get to uni it's basically a
nine to five unpaid job.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
It's a full-time job, and I guess maybe that's what
we get taught.
So then that's what we expect,absolutely.
When you finish, or even youget into eight show weeks.
You've just gone from this nineto whatever everyday class.
So then, when you're now leftto your own devices, and even if
you just did one class or a dayor something, it doesn't feel
enough.
(32:48):
But just knowing that it is morethan enough.
It's just the years that youtrain I always say is like the
intensive, kind of like pressurecooker moment to get you ready,
to get you cooked, to get youready.
But then when you actually gointo real life you're 18 or
whatever.
At that time it's a good timeto do all those things.
But when we're talking aboutsustainability and the longevity
, when we do eight show weeks,we're not there eight, 12 hours
(33:12):
a day?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
No, on a Friday we rock up at 6.30 at our one-hour
call time.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And finish by like 10.15 or something like that.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
Yeah, and like for me and I think you were similar I
like to get outdoors, Go for acoffee with a mate.
I also work in marketing andthat other side as well, so
what's maybe there that I couldstart to?
Do or look at other work forwhen we have these breaks.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
And I guess as well when you are studying, because
it is your whole life.
When you now get all thisopportunity to, in quotes,
discover who you are or do that,I think a really cool stepping
stone and what I love teachingstudents is to find what you
actually love to do.
Like for me, I really lovedperforming, but I also loved
educating and teaching.
So whenever I'm not performing,I'm always teaching a class or
(33:55):
now creating my own programswhere I can teach, and so that
fulfills me.
But I always, again, like whatyou were just saying really
helpful thing to do is actuallyjust live your life and be with
family and do random things.
When we were in Sydney, a bunchof us went bowling, yeah, and I
have never had more fun.
I think it was the best day outof the whole entire sunset run
(34:16):
Silly fun.
Because it was stupid and sillyand fun, and I think sometimes
we forget to actually have funas artists.
Yeah, because we are sodisciplined to go and do the
things and rock up and stuff,but we actually begin to lose
sight of that we're human andthat we love to just be stupid
and have fun and actually enjoythis life that you're creating
(34:37):
for yourself.
It doesn't actually have to bethat hard.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
No, absolutely, and I also have been a big believer
in.
When you do those things andyou feel your cup outside of
work.
That's when you walk into theroom and you bring the best
energy.
And that energy that filtersout everyone, and if you're
going to walk in because you'reconstantly exhausted, because
you come to work, but that dayyou've done two dance classes
and had a singing lesson and,like you, just it's everything
(35:02):
and you think that's what youhave to do.
You also need to rest and I'mnot great at that, I'm the same.
I struggle to sit down and watcha TV show.
I always feel like I have to bedoing something.
So it's something that I needto work on still, but definitely
, yeah, that energy does filterthrough.
So the more you look afteryourself, I think, the better
the vibe and energy andpositivity and sense of that in
(35:25):
the company is going to benefit.
So absolutely, and I know yourbest for you, but be your best
for everyone else around you too.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
That's it, and we were chatting yesterday a little
bit about this and I'vepersonally been on a bit of
discovery and why I want toteach the things I want to teach
and how I got to this stagewhere, yes, I'm a yogi and I
love all of that and likemeditation and soundbars, like
I'm there with the sage andloving my life, you know,
outside of a show, and then Iget into the show and it's game
on, let's go, we're going todance.
But something that reallycrucially happened for me was
(35:55):
about five years into my careerwe'll chat about this.
That I was in musicals.
I was out, I was partying a lot.
That I was in musicals, I wasout, I was partying a lot, I was
about 10% to 20% looking aftermyself properly, like the food I
was eating, the people I wasaround, all of that and then the
rest was just like go, it wasalways the next thing and I
ended up getting you don't seeit on social media, but I hurt
(36:15):
my back.
I was out for three weeksbedridden.
There were so many differentthings upon my journey maybe
I'll start sharing.
That actually took me out anddidn't allow me to actually
perform at the capacity that itlooked shiny from the outside.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Oh, taylor's working again.
He's there.
I know you make such a goodpoint there, literally, and it
wasn't until I know.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
I think we've got to just start sharing the real
stuff on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
It's so scary though it's funny.
We're on stage every nightbeing vulnerable, but no one
wants to share that stuff onsocial.
Some people do and I take myhat off to them yeah.
It's all glossy, isn't it?
So it's good.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
And then it wasn't until a dear friend, best friend
of mine, introduced me to yogaand I was like, oh, here we go,
like come into a yoga, just do anice stretch and I'll be fine.
And what's the next thing?
I need a HIIT workout.
What's the next thing?
I need a hit workout.
I want to do a dance two hourdance, anyway.
(37:08):
That's where I was at.
And then I did this class and Iwas like wait, what is this?
It allowed me to get out of mymind and into my body.
I was like that was an hour.
It felt like 25 minutes to me.
Anyway, what I'm saying is thatwhen I started to explore yoga
but it may be different thingsfor everyone yeah, going to afl,
whatever it is for you toactually like, step outside of
the performing world.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
That's not the most calming experience, maybe not.
Afl.
Go for run.
I like running, running.
There you go.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
But what I'm basically saying is that I ended
up realizing that I needed tostop and I needed to really make
my self-care and my mindset apriority.
And the amazing thing thathappened is, as soon as I
started to do that I keptbooking shows, but not only book
shows I was able to sustainthem and have less shows off.
Nothing wrong with going offAbsolutely not.
(37:54):
Just put that out there.
But we build and we train sohard to get there.
Isn't it going to be so muchbetter to actually live there
completely and be super open andready to take on the eight
shows and sustain it forlongevity and so through?
that's obviously why we're heretoday and we're sharing these
things and how important it is,because I think we can do it.
We can do this industry and Isee a lot of artists do this
(38:16):
industry burnt out and thehustle culture and putting all
of your eggs in one basket andjust going, but it's just not
sustainable.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
And that's what you want to be you want to be able
to have a sustainable career.
No one wants to go, wants tohear that dreaded word You've
got a career ending injury oryou've got it.
And you just go.
I wish I looked after myselfmore.
Like I wish I did, and you dohear people say things like that
in a lot of industries, notjust this one, but ones that
require you emotionally andphysically.
(38:45):
Do you think that?
Speaker 1 (38:46):
because I'm almost really wanting to just change
the stigma around self-carebecause I feel I have this like
thought coming in that I feellike a lot of artists think that
there has to be something wronglike to go into self-care.
I need to do it because mymindset or stuff like that it
can actually see it as somethingthat's quite neutral and
supportive, like whenever I'mteaching or even in myself, it's
(39:09):
actually getting a realitycheck of what do I want and make
it something that's actuallymore empowering.
Spend time journaling toactually write out what you want
.
I remember this amazing quotefrom this guy that said the
number one reason why peopledon't achieve what they want is
because they don't write it downwhat they want or they don't
actually specifically know.
They're just like, oh yeah, abit of this and that would be
(39:29):
cool if that or maybe this.
If you're not actuallyspecifically clear on what you
want, you're not actually goingto move forward, but do you
agree?
Like just trying to move there.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
It's a classic one too, like the stigma around
going to see a psychologist.
Exactly what you just saidEveryone thinks that you have to
have something wrong to go andsee someone and start to talk
about, maybe, how you're feelingSometimes you don't have to
have something wrong.
No, it's just a healthy thingto do.
I absolutely agree thisself-care thing and self-care
looks so different for everyone.
Self-care- for you looks sodifferent than self-care for me.
(40:00):
So also don't try not to beclouded by what someone else's
self-care looks like, becausefor you it's going to a yoga
class, for me it can sometimesbe as simple as going and having
dinner at my sister's house andthen I walk home.
I go home feeling so muchbetter, but it's the first thing
that we sacrifice Always thefirst thing that we sacrifice.
I've even been like that interms of self-care with, like,
(40:21):
my body physically, like I'vebeen.
I'm a pretty active person interms of like I used to go to
the gym like six times a weekand once we started the show I
couldn't do that.
Like that was not, that didn'twork for me and at first I was
like I still need to be doingthat.
But then, when I was able tostep back and go, that's
actually not looking aftermyself, that's not self-care,
that is actually self-sabotageand that's how I'm going to end
(40:42):
up really burnt out and really,yeah, probably injured, to be
honest.
So, yeah, sometimes self-careis actually going that's not
working for me right now andadjusting it.
I know like you're really bigon journaling as well.
I need to yeah, I need to getbetter at it, but I did find my
journal.
I got back to Melbourne and Ifound a journal that my friend
gifted me when I booked Sunsetand I'd written in it for the
(41:04):
first week of rehearsals and Ikicked myself that I didn't
continue that but it was reallyinteresting to read back on how
I was feeling and like thenerves.
I know it was crazy but so coolto have that as well.
Yeah, that was almost self-caresitting down and reading that
and going wow.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
Reflection.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
Look how much I've grown in the last seven months.
It was cool.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
I feel like we could just talk for hours and hours
and hours, yeah, and I honestlyjust love meeting you and that's
a really cool privilege as wellthat to be in musical theatre.
You do get to meet just arandom bunch of people for that
short period of time or longperiod of time and then all of a
sudden you don't see them again.
So it's just been reallyawesome connecting.
But is there any last bit ofadvice that you would give the
(41:44):
listeners listening in who are,yeah, students looking to get
into the industry, or evenemerging artists that they're in
their first shows?
Yeah and yeah.
What would be Charlotte Page'sfinal advice?
Speaker 2 (41:55):
My advice would be you can make a career out of
this, and I wish I knew thatearlier.
I did the thing.
I went off.
I got a degree that would allowme to have a stable
nine-to-five job.
So if you are like me and youare not fresh out of school
maybe you're 23, 24 like I wasyou're working a nine-to-five
and you have this other thingthat you love and you're always
(42:16):
sitting there wondering, like mybiggest things, this is going
Mel Robbins, Mel Robbins things.
This is going, mel Robbins, buttake a risk, have a crack If I
didn't imagine like I alwaysthink back.
I'm like imagine if I didn't go, imagine if I didn't accept my
offer because I thought that Ihad to buy a house in that next
12 months.
Or imagine if I didn't acceptthat offer because all my
friends back home were settlingdown, having babies and getting
(42:37):
married and I went I should dothat instead of actually
following my heart and takingthe risk.
So just have a crack.
There is nothing, you havenothing to lose in seeing how it
goes, and if it doesn't workout for you or you decide it's
not for you, then you gave it acrack.
That was my biggest thing thefear of regret, the fear of not
making that choice, and I thinkfor me at the time it felt very
(42:59):
now or never.
And, yeah, I'm just so gladthat there was something inside
me that was like I think youshould audition for this school
and I think you should see wherethis takes you.
So, yeah, if you're umming andahhing, I think my advice would
be more for people who were likeme and have always performed,
but you're just not quite sure.
It's not, you're not too old.
(43:20):
Firstly, can I just say that Ithought I was too old when I was
23.
I was like everyone's going tobe younger, and it's not.
There's lots of ages.
Yeah, take the risk, have acrack.
You can always go back to anine to five job.
There is always something elsethat you can do.
But yeah, we're only in our 20sonce and I think it's the best
time to start.
(43:40):
That's my advice.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
I love it.
Thank you so much for being on.
How can people find you on thesocial media?
Speaker 2 (43:47):
I'll put your oh gosh , I'm trying to think.
Speaker 1 (43:50):
I think I'm underscore, underscore page on
Instagram or add it into theshow notes if you want to watch
Shasha's journey.
And yeah, you'll probably beseeing lots of Charlotte on my
socials we're always together.
Singapore, that's it.
It's going to SingaporeFebruary, which is really cool.
So I can't wait to go andexplore there, because I've
never been there.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Yeah, never been.
I've been once for three days,but I'm really excited to live
there for a few weeks.
It'll be great, great.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
You're so welcome.
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