A Quick Chat With Todd Goddard

We catch up with Todd Goddard, currently appearing in Annie at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, The Star, to ask him our 20 questions…

1.As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A Paranormal Investigator (I was a strange child!)

2. Who is the most important person in the world to you?
Mouse… for all the clichéd reasons.

3. What animal best represents you and why?
A ‘fox’, because they are intelligent, sleek and loyal. Also, ‘Todd’ literally means ‘fox’.

4. If you were a contestant on Deal or No Deal, how much would you need to be on offer before you walked away?
Ummmm…. enough to cover a Lasik Eye procedure, maybe?

5. What was the first piece of theatre/film/TV you ever appeared in and how old were you?
Gosh, it was television, I reckon. I vaguely recall appearing as a Dutch Boy on a Joe Hasham variety programme on the then Channel 0 (which I think is what evolved into SBS). I was probably about 8, and I might have dropped my wooden clog on a drum kit.

6. Windows or MAC?
Thanks in no small part to Blake Bowden, I am now a MAC convert.

7. What has been the most exciting/memorable moment in rehearsals for ANNIE so far?
Falling completely horizontal in front of the assembled cast, creatives AND the 7.30 Report camera crew at the end of “Hooverville” was pretty memorable.

8. Never work with children or animals – discuss.
Don’t believe the Press…. our dogs and dainty Divas are completely adorable.

9. Who is the actor you would most like to work alongside?
Kevin Spacey

10. What five songs would be the first you put on a mix tape?
What an impossible question. A few that come to mind might include:
“It Must Be So” (Candide)
“The Water Is Wide” (Traditional)
“Not A Day Goes By” (Merrily We Roll Along)
“Einmal” (Der Glöckner von Notre Dame)
“One Day More” (Les Misérables)

11. What is the best thing about theatre in Australia?
Currently, that Australian artists, particularly in Musical Theatre, are being afforded the opportunity to contribute to the development of exciting new works, both local and international. We are blessed with such a wealth of talent, and it’s exciting to be able to stamp our very own Australian ‘footprint’ on works that might well have a life beyond our shores.

12. What’s the worst thing about theatre in Australia?
The lack of opportunities, and the constant struggle our theatre producers face to balance commercial/financial considerations against artistic goals in a cultural and economic climate that is not always nurturing. I wish those that distribute the corporate sponsorships would find seats at the theatre as alluring as a corporate box at the football.

13. Name one moment when you looked around, breathed happily and felt content.
Seeing myself in the sidewalk production shots that adorned the Princess Theatre for the Opening Night of the 2007 Tour of The Phantom Of The Opera. The original Australian production had been such a massive event in my formative years that to actually now be a part of it’s ongoing story was hugely satisfying.

14. Where is the most interesting place you have travelled?
The United States

15. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully still creating and teaching

16. Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
Probably Geoffrey Rush at his post-Oscar Media Call. I was working at Belvoir Street Theatre at the time, and he stopped for a casual chat during a rare calm in the flurry of interviews.

17. Most embarrassing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Having the front of my lederhosen fall open during an onstage game of leapfrog in The Sound Of Music would definitely be a contender. That sort of thing makes an impression on a 12yr old!

18. What’s your favourite post-show snack?
Sadly, it’s carbs!!! Rice, noodles or pasta.

19. What are you looking forward to doing ‘Tomorrow’?
Chilling on the couch after the show. It’s one of my favourite parts of the day.

20. What’s your biggest phobia?
Unemployment