ENTERTAINMENT
Potential "Big Hitter"
By Heather V., Fredericton High, Fredericton, NB
Fredericton High student, Patrick Maubert, is in grade 12 and is already
well known to patrons of the theatre in Fredericton. In Theatre New
Brunswick (TNB) production of BIG, he was Josh Baskin. In Grease, he
played the role of Danny Zuko, while in the recently staged Chicago, he
played the role of Billy Flynn. In Fredericton High productions, he has
had many lead roles such as Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, Charlie
Davenport in Annie Get Your Gun, and Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street. In this
year's production of Bye Bye Birdie, Mr. Maubert played Albert Peterson.
Maubert aspires to be more than a local actor. He dreams of
hitting the stage in New York City and accomplishing his goal to make it
big. Heather V., a grade 12 journalism student at FHS, spoke to Mr.
Maubert between his acting gigs.
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Heather V: How did you begin acting and why did you continue?
Patrick Maubert: I began acting when I was eight. My sister was
auditioning for the Theatre New Brunswick Christmas production of a
Christmas Carol and I just went with her because my parents were waiting
her. We went into a big room and waited for her to do her thing. The
director came downstairs and saw me there. He asked me if I was trying
out and I said I wasn't really because I wasn't really into that whole
thing. He told me I had to try out because I looked the part perfectly. I
went upstairs and recited a poem I learnt the year before in school. I
got the role of Tiny Tim and my sister didn't get anything so it was hard
for her but that's how it all started.
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Heather V: What classes do you take in to help you in musical
theatre/acting? How many hours a week do you practice each?
Maubert: I take two hours of voice lessons a week, one hour of piano and
piano theory, one hour of jazz dance and TNB. Wow that takes up a good
seven hours a week. That's a safe bet. I'm in a lot of other shows too so
I practice musical theatre a lot.
Heather V: During a show on average how many hours would you practice?
Maubert: It depends when it is. If it is close to a show you are there
almost all the time but if it is close to the start probably about three
or four hours a week.
Heather V: During a show on average how much school do you miss?
Maubert: I've missed a fair bit this year because my courses are easier
than last year. I would say I've missed quite a few school days.
Heather V: Is it hard to keep up on your schoolwork during a show?
Maubert: I think teachers believe that you can do homework and keep up
with your school work while doing a show but really it is impossible
because when you're doing a show or a run through you can't be backstage
doing homework because your getting ready to go on stage or getting
changed. When you get home at twelve O'clock homework is that last thing
you want to do but if you have to do it you have to do it. A lot of
teachers are very understanding about that kind of thing and will give
you a few days extension. I've never really had trouble with that.
Heather V: You sometimes had a part time job too. Did you find this
difficult?
Maubert: Yes, up until this year, for grade 9, 10, and 11, I worked at
Aura Whole Foods. Luckily my boss was both my cousins and his wife so
they were very understanding and I couldn't have done it without them. I
missed a lot of work and it was hard trying to re-schedule shifts. It
wasn't a good thing. I thought for my last year I should just do shows
and stuff so it is a lot less stressful.
Heather V: What other activities do you do besides acting?
Maubert: Well I'm on the TADD executive at school and I do a lot of
school organizations like SRC and students aware of the world. I hang out
with friends as much as I can but primarily I'm at the theatre doing some
show.
Heather V: What was your favorite character and why? Were any most like
you as a person?
Maubert: Josh Baskin in BIG was my favorite and most like me. At the time
I was a thirteen-year-old boy and I was playing a thirteen year old boy
trapped in a mans body. The part fit really well and when you're thirteen
your going through a lot of changes. I just seemed to fit my character
really well. I think I'm also a lot like Barnaby Tucker in Hello Dolly
because he was kind of dorky like me.
Heather V: What challenges did you have to over come playing Billy Flynn
in the musical Chicago.
Maubert: The primary one would probably be characterization. He's very
smooth and talked very slow and I don't talk slow at all that was a big
challenge. Also he was totally different from how I was. He was super
sleazy and not a nice guy. I'm use to playing the nice guy in plays so
that was a challenge but it was a fun challenge.
Heather V: What was your favorite TNB show and why?
Maubert: That's a toss up between my first and my last TNB shows. My
first one was BIG and my last one was Chicago. I liked BIG because I had
an amazing role that was probably the best role I'll ever have and
Chicago just because it was an amazing show and we got great turnouts and
Billy Flynn was a neat character.
Heather V: At Fredericton High, you have had a major part in production
every year since you were in grade 9. What was your favorite FHS musical?
Maubert: I would have to say Bye Bye Birdie because it was my last show
in high school. I got a really good part, a really different neat kind of
character. It was just an overall fun show.
Heather V: What are you doing next school year?
Maubert: I got accepted to the American Musical and Dramatic
Academy. There are courses in three sections -- acting, singing, and
dancing. For each category there is three or four sub sectors. I got a
scholarship so it will be expensive, but this will help. In the beginning
I received four thousand dollars a year, but it got bumped up to eight
thousand dollars a year.
Heather V: Are you scared of living by yourself in New York? Are you
worried about becoming a stereotypical starving actor?
Maubert: I'm not really scared of living in New York. I'm more scared of
the school and how I'll measure up to everyone else. There are a lot of
starving actors out there, but I think I'll be getting pretty good
training. As long as I'm working in the field in some way, whether it is
on Broadway, cruise ships, touring the country, or working in cities
across the States or in Canada I'll be happy.
Heather V: Do you consider yourself a triple threat?
Maubert: A triple threat is someone who is fluent in acting, singing and
dancing. I would consider myself to be a triple threat "wanna-be". I
don't think I'm a triple threat yet. I'm not consistant in all three
categories, but I'm probably the strongest in singing. I need to get my
dancing up there and acting will come with experience. My heart would
always be in Broadway, but I'll do whatever pays the rent.
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