CURRENTLY starring in Wicked in the West End, and with a career that includes major roles in Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera and Peter Pan The Musical, Gina Beck has helped create magical theatrical experience for tens of thousands of people.
But if her family hadn’t moved to the village of Ropley, it might never have happened.
The 31-year-old cites a drama and a singing teacher from the village as her two major influences in becoming interested in performing arts.
“There was a woman who ran a drama group and I got very involved in that,” says the former Peter Symonds student, who completes her run as Glinda in the smash hit musical in November.
“There was also a woman who used to be an opera singer and taught singing. I went to her every Saturday morning from the age of ten to 18. She greatly inspired me and encouraged me to join the National Children’s Youth Theatre – that’s what I started doing before I got involved in professional theatre.”
Like many other actors, she began by combining small roles in television and on stage with day jobs, while she waited for her big break.
“I did office admin, worked in call centres and worked front of house at a theatre, which is great because you get to feel you’re still part of the theatre,” she says.
“But the great thing about this career is that your life can suddenly change in a day.
“I was working two jobs – in an office in the daytime and at a call centre at night – when I got the call saying I’d got the principal role of Christine in Phantom.
“That was completely life-changing in one minute – it was amazing.”
Since then, Gina’s career has gone from strength to strength.
“I’ve had some great opportunities,” she says.
“I was involved in the recent Les Misérables film – I had one solo line. It was an amazing experience to go and be in a film at Pinewood and see the set and everyone working on it.
“I also got to perform in the Les Mis concert at the O2 Arena for the 25th anniversary of the show, and I did some solos in that.
“That was a mind-blowing experience, to perform in front of 80,000 people.”
But Gina says her favourite role is the one she is performing in at the moment.
“I was a big fan of Wicked before I got into it,” she says.
“It was the big opening in 2006. The West End had never seen anything like it. It was so colourful and rich and everyone wanted to be in it – I never thought I’d have the chance!”
Gina plays the beautiful, popular and power hungry Glinda, who forges an unlikely friendship with a misunderstood green girl called Elphaba. The two go on to become Glinda the Good and The Wicked Witch of the West.
“It’s the first big comedy character I’ve played, which I find really interesting,” she says.
“Every single show is different because you’re playing jokes to an audience and they react differently on different nights, so it’s more of a challenge.
“I also loved playing Christine in Phantom because I got to use the more operatic parts of my voice.”
Gina says that it’s essential to train her voice regularly.
Louise Dearman and Gina Beck in Wicked - photo by Matt Crockett
“Over the last three years, I’ve trained to make my voice more contemporary for musical theatre.
“It was so classical, almost operatic, so especially for shows like Wicked I had to make it more contemporary or ‘poppy’.”
Gina has been in Wicked for almost two years but will be going back on the audition circuit in November.
“Unfortunately, we have to put ourselves out of work in this business to get another job because contracts obviously have an end date, so you have to be unemployed for a bit.
“It’s pretty much the same audition process as when I started. I do get asked to do a few concerts as a singer, but generally I have to do all the auditions.
“It does help having a lot of good stuff on your CV, though, so the producers know you’re capable.
“I’d like to be in a new musical next. It’s always good to be the first to do something, so you can put your own stamp on it.”
Gina’s passion for musical theatre is obvious. And as well as being her career it’s also her hobby.
“I love going to watch other shows,” she says.
“It can be hard to fit in when you’re in a show yourself but I go to matinees and I go in my down time.
“People would say it’s a busman’s holiday but I just enjoy the theatre so much, I go whenever I can.”
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