A Musical, What’s a Musical? Not Getting Married, but Definitely Seeing Company

On the night of his 35th birthday, Robert, contemplates his unmarried state. Over the course of a series of dinners, drinks and even a wedding, his married friends explain the pros and cons of taking on a spouse. The habitually single Robert is forced to question his adamant retention of bachelorhood during a hilarious array of interactions.

Company features a brilliantly brisk and energetic score containing many of Stephen Sondheim's best known songs. The strength of the piece lies in its vivid, yet real, characters, and every audience member will see reflections of themselves in at least one of the characters onstage.

Name and role

Blake O'Brien and I play Robert.

Zara Lake Thompson and I am the alternate for Robert.

Tell us about yourself:

O’Brien: I've been performing on stage for 20 years, starting in my school drama class and doing one or two shows every year since. I love being able to perform as a character, bringing my own interpretation to someone's creation and telling a story. I have a special love for musicals as music is a huge part of my life and lets you do so much more that a straight play. Outside of theatre I keep my acting chops honed with my weekly Dungeons and Dragons game or unwind with video games.

Thompson: Company is my first show with Regals, which I’m super excited about. Overall, I have been doing musicals for about 9 years across Sydney. I have been performing since I was little, growing up as a dancer, and picking up singing and acting later on. Accustomed to breaking gender norms, I also played the bodacious crustacean, Sebastian, in 'The Little Mermaid' in high school. While that is very well in the past now, it is still one of my favourite roles I’ve played (apart from Robert, of course) to this day. I’ve also dabbled in working on production teams, having most recently Choreographed and Co-produced ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ with UNSW MTS.

Outside of theatre, I am currently renovating my apartment in the city, working in software, and in my limited spare time, I enjoy playing video games, playing futsal, going to dance and gymnastics classes, and hanging out with my friends.

What I enjoy most about theatre, are two key things - storytelling and community. I love stepping into roles, whether it be the lead or the ensemble, to create a world and an experience that is unique to every cast, crew, and audience. I believe that theatre fosters a strong community, with opportunities to learn, grow, and be challenged both on and off stage. I have met some incredible people, including my star Robert, Blake, through theatre, and these relationships mean the world to me!

What can audiences look forward to when they see the show?

O’Brien: Company is such a special show and this production in particular will be spectacular. Sondheim has done an incredible job of distilling all the observations and experiences of a thirty-odd year old man into just a few key comedic and dramatic moments. The songs are phenomenal and the writing can be both hilarious and heart-wrenching. The director, Sophie Szecsodi, has taken so much care with their interpretation of Sondheim's work to stay true to the text while also placing their own truth inside it. We have all spent so much time discussing and dissecting the text and characters to come up with a framework that has raised the stakes of every scene, which is only possible due to the immense talent of the entire cast. Never have I work with a team so professional and dedicated than this one now, each fully embodies their character onstage and will give you the performance of a lifetime if you let them.

Thompson: Audiences can look forward to a nuanced, fresh take on Company. The importance of the show is in its relationships, and the community we have built in our cast definitely shines through our interpretations of the characters and how we interact on stage. They can look forward to an interpretation which is incredibly thoughtful and detailed, down to the colour palettes of the costuming, thanks to our Director, Soph Szecsodi's strong vision.

With both a Robert, and Robert (alternate), you get to experience two different versions of Robert. Blake is an incredible performer, he brings maturity, strong emotional depth, and a suaveness to Bobby, as well as having a voice like butter. You will be truly spoiled with talent having Blake as your Bobby.

If you're attending an alternate performance, I will be performing as Robert! I hope to play him true to his character, with a little bit of cheek, charisma, and short king energy.

Tell us about the rehearsal process, what has it been like?

O’Brien: Fun, simply so much fun. We get to work, sure, but everyone brings such a positive attitude to every rehearsal and is so kind that it is truly a highlight to my week (three times a week!). Working with Lindford and Jieshun on music is dream as they are so understanding and helpful with what is probably the hardest music I have ever had to learn, and it is my second time doing this show. Nik, our choreographer, has been great to work with, keeping things fun while make sure we don't get too far off course.

Thompson: It's been a fun, challenging, and intense process. Being an alternate, you're often an observer in the room, absorbing all of the blocking and director's notes from an audience point of view, before having the opportunity to workshop the scene yourself. It's a different way of working, where you have to be on the ball and able to pick up new material quickly, but I've quite enjoyed seeing the world of Company being built before stepping into it. I've also been so grateful that the broader cast have been responsive to mine and Blake's different styles of acting. It speaks to their high calibre of acting talent and ability to add nuance to our scenes. Soph, Lindford, and Nik have also been very supportive of our different takes on Robert, and it's intriguing to see how that manifests in the show.

It's also been a great challenge vocally. Throughout this process, I've learned to masculinise my voice and extend my range vocally to achieve those deep, bari-tenor tones that you hear throughout the show. Initially I was quite intimidated by it, but with Lindford's and Jieshun's help, I've been so surprised how much the voice can adapt and change in a matter of months, which I'm excited to share with our audiences.

Importantly, I am so grateful for Blake. Stepping into Robert alongside him has been an invaluable experience. Blake isn't just talented, he's excellent to work with, and he has been so supportive of my journey at every turn. I think the beauty of having two people sharing a role is how we're able to learn from each other, challenge each other to be better performers, and find strengths in each of our interpretations of the character.

What do drew you to the show? Why did you choose to be involved?

O’Brien: What I love most about the show is the music. Every song is so beautifully written and perfectly portrays the how Robert feels or how he sees his friends. Not a single dud in the bunch, which is almost unheard of. The cast has been working so hard to do this score justice and it is showing. Every rehearsal I am floored by how good they sound.

Thompson: This is where I get personal. Company is a comfort show for me. It's a show that, while it at times can seem like a collection of scenes, has great emotional depth and lessons to be learned from each character's journey.

Robert has always been a dream role of mine. He has some of the most iconic tenor songs, and an intriguing character journey that so many people (including myself) can relate to. Particularly as a queer, more masculine woman, who has never quite felt like she 'fit' into traditionally feminine roles, I am excited to bring that lived experience to Robert. Especially in a climate where people are often afraid to be their authentic selves, I also hope to open the door for other performers who feel like they don't quite fit the mould, to know that you can be true to yourself and still have the opportunities to play your dream roles as they are written.

It's not a show that comes around super often, so, when the opportunity to be involved in this production was announced, I could not be more ecstatic. I'm pretty sure during my audition, when I was asked who I'd be auditioning for, of course Robert was on my sheet, but I really just said "put me in coach, I'll do anything!" because I love the show so much. Particularly with such a STRONG production team, it was something I knew I had to be a part of. In turn, I am so thankful for the team for this opportunity and for casting such an incredible bunch of performers.

Other than yourself, who should audiences be on the lookout for?

O’Brien: As I said earlier everybody is so talented and so perfectly cast that it is really hard to pick some to watch, you should be watching them all. I will say my favourite to work with has been Sophie, playing Amy. She is probably the most professional performer I have ever worked with, and I have been waiting years to get to act with her. As Amy she brings so much nuance to a role that could be simply played for laughs, she will make you roar with laughter then break your heart in one scene. Not to mention how quickly she was off book for "Getting Married Today," a song I could only dream of performing. That said, when I'm not performing the person I'm watching is definitely Zara. Their portrayal of Robert is so different to my own while and makes me re-examine my own take on the character constantly. I will never stop being grateful to have this role alongside Zara, I couldn't imagine a performer to share this role with.

Thompson: This is such a tough question, because everyone is really bringing it. I will have to say though, Sophie Takatsuka's performance as 'Amy' blows me out of the water every time. With her insanely strong acting and line delivery, coupled with one of the best renditions of 'Getting Married Today' I've ever seen, you won't want to miss her performance.

When audiences walk out of the theatre, what do you want them to think about? What’s the message?

O’Brien: For me the show is about grappling with the pressures of society and your peers to find what truly makes you happy. It's pretty high concept and nonlinear so I would urge audiences to come in with an open mind and focus on what each scene and song says about Robert and how he sees his friends, and in turn marriage. But most importantly feel, just let the laughter or tears take you!

Thompson: I hope they have fun!!! While there's a strong emotional message, it's a fun, comedic show! There are some hilarious scenes and strong personalities, with all the highs and lows you come to expect from musical theatre, and a delightful Sondheim score to top it off.

Robert is often seen as the 'reliable, lovable, third-wheel' friend, who has prioritised his friendships and 'getting his life together' over serious romantic relationships. He appears to be and is confident, but learns to be more vulnerable with himself as the show progresses. He discovers, with the help of his married friends, and his girlfriends, what he wants out of his life and relationships. I think a lot of this show is about learning to connect with yourself and the people in your lives on a deeper level. It's about realising and accepting that our relationships, both friendships and romantic, are a critical part of life's journey, and they might not be perfect, but that's what makes them great.

I hope people leave the show with a renewed appreciation for their single friends, for the different kinds of relationships in their lives, and more importantly, an appreciation for their whole selves.

Be sure to join The Regals Musical Society for their production of Company at the Rockdale Town Hall from the 15-19th of October. More information can be found by clicking this link