In our profile series, Tell Us In Ten, we ask cast members and creatives of top London shows to tell us all about themselves in just 10 questions. From how they got their start in the industry to their favourite shows, we want to know everything.
This time we’re chatting to Michael Rishawn who will be starring as River, Eric & the Bartender in Table 17 – the award-winning play, directed by Tony Award-winner Zhailon Levingston (CATS The Jellicle Ball).
1. My route into theatre was…
By accident. It was in high school. A friend dared me to audition for a one act play festival the school was putting on. I was athlete in high school, soccer was life – I ended up skipping that scrimmage for the audition, and the rest is history.
2. My West End idol is…
I don’t really think of artists as idols in that way, but Cate Blanchett – this woman can literally do anything, John Malkovich, and the incomparable André De Shields are all artists whose careers and work I deeply admire.
3. My colleagues would describe me as…
Playful. An artist who’s not concerned with having all the answers. A bit of a trickster.
4. My favourite show (that isn’t one I star in/work on) is…
I’d have to say Cabaret, particularly the most recent revival. I knew the show, but my main reference point was Alan Cumming’s version, which is obviously iconic for a reason. But seeing Marisha Wallace and Billy Porter step in and inhabit those roles had me running to the theatre. And what they added to the history of that show felt pretty revolutionary – and necessary.
5. The career moment I’m most proud of is…
Gosh, there are so many. But collectively, I’m most proud to be living out the dreams I’ve had since coming out of college. My 20-year-old self is thanking the current version of me today.
6. The hardest part about my job/role is…
Patience. The hardest part about being an actor is patience. It’s never the work – that’s a given. It’s the waiting, and the
spaces in between getting to the next job. I still haven’t mastered it.
7. If I wasn’t an actor, I would be…
I’d be a clinical psychologist, hands down.
8. Something people don’t know about me is…
I was born and raised overseas as an Air Force brat and lived in Guam, Stuttgart, Manila and Hong Kong, all before the age of twelve.
9. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
We create our tomorrows today. Watch how you speak about you. Watch how you think about you. For life is not happening to you; it’s flowing from you.
10. The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is…
You gotta relax. You’re really not in control. Trust that there are higher forces working on your behalf – even when it doesn’t seem like it. You’re blessed beyond measure.
Get your tickets to see Michael in Table 17 at the Kiln Theatre below!
