Jamie Muscato has enjoyed a hugely varied career on stage and screen, with appearances in popular films, high-profile television dramas and a whole-host of UK stage shows including Rock Of Ages, Heathers and the David Bowie musical Lazarus, which is streaming this weekend. A keen guitarist, Jamie took part in a series of back garden busks during summer 2020 to bring live entertainment to back yards around the UK.
MEET JAMIE
Why did you decide to work in theatre?
I was cast in my first professional theatre job at 18 as a swing in Spring Awakening after the casting director Pippa Ailion saw me at a singing competition. Although it can be a hard industry to survive in, nothing compares to the feeling of performing to a live audience every night. I couldn’t see my life without theatre in it, whether in the audience or on the stage.
One of the best things about being an actor is that you’re able to constantly feed your curiosity
What’s something that you've learned along the way that you use often?
One of the best things about being an actor is that you’re able to constantly feed your curiosity and I think that being curious is a really valuable thing to cultivate in day-to-day life. Being playful, not being scared of the inevitable mistakes, and not taking yourself too seriously are all things I try to take from the rehearsal room and into reality.
What experiences have shaped who you are and how you work?
As hard as they are, knock-backs and how you respond to them can shape you more than the successes. Most of the time it’s not about you, but about how the creative team have to arrange an entire puzzle of people. Understanding that can help a lot with the constant rejections that actors face.
What advice do you have for people wanting to engage with the arts during this difficult time?
There will never be a perfect time to start a career in the arts so keep pushing towards your goal, whatever that is. It’s a hard path to tread and unfortunately it’s only getting harder, but it’s still possible. My only real advice is to work hard so that you’re prepared if luck suddenly strikes.
What kind of theatre would you love to see more of?
I’d like to see theatre of any kind at the moment, but what I think we need is more theatre that is accessible, challenging and representative. It needs to be accessible to anyone that wants to engage with it, which challenges audiences preconceptions and that is representative of our society.