Learning Aim A: Booklet

Erin Mason
Unit2: Learning Aim A
1
THE ROLE OF A MUSICAL
THEATRE PERFORMER
Within this booklet, I aim to discussthe role of a performer in the MusicalTheatre Industry, including;
the skills, attributesand personalqualities required to make it within the industry, trainingroutesand
qualifications, employment and development skills and other roles within the industry in order to
inform andeducate aspiring performers, including myself.
KEY SKILLS, QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES
Within the musical theatre industry, it is vital for a performer to possessskills in all three performance
areas; singing/music, dancing and acting, as these are usually the three components in a musical.
People whodisplay skills in all three of theseareas are knownas‘a triple threat’. The ability to act, sing
anddance to a reasonably highstandardis needed in order to be versatile. Versatility is a major factor
within this particular industry; a director wants to know that the performer will be able to perform
whatever they ask of them. Inan interview with Abi Sweeney, graduateof MidlandsAcademy of Dance
and Drama (MADD), she said that you should ‘never say no’ when asked if you can do something in
particular, asa performer, or triple threat, youshouldbe able to perform thisor at least train until you
can, in order to get a part. It is not usual for performers to be purely trained in one of the art forms,
acting, singing or dancing, but in multiple. According to ‘The Stage Castings’ in 2014, there are now
twice as many musicals than pure acting plays in the West End now, implying that performers must
have more than one area of skill. A good example of an all-roundtriple threat performance is Sutton
Foster’s 2011 Tony Award’s performance of ‘Anything Goes’ where she sang, in character, and
performed an impressivetap break.
Although the majority of directors require performers to be a ‘triple threat’, several musicals now
require performers to be a ‘quadruple threat’. This primarily means that the director is looking for
‘something extra’ in a performer. Some musicals have their own specifications for performers. For
example, ‘Starlight Express’ requires performers to be exceptional on roller skatesand ‘The Lion King’
requires certain roles to be able to walk confidently on stilts. Sarah Green states in The Wicked Stage
article (2011) that these particular skills ‘open unexpected doors’ within the performing industry. I
believe she made thisstatementas directors are more likely to employ peoplewho already havethese
skills thanpeople whom do notand would haveto be trained in these areas as this takesup too much
time that couldbe spentrehearsing andperfecting the performance.
All of these skills in acting, singing and dancing are vital in order to make an individual an all-round
performer. Having these skills will help you to gain longevity in the industry. According to Silverlock
(2011)from The Stage, ‘the more skills youhave, the more employableyou become’, which should, in
theory, be every musical theatre performer’s aim. These skills are more commonly gained through
taking ‘musical theatre courses [that] will obviously train you to be a triple threat – skilled in singing,
dancing andacting. Some will even mold youinto a quadruplethreat by forcing a trumpet to yourlips
as well (and occasionally you’ll be made into a quintuplesuper-threatby learning circus and acrobatic
skills).’ I agree withthis statementfromThe Stagearticle from2011 asI knowthatyouneedall of these

Erin Mason
2
skills as a foundation but a lot of musicals now require a performer to be a quadruple threat. For
example, the cast of Starlight Express are needed to be extremely good at roller skating. So it is good
to have these extra talents that youare good at outside of your core studies in the art forms in order
for youto be employable for the specific musicals requiring specific talents andskills.
DANCE WITHIN MUSICAL THEATRE
Dance is a crucial skill required in the MusicalTheatre Industry. Danceis usedas an extendedlanguage
in many musicals. Although the skills are required in movement, performers thatare dancing are also
required to be actors, by using appropriate facial expressions and body language. Many musical
numbers within a performance feature dance sections or dance throughout the entire number. Most
performances only require basic skills in dance, however, some musicals are specific in the genre of
dance that they require. For example, exceptional skills in tap dance are required for ‘Anything Goes’
and especially ‘42nd
Street’ and tap, modern and jazz are all required for ‘Singingin the Rain’. Rebecca
Morris (2016)saysin her internet article that ‘if it’s a musical, then there will be dancing so it is key to
know the history of the performance for auditions’. Examples of this is, that if you are attending an
audition for ‘Chicago’, you research the stylistic features and work of Bob Fosse, or an audition for
‘West Side Story’, youshould researchJerome Robbins’ style. Morrisalsostates that‘somepeople are
gifted whereas othersneed years of practice’, which demonstratesthatif youknowthat youare not a
particularly talented dancer then this industry requires that you train in order to reach the desired
standardfor auditions.
One key skill required by dancers in the industry is the ability to learn and maintain choreography
quickly. The choreographermay only showthe routine a couple of times, yet performers are expected
to watch and pick up the routine instantly and be able to confidently perform it. Staminais also a key
attribute within the dance aspect of performing arts. Choreographersand directors will expect youto
continuously rehearse numbers several times consecutively for days on end, which can be extremely
tiring. Performers in West End musicals, usually do 2 showsa day, 6 or 7 daysper week, which would
obviously be extremely tiring. Therefore, performers must constantly train in order to maintain the
required stamina to confidently and enthusiastically perform for up to 14 shows per week.
Characterisation is another key aspect of performing arts, to both portray a character and also to
differentiate between characters. For example, in dance-heavy musicals, such as West Side Story, the
characterisation of the dancers, shows which gang the character belongs to. For example, the Jets
dances include huge, bouncy movements which shows their over-confidence and arrogant attitude
whereas the Sharks’ movements have a much more flamenco-type style to show their Puerto Rican
origins. Havingskills indance will help aperformer to get rolesand jobsin dance-heavy musicaltheatre
productions, for example, Chicago or West Side Story. Directors look for individuality in performers in
orderfor themtoshowcasetheir talentsbutalsobeable tofit inwith anensembleandmatchperfectly.
SINGING WITHIN MUSICAL THEATRE
Inorderto besuccessful inthe industry, singingisacrucial skillrequired. Withinthe artof singing, there
are several skills youmustbe able to do in order to be a goodsinger. One of the main skills needed is
characterisation. Characterisation combines singing with drama and is needed to help the audience
understand the context and meaning of a song. The singer needs to have excellent facial expression
and body language I order to portray the correct emotion and be able to connect with the audience.
This heightens the emotion and reinforces dramatic qualities within the musical. Larry Brown (2007)
saysthat ‘the besttype of character song fits the dramatic situationand cannot be appreciated fully if

Erin Mason
3
taken out of context’ which reinforces that the dramatic quality of a song is very important. Another
skill is harmonising. Performers mustbe able to harmonise, which is the ability to simultaneously sing
with another person/group of people but a different note which goes together with the note that
they’re singing. This helps to create more effects within a song and can make the songmore dramatic
andcreate a mood. Anotherskill required is a wide range, in order to allow yourvoice tosing a variety
of songs, therefore makingyourvoice more versatile. This showsdirectors andproducersthat youcan
sing a variety of songsfrom a variety of musicalsas somemusicals havea very wide range, for example
‘Phantomof the Opera’ whereas others have a low range, ‘Les Miserables’. Larry Brown (2007) wrote
that‘songsinmusicalshelp toevokea moodandatmosphereinwaysthatwordscannot’. I believethat
thisstatementisaccurateas duringmusicals, thesongsarethepartswhichpeoplerememberthemost.
A lot of solos in musicals also become very popular alone. For example, ‘On My Own’ from Les
Miserables is a popular song that a lot of people know even if they don’t know the musical itself.
Another skill needed is the ability to sing whilst moving. Choreography is usually included in musicals
which means a performer will have to be able to sing whilst also movingaround and it notaffect their
ability to sing and especially still being able to reach all of the notes. This leads onto another skill
required, breath control. This enables a performer to hold notes and project the voice as their voice
has to fill an entire theatre. Finally, many lead roles in a musical are usually expected to sing solos,
therefore a performer is needed to haveconfidence within their ability in order to singon their own in
front of large audiences.
ACTING WITHIN MUSICAL THEATRE
Ina musical, actingis neededin ordertotransitionbetween songsinordertomovethe narrativealong.
Acting is also needed within the singingand dancing in musical theatre in order to achieve the correct
characterisation. In order to correctly portray a character, the actor must have the correct
social/historical context, soshouldtherefore research themusical and theera before even auditioning
for the part. Actors should be able to perform different accents, this also helps characterisation and
helps the audience understand the character. For example, in West Side Story, the Sharks must have
Puerto Rican accents in order to perform the role correctly. In any stage production, whether it be a
musical or a play, actors must stay in character throughout the whole performance and not break
character. Even when not delivering dialogue, actors must remain in character and give the correct
body language. Acting is not just about the voice. Actors shouldalso be able to project, this means to
push the voice outwards, without shouting, in order for the voice to be carried throughout an entire
theatre. One of the mostimportantthings an actor must do is learn their lines on time. If lines are not
learnt, the understudy will be given the role.
PROFESSIONALISM IN THE INDUSTRY
In the musical theatre industry, it is not just physical skills within the acting, singing and dancing that
helps an aspiring performer become successful. After reading on websites and in several interviews, I
have decided that one of the mostimportant things thathelps to become a successful performer is to
be polite andhaverespect! In aninterview with Abi Sweeney, she saidthat ‘noonewants towork with
someonewho isn’t a nice person’. I completely agree with thisstatement, not only from thisbut from
personal experience. In auditions, the directors are watching from the moment you step foot in the
audition room before you even perform. In an audition I did for the UK Productions Peter Pan
pantomime in 2016, one of the girls who got the part alongside me, not only was she an incredible
dancer but she helped other candidates out with picking up the choreography in the auditionand the
director commentedon this after the audition and said that he thoughtthat was a lovely thing to do.

Erin Mason
4
Directors are lookingfor people who are not only talented but are polite andseem to notbe arrogant
and are helpful and nice towards other candidates. This also helps within performances as a cast
member as youare expected to rehearse and perform with these people for sometimes12 shows per
week. If youcannotbe respectful andpleasurable towork with, producerswill not wantto employ you
in their company. Performers are needed to work together and as a team in order to produce a
successful show. Another important aspect of professionalism is the ability to be punctual. Everyone
within the company in a show will be expected to arrive on time or even before their call. This shows
dedication to the role and showsthat youare willing to work, which couldlead to getting bigger roles
in the future. A key piece of advice from the interview with Sweeney (2017)is to always be prepared!
She said that if youwere to attendan audition‘alwaystake every pair of dance shoesyou own as you
never know what they could ask of you’ and if you can demonstrate your talents in several areas you
are more likely tobe employedas it showsyourversatility. Alongwith these traits, performers mustbe
able to takes notesand direction. Directors will often write notes duringrehearsals and the performer
has to notbe offended by these and be able to use them as constructivecriticism in order to improve
their performance. Do not argue and take the advice as it will reflect better on youand showthat you
can take advice andwork with it andmake yourperformance better.
DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE SKILLS
DANCE
In dance, flexibility is importantandperformers shouldensure that they stretch at least once a day to
ensure that their muscles remain flexible. This will help to make the movements look effortless as it
takes no effort to move a limb that is already limber and will move without havingto use great force.
Stretching shouldonly be doneto the performers own ability, for example, if a performer is unable to
reach their toes, trying to stretch further can be extremely painful andcan putthe performer at risk, in
the same way that attempting to do chair-past splits would be dangerous if the performer could not
perform a normal split on the ground. If the muscles are over stretched, this could cause tissue and
muscle damage, it is therefore importanttofind the balance between not stretching enoughandover
stretching. Astretchshouldfeel uncomfortable, asthenyouknowthemuscleisworkinghard, however,
stretchingshouldnotbetoopainful, ifyouare inunbearablepainthenyoumuststopasyouareputting
yourself at risk. A top tip for stretching is to use heat in order to relax and release the muscles. From
personal experience, I find sitting with a hot water bottle on the muscle tat you are about to stretch
aids the flexibility of the muscle.
It is key that a dancer knows how to breathe correctly in order to correctly perform the movements.
The breath can be used to exaggerate a movement, for example a contraction in Jazz or a balance in
balletic movements.
Another important skill is stamina. The performer could be in more than 6 shows per week and it is
compulsory toputmorethan100% effortintoevery singlemovementduringaperformance, therefore,
people who dancer in theatre haveto have goodstaminain order to carry on without the movements
lookingtiredor deflated. A goodway tohelp thisis by goingonrunsorjogs, where youhavetoexercise
to the same heart rate for a longperiod of time.
In order to improve the quality of performance, a sense of style needs to be communicated to an
audience. This can be improved by research into the musical and the choreographer and their style,

Erin Mason
5
bothbefore an audition butshould continue to be developed even after you have the role in order to
perfect andstylise the choreography.
ACTING
In drama, tongue twisters are used in order to aid the performer with their articulation. For example,
‘red lorry, yellow lorry’ is used to help with the pronunciationof the ‘l’ soundandto ensure thatevery
soundis heard even when delivering the line at a fast pace. Articulation is importantas the audiences
need to understand what is being said during the performance in order to understand and grasp the
storyline.
Actorsandactressesalsoneed tobeable toprojecttheir voicessothattheirvoice reachesanaudiences
and is able to fill an entire theatre without the actor shouting. A good way to practice this is in a large
space andrecording yourself talkingfrom far away and listening toit back to judge whether yourvoice
is at a suitablevolume.
SNGING
Not only is it important in dance, but singers also should be able to control and maintain how they
breathe during a performance as this can aid notes and the overall performances. One breathing
exercise is to stand with feet apart and a good posture (pulled up through the spine and chest bone
tilted slightly up) with the fingers fanned and slightly overlapped on the abdomen. As the performer
inhales, the fingers should separate. Inhalation should last for 4 counts, the breath then held for 4
counts and then the performer should exhale through the mouth whilst the fingers should return to
being slightly overlapped.
A singer must also be able to care for their voice effectively in order to ensure that their voice is
prepared for every performance. This can be done by simply living a healthy lifestyle, such as healthy
eating and exercise as these help to prevent illness which could affect your vocals. Singers should not
smokeas this could severely damage the voice. If the voice does ever being to feel strained, it should
be soothedas soonas possiblewith honey andlemon.
ROLES WITHIN A MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE
There are many different typesof roles thatyoucouldbe cast asa performer within the company after
an audition. These are detailed below:
LEAD ROLE
The lead role is the mostimportantpartin a musical asit is the largest part, usually with the mostlines
andusually includessolos. Performersplayingaleadrole are usually thehighestpaidperformers within
a company. They are paid an Equity* minimum, alongside the pay negotiated by their agent, which is
between £350-£500 per week. This is one of the most difficult roles as not only do they usually have
most lines and lyrics to learn but have to dedicate the most time to rehearsals. During the rehearsal
andpreparationperiod, theseroles are probably goingtobeneeded for every call inorder toblock and
choreograph as well as tech rehearsals and dress rehearsals. (*Equity are a union for people in art-
basedindustries.)

Erin Mason
6
The lead role is the part that every performer aspires to be. However, at the beginning of yourcareer,
you may only receive ensemble parts but this is not a bad thing as it is good to build up your CV with
several parts asany experience will help youto gain parts in a musical.
UNDERSTUDY
An understudy is someonewho learns the part for the lead role in case the lead is unable to perform
themselves. An understudy is usually also part of the ensemble and are still involved in every
performance, therefore, the understudy will havetoattend their ownensemble calls andrehearsals as
well as thelead’s calls in order tolearn lines, tracks, choreography andblocking. Asthe understudy has
tolearn bothparts, theunderstudies surprisingly getpaidmorethanthe lead does. They get the equity
minimum, thenegotiated amountby agentsand thenextra for learning the parts of the lead role.
ENSEMBLE
An ensemble is a group of people used in a musical. They are generally actors, dancers or musicians
who are used to entertain the audience by bringing more energy and life into the production. They
often play partsof people withfew or nolines andwill often harmoniseduringsongssungby theleads.
The ensemble are just as important as the leads as they are needed to carry the narrative along. The
ensemble will work many hours in the upcoming months before a production in order to learn their
own partsandrehearse as a whole cast, including dressrehearsals. Ensemble membersare not paidas
muchas the leads, however the pay varies dependingon what partin the ensembleyouplay.
SWING
Someone in the swing is an understudy for multiple roles. This person does not perform in the show
unless required to do so and will usually only find out on the day. This person is an understudy for
ensemble members. These people work the same hours in the rehearsal period as the ensemble, just
not the productionhoursunless necessary, as they are required to learn the lines, blockingand songs
for multiple performers.
STAND BY
A standby is a personspecifically hired to replace the lead roles if they are unableto perform, they are
not otherwise included in the performance. They work the same hoursas the lead pre-productionbut
will not attendunlesscalled at any point.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMER
TRAINING
During a recent interview with Abi Sweeney, whom trained at MADD herself, I asked what the typical
day was like for a Musical Theatre performer, whilst in training. She said that a normal day would be
about 9-10 hours at college but when an upcoming performance was lose, it would be more like 12
hourdays, which showshow difficult and longthe daysare in the industry.

Erin Mason
7
This is her average day at college:
This is just an‘average day’ however, Abi said thatno 2 dayswere the same duringtraining. This is due
to exams and shows that required lots of rehearsals. The college she attended also offered private
singing tuitiononce a week so this was also included in the timetable. The whole college day varied in
length assometimesearly or late rehearsals took place I order to perfect routinesfor upcomingshows
andcompetitions.
This differs to a day in training for Sean Jones, currently Mickey in Blood Brothers, whom trained at
Guildhall. In an interview I had with him, he said how he only trained in drama instead of musical
theatre, therefore he had no initial vocal training or training in dance when he originally was cast as
Mickey. But he is still a very well-known successful actor who does perform in the musical theatre
industry whohas been in the industry for many years.
IN THE INDUSTRY
Musical theatre performers within the industry are required to give 100% effort in every single
performance, which can be very tiring. Therefore, performers usually sleep as much as they can
throughout the day, usually even between shows. When they wake up they ensure that they eat
somethinghealthy andenergizinginorder tocarry themthroughcalls andshows. Beforethe castbegin
getting ready, there is usually a whole cast movementandvocal warm up carried outwith supervision
from the choreographer and director in order to ensure that the cast have been thoroughly warmed
upso thatthey can preventinjury throughstrainof either movementorvocal. The cast thenget ready
in terms of make up and costume before being called to get microphones. The cast will sometimes
receive a 15-minute call before Act 1, the cast then will definitely receive a 5-minute call before the
curtain fromthe stage manager. Then ‘Act 1 Beginners’ will be called just before the curtain. There will
usually be 2 showsper day;a matinee andan eveningperformance which will be repeated 6 days per
week.
REHEARSALS
8:30 If called, sign in for pre-college rehearsals for upcoming
events/showcases/performances.
8:45 If a normal day, sign in at 8:45 then get ready for the first class.
9:00 1 hour 30 minute Ballet class.
10:30 1 hour 30 minute Jazz class.
12.00 Lunch.
1:00 Usually rehearsals in the afternoon although varies depending on the time
of year and what was coming up.
6:00 End of day.
6-- Usually rehearsals until around 8pm.

Erin Mason
8
During the rehearsal period, the cast are usually needed at the theatre for 8-12 hours per day,
dependingon when they are called, more when it gets close to opening night. See the informationon
the upcoming pages to learn about the necessary responsibilities during this period beforehand and
duringthe production.
RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN A PRODUCTION
AUDITIONS
Every role withinthe musical theatreindustry will require anauditionin orderto testthe strengthsand
weaknesses in a performer and find the perfect person to play the character. Not all performers will
get partsstraightaway, in fact, performersusually begin with smallensemble partsandwill haveto get
their name knownandwork their way up. Landing roles is downto the work of consistentpreparation,
patience, and persistence. Whether you get the job or not, auditionsare yourbest chance to become
known by casting directors. If you’re professional, prepared, and make a good impression, they’ll
remember you and will keep youin mindfor future roles.
Actors: Actors must go through an audition process whereby they perform a monologue or scene in
front of a panel, includingcasting directors, producers, stage directorsand the choreographerin order
to show off their acting talents. If they makeit throughto the next stages, they will receive a call-back
where they will have to read actual roles from the script, possibly several roles in order to test which
roles that actor is suitable for.
Dancers:Dancersmustalsoauditioninorder to showtheir talent andthe potentialthat they can bring
to theproduction. Somemusicalshavespecific dance stylesneeded. For example, ‘AnythingGoes’ and
‘42nd
Street’ require dancers to be very good tap dancers, ‘Bring It On: The Musical’ requires dancers
to be able to hip-hip and street dance. It is important to always wear appropriate clothing to dance
auditions. In the interview with Abi Sweeney, she said to ‘showoff yourbody in tight fitting clothes to
help show lines’. This shows that the way you look in an audition has an impact on whether you are
cast or not. In a dance audition, you are taught a section of choreography either in the style of the
musical of from the actual choreography to show that you look good in the particular style of the
musical, and then separated into groups to perform it to the choreographer I order to find ensemble
memberswhom look gooddancing togetherand matchwell together.
Musical Theatre Performers: Musicaltheatreperformers auditionby showingtheir areas of strengthin
all three art forms (acting, singing and dancing) to the director, producer and choreographer. The
auditionwill consist of a monologue, adance solo anda songsoloin orderto showcase their talents.
Musician: Musiciansusually auditionforanagency and thenthe agency recommendsthe musiciansto
companies and directors looking for instrumentalists. For example, if the company of ‘Hamilton’
needed a drummerfor 3 weeks, thenan agency with a drummerfree for those3 weeks wouldcontact
the company andnegotiate paymentsandthedrummer wouldrehearse at the bandcalls.
ATTENDING REHEARSALS
Every member in the entire cast will have to attend rehearsals. They may be called at different times,
so may be in different rehearsals but all of the cast need to rehearse. For example, the dancers will
mostlikely rehearse in the studiorather thanthe stage.

Erin Mason
9
Actors: Actors are required to attend rehearsals so that they can perform in front of the director and
take direction and learn blocking. They also need to have characterisation tuition and work on their
accent and relationshiptowardsother characters.
Dancers: Dancers are required to attend dance calls and rehearsals in order to learn and rehearse
choreography so that it can be performed perfectly. Dancers also need to rehearse in costume and
usingtheir props in order to check thatthe movementscan still be performed to a high standard.
Musicians:Musiciansmustattendtheirrehearsalsin order tolearn thesongsandbecome accustomed
to them. This will enable the musician to learn to play the song so that they will not necessarily need
the sheet music. This is helpful as especially with sung-throughmusicals, forexample ‘Les Miserables’,
it is not always possible to be able to turn a page whilst playing. If a musician makes a mistake, the
whole performance could crumble as it would distract anyonesingingor dancingon the stage.
BAND CALLS
All members of the cast must attend band calls. Band calls happen once that the entire show is fully
blockedandchoreographed, andaretherefore towardstheend of thepre-productionperiod andafter
rehearsals. These calls are needed are neededin order toincorporatethemusic andsoundeffects with
the choreography and dialogue so that the band have the correct cues and timings. It is crucial that
dancers attend the band calls so that they can rehearse to live music as it will be played live in the
performance rather than the backing tracks that the movement would have been choreographed to.
This allows the choreographer to watch the whole performance of the track and make the necessary
adjustments needed and address any problems with the band playing the song incase they play it
differently to the backing track. Band calls are needed finally, as they are what string the whole
performance together before the dress rehearsals.
COSTUME FITTINGS
All company members whom perform on stage will need to attend a costume fitting. Before the
productionrehearsalseven begin, performers will mostlikely be sent a form in which they are to fill in
with their measurements. I know from personal experience in the UKP Pantomime last year that the
entire cast were senta sheet askingfor measurements. Thisensuresthatthe wardrobemistressknows
all of yourmeasurementssothatcostumescanbemadetofittheperformerexactly. Itisvery important
thatdancers knowtheir measurementsexactly as their costumesneed tofit perfectly as they havethe
mostmovementandprobably themostcostumechangestoo. Costumescanhelptoapply contextinto
the performance. The costumescan imply the era andsocial context of the performance and can help
an audience to differentiate between the characters.
LEARNING LINES
It is imperative that a performer witha speaking role is to begin learning their lines as soon as their
script is sent to them. The narrative in a musical is was moves the story along, so the lines must be
learnt so that they can perform them in rehearsals. Lucy Kay played the narrator in Joseph and The
TechnicolourDreamcoat, one of themain roles, andshe only had1 week to learn all of her lines, songs,
lyrics andchoreography, sopeople mustdothis assoonas they can to ensure thatthey are perfect for
the opening night. The actors must be confident in their dialogue in order for the character to be
believable and be portrayedcorrectly.

Erin Mason
10
LEARNING CHOREOGRAPHY
The main people required to learn choreography in a musical are the dancers. Dancersundergoweeks
of intensive training in order toget the choreographclean and precise.
RESPONDING TO DIRECTION
During rehearsals, the director will give instruction and advice on improvements to the actors and
performers, these are knownasdirection ornotes. Notesare mainly givenafter a full cast tech ordress
run. The director will have an idea of how he/she wants the production to look and if the performers
fail to meet this expectation, changes will be asked to be made and performers are to make these
changes without hesitation. This positive response demonstrates your versatility and your ability to
change onthe spot.
RESPONDING TO MUSICAL DIRECTION
Dancers: The choreographer will give musical directions to the dancers. These are similar to the
directors, buttodowith thechoreography. Dancershavetorespondtothesedirectionsotherwisethey
will stick outon stage andthe piece will look messy andunrehearsed.
Musicians:Musiciansaregivenmusicaldirectionfromthemusicaldirectorinorder toensurethey know
every cue and are playingthe songsexactly right. The bandperformance mustbe tight in order for the
songsto be in syncand soundright.
UNDERTAKING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WORK
Actors and musical theatre performers will undergo character development tuition in order to ensure
that their character is portray correctly to an audience. Jared Gair (2012)says‘The goal of any actor is
to be able to tell a story as a character, so the main task from first reading to final performance is to
developthat character.’ Provingthatcharacterisation is the key motivefrom the initial readingright to
the final performance and infers that the character shouldcontinueto build even after rehearsals and
into the performance. RADA teacher, Dee Cannon (2009) teaches that “When you play a character in
theatre, TV or film, youshouldknow yourcharacter as well as youknow yourself, so youcan just exist
andlive.’ This isguaranteedtoensure theperformance is believable andthe audience will findit easier
toempathiseandfeel theemotionsradiatingfromthecharacter. Cannonsuggeststhatshewouldteach
this by instructing studentstocarry outtheir own research into the character as ‘youneed to find out
through detailed research what the history, economics, politics, music, art, literature, theatre, film,
foods, fashion, religion might have been at the time the play was written, in order to know how you
would have lived and what and who your influences were, just as you know these things in real life.’
Which I believe is a usefulway toobtaininformationaboutyourcharacterasif they were areal human.
This will help the performance be more authentic as it would appear more realistic, especially if the
character is being played as real person. This can be achieved by usingresources such as booksor the
internet.
Dancers may also receive characterisation tuition to ensure that the dance numbers are being
performed with the right characters and context to both the musical and the whereabouts of the
numberwithinthenarrative. Thisensuresthatthe dancenumberhasapoint andapurpose. Thiswould
be more commonin a musical which is very dance-orientated, for example West Side Story, whereby

Erin Mason
11
the characterisation of the choreography determinesyourcharacter. Inthis instance, whether youare
a Shark or a Jet is indicated in the choreography, with the Jets having more upbeat, bouncy and
boisterous choreography than the Sharks to display their immature and boy-like personalities and
characters.
Below is a brief overview of whomwithin the industry has whichof the responsibilitieswhich I have just
discussed:
Responsibility Actor Dancer Singer Musical
Theatre
Performer
Auditioning    
Attending Rehearsals    
Attending Band Calls    
Undertaking Character Development
Tuition
   
Attending Costume Fittings    
Taking Part in Performances    
Responding to Direction   
Responding to Musical Direction   
Learning Choreography  
Learning Lines and Movement  
Learning Song Lyrics    
INTERRELATIONSHIPS
It is not just the performers that make a production possible, there are several people off-stage that
are vital tomakingsure the show runssmoothly andhelped topiece the performance together.
DIRECTORS
There must be a strong relationship between performer and director in order for them to work well
alongside each other throughout the whole of rehearsals. The actor must be able to take notes from
the director without takingit personally or letting it affect the performance. They musthave the same
vision inorder for theactor toachieve theend product. Mark Travis(2012)describestheactor/director
relationship as ‘like trying to dance a waltz and both parties are trying to lead.’ Only one person can
lead a Waltz, implying that the relationship is tricky as both parties are trying to take over. If this
relationshipwas to become hindered in anyway, thefinal piece will look underrehearsed and tense.
CHOREOGRAPHER
Dancers must have a positive relationship with choreographers in order to strive towards the best
possibleroutinesandchoreography. Thedancersmustbeable to takecriticism and useit to work from
and not take any of it personally. These parties must be able to communicate effectively and be
comfortable enoughto ask questionsas if a dancer doesnot pick upa specific step, thenthey need to
be able toask the choreographerfor guidance.

Erin Mason
12
VOCAL COACH
Performers in the industry will work closely with vocal coaches in order to enhance their singing
abilities. The relationship has to be positive in order for constructive feedback to be given without it
being personal. If this relationshipis negative, the performers voice couldget strained.
GETTING PARTS AND BEING RECOGNISED IN THE INDUSTRY
The easiest and mostcommonway to get jobsin the musical theatre industry is to get an agent as this
is the best way to get exposureas they putyour name forward for jobs and then youwill be invited to
audition for suitable roles. It is best to get a well-known agent. Abi Sweeney (2017)said ‘always get a
well known agent because they will put you out there for the big jobs’. I agree with this statement
because agents with the longest and most experience within the industry will be recognised and if
companies get performers that are represented by them and they are good then the company will
remember the agent and want more performers from there. In order to get an agent, youwill have to
initially handthem a performer’sCV, in which youshouldincludeyourname, contactdetails (including
yourmobilenumberandemail), yourheadshots, yourheight, age, nationality, accentsyoucando, ages
youare able to look and a full resumeof any experience youalready have of performing. Youwill then
be chosenforauditionswhichwill be like auditioningforalead role. Youwill haveto act, singanddance
in order to get a musical theatre agent. Headshots are always useful as a director could decide your
suitability for a specific role justby a photoof yourface.
HOW TO BECOME A MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMER
FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS
Althoughit is not essential thatyoudo, it looksmore professional and makesyoulook more dedicated
if youhaveaformal qualification onyourperformer’sCV. Many collegesandsixth formsoffer the BTEC
NationalDiploma in Performing Arts and some also offer an extended BTEC whereby you specialise in
a specific area, for example, musical theatre. These are the equivalent to an A Level course andworth
the same amount of UCAS point which can help when trying to get on courses in higher education,
whether thisbea BA degree courseata university oraLevel 5 or 6 courseata college. There are several
A Level courses that could also help you get into the industry, for example A Level dance or drama
would be a helpful course.
Although these courses are helpful, they are not necessary, so youdon’tneed to feel obliged to have
studied musical theatre to try and go for auditions on your own. Training however is helpful with
regards to exposureto agents.
POSSIBLE TRAINING ROUTES
Although the majority of performers do, you do not necessarily have to take the traditional route of
dramaschoolin order tomakeit inthe industry. Youcouldgetnoticed by performingandgetting small
jobs in order to get noticed by agents straight away and can e-mail your own casting directors and
agentsin order toget noticed, rather thanspending3 years at a college.

Erin Mason
13
There are several performing arts schools that have strengths and outshine others in different areas,
sowhich school youchoseshoulddependsonwhatyouwant toget outof it, butwith all schools‘what
youput in is what you get out’ as Abi Sweeney (2017)states, referring to her time at MADD, meaning
if youputtheeffort in thenyouwill getthe resultsout thatyoudesire. Thereare many different schools
that offer many different qualifications and training opportunities. It is worth looking at these and
comparing them before making any definitive decisions on where you would like to attend, although
there is no harm in auditioning for as many as you like and then making your decision. Open days at
these institutionsare the best way to get a feel for the school.
INSTITUTIONS
There are somany factors totake intoaccountwhen choosingwhich institutionyou intendtostudy at.
This may include the location of the school. Sweeney (2017), said that if you want to perform
professionally, then you need to be in London, as this is the heart of musical theatre and performing,
which could mean attending a school such as Laine’s, Mountview or Arts Ed which are situated in
Londonin order to be noticed in thatarea before youeven graduate. The costof the schoolcan play a
major part asstudentfinance is notavailable to coursesthat are not partof a degree, according toAbi
Sweeney. So if the school in unaffordable you may need to apply for a scholarship and have another
auditionto see if youqualify for that. According to Silverlock (2011), fromThe Stage‘it might[also] be
worth noting that there are far more musical theatre shows than straight acting ones in theatres at
present – hence more musical theatre graduates leave with a job’ which could influence the specific
course thatyouchose at the institution. Thisquotebasically states thatit is better to choosea musical
theatrecourseratherthanastraightactingcourseasthere arefar moremusicalsthanthereare straight
acting plays or shows at present. This means that more jobs are available for performers trained in
musical theatre, as at auditions for a musical, directors are more likely to choose people whom are
trained inmusical theatre ratherthan someonetrained only inacting. Takingthisonboard, I knowthat
in order to be in the MusicalTheatre industry, I need totrain in musical theatre so thatI can become a
triple threatrather than justone specific area of performing.
There are several institutions that offer several different courses, here are a few I found offering
interestingcourses:
BIRD COLLEGE
Bird College offer great musical theatre courses as part of their Higher and Further Educationcourses
programme. Great performerssuch asLara Pulver andJohnPartridgetrainedhere. Bird offer bothfull-
time andpart-timecourses. The college is located inKent, close to London, witheasy access by train to
CharingCross. Londonis the ideal place totrain andbe if youwant to be successful within theindustry
according to Abi Sweeney (2017), therefore Bird is an excellent choice in that respect.
Bird offer a 3-year BA (Hons) degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre validated by the
University of Greenwich and is designed to offer students the chance to develop high levels of
performance skills. The college state that ‘throughoutthethree years, studentsare encouraged to be
versatile and to critically appraise their own performance as they grow in confidence and maturity.
Duringthe final year, studentsspecialiseinmajor performancesbothinDance andMusicalTheatreand
engage in an independent project, which can combine practical and written work.’ I believe this
approach encourages performers to be independent, which is helpful in the industry as you are out
auditioningfor yourself andyou have to be able to cope with workingalone as well as in a group, and
it also encourages individuality. This individuality between performers is vital as it showcases their

Erin Mason
14
talent as an individual and they may have unnoticed talents in which can be nurtured in order to
produce the perfect triple threat performer. You have to be 18 in order to audition for this course.
‘Entry is by audition and interview with a minimum 64 UCAS points at A level; with a minimum of 2 x
Grade ‘C’sat A2 level or equivalent for other qualifications.’
The college also offer a 3-yearTrinity validated diplomain Musical Theatre in order to ‘equip students
with the technical and creative skills necessary for a successful career in dance and musical theatre’.
You can apply for this course from 16 years old. The college requires that applicants have at least 4
GCSE Level qualifications andmustass the auditionprocessto the college.
Bird College also offers short and part-time courses, such as summer schools and week intensives for
aspiring performers, or even people lookingto get into the college.
After exploring thecourses, andwhat they entail, thecosts, living arrangements, teachingandall other
major factors surrounding these institutions, I have made the decision that Bird would be the best
institutionforme. I lovethatthecollege isvery dance-based, andtheirmusicaltheatrecoursesare very
good. I like thatthey offer a degree course tooas not many colleges do andI feel like a degree course
gives you a wider range of options for after graduation, for example going into teaching in a school. I
believe thatthiswould bea better choice for me thanMADDorLIPA asthey offer thedegree in musical
theatre which is what I aspire to do.
Although this is an excellent college with some excellent alumni, after reading an interview with Lara
Pulver, ex-studentof Doreen Bird College, whomhas hadmany successes within the industry, bothon
stage and on screen, she said her time at Bird was spent ‘reluctantly [and] grudgingly’. Thus implying
thatshe didnotenjoy her time atBird. I suspectthatthis is aresult of her notbeing a dancerand Bird’s
coursesbeing very dance-orientated, ormaybeotherfactors suchaspersonalissuesor she justdid not
enjoy it. I feel this is a prime example relating to the interview with Abi Sweeney (2017) as Sweeney
said thatyoujust knowwhen youwalk into aninstitutionif it is right for you, so thecourse or even the
college may just not have been the right place for her butshe didn’trealise until it was too late. Even
thoughshe did notenjoy her time here, she has had numeroussuccessesand an outstandingnumber
of achievementsonstageandscreen, including;The Wizardof Oz, IntoTheWoods, TheLast FiveYears,
Sherlock, A Chorus Line, Gypsy, 42nd
Street, Grease, Chicago, Edge of Tomorrow, Game of Thrones,
Uncle Vanya, Skins, MissSaigon, Spooks, TrueBlood, RobinHoodand Legacy.
LIVERPOOL INSTITUTE OF PERFORMING ARTS
The Liverpool Institutefor PerformingArts is also an exceptional school when it comes to the range of
courses on offer. They offer many different degree-level courses, for example; BA (Hons) Acting, BA
(Hons) Danceand variousBA(Hons) Musiccourses. Thesecoursesin the individualartareas are helpful
for a performer to excel in a particular art form. They even offer courses in other aspects of theatre,
such as BA (Hons) Managementof Music Entertainment, Theatre and Events. Which is not necessarily
for a performer butsomeonewhom wantsto work in the industry withoutbeing onstage themselves.
If youwant to attend the Liverpool Institutefor PerformingArts, you mustapply throughUCAS as it is
considered a university site.

Erin Mason
15
Belowisa screenshotof theavailablecourseson offerattheLiverpoolInstituteofPerformingArts, which
I foundontheir website.
I personally know several people whom are currently
studying at LIPA. After discussing the course with Luke
Cartwright, a student in their second year of studying
BA (Hons) Dance at LIPA. He said that ‘you need to be
fully in love with dance and performing or else you’ll
hate it due to the intensity’. I believe this implies that
the courseis very full-onandrequiresa lot ofhard work
and dedication in order to succeed, which can be said
aboutthewhole industry really. Every jobyouget inthe
industry will be intense and require a lot of hard work
and dedication so I believe this course is a good choice
as it will prepare you for the hard work ahead of your
career within the Musical Theatre industry. This could
possibly be a good course for me to consider, as being
a strong dancer with 14 years of performance
experience, I believe that this course would benefit my
career massively if I was to go into a pure dance
production. However, due to my interest in Musical
Theatre, I think thatthis institutionletsitself downwith
the limited amount of Musical Theatre experience. So,
although this would benefit me massively in the art
form of dance, it would not help me to gain training in
the Musical Theatre scene. I like that their courses are
all very performance and practical-based thus allowing
the student individuality and able to express
themselves whilst receiving the technical training they
so need. The performance element prepares students
for future experiences which I love aboutthecourse.
I personally think thatalthoughLIPAisanexcellent institute interms ofdegree courses, however, these
particular coursesonly aid a performer intheir chosenarea andnotin a ‘triplethreat’ andan ‘allround’
performing aspect which is required within the Musical Theatre industry today.
MIDLANDS ACADEMY OF DANCE AND DRAMA
MADD offer multiple courses in Musical Theatre. Their 3-year Level 6 Trinity recognised Professional
Musical Theatre course is most popular at the college. The student will also receive a Full Equity
membershipwiththis courseaswell as exposuretoagents inthe thirdyear of training. Thecollege also
offer teacher training courses. A 1-year foundation course is offered to students who need technical
training before being accepted onto the full course. MADD is located locally in Nottingham, just a 30-
minutedrive or easily accessible by train or tram.
In order to get into the college, you must apply by sending in application forms and a medical form,
they will then reply with an audition date, if you have been successful. The audition consists of a jazz
class, followed by a musical theatre song, a solo dance in any style and a monologue. The college will
write within a week to tell you whether or notyouhave been accepted ontothe course.

Erin Mason
16
Below is a copy of the applicationform for MADD:
After conductingresearch into Bird, LIPA and MADD, I can confirm thatmy favourite choice for me
to study personally wouldbeBird College in Kent. Bird are a very experienced college in dance, and
with me being a strongerdancer, thanactor or singer, I believe this would help me within training.
As well, their courses are Musical Theatre based with training in all three areas of the industry,
compared to LIPA who only offer training in the individual areas rather the musical theatre as a
whole. I also believe that the location of the college, near London, would help me to proceed into
the industry after graduation, whereas MADD, being in Nottingham, is not really in a key location
associatedwith MusicalTheatre.
For me, LIPA is not an option as they do not offer Musical Theatre so I would take the BA (Hons)
Dance course, butit would not benefit me ion the industry after graduationso I think attendinga
schoolthat is tailored to all three art forms would benefit me more.
AlthoughI absolutely lovethe3-yearcourseatMidlandsAcademy ofDanceandDrama, thelocation
doesn’t really encourage me to apply. Being in Nottingham city centre isn’t a bad place to train,
however, as Abi Sweeney stated in her interview, ‘if you want to succeed then you need to be in
London’. Also, after researching opportunities, I have found that Manchester is also a great place
tobe for the MusicalTheatre scene. Sothe Nottinghamlocationruinsthecollege for me. However,
I love the course and how well the studentslike andcare for each other. After being on opendays
myself, and to workshops at MADD, I enjoy the feeling of warmth and family-like values between
students. I alsolike thatthe college notonly offer core dance lessonsbutalsoother lessonssuchas
Latin, which couldhelpin theindustry asbeing‘somethingextra’ (quadruplethreat). Thiscouldalso
help with dancebasedmusicals, suchas WestSide Story, thathavea LatinAmerican style of dance.

Erin Mason
17
LIFESTYLE FACTORS THAT CAN IMPACT PERFORMANCE
Although performing can be very rewarding, there are also several factors, involvinglifestyle problems
thatcan impactboth, aperformance anda performer themselves. Thesecan be psychicalor emotional
issues and they both could equally affect the quality of a Musical Theatre performer’s performance.
Performers should bear these in mind in order to stay on top of them so that they can excel in their
career with ease andwithout havingtoworry aboutthese issues.
MENTAL HEALTH
With the amountof work and effort thatgoes into performanceand never knowingwhen the next job
or slither of hope will come about, it comes as no surprise thatstress and anxiety are commonamong
performers. This is unhealthy asnotonly canit mentally affect theperformers overall performance but
stresscan severely affect the immunesystemandcan potentially make theperformer ill and unableto
perform.
A friend of mine, whom I did the pantomime last year, meditates every morning in order to remain
calm and stress-free andthis really worked for her.
FITNESS
Remaining physically fit and healthy is key within the musical theatre industry in order to maintain
perfect health throughputboththe rehearsal and the performance period, alongside the performer’s
diet. Fitness meansthat the performer has full potential to perform to the best of their ability. Fitness
shouldbe targeted during training periods by regular jogging or exercise outsideof rehearsals so that
staminacan be appliedto every rehearsal or performance. Havinga regular sleep pattern canalso help
as when a human sleeps, their body repairs and works harder which means they will be restored
energy-wise for the next day or next show. A regular sleep pattern is not always possible within the
industry as when evening shows take place, it is hard to estimate when the curtain will go down, and
then after a meet and greet, going home, getting food and a shower/bath, youcan’t be certain when
this will be.
DIET
The diet of a performer can have a huge impact on their overall performance. A healthy andbalanced
diet shouldbe maintained as much as possible in order to have goodoverall health and also have the
correct energy in order toperform to the performer’s full potential.
The BritishAssociationforPerformingArtsMedicinesuggeststhatabalanceddietismandatory inorder
to maintain a healthy weight although they do acknowledge that ‘it’s doubly difficult for performers
because of the lifestyle: long hours, grueling rehearsal schedules, long periodsof hangingaroundwith
nothingto do, late nights, and trickiest of all, being on tour’.
If a performer becomes unhealthy oroverweight, their performance standardswill plummet. Notonly
will they become physically unfit and unable to perform as well as before, the performer will become
tired and fatigued easily, meaningthat they will notbe able to project the expected amountof energy
throughout a performance. Therefore, if you are wanting to train within musical theatre then it is
suggestedthatyoubeginthishealthy lifestyleduringyourtraininginorderforit tocome morenaturally

Erin Mason
18
during performance periods and it won’t be something new to introduce whilst also rehearsing and
performing.
According to the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine, a balanced diet should include
something from eachof the foodgroupsat every meal. These are:
 Carbohydrates – asthesefill up our stomachsandour bodiescan turn these into sugars which
produce energy which is slowly released into the body during exercise (ie performing). The
association also suggests that with these foods, the simpler the better – watch out for added
sugar, salt andfat!
 Proteins – which are vital for building and repairing tissue – importantfor shiny hair and clear
skin. There are lotsof foodsto choose from: fish (especially oily fish such as salmon, mackerel
andsardines), lean meat, eggs anddairy products, seeds, nutsandpulses.
 Fats – although should be eaten in moderation, are an important source of energy. We need
the right kindsof fats for our general health; they help transportvitamins aroundour bodies.
They also make food more interesting. It is important to understand the difference between
the two kindsof fat:
- Saturated fats shouldbeeaten in very limited quantities. These are the ones that are solid
at roomtemperature: butter, fat onmeat, cheese, lard and soon. Processedfood is often
high in saturatedfats.
- Polyunsaturated fats – those that are liquid at room temperature – are the healthy type:
olive oil, and mostnutand seed oils are especially good, asare the oils foundin oily fish.
 Vitamins - are essential for health. Our bodies can’t make them on their own, so we need to
get them from the food we eat. Broadly speaking, we need the different vitamins for the
following:
- A – for eyesight, organfunction, ahealthy immunesystem(fromgreen vegetables, carrots,
dairy products, animalfat).
- B – the different B vitamins – for cell activity, healthy nervous system and skin (from
cereals, meats, green veg, dairy products).
- C – for a healthy immunesystem(fromfruit andvegetables, especially tomatoesandcitrus
fruits).
- D – bonehealth (from eggs, fish, butterand exposureto sunlight).
- E – (probably) for reproductive organ health and neuromuscular functions (from wheat
germ, rice, green veg).
- K –for bloodclotting (from egg yolk, fish liver, leafy green veg, yogurt).
 Minerals - are needed in tiny amounts, and our needs change at different stages in our lives,
but eating a healthy, balanced, varied diet means that we get the benefits without having to
become experts in nutrition. The mostimportantminerals we need are:
- Calcium –forbonesnerve and muscle function
- Iron–very importantforwomen, fortheformationofhaemoglobininredbloodcells. More
efficient if takenwith vitamin C.
- Also important are: magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, fluoride, selenium,
copper, chromium, manganese.
 Water - isvital too. Youshoulddrink water duringthe course of the day, tokeep youhydrated
andalert. Fizzy drinks, tea, coffee andalcohol don’tdothetrick, and in fact can dehydrateyou.
If you’regoing to be on stage, or in an orchestra pit or recording studio for a long time, don’t
avoiddrinkingwater because youthink youwill need to go tothe loo. Yourbody loses 1.5 to2
litres a day andyouneedtoputitback. Eating juicy fresh fruit is good, too, and itprovidesextra
vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Erin Mason
19
Below is a copy of the Eatwell Plate that I foundonGoogle. It showsthe proportions of each foodgroup
you shouldeat per meal.
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY
Managing your financials, even during training, can be difficult. With the majority of courses being
£9,500 per year on top of living costs, with no time to work, training can be an expensive time in any
performer’s life. Theatre performersneed toconsiderthatwork will notalwaysbeavailable andsothey
need to be careful with money in order to not strugglein between work.
Inan interview with Lucy Kay, she statedthatone of the easiest ways to get money within theindustry
is to do pantomimes each year as it is a lot of money in a short space of time. She said that she gets
£1000 a week to play a principal role in the pantomime in Poole this year. I know from personal
experience that pantomimes are an easy source of money as when I was an ensemble/dancer in the
UK Production’sPeterPanpantomimein2016, I got£250 perweek, whichis a lot for anensemble role.
This is just a shortway of makingmoney. Inmy recent interview with Abi Sweeney, she saidthat whilst
she was living in London, she would come home to her family’s dance school in order to teach on
Saturdaystoearn money that she would use to pay her rent and life in London. Sothese are two very
different waysof makingmoney. Many performershaveteachingqualifications as it is a goodskill. Not
only is it a goodway to make money andis somethingI enjoy butit helps youtounderstandskillseven
more as having to explain them to a group of children means you need to understand them yourself.
For example, when teaching Musical Theatre lessons, I teach the children aboutprojection by making
the pupilstand outsidethedoorof thestudioandgetting themtosay their namewithoutshoutingand
we musttry andhear them from inside.
FAMILY AND SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS
This kind of job means that connections can sometimes be lost with family and friends due to being
unable to spendtime with them. This also means thata serious relationshipmay notbe possible. This
kindof professionrequires youtobe available themajority of the time so havingsocial obligationscan
be difficult.

Erin Mason
20
INTERVIEW WITH ABI SWEENEY
Abi Sweeney began dancing when she was 5 years old,
beginning her career in Musical Theatre when she was 16
years old, attending Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama
for 3 years, achieving a Level 6 diploma in Musical Theatre.
She is currently a teaching assistant at Ashfield School and a
fully qualified dance teacher at Stage Door Dance School. I
interviewed Abi, and during this interview, asked her several
questionsabouttrainingroutesandtheindustry,aswellasfor
advice that couldhelp an aspiring performer, like myself.
Below is the interview I conductedwith Abi Sweeney:
1. Where did youchose to trainandwhy?
Abi auditioned at Phil Winston’s and Midland’sAcademy of Dance and Drama (MADD) at age 16, she
got into both and was already an associate at Urdang. She chose to train at MADD because she
preferred the atmosphereofthe college andshejust knewwhen shewalked in thatthiswas where she
wanted to train. She also said thatif she could go back and do her A-Levels andwait until she was 18,
she would.
2. How do youapply tocollege?
Abi applied by sendingoff the application forms to the colleges alongwith headshotsandthey replied
with an auditionand interview dates.
3. At what age didyoudecide that musical theatre was your chosen career?
Abi began dancing at age 5, but knew when shewas 13/14 thatcollege was the bestroute for her.
4. Who do you aspire tobe or your dream role?
Her favourite musicals are dance-heavy musicals, such as Chicago so she would love to be in that. Abi
loves the dancer SarahRobinsonsowould aspire to be her.
5. What wasyour daily routine whentraining?
Sign in at 8:45 (sometimes as Dance Captainshe would call rehearsals at 8:30)ready for class to begin
at 9. 1 hour 30 minutes Ballet and then Jazz and singing. The college offered private singing tuition
every week too.
6. How did youdeal withsetbacks?
Setbacks come with the job. Abi said that the industry is very competitive and for every 20 setbacks,
you only get 1 bit of hope that carries you through. You have to really want to do it to get by. If you
aren’t toughthenyouwon’tbe able to cope with the setbacks.
7. How do youdeal with pressures?
Be prepared always!
8. What course did you choose to doat college?

Erin Mason
21
Abi chose to dothe full 3-yearMusical Theatre Diploma, which was Trinity recognised andcounted for
2/3 of a degree. MADD also offer a 1-yearfoundationcourseto prepare youfor the full 3-yearcourse.
9. How do youmanage yourself in auditions?
Her key advice was appearanceand to always look as goodas youcan! She said to showoff yourbody
in tight fitting clothes to help show lines, always take all of your dance shoes, you never know what
they couldask youto do. Be prepared! She also saidit may be hardbut alwaysget to the front asthey
look for confidence and people who don’tjust blend in. Youalso need to get noticed, but be polite as
no onewants to work with someonewho isn’ta nice person.
10. What have youachievedin your career?
She was askedtogo back to MADD for 4 showstochoreographanddirect, she thenmovedto London,
gotherself anagent andworkedin London. Shehashadseveral dancejobs includingdancingfor Calvin
Harris andmodellinginfashionshows. Shealsogotthe opportunity to movetoMexicoanddancethere
for 6 months.
11. How did youpay to live I London?
Abi said she was very fortunate to havea family-rundance schoolback homewhich she taughtat over
weekends to earn money and then went back to Londonfor auditionsand worked in bars and taught
there too. She said thatif youwant to perform, Londonis where youneed to be.
12. Do you get student finance for college?
Abi said that there was no studentfinance for these courses, however, she was lucky enoughto get a
half scholarshipbut the full tuitionis £9,500 peryear.
13. When wasyouat your lowest in your career?
She had auditionedfor Dance Inc. 4 times and still notgot it andwas soclose to giving up andmoving
back home butwas thenoffered the job in Mexico touring. She said to always get a well knownagent
because they will putyou out there for the big jobs abroadlike that.
14. Do you have any advice for anyone going intothe industry?
Train as hard as youcan, go to classes weekly, get your face knownas people remember who youare
and never say no, never say you can’t do something. Go to workshops as you never know who is
watching.

Erin Mason
22
INTERVIEW WITH SEAN JONES
Sean Jones currently plays Mickey in the UK tour of Blood
Brothersand previously thesame role in the West End.
1. When youwere at Guildhall, which performingpath
did you choose? Wasit a performing artscourse or
just drama?
It was a straightacting course. I always wanted to be an actor
and never really wanted to go into musicals, which is ironic
since I made a livingout of one. My role in BloodBrotherswas
weird becausesomeonecameuptomeandsaidthey had seen
a part thatlookedand performedlike you, soI was inspiredto
see it and understand how people see me as a performer. As
soonasI sawitI fell inlovewith thecharacter. However, I don’t
really see Blood Brothersas a musical I see it as moreof a play
first and a musical second. It is more dialogue thansong.
2. When did you start your career and where?
I got expelled from school and did a YTS course. This can be considered cheap labour because you’re
getting paid the same as dole money. I did the course in a theatre helping out with the stage manager
during the daytime and in the evenings Iwas involved in a very good youth theatre. So I see that as
when my career started. This helpedme when I auditionedfor dramaschools.
3. If you didn’t originally want to gointo musical theatre what did you have to adapt after all your
dramatraining?
I usedto get frustrated in auditionsbecauseI could hear people singingbefore I got intothe roomand
knew I couldn’tsing. They couldn’tdowhat I could doandI couldn’tdowhatthey coulddo. I hatedthe
thoughtof havingto be a ‘triple threat’. However, when the auditioncame for Mickey I was toldI had
to sing, because it had been a character I had become obsessed with I hadsome singinglessons. I only
had one day to prepare so I rang my friend and I spent an hour and half with him going over a song
makingsure I was totally prepared. BecauseI wanted therole so muchI was prepared toputthe effort
in. People say how do you combat nerves? Prepare. Learn your lines and learn your songs, you make
sure you are completely prepared. If you are still nervous after that, then its ok because nerves are
great. Nervesare what actorsfeed on.
4. How many rehearsals did you have before a show?
We get about a week to rehearse, and every time we go back on tour they give us a little rehearsal
process. It all dependsonhow many people are returningto the tour, for example this tour practically
everybody returned from last year so they gave us a day to rehearse. But if you have loads of new
people you have to rehearse more however it costs the company money for us to rehearse because
they have to pay for the rehearsal space andpay for ourtransportdown, therefore they try to avoidit.
We also don’tget paid as muchif we rehearse.
5. When you play the character Mickey, after all these years do youstill have to warm upor can youwalk
out on stage andyou’re Mickey?

Erin Mason
23
I don’tthink there is a massive difference in character to Mickey as there is to myself, I’m not sayingI
play myself on stage because I don’tit just similar. I go on and play an exaggerated version of myself,
so once the costumeis onI’m a real boy. Itis just energy;it is the most importantthing. I have to do a
physical warm up before I go on stage because I’m running around on a rake stage therefore I could
twist my ankles, pull a calve muscle, etc.
6. How do youplay a 7-year-oldso well?
I don’t put on a funny voice because you don’t have to demonstrate to the audience what your
character is, the director said you run on stage and you tell the audience you’re 7 years old and they
will believe you. The trick is essence, what is the essence of a child? Kids are bipolar, things are either
amazingor really boring, if youcommitto that youraudience will go alongwith it.
7. How often does the director come andwatch?
It all depends. Bill lost the rights to take BloodBrothers ontoWest end so in order to get the rights to
take it on West end we have to woo Mr. Russell. Therefore, they send the director to watch it to see
how it is getting on. They also come to see if something keeps going wrong, for example missing a
lighting cue, an entrance, running time of the shows etc. if this continues he comes to see what is
wrong. He doesn’talwaysgive us warning.
8. What is your relationshipwith the director?
I have a very good relationship with the director, he trusts me. I think that’s because I’ve been doing
thisshow for solongso I do havea certain allowance in terms of invention. BecauseMickey drivesa lot
of the scenesI havethe powerto doa little more thanothers, whichsome of themcan geta bit jealous
about.
9. When youwent to drama school, is what youwere taught there and what you now different?
Yes, it is, basically Drama College can’t teach you aboutacting. The best thing aboutDrama College is
you get to explore texts with people who specialise in those texts. It is essentially 2 years of learning
and the third year is turning it into a rep piece. The reason to go to Drama College is to get a profile.
What a goodcollege will do is see what youare good at and nurture it andmarket it when you leave.
Drama College should make you direct a performance yourself so you know that you should take on
direction. DramaCollege doesn’ttell you howto auditionfor commercials either.

Erin Mason
24
CASE STUDY: LARA PULVER
Lara Pulver attended Bird College (formerly known as
Doreen Bird College) in 1997, graduating in 2000. She
gained a place into the college having only experience in
Singing andDrama on the premise that she works hard to
excel her skills in Dance. She successfully gained dance
skillswhilst atBird, meaningsheis nowaTriple Threat. She
said in an interview with the Evening Standard that she
regrets her time at Bird and it was spent ‘reluctantly’ and
‘grudgingly’. Bird is a very dance based college, so attend
here with nopreviousdance experience musthavebeen a
hugechallenge. Althoughshedidn’tenjoy hertimeat Bird,
it gave her multiple opportunities on both stage and
screen, thus driving her career to its peak. She did
acknowledge her appreciation of these oppurtunites by
sayingthatthe college didprepare her for 4 yearsof back toback musicalsin the samearticle from the
Evening Standard(2012).
A major turn in her career was her appearance in Sherlock, which was recognized worldwide. The
Spectator states,’Notmany actorshave made a name for themselves with quite the same force as Lara
Pulver. InJanuary lastyearmorethaneightmillionpeopletunedintoBBC1 andwatchedherstarasIrene
Adler in‘A Scandal in Belgravia’, the opening episode in the secondseries of Sherlock’,thusshowinghow
her performancewas recognizedsoquickly by avast‘eightmillionpeople’. Thisshowsthatevenpeople
with training in the MusicalTheatre industry can be recognized to work on screen as an actor as well,
this proves thatthere is nolimit to the opportunitiesthatmusicaltheatre training provides.
When speakingto Gore (2013), she toldhim that‘she changed agents toone whocouldhelp her break
into televisionandachieve her ambition of ‘becoming the next Dame Judi frigging Dench’.’ as this was
her dream. After just a shorttime onstageshe changedto an acting agent who could boosther career
on TV. This proving Abi Sweeney’s point about that having a good agent and making sure you’re with
the right agent can be the difference in whether you have a good career or not get the great jobs
available. This agent was who landed her the jobs on TV in well-known shows such as True Bloodand
Sherlock.
Some of her achievements are: The Wizard of Oz, Into the Woods, The Last Five Years, Sherlock, A
ChorusLine, Gypsy, 42nd
Street, Grease, Chicago, EdgeofTomorrow, Gameof Thrones, UncleVanya,
Skins, MissSaigon, Spooks, TrueBlood, RobinHoodand Legacy.

Erin Mason
25
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bird College website. Available at: http://bird-college.com/he-fe/Last accessed: 6th
November2017.
Brown, L A. (2007)The DramaticFunction ofSongsin MusicalTheater. Available:
http://larryavisbrown.homestead.com/files/theater_topics/musical_theater.htm Lastaccessed:25th
October 2017.
Cannon, Dand Gardner, L. (2009). Characterbuildingand whatmakesa truly greatactor. Available:
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2009/may/09/character-building-great-actorLastaccessed6th
November2017.
Croton, G. (2015). Musicals:TheDefinitive Illustrated Story. London:DorlingKindersley.
Evening Standard. (2012). Lara Pulver:Theinfamous111-second scenewith Sherlock thatmademy
career go pop. Available:https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/lara-pulver-the-infamous-
111-second-scene-with-sherlock-that-made-my-career-go-pop-7854215.html. Lastaccessed22rd
November2017.
Farruque, S andHansford, R. (2008). SensibleEating forPerformers. Available:
http://www.bapam.org.uk/documents/SensibleEatingforPerformers_BAPAMfactsheet.pdf Last
accessed 9thNovember2017.
Gair, J. (2012). Creating a Character. Available:
http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/s12/gair_j/character.html Lastaccessed 9th
November2017.
Gore, W. (2013). Lara Pulverinterview: ‘Peoplein LA were desperateto meetIreneAdler’. Available:
https://www.spectator.co.uk/2013/04/a-certain-steeliness/ Lastaccessed 24thNovember2017.
Green, S. (2011). TheWicked Stage:Isit enough to bea ‘triple threat’ performer? Available:
https://www.ayoungertheatre.com/the-wicked-stage-is-it-enough-to-be-a-triple-threat-performer/.
Last accessed: 19th
October 2017.
Jones, S. (2016)Mickey from Blood Brothers, interview.
Kay, L. (2017)Musicaltheatre performer, currently narratorin Josephand the Technicolour
Dreamcoat, interview.
LIPA Prospectusfor 2018 entry.
Liverpool Instituteof PerformingArts website. Available at: https://www.lipa.ac.uk/Lastaccessed: 6th
November2017.
Luke Cartwright (2017), current2nd
year LIPAstudent, conversationviaFacebook.
MidlandsAcademy of Dance andDrama website. Available at: http://maddcollege.co.uk/home/Last
accessed: 7th
November2017.
Morris, R. (2016). Whatskillsdo musicaltheatreperformersneed? Available:
https://www.quora.com/what-skills-do-musical-theater-performers-need. Lastaccessed:19th
October 2017.

Erin Mason
26
Silverlock, J. (2011). DearWestEnd Producer:‘Isa musicaltheatreoracting coursebestfor a varied
career?’. Available: https://www.thestage.co.uk/advice/2017/dear-west-end-producer-musical-
theatre-acting-course-best-varied-career/. Lastaccessed 23rdNovember2017.
Sweeney, A. (2017)Ex-studentatMADD, interview.
The Stage: Castings. (2014). Whatittakesto makeit in musicaltheatre. Available:
http://castings.thestage.co.uk/auditon-advice/blog/posts/what-it-takes-to-make-it-in-musical-theatre
Last accessed: 19th October2017.
Travis, M. (2012). TheActor/DirectorRelationship. Available:
http://www.markwtravis.com/2012/06/the-actordirector-relationship/ Lastaccessed 6th
November
2017.

Learning Aim A: Booklet

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Learning Aim A: Booklet

Similar to Learning Aim A: Booklet (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Learning Aim A: Booklet