We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Romy Turner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Romy below.
Hi Romy, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is interesting, because I think everyone experiences it in some way, especially in this industry, but everyone will experience it in different ways. For me, it can be both a blessing and a curse. I think a healthy dose of reality and grounding is so, so helpful and allows you to keep some perspective and reminds me just how amazing the things I am doing are; that the hard work and the rejection and the dusting off and trying again was all worth it. That’s the great part of it. To be able to walk around the city or look at the people I’m working with and the projects I’m able to audition for and think, is this my life!? Who am I!?! That’s definitely the fun part.
On the less helpful side of the spectrum, I absolutely experience impostor syndrome in most of the projects I have worked on. That feeling of overwhelming anxiety, that I’m not capable of doing something, or that casting have made a mistake and I’m going to let everyone down. That’s probably how I experience it the most; that feeling that I am going to let my colleagues and peers down. But that’s the gift of the people that you choose to surround yourself with; they are the ones that remind you to pull your head out of the sand and that if you prepare and do the work, you cannot let anyone down. Also, I really try to remind myself that making mistakes isn’t the end of the world. Everyone makes mistakes. No one can be perfect all the time, in fact mistakes are actually a great thing, because they give us an opportunity to learn and try something new that you otherwise might not have thought of before. Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely still working on that and I have slip ups all the time! But I like to think that by continuing to try and persevering, it makes me a better performer and a better person.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am very lucky that the thing that brought me to the USA is also the thing that I love to do; perform. I have only been in the USA for a very short time – under two years now – but I have had the immense privilege to be in many challenging and amazing productions. Across film, TV, theatre and musicals, I have had the chance to broaden the expectations for what characters I can play and had the amazing opportunity to work with some of the most promising and talented rising stars of the future, as well as established award winning creatives. The two projects that stand out the most so far from a professional stand-point would have to be my recent productions of The Duchess of LES and The Frankenstein Project.
The Duchess of LES, written by Denis Woychuk, directed by Randy Simon and produced by RSFWolf Entertainment LLC, tells the story of a community in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 1980’s, when the area was known as Little Ukraine due to the high numbers of Ukrainian immigrants who called it home. The musical focuses on the lives of five women, Simon, the love-struck romantic, who is desperately in love with Yulia, her in-and-out-of-jail brother’s wife, Miss B, Simon’s little sister, Richie, her best friend, and Mrs Torchenko, Yulia’s mother who might also be a mob boss. I played the role of principal standby for Simon.
The Frankenstein Project, written, directed and produced by the multi Emmy Award winning, William Electric Black (Ian Ellis James), retells Mary Shelley’s classic gothic story of Victor Frankenstein and the creature he creates that goes on a vengeance fueled quest to destroy the lives of not only Victor himself, but everyone whom he cares about. I played the role of the Monster, or Frankenstein’s Creature.
These productions not only afforded me my Off-Broadway debut, but they offered the opportunity to be a part of brand new, world premiere productions. It is a privileged position to be able to build a show from the ground up, knowing that the work you will be doing will form the basis for which all subsequent productions work from. Having that amount of creative freedom was such an incredible experience, and being encouraged to bring your wildest and most out there ideas about a moment or a character was such a gift. Those environments aren’t always the ones we find ourselves in, so for that to be my debut experience, I am in no doubt about how lucky I have been.
How I came to be in the US is a bit of a crazy story. In 2021 I was living and working in Sydney, Australia, not having been involved in any creative or performance roles for a few years since graduating. We were in the middle of one of the longest lockdown stretches the city experienced, and I was feeling pretty despondent about my future prospects. I’d also started a new job 4 days before everything shut down, so it was an interesting time. On a whim and definitely with zero expectation, I applied for a scholarship at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. I had taken an online class with them a few weeks previously and I thought it couldn’t hurt and it gave me something to do. My best friend and I stayed up late one night writing my entrance essay, I got reference statements from some teachers I had worked with previously, submitted and then didn’t think much of it. Again, we were in the middle of the pandemic so to me the likelihood of moving to the other side of the world was almost laughable. A few weeks later, to my great surprise and delight, I was called in for an initial zoom interview which turned into another interview with more people, which turned into a zoom call with the president of the institute and an offer of a fully paid scholarship in the name of Lee and Anna Strasberg. To say I was shocked was an understatement. It was 3am in Sydney, my cat was wandering around in the background of the call and I was half dressed normal, half pyjamas. It was a very strange circumstance to have such a life changing event occur, but it makes me chuckle now!
Something that I have really come to believe through this entire process, though, is that there is never a “too late” or “too old” when it comes to pursuing what makes you happy. Going back into a study environment a few years after completing my degree, where I have been able to travel, grow and mature as a person, has proved to be the biggest gift I could have been given. I was in a much better position to learn and try new things, as well as having more confidence in myself and trusting my gut more on what is the right thing for me. I would say to anyone, especially anyone looking at going into the performing arts or creative careers, I know there is so much pressure to succeed before a certain age, but I promise you, your time will come when it’s the right time for you. There is no time limit on when you can start building the career that makes you happy. To say I was shocked by the level of support and encouragement I have received since moving, would be an understatement. Not only have I been given the opportunity to stretch myself and the boundaries of what I thought I was capable of, but I have been able to perform in incredible productions, work with supremely talented actors, collaborate with award winning creatives, and prove to myself that I am capable of more than I ever thought possible. You can never predict what opportunities the world will put in your path. You just have to be in the right place to take advantage of them when they come around. I’m having an absolute blast and I just hope to keep getting better and better.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I could only offer advice from my experience which will not be what everyone’s experience is. I am also at the beginning of my career so I have so much left to learn. I think rather than giving out any of my own advice, because let’s be honest I am still bumbling along figuring it out as I go, I’ll offer three qualities that others have given me that I have really felt have served me well.
Be Kind – It’s so easy and you’d think that it’s a given and not something that is necessary to mention because everyone does it already. But oh boy! You’d be surprised how many people either completely forget this one, or just genuinely don’t care and don’t think that this matters in an industry like entertainment. That is the worst mistake you can possibly make. Truly. Being a kind person and someone who is good to be around and work with is the most important thing. You may not be the most talented person but if you have a reputation for being a pain to work with or just not a very nice person, you won’t get the job. So much of this industry is based on who you know and making those connections. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by not being nice. It’s so easy. Now I don’t mean you have to be happy, cheery, robot 100% of the time. It’s just basic manners and courtesy to everyone you work with. And the more consideration and kindness you bring to a space, the more you will receive back. It’s a win win!
Be On Time – This one is a little on the nose but, as someone who really struggles with time management and time keeping, the importance of this one cannot be understated. I was told while I was getting my degree; If you’re early – you’re on time. If you’re on time – you’re late. If you’re late – you’re fired. While this is a little simplistic, because if you’ve ever tried to take the New York subway and had it absolutely play you, you know that sometimes things happen that are out of your control. It really is important to be punctual to rehearsals and call times and have good clear communication if you’re delayed. It’s less about the delay itself, but more about respect for everyone else. Being on time shows that you respect the time of the creatives, the producers, and the cast; all of whom are giving their time and money to create something fantastic. If you’re not considerate of the time and energy of everyone else you’re working with, it’s unlikely you’ll be asked back, which loops back to the be nice thing. It’s all linked together.
Do The Work – Come. Prepared. If you have lines to learn; be off book when you need to be off book. If you have choreography or blocking that you have already learnt; make sure you have practiced it and it is in your body; if you have harmonies; know your line. It’s really simple things but it all comes back to the impression you are leaving on the people you are working with. Do you care about the project? Are you respectful of the work that others are putting in to get the project to a point that you as a creative or cast member can participate and play in the world they have created? Even in the projects that are hard to get through – because we all have them – it’s respecting that the cast is all in it together and you have each others backs and get through it together. You don’t need to make it harder than it is by not knowing your stuff. And at the end of the day, if you have put in the work on your part of a project, you will enjoy the experience so much more and you will be much more confident and proud of the finished product because you will know that you gave it everything you had, which to me is the most important thing.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
I don’t think anyone would be being honest if they said that their journey in life – in whatever form that may take and in whatever industry – was a smooth road. Everyone experiences ups and downs along their way, whether they be big or small. I am very fortunate to have an incredibly supportive family and friend group who have been unbelievable in my pursuit of my career and my move to the US. Professionally, I have really struggled with the idea that as a woman in musical theatre there was a direct link between how high you could “belt” and how “good” or successful you will be. Now, this is absolute rubbish. I’d like to get that out of the way, because it has taken me many years, and stepping away from performing entirely for a time, to realise how far from the truth this mindset is. This was never something that was ever said outright, thank goodness, however, it is something that when discussing with friends and peers in Australia, is a feeling that was shared by many people trying to enter the industry or were attending university.
To clarify for those who are not singers or who are not a part of the singing/musical theatre communities, according to Wikepeadia, “belting” can be described as “…(when) a singer carries their chest voice above their break or passaggio…” In layman’s terms, and how it was described to me for a very very long time, “belting” is pushing your chest voice as high as possible. I could try and explain how wrong this definition is myself, however, Emily Kristin Morris, a multi-skilled performer and founder of the EKM Vocal Studio summed it up perfectly when she broke this definition down and explained that in reality “…pulling your chest voice above your first passaggio is when you start screaming, is when you start hurting yourself…”
It has only been in the last year that I have really understood this and have worked hard, with the support of some truly incredible vocal coaches that I have had the immense privilege to be able to study with, to unlearn this as both a physical way of singing, but also as a mindset. The idea that I just wasn’t good enough because I struggled to sing a section of one song – which I was trying to sing in the completely wrong way, mind you – meant that I would never be as successful as the girls I saw who could sing them with ease. This was by no means easy though, and sometimes I have to remind myself today that not only am I capable of singing that material, but that it has absolutely no influence on my worth in the industry or my self worth! It’s a lesson I wish I didn’t have to learn but I am so glad for it and the self-confidence I have gotten as a result. If I were to give any advice to young performers who are feeling like they are being asked to push themselves in ways that, in their gut, they know is off; trust your instinct and find the people who are going to support and encourage you on your unique path! There is no ‘right’ or ‘correct’ way to create a career in this business; just trust yourself, surround yourself with people you trust, and don’t give up!
On a personal note, home is a long way away and there is no guarantee for anyone trying to make a career in the arts that you’ll find success. There were definitely times in the lead up to actually making the move here and my first few weeks in the US, where I was pretty convinced that I wasn’t going to stay. I was really lonely and the city was just so big and intimidating that I didn’t want to stay here. The reason I ended up staying really has nothing to do with me – of course I started to meet people and got to know my area more – but it really is entirely because of my support system, my family and my best friend. Having a group of people around you, no matter how far away they may be, has been so important in bouncing ideas off of, reminding me to laugh at myself when I am in my head about things, and, when I’m tired, reminding me why I decided to move here in the first place. Sometimes they have more belief in what I can do than I do, so I will always say that everything I am doing and any success I receive here is a team effort, because there is absolutely no possibility that I could do anything without them; I am just one part of a very special team, who are making this happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://romyturner24.wixsite.com/official
- Instagram: @romy_turner
Image Credits
Headshots – Matt Simpkins
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