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[0:02] Tori Bullard: You're listening to Stage Door Podcast, the podcast celebrating theatre and creativity from on stage mishaps to career defining moments, hosted by Thespians, myself, Tori, and co-host Eliza.

[0:15] Eliza Gunther: Fortnightly, we will bring you industry professional guests, deep dives, and more.

[0:22] Tori Bullard: Hello everyone, and welcome to the season five premiere of Stage Door Podcast.

[0:27] Tori Bullard: Today we are joined by the current leading lady of Grease The Musical, Annelise Hall.

[0:32] Tori Bullard: But before we get started, we would like to acknowledge the Thorwall people of the Eora Nation.

[0:36] Tori Bullard: And the Warundari people of the Kulin Nation.

[0:39] Tori Bullard: We pay respects to the traditional custodians, past and present, and strive to continue in the tradition of Australia's first storytellers.

[0:46] Tori Bullard: We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.

[0:49] Tori Bullard: Always was, always will be.

[0:50] Tori Bullard: Annelise is a performer based on the northern beaches of Sydney.

[0:54] Tori Bullard: She is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium at Griffith University's Bachelor of Music Theatre and currently leads the cast of Grease as Sandy Dumbrowski.

[1:04] Tori Bullard: Upon graduating in 2021, Annelise was cast as Sophie in Mamma Mia with the show Code, directed by Tanya Midford.

[1:11] Tori Bullard: She then went on to perform the role of Sandy in Grease at QPAC, directed by Alistair Smith, in collaboration with the Queensland Conservatorium.

[1:19] Tori Bullard: Most recently, Annelise performed the role of Hope in the new Australian musical and winner of the Adelaide Fringe Award, The Marvelous Elephant Man.

[1:27] Tori Bullard: In 2018, Annelise graduated with a diploma of music theatre from Brent Street, and that same year she was cast as the on-stage swing and the Jenny understudy in Aspects of Love at the Hayes Theatre.

[1:40] Tori Bullard: Please welcome to the mic, Annelise.

[1:43] Annelise Hall: Hi, thanks for having me.

[1:45] Tori Bullard: Thank you for being here.

[1:46] Eliza Gunther: How are you?

[1:47] Annelise Hall: I'm great. We just had a show last night, so um, you know, feeling really good, and then another one tonight.

[1:53] Tori Bullard: Thank you for being here, considering you have to get up a little bit earlier, probably than you'd like to.

[1:58] Annelise Hall: No, you know what? It's actually so good, because I'm in company of columns. So I get home pretty early. Like the show finishes at like maybe like 9:30, 10, and I just come straight home. It's yeah, it's so much easier than usual.

[2:08] Eliza Gunther: That's great. Because then you're not too late getting home and then waking up at like 10am every day.

[2:15] Annelise Hall: Yeah, it's really good. It's like we're like literally right around the corner from the theatre.

[2:19] Eliza Gunther: Yeah, it's so good. I got to see Annelise in the opening night of Grease, and you were just phenomenal. I remember you as Sandy before, and now you're Sandy in the Grease tour, which is just wild.

[2:33] Annelise Hall: It was so nice to see your face. Like when I came out and I saw you and Paul saying, I was like, oh my con people. And I remember you. I remember you so well in our last production. Um with all of the lockers, like moving them around the stage. It was so nice. So good to see your face then.

[2:50] Eliza Gunther: Yes.

[2:51] Annelise Hall: Yeah, we definitely had the quick change Sandy moment when you ran out and we would help you change.

[2:57] Eliza Gunther: That was so stressful.

[2:59] Annelise Hall: Oh my gosh. What did you do again? What was your like you had something?

[3:03] Eliza Gunther: I was like shoes or yes, I was on shoes and pants.

[3:06] Annelise Hall: Yeah, shoes and pants. Couldn't have done it without you.

[3:09] Eliza Gunther: Oh, it's fabulous.

[3:10] Annelise Hall: Yeah, yeah, yeah. True, unsung hero.

[3:14] Tori Bullard: Well, jumping into it a little bit, so obviously Grease opened, oh gosh, February?

[3:20] Annelise Hall: No, January.

[3:21] Annelise Hall: January, like the 7th of January now.

[3:24] Annelise Hall: Yeah, and we've been doing it since um New Year's Eve. What was your audition process like for the show?

[3:30] Annelise Hall: Yeah, so I um it was Feb uh March last year, March, April. Um, and I was in the middle of um The Marvelous Elephant Man tour. So we had um Adelaide and then we had Melbourne, and I had a couple weeks off when I was in Sydney. Um and my agent gave me a call and was like, I have the biggest audition of your life coming up in two days. And I was like, oh my god, what are we talking about? And um basically they were auditioning Danny's, and he had been approached to find a reader just to read for Sandy. And he said, Well, I have Olivia Newton John at my agency right now. And um, so they were like, Okay, bring her in. And at first I was just gonna be a reader, but then they wanted to audition me.

Um, so I got all the material, and then they invited some other people in to audition for Sandy as well that same day. So I had two days to kind of get fully prepped. Um, and you know, I went out and I got a cute outfit. I was sending it through to my agent, like this one, this one, crupp tub, yes, no. Um I did, I did, I had a really cute outfit. It was like this like little like yellow and white skirt and like this white top. Um I went in on the day, and I was like, I was like kind of nervous because it was obviously a big deal, but I don't know, I was pretty confident at the time because I'd just done the leading lady in Elephant Man, and like that was you know, six weeks in Adelaide. Um and I'd obviously done the show before.

So I was pretty confident, I felt quite good about it, and I I knew that it was such a big deal, but I didn't have my hopes set up too high. I was kind of like, this is my first really, really big audition. Um so I went in there, I saw like a few, you know, big familiar faces, and I was like, ooh, this is exciting. Um and then yeah, I just went in there and I sang "Hopelessly." They wanted to see that first, and it was like Jozo, Luke Joslin, the director, um, Skeltz, David Skelton, choreographer, and Eric the um sorry, not Kroger, musical director, and then Eric the choreographer. Yeah. As well as like the producer and casting people. And I just like sang out. I really just gave it my all in that first sing through of "Hopelessly."

I did all the opt-ups that I did in our production at QPAC, like I think it's like an F or an F sharp or something, opt up to that. And then I did like the the riff up to the B at the end. Um and they were very much like what? Because a lot of people don't sing that version. So I really just gave it my all, and um I remember that amazing feeling where they're like they start by writing and then they just look up and they just watch, and that's the best feeling when you know you've like got them. Um yeah, it was really good. And then yeah, so then I read with um some big names, uh, some really cool people, and I was asked to come back in the afternoon, and then it was quite funny because I got added on social media by a bunch of like the creative team's partners that night.

And I was like, I was like, wait a second, it was really funny. I left, I left feeling a bit like oh, I'm not sure. Like I left being like, Oh, I don't think I think I did my best, but I don't think I got it. But then I got added that night and I was like, that's crazy. Um it was so funny. Anyway, and then the next Monday I got told that I was gonna do a callback. Um, and I was in Melbourne for Elephant Man, so I'd gone back to Melbourne to do that part of our tour. Um, and I had to do the callback two weeks later. Um, it was the second show, so we opened Elephant Man on the Wednesday, and then on the Thursday morning, I had to fly to Sydney to do the callback. Three-hour callback with just Joe.

It was just Joe and I. Joe's fantastic. And yeah, it was three hours, and then I had to fly back to Melbourne to do our second show of Elephant Man. So it was like crazy. It was so busy. And then we found out the the next Monday, so only a few days later, we found out. But it was a really good experience. The final callback was um, yeah, it was really fun. It was nerve-wracking because we had Frost in the room. He's like the biggest producer in the country, so that was like um, but it was good. It was it was chill, and and like the the dance was really fun. Like, it was just doing a dance audition with just Joe and I and Eric. So, like it was, you know, it was we were able to ask questions and kind of get that banter going, and like, yeah, it was really fun. It was a really positive, positive experience, and um yeah, sometimes I think just that confidence in the room makes a really big difference.

[8:17] Eliza Gunther: Totally, and I mean, even getting that chance to really talk to the panel and get to know them because that's ultimately who you're gonna then work with as well.

[8:25] Annelise Hall: So it's really nice when you get down to the last bit and you get to kind of like have that bit of rapport with them, have a bit of fun and enjoy it, yeah, and like actually like work with them. Like Jozo was pretty chill and being like, Okay, this isn't working, we can do this better, and then get you know, getting the opportunity to actually do it again instead of like in a first audition where it's like you did it wrong, you're cut. Um, so there was a little bit more, yeah, a bit more play in the room, which was cool.

[8:50] Tori Bullard: That's so fantastic, and I mean, you are absolutely no stranger to this role, having performed it at QPAC with the Queensland Conservatorium, which we were talking about earlier. So, how do you feel stepping back into the iconic role after you learnt so much post-study, and how does it feel doing it now compared to how it was back then?

[9:10] Annelise Hall: Yeah, totally. So, I love it. I love that I get to do it again. It's a very different version. Um, but it's it's again, it's that confidence. So I remember in our version at the con, I was sharing the role with Lucy Wilson, the beautiful, amazing, perfect Lucy, and she um she had done the role at high school, and I had never done the role before. And I remember at the start of rehearsals feeling a bit behind, like I remember just feeling like oh, like not like not intentionally copying her, but often just like going with her what she'd already done because she'd done the show before. And I think that's kind of like I eventually obviously I found it and did my own sort of version, but at first it was a bit a bit like behind, like I was always like, Oh, what are we doing?

Oh, she's got those beats already, and that's how I feel this time. So now I'm like, oh yeah, I know the beats, I know what I'm doing, and so I can play a bit more, and um, yeah, it's so much fun. Like, I'm so glad that I get to do it again, and you know, as well, it does show in the audition when you know all of the beats and you're making those obvious choices, and I guess that's like that's really something that I've learned from this experience is that there is no room in an audition for not being a hundred percent on top of the material and on top of those beats and on top of like what is going on. There is no room for just pretending. Um, you have to go in there and you don't have to know that show back to front, you have to be really, really strong with the choices, and like you have to show them what they want to see on stage in a month's time.

You know, you they don't want to have to work and work and work with you, they want to see that straight away. Um, so I guess, yeah, in that sense, it's really great that I'd already had all those beats. I already knew what the show was about. I knew where the character's journey was. I felt that emotional journey, you know, through my body night after night in the past. So I kind of already know how to do that now. Um but you know, saying that as well, it's it is a different version. They cut a lot of the show. The show is a lot shorter. Um, and Sandy's material is less a lot less than our last version. Um, so it's it's that's challenging as well because it it kind of disempowers her sometimes when you cut material.

Um, there is there's good stuff too. But it's good that it's a shorter show, you know. People love seeing a shorter show. Snappier. Snappier, yeah, totally. Um but it's yeah, it is you know, it has its own challenges. Um, having to kind of still find that journey with less material.

[11:52] Eliza Gunther: Which is surprising you say that because watching it, I feel like she was like it was really the same show. Like, yeah, I don't know, watching it. I didn't realize that so much of her stuff had been cut or she wasn't as empowered, I guess.

[12:07] Annelise Hall: Yeah, because of the way it I think you characterize her as well. I think that comes down to a lot of like your choices within those scenes.

[12:15] Annelise Hall: Oh, thank you.

[12:15] Annelise Hall: Yeah, I do think it, yeah, that there is stuff cut.

[12:19] Annelise Hall: Like, for example, do you remember the bit um in the bedroom scene when all of the girls leave and she comes through and she sits at the mirror and she sings um Sandra D reprise the mirror?

[12:28] Annelise Hall: Oh god, yes. Yeah, so there were like little moments like that, or like just little things, but they're not necessary moments. And so the fact that I've done the show before is great because it does inform that for me. You know, it's show don't tell kind of thing. Like I can show all that without having to say it and do those actions. Um But yeah, it's it's good to have done it before, and like I I've definitely grown a lot as a performer since then. I mean, I'm a much older, more mature person than I was then, more professional, like having done Elephant Man, that confidence is key. Confidence is so so important. Um and yeah, so you know, it's it's really special to be able to do it again. I feel like it doesn't it doesn't feel like a shorter show, and I feel like like Eliza was saying, you made such strong choices in this role that I've never seen before that I feel like Sandy has always felt kind of almost like a secondary character in the story of Grease.

She hasn't felt particularly strong, but so many of the choices that I think you make and possibly also to do with the changes in the show, even though she might have less content than we're used to, she feels so much stronger and she feels a little bit modernized as well.

[13:52] Annelise Hall: Yes, that she really is like not taking any shit. I was gonna say that. Thank you. Yeah, I was gonna say like, yeah, that modern comment I think is really great because to some degree it it is very modernised. Like the set and stuff, you're not thinking about the 50s, 60s, like you're thinking about now. Um, and the way that I um that Joe and I play our relationship is very like modern banter, it's very like flirting in you know, 2024. Um, and so yeah, and I love that it makes Sandy more human instead of being like really prissy, like I play her kind of like I would like it's me. Like I just kind of play it a bit more like Annelise, and I think that's so much more interesting for the audience and a bit more relatable.

[14:41] Annelise Hall: No, absolutely, like we've discussed that there's been a lot of changes to this production. What was it like in the rehearsal room creating this production? What pretty much feels like from the ground up, yeah, really fun. Rehearsals is probably like some of the most fun I've had in my musical theatre life. Um, it has its own challenges. It's it's really fun because you're working with these new people, and there's all that like fresh energy of like it's just very exciting. Um, and you know, making new friends and all of that, like so much fun during rehearsals, but it is also very challenging, and we were lucky that we had a really really kind creative team. A lot of the time you don't get that, a lot of the time you get people who are very, very strict, um, especially you know, like people from overseas, they might be a little bit harder. Jojo, Eric, and Skelts were so just just cool, really cool. But yeah, it does have its own challenges because you only have a month to put this thing on its feet.

[15:38] Annelise Hall: So, like, let's say, for example, there's Eric really wants to do some particular choreography, but it might be a little too challenging to implement in a month, and he's got to shift that, he's got to change that. Or, like, for example, we had these massive bleachers, but the bleachers couldn't always be there, so the bleachers were kind of moved in and out. So, sometimes we're practicing without the bleachers, and like that can be a little ch a little bit challenging. Um and then as well, like the Sandy's stuff, there was you know, a few moments there where the whole creative team were just really trying to figure out what is Sandy's story, what is her story, what are we trying to tell? And there was a lot of pressure on me to do a lot with very little stage time compared to the other characters. Like the other characters have a lot of time, even if they're not talking, where they're on stage. I kind of come in and out my little bits and my songs are the main stuff.

[16:31] Annelise Hall: So there was a lot of emphasis on like trying to yeah, trying to find her story, and um, yeah, and like I think it was great that we had everyone involved, but sometimes as well, that can be too many cooks in the kitchen. So, you know, it's it's it's different when you're a lead and you're also creating it from scratch because they really wanted to make my story very prevalent, but they had or also cut a lot of my material so I had less stage time. So there was just a kind of a lot of things going on, like how can we light her this way to make it more obvious, or how can we, you know, change the song? Like we took um Raining on Prom Night up a key to kind of make it a bit more like sparkly and like a bit more belty and stuff, things like that.

So just trying to make it a little bit more yeah, just trying to make her story more obvious, as well as like the fact that you know they really wanted a bit of an Olivia Newton John-esque vibe. Some people, and then other people didn't. Yeah, some people in the team kind of wanted more of that, or at least I was getting told by some people, oh yeah, we want like Olivia Newton John, and then I was getting told by other people on no, like we want more Annelise we want we don't want 70s sound we want like Annelise's accent so there was a lot of just kind of trying to figure out what the right thing is and so that was a lot for me to just kind of like have to take lots of notes and not let that you know I I never try to get like ego in the way just try to filter through all that and just go okay what can I do in this moment based on that note let's see if that works and then we go yes that works okay let's try this though let's make that this different a lot of just playing around to try to find where Sandy sits but yeah we got there in the end and it's you know it's different to the con one because the con one she had an American accent she was um it was a bit different definitely much different and I definitely see what you're talking about about the influences because I can see some Olivia in there which is really nice I think as an audience member to have like a little nod like there's little nods but then it feels so Annelise at the same time yeah so it's a really interesting mix so I can imagine that would have been pretty hard in the rehearsal room to kind of get that right mix of character and also you know such an icon also being part of that role that Australia knows.

[18:54] Annelise Hall: Totally I like I practiced the Olivia Newton John accent all year to do in the show and then I was told actually no we don't want that we just want Annelise's voice because then I was like oh okay yeah cool it was so funny you're like watching Grease every five seconds like I had it so perfect, I had it practice right. And like I did the read-through in the O and J accent, and people were like, Oh my god, you sound exactly like her! Like, that's crazy. But then they really didn't want that. They were like, No, we want like, but and I think I I can understand it because already, as myself, I am enough like the cat. Like, I already have enough of a Living Disney John essence that I don't need to put it on. Um, but still it was kind of funny. I was like, Oh, all those hours gone to waste.

[19:42] Annelise Hall: And I mean, you have some incredible costumes in this show. When you first came out, I was like, Whoa, that costume was incredible. Oh do you have a favorite costume that you wear? Yes, so my favourite would be the prom dress. Um, it's like off-the-shoulder blue, a little pattern with like and it goes out like that. And it's I think it's just really cute, it's really flattering. Um, I was so lucky that you know, all of the costumes were like made from scratch for us by Billy at the frock shop. Um, he's amazing, and yeah, that would be my favorite one. It's really cute. All the costumes in the show are really good. I feel like normally it has such a set like colour tone for this show. Um, but yeah, everything was so bright and colourful, and it all felt really personal as well, which I think is something that's happening more and more where we're not seeing these ensembles that are an ensemble, they all look the same kind of thing.

Everyone has character and personality in ensembles, which I think makes a show so much more enjoyable to watch when you can be like, oh, I feel like I know that person doesn't have anything to say, but I feel like I know who they are and who their character is, like just through costuming alone.

[20:56] Annelise Hall: That's so true, actually. Yeah, we have so much fun on stage, it's wild. Like, I have to be so careful because I'm like a chronic um corpser. Like, like I break so much. I have to be really careful to not laugh on stage because like these guys are so funny. Like when we're in the background scenes, I'll have Harry just whispering the craziest things to me, or Tom will be like tapping me on my shoulder, and I just break so easy. But you're right, like you're right. Everyone has their own like little individual story, and everyone's constantly like in the world, which is really fun. Now I think we're gonna move on to a bit of a game now. So this game is this or that. So we're gonna give you two things, and then you get to choose which one you'd prefer.

[21:39] Annelise Hall: Okay, cute. Let's do it. Okay, if you were to do Grease again, or if you were to be cast in an alternate universe in the show, would you want to play Danny or Rizzo? Okay, I've actually played Danny when I was 14 in my high school production. So Brizzo, when I was 14, I'll send you a photo. I played Danny. Please. That's so funny. I was like a massive tomboy. Did you go to an all-girls school? Yeah. All girls school, and I was like tomboy, tomboy, tomboy till I was like a little bit older. So yeah, yeah, yeah. I was done. Yeah, yeah. Always, I was always playing the guys. I feel you. Yeah, it was fun. I loved it. It's good. I love it. Yeah, it's great.

[22:21] Annelise Hall: Okay. Be cast in a long-running concert version of a show on the West End or a short run of a new show on Broadway. Oh, I know, that's hard. Short run, short run of a new show on Broadway. It would just be really cool to be on like an original cast recording and also Broadway. But also short runs are good because then you don't get too tired of the show as well. Okay. Costume malfunction or a wig falling off. Oh my god, costume malfunction. Wig falling off. Absolutely not. Can you imagine? That would be so embarrassing. You'd be like very vulnerable with your wig off, yeah. But I mean, like it depends how bad the wig the costume malfunction is. Like if we're talking tits out, like maybe not.

[23:11] Annelise Hall: Okay, so lucky last one will be being serenaded by Patti LuPone or Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews in her Sound of Music era. Yeah. Not with the nodules. Yeah, no, sorry. Sorry, Julie. Even then, I'd still I'd still love it. I mean, yeah. She can just speak to me. She can just read me a bedtime story. That's fine. Well, thank you for playing this or that. That's just a little bit of fun. I love it. So cute.

[23:45] Annelise Hall: This is a small interruption to the episode to let you guys know about our amazing upcoming giveaway. Big Yikes is a coming of age story that explores boundaries, decision making, and autonomy while asking the big questions like, what is my purpose? What should I do with my life? And why does my housemate leave lentils in the fridge to rot? Starring Juliet Milne, you can catch this show from Wednesday the 13th of March to Saturday the 23rd of March. This is at the Underground Theatre in the Brisbane Powerhouse. To enter our double pass giveaway, please head over to our Instagram for a post later this week.

[24:21] Tori Bullard: So I guess uh kind of moving in a different direction. Although you've had this wild success at the moment, being a performer obviously comes with a lot of rejection. Do you have any advice for performers out there who are currently auditioning and might be facing that rejection constantly of auditioning for big shows or or even little shows and not getting the roles and having to keep going on the grind?

[24:48] Annelise Hall: Yeah, so much. Okay. I reckon. So I've been doing it since I was like 12. Like I got an agent when I was 12, and then I started auditioning for like commercials and like film TV stuff. Um and some music theater. So I've been doing it forever and I've got very used to rejection. And I think that the number one thing you just have to remember is to stay in the game. You just have to stay in the game. You have to find something alongside your auditions that makes you happy. Like I was auditioning for probably more in high school than I was when I graduated uni. And I was still going to school every day, I was still doing all the stuff. So like it's very capable to, you know, have a job, have a job that pays you well, and be auditioning.

I think if you just keep it up, just stay there. Don't put all of your eggs into that basket and feel like burnt out. Do you know what I mean? So, like, for example, for me, I found my teaching and I love my teaching, and so I did my teaching. I became a really good teacher, I became passionate about my teaching, and then when I was doing an audition, it was like just, you know, fun audition. I'm doing my audition and I would work really hard towards my audition and I would do that. And then I would go back to my teaching, which I also loved and which also paid me and was also something that I could kind of, you know, get better at um and continue with. Similar, like my partner Nikita, like he is auditioning for stuff, but he um does real estate.

So he um, you know, works in real estate. Really? I did it real. So he's got a full-time job and he works in both some real estate. Yeah, but he's still auditioning for stuff. Like he's still, you know, pursuing his passion, he still goes to classes, he's still working on a show. Um, and obviously that's it's easier said than done to find that, to find that thing that also makes you happy. That's, you know, a challenge to do. But I think it's something that definitely is worth working towards because you wanna find something that also you also feel passionate about, so it's not so much like, oh my god, they didn't choose me, I'm so unhappy now. It's more just like, okay, I just did that. I did the audition and now I'm separating myself from it, I go back to my life.

It's just staying in the game, and I think, yeah, if you can find that other thing that makes you happy, it's easier to stay in the game so that you don't give up. I would also say, like, the number one piece of advice that my personal piece of advice is knowing what you bring to the table. I say it all the time to people, to my students, to anyone who asks me for advice. You have to know what you bring to the table. You don't have to be even very good. You don't even need to be that good in this industry, like you don't. You need to know though, what you're good at. You could be really bad at singing, dancing, and acting, but you could be like really funny. Maybe you're like super super funny, and you could do comedy stuff.

So, like, be really, really good at that, and then be the best at that in the industry. Or, like, let's say you're I don't know, an amazing, you've got a beautiful soprano voice, but you can't dance. You really can't dance, but you've got a really good soprano voice. So then you're gonna find all the roles that are perfect for that, and you're going to be in the industry the best at that. And then all of your socials, everything is going to match that, so that you have created a brand for yourself. And like that's something early on that I really figured out and I did for myself was created a very clear brand for myself, and so that when I go into an audition room, I know exactly what I'm right for, and the panel knows exactly what I'm right for.

And it's not about boxing yourself in, that's not what it's about. It's about you can choose where you want to go, but you have to know what you bring to the table because otherwise they're not gonna know. You know what I mean? Like you have to sell yourself, and I think like that's if you can focus on that, then when you do get that rejection, it's a little bit less like you don't feel so hurt because you're like, well, that wasn't for me, that wasn't the right one. And you know, it's just like, well, whatever. There's not that many that are gonna be perfect that are gonna be right for you. And the ones that you know, if you don't get that one that you would be perfect for, then you go, okay, I'm allowed to be upset by that.

That sucks, that's hard. I'm allowed to be upset by that. You find those ways to get your serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, keep those happy chemicals up. Um, whether that be like a walk in the park. Um, a lot of people say, like, after an audition, you should go do something nice for yourself, so go get a good lunch, or like go to the movies, or go do something nice so that you can yeah, keep those happy chemicals going. Yeah, I think for me personally, I've because I've been doing this since I was 12. I'm very realistic with everything. It's like it's like, how do we how do I make it happen? What do I want? What do I need to do to make it happen? And then like stay on that path, stay persistent, stay in the game, don't burn out, don't go so hard, don't be like, oh my god, I have to do five dance classes a week, and I have to be singing every single day, and I have to do blah blah la la la.

Just work at a pace that works for you so you don't burn out, but just keep showing up, stay in the game, just stick around. And if you can find something that like you enjoy on the side, then you'll be able to stick around because you're not so stressed about making it work so desperately.

[30:04] Eliza Gunther: It's so true though, you have to really look after your mental health on the other side, even financial mental health. Because as performers, you know, we're waiting for the next gig. But if you put all your eggs into that basket necessarily, then it can become stressful and then become more high stakes. So rejection becomes harder.

[30:23] Annelise Hall: Exactly. For my opinion, you know, it's easy to be like so like chasing dream, chasing dream, which is great. Go chase your dream, but have other stuff that you're interested in. Find other passions, find things that you love, and then you're you get rid of the the what do they call it? The desperation stink, like when you walk into an audition room, and like the the panel can just smell that you're desperate. It's like, no, just go have fun, enjoy your life, meditate, go to the beach, like go do things that make you happy, walk your dog, like live your life, and the auditions are just a little part of it. Don't give it all that weight, work towards it, but try to take away the like I need this, this is my dream, I need it. Take away that and go, I'm just auditioning and I'll keep auditioning for the rest of my life. I'm just gonna keep showing up, and eventually something sticks. And it will happen. It does, and it always does.

[31:13] Eliza Gunther: It does. You just keep doing it.

[31:15] Annelise Hall: I think that is literally the best advice that you can give.

[31:18] Eliza Gunther: Yeah.

[31:18] Annelise Hall: Because I feel like that is exactly what I've just recently learned about myself. And I'm like, that is it literally the advice I would give as well on rejection and living, you know.

[31:29] Eliza Gunther: Yeah.

[31:29] Annelise Hall: I guess kind of jumping off the back of that, earlier this year, you were able to be part of Olivia's Walk for Wellness. What has it been like to honour her with her recent passing only a year and a half ago?

[31:41] Annelise Hall: Yeah, really special. Um, she was someone that like I did really look up to growing up. Um, and like my mum is very much like her. Like, I really think my mum was like Sandra D when she was at high school. And so, just yeah, I think it was just really special, really nice. I mean, I've got like a lot of little connections to her. My drama teacher at high school was a massive fan of Olivia Newton-John. He had her do a video for us when we did Xanadu. I played her role in Xanadu in high school. Yeah. And he had a video. Yeah, he had a video, and she was like, good luck, guys, for opening night of Xanadu. Um, and that was like played on the big screen in front of the audience and stuff on opening night, which was really cute.

So it's been like little connections like that. And you know, the fact that I like had done Grease before, and you know, I've watched the movie so many times, and she's Australian, so really special. And like I've I've got to go to the hospital and um, you know, help raise money for the people at the hospital, and it's a really great cause because it's not just about raising money for cancer, it's also about raising money for like treatments for people with cancer. So things like you know, yoga, meditation, like lifestyle things that are gonna improve their quality of life while they're dealing with their treatment. Yeah, it just it was just really so something I kind of believe in. It's not it's not something that other um other foundations really push as much.

I also have had a couple people in my life who've passed from cancer, so it's it is special to kind of have that connection too. Yeah, really great. I'm hoping hopefully we'll get to keep that relationship up again throughout the year.

[33:13] Eliza Gunther: I'm sure we will. And that's the great thing where like your art can also then help people, because I know that's definitely like we love helping people and community, and that's really exciting when you get to do a show that is then also helping a whole lot of people with something that's close to your heart.

[33:31] Annelise Hall: Yeah, it's beautiful. I think like as well, I mean you're so right, like with Grease, the amount of people who come, it's it's not necessarily for like the musical theatre buffs as much. It's more for the people who are like just the general public and they just really want a good night out, and you really provide that with Grease. So it is quite rewarding in that way.

[33:50] Eliza Gunther: Exactly, exactly. Well, that's actually our last question for today. But we would love to hear if you have a bedtime story for us, or any stage mishap or something that's gone wrong, it could be in Grease, it could be any in any any show.

[34:06] Annelise Hall: Yes, I have a very clear one in my head. Okay, so it was our final performance at QPAC of Grease. It was the final one. We had done this for like literally so long, this show. I run on for hopelessly devoted to you, and this is where everyone kind of runs off after the prong scene, and I was hit by someone. Running off, someone hit me. I think it might be Nick Van Litsenborgh, but I can't be sure. Somebody hit me, and I literally got like concussed or something. I walked on stage like this. I was like, we got run into, and I was like a loopy walking on stage. As I come onto stage, the music starts for hopelessly. And I just didn't sing. I just didn't sing. I just didn't sing. It was like, yes, mine is not the first.

Yeah, because I played it off as a tech issue. I was like, oh, my mic wasn't on. But I just wasn't singing. I came in like I came in like um, my eyes are not the first you cry. I'm not the first to know I came in there. But I just the whole first couple lines I didn't sing at all. You were like, what is going on? I don't know where I am. I literally like moving.

[35:26] Eliza Gunther: Oh, that's so good.

[35:30] Annelise Hall: Maybe they thought that I was like just like hardly using my jaw.

[35:34] Eliza Gunther: Oh well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. It has been so lovely to catch up with you and just chat all things Grease and everything that you're doing now is just fabulous. So we wish you all the best with the rest of the run.

[35:48] Annelise Hall: Thanks so much for having me. This was so much fun. But before we go, actually, we should do a little bit of a plug for the show. So you guys can catch Grease in Melbourne till it's 16th of March. Sydney from the 24th of March and Perth from the 30th of June. You can find all the information for tickets at greasemusical.com.au and Grease Oz Tour on Instagram. And also Annelise, please plug yourself. Where can people find you?

[36:14] Annelise Hall: Yeah, so Instagram is just Annelise Hall. Um TikTok Annelise Hall with like a few L's at the end. Um and then for singing lessons, um, if you go through Vocalabs, so I'm not doing my private teaching through my business at the moment because of Grease. I'm only doing it through Vocalab. So if you just go on to Vocalab, um you can Google it or find it on Instagram and you can book in a session with me there.

[36:36] Eliza Gunther: Amazing. Well, thank you so much, Annelise, for coming on and chatting to us today. You guys, please make sure you go and you book tickets to see Grease in one of the many cities it will be going to. Um, but thank you so much again for being here. And until next time, you guys, stay happy, healthy, and safe, and we will see you then. Bye.