This week’s Workplace Wednesday post on Facebook featured one of my besties, Debora Krizak, who is a professional musical theatre singer/dancer/actress. She’s had an amazing career in a tough industry, performing in musicals such as Sweet Charity, A Chorus Line and The Producers. Deb is one of the country’s most popular musical theatre performers, has been nominated for two Helpmann awards and has also won a heap of other awards for her roles.
When I asked her to answer some questions for Workplace Wednesday, she had a plethora of information and advice to give people wanting to get into a career on the stage, applying across the board to singers, dancers and actors. Although it was too much to fit into the Workplace Wednesday format, I thought it was too valuable not to include somewhere, so here’s the advice Deb has for anyone considering a career on the stage.
DEBORA KRIZAK, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE HOPING TO GET INTO YOUR INDUSTRY?
• Work hard. Think outside of the square.
• Rather than try to fit in, find your point of difference and highlight it!
• Study. Study. Study.
• Be prepared. Preparation meets opportunity = success
• Watch others who are where you want to be. Make contact with them if appropriate. Ask them for some pointers.
• Go and see live theatre.
• Get in front of agents and industry professionals.
• Do short courses.
• Make a show reel.
• Get an agent. Even an extras agent can provide some good work insight.
• You have to sing, act and dance, look good and be able to do acrobatics. AND DO THEM WELL. If you can’t tumble, be exceptional at the other 3. There aren’t many jobs around for JUST singer/actors and it’s not enough to just be able to “move” anymore. Dance has to be 8/10 if you fit the rest of the casting brief.
• There is always someone better than you. Don’t be psyched out by that.
• Quite often you get the role because you are the right physicality they are looking for. It’s as boring as that. Still, they won’t cast you if you can’t sing or dance really well. And there will always be someone in the room that can do it better but that doesn’t mean they will get the job over you.
• Stay confident.
• Tell people what you want them to think of you. They will believe you.
• If you are asked if you can do something, say YES and then get learning quick smart!
• Accept rejection – it’s part of the job. Train your mind to accept it and not take it personally.
• Study. Study. Study. Oh yeah, I said that already
• Be yourself. People can sniff out networkers and those that want to know you by association.
• Listen. To other performers, directors, creatives.
• Learn how the lights and the sound desk works. Someday this may be your job. You’ll thank me.
• You’ll also know how to ask for the sound you need when you’re straining your voice.
• Have an opinion but know when to shut up.
• Read books – actor biographies. Download the Actors Studio on Foxtel or Netflix. Watch documentaries. Download Broadway albums.
• Watch what actors do when they’re not “acting”. Someone once said “acting is knowing what to do with your hands”.
People watch. One day you might have to play that old man with a limp and sunspots, sitting by the pool… Just sayin’ 🙂
