A Quick Chat With Michael Ralph

AussieTheatre.com catches up with Michael Ralph, choreographer of Milk and Honey for Magnormos’ Jerry Herman Triptych, and recent cast member of FAME! and Cats.

1. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A Dancer/Choreographer

2. Who is the most important person in the world to you?
My Parents – I wouldn’t be here without them.

3. What animal best represents you and why?
An Otter – I think cause theyre small, cute, placid and can be really still for ages but can move/swim really fast and smoothly when they have to. I also see them having a really witty sense of humour… too much BBC Doco/Comedy influence here clearly.

4. If you were a contestant on Deal or No Deal, how much would you need to be on offer before you walked away?
Anything above my current financial worth!

5. What’s the worst date you’ve ever had?
Can’t say I’ve ever really had a bad date… or many dates at all for that matter. If someone took me on a date without me realising it was supposed to be a date I’m truly sorry!

6. Windows or MAC?
MAC

7. Which Spice Girl was your favourite?
Ginger Spice – the funny camp one

8. Who is the actor you would be most like to work alongside?
Don’t really have an actor but would love to work with today’s brilliant Broadway choreographers like Rob Ashford, Susan Stroman, Rob Marshall etc.

9. What five songs would be the first you put a mix tape?
Too hard to narrow down… it would be a mixture of Pop, Classic hits of the past, and showtunes though.

10. What is the best thing about theatre in Australia?
It’s such a small community.

11. What is the worst thing about theatre in Australia?
It’s such a small community.

12. Favourite food?
Chocolate!

13. What would you do if you found a wallet on the ground? 
Pick it up and see if theres any contact information in it.

14. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
I worked in the local council back home (New Zealand) over my summer holidays while I was in high school. Shutting me inside a giant filing cabinet for eight hours a day 5 days a week was probably the most inspiring thing I could have done at the time: It motivated me to never end up in an office job.

15. What’s the first website you visit when you come online?
Gmail

16. Name one moment when you looked around, breathed happily and felt content.
In Manila/Taiwan on tour in CATS playing Skimbleshanks. It was an incredible opportunity that came to me out of the blue. I felt very blessed and honoured to be playing a dream role and to be back working with such a dedicated, talented and friendly company.

17. Red or white?
White, but if someone offers me red I’m usually too polite to decline.

18. Where is the most interesting place you have travelled?
China!

19. Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
Working with Lea Salonga was definitely a career highlight thus far.

20. Where do you see yourself in five years? 
Working in a show either onstage, or in a dance captain/resident choreographer position or ultimately choreographing musicals professionally full time.