by Priscilla

Apr.04, 2011, under Cast Blog

I have found the start of my involvement with Priscilla very exciting. The first night on was quite overwhelming with all the costumes and everything going on backstage. It’s like central station back there, but once you get over all that it’s great. We had four weeks to rehearse before the show started, but being a swing you don’t get that much time as they have to rehearse the principal cast. You watch things from backstage and you have to be pretty observant. Now the show is up and running we get more rehearsal time and when I made it on stage it all went to plan.

Steven Grace

I’m Australian and from Sydney originally. I started in this industry at a young age. I starred in Strictly Ballroom when I was ten, working with Baz Luhrhmann and Catherine Martin, which subsequently led to a role in Moulin Rouge. I also did a couple of musicals in Sydney, Steel City, which is Dein Perry’s show, the creator of Tap Dogs, as well as We Will Rock You and Fame. I then had a job with Cliff Richard touring for four months, which brought me over to the UK. I had the opportunity to stay on after, so I thought I would give it ago and was lucky enough to go into Chicago on the West End for a couple of years and Viva Le Diva with Darcey Bussell and Katherine Jenkins.

I’d never dragged up before Priscilla. I am used to cuban heels as a ballroom dancer, but never high heels. It’s something different and fun, which appealed to me, and being Australian I’m proud to be involved in an Australian show with an Australian story. The fun part is being out there and making people laugh and the hardest part is learning eleven tracks, which means I need to know what each male character’s role and choreography is within the show. The show moves so fast that you have to know what you are doing at all times, especially with all the scenery and costume changes that happen in Priscilla, but that is also the excitement of being a swing. As assistant dance captain I have to know the whole show, which is a lot of work to do. I keep going over my notes and I’m still finding out new things.

My favourite part of the show is the Finale. It’s so upbeat and the audiences are loving it by then. I also really enjoy Venus and Downtown, because the music is great and the house is pumping. You have to see Priscilla, because you will be in stitches laughing and it is the definition of fabulous!