Let's Talk Theatre Again #3: A Day in the Life of Actress & Vocalist Alexis Petersen!

Alexis Petersen in Danger in the Dark
Photo by Jesse Kramer 

In any musical, there are characters that stay with you long after the curtains have closed. Its been months since we have seen Danger in the Dark at the Baxter Theatre (see a review of this show on our previous posts!) and the character of Pamela, played by Alexis Petersen, still resonates with us. One of the known reasons for this may be, as mentioned by Sarafina Magazine, that Pamela taking to the streets as a vehicle for change was very symbolic and pertinent to the femicide and gender-based violence protests that broke out in September 2019. How these voices and issues were musically represented was remarkable and completely owed to the show’s director, David Kramer. We definitely see some of the fruits of having rewritten this show!

Unfortunately, Danger in the Dark has been cancelled at the Baxter Theatre due to the coronavirus outbreak. But on the plus side, it has given us time to get to know the woman behind the character of Pamela!

Alexis Petersen in Langarm
Photo by Claude Barnardo 

Cultsha Kennis: Congratulations on your roles in the recent musicals by David Kramer, Danger in the Dark and Langarm. What has been your biggest highlights in the performance of these musicals?

AP: Thank you very much! The highlights of being a part of these David Kramer productions were being able to challenge and express myself as an artist, sending and sharing light and hope, and sharing the stage with experienced and inspiring artists such as Elton Landrew, Loukmaan Adams and Edith Plaatjies – to name a few! Performing on two prestigious stages – The Fugard Theatre and The Baxter Theatre – was such an honour and blessing. Both of these productions are Proudly South African! They are based on our South African stories, which is strongly relatable and authentic. I also got to work closely with someone like David Kramer who has such a wealth of experience and knowledge of the music industry. He has such humility, love, care and passion. Very few directors encourage organic character development.

Alexis Petersen in Danger in the Dark
Photo by Jesse Kramer 

Cultsha Kennis: Pamela's zest for change in Danger in the Dark was particularly compelling. How do you go about preparing for specific roles?

AP: Wow. Pamela is quite a layered character. She has qualities of gentleness, sincerity, strength, courage and innocence. In preparing for specific roles, I use my experiences as part of my characterisation: my own experiences and of those around me. I research and study the mind, body and emotion by observing and listening. I'm born and bred in Belgravia Athlone, which is right opposite gangster ridden Kewtown. Apart from this I am also aware of the socio-economic and inequities that exist for people in poorer communities. Pamela, a courageous and determined Woman, is a voice for those who have yet to discover their own. With that being said, I was surrounded by strong willed women, such as my single Mother, grandmother and aunts, who have been part of my development as a person.

Alexis Petersen in The Music Box
Photo by Crystian Van Staden 

Cultsha Kennis: How has studying Western Classical Voice at UCT prepared you for a career in theatre? 

AP: Being classically trained has been a blessing in various ways. I have so much gratitude and respect for my high school vocal teacher, Shirley Sutherland and UCT vocal teachers (Late) George Stevens and Virginia Davids. They all form part of the following qualities that has prepared me for theatre: maintaining the health of my voice; developing a wider vocal range; ability to sight read music and harmonise; vast and intricate range of repertoire; developing better projection, diction and confidence.

Cultsha Kennis: Tell us about your background in music and singing. How did you get inspired into the musical world? 

AP: My love for music stems from entire musical family, but mostly my parents and grandfather. Both my parents are Opera singers. I fondly remember spending days and nights in the dressing room of The Artscape Theatre, while my (late) Mom was singing in Opera's. I also travelled to various competitions, eisteddfods and shows both nationally and internationally with the Gleemoor Ladies Choir, which my (late) maternal Grandfather started and conducted. My Mom took over the baton, since my grandfather's health was not in the best shape due to a heart attack. Since a young age, I was constantly surrounded by music. I sang in both my primary and high School choirs’ church band. I was also a chorister in the Cape Town Youth Choir, formerly known as the Pro Cantu Choir. The choir participated in the World Choir Games in 2010, which took place in Austria, Graz. For me, music creates a sense of divine joy and a space to just be and feel. I just knew music and the arts is something my heart needs to express and share with the world.

Alexis Petersen in The Little Mermaid

Cultsha Kennis: Last year you have performed in a production of The Little Mermaid at Canal Walk. What do you enjoy about performing for a younger audience? 

AP: I have a deep love for children. I truly appreciate how children are so receptive to their true emotions. Their imagination and creativity is inspiring. They are filled with exuberance and zest for life. Children help me to appreciate the simple joys that life has to offer, and to embrace my inner child.

Cultsha Kennis: What does a typical day look like for you at work?  

AP: Physical and vocal warm up, learning material, characterisation work, vocal/ dance rehearsals, scene work – and the sequence just continues for hours. It's such a beautiful creative space to be in.

Cultsha Kennis: Are you working on anything new at the moment? 

AP: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, work has been challenging but the future looks promising. I am using time to do research to get a better understanding about music, theatre and movies, and to identify specific areas in which I require growth and development. I am also exploring and developing opportunities to create online content such as videos that will focus on some of the things that I feel are important. I am currently working on a home video regarding police and army brutality during the COVID-19 lockdown. I also have desires to develop content for children and other things that resonate with me.

Alexis Petersen in Calling Us Home 

Cultsha Kennis: How has the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent lockdown affected your work? What lessons do you think the arts and theatre industries should consider for the future in light of this?

AP: The lockdown has affected my work significantly. With theatres being closed, there is no space to connect with people and perform live theatre. In the future, there should be ways to develop online theatre, which could be done solo or in collaboration with any other artist in the world.

Follow Alexia Petersen on social media! 

Instagram: alexis_petersen94

Facebook: Alexis Petersen