What would you change about the industry? 

I wish that musical theatre as a medium wasn’t so generalised. It is an art form and a medium of storytelling and has the capability of doing anything you need it to. 

What is the best part of your job?

My students. Helping them blossom into the brilliant future performers of this art form I love so dearly is a real privilege. I especially love working with those who share my enthusiasm for quality writing and artistry in musicals past, present and future.

And your least favourite?

Listening to the same handful of audition songs over and over every year. Please, delve a little deeper for your audition and cabaret material. There are thousands of brilliant musicals and amazing songs out there if you know where to look.
This is partly what inspired me to write Your Rep Book – I could see this was an area where students, and professionals, needed help to make this process easier. 

Who are the arts practitioners you admire the most and why?

I admire any artist who takes musical theatre seriously as an art form – which doesn’t mean they necessarily make “serious” musicals, but that they understand and appreciate the work and artistry that goes into making a musical and aspire to artistic greatness within the form. 

Adam Wachter is a lecturer in musical theatre at RWCMD as well as a music director, composer, lyricist and author of Your Rep Book: How to Find, Choose and Prepare Successful Audition Songs, published by Methuen Drama