For our Season 2 opener, I talk to the talented Australian-born actress Michaela Burger. Described by Kate Ceberano as “an asset to the performing arts community”, Michaela Burger is the recipient of the Frank Ford award, Adelaide Fringe award, American Australian Association Scholarship (performing arts) and has been nominated for two Helpmann Academy Awards. During the interview, we discuss her versatility as a performer and how she takes care of herself both on and off stage.
Burger has performed with one of Broadway’s most sophisticated writers, Jason Robert Brown, and has shared the stage and screen with Australia’s own Erik Thomson, Caroline O’Connor, Tina Arena, Paul Capsis, Matt Gilbertson (Hans), Ali McGregor, Eddie Perfect, Alan John, Meow Meow, Nancye Hayes, Mitchell Butel, Johanna Allen, Cameron Goodall, Tyran Park, Robyn Archer, John Thorn and Daniel Koek.
Her recent credits include Aftertaste (ABC TV & Closer Productions), Twelfth Night (Adelaide Botanic Gardens/Shakespeare South), Apocalypse Meow (Brooklyn Academy Of Music, New York & Malthouse Theatre), Rumpelstiltskin (Southbank Theatre London/Windmill & State Theatre of South Australia), Simply Brill (Adelaide Cabaret Festival/Amplified Assembly), Driftwood (Umbrella Productions/Chapel off Chapel), Can You Hear Colour? (Adelaide Festival & Patch Theatre), Cranky Bear(Patch Theatre) and Passion(State Opera Studios).
Other performing credits include,Merry Widow(State Opera of South Australia), Brel-The Immortal Troubadour (Adelaide Cabaret Festival), Rouge (Highwire Entertainment), Otello (State Opera of South Australia), Réquiem (State Opera of South Australia), Marriage of Figaro (Co-opera of South Australia), Tosca (Co-opera of South Australia), Thunderstruck (Warner Brothers) and as the host of Humphrey B Bear (Banksia Productions, Chanel 9).
In addition to winning the 2015 International Cabaret Contest, Burger is the co-writer and star of the world-renowned stage show Exposing Edith, about the life and songs of Edith Piaf and more recently a performer and creative on the team of Simply Brill. Her award-winning show, A Migrant’s Son - which explores Greek migration to Australia - has received critical acclaim and features original music written by Burger. She recently received 5 star reviews for her brand new show, The State of Grace, at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, produced by House of Oz.
Contact: https://www.michaelaburger.com/
00;00;00;00 - 00;00;24;07
Ada
This episode deals with topics concerning mental health. If you find any of this podcast triggering, please call lifeline on 131114. If you're in Australia or your local mental health provider.
00;00;24;10 - 00;01;04;24
Adam/Julie
Welcome to season two of The Struggling Artist Huw. I really like your responses. Really? We need to work on something a bit more this year than just, oh, maybe, I say. Yeah, yeah, something like that. Something a bit more than just, Thank you. This. That's more like it. And our first guest for the opening of season two is Mikayla Burger.
00;01;04;26 - 00;01;27;14
Adam/Julie
That's. Well, the post toilet. I. What do you know about Mikayla? I'm not an... I'm riffin' now, so this is something you need to recognize. Wait, wait. Nothing scripted. Now, we did. Decided. Let's just go ad hoc. So hence. Hence the. So, but what I know about. Yeah. What do you know?
00;01;27;16 - 00;01;53;11
Adam /Julie
I know that Mikayla is a multi-talented individual that we've known since she was very young at 19 and we met her like in the early 2000s. Yeah. And she's had quite a bit of success because she's a very versatile performer. Oh, we should read up. Yeah. So let me, let me, let me do the, the the rundown straight from the Mikayla burger.com website.
00;01;53;11 - 00;02;28;08
Adam
So Mikayla burger is an Australian born actress. She has been nominated for two helping awards, is the recipient of Frank Ford Award, American Australian Association Scholarship and winner of Best Cabaret Adelaide Fringe. Burger has performed with one of Broadway's most sophisticated writers, Jason Robert Brown, Jason, Robert, Brandon, Jason. Are all those musical people out there? JB and has shared the stage with Caroline O'Connor, Tina Arena, Nancy Hayes, the great Nancy Meow Meow.
00;02;28;10 - 00;03;06;17
Adam
That is a person not me. Just having a bit of a twitch. Paul Cassius, Mitchell Beutel, Tara Park and John Thorne. Her recent credits include aftertaste, with ABC TV and Closer Productions, Candied State Opera, South Australia and State Theater, 12th Night at Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Shakespeare, South Australia, apocalypse, Michelle in Brooklyn, Academy of Music, New York, and Malthouse Theater, Rumplestiltskin, Southbank Theater, London windmill and state theaters have Australia.
00;03;06;24 - 00;03;36;12
Adam/Julie
Driftwood. Umbrella production. Chapel of off chapel simply Brill. Adelaide Cabaret Festival amplified assembly can you hear color from Adelaide Festival and Theater and two more Cranky Bear Patch Theater and Passion State Opera Studios. She's done a bit and she's done a lot more. Is that Minchin? All the cabaret stuff now she's done her own cabaret. Maybe if I scroll down and choose it does.
00;03;36;14 - 00;04;09;03
Adam
I'll just give talks about what's happening. Oh, it's got some, it's got some career highlights. But she has written her own cabaret shows about her family. A migrant son, she did the Exposing Edith, which was highly successful as well. She is some multi-talented person that I got to know in 2000 when we were at the O2 Conservatorium and she was a fresh faced 1919 and 19 year old entering the the university system.
00;04;09;03 - 00;04;42;08
Adam
And I was an old, cranky 30 something year old. You went quite 30, I think you were like 29 turning 30. Yeah. Well I felt fell older. Ten years older. Yeah. And she was this sort of, young up and coming and I what's impressed me is her ability to evolve and and change and her versatility as a performer, and her also her ability to create work for herself.
00;04;42;11 - 00;05;16;16
Adam
She's had some times where she people haven't used her and rather than, sit on that and feeling sorry for oneself, she would just go and go in a different direction and not be. And I've really admired that. And it's inspired me in terms of, you know, don't wallow in it and actually make something, just because one person's opinion, they haven't chosen you, make something for yourself.
00;05;16;16 - 00;05;33;06
Adam
So she's she's being wonderful, very driven. She's very driven. Exactly. I admire so let us now have a listen to the interview with Mikayla Berger. Who?
00;05;33;09 - 00;06;03;28
Adam
Thank you, Mikayla, for joining me. First question is, how are you?
Michaela
I'm good. I'm really good. How are you?
Adam
I'm okay. Yeah. No, I can I can honestly say I'm. I'm okay, but I've. I think I was thinking this morning, I'm content. And I think that's an amazing. That's an okay, okay place to be content. So I'm feeling content and that we're we all aim to be.
00;06;04;00 - 00;06;29;00
Adam
And you've had a pretty busy time. Are you still in the throes of doing lots of stuff or you kind of in a bit of a gap or.
Michaela
Yes, I'm only I've only got today off today and yesterday off and I'm back on tour tomorrow just for one show. And then I come back, it's Easter, and then I start rehearsals for a musical.
00;06;29;03 - 00;06;58;12
Adam
So it's pretty busy, and I'm allowed to know what the musical is. So it's still.
Michaela
Yeah, it's. No, you are. It's driftwood. It's a new Australian musical. Who's putting who and where, who's putting that on and where. So it's in Melbourne, at Chapel of Chapel and then in Sydney in three different venues that I can't remember the names, Glenn Street, Parramatta and another one.
00;06;58;14 - 00;07;18;29
Adam
Oh that's fantastic. Not very good at. That's right. Yeah. It's good. It's I suppose you just get on a bus and you just go over. They drive, you. Yeah. Yep. Where am I tomorrow. That's right, I'm in the bus and then I'm at the bus I perform, then I get back in the bus and then we go somewhere else.
00;07;19;01 - 00;07;50;16
Adam
Sleep, sleep and then get the bus. Yeah. You've had quite a diverse career. From my old man reflection on you, remembering you back with your, frosted hair days back when your 19, stood hair. Who let me do that? I did that three times. I bleached my hair three times. It was a good look. You should. Maybe you should consider doing it again.
00;07;50;19 - 00;08;23;13
Michaela
Nope. I'm sort of jumping all over the place here, but. And this is probably going to talk a little bit about your early career, but you started at the fall from when I knew you, you'd started doing the, the con, the classical course. There. Yeah. What what made you make that choice? It was, to be honest, it was lack of knowledge, lack of knowing what I could have done.
00;08;23;13 - 00;08;45;11
Michaela
At the time, I didn't know about schools like Wapa. I didn't know that you could. Yeah, I think I don't think I was ready to leave Adelaide. I was only 918. I think when I finished school. Just turned 19. I don't think I was ready to. And from a Greek Italian house. So you never ready to leave home when you go great Italian.
00;08;45;13 - 00;09;11;02
Michaela
They always want you to stay forever. And my parents weren't stage parents, so they didn't know anything about what schools I should be applying for. All I knew is that I wanted, really wanted to go to Nyada. That was my number one thing. And I auditioned, obviously didn't get in. And then someone I can't even remember who was just said, well, why don't you audition for To Learn Classical?
00;09;11;02 - 00;09;37;22
Michaela
Now, I'd never sung classical music at all. I'd never. I'd never seen any arias. I'd never. I mean, I'd heard some classical music, but I'd never sung classical music. So it was kind of an accidental thing. I just, I would I remember my audition so clearly. Do you remember your audition? I just have a no, I don't, I don't know, I, I don't remember it, because I just, I remember how I felt.
00;09;37;22 - 00;10;02;05
Michaela
I remember Rose was there. My, my who ended up becoming my teacher and, I was so green and I had only studied singing for, like, months before. I only just started singing lessons when I decided, okay, maybe I'll audition for this for the classical school. So it was actually accidental and I'm so glad it was the best accident ever, because then I got to meet you and all of.
00;10;02;11 - 00;10;34;04
Michaela
I mean, look at all the people. Well, if you think of the people who were, you know, this lifelong friends like, I'm still really good friends with all of you guys. But also, I think technique wise, I don't think I would have gotten anything to that level if I went anywhere else. I mean, I would have kept singing because I could sing already, but the technique and the precision and the, the, the stability in the voice that it gives you, I think studying classical, I would have never done that.
00;10;34;04 - 00;10;55;09
Michaela
I would have never done that for three years, you know. I was very excellent when Dan and I ended up in London doing musical theater. We, there were only 14 people in our year and everyone was just like, how do you guys sing like that? And we were like, we had an amazing teacher in Adelaide and we learned how to sing classically.
00;10;55;11 - 00;11;26;05
Michaela
And it was just it. I think the most beneficial thing is that it stops you being scared of singing notes, singing hi. You know, it's like, oh, what? It's, you know, it's just a note because you I don't know, your body gets used to it and it just becomes very natural. So I think it definitely even now, I mean, now I'm working in a show where I sing classical music, so it's definitely given me, I think it's given me more job opportunities than I would have had if I didn't sing classically.
00;11;26;07 - 00;11;52;09
Michaela
And also with auditions, I, I remember one audition distinctly in, in Melbourne, where. But I was hearing the people going in before and they were making them do scales and stuff like this. And I went in and I sang my song wasn't a it wasn't a classical show. And they said, oh, well, we don't we don't have to hear you do scales because you can obviously do them.
00;11;52;11 - 00;12;17;13
Michaela
And that was just by looking at my CV and seeing that I've studied that I had a degree in classical music, which I thought was very interesting. But I think even the fact that you've trained classically sets you up differently for auditions because they're like, well, they've obviously got I've obviously studied music, I can read music and I can sing as the high soprano, which is my voice type, you know?
00;12;17;15 - 00;12;44;22
Michaela
So I do think it's helped enormously. Yeah. And but I think you saw yourself a little bit short. You do have an extraordinary, shrilly diverse voice, that I think a lot of people who would classically trained would die for. You do seem to be able to just. It sounds effortless. I'm sure it's not effortless on your part to, to actually do it, but, how is the transition?
00;12;44;24 - 00;13;07;19
Michaela
Oh shut up then. Oh no, I mean, I don't, I actually, I, I tried someone asked me how do you do it and I couldn't, I can't really explain it, but I think it's because when I was studying classical, Roz, my teacher at the time, was really adamant that I kept belting. She said, don't stop singing the musical theater songs, don't stop belting.
00;13;07;21 - 00;13;32;02
Michaela
And I feel like that's that's probably what set me up for it, because I can very easily go, I'm going to belt that or I'm going to do that as a classical opera singer. And I don't know what the switch is. I feel like it's a very mental show, like a psychological switch, where I just go, okay, this is classical, okay, this is belted or this is mixed, and my brain just does.
00;13;32;05 - 00;13;57;23
Michaela
My brain just tells my vocal folds what to do, which is kind of how I teach as well. You know, that your brain is in control of everything. Yeah. It seems effortless when you do it. So I'm I'm always I mean, as a guy listening to, I sort of think, wow, that seems when you transition and stuff like that just seems very, very, so seamless in terms of what you do with your voice.
00;13;57;25 - 00;14;15;23
Michaela
Yeah. It's not it's not an effort. I think it's just, yeah. It's just how I mean, I do have to work more on the classical singing. If I do have to sing publicly classically, I'm more conscious of it. I'm more. I will have some lessons. I'll make sure that I'm doing it, because I know the classical world can also be quite tight.
00;14;15;23 - 00;14;35;22
Michaela
And oh, that's not how you sing the avow or oh, the oh, wow. So I do, I take, I think because I take it seriously as well. I don't just go, oh, I can sing classically and just, do whatever I think I do want to get it right. I do want to make sure it's, technically as good as it can be.
00;14;35;25 - 00;15;07;15
Adam
So how did you sort of transition from these studied classically? You maintained you sort of connections with music, theater. Where did cabaret sort of how did that all come about now?
Michaela
Actually funnily also accidental my so when the Adelaide Cabaret Festival just started I it was our maybe it was our second year of uni or first year of uni.
00;15;07;15 - 00;15;30;23
Michaela
It was, it was really when we were just starting uni 2000 I think, or 2001, and my sister at the time, my sister, who's still my sister at the time I sister was working for the Adelaide Festival Center and she said to me, hey, there's this scholarship that's come up for, cabaret, a cabaret of a young cabaret performer.
00;15;30;26 - 00;15;55;08
Michaela
And I was like, what's cabaret? And she said, I don't know. I think you just sing songs and tell stories. I'm like, okay, so I applied for this scholarship with the, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, and I got it. And the winner, like the wizard Tom and I want to Tom Brennan and I. And as the winner, you got taken to Sydney to be part of the Sydney Cabaret Convention.
00;15;55;10 - 00;16;15;14
Michaela
And now we were 19, like I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. So they actually sent Chris Naylor with us, who's still an incredible part of the Adelaide Festival Center. And we were in this hotel and he's like, okay, so what have you guys got? And we're like, I don't know. I've got this song and that song is like, all right.
00;16;15;16 - 00;16;38;24
Michaela
And we basically came up with our patter the night before. Neither of us had done cabaret before. We had no idea. And then I did this, convinced this thing, and it was so hot, I didn't realize. Thankfully, I didn't realize how high brow it was at the time. I didn't know what we were doing there. The prize was to go to New York and sing in the Cabaret Festival in New York or something.
00;16;38;27 - 00;17;01;21
Michaela
I had no idea. And so we, I did that little spot and then the feedback was really good. And then there was this old man who I don't remember who it was, who said, so, you know, there's this thing like you can be because I did from, Chicago. First I did a little, then she'd. But I can't do it alone.
00;17;01;22 - 00;17;32;15
Michaela
I did that by myself on stage, which is crazy and it's so silly. And he's like, you know, there's also importance in the stillness. And he was sitting there giving me this whole kind of, coaching. Just. I'm just sitting next to him for the rest of the show, and I'm like, this is just amazing. And then, I realized how much I loved it and how it was this kind of, sort of a key into a world where I could really be myself and do what I wanted to do without any restrictions.
00;17;32;17 - 00;17;51;23
Michaela
And then because of that, we had to create a 15 minute show for the next year. And I think that was the first show I actually created for 15 minutes. And the reviews were great and I loved it. And then I was like, this is so much fun. And then I just, I think you were part of my farewell concert.
00;17;51;23 - 00;18;18;18
Michaela
Remember? I was the version. Yeah. We sang, I like to be in America and yes, you, me and I think Mark and you sung, sung with me. But, that was my first actual proper full cabaret show. And that went for like three albums. And then and then I just realized as my career kept going, that Cabaret and Ali McGregor speaks about it a lot as well.
00;18;18;20 - 00;18;48;12
Michaela
Cabarets quite a way into the industry where you can just really you're not restricted. You can just do what you want to do and be who you be, who you are. And in the end, when I came back to Australia, cabaret is what actually, funnily enough, got me enough clout or whatever you call it, to then be asked to audition for things because I wasn't getting auditions, so then I would laugh on its own work.
00;18;48;12 - 00;19;16;23
Michaela
And so I created my own work. And then the eighth show, and then they were seeing me for auditions for big shows. So it's really weird and ironic, but cabaret was like a little showcase for me to say, all right, I'm going to do it myself. And, and then, yeah, it's crazy, though. It's really, How how do you look after yourself as an artist mean?
00;19;16;26 - 00;19;39;12
Adam/Michaela
You you don't do you any teaching anymore, do you? Used to know. Yeah, I actually I do have, three little students. Who are they? One of them is auditioning for a lot of the schools this year. So I said I'd take her on, but that's only like it's through zoom, and it's only when I'm available. But how do I look after myself?
00;19;39;12 - 00;20;04;28
Michaela
I'm very, people who tool with me would know I'm really very disciplined with, coming home after the show. That's one thing. I can't go out after the show. It's just not a thing. I just can't do that. I don't drink, so I think that helps as well. And I'm quite good with keeping my phone off in the morning until I'm ready.
00;20;05;01 - 00;20;27;00
Michaela
And also knowing that it's a real psychological thing because at some points on tour you can go, oh, I'm getting paid to just do nothing. But actually, I think we get paid. Also, during the day, you're supposed to be resting, you're supposed to be getting up and you've done it before, like, and it's so easy to go, oh, I should be, on my emails and this and that.
00;20;27;00 - 00;20;58;01
Michaela
But then part of you also has to stop because performing at the in the evening is quite exhausting. So I'm quite the I'm quite disciplined with that. And also the food. I'm very careful with what I eat on tour, because I don't like feeling, because I've got a bit of eating like, allergies and stuff. And I just, you know, like in when I was on tour in Perth recently, I bought myself a juicer of Gumtree and like for 20 bucks and was juicing every day and everyone was coming into my room.
00;20;58;01 - 00;21;36;12
Michaela
We were making juices and stuff like that. So I think I just, I, take my health seriously because if I don't, then my mind gets a bit muddy and then I can't perform properly, and I feel sluggish and. Yeah, so I think that's probably how I survive. Lots of other things. But I think that's the thing I can think of is people too, with me that probably say, oh yeah, she's quite healthy with what she eats and makes sure that, like, if everyone's going out to a restaurant, I'm don't necessarily go and I'll have my little pack of carrots and tahini and, you know, just yeah, probably that's probably.
00;21;36;15 - 00;21;56;19
Adam/Michaela
And do you get much sort of lulls in between gigs where you're sort of thinking, I don't know what the hell I'm doing next or, or do you just move forward and go, right. Well, I'm just going to make something for myself now or. Yeah. Look, I think Covid was weird because that was the biggest lull ever.
00;21;56;22 - 00;22;20;00
Michaela
And I honestly thought, I didn't think we were going to come back from it at some point I was, oh, okay, I better start trying to do a different job, but what the hell would I do? I really had no idea. This year I don't have I don't have any breaks. So I was kind of, grateful for that after the fringe, because it's really intense.
00;22;20;00 - 00;22;46;14
Michaela
The fringe, like, it's really. And I was doing two shows at once for the first two weeks in, oh, three weeks in different capacities. But I came back and I went on to, the next day. Yeah, I kind of had a few days in Adelaide rehearsing, and then I, and I was actually, I was saying to Yonks, I was actually really grateful for it because it, it I didn't do that crash.
00;22;46;14 - 00;23;08;02
Michaela
Sometimes I do a bit of a, after fringe or after a festival, after a long tour. But that stopped happening over the years, I think I've learned, probably learned to pace myself a bit better on stage and to not, like, completely kill myself on stage, which is what we all tend to do. I think you identify with that.
00;23;08;05 - 00;23;36;05
Michaela
And so I've been able to pace myself a bit better, but also I, I think I don't I'm not so, attached to myself as the performer anymore. I think there's so much else in my life, and I think that probably helps as well. I come home to my husband and it's nice to be home, and then I cook and I do domestic stuff, which I really love because I never get to do it, which is really strange.
00;23;36;07 - 00;24;01;10
Michaela
Like I did the washing when I got home and it was like exciting to do stuff like that. So I think that kind of, it stops me from going into a lull because I appreciate the I'd really appreciate the downtime when I do get it. I really appreciate just being home, like with my husband and just hanging out and, cooking actual last meals and stuff like that.
00;24;01;13 - 00;24;27;04
Michaela
Seeing friends in Melbourne and people who, like, I don't get to see often. Yeah. How did you make that switch from, like you're saying, when you have that crash after and and you so what's, what's, something in particular you just suddenly through, over time, you just wasn't up and you thought, I just need to, watch myself listen to my body and,
00;24;27;07 - 00;24;52;13
Adam/Michaela
What what sort of prompted it? Or. How did you make that switch? I think if I look back, there's probably a few different moments, because I remember all the way back when we did Chicago. Right. And we would that that's 20 years ago. I remember after that, literally feeling dead for about four days just on the couch of my parents, just like, oh my God, how can I do this?
00;24;52;16 - 00;25;17;17
Michaela
And that was just a normal thing for me. After shows. And then I think there's a few turning points. I think when I was doing, one of my shows exposing 80s, I was very obsessed with the show and answering emails to three in the morning in, like, making sure and just too much, you know, just too much energy into this one show.
00;25;17;17 - 00;25;37;29
Michaela
And and too much attachment to it and ownership of it. And and then I don't know what it was, but there was a turning point there where I just dropped it and went, oh, what if I don't answer this email? What if I what if I close my computer at 8:00 or 9:00 and just hang out with Yonks for the rest of the night?
00;25;38;02 - 00;26;04;25
Michaela
And then that just became a habit. So I sort of just started choosing my personal life over my, my career, which is hard because you know what? It's like we we have to say yes to things, otherwise that don't happen. That was another turning point. Another turning point. It's going to sound so random, but we were looking after a Tibetan sort of lama teacher, monsoon.
00;26;04;27 - 00;26;23;09
Michaela
And just because he was visiting from India and I was saying to him, you know, it's a bit nervous about January, February, March because I've got this show and it's and I'm going to be doing one show every night, and then I have to do another show at the same time. And, and, you know, sometimes I think the thought of it is worse than the actual thing.
00;26;23;11 - 00;26;46;28
Michaela
And he looked at me and he said, what if he just gives 50% on stage? And I said, what I can't do? 50? But he said, what if you just give 50%? He said, you've been doing this for a very long time. I don't think you have to give 120%, and I really took that for the last few seasons and it honestly made a difference.
00;26;46;28 - 00;27;13;13
Michaela
I was like, oh yeah, I don't I don't have to constantly feel like I have to be 120% giving, giving, giving, giving because it's enough to just be on stage and just sing and do our job. And that really helped as well to not get home exhausted every night. And, and by the end of the fringe, I was actually fine, which is so, amazing.
00;27;13;16 - 00;27;45;00
Michaela
And I think that contributed. And then the last thing, which is a technical thing, is that I started using it monitors, and that came in the air monitors. Yeah. What's that was, so instead of having fall back on the stage. Yeah, I started having it directly into my ear. And that completely changed the way I sing and how I see how I was feeling after every show.
00;27;45;02 - 00;28;14;08
Michaela
So is that because you said because you, prior to that you were, you felt you're pushing more or you're working harder or you didn't need to work. Yeah I think prior to that because I, it was always a trouble hearing myself, on stage, especially when there's like really loud backing music. And if it's in a tent, like with the circus stuff that I do, the tents acoustics are so bad.
00;28;14;10 - 00;28;33;05
Michaela
You started on spot it sounds something and then another spot you can't hear anything. So this just gave me a real sense of being able to, you know, with the voice, when you can hear yourself, you just relax, like so. Yeah, I think it must have been. I must have been pushing and doing stuff that I didn't need to do because I couldn't hear myself.
00;28;33;05 - 00;29;01;26
Michaela
So on a very practical level, that's been recently what I think, what has kind of stopped that complete exhaustion from happening. That's amazing. Yeah, I've. Yeah, that's an interesting point in terms of being able to hear yourself and relaxing a bit a lot more. I just couldn't help noticing the other day on the Facebook, you're on a trapeze now.
00;29;01;26 - 00;29;20;24
Michaela
It's just something else you, you're trying to add to your profile or something. So another feather in your head? Not at all. No. It's, it's only because I bought my nephew's to do trapeze, and, I knew all the people running it because I've been in the circus, and they're like, you have to do it, too. And I was like, no, no, no, I've got a dress on.
00;29;20;24 - 00;29;43;27
Michaela
I can't. And he's like, I've got tights. So I kind of, I did it to encourage my nephews and they thought it was very cool. But also it's just great. I love learning new things. And the people who I work with in in Rouge and the circus, they're such inspiring humans. I just, I just can't speak highly enough of them.
00;29;43;27 - 00;30;12;27
Michaela
And what they do and what they do to their bodies. And so anytime I can learn something, I go into it because I'm really curious. I'm very curious. And I think, also, I love doing stuff with my body, like, I love dancing and, and, you know, doing this gym, not gym, like circus stuff. They like throwing me around because I'm so small and I'm like, sure, you know, so I it was just part of the whole parcel.
00;30;13;00 - 00;30;39;29
Michaela
It's not necessarily not going to go into a career of trapeze artists. It'd be cool if you somehow incorporate it as your cabaret show. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think I need a little bit more training though. Like, those people are amazing. They train for hours a day. But I'm just I was already just trying to work out ways where you can be sort of holding that, you know, the top half while you're sort of swinging and landing in the natural, something like that.
00;30;40;00 - 00;31;11;01
Michaela
And it's mainly maintaining the support without sort of going the yeah. Look. Let's, let's just this is bookmark that that idea. Okay. And when when it evolves, I just want to have front row seats to see it place because because I was a part of it. So you're, you're always a remarkably positive person. Mikayla. That's that's how I see you anyway.
00;31;11;03 - 00;31;41;00
Adam
So. Yeah. How do you maintain that or that sense of positivity? Is that. It's it's, Is it work, or do you or is it something that just comes naturally?
Michaela
I think it's a bit of both. I'm not always positive, honestly. Like, you know, recently I've been very positive. I felt good recently, and I felt very grateful for what I do and really the very, very happy and positive and and yeah, I think gratitude is the main thing I've been feeling.
00;31;41;02 - 00;32;03;04
Michaela
But it's not always like that. Like I, I question my, my career every couple of months. I'm like, what am I doing this next? Like, it's okay. This happens every few months. You know? And also this I find myself, it's very easy to complain because there's a lot of shit that happens, like there's a lot of, stew, unequal that not great pay.
00;32;03;04 - 00;32;28;10
Michaela
And, just working with some sometimes working with people who are not amazing communicators. And it's you know, it's not all and I'm not one to polish shit. Like, if something's not good, I, I'm very I mean, it happened on tour recently. Something was not great. And I just spoke to the producers immediately and I said, this is not acceptable.
00;32;28;12 - 00;32;52;04
Michaela
I'm not scared to do that. Like, I'm I'm not I don't brush things away. And I think that is it's very hard. It's, it's a, there's a weird, it's a weird thing in our industry. I think you've probably seen as well that we have to kind of be agreeable. Otherwise we don't get work. So. But I sometimes sort of I'm always thinking of, well, what about the future?
00;32;52;04 - 00;33;17;16
Michaela
What about the next generations who don't have the, courage or the strength to go, hey, this isn't okay. I'm not okay with. I'm not okay with this. I'm not okay with whatever's happening. Yeah, I think a lot of us just go. Yeah, yeah, okay. That's fine, that's fine. But I'm not like that. So I try and stay positive with my work and with, you know, with things that are great.
00;33;17;16 - 00;33;41;15
Michaela
Like that season in in Adelaide fringe was so great. It was so much fun, around incredible people who are also my friends. So that's, that's very lucky. But then, of course, there are times when we are all complaining about something specific that is not that wouldn't fly in another industry. That's what we always go in another industry.
00;33;41;15 - 00;34;03;14
Michaela
Would this happen? Would someone be allowed to talk to us like this, or would we be paid this amount but working that amount, you know. Yeah. So I'm not I think also very obsessed with fear. Like what's fair. And I mean, I don't cover that up with positivity. Really. What you were asking about the positivity where it's come from.
00;34;03;14 - 00;34;40;11
Michaela
It's definitely my parents. Like my dad. My dad's just always like, no, that's right. It's good. Yeah. That's good. Yeah. Excellent. Like that always turn though is turning things around, which is I think that's where I've definitely got it from, which is very lucky.
Goodies.
Adam
If I could these fab five question number one. What is the biggest risk you have ever taken?
00;34;40;13 - 00;35;07;14
Michaela
I don't know. This is not easy. Biggest risk in my career could be. Or maybe in life. No, I don't know. I, I think probably, probably leaving Australia, like when I was 21 or 22, I'd left Australia with a one way ticket and I was like, I know it's going to happen. I didn't know anything, I didn't know where I was going, ended up in France.
00;35;07;14 - 00;35;31;10
Michaela
And then from there I ended up in London studying in London. So I think probably leaving on a one way ticket with that boozy 20 year old, I'll be fine kind of attitude. Probably the biggest risk I've taken at that works for me. That sense. Yeah, that's a that's a big risk. Yeah. What event changed your perspective on life?
00;35;31;13 - 00;35;52;26
Michaela
And it might be it can be just one. It doesn't have to be like the big one, but another. Oh I think so when we were living in London, I ended up leaving. We end up leaving London and I quit singing and performing and ended up in a Tibetan Buddhist temple in the south of France. And that one thing.
00;35;52;28 - 00;36;25;06
Michaela
And I was there for four years. We were there and that really changed my whole perspective. Yeah, that's quite simple, but complex. But yes, yes, it's as simple reason why you left singing or that's a I have a, I mean, I just had enough. I was exhausted and I was auditioning and not getting anywhere, and I was nannying for like 5 pound an hour and London had just consumed my yonks that I had met in London, and we'd been there for three years.
00;36;25;09 - 00;36;38;00
Michaela
It just consumed the both of us. And we were just, I was dumb, I was, I was like, I don't want to do this anymore. I don't know why I want to be a singer. I didn't I didn't have any, I didn't know why I wanted to do it. So I was like, I'm done. I'm out. Yeah.
00;36;38;00 - 00;36;58;29
Michaela
It was actually quite an easy decision. When I look back it's quite an easy decision. How did you get back into it. Finally being at the temple I started, I started we've had events and stuff and they're like oh you're a singer, can you sing? And I'm like, right. And then I sort of started coming. I started writing as well.
00;36;58;29 - 00;37;21;19
Michaela
Again. I started writing music, and I think the writing got me back into it because I love writing. Writing music. Yeah, if you want to.
Adam
Now, I've, I don't know, this applies to as much. If you weren't afraid of failure, what would you do differently? But I don't sense you are afraid of failure. Then what we try to find, you know.
00;37;21;20 - 00;37;50;24
Michaela
Well, I, I would probably, what would I do differently? I probably spend all my money on taking more risks, like, oh, I want to go to LA, and I'm just going to go and spend what I have left, you know? Maybe that's what I'd do differently if I wasn't scared of failure. I probably spend my money on stupid things like making decisions and just going, you know, I just do it, you know?
00;37;51;01 - 00;37;58;20
Adam
Yeah, yeah. What is something you wish someone would say to you?
00;37;58;22 - 00;38;27;23
Michaela
Oh. You got the part. You get that sometimes, don't you? You get it. Do you get that? Could it be nice to hear it more? Yes. You couldn't hear it too often. You can't hear that too often. Come on. The job's yours. Not at all. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Bring it on. Bring it on. Yeah. What brings you the most joy?
00;38;27;26 - 00;38;46;18
Michaela
I think my friends, my friends and my family and my husband. Like that connection with people brings me the most joy. The laughter, like being on stage is fun and everything. But actually being in the two of us is more fun. Like the laughter and the connection and the joy and the funny things we get up to and.
00;38;46;20 - 00;39;13;11
Adam
Yeah. And, and you are a little social butterfly despite I should say you take yourself home after gigs and all that. But you are a very social. Yeah I like you. Yeah. You get out there and I like you like people. Let's put, you know I think well look at the time on my clock says three minutes, so,
00;39;13;14 - 00;39;41;29
Michaela
Yeah. Me too. That. But that's cool.
Adam
But thank you so much for. And it's good to it's good to see you. And I feel Julian, I feel terrible, because we keep on saying all we got to see your, the trapeze show, you know, the the, acrobatics. Yeah. They. Oh, you guys would love it. I make my way every time we look at it, it's all booked out.
00;39;41;29 - 00;39;58;05
Adam
Like, what sort of would there. We're going, right. Let's do. Okay. We're going to do it. And it's going, I'm okay. Right. We're going to an arts book tour. Okay. Oh my God, let me go next weekend. Oh that's is booked out. And you two damn popular. Can you be a little bit less popular so at least we can come and see it.
00;39;58;05 - 00;40;19;22
Adam
It's, Sure, sure. But, but. And, the other thing. So. So your, cabaret show with Michael and Amelia, which I was really pleased to have seen, but Julie didn't get a chance to see it. And I was like, oh, we got it. We got to go and see that again is that there's plans for that to come back or at all.
00;40;19;25 - 00;40;42;09
Michaela
I think we'll try. Yeah, I think we'll try for next year. Depends. I mean he's got a new baby now, so. Yeah. You just it'll depend. But it should come. We're planning on definitely keeping on going with that one. It's just. Just started. It's. Yeah, it's one that I think people will just keep coming back for because of the music in it.
00;40;42;11 - 00;41;01;06
Adam
So, yeah, it's, it's, it's that memory brings a lot of memories for a lot of people in Iceland. Overnight that I went, it was sort of it went off. I was even a little bit surprised how much I knew, musically, because I was thinking, oh, I might be one of the young ones in the crowd here.
00;41;01;06 - 00;41;34;24
Adam/Michaela
But no, I knew a lot of the songs and I'm going, oh my God. Probably because I watched a lot of Happy Days. Yeah. And Dirty Dancing or maybe dancing had something nice. Yeah. So thank you so much for your time. I know you're very, you're very busy person. That's. Yes, I, take care you saying to you bye bye.
00;41;34;26 - 00;41;57;27
Adam/Julie
God bless you, Mikayla. Wow. I really enjoyed that one. Yeah. She's, a great person to talk to. Sadly, I don't we don't get these opportunities as often as we used to, but but it is nice to sort of, catch up with, and it does feel like time hasn't passed when we do catch up lately. Absolutely.
00;41;57;27 - 00;42;24;25
Adam/Julie
She's two of the Mikayla that when you years ago. But, just, very impressed with Mikayla strive and her passion and her ability to really look after herself. And I really know how she talked about how, you know, you might only be performing for an hour or two, but all the prep that goes into it and how important it is to look after yourself, which I think sometimes, you know, when you're trying to squeeze it in on top of other gigs and stuff, that can be a hard thing to do.
00;42;24;25 - 00;42;59;25
Adam/Julie
So yes, I really, really admire her commitment and her dedication. She doesn't just take her talent for granted. She works works at it. Know that she's she's a very well rounded artist in it's not just about getting up and singing. It's like looking after the instrument as well. Yeah. And both physically and mentally as well. And that was an aspect that always would impress me because I think we can all be a little bit lax with, how we look after ourselves.
00;42;59;25 - 00;43;27;11
Adam/Julie
We push ourselves, who drives us? And then we wonder why our bodies then break down and get sick. And especially during the peak of when it's meant to be performing during performance time. And it is that discipline to go, well, no, I can't go partying with with the gang, even though it might be exciting and it's and it's that adrenaline and actually being a disciplined artist and go, well, I want to give 100% in all my performances.
00;43;27;11 - 00;44;05;19
Adam
So I'm sure that's contributed to her success story. Indeed, just that dedication, when one is, so focused. So yeah, that was fun. I enjoyed listening to her. And you might note that in the, podcast, there were some, performances at a kind of at the date and gone now. But that's okay if you want to know what she's doing at the moment, just keep a lookout on her website, which is you don't McKayla Berger or one word McKayla spelled m I c h a e l a burger, as in hamburger.com.
00;44;05;27 - 00;44;27;17
Adam
Yeah, and I'm sure there's always something exciting on the horizon for such a brilliant artist. We'd like to thank you, as always, for listening to this podcast, and if you have any further feedback, please you can email me on Singular Productions at Big Pond dot com and we look forward to your company for the next episode. We'll speak to you soon.
00;44;27;19 - 00;44;39;03
Julie
Bye bye.