Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Bring it On. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Bring it On. Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 August 2018
Bring It On, Southwark Playhouse | Review
Bring It On
Southwark Playhouse
Reviewed on Tuesday 7th August 2018 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
If like me, you're constantly in a state of missing In The Heights then the British Theatre Academy's production of Bring It On is just the energetic, humourous, heart-felt fix you need. Based on the 2000 hit film, Bring It On follows follows cheer-royalty Campbell who's future is looking bright. She's just been named cheer captain for her senior year and is hoping to lead her team to National's glory. However, a sudden redistricting means she has to transfer to neighbouring Jackson High School where everything she knows is turned upside down...
With music by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda it's no surprise that the score is incredibly catchy and fast-paced; hip-hop influences are seamlessly intwined with classic musical theatre tunes. Whilst the plot line is nothing new it is suitably modern and has the overarching messages of teamwork and empowerment which are always welcome.
Once Campbell is thrown into her new school world, things really get going. Former cheer mascot Bridget finds a new lease of life and an acceptance that she's never previously experienced, whilst, Campbell begins to realise that social conformity isn't all it's cracked up to be.
The young, vibrant cast do an outstanding job of bringing the school halls and cheer routines to life. Robyn McIntyre is wonderfully emotive and vocally stellar as the front-woman who drives the story onwards. Alongside her, Kristine Kruse provides not only comic relief, but great vocals and brings the message of unity to life. Isabella Pappas is brilliantly and brutally expressive as the token mean girl Skylar, also providing some shining vocal moments.
Other standouts include Clark James, Mary Celeste and Haroun Al-Jeddal who all draw the eye throughout and add a mountain of energy to an already highly spirited production.
Ewan Jones' choreography is sharp and works well in the small space of the Southwark Playhouse, providing enough movement to keep both the audience and the cast always on their toes and with enough cheer movements to keep the theme without it becoming tacky. Tom Paris' set alongside Ben Jacobs' lighting add even more fun and brightness to the show.
Of course this isn't a groundbreaking story but performed in such a vigourous and dynamic way, you can't help but love it. The entire cast give phenomenal performances and Bring It On is the high-kicking, fun-for-all show to put a smile on your face and a pep in your step.
Bring It On runs at the Southwark Playhouse until September 1st.
photo credit: Eliza Wilmot
Sunday, 17 February 2019
In Conversation With... The Real Nick and Diane Marson with Robert Hands and Helen Hobson | Come From Away | Interview
Come From Away is one of the most inspiring and heartwarming musicals to hit the West End in a long time. Telling the story of the planes diverted during 9/11 and what happened to the people on them and those in the place they landed: Gander, Newfoundland.
One amazing story is that of Nick and Diane Marson who met on a diverted plane and fell unexpectedly in love. Editor, Olivia, got to chat to Nick and Diane about the show alongside their actor counterparts, Robert Hands and Helen Hobson...
Can you sum up Come From Away in 5 words?
Nick Marson: A show about human kindness
Diane Marson: Love and acceptance
Robert Hands (plays Nick): Friendship
Helen Hobson (plays Diane): Human spirit, community
What's it been like seeing yourselves brought to life on stage?
Diane: well it was rather unnerving at first but we're used to it by now. We've seen the show eighty-eight times, in nine cities, in four countries and with four casts, so we're used to it now. But at first it was very unusual to hear your words come back to you.
Nick: When we gave our story to this nice young couple, David and Irene, they were making a musical not a documentary so they could've done anything with our stories, but they kept it very true and I'm very grateful and thankful to them. Our story was in the Washington Post and the reporter said "it has to be true, nobody could've made all of that stuff up!"
Helen: I think that was a clincher for one of our producers, John Brandt. When he was first invited to come and see the show, to find out if he wanted to be part of it, he watched the show and wondered about the love story, he wasn't sure because it seemed too amazing. But, Randy one of the other producers said "come with me, there's a couple you need to meet" and introduced him to Nick and Diane... and John was in!
Diane: At the time it was just our life that was unfolding; it wasn't something we had any designs on producing or writing about, we were just living it.
Nick: Neither one of us got on the airplane that day expecting a romantic occurrence
What's it like to bring real people's stories to life onstage?
Helen: It was good because our producer released us from the notion that we would have to do a carbon copy and do an impersonation of these two. He said you do what's in the script and what we put out and yes, you have to learn a Texan accent but that's really about it, so the pressure was off in that way. We were lucky enough to FaceTime them [Nick and Diane] early on in rehearsals which was great and we've improvised and used their real selves in the show.
Robert: They're so natural together so we try and bring that and make it as real as possible without trying to impersonate them as such.
The show is five days condensed into one hundred minutes, are there any stories from those days that are special to you and didn't make it into the show?
Nick: There are many other things that happened. There's the classic one where we went for a walk with another couple, and you see that in the show, but it was actually a man and his wife, the wife was a doctor and she had to turn back because she had sandals on and it was a gravel road. We carried on, and this was a checkmark in my mind because we went into a convenience store to buy a diet coke and some trail mix and normally I would buy it, cause that's what guys do, and Diane whipped it up and paid for it!
Diane: Well I figured if I did that, he'd have to sit on the park bench with me and spend more time with me so there was method behind the madness!
Nick: Also, the show gloss' over it but the next year we go back to our lives and for me it was an emotional rollercoaster. I was thinking "was that real?", "is that woman really how I remember her?... I've got to go back and check it out" which I did and then I proposed to her
Diane: On the phone in November
Nick: and I was working in England and wondered how I was going to get to Houston but fortunately the parent company of mine was based in Houston, so the president of the company in England made it possible for me to transfer to Houston. But I was doing two weeks here, two weeks there and it was an emotional roller coaster itself. So I got to Houston properly in May and was a nobody; I didn't exist, I couldn't get a car or a driving licence, or anything until I had a social security number.
Diane: It was a lot of paperwork! We had to come back here in June and July of 2002 to get him a work visa because without that he couldn't get anything in the United States. We couldn't even get married in the United States.
Nick: It's a huge mountain to climb to move countries and basically, I saw this lady, threw my life up in the air and went off to America! It sounds very romantic but it was also stressful and took quite a toll on us. Of course it was worth it though!
How has the show been going so far?
Nick: The first time we saw the show here, there was a line of Delta Airways stewards behind us and they were a mess! When they found out who we were they were even more of a mess! And the lady behind us couldn't stop crying, so I said "come here, I've got to give you a hug!"
Whether they come here excited for the show or not really bothered, people are going to leave happy!
Diane: It's a 9/12 show, what happened on September 11th, everyone remembers that, but this is forward and it's a feel good story.
Come From Away runs at the Phoenix Theatre and is currently booking until September 2019
photo credit: Helen Maybanks and Matthew Murphy
Saturday, 31 December 2016
Olivia's Top 10 Shows of 2016
Without repeats, I saw 59 different shows this year so compiling this list has been difficult to say the least! This has been a brilliant year for theatre and through this website I really feel that I've become a part of the theatre community. 2016 has seen some brilliant big budget shows as well as smaller fringe ones, many of which have thrilled me. This list is of the shows that stuck with me long after I'd seen them and that I feel are very resonant in our 2016 world. This will probably be a bit of a long post, I have a whole year to fit in after all, so grab yourself a cuppa and some biscuits and enjoy!
This list is in reverse order, cause we all need that extra bit of excitement in our lives.
One of Paul Taylor-Mills' incredible productions of 2016. The music was performed beautifully and the touching and heartbreaking story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet was told sincerely and gracefully by Laura Pitt-Pulford and Louise Dearman.
Did anyone not like this show? All I heard were incredible reviews and rightly so. An exciting and refreshing revival of a much loved Classic which ticked all the boxes of a hit musical. Charlie Stemp is talent on another level. I'm sure we'll be hearing plenty more good things about the show and cast in 2017!
This was my first visit to The Union Theatre and wow was it a good first. I absolutely adored this show. I was completely unfamiliar with the music and was just blown away by it. The cast were sublime and the story telling was impeccable. I'm sure this would be a huge hit if more people got to see it.
27 must have been one of the most hyped musicals of 2016 and I could certainly see why when I saw it. It's a musical like I've never seen before, so fresh and different to what's currently on the West End stages. The plot twist at the end had me physically breathless, a stunning piece of artistry.
This was another small show but it definitely packed more than a small punch. It was sweet, pink, sassy and sumptuous. One of those shows which really made you think and reflect on your life. Lauren Samuels gave a standout performance!
I saw this show alone so the minute I stepped out of the theatre I called my friend to fangirl about it like a mad woman. I was completely awestruck by the whole performance. It was moving, funny, relevant and thought-provoking. The use of songs was done smoothly and effectively and it was overall just an A* worthy production.
This was the perfect treat to see just before Christmas. Although the story is slightly dated and everything is a little over the top, it's a fantastic production full of sweetness, heartbreak and love. Scarlett Strallen's performance was absolutely impeccable and nothing short of perfection. With the amount of people I've told to see this, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a West End transfer in the near future.
I've grown up with Rent so finally seeing it on stage was a very special experience for me. Each cast member is fully immersed into their roles and the whole production is raw, gritty and believable. Philippa Stefani gives the performance of a superstar and had me in floods of tears. The production will continue to tour next year and I'll certainly be seeing it again so don't be surprised if it features in my top 10 of 2017 too!
The St James theatre was on fire this year! The Last Five Years is another one which I've wanted to see on stage for years. Jason Robert Brown's story is heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time. It's always a joy to see Samantha Barks on stage and seeing her shine as Cathy was even more wonderful because of how incredibly she showed off her effortless belt and sincere acting. The wonderful mix of simplistic staging, the stellar duo of Barks and Bailey and Jason's beautiful music, rightfully earn The Last Five Years my number two spot!
1. Dreamgirls: Savoy Theatre
If you haven't heard about Dreamgirls' triumphant return to the West End then you must have been living in a cave. This was the 2nd to last show I saw and I couldn't be happier that I could end the year on such a fantastic note. This has got to be the theatrical spectacle of the year, the sets, costumes, choreography and cast are all exquisite and I cried a bucket load of happy tears, which I never do! Go see Dreamgirls in 2017, I guarantee you'll leave singing it's praises!
So there's my top 10 shows, of course there's other brilliant ones and I'm sure your list varies but this has been a brilliant year for theatre and I can't wait to see what 2017 brings *cough* Hamilton *cough*
But wait, where's that other show that I've been posting and tweeting about like crazy and have seen 32 times!? I haven't forgotten it, I just wanted to give it a special mention because its such a special show. So my "The Show Which Changed My Life: 2016" award goes to IN THE HEIGHTS at the Kings Cross Theatre! I've done a billion posts on it (just search it on the homepage) so I don't need to write any more soppy words but this show has seriously been my everything this year. I've met incredible people from it, both fans and cast members and I'm so incredibly grateful for that. Unfortunately I won't be at the last show as I'm in Australia (boo hoo, woe is me, right?) but I'm so sad its closing, and I'm sending all my thoughts and positive vibes to the theatre gods that they will bring it back because I will never be ready for the lights to go down on Washington Heights! Thank you In The Heights for being there and helping me and I'm sure many others, through tough times and making us feel at home in the theatre. Even if you had no idea how you were helping, I guarantee you made some tough days just that much easier. No pare sigue sigue!
I hope you had a brilliantly theatrical year too and I'd love to hear your favourites so drop me a comment on here or tweet me @OliviaMitche or @RewriteThisWeb
Au Revoir 2016! Stay Stagey, 2017!
Sunday, 8 July 2018
A Stagey Guide to Singing... Sharon Sexton, Danielle Steers, Christina Bennington | Bat Out of Hell | Stagey Sunday
Happy Stagey Sunday everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Pride yesterday and are enjoying the glorious weather. I'm actually on holiday in Corfu but that doesn't stop me from bringing you the newest instalment of this month's Stagey Guide to Singing! Bat Out of Hell month may be over but the Bat fun isn't over as this week we have stories, advice and information from the three leading ladies of the Steinman musical: Sharon Sexton, Christina Bennington and Danielle Steers...
What has your vocal journey been like?
What has your vocal journey been like?
Sharon Sexton (Sloane): I have been singing for as long as I can remember and was always told I had a "good voice" though no one in my family was a performer. I sang in school and my mum enrolled me in a youth music group when I was 5 and I lived for my weekly class. I learned all sorts of material and fell in love with musical theatre. I went to a couple of different local singing teachers and joined the school choir as a 1st soprano, though I always remember being jealous of the altos and wanting to learn their lines, because I thought their lines were more challenging and I found harmonies fascinating.
There was nowhere in Ireland that taught the musical style I wanted to sing so I studied what video footage I could find of the greats like Bernadette Peters, Doris Day, Elaine Paige and Lea Salonga; studying their mouth shapes and imitating them. The same with Whitney and Mariah. I finessed all the riffs and set myself challenges in completing them. I ended up training classically in the Conservatory of Music in Dublin, which gave me a really solid foundation and understanding of my instrument, but all I wanted to do was sing contemporary musical theatre and belt. So I went through a host of singing teachers and robbed bits from everyone until I developed a technique that worked for me.
My voice has definitely changed over time. I try and keep my top C soprano in check but like anything- when you don't use it that often, it gets rusty and I've accepted I shall probably now never be Christine in Phantom, I'm much more of a mezzo these days.
There was nowhere in Ireland that taught the musical style I wanted to sing so I studied what video footage I could find of the greats like Bernadette Peters, Doris Day, Elaine Paige and Lea Salonga; studying their mouth shapes and imitating them. The same with Whitney and Mariah. I finessed all the riffs and set myself challenges in completing them. I ended up training classically in the Conservatory of Music in Dublin, which gave me a really solid foundation and understanding of my instrument, but all I wanted to do was sing contemporary musical theatre and belt. So I went through a host of singing teachers and robbed bits from everyone until I developed a technique that worked for me.
My voice has definitely changed over time. I try and keep my top C soprano in check but like anything- when you don't use it that often, it gets rusty and I've accepted I shall probably now never be Christine in Phantom, I'm much more of a mezzo these days.
Danielle Steers (Zahara): I've been singing for as long as I can remember. I went to an amateur dramatics group from around the age of 10 and still go back there now to help out and put on shows etc... My voice has definitely changed over the years. I couldn't belt until I went to college at 16 and only learnt how to twang and other techniques from my first few jobs. I have always had a low voice though, people always thought I was a lot older than my years due to the maturity of my voice.
Christina Bennington (Raven): It’s been a long and exciting one. I began singing at school at the age of 7 and was in very high standard choirs for my entire school life at Methodist College Belfast. We rehearsed every day and it’s where I learnt the disciplines of sight singing, vocal maintenance and musicality. I took classical lessons and was convinced I wanted to be an opera singer until I fell in love with musical theatre.
I started training in earnest at the Guildford School of Acting with Steven Luke Walker. Together we pushed my voice to extremes in every style so that I felt comfortable approaching anything. He’s a genuine wonder and I owe a lot of my jobs to his skill and teaching. I still see him when I have a new job or auditions because there’s always more to learn.
What/who got you into music?
Sharon: I can't ever say I remember my life without being completely obsessed with music. My dad had an amazing vinyl collection and I could sit for hours with headphones just getting lost in the music.
Danielle: I actually have no idea, I didn't grow up in a particularly musical house. I just loved singing; it was how I expressed my emotions. I remember watching all the old MGM movies on TV and thinking how wonderful they were and wanting to be in them!
Christina: My house was always filled with music and I still thank my Dad for a lot of my musical taste. He had carefully curated car CDs and amazing records he would play on his HiFi. My family are involved in amateur theatre in Northern Ireland so I got involved in pantomimes as a child. I’ve seen home videos of me imitating rockstars and opera singers from the age of two so I think it was always in me!
Your voice is so smooth but strong at the same time. What are your tips for conveying the emotion of songs whilst maintaining power?
Danielle: Why thank you, luckily the songs I sing in the show sit very well with an altos range, meaning I don't need to think too much about technique and I can just let rip with my emotions.
I think power comes with emotion and even if you don't have the most powerful voice you can still make a song powerful by meaning every single word you sing and telling the story through the song.
Bat Out Of Hell is a tough sing, during rehearsals how did you adapt to the vocal challenges it presents?
Sharon: The tricky thing with Steinman's music is that it is so passionate and it reaches such great heights both musically and emotionally. The most difficult thing for me was finding a way to keep the passion and make the rock sound, but finding a technique to do it safely 8 shows a week, without losing that grit. I do a lot of belting and growling in the show, which I had to sing in to muscle memory and which I continuously have to keep in check.
At the beginning of rehearsals the sing for Sloane seemed almost overwhelming, and I felt I was pushing myself to my limits, especially when we started moving keys up, but I was in rehearsals with Rob Fowler who is a vocal gymnast genius! And just when I felt I was getting to grips with my vocals, we would be working with the musical supervisor and Rob would ask "can I try something here?" and then sing and incredible riff and then go "Shazza could then sing that up a third no? or maybe you could octave that, or you could jump up and do a waaaaah there?" and I would clear my throat and go "uh uh, nope" and he said - "try it and if you can do it once, you'll find a way to do it 8 shows a week". I didn't know him very well at the time - but I was damned if I was going to be shown up! He pushed me to give so much vocally and believed in my ability to match him on stage, more than I ever did. All my numbers are duets with Rob so having that support and belief in a vocal partner on stage really gave me confidence to build the role vocally. And I think when you're on stage, yes technique is important but sometimes a lot of what comes out of your mouth, depends on the belief you have in your head.
Do you have any personal/random techniques for maintaining vocal health?
Christina: I’m afraid the secret for me isn’t very rock and roll! Sleep, hydration and avoiding too much stress and tension. Looking after myself is the best way to deliver a consistently strong 8-show week. It’s easy to be focused on that for a job that I love so much. My top tip is not to do a crazy vocal warm up. You don’t need to belt or push yourself there – it should be about activating the right things and setting up your voice for what the show requires – not a singing competition!
Vocal health is obviously so important but do you have any coping techniques for the mental side of performing such as when you lose your voice or feel unmotivated?
Danielle: I think a lot of the time when you "lose your voice" it can be a mental state. Sometimes if I know I have a big event coming up or new opening I "lose my voice" but it’s all in my head. You just have to trust that it will work, even maybe change your technique to get out certain notes.
Steaming is a massive factor, drinking lots of water, I also like to keep my voice lubricated by having two Jakemans per show. When you feel unmotivated it's hard, especially with a show like Bat where you cannot give it any less that 100%! All I try to remember is why I'm doing what I'm doing, that people have paid good money to come see the show; the audiences reaction always helps us perform like it’s the first time every time.
Steaming is a massive factor, drinking lots of water, I also like to keep my voice lubricated by having two Jakemans per show. When you feel unmotivated it's hard, especially with a show like Bat where you cannot give it any less that 100%! All I try to remember is why I'm doing what I'm doing, that people have paid good money to come see the show; the audiences reaction always helps us perform like it’s the first time every time.
Steinman’s songs have some crazy belting so vowel modification must be important to make everything clear and safe to sing. Is that something you do naturally when learning music or do you change depending on the mood/style of the piece?
Christina: Vowel modification is necessary to keep the sound safe and consistent the higher you sing. Steven has always taught me ways to make it subtle and to make the song work for my voice. It comes naturally now but it’s most useful if we have a week with lots of other vocal commitments outside the show. Technique is most useful when you’re tired. It enables you to modify safely and thin the sound down to help get back to full strength without compromising the sound of the show.
Not only do you sing flawlessly in the show, but you’re also very humorous in the role, how do you bring that humour, comedic timing and lightness to your voice whilst still maintaining its power?
Sharon: For me if I try and think "I have to be funny here" I will never make you laugh. I just commit 100% to the thought process of the character and believe in the truth of the moment. I find if you hunt for a laugh, you won't get it. So a lot of it is about storytelling and when I am in my head acting wise, the right noises just come out of my mouth... I hope...
You dance as lot as well as singing in the show, what are your tips for doing both at once?
Danielle: Gosh this is a hard one, this is something you go through every day at college. It's super hard especially if you're singing a different rhythm to what you're dancing, which happens a lot in Bat. The best thing to do is to sing along from the start of learning the choreography so you can get it into your head right from the go, then you can also work out where is best to breath. It's hard work!
You’ve been doing the show for a while now so there must be a lot of muscle memory involved but are there any moments which are difficult or that you have to think about whilst performing?
Sharon: My body is well oiled in the machine of the show now and my chords know what is expected of them, so yes it is actually getting easier to sing the role, the longer I play it, but on tired or ill days I do completely rely on my technique and have to step out of my character's head. ‘All Coming Back To Me’ can be tricky because of the blocking, I'm walking, in heels, on a raked stage, filled with track marks that like to eat my stiletto heels and it is highly emotional, so I have to play the feelings but I sometimes have to really concentrate on my breath and placement of that long "Now" note for 14 counts. I have to move the placement around to sustain it sometimes. There is no greater feeling that the days where my voice is on top form and I can just get lost in the emotion in that song.
I also ironically find the last three lines of the show that I sing, really sneak up on me sometimes. It’s the very end of Anything For Love. Myself, Danielle (Zahara) and Christina (Raven) sing a little trio "I would do anything for love" to close the show and I have done a huge amount of belting and growling and crying and think it's all over and then go "oh gosh, this bit" and I have to take the high harmony in a very soft angelic voice which is very unlike any other part of the show for me, so I suddenly have to replace everything into my mix!
Danielle: Sometimes you can go into auto pilot, it does happen, but I always have to be careful during "two out of three" it’s such an exposing song and everyone knows the words so I feel I really have to concentrate, also if you don't you end up not putting the emotion across. I also have to think about Tinks death scene, again, if you just go into auto pilot there’s no emotion there. ONE MORE.... DANCING DEAD RINGER IN THOSE HEELS!! Really have to concentrate in those haha!
Christina: There’s definitely a degree of muscle memory but I’m never happy with what I’m doing. There’s always more to learn. I concentrate on different parts of the score for every week and explore making them bigger, stronger or smoothing transitions. The most difficult section for me is the ‘tuck jump chorus’ of For Crying Out Loud. Belting on almost one note as I jump with Andrew across the stage takes a lot of physical energy which needs to be balanced with not throwing too much breath at the sound.
We know by now that I’m your breath control’s number one fan. Are there any particular exercises you do/have done to help with supporting?
Christina: Haha thank you! You’re too kind. Breath control is an interesting one. I think a lot of people assume you need a big breath for a long phrase. As with a lot of singing, the rules aren’t one size fits all. In this style of music it’s often not the case. For a clear belt, I take a small high breath and support by resisting the breath in my rib cage. This can often lasts me many lines eg. the passage in Heaven Can Wait that I know you’re a fan of!
For me, a lot of ‘breath control’ throughout the show is really about recovery breathing and fitness. I do as much interval sprinting and high intensity training as I can to ensure that I have the stamina for songs like ‘For Crying Out Loud’. If your body is strong and ready your voice will be too.
Who would your dream duet partner be?
Sharon: Male - I'm already singing with him 8 shows a week….
Female - Stevie Nicks
Danielle: In terms of the show I’d have to say Rob Fowler, but in life Shirley Bassey 100%
Christina: Andrew Polec of course! I’m beyond lucky to get to duet with him every night. Our voices fit well together. He is so resonant with so much weight in the sound which really gives me permission to use the full depth of mine.
There are a lot of women I would love to duet with who I admire greatly. Hmmm. Amy Lee from Evanescence, Louise Dearman, Gina Beck, Laura Michelle Kelly, Rosalie Craig. I guess I’ve been inspired by all of them in different ways. Actually I did sing ‘At the Ballet’ in a concert with Louise so I suppose that’s sort of one already achieved!
What is your pre-show warm up like?
Sharon: So important to me. I think it's important mentally and physically as when I start I can feel my brain sending all the signals to my voice going "ok, it’s that time of the day again" and it begins to anticipate what is expected of it. It's like starting the engine of a car before a long journey. I try not to use an awful lot of vocal energy during warm up. I keep it very light and subtle. A lot of closed mouth sirens, quiet humming, lip trills, slowly and focused so that I can just check in gently on every note. I'll also do a neck massage and loosen up my tongue muscles. I always do some amount of physical warm up but on days where my voice feels dry or tired I will really push myself with the dancers warm up, just to get my blood pumping in my muscles, which is so important to make my voice work.
Danielle: We start with a physical warm up so I like to make sure my back and legs are super warm because of what is required of me, also the neck for head banging purposes! Then we do a vocal warm up which is super important as we sing loads! Then we do fight call which is so everyone can make sure their fights are all good and safe before the show.
Christina: I love our full company physical with our dance captain Courtney. It gets my body woken up and prepped for the marathon that is Bat Out Of Hell. Then I take it easy in the company vocal. It depends what I need each day.
What’s your top piece of advice for aspiring performers in terms of finding and maintaining your voice?
Sharon: Know your limits. Accept them.
Slowly and carefully continue to try work around them but remember your voice is unique, so embrace what you can do and let go of what you can't.
If it hurts, stop. It should never be painful.
Sometimes less is more - in terms of effort and support. A lot of people have the misconception that you must support and push and be tense on the big high belt notes when in fact the opposite can be so much more effective.
Listen to your body when it's telling you that you need a rest. You only have one voice and if you are a performer - it is your life insurance, so never compromise it for anyone or anything or any production. It needs you to be smart to take care of it. When you need a show off, take it, because if you sing on a tired voice in a long run, it always, always catches up on you. Vocal massages are little gifts from heaven! Find a good therapist!
Danielle: Always try new things, I didn't find my voice until I was about 18. Before then I had a very limited range and wouldn't have even dreamed of being able to sing the songs I can now. I still have a long way to go and I'm always trying to better my voice. It’s a case of playing around with different genres as well to see what fits well, rock, pop, jazz, musical theatre, legit? So much to choose from. Also.... don't smoke!!!
Christina: I would say don’t compare your voice to anyone else. Yours is unique and wonderful! Absorb as much knowledge as you can and decide what works for you. Be disciplined in looking after your instrument and practise!
Sending a massive thank you to Sharon, Christina and Danielle for giving us all their inside information of all things singing! Join us next Sunday for a tips from someone with All That Jazz!
Bat Out of Hell is currently at the Dominion Theatre until 27th October 2018
Post by Editor, Olivia Mitchell
Photo credit: Specular, Christina Bennington, Danielle Steers
Sending a massive thank you to Sharon, Christina and Danielle for giving us all their inside information of all things singing! Join us next Sunday for a tips from someone with All That Jazz!
Bat Out of Hell is currently at the Dominion Theatre until 27th October 2018
Post by Editor, Olivia Mitchell
Photo credit: Specular, Christina Bennington, Danielle Steers
Sunday, 1 July 2018
A Stagey Guide To Singing... Dayle Hodge and Michael Watson | Jersey Boys (UK Tour) | Stagey Sunday
Happy July stagey people and welcome to the first instalment of this month's Stagey Sunday. This month, instead of focussing on a specific show, we're looking at vocal tips and advice from theatre professionals. As a classical singer in training, I find hearing about other people's vocal journeys and advice super interesting, so I hope others who are hoping to get into performing or just general theatre fans will find it interesting and fun too!
This week's advice is brought to you by the two Frankie Valli's of the current UK Tour of Jersey Boys: Michael Watson and Dayle Hodge...
What has your vocal journey been like?
Michael Watson: I always loved singing, I found my voice as a child and kind of carried on from there. As I progressed into shows, I met various teachers along the way who taught me their different ways.
Dayle Hodge: I’ve always sung from a very early age. In fact I was probably singing before I could speak and always had Disney sing-a-long videos on at home and singing was always something that I just kind of did. I was part of the school choirs and things like that but I never went to a choir in a way of “I’m going to go to a choir, I want to be a singer”, I just sang. I started performing at a very early age, I went to theatre school when I was 2 and did my first professional job when I was 4 so I’ve always been performing.
This week's advice is brought to you by the two Frankie Valli's of the current UK Tour of Jersey Boys: Michael Watson and Dayle Hodge...
What has your vocal journey been like?
Michael Watson: I always loved singing, I found my voice as a child and kind of carried on from there. As I progressed into shows, I met various teachers along the way who taught me their different ways.
Dayle Hodge: I’ve always sung from a very early age. In fact I was probably singing before I could speak and always had Disney sing-a-long videos on at home and singing was always something that I just kind of did. I was part of the school choirs and things like that but I never went to a choir in a way of “I’m going to go to a choir, I want to be a singer”, I just sang. I started performing at a very early age, I went to theatre school when I was 2 and did my first professional job when I was 4 so I’ve always been performing.
I did have singing lessons as I got older but not really proper ones until I went to Arts Ed sixth form when I was 16. Obviously being a boy you go through your voice breaking; my voice broke when I was 13 and it took a while to get it where it needs to be and back into a place where I was comfortable singing again but in terms of the journey I just always sang.
What/who got you into music?
Michael: It was probably Michael Jackson and my mum really! She used to play a lot of music in the car and I loved that
Dayle: Growing up I always watched so much Disney and I’m still a big Disney fan now (not many people aren’t!) so Disney put me in that direction. The first show that I loved and always was singing at home was Oliver. When I was a kid I wanted to be in it so that’s probably what made me want to get into performing. I’m also a huge fan of Queen and Freddie Mercury and his voice is one of, if not the best, male voices ever so he’s a real inspiration to me.
You’ve had a pretty diverse career vocally. How do you adapt to various styles/genres and when did you find your Frankie voice?
Michael: I kind of had the falsetto there already for Frankie and my singing teacher, Mark Meylan helped me hone it to be able to do it everyday and to strengthen it. I think if you can keep your you voice supple enough and do enough exercises, you can sing any style really.
It’s about maintaining the voice. You always want to bring your voice back to zero after you’ve sung anything so I would do a warm up and a cool down. As long as you can keep your voice around that level you’ll be good!
Dayle: It’s interesting because someone came in to do a talk with us at college and basically said “we don’t think people can be that different… If you’re in Phantom we’re not gonna see you for Mamma Mia” and I completely disagree with that, as you can see from my CV. I think you can adapt and you can change and it’s all just about knowing your voice and how to use it. Everybody’s voice is different, obviously you can be taught technique and skills but only you know what your voice can do, so you have to find your way of doing it and making it work.
The singing teacher can help you do that safely and technically correct. The best singing teachers that I’ve worked with, use exercises that they have created and developed themselves rather than using somebody else’s technique which for me is brilliant. It’s them saying, "I was struggling with this so I developed this to help with that" and I can take their advice and ideas to put that to use myself. There are some parts that I love to use and some bits that don’t work for my voice. So it’s just about knowing your voice and how you use it. Obviously some people are very much suited to one style and can’t necessarily sing others or they have a smaller range so in regards to doing different styles I think using your voice and practising different things, not just what you find easy is the best way to develop.
How do you maintain good vocal health? Do you have a tips of tricks for when you’re feeling down?
Michael: I have a few things! I think the best thing any singer can do is stretch their whole body through yoga or something like that because you’ll find that tension in your voice can come from weird places in your body. You could have a bit of tension in you hip and it can affect your jaw. Or your alinement could be off so your jaw is poking forward and you didn’t realise so you’ll get fatigued quicker, so stretching is vital.
In terms of illness, I like to use day nurse. Don’t steam too much. I use a thing called accent method if I’ve got a cold which is connecting to the breathing. Don’t warm up too quickly or push the voice and also don’t try to ignore it; you want to feel as free both physically and mentally as possible. If you have something else on your mind it can distract from focussing on your voice so it’s important to be free and relaxed.
Dayle: Loads of water. Drink as much water as you can, even if it means you’re on the toilet every 5 minutes, just drink loads because it’s so good for you. If I feel my voice is getting tired I steam which puts high intensity water onto the vocal cords at a temperature that’s very hot and clears any rubbish that’s on your cords. And rest is a key thing, that’s what your voice thrives on really; the more rest it can get, the better it will be. I look after myself a lot, I don’t drink really or go out partying in loud places very often because you have to shout over the loud music and that will affect your voice.
In terms of if you’re struggling and feeling under the weather, again those things with water and steaming will help, if you do it all the time. I don’t really take anything other than before a show I take gaviscon to stop any acid reflux, but I don’t like to reply on taking pills or anything like that because to me you’re then just covering up anything that’s damaged and then you could damage it more.
What is your pre-show warm up like?
Michael: So I come in, if I’m feeling a bit stiff I’ll have stretch then I’ll chill out for a bit. If I’m feeling tired I’ll do a bit of accent method which gets the breathing connected. Then I start with slow humming, some lips trills and a lot of tongue loosing exercises particularly for this role, and then some jaw loosening exercises. Then going higher into my falsetto with a lip trill, a bit more falsetto and I should be done at that point. The warm up only really takes about 10 minutes but with the stretching and stuff it’s about half an hour.
Dayle: I have a singing teacher that I see every couple of weeks and have a lot of exercises that she gives me. With singing the Frankie Valli stuff it makes your tongue very tight so I do a lot of tongue loosening exercises which get your tongue out of the way of where you sing. The more space you can create in your mouth, the easier it is to sing. The top of your mouth is a dome so if you get your tongue out of the way of that, the sound can just swell in there. I do those exercises on my own and then we do a full company warm up which is more scales and stuff which get me to the notes which I’m going to need for the show. On my own it’s more of a mechanical warm up to make sure that the mechanics of my voice are ready and then with the full company I use that to get the notes in my voice warm and ready for the show.
Who would your dream duet partner be?
Michael: Well besides my fiancé, I think I’ll go for Celine Dion. Her voice is unreal. Or if I wanted to look like I couldn’t sing, I’d go with David Phelps who would school me, he’s got an amazing voice!
Dayle: Oh that’s a good question! I’d definitely go with Freddie Mercury!
What’s your top piece of advice for aspiring performers in terms of finding and maintaining your voice?
Michael: My best advice is to find the right teachers. If you’ve got a voice that seems to do what you want it to do then just keep going and don’t think about it too much. With the voice it’s all about bringing it from a place of joy and fun; don’t think that you have to try so hard and that it’s a rough journey. Find it fun. Your voice is meant to be strong naturally- a baby never loses it’s voice when it cries! So you’re just getting rid of habits you’ve formed as you’ve grown up so just enjoy the journey because your voice wants to go to the right place. You have to study it though; a book I like is called Finding Your Voice by Barbra Houseman, I worked with Barbara and she’s fantastic so I’d recommend her book to anyone.
Dayle: If you want to do it, you’ve got to be very serious about doing it. It’s a very overpopulated industry and there’s always going to be somebody that’s better than you so you have to work hard to get what you want and to where you want to be. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it though, if you really want it bad enough, go for it and don’t give up.
Give yourself the best opportunity you can, don’t go to an audition after being out the night before cause you’re not going to be giving it your best and if you’re not the best then you’re not giving yourself the greatest opportunity to get the job. All the things I said about looking after your voice, do that and keep on top of things. Keep your voice active and moving but don’t overwork and make sure you rest!
A huge thank you to Dayle and Michael for chatting to me. Both can be seen as Frankie Valli in various Jersey Boys tour stops around the UK. More information can be found here.
Interview by Editor, Olivia Mitchell
See you next Sunday for a BATTY Stagey Sunday ;)
Photo credit: Brinkhoff & Mögenburg
Give yourself the best opportunity you can, don’t go to an audition after being out the night before cause you’re not going to be giving it your best and if you’re not the best then you’re not giving yourself the greatest opportunity to get the job. All the things I said about looking after your voice, do that and keep on top of things. Keep your voice active and moving but don’t overwork and make sure you rest!
A huge thank you to Dayle and Michael for chatting to me. Both can be seen as Frankie Valli in various Jersey Boys tour stops around the UK. More information can be found here.
Interview by Editor, Olivia Mitchell
See you next Sunday for a BATTY Stagey Sunday ;)
Photo credit: Brinkhoff & Mögenburg
Tuesday, 8 February 2022
Evelyn Hoskins on Returning to the Diner Post Pandemic | Waitress the Musical | Interview
I think once you’ve seen the show, if it connects with you, you do get a little bit hooked on it!
Waitress, based on the 2007 movie of the same title, follows the story of Jenna, a woman who longs to escape the life she's trapped in. Alongside her friends and her handsome new gynaecologist, she begins to step towards the dreams she's always harboured. Since taking the West End by storm, Waitress is now delighting audiences across the country. Evelyn Hoskins plays Jenna's lovable friend Dawn who's looking for love of her own. Evelyn spoke to us about taking the show on the road and how the pandemic changed her portrayal...
If you were telling someone who knows nothing about Waitress why they should see it, how would you sum it up?
It’s the most joyous, hilarious, heartwarming, life-affirming, beautiful show you could possibly see, especially if you’re a woman!
Is there a song in Waitress that makes you particularly emotional?
Definitely A Soft Place to Land. It’s the song before they sort of glow-up Dawn a little bit before her date and it’s just beautiful. The harmonies are stunning.
You’ve had a kind of different experience with Dawn because you played her pre and post pandemic. So, what was it like originally creating your version of Dawn and do you think she’s changed since you’ve come back to the show?
She’s definitely changed. I saw the original Broadway cast of Waitress in 2016 so I saw Kimiko Glenn play Dawn and Kimiko and I both played a role called Thea in Spring Awakening so we’re obviously similar castings anyway; but I think I was definitely influenced by Kimiko’s portrayal because that was my first impression of Dawn.
My portrayal has changed since the pandemic, for sure. I mean, more so because I just feel older if I’m honest; and also I'm more grateful to be here. I was grateful anyway because it’s such a dream show and job of mine but now I feel super grateful.
When you were doing the show at the Adelphi, were you already booked to do the tour?
No I wasn’t. The resident director had kind of asked me if I’d be interested but at the time I was due to do six months in the West End so I was a bit like “I don’t know, maybe, I’ll see how I’m feeling” cause obviously a year is a long time. And then when the show closed in the West End, the producers were very kind and asked all of us if we’d be interested and I was like, yeah, because I didn’t feel done with her at all. I’d barely touched the surface so I’m so glad to be doing it.
How was it when you reopened, did you find it emotional?
Yep! I think I was more emotional on the first day of rehearsals when we did a full read and sing through first thing on the Monday morning. Obviously I hadn’t heard the music since the last show so that was super emotional. Also putting on the little waitress dress again!
You know, when we closed it was so uncertain and the tour got pushed back and pushed back, and we didn’t know if it would actually ever happen so it’s so good to be back!
So far, have you noticed any differences between touring the show and playing on the West End?
It’s very interesting to see the different reactions, I don’t know if I could pinpoint what they are though but Northern audiences have been PHENOMENAL, very very loud!
We’re in Bristol this week which I’m super excited about because it’s near my home town and it’ll be great to get to Woking and then we’re in Bromley so we’ll have some more London audiences. But it’s just a really great show to take around the country and make accessible to people.
Definitely, and here compared to the US, people don’t know the film as much so it’s more of a word of mouth show which must be lovely...
Yeah! Honestly I was really surprised at the reaction. We’re sold out most Saturdays and the audiences have been incredible. We also have some very loyal fans and we often see familiar faces most weeks. I think once you’ve seen the show, if it connects with you, you do get a little bit hooked on it!
That’s so lovely, I’m coming to see it with my mum who’s very excited!
I think it’s a phenomenal show to see with your mum! Bring the women in your life because it’s got such girl power.
Leading on nicely, I wanted to know why you think having a female led show like Waitress tour the country is so important?
The themes of the show are so important. There’s the domestic abuse theme which really strengthens the message and importance of female friendship and female support.
I also think it’s important that we start recognising that the other relationships in our life are just as important as the romantic ones and that’s something this show does.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring performers?
Believe in yourself. That sounds super cliched but it’s true. My personal experience is not like a traditional one. I’m from quite a working class background. I didn’t grow up with lots of money which obviously would help you if you wanna go to drama school. But, I didn’t do drama school.
So it’s really about the hustle. Just hustle hard. If you really like an actor’s performance, find out who they’re represented by. Reach out to them and say I really like your client, I feel like I would be a good fit for you too. Same with casting directors, if you really enjoy a show and think it would be something you could do, write to them, tell them how much you like the show, just put yourself out there. And don’t feel like drama school is the be all and end all!
Thank you so much to Evelyn for taking the time to chat to me. Waitress runs at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking from 14th to 19th February before continuing its tour.
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
photo credit: Johan Persson
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