Blake Appelqvist: Rob Guest Endowment Finalist 2015

The Rob Guest Endowment annual gala concert is just one week away and it’s shaping up to be an incredible night of entertainment. The big event will take place on Monday November 9, where six finalists — emerging stars of Australian musical theatre — will take the stage at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre to compete for a a prize package of $20,000 and a headshot package from Blueprint Studios.

AussieTheatre’s Cassie Tongue asked ten questions of each finalist, in the lead-up to the concert, to find out about their lives, careers, and how they’re preparing for the high-calibre event.

Today we feature our fifth finalist for 2015, Blake Appelqvist, who will graduate from VCA’s Musical Theatre course this year and step straight into the cast of Ghost The Musical.

1. When did you know you wanted to become a performer?

My first love for performance came from dancing at a young age, but I have always loved music and films – performance is the language that I understand and enjoy with my whole body.

2. What made you apply for the Rob Guest Endowment?

The Rob Guest Endowment is such a unique and generous award. It provides countless possibilities for all those involved, it’s an opportunity for performers to add their colours to the identity of musical theatre in Australia and most of all is a beautiful way to commemorate someone that is so influential to young performers.

3. What would be your dream song to perform at the finals and why?

Run Freedom Run from Urinetown with my VCA classmates. This song and this
musical hold so many stupidly hilarious and glorious memories from when we performed it last year, and it would be a dream to relive that memory.

4. What has been your most rewarding onstage experience?

Performing West Side Story with the Production Company earlier this year and sharing my professional debut with an inspiring cast and an incredible creative team

5. What’s your go-to, belt-it-out-in-the-shower song?

Bad Religion – Frank Ocean

6. What’s your dream role, regardless of age, gender, or anything else?

Gabey in On The Town

7. This is a tough industry. What keeps you going?

Good coffee and good music

8. What’s the number one item on your bucket list?

Dance on the moon

9. Do you have any pre­performance rituals?

There’s a ritual that I do with my graduating year at the VCA where before each major performance we chant ALL OF ME three times together. It focuses us and reminds us to give our whole selves to the performance

10. Why does musical theatre matter?

Musical theatre is storytelling through text, dance and music, and it is one of the most important things we can do as human beings, because we use stories to understand our world and it is our duty as artists to share that understanding. It helps sharpen the blur of what it means to be human.

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Follow the Rob Guest Endowment official Instagram account to see each of the 6 finalists ‘takeover’ for a week leading up to the concert.

Check out our previous interviews with 2015 finalists
Daniel Assetta
Ashleigh Rubenach
Robert McDougall
Hilary Cole

For more information and to book tickets to the event, visit robguestendowment.com.au