Why hello there! I’m Nesceda, and I am one of 15 very lucky Year 11 theatre enthusiasts to be part of the Melbourne Theatre Company Ambassador program, but first things first, I thought I should probably tell you a bit about myself.
My name is Nesceda Blake, known to some as Nesy, Nesquik, Badger, Poopsie, and Gertrude. Don’t ask how I got some of those nicknames… they’re long stories that can be saved for later. I love performing, but let’s just say that I’ve performed some very … eccentric characters. These range from a daggy Dad with a bright yellow moustache, to an bubbly, vibrant factory worker named Poopsie, whose personality was 80% me, and 20% my dog. I would say that if I were compared to an inanimate object, I’d be a bouncy ball. You don’t really know where I’m going to bounce next, but I’m full of energy and would like to think that I’m somewhat engaging and entertaining to be around (at least for people who like bouncy balls anyway, which probably consists of small children and once again, my dog).
I gained interest in being part of the MTC Ambassador program after my Drama teacher Ms Ohlsen initially told me about it early last year. I thought to myself ‘Wow, how incredible would it be if I got to meet once a month with people who are just as enthusiastic, and just as obsessed with theatre as I am!’. So, I filled out a nomination form, gave it to Ms Ohlsen and my Theatre Studies teacher Mr Huf before they even decided to nominate me. That was a risk, because it could have come across as arrogant or needy, but I thought that demonstrating how keen I was would show them that I was the right person to be nominated! When I found out about my acceptance into the program, that was one of the happiest moments of my life. I filmed the moment that I opened the envelope, and upon recent rewatching, I counted that I said the word ‘yes’ fifteen times. You could say I was just a little bit excited.
I’ve been interested in the Arts for a very long time, as I’ve been performing since the age of three, but the reason why I wanted to be part of this program so badly was because of the desire I have for theatre. I wanted to see how the world of theatre functions in the world today, and in Australia. We as Drama and Theatre Studies students have wonderful opportunities to study the practices and styles of theatre in the generations before us, all the way back to Ancient Greek Theatre. I wanted to find out more about theatre now, and where it’s heading in the future, so that I can find a place to fit into this marvellous industry. Whether that’s dramaturgy, direction, stage management, acting or writing, I have no clue. But this I do know: Being part of this program has shown me already that there is such a colourful, innovative world in the theatre, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.
You can follow Nesceda’s MTC Ambassador experience on Instagram.
Published on 25 August 2015