Chapter Six
A Working Actor
I will never forget my very first medium term contract as an Actor. It was a play called “A Sporting Chance” with the Victorian Arts Centre and it was also set to tour Victoria, for high school students. I was in awe as I entered the Victorian Arts Centre. I felt like a serious Actor and I wanted to do my absolute best. It was an honour to be there and to be given this opportunity.
The role I was going for was a young girl called Nancy, who was the outcast, the one who didn’t really fit in, but who set her a goal and achieved it. I loved Nancy. I did my audition and the director sat me down for a chat. She asked if I was afraid of heights, as I would have to deliver a monologue six feet above the ground. Of course I said NO, as memories of being stuck half way up Ayers Rock and not being able to move flooded my mind. I really wanted this job.
When my agent called to say I had won the role, I was ecstatic. My feet would not touch the ground. Not to mention my relief not having to work so many jobs to keep me afloat. For a few months at least, my constant stress of juggling work and money would be eliminated. There is nothing quite like the feeling of security in this profession of insecurity. Rehearsals were to begin the following Monday.
On the Sunday evening preceding rehearsals, I had an accident and dislocated my ankle. As I arrived to rehearsal on crutches, the company was thinking of replacing me. My role was very physical and we would be doing two or three shows a day. I needed to get back on my feet if I wanted to keep my job. Some would say I sabotaged myself by putting myself out of action. I would agree, though of course it was subconscious. That evening I had a reiki session with a practitioner who prayed for a miracle.
The miracle happened. The very next day I was on my feet and off my crutches! As I travelled on the tram to and from work each day, I would thank God I was a full time working Actor. In my eagerness, I didn’t care that I was badly bruised from falling up and down rungs on something resembling a diving board. It was a while before they decided to put rubber on the rungs. I also didn’t care that I felt so dizzy suspended above the ground delivering my monologue, because I was afraid of heights.
It was my first experience working with an ensemble of professional Actors. Being young and lacking confidence due to the fact I did not graduate from a drama school, despite the fact I took as many classes and worked as hard as I could, I felt quite intimidated. They seemed to be a breed of their own. I remember them complaining about small things and thinking how grateful I was.
They say, quite often, Art Imitates Life. Somehow, my role as the outsider translated itself to my experience of the ensemble. I am certain my own insecurities as a young Actor had a lot to do with that. It seemed, however to be an ongoing theme during the five month tour of the show.
Pretty soon the day we started touring arrived. I packed suitcases, hats, coats, everything I needed. It soon became apparent I would be responsible for carrying it all! I was less than overjoyed, as I had to trudge around with my luggage from Motel to Motel, holding the others up in the process. The first time we ordered drinks at the local country pub, I ordered a glass of champagne. The barman was visibly shocked. As the others played pool, I heard him say, in his ten years at the pub, no one had ever ordered champagne. He begrudgingly opened the bottle, then preceded to convince me to keep drinking, because he knew he could never get rid of it. I should tell you I am not a big drinker. I lived to regret that experience.
Touring is an experience in itself. When you tour, you either have yourself or the ensemble for company. Sometimes everyone wants to do the same things and sometimes they don’t. I had never had to do things, like going to the movies, alone before. There were times when it became quite frustrating. There were also great times. We tried to make the best out of every place we visited and performed in. So we went to the Grampians and stayed in a B&B, stayed in a Motel called This’ll Do Me in the middle of nowhere and hired a houseboat for a weekend. Horse riding didn’t run very smoothly for me. It was my first horse ride and I was very nice to the horse, until it took off and threw me. I landed in hospital, with the doctor asking if I had an understudy. Of course, I didn’t.
The show must go on. It did, and each time we went away after a short break, I ensured I packed less and less to carry on tour. It was on one day, travelling through the countryside, I had an inspiration. I envisioned meeting a prominent Producer from a Huge Production House. They were doing some great work. I wanted this person to remember me, so I decided to send a photograph for ten days with correspondence on the back of each photo. I was so inspired and happy with my choice. It turns out, a while later, when I attended the AFI Awards and he had won an award, he recognised me. All he said was something to the effect of “ I remember you!” And that was the result of all that hype and effort. I was unable to see them when I went to Sydney later.
The tour ended at the Victorian Arts Centre. That was the pinnacle of my experience of that show. I was so happy to have met the other actors in the show. It was sad when it ended. The lesson I learnt from that experience was that I did not have to suffer and injure myself to play that role. I deserved to be there just as much as the other actors. In fact Audiences related to my character because she was the Underdog.
Choices to Make
• When you are in a meeting with a director, do not lie about skills. As in my case, those lies will come back and bite you!
• There is no need to suffer when you are playing a role, as in my case bruising myself and dislocating my ankle and falling off a horse. Believe it or not, self-sabotage is very common and subconscious, which means you don’t know it. It is not until limiting beliefs are eliminated, that we can get out of our own way to success. To eliminate limiting beliefs NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming is excellent.
• Everyone has their own insecurities and issues and Actors are not an exception. When you concern yourself with second-guessing other people’s thoughts of you remember: Everyone ultimately cares about himself or herself more than they care about you!
• Touring is a great growing experience. When you tour with a show, you learn a lot about yourself.
• In the case of my vision, I have always found it important to follow visions; they have resulted in the completion of great projects. It is not uncommon for Actors to go to any lengths to get work. You only have to look at the beginnings of many famous Actors. It is important however, not to go too far, resulting in a lack of respect. It is a fine line sometimes. It can go either way.
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