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[0:00] Shannen Alyce Quan: Hi, my name's Shannen Alyce Quan. My pronouns are she, her. I would like to acknowledge the Warundri Weiverong people of the Kulan Nation who are the traditional owners of the land that I'm currently on. I'd like to pay my respects to their elders, past, present, and emerging, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.

[0:20] Josh Mitchell: Hi, my name is Josh Mitchell. My pronouns are he, him, and I'd like to pay respects to the Wobblecool people who are the traditional owners and custodians of the land that I'm currently recording on. I'd also like to acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and pay respects to elders, past, present, and emerging. And tonight we are listening, let me tell your story.

[1:04] Josh Mitchell: So if you haven't heard of Six the Musical, that is just a quick five-second intro of the first song. So please go check that out. But we are heading down under this week with Miss Shannen Alyce Quan, one of the swings down here in Australia. We have an amazing chat about life down here in Australia and Six the Musical. We can't wait to get started, guys. Make sure you're heading over to TheatreFans TV on Instagram and Facebook to check out my next project. But other than that, it is time to get down. So let's get stuck into this week's episode. Here we go, Queens.

[1:41] Josh Mitchell: I'm the Queen of the Castle. Get down, you dirty Rascal Get Done. Hey Queens, how's it going? Welcome back to the Queendom Podcast. We are back down under with the amazing Shannen from the Australian cast. Hey Shannen, how are you going?

[1:56] Shannen Alyce Quan: Hey, I'm good. How are you?

[1:59] Josh Mitchell: I am fabulous. I'm so excited to have you here. It's good to have some Aussie blood back on the podcast. It's been a while. So first of all, if you had an audition in two hours, what would be the go-to song in your repertoire that you'd walk in there with?

[2:16] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh, is it like a contemporary musical or are we talking like a classic legit MT situation?

[2:24] Josh Mitchell: Oh, let's go contemporary.

[2:27] Shannen Alyce Quan: Excellent question. Excellent question that I do not have the answer to. Okay, let's go look at the top of my MT then.

[2:35] Josh Mitchell: What's your legitimate?

[2:36] Shannen Alyce Quan: Weirdly, I have a go-to for that. Maybe because I know less of it, so I have like the one song that I know and that's it. Which is "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane.

[2:47] Josh Mitchell: Oh, yes. Okay. Gorgeous. I'll have to get back to you on contemporary. How funny's that? Unexpected. What a twist.

[2:56] Josh Mitchell: Hey, we're starting it off with a doozy. If you could perform in any musical, past or present, what would it be?

[3:05] Shannen Alyce Quan: I right now am pretty obsessed with Hades Town. So I think that is my answer.

[3:14] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. I feel like these things are ever changing though, right?

[3:17] Shannen Alyce Quan: 100%. Like as soon as a new season opens up, it's like, oh, this one. Oh, this one. I've just discovered Everybody's Talking About Jamie, and that show is heat.

[3:27] Josh Mitchell: I'm so disappointed like our season down here got cancelled, like everything else.

[3:31] Shannen Alyce Quan: I know. But um oh, such a gorgeous show. Um on a smaller scale or larger scale, what's your favorite animal?

[3:40] Shannen Alyce Quan: Ooh, I love dogs. I have a dog. I wanted to think of something more exotic or like unique, but I think I'm gonna go with like the true blue dog. He like is looking at me through the window just like lovingly, so I can't say not him.

[4:04] Josh Mitchell: What is the best show that you've ever seen?

[4:08] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh that is the best show I've ever seen. I mean, I've already said it, but like I did a recent trip to New York and I saw Hades Town, which actually was the second time that I saw it. But the first time I saw it, I was like literal back row of the dress circle. It was like a bird's eye view. And when I went again, I went with um my best friend, and we were sitting like in the center section down, is it the stalls? Is that what they call it there?

[4:42] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[4:43] Shannen Alyce Quan: There, and it was just like, oh yeah. I was like, what do we call it? Like, oh my god. I think it's also stalls. I get confused between stalls and me's. I work in the theater. Um we call it orchestra, don't we? Isn't it?

[4:56] Josh Mitchell: I literally don't know.

[4:59] Shannen Alyce Quan: We could do. Well, I need to do my research. But that was amazing, and I think like seeing that show now and just how much it relates to right now as well. I just felt very drawn into it.

[5:14] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, yeah. It's the only show that I haven't seen yet. Um I saw like 13 shows on my trip and I missed Hades Town. Damn it.

[5:26] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um you'll get there, it'll come back, you'll go. We're just we're pushing through. Hold them out.

[5:31] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. All right. Shannen, now we're gonna do a deep dive into your history. Um just so the people can get to know you a little better. Um so you went to Whopper.

[5:42] Shannen Alyce Quan: For anyone overseas that is listening, Whopper is the Western Australian Academy.

[5:51] Josh Mitchell: Academy, wow. I should have done my research. I did not. Um the second A gets, yeah.

[5:57] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah, it's like I looked at it, I was like, whoa. Um what was your decision behind choosing Whopper over, say like VCA and uh NIDA and that type of thing?

[6:07] Shannen Alyce Quan: Uh well I auditioned for like at least what was considered to be the tri-fector of like the elite sort of drama schools at the time, which were Whopper, VCA or Victorian College of the Arts and NIDA in Sydney. So I auditioned for all three and I ended up getting into VCA and WAPA and I was a bit torn because you know they both sort of presented slightly different courses. The VCA one had just sort of re-established itself. So it was if I were to do that you would be in the um like initial group getting back into it, which I liked the idea of. Um and I had a lot of friends who got into the VCA too, but I ended up choosing WAPA because I had done, you know, music theatre all through growing up and everything like that. And um I don't know, WAPA to me was just always the goal. Yeah, you know, that that was what I was striving for. So having anything else on the table and also that, it kind of just wasn't even a decision, you know.

[7:19] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[7:20] Shannen Alyce Quan: So how would you sum up your experience, like going through your Bachelor of Arts at WAPA and going through that period?

[7:30] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um I think I learned a lot. I think I grew a lot, and um I think because I went straight in after high school, which is you know, a great thing, and I think anybody who wants to perform or has that urge to perform from such a young age, you just want to get out there and do it, you know. So getting into a school as quick as possible, getting into the industry as soon as possible is sort of what you are going for. Um yeah, but I think I don't know, I I would be interested to see how much more I would get out of it if I'd given myself a year. Yeah, you know, um, not that I'm ungrateful for the opportunity that I got given, but I think you know, when you're trying to expand upon your skills at the same time as being a young adult, sort of finding yourself in that to juggle the two, I think is a lot, and maybe maybe took away from what I could have gotten out of my studies a bit more.

[8:42] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[8:43] Shannen Alyce Quan: So I think you know, it's that's an interesting kind of perspective on things like um like there's the cool, I need to do this to get into the industry, and then there's the hindsight 2020, as we mentioned before. That it's like should I have like what what how far in that year would I have kind of matured as a person and would I have gotten that extra level or something else different out of it because I was at a different point in my life, like it's a interesting kind of spin-on to get it.

[9:16] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, and I think it's gonna be different for everyone, you know. I just think um, you know, I I encourage aspiring performers if that's what they want to do to to go to the drama schools and stuff, to just make sure that they take a second and and consider where they're at and um maybe what what they would be in what am I trying to say? Like the mindset or you know, the point in their life that they'd be in whilst doing this course as well.

[9:45] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah, sweet. Um how did you deal with the move from like East Coast to West Coast for the time that you were in Perth?

[9:54] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um I think I was like fine. I was very lucky that I was like fully supported financially by my parents while I was there.

[10:02] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[10:03] Shannen Alyce Quan: So I didn't have any of those sorts of like moving financial stresses. And to be honest, like I I think Perth's beautiful and um like the beaches are gorgeous, Prios amazing, um like Margaret River with like the wineries and like cheese and like all of the chef's kisses to that.

[10:26] Josh Mitchell: Um, but I I didn't end up seeing too much of it to be honest, because you know the scheduling that we have or had um during studies was like nine to six Monday to Friday, then on the weekends you'd sometimes be in rehearsing for things or just you know, practicing yourself and all of that sort of stuff.

[10:46] Shannen Alyce Quan: Awesome. Um so heading out of Whopper, what was your first contract? What was the first show you booked?

[10:55] Shannen Alyce Quan: I uh I did Next to Normal was my first show that I did, or first professional show that I did. I'm like looking at your credits right now, and like you've got some pretty cool like prior to that Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, Footloose, Priscilla, Six, like there's some pretty sick shows.

[11:11] Josh Mitchell: Like on your own right.

[11:14] Shannen Alyce Quan: For sure. Um so yeah, I I ended up booking Next to Normal while I was still at WAPA because it was a production with their state theatre company. So I knew that I was doing that in the December of my graduating year, but I had to wait till October the following year to actually do the show. So I did a couple of indie or co-op shows in there. Footloose was one of them.

[11:38] Josh Mitchell: Um yeah, which was a lot of fun.

[11:42] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah. Um, so taking that and know like coming out of school, booking that show, going into it. What was it like then working on Six with Karis who was doing the exact same thing coming straight out of school? How was that dynamic between you and then Ella, who has also been touring for forever with a ton of different shows? How was that um kind of dynamic with the three of you guys?

[12:08] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um I think that we all sort of supported and lent on each other, you know, with the experiences that that each of us individually have had. Um, and I think that yeah, we all taught each other a lot about how to process things, how to deal with things, and yeah, yeah, it was it was very much a give and take between all three of us I think. Let's do a deep dive into this amazing cast that we have because I haven't spoken about the Elsie Girls in a minute so I'm like ready to get all nostalgic.

[12:42] Shannen Alyce Quan: So had you worked with anyone prior to getting together?

[12:50] Shannen Alyce Quan: I I'd done like a couple of little sing songs with people.

[12:54] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[12:55] Shannen Alyce Quan: I'd met Videa maybe maybe three or four years prior we did um just this little like concert thing where we did a song together we put in a trio us two um and another singer Louisa were put in a trio and Videa did this amazing arrangement of "No Good Deed" from Wicked and so we sung that for like a Halloween event which was amazing and um I knew Carla as well we'd done a song together for a homegrown like a couple of months before we got into Six and looking back we both knew that we'd booked the show when we did that song together but we didn't know that the other person was doing it.

[13:46] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah um let's let's talk about the announcement because like that secret was a fun time from obviously like because we knew when auditions were and I had friends that were in the auditions in Sydney and Melbourne that were like no we didn't get it.

[14:03] Shannen Alyce Quan: I'm like okay so you've heard you haven't got it who has and I'm like going through trying to figure out and then all of a sudden names started popping up and I'm like going through like following people I'm like I think I've got it.

[14:13] Shannen Alyce Quan: I think I got it.

[14:14] Josh Mitchell: So what was it like seeing people kind of think they knew that say you were cast and started following you and you were like seeing it before the announcement was made because there was a lot of like detective work done with the Aussie film and very good detective work.

[14:30] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like I'm constantly very impressed with the detective work of the Queendom I would strongly encourage some of you to become actual detectives you're very good.

[14:42] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um it was it was a time like it was very entertaining to see people guess.

[14:48] Shannen Alyce Quan: I don't I don't think I was guessed maybe once by like one of my friends um but watching other people's guesses and seeing if there were spot on or not was like very entertaining and like exciting you know what I mean it just like added to the momentum of the build up to it all.

[15:05] Josh Mitchell: 100% and it was like something like six weeks of rehearsals so not only a short period of time to learn a show but you were also learning several roles.

[15:17] Shannen Alyce Quan: So what was that cram time like for you um to I mean it was stressful I'm not gonna lie to you but it was like so much fun it was like fun stressful or stressful fun.

[15:30] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah um because all up I did I did the math and I remember figuring out at the time that we actually only had 17 days in the rehearsal room before we were like teching on stage like 17 like full days of rehearsal but like that was it.

[15:49] Josh Mitchell: For anyone that's seeing my facial expression right now my brain just exploded like that's ridiculous.

[15:55] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like yeah wow but I mean uh Grace who was our UK associate director did like at the start of the process um gather our swings together and and sort of sort of flag post or map out you know by this point we'd like you to to know this much or like this person and by this point and sort of like mapped it out and yeah and having those things instead of just thinking of getting from A to B and one go of like knowing six tracks um made it very helpful um yeah and you and Ella swung before so what how did this show compare to swinging for Priscilla?

[16:38] Shannen Alyce Quan: Swinging Priscilla and swinging six were very very different.

[16:42] Shannen Alyce Quan: I think because you know six is so unique in that all six women are on stage for the entire show you know with like two seconds to to do your whole bind stuff and have like a quick breather and like half a sip of water um but yeah so you're learning the show like the full show six times six times over and um I mean I I was probably more overwhelmed going into Priscilla than I was going into six because going into six I at least had an idea of my process and how I would approach things and how that would go um but yeah just the the sheer um volume of stuff to learn I think was the main difference what was the what was your favorite track to learn what was my favorite I think I think the Lynn was my favorite track to learn.

[17:42] Josh Mitchell: Man I'm like cheeky you know I'm like we love that sitting here like wanting to see you guys cover all six like I've seen you guitar and I've seen Karas do I can't remember what I saw Caras do.

[17:57] Josh Mitchell: Maybe Cleves was either Cleves or Boleyn I can't remember.

[18:02] Shannen Alyce Quan: But anyway like I'm just like sitting there like oh it was it'd be so cool just to see you guys jump in and out and see you all in the different roles.

[18:11] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh yes um what was the hardest track to learn?

[18:18] Shannen Alyce Quan: The hardest track I'm gonna say Aragon for me just because especially with the dialogue um she instigates a lot of you know the changes of topic and things like that so you're not sort of um going off the line beforehand and and getting your cues because you're you're the one changing the subject so that took a little while to to get into the brain for sure.

[18:48] Josh Mitchell: What was it like kind of seeing things come together from that kind of first read through seeing cool there's just the nine of us like coming from Priscilla where there's a cast of 20 odd plus down to a cast of nine what was what's that like having that really almost play like cast um that you don't really get in many musicals or any musicals really.

[19:17] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah.

[19:19] Shannen Alyce Quan: I think having such a small ensemble cast like like six has um you know it it sort of made it easier for us to gel as as a group quicker you know and I feel like very quickly and it helped with the sort of exercises that we were doing in the first week or so to sort of get to know each other.

[19:42] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um but yeah that that closeness and that that intimate sort of size of things helped to for us to sort of like become a little pack at you know yeah of supporting each other and stuff like that yeah I love it and like uh I definitely got the vibe that that the you guys bonded very quickly and like it carried right through like you could just there was just something every night on stage or stage door or whatever it was there was just something that was like this is like a really special moment in time that feels different from an audience perspective and it just felt different at stage door and that type of thing.

[20:22] Shannen Alyce Quan: Was that kind of present for you guys as well?

[20:26] Shannen Alyce Quan: Definitely I think you you know this is um the cast that I felt closest to and it and it is you know it has longevity.

[20:34] Shannen Alyce Quan: We all zoomed together last night you know so like there is still that closeness and to go through something that is difficult but so rewarding you know we really do support each other through that and support each other's differences and yeah it's special you know and I I'm rare.

[20:56] Shannen Alyce Quan: I remember thinking that when the cast was announced and kind of the hype built and I was watching it I was like this is different.

[21:03] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like Australia usually doesn't react like this to a show.

[21:07] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like there was a lot of there was a lot of social media presence and it was just it was very very different it was so cool to see and I was like this is gonna be special and then walking into that theater on the first night and I think I actually ran into was it you or Karis it was Karas um but like in the auditorium like for the previews it was just like there's something and the studio was just the perfect venue for that show like the I don't know what it was about it but it just held the felt electric yeah and I think having the the audience so close to you and having you know a smaller audience you could really individually reach everyone and feel everyone's individual energy you know all right so let's touch on like building the show hearing the melodies and then the harmonies kind of come together for the first time and then swapping in and out and hearing all the different combinations of voices and that type of thing being in the room and hearing the show come together um to the penultimul yeah that's right go team we English um that like end of the mega six what was that kind of moment like seeing and hear like hearing everything kind of pieced together to this massive crescendo that is the end of the show I mean it was amazing you know like there were times when we were learning the harmonies and stuff in the room that like I remember sort of looking around at everyone and and listening to wherever I'm being like is this real you know what I mean like everyone sounds like a pop star like yeah it's huge you know to be in the room where it happens you know it's amazing and and to see the process of it all yeah it's I and then to get to be a part of it like yeah cool you know it it's incredible hey like there's one thing I want to do is just sit in I don't even want to be a part of a show I just literally just want to sit in a rehearsal room and watch a show be built because it's just like being in shows and listening through the track by track learning line by line and line you hear the same thing over again and then that first kind of run through where everything kind of clicks and you're like crap uh yeah we gotta show it yeah and then you get to like sits probe and you're like oh there's music oh wow okay it's it's real let's go that was a good day that was a cool day yeah um let's talk about working with Freya and learning the amazing choreography that is show um choreographically what what's your favorite um track to play knowing all six ooh hmm I don't know I like I love doing all of the the not background dancing that's not what it is but when you're not the soloist doing all of that that Cory like I'd want to do it all so maybe maybe like a C-more or a par then because then you get to do all of the other dancy dancy numbers as well because it's so fun to do you know I just saw like a little clip of like the whacking in no way the other day and I was like oh I miss this show which is something that I never saw myself doing you know like I I have danced from a very young age but I do not consider myself a dancer and I like often feel like very uncool when I move my body but you know with Freya's help lots and lots of help and Allah's as well it's like yeah sometimes I feel cool doing it we get there.

[25:09] Josh Mitchell: What's it like uh because I've spoken on multiple levels about like the rehearsal core and that type of thing with a couple of the other girls what was that like in that rehearsal room with a ton of other women learning this powerful Cory that's been put together purely to test your skills at picking Carrie Ann's incredible corrugal.

[25:31] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um what was that kind of quick fire process like and how did you cope with that?

[25:38] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like in the auditions?

[25:39] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah kind of jumped back in time sorry I I went chronologically and then I got um I I don't think I did too poorly it was I mean you you booked the job as a swing so you must I kind of done that poorly um yeah I feel like I I struggle to in auditions I can generally pick things up quickly but retaining them in my body is like tricky so like if we're at the point where we've learnt the section and we're doing it in groups and I'm not group one it's sort of like we'll see well flip a coin here we go happens right um yeah I think the hardest one to learn in that process was we learnt the first chorus to don't lose your head yeah and like that is terrible like coordinating your feet and then isolating just your shoulders and then isolating just your head stop the shoulders or if you don't like you just look like an absolute goose you know if you do it right it's like whoo but like it's so tricky.

[26:57] Shannen Alyce Quan: It's incredible and the more I see like little clips here and there I'm like I unpack it and I break it down and like as you analyze it you realize like how much how many different levels there are to not only the show but the choreography like it's she's a layered beast yeah for sure but I mean even in the auditions like Freya was very generous like with her time and like you know I was given like a few little things to tweak you know like um the they always like walk around the room and just like make sure that if anyone has questions or stuff like that, you know and like there was a lot of care and and compassion in the room you know so um I think everyone felt like supported and not like judged for being like we don't do it.

[27:48] Josh Mitchell: Yeah 100% um did you go into the auditions as like looking at a swing role or were you auditioning?

[27:56] Shannen Alyce Quan: No I just went in you know I think I'm not sure if people went in and were told specifically like we'd like to see you for this role. From like what I've heard from people, um, we sort of went in, did a little dance, sung our own song, and then and then they um from that sort of gave us it's always good to like understand the different kind of casting processes, like around the world.

[28:23] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, and I'm sh and I'm sure they've done it differently a bunch of times as well, you know.

[28:29] Shannen Alyce Quan: Well, I don't, I'm not sure of that, am I?

[28:31] Josh Mitchell: That's an assumption, Shannen.

[28:33] Shannen Alyce Quan: Get it together.

[28:35] Josh Mitchell: Oh, God love you. Um now before we jump back into the show, I want to talk about working with the amazing um Nigel Shaw and getting the teal sorted because the teal is literally my favorite freaking costume in the show.

[28:52] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um you wanna know a secret?

[28:53] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, go.

[28:54] Shannen Alyce Quan: That's mine too. Like I'm so chopped that I got it. It's like everyone's teal, like the teal is it, and it's like she pops under those lights, like, oh I love I love the structure of like the top piece, like thrilled.

[29:13] Josh Mitchell: So what was it like going in for those initial like measurements and then seeing it kind of slowly come together piece by piece, getting individual fittings and that type of thing.

[29:23] Shannen Alyce Quan: It was so cool. I remember even just the first fitting when when it's like we had all of the pieces sort of put together, but they were made of like canvas. Yeah, you know, and even then looking at the shape of things was amazing, and then seeing it grow and like evolve and like all come together was huge.

[29:42] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, and like seeing all of the queens individually in their costumes, just like again, like building that like excitement within us as well, you know. Um, yeah, the first time like having the full thing on, like with hair and makeup and stuff done as well I was like I'm a superhero was that the like the video that Kiana shared the other day on her story was that that photo shoot the first time you guys went full no so we we got to get into our full costume swings as well while we were teching I I'm guessing again just maybe to see like under lights and things like that and for checks and stuff but but yeah we we all got to like get into our kits all together which was very cool.

[30:34] Shannen Alyce Quan: I don't know if you've seen I think I think the social shared like a little photo of us like all lined up together on stage and that was like the first time that we were all in costume together.

[30:44] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. What was it like putting everything on and kind of getting into that moment of like yo like you're a queen now like hi welcome very that like very um overwhelmed but like finding power in that too you know like the the material that the costumes are made of sort of feel a bit like an armor so you feel like super strong and like powerful but also like sassy and cute and and a little bit sexy you know what I mean like it's all of that coming together and yeah feeling like how you can move your body in these costumes because that changes the choreography too and and each of the costumes slightly changes it differently.

[31:32] Shannen Alyce Quan: So sort of like um finding like a compromise between your body and your costume to be like all right, this is how we're gonna do this. You know.

[31:41] Josh Mitchell: We good, everybody on the same page now, good.

[31:44] Shannen Alyce Quan: Right.

[31:46] Josh Mitchell: Um so going into the theater and obviously uh where was where were the rehearsals held for this? Like was it at the opera house or was it off?

[31:57] Shannen Alyce Quan: No, we were we were out out in the birds at like a a school, yeah.

[32:03] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, sweet. So seeing it go from this kind of little rehearsal room trotting around with your little belts on to like full costumes on a stage at the Sydney Opera House. Which if that isn't prestigious enough, I don't know what else is. Um like what was it like to see lights, haze, costumes, makeup, hair, music, the auditorium path set out.

[32:29] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah, so wild. You know, I think like we had like little steps, you know. We had like in the rehearsal room, we had um like the actual steps that are sort of where the band are, and then for Sits Probe, we had like the instruments and like the drum kit and stuff like placed there as well. And we're like, okay, and then like the huge jump to having everything like built on the stage with like the lighting and and seeing like when we started tech and you know, we started the top of the show and sort of like worked through.

[33:02] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah, but like um that first moment when um you know it goes to like pretty much black and there's those laser lights that like shoot up. It was like yeah, I got chills. Oh man, you know. It was that moment like where it goes into that yeah, that's it.

[33:21] Josh Mitchell: That's the one.

[33:22] Shannen Alyce Quan: God damn. And it was just like me, Ella and Karis, like sitting at our little swing table we've set up in like full costume being like, whoa.

[33:33] Josh Mitchell: Um so what was it like having um let's see if I could do this? Jess, Allie, Deb, and Claire on stage um as well. Like because uh Priscilla was pit. Um so what was it like having that band kind of there to interact with as well?

[33:52] Shannen Alyce Quan: It was sick, you know, and like the three of us swings shared um a dressing room with the band as well. So um even though sometimes we we missed out on like cute little chats with the six girls, like we got to know the band super well, and like they're our sisters too, you know, and so getting to get up on stage and and play with them, you know, and have little moments with them as well, and and they're so supportive, yeah. You know, like some of our biggest fans, you know, like cheering us on stage and stuff.

[34:19] Josh Mitchell: So yeah, yeah.

[34:27] Shannen Alyce Quan: I miss them and I miss that.

[34:29] Josh Mitchell: Oh man, I just miss everything, like yeah.

[34:35] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh, so as a swing, obviously you get to watch the show a hundred million times, which is great. Um what was it like during uh those first four previews? Um seeing kind of how things fully looked, and then hearing that audience for the first time.

[34:58] Shannen Alyce Quan: It was pretty insane, you know. Like we I think we did for first preview, because we had like a um a TV in in our dressing room, which was also for some of the time where we sort of ran tracks during the show along with the show as it was happening.

[35:16] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[35:17] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um but we had a TV but it was like two second delay. So we went out to um watch on our stage manager's screen like the the opening and like most of the first show and so when we're back there there's like a curtain that separates us and the audience. So like hearing that, feeling that, being able to see the girls doing the show on stage, you know, like so proud of them and so like excited for them, you know. Um, yeah, it was pretty magical.

[35:49] Shannen Alyce Quan: And it stayed that way, you know, like constantly I look up to them and and yeah, I'm absolutely in awe of all of them, you know.

[36:01] Josh Mitchell: We're getting emotional.

[36:02] Shannen Alyce Quan: I'm like feeling things, god damn.

[36:04] Josh Mitchell: Um that's what I do, Josh.

[36:06] Shannen Alyce Quan: You don't know this, but I'm a buyer.

[36:08] Josh Mitchell: Now we're gonna get hella emotional because we're gonna talk about you.

[36:11] Shannen Alyce Quan: And um I remember the day you went on.

[36:17] Josh Mitchell: I can't remember it was announced beforehand and I was oh no, was it announced beforehand that you were going on?

[36:24] Shannen Alyce Quan: Or was it day of video was out?

[36:27] Josh Mitchell: It was the day of, I believe.

[36:30] Shannen Alyce Quan: Because I rocked up and I was like looking at everybody going in, I'm like, Vidja's not here. And I saw you rock up and I was like, Are you on? And you were like, I was like, two, and you're like, I was like, God damn, yes.

[36:43] Shannen Alyce Quan: That wasn't the first time I went on though.

[36:45] Josh Mitchell: Was that no?

[36:47] Shannen Alyce Quan: So the first time I went on, I did not know the day of that I was going to do it. And then it got decided I think just before the first show that I would do the second show.

[37:00] Josh Mitchell: Okay.

[37:01] Shannen Alyce Quan: Okay. Which was a blessing because it gave me the entire first show to literally run the show. I ran through the entire show with the amazing help of Karis and Sharon. And I think Heidi, who was our assistant MD, played through the entire yeah.

[37:22] Shannen Alyce Quan: So like very I felt very, very supported.

[37:25] Josh Mitchell: So what was it like knowing you were going on, being like, cool, I'm ready, and then hearing that and knowing that you were actually walking on stage this time.

[37:36] Shannen Alyce Quan: Uh I don't know that I have words to describe it, you know, like because every other time that I'd run the show, and probably by that point I'd run it like 65,000 million times in rehearsal rooms. But every time we'd run it, we'd mostly just had our gorgeous resident or sorry, um associate director Sharon as our audience. You know, we'd have her, and she's like amazing. Like she she yeah, her energy takes up the space of the studio at the Sydney Opera House. However, like it's one face.

[38:12] Shannen Alyce Quan: So looking out and seeing, you know, an actual full house of people, yeah. You kind of go like, is it gonna happen? You know what I mean? Like those nerves. Um but yeah, I think just taking it step by step. I was overwhelmed, but um it happened, you know.

[38:32] Shannen Alyce Quan: Par isn't the the easiest track vocally either like um right from the top of my hands. I mean, they're all doofies, it's like yeah.

[38:43] Shannen Alyce Quan: Hello. So but I mean I actually found it really I thought that it would go the other way with my nerves because I still you know haven't got a cap on how to how to deal with them. There isn't like a set way that it's like this calms my nerves and then I'm fine, like no, it changes constantly.

[39:02] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um so I thought because hers is the last of the Queen's songs that my nerves would just continue to build and build and build throughout the show until we got there, but kind of the opposite happened, which was a surprise to me, a welcome surprise, but a surprise.

[39:20] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um and I was like so nervous at the start of X Wives. I was like, I'm either gonna vomit or I'm gonna pass out, or I'm gonna like, you know, just like collapse. I don't know what's gonna happen. I didn't do any of those things, but that's how I felt. Um, and then just like you know, just doing the rest of the show leading up to I don't need your love. It's like forging that connection with each other more, feeling that support. So by the time I got there, I was actually kind of chill.

[39:52] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah. Again, another welcome surprise. It's just like you know, living it. It was just nobody else was there. It was just another run through. Right, just just like breathing, like most casual reaction to a debut ever. Oh hi guys, yeah, this is my first show. Thanks. Hi. Yeah, just like my my sixth debut, my Sydney Opera House debut, like whatever. Stupid.

[40:24] Shannen Alyce Quan: I think I've touched on everything, nearly. Um let's talk about closing night. Because I nearly didn't make it. I I nearly had a car accident on the way down. Nearly didn't make it. But we got there with like nervous.

[40:37] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[40:43] Shannen Alyce Quan: I was like driving down the highway.

[40:45] Josh Mitchell: I'm really glad that you did it.

[40:46] Shannen Alyce Quan: Right? That's cool. I was driving down the highway and like this cat ran out and I like hit it and I was like, and my car was like weird, and I had to pull over and check everything was okay. The cat had run off, so I couldn't find it. My car was like, I was like, is it drivable? Oh my god. Got to the theater, I was like, I'll check it later. Bolted up with like five minutes until lights. I like walk in and then see all of you guys up the top. Nigel, you I was like, oh, everyone's out in force and everyone produces creatives, like crew, like everyone who wasn't needed, like in spots around the theaters there watching.

[41:24] Shannen Alyce Quan: It was incredible. Like to walk in and see all you guys there. I was like, oh, we're in for a good night here. And it was just the energy that was in that room for that 75 80 minutes was just something else. Like it was just yeah.

[41:41] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh, I can't even explain it, guys. Like it was it was a completely different show that night.

[41:48] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, it was amazing.

[41:50] Shannen Alyce Quan: I like had so much fun. Like I've like like you said, you know, I've seen the show so many times, but yeah, that one was different.

[41:58] Josh Mitchell: Me too.

[41:59] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like by that point I'd seen it 13 times as well.

[42:02] Josh Mitchell: So I'm like, I'm sitting there.

[42:03] Shannen Alyce Quan: That's incredible.

[42:05] Josh Mitchell: Jeez, don't tell my bank that though.

[42:07] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like that. I um for anyone that doesn't know, I've I've got a heart issue. I uh had a car crash last year, and I've actually got a USB in my chest that tracks my heart.

[42:18] Shannen Alyce Quan: Whoa.

[42:19] Josh Mitchell: And every six months I go and get it checked.

[42:22] Shannen Alyce Quan: And my first checkup was literally the week, the 7th of January, so three days after opening night. And the guy checks my heart and he's like, what were you doing on the the fourth and the fifth? I was like, uh and then I'd forgotten about the show, and I go to get my checkup the other day, and he puts the thing over and he's like uh the first week of March.

[42:45] Shannen Alyce Quan: I was like, huh, yeah. They were a couple of crazy nights. It's all good, all good. But um, like He's like, should I be concerned?

[42:54] Josh Mitchell: You're like, nah, nah.

[42:55] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh Jay. But like it was just it was funny how every night there was something different. Like it was just the energy never repeated itself, but it never went down.

[43:10] Shannen Alyce Quan: It was always this weird vibe and it's like, I think it's part of the beauty of the writing of it though, you know, that it's like the the audience is sort of like the seventh character in the show.

[43:24] Shannen Alyce Quan: So the energy that the audience gives off will be matched and added upon by the people on stage and vice versa, and it becomes this like cyclical, you know, theme that we're in it together.

[43:39] Josh Mitchell: So yeah, that's 100% like a big part of the beauty of it.

[43:44] Shannen Alyce Quan: It is gonna be slightly different every every show.

[43:47] Josh Mitchell: 100%.

[43:47] Shannen Alyce Quan: It was it was funny like talking to people before the show, like there were people that had been fans of the show for ages. They were I'd sat next to a guy that was from America, he'd seen the sh first couple of performances at the fringe festival but hadn't seen the show since and then there was a guy that's seen it on the West End.

[44:04] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um I'd sat next to a couple of producers uh there were people that got off cruise ships and bought tickets that didn't know what they were seeing like the range of people and their knowledge of what they were coming into differed so much but everyone's enjoyment level was the same.

[44:22] Shannen Alyce Quan: It was just as it's such a weird show because it's so open to everybody and it just yeah it's a special and I think it being in the studio like helped that a bit as well you know because you've got a space where if you if you sit in certain spots the audience is also looking at each other too.

[44:44] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah you know so you're feeding off each other as well and you're getting to see the reactions that you normally wouldn't in something that's just a pristine arch you know flat to the audience.

[44:54] Shannen Alyce Quan: And like even there was the seats like behind the front of the stage. So the ones like right up the top they were over and like I had that I had that I had that for opening night and it was the coolest view of the show I ever had because I was like watching everything from the back and I was like don't even care that I can't see everyone's faces I'm like seeing all the intricate kind of changes in the like the lines and I'm like damn holy crap like this is incredible.

[45:22] Josh Mitchell: Right.

[45:23] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um very cool so right now we were supposed to we were supposed to finish New Zealand like a week ago um yeah I've stopped looking at that, you know, like oh no.

[45:41] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, imagine me when I got a freaking email notification flight in New Zealand today.

[45:45] Shannen Alyce Quan: I'm like no right.

[45:49] Josh Mitchell: Don't.

[45:50] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um so COVID's a thing. Um obviously a fair few shows to entire cities.

[46:00] Josh Mitchell: Um how has your what's your coping mess mechanism been?

[46:07] Shannen Alyce Quan: Obviously going from kind of the start of things where it's like we're not really sure what's going on, like we're not sure if we're gonna do the back half of Melbourne or like just go straight to New Zealand, and then it's kind of come to completely needing to rebook.

[46:21] Shannen Alyce Quan: Like, how have you dealt with the kind of uncertainty in the world at the moment? Look, it's been a process, I think, you know, um, because it's it's definitely something to look forward to and and be hopeful about, but it's it's difficult when when there isn't a date that that's gonna happen.

[46:39] Shannen Alyce Quan: You know, so I guess just um you know, holding on to the amazing memories that we do have of it is a really important thing.

[46:50] Shannen Alyce Quan: Yeah, um, of the show itself. Um and yeah, I mean I've just been distracting myself with like taking up every single hobby underneath the sun.

[47:01] Josh Mitchell: You know, talk about your makeup artistry for a hot minute, because like damn she's good with a brush.

[47:10] Shannen Alyce Quan: Man, I freaking love it, it's so good. It's just funny, like I when we had like one of our group Zooms, I remember like Caris saying, because I used to struggle doing my show makeup and we used to um do our show makeup every day, even if we weren't going on, so that if we did have to go on mid-show or or for the second show or for whatever, it was something that we didn't have to worry about.

[47:33] Shannen Alyce Quan: And I used to struggle so hard. Like every day I would be like, Caris, does this look okay? Like she would be my like checkoff thing, and she'd always be like, You look fine, like it's fine, and like get over it, and I'm like okay, like and now I'm out here like hey guys, like Morphe, sponsor me.

[47:55] Shannen Alyce Quan: So stupid, but hey, like it passes the time.

[47:59] Josh Mitchell: And also the covers that you've been releasing. Um I listened to Dead Mum like an hour ago, like just before we started recording, and I was like, Lydia, is that you?

[48:11] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh wow.

[48:13] Shannen Alyce Quan: Girl, you got pipes, like I was like you.

[48:16] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh incredible, guys. If it's something, yeah, I've definitely dropped the ball on that.

[48:23] Shannen Alyce Quan: Please give me give me a listen. I've dropped the ball on on doing more stuff. I will I will record more stuff because for those of you who who don't know us in Melbourne, um, at least in Australia, are back in stage three lockdown.

[48:36] Shannen Alyce Quan: So I've got a lot more home time, you know, to amuse myself with things.

[48:42] Shannen Alyce Quan: So maybe some more of that. It's good for the soul, I think. It's kind of a bit of a thing.

[48:47] Josh Mitchell: 100%. Well, Shannen, that brings us to the end.

[48:51] Shannen Alyce Quan: We made it.

[48:52] Josh Mitchell: We did it.

[48:53] Shannen Alyce Quan: We made it.

[48:54] Josh Mitchell: What was I nervous for?

[48:55] Shannen Alyce Quan: Exactly. See, um, guys, if you don't already, uh, I don't know why you don't, but please go follow Shannen because she is amazing.

[49:04] Josh Mitchell: Uh her links will be down in the description box below.

[49:09] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um let me just check my calendar just to see a quick date, real quick.

[49:17] Shannen Alyce Quan: Where is the thing?

[49:21] Shannen Alyce Quan: Submissions are closed for that, so I can cut this part of the audio out. Yay.

[49:27] Josh Mitchell: What's that?

[49:28] Shannen Alyce Quan: The book.

[49:30] Josh Mitchell: The book thing?

[49:31] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh my god, you don't know about the book?

[49:33] Josh Mitchell: I don't know about any book.

[49:35] Shannen Alyce Quan: Okay, let's let's do a quick. And for anyone that was looking to put entries in for Project Herstery, uh, entries have now closed, and I have put all your letters uh for the Queens and everybody that is associated with the show into the book, and it has been sent off for publishing.

[49:57] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um so once I get the hard copies back, they will be sent out to the current casts.

[50:02] Shannen Alyce Quan: Um, and you guys will be kept updated.

[50:04] Josh Mitchell: So thank you for everyone who entered.

[50:07] Shannen Alyce Quan: But to wrap things up, Shannen.

[50:10] Josh Mitchell: What is your favorite memory from Six so far?

[50:21] Shannen Alyce Quan: I don't know. It's hard to pick just one. I think you know what? I think the first day, you know, we've grown so much since then as a group, the show itself, but I think looking back at this amazing group of people who hardly knew each other, not knowing about you know the amazing journey that they were about to go on is is pretty cool to think about.

[50:47] Shannen Alyce Quan: I forgot to bring the Queenum up earlier. Um what was it like after the announcement to see like the reaction from all over the world of everybody being like, welcome, hi, you're one of us now.

[50:59] Shannen Alyce Quan: Oh man, I was so overwhelmed. Like I felt very supported and it was amazing to see.

[51:07] Shannen Alyce Quan: But like I pre-6 was not like very on social media, you know, so to have this like wave of love coming at you, even if even though it's with the best intentions, it was a bit like whoa, a slap of love to the face.

[51:25] Shannen Alyce Quan: You know like it took a little bit to like kind of comprehend what was going on.

[51:32] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[51:35] Shannen Alyce Quan: That is amazing.

[51:36] Josh Mitchell: That's a perfect way to wrap things up.

[51:37] Shannen Alyce Quan: Queens thank you for coming and hanging out Shannen.

[51:40] Shannen Alyce Quan: Thank you for coming and hanging out.

[51:42] Josh Mitchell: And uh anytime.

[51:45] Josh Mitchell: Make sure if you haven't already you hit that subscribe button and we will catch you next week with a brand new episode of the Queen's podcast.

[51:51] Shannen Alyce Quan: Bye Queens.

[52:00] ♪ Musical number ♪