New York, Sydney, Hong Kong, Perth! After an extensive career in Musical Theatre, Cabaret and Jazz, Charmaine Clements (Class of 1986) returned to Mercedes, teaching Drama, English, Dance and RE. Charmaine now passes on her knowledge and experience in professional theatre with our students, back in the very classroom where it all started for her.
We spoke with Charmaine about her time at Mercedes, her fascinating career and the lessons she hopes to pass onto her students.
After all these years, what brought you back to Mercedes?
I have such fond memories of Mercedes, and it probably sounds like a cliché but it was sort of like coming home. It was a place that I felt that I fitted when I was attending, and I know the high standards, I know the education, and it still feels like a place where I felt that I fitted – and I feel that now, as well. The girls are wonderful, I love teaching them, and they work so hard and are appreciative. So to pass that on to the school that gave me so much, it’s kind of coming full circle.
What’s your favourite part of being back at Mercedes?
I love getting to know the students, getting to know their personalities, and their quirks and passions, and to also see them start to discover the arts, dance and music. To see them at the start of that journey, knowing that whether they go on to pursue it as a career or not, that that girl will have an appreciation of that art form and be able to enjoy it in a way they might not have otherwise. And you can see that kind of lightbulb going off as students see that beauty and experience it and practice it.
Before coming back to Mercedes, you had quite a successful career in musical theatre. Can you tell us what was the biggest highlight for you?
That’s a big question, I might have to highlight a few. The big musicals were so much fun. Cats was definitely a highlight, I played a cat for almost two years and we travelled all through south-east Asia and around Australia. Crazy For You was also wonderful, the big tap musical that came straight from New York. West Side Story was just incredible, listening to that score played every night. The Secret Garden was a beautiful show, Aspects of Love was my first show, Grease: The Arena Spectacular was really really fun, working with people like Anthony Warlow, Marina Prior, Doug Parkinson, just amazing people to work with.
I do feel lucky to have all these chances, and that I was able to work in professional theatre for so long. I was really fortunate to have the opportunity to study at the Australia Ballet School straight out of school, and spend two years there first before I went off to WAAPA. Those two schools really prepared me for the industry well, and I was lucky enough to suit some of the roles that were going around at the time.
How do you feel Mercedes prepared you for your career and life before returning?
My experience at Mercedes was fantastic. It was a grounding experience, it was quite broad – I learned about theatre, I first started to sing with the nuns teaching at Mercedes. My initial ambition was to be a ballerina – Every day after school I would go straight from Mercedes to my ballet school, and that had been the plan all along. At Mercedes I was learning about theatre, I appeared in the school musical in my final year here, which was fortunate. When I finished at Mercedes, I went to The Australian Ballet School in Melbourne, and in my second year I injured my ankle. It couldn’t be fixed, which meant I couldn’t do pointe work anymore. Up to then, I hadn’t really entertained the thought of doing anything else. I was lucky to have had these experiences in high school, and know that there was something else that interested me. I was even luckier to be able to go to WAAPA, where I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre, and pursue this path.
So it would be fair to say that you consider the arts quite important in education?
To me, and in my experience, it’s the most vital part of education. I think it synthesizes so much and gives a broad understanding of life, that process of interpreting an artwork, a piece of music. To understand the meaning behind an artwork, and how it might challenge ideas, I think that it’s important for students. In terms of critical thinking, (students) can come to realisations about how they see the world and how they themselves respond to different ideas. There’s also the skills they pick up working with each other – in the creative space, when they make decisions, listen to each other, enhance ideas, and develop ideas through their art-forms. That collaboration, that’s a transferable skill and a necessary skill in all walks of life. To see the girls discover and develop these skills and find friendships through art, through their own expressions – it’s more than just learning to put on a show. There’s skills built through their experiences with art that aren’t necessarily quantifiable. Their development and growth goes beyond learning to do a dance and follow the steps.
How has the school changed since your time as a student?
A lot has changed on campus, but not the essence of the school. The Mercy values, the commitment of the staff, the care of the girls. The spirit is the same, and that’s a wonderful thing. The continuity of that and the support of the students, that’s wonderful.
What are some of your favourite memories of your time as a student?
Well, what comes to mind immediately is Sister Felicity. She was very funny and very dry. Now being a ballerina at the time, she thought I was too skinny. And she would find me randomly in the playground and sidle up and say “Clements, here. Have this.” – and she would sneak me chocolate biscuits. I do appreciate those memories.
I remember walking through the city every day, because my ballet school was at the end of Murray Street, so I finished school and had my enormous schoolbag, and I would march up to the other end of Murray Street. I think there’s a benefit to getting that sense of independence, and getting the chance to see and experience things students might not otherwise. It kind of prepares them for what life is like beyond these walls.
Thank you so much to Charmaine for sitting down with us and sharing a few of her experiences.
