Meet Blanc De Blanc performer Melanie Hawkins
The Adelaide-born performer has shared the stage with some of the best in the musical theatre business. Between rehearsals for Adelaide Fringe showstopper Blanc De Blanc Encore, singer and dancer Hawkins tells Katie Spain about her childhood full of highs, mental health lows, and the happy feet that kept her grounded.
Fringe
Don't miss out on the headlines from Fringe. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Adelaide-born performer Melanie Hawkins has shared the stage with some of the best in the musical theatre business. Between rehearsals for Adelaide Fringe showstopper Blanc De Blanc Encore, singer and dancer Hawkins tells Katie Spain about her childhood full of highs, mental health lows, and the happy feet that kept her grounded.
...
I started dancing I think when I was about three. My mum put me into dance classes because I was pigeon-toed as a child and someone had advised her that ballet helps with turning your feet out. I quickly fell completely head over heels in love with it.
Painstaking persistence
At one point, Mum couldn’t really afford to take me to do dance lessons and I have a vivid memory of crying about it in the car. She ended up cleaning the dance studios to pay for my lessons. She could really see that, that it was going to be my life.
The next steps
I quickly realised that musical theatre was something I definitely wanted to do and that’s what I’ve been doing most of for last 10 years or so. As career highlights go, the very first production of Wicked, The Musical was really special.
A humble hero
Working with Hugh Jackman in the Broadway to Oz Australian arena concert tour was definitely a highlight. What a man! He’s the most incredible, hardworking, honourable human. When he turned up on day one, he knew everyone’s name. He had little traditions, like scratchie Fridays where he’d bring us all scratchie ticket. I really can’t say enough good things about him.
Disco fever
My first leading role in a musical was in Saturday Night Fever. I absolutely loved it because I love disco; the ’70s and the ’80s are my decades. Actually, I feel like I was born a little bit late!
Life’s challenges
My mum had bipolar, manic depression and schizophrenia. She was diagnosed before I was born, so that was my entire life. She actually lost her battle to mental illness while I was performing in Wicked. I learned a lot from her. She was my best friend.
Ups and downs
We lived with my grandma for a little while and when I was very young mum was in and out of institutions. She went to Glenside [Hospital] a few times and I was in charge of her medication a lot and would go to the doctor’s appointments with her. We discovered and learnt about her illness together.
Local love
I really had an incredible childhood growing up in the suburbs (North Kensington) and I feel very lucky – even among all the struggles. I wouldn’t change any of it.
Keeping it real
We all have our highs and lows and I’ve definitely experienced the gamut of it all. For me, it’s more about learning how it affects you and how you can live a good life as opposed to letting it affect you in a negative way.
Join me in the Garden
We really take the audience on a journey that leaves them feeling delighted and ready to party like crazy. The performers are amazing; there’s nine of us from all corners of the globe; aerial acts, comedians, amazing vocalists, singers, dancers. There’s never a dull moment and it has something completely new for everyone.
Balancing act
We work our butts off, we really do, and we work until very late at night so I let myself sleep in when I can. If I’m in bed at 2am, then I’m in bed until 2pm. That’s just how it goes.
My happy place
The older you get, the more your wants, needs and goals are going to change – and that’s OK. At the moment, doing a job that makes me feel creatively pushed to my limit is something that makes me feel really content and happy. I didn’t grow up with a big family and I lived with a single mum when I was growing up so I’ve sort of been quite alone I guess for a lot of my life. So having people around me to support me and love me makes me feel really content as well.
Blanc de Blanc Encore is at Fortuna Spiegeltent, The Garden of Unearthly Delights until March 15. Tickets from $49, gardenofunearthlydelights.com.au