Showcase

LIPA had their showcase today. It was a shame that so few people from the industry were there to see them. In recent years, two LIPA graduates have played lead roles in THE JUNGLE BOOK and TOM’S MIDNIGHT GARDEN. Watching the showcase today, I saw another three actors who could take specific roles in our shows this year. It’s weird to think how precious those two minutes on stage are to your future career. You’ve trained for three years – and then you have just two minutes to show the profession what you can do. Choose the wrong speeches, hit the wrong note, fail to connect and you leave empty handed. It’s not the end of the world to leave a showcase without a result but it can be such a help to get a good start. My view is that every graduate has two years to get their first good job before I start to wonder if something has gone wrong. Contrary to expectations, I am happy to see people without agents, without experience. Some of the best actors I’ve worked with had slipped through the net and I was happy to catch them. I hope the actors I saw today don’t get disheartened by the turn out today. It’s not over yet! I first saw Sally Oliver for the role of Stella the dog in KENSUKE’S KINGDOM. In the event I gave her the lead in our West End production of PROOF. Her first job. It does happen!