The Dive Podcast
Welcome to The Dive Podcast
Hey, I’m Taylor Scanlan—a Musical Theatre performer with over 10 years of experience, and the creator of The Aligned Performer, a community-led business dedicated to helping emerging artists like you step into the industry with confidence and clarity.
This podcast is your go-to resource for navigating the performing arts world.
Whether you’re preparing for auditions, managing self-doubt, or figuring out how to sustain a long-term career, The Dive Podcast is here to guide you.
Here’s what you can expect:
🎭 Live Q&A Episodes: Every other week, I’ll answer your questions directly, sharing insights and strategies to help you move forward.
🎤 Industry Expert Interviews: On alternate weeks, I sit down with seasoned professionals who share their journeys, actionable advice, and what they’ve learned about thriving in this industry.
If you’re ready to build confidence, master your mindset, and create a sustainable, fulfilling career in the arts, you’re in the right place.
Let’s dive in together! 🎭✨
The Dive Podcast
44: Knowing What You Need & Taking Action On It – with Asmara
In this episode, Taylor chats with the incredible Asmara about her journey into the musical theatre industry, sharing insights, lessons, and moments of growth for aspiring artists.
Here’s what you can expect in this episode:
🎭 Training Foundations & Hard Work – Asmara reflects on her beginnings, training at PSA, and how a strong foundation shapes your career.
🌟 The Reality of the Industry – From cruise ships to Wedding Singer and Miss Saigon, hear about her challenges and triumphs in auditions, training, and performing.
💡 Lessons for Emerging Artists – Discover how authenticity, continuous learning, and filling your cup outside of theatre are keys to long-term success.
🙌 Navigating Energy & Connection – Tips on managing yourself, building connections, and embracing growth through every experience.
✨ Key Takeaway: Never stop learning, stay true to yourself, and enjoy the journey.
🚀 Join the Performer's Mindset Hub for FREE:
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Click here to join now!
💻 Check out Momentum 2.0 Program:
Watch FREE From Graduate to Pro Masterclass & learn the 3 Steps To Becoming a Sustainable Musical Theatre Professional.
Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Dive podcast. If you are new here, my name is Taylor Scanlon. I am a musical theatre professional and I've been in the industry for over 10 years and alongside, that is my love, passion and mission to help emerging musical theatre performers step into the industry confidently and sustainably so how you can get there and teaching you how to get there without the burnouts and without the struggle and without the hyper hustling and without the doubt you know 2025, I think it's time to step into the most potent and powerful version of you and it is my absolute treat and passion to help you explore that. Before we dive in to the episode, I just want to let you know about a masterclass that I am running At the time of posting this episode. I just want to let you know about a masterclass that I am running At the time of posting this episode. It is actually happening tonight.
Speaker 1:So, if you happen to be listening to this straight away, on the 27th of January at 6pm tonight, I'm running a masterclass online completely free, and it is all about the three-step roadmap to building a sustainable career in musical theatre. If you happen to not make it and you're not free tonight. It will be down in the show notes of this episode so you can watch the replay and not miss a second. There's some exciting bonuses and really, really exciting announcements inside this masterclass and it's just going to help you reshape and start to step into 2025 with a bit more confidence and a bit more clarity. All right, that's enough for me. Enjoy the episode. We talk a lot on going in and out of the industry when it's time to train, when it's time to go and when it's time to really reflect and step into understanding what you really really need. Asmar and I actually grew up around the same suburb, so it's amazing and I didn't even know that before this podcast. So enjoy the podcast and I will see you on the next one. See, you See you.
Speaker 1:Well, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2:I'm so happy. I love podcasts. Yeah, I don't know. I'm so happy.
Speaker 1:I love podcasts. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I just love to chat.
Speaker 1:Have you been on many?
Speaker 2:Not at all, but I like to listen to them and I love to chat. Yeah, well, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 1:I'm so excited to chat so we were just chatting a little bit before and this podcast is really for emerging musical theatre artists looking to get into the industry. We both had different stories.
Speaker 2:We both trained at Patrick's, but not at the same time, right? I don't think so.
Speaker 1:I don't believe so. No, it's so true.
Speaker 2:I feel like you were already on the Hall of Fame when I arrived.
Speaker 1:That's crazy. I was at PSA yesterday just creating some quarry for dance class tonight and you walk up the steps and there's just a bill like what do they call it like?
Speaker 2:a billboard? Yeah, like a banner.
Speaker 1:Massive banner on my face and I'm like, oh God.
Speaker 2:Is it so crazy?
Speaker 1:And I think 18 or something.
Speaker 2:I think it's so endearing. They're just so proud, you know, of all the artists that come through and they really produce like great work and great artists. It's pretty incredible, it's amazing and an honour, actually, I think.
Speaker 1:And I recently watched a bunch of the end of year shows that they've done. It's just insane.
Speaker 2:The talent is just like, oh, it's like immeasurable, it's incredible.
Speaker 1:I went up to a bunch of the full-time students afterwards and was like, if you can dance like that, you can get through any dance around Anything.
Speaker 2:Anything, absolutely anything, and I think, when you're in the training.
Speaker 1:I mean, both of us probably felt the same. You don't know how hard you're working, you don't know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it becomes your normal. It becomes like just what you think is like, it's just your everyday. Oh my gosh, and it's just your everyday, oh my. God and you just train so hard, they work you so hard, but it is so important, yeah, and like you're a beast I think that's what, for your sake. I did like brains a little, but I love it Like we're so dedicated and so hardcore and we just like smash it. We don't think twice, we don't ask questions unless we need to.
Speaker 1:And it's good, it's great.
Speaker 2:I, I really enjoyed the hard work ethic training there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's helped both of us go into the industry with a little bit more ease in terms of what we have to take on board, because I find, when we've trained a certain way for so long, everything else, if it's not as high pressure or stuff, it's like oh, I can get through this absolutely, I feel very comfortable in the artist that I am.
Speaker 2:I just feel like it's like oh, I can get through this. Absolutely I feel very comfortable in the artist that I am. I just feel like it's so important to put the hard yards in early, I think, in my opinion. I think you put it in there and then everything kind of just feels like you're so familiar and you're so capable and empowered as well to do the best work possible, because you just know where the mark is, where to find it, until you have the tools you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Absolutely yeah, and I feel like there's that kind of shift that's happening now that people I know back when I was training it was I responded really well to like getting yelled at on my work.
Speaker 2:Me too, but.
Speaker 1:I know a lot of people shut down with that now and there's things that I you just can't talk to students. I totally agree.
Speaker 2:And we'll have to evolve and change with the times. But I also think there are some things that really respond to people respond to and some things that people don't, and I also think that's part of being an artist, and a training artist is like identifying what works for you. Okay, that really works for me, mr man, is like yelling at me and that's cool and wow, it really got the best out of me. Or when you have a different kind of day, just keeping to yourself and having, like I don't know, a tea at lunch, or just like. Finding what works for you is also really important and a really great tool that you have to find as you go on. And it also changes, because I feel like when I was younger, oh could do anything.
Speaker 2:I was like whatever, oh yeah as I'm older I'm like I need triple turn split bang up down one, then going out ready to go for our bus four hours, sleep another class, class, studio, like the whole thing. But I think now, as I'm older, I'm like I need eight hours sleep, I need to eat well and like fill my cup, and I think everything evolves and you change as well.
Speaker 1:So it's super important to keep tabs on that as well, Did you find that I had a really similar experience in the fact that I went from this? I had quite this perfectionism about my training and I wanted to always do it. 120%, which we're taught and then got booked of full-time and I started training and I wanted to bring all of that to eight shows a week and obviously it was just not sustainable not at all totally oh my gosh, did you have a similar experience after training? Yeah how'd you kind of navigate that?
Speaker 2:I feel like I was similar and I feel like anyone who's worked with me will be like that girl is insane her pants in a good way. You know what I mean. I feel like anyone who's worked with me will be like that girl is insane-o pants in a good way.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. I feel like I try my best to. I think it's less about going 150% at all times and delivering your best work every single day, whatever day you may be having. I think it's about showing up and being authentic to the work and leaving what you do have on the floor, but also knowing that you have a mountain to climb for the whole week. Do you know what I mean? And I also think it's so interesting with the H-Show week as well, like your workload really is the back end of it. The Friday, saturday, sunday.
Speaker 1:I know.
Speaker 2:The most taxing and it's so hard and it is just something that you have to find what works for you. Like I haven't been in that kind of hr week for a little bit now, but yeah, I really try and like not gym on the saturday, sunday, because I used to hit like the gym saturday morning, sunday morning, and then I would be like like on the saturday, so it's just about finding what peaks, ebbs and flows really fill your cup, or like Mondays is like strictly no training, like I don't go to gym, I don't do anything. It's like a super life-heavy admin day. I just don't do anything.
Speaker 1:And it comes from trial and error a lot of the times, and I feel that there's this massive need, especially for students looking to get in. They want to know every tool, every step, everything, and there's tools and things that I love teaching and that can help. But a lot of what you're going to learn is just by going and doing and going. How did that feel? Do I want that again? And then again, it's going to be different on every show.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, you know the show that I'm recently doing, sunset. I'm not really dancing overly that much, so I can, I could do gym, or I could do that there's not overly a massive strain on the body. So you, it's that constant dance between learning what your body needs, what you need outside.
Speaker 2:And I think, yeah, it is trial and error, but people are so different. Maybe you do really want to remain active and that makes you feel like you springboard into the week, or maybe you just want to take it a little slower and you don't wake up is just like what whatever else you have in your life really complements. I think what is important is also like having hobbies outside of theater.
Speaker 1:I love this nearly every single guest I have on. It's the best thing and I just I'll let you guys go with it, because everyone that comes on says do do something outside of theatre. You just have to, and I feel like it's the best thing to hear, because when you're training, it's your whole entire life, so you can't even think about anything else. But again, when you've just gone from like nine to five five days or something a week training, it's your whole life to then eight shows, which is after rehearsals.
Speaker 1:you're kind of barely at work. When you're at work, it's full on you work four hours a day, man, like it's actually such a privilege, like on a Friday, and then if you're in a show and you're not covering anyone, you don't have to come in for rehearsals. It's just like.
Speaker 2:I know that's kind of the life I live. I live in ensemble no cover land which I love.
Speaker 2:But I mean I, I end up being a workload, but I do usually end up there. It's great. So then you have your days basically to do as you wish, and I think that's important because I feel like we sacrifice and we work so hard to build up like our credits and our career, and then you get into a show sometimes and you're like is this it? Like? Not in a I want more way, but just in a. What do I do now that I have achieved the thing?
Speaker 1:that I want.
Speaker 2:And I think it's important to know that there are things outside of work that really fulfill work, because I feel like if you hyperfixate and you're just at a thousand percent only thinking about work, well, personally I find that I just become a little bit shrunken as a human. I feel like my heart is not as full.
Speaker 2:I feel like, oh, I didn't nail the double turn, I didn't you hyper focus on it all and I think it actually doesn't serve you as an artist because, therefore, because your mind is like so concentrated instead of being more open to things and I think also being on a long running show as well you find moments of spontaneity, and if you're not present and you are only focused on what I do every night, you can't find those moments and share connection with the people that you're surrounded with.
Speaker 1:For sure. Yeah, what have you found recently that's like really helped you, or do you have any like other hobbies and things that you like to do outside of work?
Speaker 2:This one is kind of controversial because it's a little like dangerous, it's giving. Don't do it on contract, but be really safe. I love to snowboard. It's so crazy, cool. I definitely don't do it because it's summer. It's crazy, it's hot outside, but I but I do try and get up to the mountain. Yeah, oh, my gosh. I love it Because I have time. I've never done it. It's so crazy, it feels extreme, but like if anyone ever took a video of me, it'd be like you're going two kilometres per hour. It feels so fast, but on the video it looks awful.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Because I feel like I'm moving my body. My mind is stimulated because obviously it's like I'm not that proficient, but I like to go and figure it out. It's so expensive. So please hold on the snowboarding at all times. It's so expensive. But I also feel like I've really found like a hobby and love for the gym as well.
Speaker 2:I feel very like empowered, but also I feel strong and I feel like I'm moving my body, because I feel like I go to class a lot as well, which I really do enjoy because I think that everyone has things to learn at every point in life. But yeah, I just feel like gym, I feel like moving my body in different ways really stimulates my mind and I like to read as well, but that also is like that takes a lot of time Sometimes.
Speaker 2:I feel a little guilty doing nothing, just reading, but I do really like it. Isn't that funny? Yeah, I feel like I've never read so many books this year, especially when I was on tour in Manila. I was like beach and book, kindle, beach and beach. It wasn't a beach, it was a pool. Pool and Kindle and journaling was huge for me.
Speaker 1:Yes, I love this. Yeah, journaling was huge for me. Yes, I love this, love this. Yeah. Yeah, I also didn't. I don't think I read a full book until I was 18 and I was on a contract.
Speaker 2:It's so hard. Yeah, it is such a feat. I will be honest putting a book top to bottom, for me personally is like a hard time.
Speaker 1:And then journaling. Has that always been kind of a practice for you, or what did that kind of it's?
Speaker 2:actually super new. I feel like, especially when you're busy and you feel like you have a lot of things going on, for me I like that goes to the back burner. I'm not really like writing that much, but I think because we had so much free time and the schedule so set while I was away in the philippines, I was like super keen to like get on top of that yes writing version of myself and it is awesome but it was just like it unlocked something.
Speaker 2:I think that was super introspective and super self-reflective, which I think is also super important to do because, like I said, you spend like x amount of time and no eight times a week with the same people all the time. Sometimes that is really exhausting.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And I almost think that half of our job isn't even the singing, dancing, acting it's actually like managing yourself in a workplace and managing.
Speaker 1:Managing your energy. Yes, the people around you.
Speaker 2:Yes, because that is also insane.
Speaker 1:And musical theatre people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, take that as you will.
Speaker 1:I just went to a christmas party with my families in doveton which is like out like daniel oh wow, actually I kind of grew up that way.
Speaker 2:I grew up in wantona south, I grew up.
Speaker 1:I went to scoresby secondary, are you?
Speaker 2:kidding. My mom lives in wantona on stud road. I lived or like around there.
Speaker 1:I, my God, I lived in Roval for a second. That's a little bit further, but yeah, my nan lived in Montana.
Speaker 2:That's where I'm from and I'm busy.
Speaker 1:Busy. But what I was saying was, yeah, musical theatre people. So I went to this Christmas party and I'm dressed quite nice and everything, and sometimes you just forget where you come from, totally Whatever. And I get to where you come from and whatever. And I brought my fiance, alison he, he's brazilian and he's got not really his first language, he's not english, and I just go back there and they oh, isn't it so funny, and we forget oh my gosh, but it's so humbling, like to go back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there was definitely something I was trying to think about. I could keep forgetting, but anyway, just knowing that I want to remember it might come back.
Speaker 2:It might come back. What were we talking about? Managing our energies and energy?
Speaker 1:Got it. These are your bit of people? Is that when, like, I'm around my family and stuff that aren't these like, hey, how are you going? It's this expression and stuff we actually don't realise how taxing it can be to be in the arts and to just be on because a lot of people that are in the arts I mean, I actually consider myself quite an introvert and the older I'm getting, the more introverted I am, because I realise slowing down is actually the fastest way to go anywhere. But then, yeah, going to this Christmas party and just noticing like, oh, to just talk without this Without this sense of like, like you're on it, and the dramatics.
Speaker 2:And putting your best foot forward all the time is really taxing and yank as well sometimes, but we're all just keen to do a good job and keen to get on the next one if we feel like we want to. You know as well. So I totally understand.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, super important about trying to navigate your energy, and I feel like when you're coming out of training as well, you're wanting to be friends with anyone. When you're first starting out, you want to go to every event, every closing night drinks or end of week drinks, and you just want to be liked and loved by everyone and want to soak it all up, which is awesome. But I think as you go on, you start to learn like, oh, I actually don't have to be friends with everyone.
Speaker 2:I don't need to gel with everyone if it doesn't naturally work that way and I think it's like just a general human thing about FOMO, like everyone wants to be accepted, everyone wants to be loved and appreciated, and I think, yeah, like you said, it's just like navigating.
Speaker 1:And I think it's something you just naturally learn as you go. Totally yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Going back on that thing of I think people want to know all the steps so that they can just go in and do it all and do it perfect the first time on their first contract. But I'm still like we're both still learning. Like any other show I do. It's a whole other challenge, totally. It's a whole other thing. That which is really special, because I find that we always learn something so unique from each show as well.
Speaker 1:Yes, about ourselves about, and that comes back to that reflection. I also journal heaps and that's been a practice for many years now, just because I live all up in my head.
Speaker 2:I'm all here.
Speaker 1:I'm all in the crown, chakra crown. All I do is think and create and boom, boom boom that I need to physically get pen to paper and flood it out on the journal. See what's actually going on. Get my feet into some grass.
Speaker 2:I love the beach.
Speaker 1:The beach is so calming. Are you a water sign?
Speaker 2:I'm actually a fire sign. What's the day today? Today it's my birthday. What's the date?
Speaker 1:today the 5th, Today.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it's my birthday in less than 10 days, oh nice yeah. So I'm like so excited it's fiery. Yeah, I'm a fire sign. I love that water, baby I have to get in there, yeah it has a lot of water, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, were you anywhere before that?
Speaker 2:I actually wasn't super serious about dance or singing or acting Like unwell, let's talk about this.
Speaker 2:It was crazy because my mum and I she's so funny, I love her, she's the best but she had this kind of rule when growing up If I didn't study I couldn't go to dance. Like she was like, if you haven't done your homework, if you haven't done this, it's like I guess like a reward system. But also she like obviously didn't know she was just as informed or uninformed as I was about like having a career in the industry. So she kind of like thought that school was going to be my thing. So I actually I guess casual is the right word because my poor mum, like I, didn't hardly ever go to dance class.
Speaker 2:I would like I went to the studio called Boyd Dance Academy, I guess, whenever I studied and I would do like ballet and jazz stuff there and I've moved around a bit kind of as I grew up so I didn't really feel like I trained at a specific place. But then these girls that were in my class were like, oh, we auditioned for full-time courses like transit and PSA. Yeah, oh well, like at the time when I heard about it, transit had just auditioned. I was like I could do that and I did. Because then the audition for PSA came up and I was like this is in, like 2016.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Sure made Big, but they were like. I auditioned, I got into transit, I was like I could do that. I could totally do that. And then I talked to my mum. My mum was like I guess, do it if you want. It's just an audition night. And I was like cool.
Speaker 1:So I did it, no pressure, just like yeah, go on.
Speaker 2:And the audition was crazy. I obviously just had never been in that kind of high-pressure environment and I was like thriving. I loved the energy, I think at the end of the audition I was like I really think that this is like the place for me.
Speaker 1:Was this the PSA audition?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and this is when they were at Port Melbourne.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you must have done that, because I did full time in Port Melbourne, yeah yes, so then I was also at PSA when it was in Green Street way back when. Which is kind of like.
Speaker 2:Kind of cool as well, and I can't believe that they still have a sign on the building. You know, iconic without anyone to get that down?
Speaker 1:staying there forever I think I still have the original track suit we had. We all had to buy matching track, oh my god zipper. It's got like a little emblem.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I actually. Fun fact, I think I may have raided the psa wardrobe while it was in port melbourne, because I think I have like a little short short yeah, that is old.
Speaker 1:We always, like todd, was like, that's all you're wearing in is comps, like, because it was just comps, comps, comps. Right, of course, to start. You know, like, cultivate the name of them. I know, I know it was cool. And then, yeah, I must have left when you kind of were auditioning.
Speaker 2:Then yeah, well, I think I did the last. So the last year that they were at Paran which is a great location, to be honest, that's true. Like way more convenient. Melbourne was a hike. I mean, I had a car, yes, but like I was like we go From one turn of South to Port Melbourne every day. I was like this is crazy. Yeah, so I didn't really train. And then I auditioned for PSA and I was like something about the energy in the room. I just felt like taking care of is the wrong word, but I just felt like this is the place to be. Like I was like I don't know this. It really sparked something within me even at the audition. I was like I really hope I get in.
Speaker 2:Like I was like I really hope that they take me. And then I got a letter or email I don't know what they were doing back, yeah, and I was like, wow, cool, I got in, that's awesome. And then, yeah, I did a year and a half of performing what they called performing arts then, which is now.
Speaker 1:There's so many streams now I can't keep up.
Speaker 2:I know I think they call it the dance course now. Okay, which was performing arts then. So there was like no singing, no acting, kind of like focus which is what I did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And I did a year and a half of that and I, like you, know how they send you for auditions. Sometimes I think you're ready, sorry, and yeah, I auditioned for a cruise ship and I booked it and I was like what.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I was like slay and I kind of had a bit of back and forth with Todd and he was like I don't think you should go, I want you to do musical theatre. And I was like Todd, I think I'm going to go and he was like, ooh, did you go? I did Okay, and he was like, if you go, will you promise to come back and train in musical theatre? Crazy that I agreed, but I did he has his side, he knows.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he just correct, and that's what I think is really interesting about all the full-time courses. But specifically about PSA, I just think they have this third eye. I don't know, it's a weird tuition thing that they have that they have seen so many artists go through all these avenues, that they kind of know and they see and plant kind of like seeds for you. Yeah, because I don't know at 19 why I thought I was so bold, but I was just like. I was like, oh, yeah, I'm going. And they're like why? And I was like I was like what's a job? Oh, I'm gonna learn way more on the job than like staying in full-time. Not that I don't love PSA, I do love you shout out to PSA. But yeah, so I left. So I did like a year and a half and I left and did my cruise ship.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I came back and it was awesome, like it was great time of my life. I was so young. I definitely think I would do it way differently now. But I came back and then I was like, okay, I think I'm ready. What I thought was ready, whatever also the definition of ready no one's ever ready, but bt dubs for anything. I was like I think I'm gonna like focus my eye on musicals and things like that. I think I like went into a couple rooms and it was awful. I was awful. I was like this is not for me. I was like it's not about that, it wasn't for me. I like just walked out and was like. I was like I just don't have the tools. I was like I'm not strong enough. I know, not in my mind, but I just didn't have strong enough skill set in the other areas that were.
Speaker 1:It's a very different world than cruise ships.
Speaker 2:It was eye-opening. I was like humbled, I was like whoa.
Speaker 1:So what did you do from there? What did you do? Did you get back into training yourself?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I came back in 2018, mid-2018, and I like just had no idea what to do. I think I like started singing lessons. I went in for a couple of things, I think Hamilton at the time was auditioning.
Speaker 1:I can't believe that's still going. It's correct, sailors.
Speaker 2:Good for them and I was just like not up to par. I knew the people that were in the industry. I knew the people that I wanted to be like, I knew where I had come from and I was like there's a huge gap within myself, really really knew that. So I actually like got a retail job, was doing singing lessons and then, like Mikey Ralph was like auditioning doing like a small thing, legally Blonde at Chapel of Chapel, and I auditioned and I got it and I was like well, cool, and I really worked hard and I was given a role. So that was crazy and I was like, oh, I don't know if this is out of my depth, but I really took the challenge on. I felt really accomplished to kind of work on that while I was working a retail job and kind of like hustling that's it and then in my mind I was like oh, I promised Todd I would go back and train and I was like.
Speaker 2:You know what you have to do it. You have to go back. You just don't have the tools. You're not good enough.
Speaker 1:That's great that you had that awareness to know what you needed and kind of put your ego a little down and like out the side yeah.
Speaker 2:It was huge, I think, for me at the time because I was like, oh, like I just came back from Conchur, I'm just a baddie, whatever. Then I was like, like your dancing is fine and also that needs work as well, but it was a singing, acting and also just being comfortable, I think, in a room with a piano and like with all these people. That is a really specific skill, I think, also what I think we are leaning towards now. But when I was in full-time, I don't feel like auditioning was a separate skill, right, I feel like you worked on skills and then, like when you go to the audition, it, it's like oh, hee, hee, ha ha.
Speaker 1:Auditioning is a whole nother thing, whole thing. It's a skill in itself.
Speaker 2:I just, I just feel like at the time there was not enough emphasis on that.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:And I feel like please hold that. Going forward, I was like, oh, that's a different thing. Because? Because I was like, oh, that's a different thing. Because I was like, oh yeah, I can sing, it's fine. Whatever you go in the room, you're like shaking your papers, you're like looking around, you're like there's seven people behind a plastic trestle table. This is awful. Like you know what I mean. It's just like something that you're not used to.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:So in 2020, I went back to musical to PSA to study musical theatre and that was huge. It was so funny. Like a lot of people were like what are you doing here? You're back, and I was like let me tell you.
Speaker 1:That's so brave as well. Like that would have been a lot at the time it was pretty huge and I was like still kind of young.
Speaker 2:I started musical theatre when I was 21. So like a lot of things had kind of like happened through training and stuff, but I was like it'll be okay yeah like so what?
Speaker 2:and I also like was not up to a professional standard. When I started full-time the first time, like unwell couldn't pick up the choreography. I could like muscle my way through kind of things, but I really had to work hard, especially picking. I feel like a lot of what we do is mental and I was just like eons behind. I was just like trying so hard. I famously was like a back corner girl. I was in the back corner for everything, well, forever.
Speaker 1:But a part of me was like just go back, everything will be fine and that was like, that was the like an almost like a turning point for you going back into training and yeah, yeah I think that's also like something that I'm really champion now is training.
Speaker 2:Like, even when you're in the industry and when you feel like you've kicked the goal or done the thing, like there's more things to be done, like there are more shows to be in, there are more projects to be a part of, there are other creative avenues that can be unlocked, and I think that is a super important lesson I feel like kind of taught me from like, because I was just like what, if you only go for a year Like it'll be fine, or two years, whatever, like you're still in the world, you're still making connections.
Speaker 1:And you can still audition and still do stuff Absolutely.
Speaker 2:And I felt like I was really just another one of the sardines and it was so good. I kind of love it that way and like, obviously COVID hit 2020. So did I hit 2020?
Speaker 1:so, dude, I feel like I was wasting my year no not at all.
Speaker 2:I actually was like in 2020 bloody upskilling, like you know what I mean, and I think that was awesome. Yeah, I actually was. This is like exactly where I need to be and I was like, maybe this is the universe. Being like this is your time like I'm giving you a whole year how the long cover lasted for forever.
Speaker 1:Yes, to hang out, so you did that MT during that.
Speaker 2:I did MT online for like the whole year of 2020 and then a little bit into 2021.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so then you finished that. Well, it's a two-year course. I did a year because I left, because I thankfully booked a time. Which is incredible, which is exactly the plan In a musical, yes, in a musical.
Speaker 1:And I was, was like you know what everything worked out, and I think the universe always puts but how funny if you didn't have that awareness and you kind of let your ego be like, oh, but I've worked and there's no and just stopped yourself and stayed in your head yeah then that may have I probably might be still additional.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, out there looking for a job, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:Well, I absolutely love watching you perform. You're an absolute beast and so captivating to watch. And was that wedding singer that you got into?
Speaker 2:yeah, yes so that was wedding singer, that kind of like spawned out of like. I had worked with mikey previously on like what?
Speaker 2:I guess it's a small thing, but I also like kind of tried to go to class when I could and like he was still like doing classes online and he teaches through PSA sometimes and yeah, I just kind of cultivate that connection and stuff. And actually a real funny story about how I auditioned I actually didn't know I had an audition at all. I actually that week, I think like West Side Story, moulin Rouge Wedding Singer, was auditioning all at the same time. That was like a huge weekend.
Speaker 1:You know how it is in Australia. We need to do like a PSA public service now.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:To all the people that are organising these auditions. Can we just like spread them?
Speaker 2:out. Can we spread them out, please, please and thank you.
Speaker 1:It's always like November or like mid, I don't know. It's March or it's March August. December.
Speaker 2:Yeah, every single year, let's just sprinkle them out.
Speaker 1:Thank you everyone. Not all of a sudden in the same week.
Speaker 2:I just can't believe it. I can't believe that it happens like that.
Speaker 1:I don't know. Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 2:And I was just like preparing for those shows and I was like just sitting at my ex-partner's place and we were just like hanging out and then I was like sitting looking at my sheet music scenes, whatever, and then my phone is like buzzing. It's Mikey Rath, me, and I mean, love him, he's this. But at the time we weren't really I don't, I wouldn't, I would have really never expected a personal phone call and it was like, hey, it wasn't his voice, it was someone else. It was like, hey, I'm blah blah from the wedding singer, just wondering if you're coming to your call back. And I was like I actually didn't know that I had a call back, or when is it.
Speaker 2:And they're like it's literally right now and I was like, haha, that's so funny. I was like, yeah, okay, great. And I hear like hubbub in the back and like I hear mikey be like I think she should just come. And I was like, oh, and they were like, can you come, how fast? And I lived in warhorn, which is like bloody across town they'll. I was like where's the audition? They're like ministry.
Speaker 2:I was like, oh god they're like you should just see you tomorrow they'll yeah, they were like bring whatever you can, just bring like a heel, and we'll see you in like literally as fast as you can and you did and I went and everyone had learned the combo, they had been there and there for an hour doing a marathon and I was like I just showed up in the last 15 minutes and I was walked through the choreography for like in like five minutes and they're like cool, like you're gonna go at the end of all the rounds, like you'll just figure it out, and I was like this.
Speaker 1:I was like maybe not my but he obviously saw something in you from working with you before yeah, and which is I'm so grateful for him. Yeah, he's wonderful, like that he can. He has a real art for seeing. He's another one like like todd who really kind of see that potential and strength in people and I think I feel like he's really good at recognising the growth in people. Yes, like knowing. Okay, they're still working on that, but can acknowledge those steps along the way.
Speaker 2:I think he also likes to work with artists that are super aware and love to do good work. That was how I booked Wedding Singer, but it was crazy. And then they handed me after the dance round. They handed me some sheet music and I was like you should learn that in an hour, see you back here. And I was like my god it was insane.
Speaker 2:And then, like after the whole palaver of the first day, yeah, like I got a call back from next week and it was awesome and I felt really strongly about it, and then I just waited and then I got a call there you go you just book your first job.
Speaker 1:it happens like like that I don't know, it's so crazy I know, oh my gosh. And then that went for a little while, didn't it?
Speaker 2:It did it kind of stanced, didn't stop and start.
Speaker 1:Yes, we did.
Speaker 2:We had three different casts, yep. So the first leg of the tour was like Adelaide, melbourne, and then we had kind of like in lockdown but we were. So we flew to Sydney to like quarantine for like a week, quarantine to like isolate for a week, and then we went to the Gold Coast. So that was like the first leg. And then the second leg was Sydney return oh no, not Sydney return a Sydney season as a Melbourne return at the art center, and then that was kind of like cap that. And then we did New Zealand, which was like our third iteration of the cast and the I love.
Speaker 2:I loved everyone that came through wedding singer I don't know if it was just because it was my first one was really special, but you're always the first the third cast of wedding singer really has my heart. I love all those people and it was just so special and it's such a fun show and we would just let work dancing down so hard it was like I heard it was a dance it was crazy and I also, think, because it was my first show, I was like oh, like every show is like this no, so not true, right so not true, yeah, but yeah.
Speaker 1:So it was awesome it was cool, it was so good yeah so then obviously you're now still working in in the theater, and then it's like gone, and yes, for a little while. Which?
Speaker 2:is huge. Yeah, it was a mammoth and I think the show is a mammoth and it was like I think we were just talking pre-us recording about how, like some shows you dance a lot and some shows you don't dance that much. Miss Saigon was one of those.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Literally no dancing, famously no dancing in Miss.
Speaker 1:Saigon, as my friend Nigel Huckle would say.
Speaker 2:Yeah famously, but it was a different kind of challenge. I feel like I was mentally in a really interesting spot when we started, so I felt like I was approaching it in a way, like I was navigating a lot of different things and I don't know I would definitely do it way differently if I had to do it again, but it was like really eye-opening but I really loved. I love that, like it takes a village, that kind of energy.
Speaker 1:It's so magical.
Speaker 2:Because there are 42 cast members, 42. Massive, insane, insane. How is that coordinated? And like that's just the cast and then you have, like, all your other departments. It was just a huge production and I was so privileged and honoured to tell that story and it was like a little heavy sometimes and a little difficult but it was something that, like, I'm so proud that I had the tools to navigate and it was a huge life change for me and like the first show that I worked on, that like I was really giving singer-actor, which I love, yes, it was kind huge life change for me. And like the first show that I worked on, that like I was really giving singer-actor, which I love, yes, it was pretty good. And I also feel like, especially in a Saigon I don't know if a lot of shows like this that exist, like this, that like the ensemble acting is so important.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And I really like relished in, like telling that story every night.
Speaker 1:I just found it so powerful and so beautiful that we could move mountains with not a lot of text. You know what I mean? I mean, yeah, we were chatting before. It's an absolute masterpiece.
Speaker 2:I saw it three times when I was here in melbourne and I was just like, oh my gosh, and it's really special and it's just like written so beautifully and I think people some there's like a little bit of like back and forth and controversy about Miss Saigon, but I think the time in which it existed like it's a history piece you know what I mean Like it's about real life.
Speaker 2:It's not like it never happened, like the story itself is fabricated, but the world in which it exists, and the specificities of the GIs and, like the Asian women, that I think women are the backbone of every life and story. So I think, well, they really are. They birth children. You heard it here. So I think that it's a really beautiful piece that really exists and is important to tell. And now that it's told, who knows when, we're going to see Miss Saigon in Australia again.
Speaker 1:That's it, oh my gosh. And so now you're doing a naughty, a very naughty Christmas, a very naughty Christmas, and that's on versatility, everyone.
Speaker 2:They're hilarious. I am so chuffed and happy to be a part of the cast. It's actually a bloody stellar cast. We are maybe one of my also favourite cast A big love heart. React on that one because I just am obsessed and there's only eight of us. It cast a big love heart. React on that one because I just say I'm obsessed and there's only eight of us. It's small but mighty, from 42 to, I know, and actually my I love a smaller cast, everything just very so intimate and, yes, safe and close. But also another show that I think I owe a great deal of gratitude to my past connections, because I was contacted by Alistair Smith, who I worked with on Wedding Singer, who recommended me. So also make those connections, y'all, and do a good job.
Speaker 1:And then kindness goes a long way yeah, people really respond to that.
Speaker 2:And if you can light up a room and you can really go on the floor and do good work and take the work really seriously, but not yourself too much, that that goes a long way, that's it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh my gosh, that's really good. Well, it's been so awesome chatting to you.
Speaker 2:We could chat for hours. We should get a coffee. We should, absolutely I would love to.
Speaker 1:One thing I love about this show is that I get to meet up with people that I haven't had a chance to you know, really sit down.
Speaker 2:I feel like we're kind of like psas, like been like this yeah, we've never really I know across where we were absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, we're from the same suburbs. It's a little jam gosh. Isn't it crazy to think maybe I saw you at knock city shopping?
Speaker 2:center. One day I used to work at eastland stop hilarious. While I was doing lily bond, I would fold t-shirts on beans.
Speaker 1:So for any of the artists that are listening in they're emerging artists, they're starting auditioning or they're looking to get into the industry do you have kind of put you on the spot and is there any kind of advice that you would give them to kind of finish off the episode?
Speaker 2:Never stop learning. I know it sounds cliche, but I think it's just so important. Like I go to class every week, you'll all see me there.
Speaker 2:That's it no matter how grandiose your career may feel or how accomplished you are, it's never too late, like I'll always tell you, and also focusing on your weaknesses, like take that singing class or do something that makes you uncomfortable because it just makes you such a more rounded artist that was awful English but it makes you a well-rounded artist and have hobbies outside so you can fill your cup from somewhere else.
Speaker 2:So you can do your best work and be fun. Oh my God, I feel like when you're like a new artist of the industry, you like get in the room, you're like so prim and proper.
Speaker 1:Your hair is slick. You're like just be a human, actually enjoy it.
Speaker 2:Totally and just like enjoy. Yes exactly, and enjoy yourself in the journey. Don't get too introspective and too like. I didn't sing that. Note right, everything is going to be all right. Just go home and practice. Do the work In the room. If you feel like you're not nailing it, go home, just go over it a little bit. Come back the next day and just learn to nail it. Learn to nail it.
Speaker 1:Learn to nail it.
Speaker 2:It's not that simple but it also is At the same time. I think you have to put in the work to really reap the rewards and benefits of this industry. We've travelled both for work, and I just think that you don't get that unless you have really committed to yourself and put yourself in the best position that you can. So go, learn, go learn, get to class get to class absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you so much for being on. It's been so lovely chatting and I'm sure we'll have you on again in the future. Absolutely, and if you want to follow asmara's journey, I'll put her Instagram in the bio. She's going to check it out in a TikTok. Yes, that's it, and yeah, have a wonderful rest of your time on A Very Naughty Christmas. Thank you, come to the show. Come to the show. That's it. That's it Amazing. Thank you, thank you.