If you’ve ever heard the name Miles Franklin thrown around, you’re about to discover where it all began. An Australian literary icon and trailblazer of her time, when Stella Miles Franklin published her 1901 masterpiece My Brilliant Career she no doubt had little idea what kind of impact her 20th century story would mean to generations of women and folk. Nor did she have any idea that over one hundred years later it would be turned into an adored stage musical. Well, it has – and it stars the formidable Kala Gare. We stole a few minutes of Kala’s time to talk all things courage, singing and taking My Brilliant Career back on the road.

Tell us about your first memory of coming across My Brilliant Career. My first memory of this classic story was in connection to this show – I hadn’t actually heard of it beforehand, which now feels like a crime! After booking the role I bought the book (having very romantically found a gorgeous old copy for $2 in a random bookstore – still my favourite copy to this day) and I have great memories of being sprawled on the couch under the sun streaming through the window and devouring this woman’s words, being baffled at how strong and true her voice came through in this text written so long ago. Despite the original story being written over a century ago, what is it about My Brilliant Career that makes as important of a story to tell now? I think that Stella (Miles) writes in a way that is so authentic that it is rebellion in a very pure form: honesty. Her journey from teen to early adult is universal and speaks to the humanity of that, which touches everyone in its universal experience, but it was her relentless honesty and unapologetic questioning of why her life was different compared to her male counterparts that I think still rings very true for audiences today. I know a lot of people – AFAB people in particular – who walk away from this show going, “It’s amazing how far we have come, but also how far we have to go.” This show is a beautiful reflection of how far we have come and a wonderful open call to continuing the journey to true equality. 

The show also speaks to bravery in pursuit of one’s dreams, desires and wants in this world, and Sybylla is the bravest character I’ve played – who audiences get to witness really carve out her own path at great personal cost. She is courage personified and that courage is contagious, and right now, having examples of hope and courage is a beautiful thing to be able to inject into this world. What do you see in Sybylla that you also see in yourself, and how do you differ? In this production, Sybylla’s writing is symbolised through music – hello musical theatre! – and I myself am a writer of music, and have a very personal understanding of having giant dreams, having a creative fire inside of you, and discovering the bravery required to follow in pursuit of that purpose. I also love how strongly she fights for what she believes in. There is a certain pride and ego that is so hard to describe, because it isn’t the “yuck” ego kind, it’s the teenage “I genuinely know everything and I back myself so hard” ego that I really love. And yes, we look at her and think that there’s definitely room to soften, but also how epic to believe and fight for something so fiercely! (Looking back at my sweet younger self, I can definitely see some similarities there!) We are also both fire signs – I don’t know whether Sybylla actually is, but she so is. How do you think that transforming this story into a musical has shaped the narrative into something new? Musical theatre as an art form is one of the most beautiful ways to tell stories because you have so many more options of ways to impact the audience. You have the text, then songs, dances, and in this case, the cast also being the band and playing the music of the show live! Which is a big reason as to why this show hits people in the heart like nothing else. The creatives have built a show that somehow balances the touchable and untouchable – moments that are so accessible and almost like a peep behind the theatre curtain, and then moments that are magical beyond belief, catapulting audiences into the extraordinary, and doing the beautiful escapism that art can do so well. This show as a musical also gives Sybylla another voice – in singing – which as an artform is inherently truth and vulnerability, being such an openhearted way of sharing a message. Telling this story as a musical is a perfect way to give more volume to her voice.Which is your favourite number of the musical to perform? Gosh, there are so many. Talk about making magical moments. “Wrong Key” is definitely one that feels the most magical while it’s happening, being backed by all the beautiful aspects – it’s definitely a moment that transcends! But then there’s also “Good Enough”, where I get to be the rockstar punk brat of my dreams…. It’s a real spectrum of genre at Brilliant Career!

What does it mean to you to take this performance back on the road and share it with more audiences around Australia? Oh, it means the world to be bringing it to new audiences. It is such an Australian story, and to be at this point with it where it feels as though it could be on the precipice – ready to fly further – it is so beautiful to stare out at the crowd and see my fellow Australians looking back at us. It is such a generator of joy and Syb as a character is such a representation of bravery, hope and courage – to give this to the world right now feels like a beautiful gift to be able to do. What is your most treasured nugget of wisdom that you’ve learnt from playing Sybylla? The biggest thing I will take away from Syb is her courage. She very much personifies the statement that bravery is not the absence of fear, it is feeling the fear and still moving through. Especially as she grows up and starts to experience bigger and harder issues that require her to be brave in the face of very big personal cost, she does not back down. She shows me how beautiful it can be, and how important it is to live from a place of truth, and to keep sharing what is true to you, and be brave enough to. I have loved playing her – she has absolutely bled into my soul in a beautiful, beautiful way. 

My Brilliant Career will be visiting Wollongong/Woolyungah’s Merrigong Theatre Company this May 8th to 17th. Snag your tickets here. For more rad chats with ripper performers, feast your eyes on our conversation with Iolanthe and Janet Anderson or check out our chinwag with Megan Wilding. Plus, sign up to our newsletter to stay in the loop.