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[0:00] Josh Mitchell: In the spirit of reconciliation, we are theatre acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.

[0:08] Josh Mitchell: We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

[0:38] Josh Mitchell: We're heading uh right now to Alaska. Uh Artemis is joining me. Uh you're on the Bliss at the moment, is that right?

[0:47] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yes.

[0:48] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yes, the Norwegian Bliss.

[0:50] Josh Mitchell: In what looks to be a very chilly Alaska at the moment as well.

[0:54] Artemis Chrisoulakis: It's very cold, yeah.

[0:57] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um I think it's I was checking the temperature and it says 45 degrees Fahrenheit, and I usually do Celsius, so I don't know what that means, but either way, it's very cold.

[1:06] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[1:07] Josh Mitchell: Um, but this is the best case for the service. All right, we'll try and keep this nice so you can get back to being warm. Um, but for everyone listening at home, obviously, um, six is where I started podcasting, guys. So we're gonna try and wrap all the brains because it's been two years since I've spoken about this show, so we'll see how we go. Um, how did you first hear about six? What was your introduction to the show as a whole?

[1:34] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Well, I remember I was still in college, I went to Erdang in London, and I think this was around the time that everyone started talking about it. Have you seen the show called Six? It's amazing, it's incredible. It's about Henry VIII and everything, and we were all very excited about it. And actually, one of my very best friends, Athena, um, was the original path of the UK tour. Um so and so she got that I think yeah straight out of college. And so my first time watching the show was with her in it. And so not only was it very special that she was in it but it was just su that I was blown away and the show is just amazing. I loved it instantly and not because I was biased but because it was just such a great show.

[2:20] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[2:21] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um so yeah so that was my first experience. Um and then you pretty much did the same thing and came out of college and went into the show as well.

[2:32] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah and so yeah it was yes this is my first professional job as well. So um I and well we I we graduated and then we had some months of auditions and then obviously COVID struck um so it was all put on hold and um and then as COVID was opening and as cruise ships were coming back I auditioned um for this for Catherine Howard and so my first contract was on the breakaway um and yeah I I've loved it I love it and I love playing Catherine Howard so much.

[3:08] Josh Mitchell: Yeah such a great role to play.

[3:10] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah and we love the girls from the breakaway they were a part of like my early years in six as well so they've got a massive I think I did a reunion show with them at some point. But yeah love all those girls too.

[3:24] Josh Mitchell: So what was your introduction to theatre? What made it you want to be a performer and do this as a job?

[3:32] Artemis Chrisoulakis: I feel like I mean this in the best way. I didn't have a choice. It was just something that I've always I grew up in Greece um until I was five years old, five, six years old. And um it it was mum's English and my dad's Greek. And so there wasn't many things to do like in England, you know, baby swimming or you know so my mum took me to ballet class. So that I started that when I was three in Greece and immediately loved it straight away. Um and I actually wanted to be a ballerina when I was younger anyway. Um so that that and so that was my first love and it just naturally progressed and then I when we came back over to England um I did um all the dance, jazz, tap, modern everything contemporary and so it just grew and then I had did singing classes at school with Jane Sell, she's a brilliant um singing teacher and and I've never really looked back.

It's it seems as though like I've never it's again in a great way that I didn't choose to do it. It's just naturally I I fell into it. I I've been brought up doing it and I I love doing it and I can't see myself doing anything else.

[4:49] Josh Mitchell: Um yeah that's really cool. Um we love that coming back to six we'll probably jump back to that first call um with breakaway real quick getting the call saying hey you've got the contract you're going on a ship going on as Catherine Allen what was that kind of emotion like is especially landing your first pro gig pretty much straight out of college and everything like that. Talk me through that moment.

[5:20] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Uh what like it was just the most um I can't really put it into words because I remember I was working at Marks and Spencer’s during lockdown, and so I was doing my attempt job there. I was scanning people's um groceries, and I I I'd had the final call, maybe the final audition a couple of days ago or something. So I knew it was around the time I'd be willing um getting to find out, and um and then um I felt my phone go in my pocket. I was scanning someone's groceries, and we're not allowed to be on our phones anyway, but I knew it's my agent that she's calling, and I have to go and find out what the answer is. And I also I knew if it was bad news, I think it would have been an email. So it was it was very called.

I kind of felt this thing. So I I quickly I ran up to my manager, I was like, please can I go and answer this phone call? And she and then I was I remember I was looking at a um the stone wall outside, and she's like, um you been chosen to play Katherine Hard, and I just kind of froze and I was numb and I was like, oh my god. Um it was just the best, it was yeah, I can't really I can't it describe it. It was just kind of shock and excitement, and then I think I ran home because I r live about five minutes and I ran home quickly. I took my long break and I ran home to tell my mum, and I was kind of crying and shocked and scared as well because I'd be away from home from home for you know six months, seven months in a completely different place I've ever been before, but it was just so it it just felt amazing. Um so yeah, it was kind of shock, happiness, numb in a great way and just high on live race.

[6:13] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[6:13] Josh Mitchell: I love that.

[6:13] Josh Mitchell: Oh my god. Um jumping to the cruising life just now that we've kind of segued in there. Um the transition from land life to sea life. We've spoken with a lot of the cruise girls about that. How did you handle that shift to um confined cabins stages that move, like performing in a different area that kind of throws off your equilibrium if there's rough seas and things like that. What was that like for you when you finally got on board breakaway and even now um yeah, what's that like for you performing on the ocean essentially?

[7:53] Artemis Chrisoulakis: The ocean, yes. Well, it's funny because sometimes you'll forget if if it's still waters for a couple of days, you'll forget you're actually on a boat because the ship is so big. Um and then it like currently we're we're sailing in and out of Seattle and the seas can get really rocky. And and then that's when you kind of you don't I have don't get seasick too much, maybe when I first got on, but um it you forget, and then you actually have to remember, especially if you're on stage, to be careful because um you learn the choreography on land, yeah, and you you have these little um contingency plans if it is very rocky, but still it's even but like the slow there's a bit where we walk forward slow, and that's meant to be very easy, you'd think, but that's the hardest bit because you have to look cool and still and smooth, and then the ships going back and forth and just um but so that's that's one thing, and then um I think I adapted quite well quite soon because um it you're surrounded by people who've done it before as well so they kind of give you peace of mind as well and everyone's always very nice as well and so you b you can you make these relationships very quickly and um and just have a great time.

You're hanging out with your friends all the time and you can also have your own personal space as well um so you're not always together. But um yeah no it that the performing wise it ha it depends on if the sea is rocky then you have to be careful and just be mindful that you won't be able to do any of the shows if you go big stream and not think about what you're kind of on.

[9:44] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[9:44] Josh Mitchell: Um but it's so fun and also a lot of the audiences that see six on the ship probably didn't know or hadn't seen it before or don't know what it's about. And so it's it brings a whole different kind of audience to the show and it but I sometimes maybe if you it feels like perhaps you've got to try harder it's like understand this or and it's fun or or and the great thing is afterwards people come up to us and be like I didn't know what it was about. I loved it so much. And it's it's just amazing. So yeah it's so much fun.

[10:20] Josh Mitchell: That's um perfect you're doing really well at running this episode because you're like reading my mind to where I want to go. This is great. Um we'll go into the storytelling of six because um for those of you listening on We Are Theatre at the moment that haven't heard me talk about six, um I pretty much lived in this world for like a year and a half and knew the show inside and out. So we're gonna see how much rust I can shake off. Um but learning put finding yourself in Kay Howard. What was that like for you? What was your process in finding your version of Howard? Because the cool thing about six is that you're not a carbon copy of each other. Everyone has themselves in the character. So what was your process like finding yourself in Kay Howard?

[11:08] Artemis Chrisoulakis: I think it's all in the material. The script is so wonderful that um you can find bits or or phrases that she'll say and think, how would I say that? Or oh I identify with this, or oh that's funny. Um kind of um even if I I feel like Catherine Howard she'll say something, not meaning to be sassy, but it will come off that way anyway. So it c it never comes from a place of you know, bitchiness or uh meme. It's it's always kind of she genuinely thinks that oh I've just said something a bit mean. And so it's kind of like how would you say that, or how yeah, and I I found I identified with her straight away.

[11:55] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um because she is such a fun character to play, but there's so many levels to her. Um and obviously you find that out in the song, um that it it was it's like the gift that keeps on giving, really. Every um audience and every show is different. So it's how you play up to the energy that you've got on stage in that moment as well.

[12:21] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um so yeah, so it's but I I do find that the the material in the script is such a great way to find the character as well.

[12:40] Josh Mitchell: Have you found that your version of Catherine has changed between contracts? Like have you discovered anything new in like research periods or things like that or time down that's kind of affected a way that you kind of think about something during a certain point at all?

[13:00] Artemis Chrisoulakis: I think I think so. Um yeah, I feel like I probably take a bit more time now. Um I'm not I think I'm more confident in her. Yeah. And also it depends because I've got a completely different group of girl uh queens um from the first contract as well. So that their energies are different as well, and so it's how you bounce off from them um that I think also affects how m my Howard has changed.

[13:34] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um but I I I think uh I think most of her my traits are similar because you are bringing in yourself and I think it's how you change, like how I chased her at that contract has probably changed how my Howard is now.

[13:51] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah. But I I think actually we had our uh a Tom, which is theatrical operations manager on the breakaway and she runs everything for us. And she came to visit for two weeks. Sorry for the sound. Um for two weeks on this contract.

[14:16] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Never far from people here. Um she came to visit for two weeks on this current contract and she had noticed how mine had changed. Yeah. Even if I didn't think mine Catherine Hard is so different to my last one but she'd noticed how it changed.

[14:31] Artemis Chrisoulakis: So um that's quite interesting how people who've seen my Howard before have think it has progressed or it developed or something. But I feel like the basic traits of my Howard are the same.

[14:46] Josh Mitchell: I want to dive a little technically here just because I've never had someone that's worked on two different ships doing the same show. How has was there any changes between the version or like the blocking and staging that you had on the breakaway compared to the bliss is it like same stage size or was there differences that you had to kind of adapt to between contracts as well?

[15:11] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um I think it so the blocking and obviously they um the breakaway contract we learnt the English version. Yeah. The West End and this bliss we've learnt the Broadway version because I'm the only well I and Beth who's one of the swings she's also from England as well but of the principal queens they're all American.

[15:36] Artemis Chrisoulakis: So we've all and we had um lovely Dana and Betty who was a choreographer and director um and so we've learnt the Broadway version. So there were slight changes in the choreography or the direction compared to that.

[15:50] Artemis Chrisoulakis: But the staging is it didn't feel like I was learning a completely different show. Um it similar staging and the the actual stage is the same. But I I can't remember which one slightly bigger, which one's slightly smaller, but they both feel similar.

[16:08] Artemis Chrisoulakis: So it didn't feel strange. Yeah. If that makes sense.

[16:12] Josh Mitchell: And just popped into my head, so I was like, I'll just find out. Um with the show itself, um obviously you've got the the biggest chunk in terms of musical solo time on stage or in your song. What's your favorite moment to kind of just be present in and kind of watch happen around you?

[16:35] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um is there a moment where you kind of get to take a moment and go, This is really cool, like or do you have a favorite moment in the show that you've taken from rehearsals into the sho uh like on stage or things like that?

[16:49] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Ooh, that's a good question. Um again, I feel like it's different every show. And sometimes it will be like, oh, I didn't know that before. Um but always the bit that's so poignant to me is when it's just before um Howard realizes that Thomas is taking advantage of her and the sh he's not the friend she thought he was.

[17:19] Artemis Chrisoulakis: And it's c it's just that shock and the c you there's always silence and I feel like uh up until then it's very lovely, it's very happy, kind of like looking, you know, um and it kind of switches and then I love acting this and I love the feeling of it as well, just that kind of because once actually and then it changes and and it's traumatic and it's yeah it never gets old doing it always feel different.

[17:51] Artemis Chrisoulakis: But also once we had there was someone in the audience and it got to that point and they laughed and I don't think they realised what was happening. I think they thought oh here we go again um here's another one you know it's all funny on to the next kind of thing and I don't think they realised that um actually no it's not funny and that kind of there was a little fire in my gut that made me just want to explode even more so because I was like this isn't funny and um that's suck.

[18:26] Artemis Chrisoulakis: And I just remembered that kind of I found them in the all like I didn't I didn't know exactly where they were but I kind of looked in their dire it was still you know in the middle and I it was just fire and I just saw red and then I just sang it and it felt even more kind of powerful because I was trying to get across the the point to this person who just laughed out actually no um so that that stuck with me actually.

[18:51] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. Um but yeah that's that's really a good point there.

[18:55] Josh Mitchell: How do you go what was uh how do I word this? Um the emotional roller coaster of all you want to do is very drawn out. Um but like to keep everybody engaged what was that like trying to find your feet in that song because obviously doing it in rehearsals to an empty room is a lot different to trying to engage with an audience for nearly seven minutes.

[19:21] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um so like what was that like kind of getting to feel audience interaction and everything like that and develop your interaction through the song that way as well?

[19:34] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah. Um well the so a l in the song and the whole show, you're looking directly at the audience. You're finding specific people to look at in the audience. Even in the auditions they want you to look them in the eye when you're singing.

[19:54] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um and coming from drama school where you kind of it that's not really the common thing to do. Usually there's the fourth wall and you know and so it's kind of um scary at first because you know pe looking at people watching you perform it's a very personal thing and sometimes people's watching faces they don't mean to but they're just like and so and so that was the scary bit and actually sometimes maybe in rehearsal it might have been scarier because you could see them back.

[20:27] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Whereas on stage there's lights and they're slightly in the dark. You can see the first three rows I'd say um but it's not as scary because you're looking at them but there's so many people it's not directly at one exact person that'll say whether or not you've got a job or not um but um so that was and it was also the longevity of the the song and kind of finding different moments to kind of communicate with the audience or have a different nuanced reaction to what I'm saying.

[21:04] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um and yeah I don't know it it it developed. I remember it being quite difficult at the beginning because it was I was learning this song at very long and then also the kind of physical aspect and running around and um and then you also have to layer on top the acting and the you know the audience one to one kind of thing.

[21:28] Artemis Chrisoulakis: So it was a very kind of onion of a song. Um but I feel like now especially this past rehearsal process it was so much more um stress free yeah um because I knew what I was doing.

[21:48] Artemis Chrisoulakis: You had the bass there to kind of build off so it was yeah yeah and I could play with it a bit more um so yeah it's just such it it really is just more and more fun the more you do it.

[22:00] Josh Mitchell: Yeah.

[22:01] Josh Mitchell: Um with that breaking the fourth wall obviously that's as you said an extra element that we usually performers don't have to think about so with that mindset of coming in going okay at this point I'm gonna have to try and like single people out are you going to the same seat every night and then looking either side for the people like how are you determining who you're trying to make that connection with to make it easier on yourself so you're not getting to that spot and going, oh this person's not interested at all and not getting like that feedback.

[22:35] Artemis Chrisoulakis: So how how do you go about that process?

[22:40] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um well it there's two it's one you've got the blocking that you've got to do in the show anyway. So for example in my song I'll start here I have to go over there and then I'll walk there to start the first sentence.

[22:52] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um so that's always the layout. But then throughout the beginning because I've got six numbers lots of numbers before my song I've kind of already susped out who's in the audience um where they are who I can sing to.

[23:12] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um and so and sometimes if it's not a very full audience usually where I go to there might not be someone there. So I'll have to go slightly to the side to find someone to actually speak to because it's funny if you just speak with empty seats.

[23:28] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um so I I'll sush it out before the song before my song and then kind of go from there but there is always that kind of general idea of the blocking that that's where I'll go anyway.

[23:42] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Um just so happens if there's a person a couple of seats along or um yeah and yeah it is quite easy to find the the ones most engaged and the ones that actually want you to speak to them because there's it is the energy you you get from them. So it kind of feeds itself. It's never really much of a stress that I have to think about. Probably just comes natural now that you've done it so many times as well. Exactly yeah yeah but it's so much fun and I love doing it. Um getting another technical question out of the road um do you have a favorite harmony throughout the show that you like? Ooh 'cause this show has some really amazingly layered harmonies throughout. Um, is there one that you kind of like um love?

I love, yeah, I I mean all of them, but it's always the five more minutes we're sick. Um, because it's so special because it's you we've just come to the point in the show that we realize there's no point in comparing and that actually we're together, but we're all different as well. So that you know, and and the music as well, and it it's just everything is just so beautiful together, and because we we're we come together as well. So we're singing at each other, and it's just very special because all the other ones I love and they're so much fun, but they're during a number or um you know, but this one is kind of we're together, we've joined together and they're ready to have fun.

[25:29] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. We're talking about like the really slowed down one where you guys all like come down before like the breakout, right?

[25:37] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah, so um for five more minutes. Yeah, they're really yeah, kind of I've got the bug back now, the skimming goodness. Um I've forgotten, like I've seen this show like 20 something times, and just there's always like little moments where it's just like that, like you get caught up in the story, and then that moment always brings it back in, and I'm like in tears by that point. I'm like, all right, let's go, let's party, let's have fun.

[26:07] Josh Mitchell: Yeah, yeah. Um break away. I'm jumping all over the spot here, guys. Sorry, this might be hard to follow along to while you're listening, but we're just jamming here. Um going from breakaway, how long was it until you knew that you were gonna then be transitioning onto bliss? Was there a break in between? Like, what was the process for you like in between the contracts?

[26:31] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah, there was. Um I finished in March of 2022, and then um I didn't know whether or not I was going to go on another contract with six on this or breakaway, so I wasn't sure. I just knew um that I was back auditioning um back in London. And so it was and then I so I yeah, I finished in March and then we I you know I went to Greece to visit my dad and we I had auditions and things like that. And then it wasn't until October of 2022 that I got this through and it was actually a uh an emergency replacement. Um and I was oh I was so excited because you I I never took for granted my first contract and I made sure I enjoyed it I I enjoyed every single day and I took made the most of every day. Um so the fact that this came about, um it was so exciting and so special.

Um and it came at just the right time as well because you know that this industry, you have your booked and blessed days, and you have your oh, what am I going to do with my life kind of days? And it was coming in that era. I was it was it was I was ever known. Um and yeah, and I can't ask for a better cast with these girls as well. Both my casts have been so lucky. They're just beautiful humans inside and out. So yeah, very lucky.

[28:07] Josh Mitchell: How good? Um What is your let's uh I'm gonna strip it back away from the show for a second. What's um one of your favorite things about ship life obviously second contract now on a ship. Is there something that you like hold dear with ship life that kind of ground you a little um to make you not so homesick and everything like that?

[28:31] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah um I'm I'm quite good at not being too homesick. Um so and I've always had the travel buzz I've always wanted to travel anyway that was in my ball of life anyway and the fact that it comes along with a dream show as well. Yeah. Um you can't ask for better. Um and the community on ships is really special as well. I feel like you unless you live on a ship you can't quite fathom it because it's something unlike I'd never really experienced before um because some people work on the ship for 10 months um and it's really their home as well and so I love it. I think it's great. Um and the management we have on the bliss is so nice is so good and that's really important when the higher ups um look after you as well because it can be quite an isolating and quite a scary experience because especially from being from England and then coming and um yeah but it was so much fun and the the traveling I love and this itinerary is great because we had the Panama Canal Transit and so I've been to Miami, Florida, Columbia, um Miami's I'm sorry. Um Columbia, um, Guatemala, all these incredible places and to be paid as well for it, crazy. It's great. It's great.

[30:05] Josh Mitchell: Um across you two contracts, have you had a had a favorite port that you've stopped in so far?

[30:14] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yes. But I um I really love Miami. I know this is that so that's on a dock day, um, when we kind of swap over guests. So I love Miami because it's just it's such a cool place and nice vibe. Um also the great shot. Um, but then I I loved Colombia. We went to Cartagena in Colombia and um it was actually when my mum was on board and we booked an excursion and we learned an Oh sorry. Um uh yeah, we went to Cartagena in Colombia and we booked an excursion to go and see um to learn about Columbia dancing and it's just kind of and it's beautiful and it's and it's just such a thrill to be able to experience all these different cultures and um yeah, amazing.

[31:19] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. Yeah, cool. Um one more favorite to wrap things up for us. Um as a dancer, do you have a favorite piece of choreography throughout the show? Um that you really enjoy.

[31:37] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Yeah, um, it's funny. I remember when I was I was always a little ballerina and so I've always loved ballet, that was my first thing. But as I grew and and the kind of hip hop never came naturally to me. Um but as we've as I've grown in the show and as we do it more and more, my favorite bit to do is in Cleaves's get down and it's we do the this bit doesn't even look good anymore. But it's it works 'cause we're all in a formation we're all doing it it just feels powerful and cool and it that I I really I love getting to that bit and kind of doing it because usually the audience will go okay. So that's I think that is one of my favorites. Also in the mega six I do a little high kick which is fun to do. I always look forward to doing that. I had one more question that I was gonna ask that I've I think I've forgotten at the moment but will try and circle back to it in my brain.

[32:39] Josh Mitchell: Um what do you think it is about six that makes this show so special? After doing two different casts, two different contracts, like what is what do you think it is as a cast member that makes this show just like so unique and so special in its own right question.

[33:02] Artemis Chrisoulakis: I think there's I mean and and there's lots of answers to this because it is such a special show that there's you can say so many different things and people's like oh yeah oh yeah but I think it always comes back down to the the message that it gets across that like you you you you will life in life you do compare yourself and to other people. It doesn't male female um and so I've um I find that in the end it is just kind of all just coming together just whoever you are that's who you are but as long as you don't kind of use it as a kind of beef of joy if that makes sense to compare, you know, and I feel like that's such a great um message I think to come back to um and yeah I think just the kind of and because it's such a small show uh a small cast um that you really do feel those personal connections with each and every queen and so yeah working with two casts in such close proximity you gain friends for life, which is so special.

[34:19] Josh Mitchell: Um and living with them as well. So yeah, yeah, it's great.

[34:24] Josh Mitchell: The happiness on your face just then says it all. Um that is a perfect note to wrap things up on, guys. Thank you so much for joining us, Artie. Um lovely to be back in the sixth world, guys. We are gonna have a couple episodes on board Bliss. Um so there's a few more episodes coming up with a few of the other queens on board with Artie on this contract. Um whether you're listening on the Queen of Podcast or We Are Theater, thank you for joining us. Uh and we will be back very soon with a brand new episode of either show. Thank you, and bye.

[35:01] Artemis Chrisoulakis: Artie, thank you so much. That was amazing.