Hannah Abdool Dreams a Dream

I still haven’t seen anything like it up to now,” she gushed.

“I had never felt that I needed to be part of something so badly.” With the path of her dreams much clearer, Abdool knew that upon her return to Trinidad, she would have some serious work to do. “I joined Crazy Catholic/ DC Shell Theatre and was part of the cast of Rapunzel. It was the first time I did more than just singing on stage.” And she loved it, so she continued to involve herself more and more deeply in the local theatre fraternity. Abdool understudied actress Tova Miller for the role of Maria in the Sound of Music excerpts in First Instinct Productions’ Encore: Live from Broadway concert in 2013.

Her involvement, as well as the mentorship she received while shadowing Miller in the production, gave Abdool a more profound understanding of the craft of musical theatre and the combination of skills that she would need to hone in order to get to where she needed to be.

“I learned from Raymond Choo Kong and other people who had been in the industry for some time that it is more than just about pretending to be a character, that it was about becoming the character,” she admitted, describing it as “one of those pivotal moments.” “I realised what a challenge it all was, especially coming into it so late and not really knowing how to dance properly or to act.” But alongside navigating the learning curve of the musical theatre world, Abdool had some additional learning of her own – of an academic nature. Seeing how much progress there was to be made in her musical theatre work, she admitted that fear set in. “I went into Form Six and did environmental sciences, but while studying for CAPE, I was distracted, researching schools in London that offered musical theatre. I always knew what I really wanted, so I told myself to just get through it.” Abdool passed her exams with flying colours, and by then, the call of the stage was even louder now, booming over the pressure to pursue something a little more “practical.” She decided to apply to the schools she had been researching. With the audition dates just months away, Abdool resolved to take a gap year in order to throw herself into all she needed to learn in that short space of time.

She studied voice at the Vanessa Briggs Academy and began taking drama and dance classes at Noble Douglas and Lilliput Children’s Theatre. “I did ballet and modern for the first time ever. I knew that the auditions were in six months and that I would have to cram 18 years of work into that time, not knowing technique or anything, only knowing that I had to do it anyway.” Half a year of rigorous training later, Abdool found herself in London for her big moment. “When I got to the audition, I saw that there were people there who were just as or even more talented than I was.” But she didn’t allow the intimidation to prevent her from giving her best.

“It was one of those moments where I had to tell myself that if I wanted this, I would have to keep fighting; I gave everything that I possibly could.” Abdool recalled “scary” hourand- half-long dance screenings, as well as the dauntingknowledge that only 800 students would be selected out of the initial 1,700.

Three callbacks and a final assessment round later, Abdool was told she had been accepted into the Mountfield Academy of the Arts.

The audition, she said, “was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do in my life; I have no idea how I got through it. I had come from so far and all the work that I had put in was just enough to get me this far.” Abdool has dreams of being in the West End, where only the very best take the stage to give award-winning performances.

“It would be such an amazing experience to get into the field and work, to be part of productions.

“I want to expand the industry locally but also to come back and help other people who might have the same dream as I do, to let them know that is it possible and that there are things that they can do.” She warned those who are interested in serious performance to arm themselves against doubt and suggestions against following their dreams.

“Many people asked me, ‘Why can’t you stick to something practical?’ But there are so many people who want to do this and feel like they can.” Many of those who trained for the rigours of the stage often find themselves put out of a job by producers who select TV and film stars to play stage roles in order to boost box-office earnings. “I think that the industry is a fickle one,” Abdool commented.

“It’s sad that we have to face these challenges, but I hope that our training will propel us to get the roles that we deserve.” With an increasing number of roles for people of colour it’s also an exciting time for actors who don’t look like the “standard” to get work. “We are looking at diversity in our casts; the harder we try, the more we bring people that are different to the table, and so people who you mightn’t think to see in the roles will be the ones who will get them.” She admitted, “Being a mixed girl, [not getting cast] was a worry of mine, but you have to believe that you will get your breakthrough.” To successfully make her way to Mountfield Academy of the Arts in September, Abdool is hosting To Dream a Dream, a concert of inspirational songs to be held on June 18 at the Bishop Anstey High School Auditorium at 6 p.m. Abdool will share the stage with vocalist Vanessa Briggs and Kerry Ann Duncan, pianist D’Andre Wilson, dancer Shel-Marie Narine, hop-hop artiste Shiselon, spoken-word artists Ashlee Burnett and Darren Narine, as well as the Bishop Anstey High School Choir, directed by Lorraine Granderson, and others.BY Selwyn D Joseph Jr