Theatre Bears: Hi Christina,
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Rent is an amazing show and your portrayal of Maureen has impressed many.
Christina Modestou: That's very kind of you, thank you!
TB: You trained at Arts Ed, and we were wondering how much you enjoyed your training and how your time there helped prepare you for your following career in the theatre?
CM: Those 3 years training were invaluable! You are pushed to your limits and you learn so much about yourself and the industry. You learn about every aspect of performing e.g. Performing different styles, using techniques in all three disciplines to enable you perform 8 shows a week, repertoire for auditions, the history of musical theatre, creating a character, audition technique, the list goes on. You get to work with people who have experience in or who are currently working in the industry, this can also help build contacts for when you leave. At the end of the 3 years you hopefully leave with an agent and they set you up with auditions. Then you put everything you've learned into practice and continue growing through working in the industry.
TB: Do you have any specific quotes or rituals to help you prepare for auditions or get you in the correct mind-set before a show?
CM: I don't have any specific quotes but I do try to get myself in a certain frame of mind. I think the biggest key to auditioning is preparation. There are many things in an audition situation that you can't control e.g. what the panel think, the pianist, the room etc… so I set myself up and really prepare the things I can control e.g. the material I take in, what I wear, accents if needed etc.. so that when I go in the room I am comfortable and confident. It's not fool proof but I find it really makes a difference. Sometimes those things do get the better of you even when you've done all the preparation in the world but you just have to learn from it and move forward. You may find out about an audition the night before, but you just have to do as much as you can in the time you are given. Auditions are not a memory test. Before a show I do a full physical and vocal warm up and my preparation for the show will depend on the role and any notes I've been given by the director or md. It’ll also depend on how I'm feeling on the day e.g if I'm tired then I will do a quick exercise to get my energy up and if I have too much energy I take a second to just centre myself, again, it depends on the character.
TB: What was it like playing Nina in the UK premiere of In the Heights?
CM: It's still my absolute favourite! It's hard to put it into words but if you've seen that scene in
Love Actually where Laura Linney’s character celebrates behind the front door….it's a bit like that times 1000. It was a very special show and a great role to play and I am so happy I got to do my version of it. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
TB: You have covered the roles of some prominent female voices in musical theatre, Killer Queen in We Will Rock You and your current role as Maureen to name two. How do you prepare for these roles?
CM: So, as a cover your process is a little bit different to the leads. You learn your lines and sometimes you are rehearsed and sometimes you're not. You just have to keep watching and listening to any direction given, changes made etc..This is easier to do in a rehearsal process. Sometimes you are given an archive video of the show so you can watch the parts you don't usually see when you are on stage in your own track. So there is a lot of homework to do as a cover. You have to make sure you can step into someone else's shoes but make everyone around you on stage feel comfortable as well as fooling an audience into thinking you do it every night and giving them their monies worth. Once the show is up and running you do tend to have cover rehearsals which are great fun. You get to see everyone's own take on each role and actually walk it through yourself and get a better understanding of the character and their relationships with other characters in the show.
TB: Of the powerful numbers you’ve had the opportunity to sing when playing these roles, which has been your favourite?
CM: Hmmmm this is a hard one. Probably “Take Me Or Leave Me”. To experience the reaction from the audience at the end of that song is pretty awesome!
TB: Being in Rent is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster – for the audience and actors on stage alike! How do you prepare yourself for going through so much emotion every show?
CM: You know what, I'm not sure there is any preparation for this. If you are just listening to the other actors on stage and you know your character inside out, the emotion just comes. You have to just trust yourself and your instincts. Trying to force emotion in any way takes out any truth and has very little effect on an audience.
TB: If you could play any other role in Rent, male or female, which character would it be?
Oooooooh they are all pretty fun! This is a hard one…. Probably Collins actually! I love all of his songs! I always sang along to his lines in rehearsals ;)
TB: What has been your favourite show to date and why?
CM: I feel like I've been so lucky so far! I have loved every job! I think my favourite has been In The Heights closely followed by Urinetown and Rent….but I've loved the others too….I'm so indecisive…can you tell?
TB: And finally, if you had the opportunity to pick and play your dream role, from any show and any time, which would it be and why?
CM: Oh no you're asking me to choose again….hmm…this could take a while. There are so many roles I'd love to play. Carol King in Beautiful, Elphaba in Wicked, Jenna in Waitress, Nancy in Oliver….. that's just touching the surface of the more well known shows…..the list goes on and on so I should probably stop there.
TB: Thank you again for your time!
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Rent is an amazing show and your portrayal of Maureen has impressed many.
Christina Modestou: That's very kind of you, thank you!
TB: You trained at Arts Ed, and we were wondering how much you enjoyed your training and how your time there helped prepare you for your following career in the theatre?
CM: Those 3 years training were invaluable! You are pushed to your limits and you learn so much about yourself and the industry. You learn about every aspect of performing e.g. Performing different styles, using techniques in all three disciplines to enable you perform 8 shows a week, repertoire for auditions, the history of musical theatre, creating a character, audition technique, the list goes on. You get to work with people who have experience in or who are currently working in the industry, this can also help build contacts for when you leave. At the end of the 3 years you hopefully leave with an agent and they set you up with auditions. Then you put everything you've learned into practice and continue growing through working in the industry.
TB: Do you have any specific quotes or rituals to help you prepare for auditions or get you in the correct mind-set before a show?
CM: I don't have any specific quotes but I do try to get myself in a certain frame of mind. I think the biggest key to auditioning is preparation. There are many things in an audition situation that you can't control e.g. what the panel think, the pianist, the room etc… so I set myself up and really prepare the things I can control e.g. the material I take in, what I wear, accents if needed etc.. so that when I go in the room I am comfortable and confident. It's not fool proof but I find it really makes a difference. Sometimes those things do get the better of you even when you've done all the preparation in the world but you just have to learn from it and move forward. You may find out about an audition the night before, but you just have to do as much as you can in the time you are given. Auditions are not a memory test. Before a show I do a full physical and vocal warm up and my preparation for the show will depend on the role and any notes I've been given by the director or md. It’ll also depend on how I'm feeling on the day e.g if I'm tired then I will do a quick exercise to get my energy up and if I have too much energy I take a second to just centre myself, again, it depends on the character.
TB: What was it like playing Nina in the UK premiere of In the Heights?
CM: It's still my absolute favourite! It's hard to put it into words but if you've seen that scene in
Love Actually where Laura Linney’s character celebrates behind the front door….it's a bit like that times 1000. It was a very special show and a great role to play and I am so happy I got to do my version of it. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
TB: You have covered the roles of some prominent female voices in musical theatre, Killer Queen in We Will Rock You and your current role as Maureen to name two. How do you prepare for these roles?
CM: So, as a cover your process is a little bit different to the leads. You learn your lines and sometimes you are rehearsed and sometimes you're not. You just have to keep watching and listening to any direction given, changes made etc..This is easier to do in a rehearsal process. Sometimes you are given an archive video of the show so you can watch the parts you don't usually see when you are on stage in your own track. So there is a lot of homework to do as a cover. You have to make sure you can step into someone else's shoes but make everyone around you on stage feel comfortable as well as fooling an audience into thinking you do it every night and giving them their monies worth. Once the show is up and running you do tend to have cover rehearsals which are great fun. You get to see everyone's own take on each role and actually walk it through yourself and get a better understanding of the character and their relationships with other characters in the show.
TB: Of the powerful numbers you’ve had the opportunity to sing when playing these roles, which has been your favourite?
CM: Hmmmm this is a hard one. Probably “Take Me Or Leave Me”. To experience the reaction from the audience at the end of that song is pretty awesome!
TB: Being in Rent is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster – for the audience and actors on stage alike! How do you prepare yourself for going through so much emotion every show?
CM: You know what, I'm not sure there is any preparation for this. If you are just listening to the other actors on stage and you know your character inside out, the emotion just comes. You have to just trust yourself and your instincts. Trying to force emotion in any way takes out any truth and has very little effect on an audience.
TB: If you could play any other role in Rent, male or female, which character would it be?
Oooooooh they are all pretty fun! This is a hard one…. Probably Collins actually! I love all of his songs! I always sang along to his lines in rehearsals ;)
TB: What has been your favourite show to date and why?
CM: I feel like I've been so lucky so far! I have loved every job! I think my favourite has been In The Heights closely followed by Urinetown and Rent….but I've loved the others too….I'm so indecisive…can you tell?
TB: And finally, if you had the opportunity to pick and play your dream role, from any show and any time, which would it be and why?
CM: Oh no you're asking me to choose again….hmm…this could take a while. There are so many roles I'd love to play. Carol King in Beautiful, Elphaba in Wicked, Jenna in Waitress, Nancy in Oliver….. that's just touching the surface of the more well known shows…..the list goes on and on so I should probably stop there.
TB: Thank you again for your time!