Call To Stage with Amber Davies

On this episode of Call To Stage, we're joined by the sensational Karen Mavundukure - Amber's Paulette, partner in on-stage comedy crime and self-described forever sister.Karen's journey into musical theatre came almost by accident. After moving to the UK from Zimbabwe as a child and studying straight music at LIPA with no intention of going into theatre, she stumbled into the industry via The X Factor and a chance audition, going on to play alternate Effie in the original West End cast of Dreamgirls.She has since starred in The Color Purple (UK Tour), Stranger Things: The First Shadow (West End), and now stars as Paulette in the UK Tour of Legally Blonde.On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Karen talk about the unconventional route Karen took to landing Paulette, unique creative freedom of director Nikolai Foster's rehearsal room and the comedic chemistry between Paulette and Elle that has become one of the heart-and-soul moments of the show.There are also brilliant stories from Dreamgirls, The Color Purple and Stranger Things, as well as a candid conversation about the toll of pushing through illness on tour, touring digs gone wrong, and letting go of vocal-health rituals that had become more of a burden than a help.Thanks To Our SponsorsSign up for your £1 a month free trial with Shopify and start selling today at shopify.co.ukFor more bonus content, join the Call To Stage Backstage Pass on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/calltostage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Call To StageInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostageSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber is flying solo — and this time it's a full Q&A, straight from her Instagram.With a phone full of questions from her followers, Amber settles in for one of the most fun, frank and wide-ranging episodes she's ever recorded. This one covers everything!Amber opens up about the realities of touring in a leading role for the second time — how it compares to Pretty Woman, what she's learned about looking after herself, and why playing Elle Woods still genuinely doesn't feel like work. She gets candid about managing mental health on the road, dealing with drama (or choosing not to) and the hard-won wisdom that comes with doing this job for over a decade.There are behind-the-scenes moments too — including the story of the quick change that went spectacularly wrong on closing night in Sheffield — as well as heartfelt reflections on the co-stars who have shaped her most, from Louise Redknapp teaching her the ropes of the public eye on 9 to 5, to Corbin Blue showing her what it means to truly give in a scene, to the unspoken comedy rhythm she has found with her Legally Blonde co-star Karen.Amber also answers fan questions on her dream roles, her favourite theatres, Strictly, long distance relationships, blanking on stage, and — inevitably — which kind of potato she would be.For more bonus content, join the Call To Stage Backstage Pass on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/calltostage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Call To StageInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostageSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest on this episode of Call To Stage is, in many ways, just like us: Loves musical theatre, obsessed with High School Musical... but she gets to spend her life playing some of the fiercest women on stage. Vivian Panka is on the podcast!Vivian Panka has starred as Heather Duke in Heathers: The Musical (at The Other Palace and in the pro-shot), Judy Bernly in the UK Tour of 9 To 5: The Musical (taking over the role from our very own Amber) as well as Alana in the tour of Dear Evan Hansen.She joins Amber in the studio on the eve of starting rehearsals for her newest role: Regina George in the UK Tour of Mean Girls.On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Vivian talk about falling in love with musical theatre through High School Musical, taking the leap and moving to the UK during lockdown with nothing but a dream and the pressure (and thrill) of stepping into an iconic leading role.Vivian also shares her whirlwind audition journey for Mean Girls, her experiences in Dear Evan Hansen, the hilarious opening night chaos of 9 To 5 and making her screen debut in Heathers before she'd ever run the show from start to finish!Plus she opens up about training abroad, building a career without the traditional UK drama school route and why short courses, community and timing can be just as powerful as formal training.For more bonus content, join the Call To Stage Backstage Pass on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/calltostage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Call To StageInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostageSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined by a true star of the stage and screen on this episode of Call To Stage!Ava Brennan spent the first portion of her career performing in Germany – most notably in The Lion King, a role which brought her to the West End, where she performed as Nala. She has played some of the West End’s most powerful female roles – including Angelica in Hamilton, Fantine in Les Misérables and Ikette in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical.On screen, Ava played series regular Vee in Top Boy on Netflix, alongside roles in the live action remake of Beauty and the Beast and Rocketman.Ava is currently playing Nancy in the acclaimed West End revival of Oliver!.On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Ava talk about the first musicals they ever saw, balancing life as a working mother, Ava’s experiences in TV and Film, and the intense audition she had in front of Cameron Mackintosh...Plus, Ava shares stories from performing in Hamilton whilst 7 months pregnant, making her professional debut in Aida in Germany and going from being an alternative in Oliver! to taking over the role of Nancy full-time.For more bonus content, join the Call To Stage Backstage Pass on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/calltostage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Call To StageInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostagepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@calltostageSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.