42 - Vince, The Performer
It might surprise you to know this but I'm a pretty ace performer. Please see my credentials below:
Grade 1 - my debut performance on stage...and what a performance. I was the Big Bad Wolf (some kind of funny thing since I was small, cute and the least menacing person ever?). It was for 'Drama Day' - a fairy-tale themed performance where the Big Bad Wolf would romp around causing havoc across the fairytale world, only to be thwarted in the end by the Fairy Godmother herself. What a star performance!
...actually though I was really bad at play-acting; in one scene I was supposed to 'chase' some knights away, but instead of doing a 'theatre chase' so they got away, I just like...sprinted at them. It kind of worked - I got a standing ovation anyway :D
Don't have a picture of me in my wolf costume but here's a cute pic of young me anyway?
Lesson learned: You're a star. But do you even know what 'performing' means?!
Grade 3 - at one of the monthly performances by the Year 3 class we did the Weakest Link (remember that show? YOU ARE. THE WEAKEST LINK. GOODBYE. Savage, but brilliant). A great way for people to dress up as their favourite sporting heroes; being Asian, I obviously got the host role. What an honour! My job was to help come up with trivia questions for the whole thing, so that we could get through as many rounds as possible.
...unfortunately, we ran out of questions somehow when it was the final round (you had ONE JOB VINCE), and I panicked on stage and just didn't know what to ask. Great embarrassing moment, slowly drawing out the silence as I my brain emptied of any knowledge that I had ever learnt about the world, which was saved by my teacher grabbing me and hissing, "Ask who the Prime Minister of Australia is" so that one of them could win.
Lesson learned: never have dead air - make some shit up if you have to!
Grade 4 - I was chosen (!) to do this Science-Magic performance where we made up a fairytale story again of how magnets work. I was literally 'Magic' - a black costumed boy who would do the 'magic' of science. It sounds super dumb but dude, not only did we win the whole thing but also look at that COSTUME.
Lesson learned: Science is cool.
Grade 6 - I was Puck, from A Kidsummer's Night Dream. Yes, you see that correctly, it was rewritten so they could get around copyright concerns. I distinctly remember the day the roles were announced - I was actually in the naughty corner for speaking during the session, but instead was brought to the front of the class waHOOOOOO.
Look at these POSES. One night I forgot to bring out the confetti for my grand reveal because I was busy playing that finger game 'chopsticks' with my friend, so all I could do was just...pose. It kind of worked but we only had a run of 3 nights and I was mortified because the former principal of the junior school who I adored was there. Oh well, you live and you learn.
Lesson learned: Always be prepared. Also 'chopsticks' is pretty fun.
Grade 7 - they custom wrote a Wild West play, where I was LITERALLY a cultural stereotype...I mean, look at that HAT. SERIOUSLY. And I remember having to mime out martial art shit...literally throwing knives around and going YAH! YAH! YAH! YAH!
Which I actually loved at the time but looking back at it now...HOW. Probably because I got my own scene where I got to kick the white man. Multiple times.
Celebrate the little wins ^^
Lesson learned: Swords and knives are cool - definitely sell out your race to be able to play with them.
Grade 8 - my career started a downturn here - I was pirate #5 in a Peter Pan play for school. I get it, sometimes you gotta take the bit parts - you can't always be a leading role. But really?
Lesson learned: I...don't know. Asian pirates look weird?
After that I didn't really join any plays. I loved singing and performing, so I was still in choirs and orchestras, but other than that - I don't know! Probably was going through an identity crisis about being an Asian in a predominantly white Australian school...or not wanting to be shoehorned in as a theatre nut.
...which I realise now is stupid because I love watching plays, and musicals - singing, dancing, acting - it's all so amazing. I listen to the songs over and over again afterwards, I re-watch performances when I can - it's so captivating!
Hamilton 2021 here we come (with appropriate social distancing measures in place of course :D).
This was fun to look back at myself and see what a journey I've been on re: performance. Didn't think it would be about this (I initially thought I would write about why Hamilton is such a freaking amazing soundtrack) but alas here we are.
Nowadays you won't find me on stage - I've retired from that life, and I just perform for my clients at work.
Anyone need a nice and shiny Digital Strategy?
Chat soon :)
✔️ Real Life Recommendations
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Hamilton Soundtrack - if you can't find it on Spotify here it is - a rap/hip-hop musical that is lyrically genius. I haven't seen it in person yet - looking forward to it coming to Australia next year though (if COVID doesn't delay it).
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The Grimm Forest - a strong recommend for a fairytale boardgame - uses all the tropes and characters on cards and figurines, and has an incredibly high production value. You play as little piggies trying to build up their houses - one of straw, one of wood and one of brick. However, will you be able to get the supplies you need? Or will the Big Bad Wolf steal them away...?
🚌 Adventures on the Information Super-Highway
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The Shows must go on! - musicals from the backlog being shown for free on YouTube! Available every weekend (essentially) - I think at the moment they're going through Andrew Lloyd Webber's catalogue, but I'm sure there'll be more!
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The Book of Mormon at the Tony's - one of the first performances that I ever watched of the Book of Mormon - AMAZING. So funny, so perfect - and it was beautiful to watch it in person a few years ago :D
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Why is Cats? - Lindsay Ellis makes some wonderful film critique videos, and this one is no exception. It explains what happened to the Cats movie, and went through its history. I didn't know about this, and now I do! If you have time, I HIGHLY recommend her Hobbit series as well - an incredibly thorough takedown of the movies!
🌱 The Calathea Corner
Feleafcia's ready for her close-up...
