early stagers
fINTERVIEW
46 APRIL 2020 • WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
Mića-Rose Dubique, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
Name, age, place of study & course?
Miþa-Rose Dubique, 21, LIPA, Sound
Technology BA (Hons)What attracted you to this business?
Ever since I was young, I’ve been going to
the theatre with my family. Over the years,
watching plays and musicals gave me a
great appreciation and passion for all the
work that goes into making a production.
This spiked my interest in theatre sound
and led me to where I am today.What do you think of the course?
It has been fantastic. The course has
allowed me to gain experience that is rare
to come by - from the opportunity to mix
a gig every week for the majority of my
three years, to speaking and working with
industry professionals. Alongside the
course, I enjoy being involved in theatre
and live productions, which allows me to
collaborate with other departments and
learn hands-on how the industry operates.
This has been especially beneficial,
allowing me to take on challenges which
have propelled my abilities enormously.What work experience have you had?
Much of my work experience outside of
university has been for various live events- from prepping, servicing and
maintaining equipment in warehouses,
to engineering small festivals. However,
I would love to gain experience in theatre
outside of my course. At LIPA, I have
been fortunate to work on shows as
sound #1 and #2. This has taught me so
much in terms of mic placement, line by
line mixing and just generally coming
together and working with others to
produce and be a part of something
amazing. I would love to continue to be
a part of this community.
Who has been your biggest mentor/s?
During my time at LIPA I’ve been lucky
enough to have a team of lecturers who
have taught me the ins and outs of the
industry and I am very grateful for that.
However, it is important to note that as
a woman and person of colour, I have
struggled to find a mentor with similar
life experiences to me, one who knows
the specific struggles I’ll face in thisindustry. My hope is to excel far enough
so that one day I can be a role model to
other young women and people of colour
aspiring to work in this profession.What’s the best career advice you’ve
received so far?
That in chaos there is opportunity. Hence,
you should always say yes and take the
opportunities that are presented to you,
even when something seems scary or
you’re insecure about doing it. Say yes -
it’s the best way to advance.What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve
learned so far?
We work in an industry where there are
huge amounts of people working on
a show at any given moment and in these
situations, sometimes tensions can run
high. I’ve learnt not to let the pressure
affect me - to instead take a breath, let any
tensions pass and carry on with my job.Who would you most like to emulate?
I’m very grateful to have had the
opportunity to meet and work with Jaymee
Hayes, who at the time was working as
sound #2 on Les Misérables. My
conversation with her was so inspiring
and being able to watch and learn from
her reminded me to always work as hard
as possible in every scenario. For this, and
many other reasons, she is one of the
people whom I aspire to be like.What would be your dream project?
I would love to, one day, work on a musical
such as Rent, Chicago or The Phantom of
the Opera. These have always been some
of my favourites and to be a part of the
team that could produce such a show
would be a dream.What’s the toughest thing about entering
this business?
In a masterclass, it was said that our
industry is like a pyramid. At the bottom
are those who don’t know each other but
at the top, there are a small number of
people who know everyone. The most
difficult thing when entering this
business is navigating the pyramid;
making those first connections and
knowing who to approach.What’s your experience of the industry’s
attitudes towards students?
I have found the industry to be immensely
welcoming. Professionals have always
been willing to offer their help by
answering questions, offering advice and
showing hospitality during work
placements and jobs. It makes the world
of difference when you’re entering an
industry for the first time and for that
I am extremely grateful.What advice would you give to anyone
following in your footsteps?
Do something you love. Understand what
it is that makes you happy and do what
you enjoy, getting as much experience as
possible so that you can succeed to the
best of your ability.What do you want your job title to be in
10 years’ time?
All things considered, as long as I am
fortunate enough to work within the
industry, I know I’ll be happy. That being
said, my dream job would be as sound
#1 on West End shows and touring theatre
productions in or outside of the UK. I“As a woman and person of colour, I have struggled to fi nd a mentor with
similar life experiences to me, one who knows the specifi c struggles I’ll face in
this industry.. .”
STAT S
LIVERPOOL INSTITUTE FOR
PERFORMING ARTS
Industry courses: Sound Technology,
Theatre & Performance Technology,
Management of Music, Entertainment,
Theatre and Events, Creative Technologies
& Performance, Costume Making
Industry links: Access to regular Q&As,
masterclasses and workshops with
household-name actors, casting directors,
reviewers and producers. Students take part
in showcases in London, Manchester and
Liverpool that are well attended by agents
Industry relevance: “We provide a creative
and inspiring environment where you can
experiment and take risks, but also learn
how to turn your skills and ambition into
a life-long career.”P http://www.lipa.ac.uk