On a recent visit to Wilton's Music Hall, I met Oliver Moriarty who was in the rehearsed reading of Mark Ravenhill’s new ten-play cycle, Run at it Laughing, produced in collaboration with Charlie MacGechan's company Run At It Shouting. His story is probably very similar to that of other young actors, but it highlights that getting into theatre is not always plain sailing.
Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Peterborough, Ontario. Aged three, I went with my mom to pick up my cousin from dance class. Let’s Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez was playing. I was taken by the joyful energy in the room, barged in, and decided to take classes. I became hugely influenced by my dance teacher, Robyn Carter, who continues to support me. The studio became my second home and by the age of 12, I was spending 40-50 hours a week helping with costumes, admin, and anything else I could.
What sort of place is Peterborough and did it give you the opportunity to develop?
It’s a small commuter city about two hours from Toronto. It has a lot of charm and a pretty big arts scene, so I was exposed to a lot of artists growing up. Although I had no one close to me pursuing a career in performing arts I was passionate about it and by the time I was 14, I realised I needed to access classes in Toronto. I managed to convince my parents I should drop out of high school and complete my diploma online. They raised some concerns, but let me go ahead and I developed a routine: get up early, take the bus two and a half hours into Toronto, take two dance classes and then come back for my evening dance classes with Robyn.
That certainly shows commitment.
And it paid off. After two years I was accepted for the Ailey School Summer Program, and then they invited me to join the year-round program.
And I assume that went well?
Absolutely. It was a lucky break I was determined to take advantage of. I studied ballet and modern dance with some of the world’s most notable practitioners - an incredible experience with the added bonus of living in New York City, where I found my love for Musical Theatre. Every night I would enter the Broadway lotteries. I ended up seeing over 60 shows, including Wicked (28 times) and Kinky Boots (15 times). After finishing my program, I went to Oakville, outside Toronto for a four-year Bachelors in Music Theatre.
How big a comedown was leaving New York?
It was a huge adjustment, but I’d often felt fairly isolated and pretty lonely in New York. I lived alone in a small room, with a bed that was about five inches too short for me, but on my MT course I was surrounded by 40 high-energy, musical loving, emotional theatre nerds and I was right at home!
How did that course go?
There were a few hiccups, starting with a six-month teachers’ strike during my first year. Our classes were canceled and we missed a huge part of our education, but the next two years were incredibly busy and rewarding. I was in the first year of a ‘new’ program structure they were trying out. The courses and training were amazing, however there was always tension between students and the administration who were very poor at communicating. Any student questions or concerns were often met with a “Why don’t you trust us?” The more vocal students were often failed in the majority of their classes or even removed from the program.
Then, in the final semester of my third year, the pandemic hit and our fourth year was mostly online with very little support. At the same time a lot of racism and abuse came to light through an Instagram post from the school. Four out of five heads of faculty were removed and the structure of the program came under review.
Teachers would threaten or imply that they had sway in whether or not you get hired after graduating. In a small professional theatre community, that can be very intimidating and deeply traumatising to growing artists who are meant to ask questions and challenge ideas. The irony was that the people abusing their power and using these tactics were also the people stating how much was “wrong” with the industry. They would condemn the very system they were perpetuating.
But despite all that, I’d been introduced to acting and I felt committed to a future in theatre, but there was not much work for young MT performers in Canada, so in 2021, I moved to the UK for an MA in Acting at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.
Which must have been a very exciting prospect, but hearing ALRA mentioned I fear another setback awaits.
Yes, it was. And you’re right about the next bump on the road. Three terms in, ALRA went bankrupt. and although Rose Bruford took on most students, I decided to leave the program due to the uncertainty of what they would provide. Fortunately, I was able to stay in the UK on a different visa.
And how’s that going?
So far I’ve had the pleasure of being Joe Pasquale’s backing singer in the Snow White panto at the Theatre Royal Nottingham; Clip-Clop, the dancing horse in the Wizard of Oz Panto in Kettering and Daisy the Cow in Jack and the Beanstalk at Cliffs Pavilion in Southend on Sea.
I’ve also been part of various projects and cabarets with Sad Girl Productions, been involved in workshops for the Stratford Festival in Canada and made appearances at various kids parties dressed as Pikachu and Sky from Paw Patrol, haha!
Through Run At It Shouting I’ve been to countless workshops with casting directors, writers and industry professionals that have really helped me get to know the theatre scene in the UK and build connections that otherwise would’ve been impossible. It’s an amazing company to get involved with.
Currently, I’m working on directing/choreographing a dance short film called Hedgehog, and other self-produced projects.
Do you have further long-term plans?
I’m hoping to start a class for professional dancers that focuses on the joy of dance. I think many professional dancers are so focused on comparison and success, that it robs them of the joy that exists in dance.I want to enable dancers to fall back in love with the moment through classes inspired by the work of my dance heroes like Alvin Ailey, Katherine Dunham, and many more.
We wish you all the very best with that. Thanks for sharing your story.
