Blog - Debbie Bridge

Agents – What makes a good Agent?

Me riding on a train – some of my best places to write a blog!

Just recently I decided to let go of my agent. I can honestly say that this process is one of the tougher choices I’ve made in my career, as I know how easy it is to ‘blame’ someone else for a lack of something in my life. Also, performers are notorious for ‘not liking’ their agents, so I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking about what do I stay or do and why? Plus, it’s not always that easy to find a replacement, but this will be my first time, so we’ll see how it goes.

Well, I’ve been fortunate that I’ve managed to have some really good conversations lately. All have come to the same conclusion – let my agent go. At the end of the day, for me, it’s an instinct thing. I’m not naive, I don’t believe another agent will necessarily get me more work, but I would like a better working relationship. So I’ve learned what I don’t want and what I’m looking for.

Not wants:

– someone who gives me the brush off when I ring them
– someone who doesn’t get all the information or rushes through it to make it difficult to get it all down
– someone I’m afraid to speak to or drags up mistakes from the past like a broken record
– someone who doesn’t listen to the changes I’m making in my career and puts possible jobs I know I don’t want or feel are not my type in front of me, even though I’ve told them they aren’t the jobs I want
– someone who talks down to me
– someone who says, “You’d better get this one….”, I think this was meant to be encouraging, but really?!

Wants:

– someone who’ll get back to me, if they can’t speak to me when I call
– someone who’ll give me constructive feedback on my work and promotion material
– someone who is friendly and listens to the direction I want to take with my career and gives useful feedback
– someone I like
– someone who’ll work with me to get the best out of the working relationship eg: suggest getting a show reel or new photos, etc.
– someone encouraging

So folks, I’m not sure I’ll find, this utopia, but I’ll shoot for the stars and look forward to hitting the moon – at least! If I don’t ask, I’ll never get it. Re-reading this through, it doesn’t seem too much to ask!

Debbie BridgeApril 5, 2010December 15, 2015 Acting, Agent, Business, music, Opera, Theatre No Comments

Acting Singer vs. Singing Actor

This was a photo of us from Top Girls at the Impulse Theatre

For the last 2 years I have had the great experience of working with Scott Williams and the Impulse Theatre Company in London, learning Meisner acting technique. I think I’m 1 of a very small operatically trained singers who have chosen to learn this acting technique.

I’m now coming to the end of my 2 years and am about to play Isabella Bird, Joyce and Mrs Kidd in Carol Churchill’s, Top Girls, and wondering how do I be myself? Am I the acting singer or the singing actor? To be honest, I fell I’m both, but does this mean I have to market my work in 2 different ways to 2 different arenas of the performing arts or just choose 1 and run with that for awhile?

Recently, I had some advice to do the later; say I’m actress with singing as a skill.

I wonder, if there are others out there who have faced the same dilemma or who are going through the same thing?

I’d love to hear your experiences.

Debbie BridgeFebruary 20, 2010December 19, 2015 Acting, music, Opera, Singers, singing, Theatre No Comments

Busking – Covent Garden Style The Elusive Part-Time Job

My Covent Garden busking outfit.

‘Busking!’, the title above alone may make most opera singers turn their noses up and straight out of the room (for those of you who do not know what busking means – To play music or perform entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money.) I believe they are missing out. I don’t know about the rest of you, but definitely, if you are female, soprano and classical in your singing orientation, consistent work which is within the genre, flexible and has the potential to pay well and is not teaching, well …. It’s hard to come by, but this suits me down to a tee. What better place to do it, than in Covent Garden, London – the heart of the West End.

In 1 of my earlier blogs, I was looking just for this and what great ways to keep my skills up if not improve them. There is nothing like working with the public and believe me I’ve done it, in various guises; tour guide, restaurant manager, popcorn seller, voice coach, Denny’s hostess – when they still had the polyester uniforms, toilet cleaner, etc….

Here I have found a real appreciation from the public, plus a few hecklers along the way. Still what better way to face any performing fears than in front of the general public? What a great opportunity to really see whether what is being done, as a performer is being communicated well.

I will say, it’s not for the faint hearted or, if you are faint hearted; be very willing to roll with the good and bad, know that what you may get in your basket isn’t always a reflection of how good or bad you are; as some crowds may be very attentive, but not so willing to part with their spare change.

You know, this blog’n thing may actually work, putting it down on paper and out to the world, makes the mind work towards the goals which a person may wish to achieve – it works, if ya work it!

How about you? If your working that part-time flexible job, what is it and how is it working for you?

Debbie BridgeApril 29, 2009December 19, 2015 Business, Busking, music, Opera, Singers, singing No Comments

Muscle Memory

Play Reading with American Actors UK

Recently, I did an acting class at the Actors Centre in London and the teacher, Niki Flacks, said memorising lines is just a muscular activity. In other words, everyone can do it, but the muscles need to be worked to get better. All you need to do is something physical, like fold a towel or walk and the lines will go into your physical memory, as well as your cognitive one.

As most of my work has been memorising songs, which I find quite easy, as the tune seems to help me get it in my memory faster, plus often there is the added advantage of repeats, but the monologue is a bit more elusive for me. It could have something to do with the fact that at a very young age I was suppose to memorise the poem, ‘Flanders Fields‘. I remember I was very nervous and scared about doing it, as I was having great difficulties remembering it. One by one we were called to the front to say the poem, I was one of the first to be called – curses for having a last name which starts with a ‘B’.

There I was, in front of the whole class, knees knocking, brain freezing and the kid before me made it look soooo easy! I think I remember saying something, but it came out all backwards and wrong. I was mortified and demoralised. I managed to shuffle back to my seat with my heart in my stomach. Only to find the next kid reciting it well, but then stumbled and do you know I knew what the line was – this didn’t help console me, I still felt….stupid. It created a dislike and avoidance of poetry throughout my childhood and teens. It was not until I went to college that I found the joy and beauty of poetry.

I am digressing, the point is from this 1 little incident, as a child, grew a life long fear of saying lines in front of a group of people. I have since learned I am dyslexic, something which was not so understood when I was a kid, as it is today. Somehow I managed to get a degree and not be aware of my dyslexia.

Still I am left to face those childhood fears and I am ever so grateful to be reassured that it is a muscle like any other and I can just start to give it a good work out, so that it becomes like a song.

Now I just need to find the old poetry book and dig out …..’In Flanders Fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row,…’

Do you have any special tricks on how to learn lines?

Debbie BridgeJanuary 23, 2009December 19, 2015 Acting, Film, Theatre No Comments

Impulse vs Emotion

At the moment, I’m lucky enough to be doing a Meisner acting course with the Impulse Theatre Company. Yes, I know…an opera singer doing acting lessons?! Can this really be? Well, all I can say, is this is a new age of singing.

Anyway, we had a talk, recently, about the difference between an impulsive actor vs. an emotional actor. I’d much rather be the former than the later, as emotions can get me really stuck in myself and my own gunk. It’s not that being an impulsive actor has no emotions, but I find it much easier to leave them at the end of the exercise or song or performance. I mean, I don’t carry it off stage with me, which has been a problem at times, or I’ve had the experience where I’ve been having a lot of emotion, but those listening haven’t had the same experience.

My last concert was very different. I just went with ‘the impulses’ and it went really well. There were no wrongs or rights there was just the moment – the impulse – Fantastic!

So opera singers – act!

What are your experiences of developing new skills in your work?

Debbie BridgeNovember 29, 2008December 19, 2015 Acting, Blog post, music, Theatre No Comments

Part-time rant!

Ack, I know I’m not alone in the cash flow problems of working in the performing arts. Even after so many years in the industry I’m still working on ‘nipping this in the butt’. I’ve worked, honed and polished my skills and talents, but struggle to get the business side of things.

The latest thing for me is to really sort out the ‘cash flow’ problem. I’m no longer relying on family or partner. So I’m hunting for that ‘part-time’ job. The term makes me shake in my boots, as I’ve been here before. I never wanted to go back to this, but the current economic climate means I need to make some money some way to keep the performing career going.

Actually I’m so suited to such an economic climate, as I’ve been living this way my whole performing life, so what’s the big deal!

So what can I do differently this time, so I don’t have the same experiences as before? I ask myself, again!

What I’ve come up with so far is as follows:

– Temping, restaurant, teaching or what?

The 1 I’m going for is ‘what’.

As I’ve tried most of the above and either don’t feel its right for me or just don’t like it – life’s too short! The perfect job would be part-time, flexible, and pays well – hm – am I asking too much? Teaching does offer this, but to be frank, I’m really tired of people who just don’t turn up or expect to learn all there is to know about singing in 1 lesson.

I was talking to my friend, about this cash flow problem; he has an accounting back ground, and said to him, “I’ve applied to work for the Christmas Postal sorting. It would be a short-term contract, but I wasn’t sure if they only offered full time hours” (I’ve since found out part-time is fine). His reaction was, why can’t I do full time? Boy the amount of times I’ve run into this one, does no one out there truly understand that working in the arts is a full time job!

Even when ya work from home! What’s up with the world, I’m not a lazy bum sitting at home; in fact, I tend to be a work-a-holic. It’s got me into trouble many times, as it’s not wise to work ‘the other’ job full time and do the artistic career without running out of steam at some point. It’s a clear reminder to me that if someone close to me can’t see that I’m not able to do it all, then how is the potential ‘part-time’ job going to be sympathetic? Ho, Hum.

Oh the woes, still I’m hopeful to earn some money making sure those Christmas cards find you safe and warm at home.

If there’s anyone out there whose mastered this balance or has ideas of that ‘perfect part-time, well paid, and flexible’ job, I’d love to hear from ya!

Debbie BridgeOctober 10, 2008December 19, 2015 Acting, Blog post, Business, Singers No Comments

The Audition

Star Wars – Darth Vadar

As I was walking to my audition, today, the themed music for the Death Star from the ‘Star Wars’ kicked into my head with a bit of ‘Spamalot‘ glitch thrown in for comic relief.

Why is an audition so scary?

In my head I can run through all the logic in the world, but all I could think of was the Death Star music, like I was going to be executed! How nuts is that? No one is going to kill me in front of a firing squad. Yet the fear is real. Why is singing such a scary business?

Well the ‘No’s’ out weigh the ‘yes’ by odds I hate to think of on the rejection scale, that could have something to do with it. I look at all my fellow hopefuls, who are getting younger, than me, by the minute, and I wonder, what’s it all about? I hear the nerves cracking in my fellow auditionees; I’ve seen and experienced the tears of disappointment and all this for the strangest job interview I’ve ever heard of.

How often in normal jobs, do people walk into a room, say ‘Hello’, sing and say ‘Good-bye’. That’s it! No ‘how do you do’s?’ or ‘how was your trip to the audition?’. At least actors get to speak a monologue. We singers have to sing it, look natural and sound fantastic on the 1st time through.

Spamalot

I’m not sure why I’m even questioning my fear? That part of the ‘job interview’ is the only part which seems normal. At least my Death Star had some comic relief which helped bring a smile to my face as I made my way through the building….and the firing squad, no I mean the audition panel – the ones I keep being told are on my side, even though they are on the other side of the room facing me….hm?!, seemed nice enough, especially the hunky looking director in the middle.

So how can I round this up, well, I think my fear is perfectly normal and the situation isn’t. Thank God, I have a great sense of humour to add the ‘Spamalot’ kick to my Death Star music.

What tricks do you do to get through your auditions?

Debbie BridgeJune 19, 2008March 2, 2016 Auditions, Blog post, Business, music, Opera, Singers, singing No Comments

A Delicate Balance – Work/Life

Well, this is not an original topic but, it seems to be one I’m always battling. I seem to spend a lot of time working at the administration work of being a singer and a lot less at the actual act of singing! It always seems like everyone else just gets work so easily, so how do they do it?

If you are 1 of those, who the work just keeps rolling in, please let me know your secret.

I have got all the usual systems in place – website, an agent, constantly trolling wherever I can for auditions, etc… It’s just never ending and it never seems to take off of its own fruition.

To give you any idea, take a look at my diary on my website. That will give you an idea of what is actually on the horizon. There are a lot of possibilities, but only a few confirmed events.

So if any of you have any pointers on what I could do to help get more performing work, please get back to me, I’d love to hear from you or if you are struggling like me, I would love to hear your struggles as well!

Speak to ya soon!

Debbie BridgeMay 21, 2008December 19, 2015 Blog post, Business, Health, Life Balance, singing No Comments

Boycott the Sony Radio Awards

There’s all the noise in the press about the Olympics and boycotting because of Tibet, well, there is something right here in the UK which needs to be boycotted and that’s the Sony Radio Awards. I’m saying this because I submitted 1 of my shows that I produced from the COMMUNITY radio station Radio Reverb, only to find that not one COMMUNITY radio show made it to the finals. In fact, not only are ALL the finalists from commercial radio stations, it’s also a listing of the who’s, who of the BBC and other top COMMERCIAL radio shows.

Naturally I’m not happy that my show didn’t make it to the final listing, but there is no feedback, I don’t even know if they even listened to it, but to find not one lesser known or community based radio show on the listing, just made me feel like this whole thing is a sham. It’s only for the ‘big boys’ of radio and they have taken my £100 entry fee and ran, not to mention the hours I’ve spent putting the entry form together and for what? They don’t even seem to look at community radio. I was told to send a letter explaining the lack of technical ability and it would be taken into consideration. I have no idea whether that was the case, but it doesn’t seem to be, as the results only show that the big commercial radio stations will receive awards because they have the money behind them.

One last beef, is that the list of judges, also reads as a who’s, who of the producers and managers for these radio stations. How are these people going to be unbiased, when the shows and radio stations which are in the finals are, funnily enough, from the same places that these people work?

My suggestions are that the Sony awards, give me back my £100 and consider setting up awards for community radio stations as well. Stop taking money from the little guy and saying they will be treated equally as the commercial shows and then secretly ignoring them and just putting your buddies in the winning positions!

Boycott the Sony Radio Awards; send a message out to the ‘big boys’ of radio that this isn’t right or rename name the Awards the ‘mainly’ BBC COMMERCIAL Sony Radio Awards.

Your thoughts?

Debbie BridgeApril 16, 2008December 18, 2015 Blog post, music, Radio No Comments

A Singer’s Personality – what’s that got to do with it?

Well, I’ve read an article this month in the Singer magazine, Personality traits by Mark Glanville, about how the personality of a singer doesn’t always align with their voice type and the problems that can arise from such a situation. In fact, it goes so far as to say, “Many Singers less talented… and less accepting,…though with enough quality to have made a good career, would seem to have fallen by the wayside simply because they have had the misfortune to be gifted with a voice which was out of kilter with their personality.”

Voice Fach

This really struck a chord for me, forgive the pun, but it wasn’t intentional, I’ve always had a very flexible voice, so it has fitted to a variety of genres, but I can honestly say, they have not all ‘fit like a glove’. I’ve always been a soprano who has wanted to be a mezzo – fatal. It has caused me to look outside myself to find the identity of my voice, which, really at the end of the day, is not for anyone else to tell me, only I really know the answer to that. I’ve just been fishing around and boy is that evident in the CV and by what people have said over the years!

This article really made me look at what I’ve been doing and to take a closer look at myself; at what I am doing and thinking, so I can be more accepting and appreciative of what I do have, so I can then use that to its best potential. So what if I’m not a Handelian, Mozart or Wagnerian soprano, there is a lot that will fit me just fine in-between, such as Puccini and Strauss.

I must admit it hasn’t always been easy nor have I always liked what is most suited to me, but the road a head offers me many more opportunities, I just need to be more aware of what I like and what really does work best for me.

The glove that tends to fit me is in the Romantic period with its lushness and beauty, so I look forward to shopping around for just the right colour and size. What glove type are you?

Debbie BridgeFebruary 19, 2008March 1, 2016 Blog post, music, Singers, singing 1 Comment