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AUSSIETHEATRE.COM: TALKING TO THE STARS |
| Talking to the Stars: Rachael
Beck AussieTheatre.com Editor Troy Dodds catches up with one of the wonderful leading ladies of Australian musical theatre, Rachael Beck...  TD: I last saw you in Summer
Rain for the Sydney Theatre Company. How was the experience?RB: Summer Rain was a magical experience - to work with such a fine cast and with Robin Nevin was truly enriching and rewarding. Playing in a musical with a theatre company is so different to being in a big commercial show - it is much more personal. TD: Many people would remember you from Singin’ in the Rain. It must have been a sensational show to work on? RB: A LOT of fun. We were always playing jokes on each other headed by the biggest joker of all who is one of my greatest friends - Todd McKenney. David Atkins runs a well-oiled ship but lets you maintain a sense of fun. I loved working with him and the whole experience. TD: Back further, many would remember you as Fantine in Les Miserables. How good was it to work on such an incredibly successful show? RB: Definitely a (pardon the pun) "dream" role for me (along with Sally Bowles). Les Mis is a masterpiece and I was fortunate enough to work with the composer Jean-Michel Schoenberg. I feel blessed to have played such a desperate, heroic character. TD: Television has been a big part of your life as well – you will never escape old Hey Dad! clips – do you have a preference, theatre or TV? RB: I like to mix it up. TD: Let’s go all the way back to 1988 – The Wiz at the Footbridge Theatre. It must have hit a memory when the announcement came that it would no longer host theatre events? RB: .The whole theatrical society was moved to hear the announcement of the Footbridge. I am sure they have great plans for it. The Wiz was one of my first shows when I was 14 and Margi D'Ferranti played my mother! Fond memories. TD: You’re married to fellow performer Ian Stenlake – is it a match made in theatrical heaven or is the fact that you’re both in the same industry sometimes trying? Rb: Ha! Sometimes a match made in heaven and sometimes challenging, but isn't every relationship??!! TD: What are your thoughts on the current state of Australian theatre? RB: We need to support new Australian work and producers in order to keep OUR stories alive - it is becoming too expensive for producers to bring the big shows out from OS, but hopefully the flipside to that will be we have to concentrate on smaller, original shows. It is important to support people who are trying to make this happen as well - Peter Cousens is with "Kookaburra". TD: What’s the role you’d love to play? RB: One that hasn't been written yet! TD: You've done a lot of work with The Production Company. Is it a format you like? RB: Everyone loves an old musical! There is an innocence about them and the story lines are not complicated. A great escape from the world at present. Rachael Beck is currently appearing in the Seven Network series It Takes Two, airing on Sundays at 6:30pm. |