This week ‘School Of Rock The Musical’ is live on our Helsby High stage! Our cast, musicians, dancers and production team eagerly await their first show – Opening Night on Tuesday 12th December! The final rehearsals are well underway, and all those involved are counting down the hours! All students and staff involved alike, have been admirably working on each scene since September, perfecting every little detail, ensuring these performances are their best yet! In honour of the final countdown to show time, we interviewed Assistant Director Abi B, who delightedly told us all about the upcoming show, her role as Assistant Director, and her love for Musical Theatre!
We opened the dialogue by asking Abi her favourite part of her Assistant Director role; What is your favourite thing about being an Assistant Director?
Abi enthusiastically answered; “I love watching everything come together cohesively. I also love getting the opportunity to be able to be creative and explore my imagination through directing my own scenes. It is so rewarding to see the process of scenes coming together, and I can’t wait to see the finished product when played from beginning to end in our on stage productions!”
Delving deeper into Abi’s role as Assistant Director, we asked her what skills she has developed since beginning the role, to which she claimed;
“I believe I have gained a lot from taking on the role of Assistant Director, it involves a lot of planning, time management, and using my creativity, so for that, I’d say my organisation skills have really developed. I have had the opportunity to direct scenes from scratch, coming up with new ideas. Me and my Co-Assistant Director Iona have directed 3 of the biggest songs – Stick it to the men, Time to Play and You’re in the Band, which has been really exciting! I’d also say I have really grown into a good leader through being an Assistant Director, as I have frequently had to manage a group of younger students, ensuring I gave clear instructions and gained their trust. ”
We were keen to know what advice and tips for the cast Abi has, and so asked her; Do you have any advice/top tips for your cast for their upcoming performance?
Abi was quick in her response, “Have fun! For me, the experience of performing on stage is one you will remember forever! The memories you make are invaluable, and one of a kind! My advice would be for the cast to enjoy themselves and take it all in, it can be overwhelming but it is so worthwhile! I also think it’s essential to remember to remain in character throughout the performance, keep showing varied facial expressions and reacting to the scene that is going on in front of you, you never know who may be watching you, even if you are not a leading character in that scene.”
Abi’s love for directing was clear throughout our chat, so we decided to ask Abi;
If you could direct another musical which one would you choose?
After a quick think, Abi said “Probably Newsies as it is very ensemble based meaning that we have a large cast that can work as a team to create something beautiful. I would love to be able to direct something at this level as it would give me a great opportunity to explore my passion.”
Abi’s extensive passion and knowledge of musical theatre was evident through the duration of our interview, we were keen to know where this came from and so asked Abi; “When did you discover your passion for Musical Theatre?”
Abi told us, “I have always liked singing and dancing and I was always doing this everywhere I went! I discovered my love for acting after watching Harry Potter in year 5 and decided to give it a go with a theatre company. My 10 year old self really wanted to be Hermione Granger! Ever since then, I knew that I wanted to pursue musical theatre in the future, and have been involved in lots of school productions since.”
As the interview drew to a close, there was only one more fitting question left to ask Abi; Do you prefer to be a member of the cast in a show, or take on the role of director?”
Abi responded, “Both roles are so different! Being a director allows you to give instructions and have a creative responsibility, whereas being a cast member allows you to perform, which I love. Both roles allow you to bring the show to life, so I don’t think I have a preference, I enjoy them both.”
We are thankful to Abi for her time and honesty, and can’t wait to see all of what she enthusiastically talked about throughout the interview come to life on stage soon!