The Dive Podcast

13: Rejection, Self Doubt & Persevering In Musical Theatre with Daniel Assetta

• Daniel Asseta • Season 1 • Episode 13

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Ever wondered what it takes to make it from the dance floor to Broadway? 

Dive into this episode where Daniel Asseta shares his journey: from a three-year-old dancer in Sydney to starring in shows such as  'Wicked' and 'Cats' in Australia, and finally, hitting the Broadway stage in '& Juliet'. Get ready for a rollercoaster of challenges, rejections, and the sweet taste of success as Daniel spills the secrets to embracing individuality and persevering in the cutthroat world of performing arts.

They talked about:

  • Daniel's journey began at the tender age of three, where he took his first steps into the world of dance and opera, laying the foundation for his future in the performing arts.
  • Transitioning from the dance floor to professional theater, Daniel faced challenges head-on, marking a pivotal moment in his career.
  • Daniel's experience in 'Wicked' offered invaluable lessons and growth opportunities, shaping him into the performer he is today.
  • Making the leap to Broadway from Australia required immense determination and resilience, but Daniel's unwavering dedication paid off.
  • The culmination of Daniel's journey came with his Broadway debut in '& Juliet,' a moment he describes as pure magic, showcasing the fulfillment of his lifelong dream.

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Speaker 1:

I literally was like well, you know, like I've done this and I've done that. No one cares. Basically, everything was irrelevant. It was like meeting new people, networking. I felt like I was 18 again A couple of times. There was one day when I literally was like oh, it's a no, it's a no, it's a no. I was like how many of those can you take in one day? That affected me. I was like it's not. I had certainly never experienced it like that. So that was a really new experience for me, and I was like oh, I'm not good enough. I was like I'm not going to be able to do this. But what became clear to me was just that those things weren't for me.

Speaker 2:

Hello and welcome to another episode on the Dive Podcast, where each week, we interview professional performing artists as we discuss their stories and dive deeper into learning how to navigate the challenges we face as artists. I'm your host, taylor Scanlon. Welcome to the dive If you're new here. I'm a musical theater performer and I've been performing in the industry for over 10 years and I've met some amazing people along the way. So today we have Daniela Setter joining us and we actually met on Cats the Musical back in 2015.

Speaker 2:

I believe it was maybe a little bit earlier, but we won't say that and anyway, we had an amazing discussion talking about things like self-doubt, but also about his amazing, incredible career and journey, from when he was training all the way up through doing Wicked Cats Hamilton, and now he's made this transition to go over into America. He is there. He's been there for a little while now and it's a really exciting episode as he has joined the company of Anjuli et on Broadway and at the time of recording, literally moments before we were very excited because he got a message to say that he was going on for the lead role of William Shakespeare in Anjuli et on Broadway. So, oh my gosh, what an exciting episode we have for you and let's get into it. Thank you so much, daniel, for being on the show.

Speaker 2:

Well, thank you for having me, of course, and it's crazy. You're currently in the dressing room and just being told, at the time of filming, that you're going on for the lead, which is crazy. Yes, that's the Broadway craziness here Broadway craziness. Well, before we get into a little bit more of the craziness, I'd love to pan a picture, as always for the artists that are listening into who's Daniel has set up before your career that you're having now. What was your training like?

Speaker 1:

What was my training like? So I primarily started as a dancer. So I think my first dance class was around like three years old, because that was seemed to be the trajectory that my parents thought was fit for me, because I was just kind of always bopping along to music and like Barney the dinosaur on television and I just kind of obviously there was something that they saw in me. And so I started dance classes in Sydney at the Glendy E School of Dance, which is where I trained from three all the way up until I finished high school and I think I started singing lessons at seven.

Speaker 1:

And throughout that time that I was kind of like going through my childhood years. There was a lot of wonderful opportunities that came my way, like through the dance school. But also I did seven years of opera as a boy soprano at the opera house in Carmen and Turandot and the magic flute. And I mean I was not a classically trained singer whatsoever as a child but fell into the world of opera and I think that kind of provided like a really great base for working as a professional from a young age, as a child, and it kind of like ignited something in me that was like, oh, I don't want to do opera, but I think I would love to pursue something in this kind of field of performing arts on stage.

Speaker 2:

How wonderful. So you've been really doing it since day dot.

Speaker 1:

Day dot. Maybe that explains the exhaustion.

Speaker 2:

Well, you definitely don't look exhausting. You look stunning all the way over in America, and so when did you go in then into full time training? Did you say so? I did when.

Speaker 1:

I finished high school, I did the diploma at ED Five International, which kind of refined all of my skills and collected everything together and kind of allowed me to see what my strengths were, what my weaknesses were and allowed me to kind of really work on what I needed to be able to present myself as a professional in the industry. And so I had an incredible time there and under the guidance of so many wonderful teachers who were big inspirations to me and still continue to be amazing. And how long were you there for? Well, that's also an interesting story. So I was there for a year and a half before I booked Wicked, and then I went to Melbourne, rehearsed the show, did this whole season in New Zealand whilst learning my grad routines, and then came back three days before my grad showcase and zipped into my grad and graduated with everyone.

Speaker 1:

What do you mean? Yeah, how did that work? Well, I mean it worked because I had wonderful friends who were helping me learn and all the teachers were so supportive. I'm a firm believer in finishing things and it wouldn't have felt right not graduating from something that was a huge part of my life. So the timing worked out just, and it was the craziest time because I was like literally performing the show in New Zealand and I was also an onstage swing in Wicked. So I had nine tracks that I was learning, but also learning my grad routines via video. So it was a crazy time but I'm so glad that I was able to graduate with my class and, yeah, it was really, really special.

Speaker 2:

Oh, how good. I definitely believe that Just finishing things just also feels good, and especially with people that you've trained with for so long, not finishing it feels a bit strange. I remember when we were actually doing Cats Together in Sydney, I left the last show, my graduation. They had like a graduation awards night or dinner and I left as soon as I could after the night show, get to Melbourne and I think I arrived at grad and everyone was like on another level but it was still actually gave that tick of. Now we're all done.

Speaker 1:

Oh, absolutely. It's a nice feeling to be like that part of life happened and it was amazing and you can celebrate it.

Speaker 2:

For sure, and Wicked went for a long time, didn't it?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so I did Wicked for two years. I mean, honestly, the time in my eyes it flew by so quickly because I was so young, so eager to learn, and I was obsessed with my entire cast. I was the baby of the whole group and I just watched everyone in awe every night. And there's something so special about that show in particular, too, and I think whenever I hear any of that music, I immediately sob like a baby. There's something really special about it, and I think, being my first show as well, it kind of did something completely different to me too, and so it definitely made me into a better performer, that's for sure. Like I learned so much whilst doing that show for two years, and it really did prepare me for whatever was to come next, which was when we met in Cats.

Speaker 2:

Yay, that's it. Oh, my gosh, Cats. I'm trying to remember the first time I met you. I remember the day you were probably gonna be modified, the day when Joanne Robertson got you to improv in our warmup. I love that woman, she's just wild oh my gosh improv.

Speaker 1:

my favorite word yes, that's it.

Speaker 2:

But no, we'd got to know each other really, really well and we had such an awesome time and, like what you were just saying with Wicked Cats was kind of like that for me. I was just like, yeah, in awe, I was like the baby, I was just loving everything and that was a really special show to be a part of too.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I mean, yeah, it's so funny. Like Cats was never really like a show that was on my radar at all. I feel like maybe there was a lot of like dance kids who kind of like saw the show, maybe passing through earlier in the years, but for me it never really was and it kind of took me a bit by surprise and obviously for multiple reasons, including my husband. It's such a special moment, I think, in my life. But Cats it's such a show that bonds a lot of people and like I really felt that without cast, like we had such a beautiful time and you have to be we're all crawling around on the floor in lycra.

Speaker 2:

Well, well, you're gonna be in people's face, you might as well do it. You know from that experience. You went on to do awesome other shows as well, and now you're over in America, which is just wild. What's that experience been like in that transition? Cause I know it just doesn't happen overnight. It takes a long time and a lot of sacrifice and commitment. Yeah, what has that experience been like for you?

Speaker 1:

Okay, I started this process to move here and petition for a green card back in 2016.

Speaker 1:

I was inspired by a friend who did a similar process and I knew it was gonna be hard and I knew that it was gonna be expensive. But New York is a place that I have always wanted to live and so I was like, well, you don't know, unless you try right, yes, it's gonna be hard, yes there's gonna be challenges, but I'm going to hope that it's worth it. And so I began this journey so long ago and there were bumps along the road and obviously, covid happened, which was a huge thing about, well, the industry is not running here. Lots of things to think about, to consider. And then, obviously, I had some amazing other shows come along in Australia, which made me delay things a little bit, because I was like being a part of the original company of Hamilton in Australia was one of the most incredible experiences, and I was like, well, I'm not going to go yet. There was a lot of negotiating with like time, but it finally happened in November of 2022, after all of those years of reference letters and printing all of this.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I had five folders worth of stuff, like everything has to be on paper reviews, clippings. It was like a full-time job, like to prepare this portfolio. But I mean, yes, and moving here has been such an eye-opening experience. There are being a part of an industry that you know so much about, but it's like so many, so many things are so different. And it really really shook me when I got here, because I was like I'm ready, let's go, let's go. And then I was like wait a minute, don't understand that. That's unusual. Aha, that's how auditions work. Last year alone, I had 50 auditions. I haven't even done that many in my entire life.

Speaker 2:

Like it's crazy over there, right.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, self tapes. The process itself is just so different and the industry itself is very different. I mean, that goes without saying. It definitely is just like one of those things that it's like well, america and Broadway, and they've got regional theaters. There's so much going on all the time here Off-Broadway. There's pockets of, there's workshops, there's readings, like there's all these things that are happening in every corner of the city. But there are so many people who also are incredibly talented. Like when I tell you the amount of incredible people that I have met over the last year, I've been just like wow, to be able to survive and to keep the drive and motivation going in a city like this, in amongst so many people, is insane. It's insane.

Speaker 1:

It is a little fire in me last year Because I literally was like well, you know, like I've done this and I've done that, no one cares. Basically, everything was irrelevant. It was like meeting new people, networking. I felt like I was 18 again and I was very lucky to have a wonderful agent, which is a blessing here, because it is really difficult and not everyone has agents and so because of that, I was able to get into some incredible rooms and there were lots of nos. I mean, I just said I went for 50 auditions. Did I do 50 jobs last year? Absolutely not.

Speaker 1:

I doubted myself a lot along the way. I was like, well, I've come all this way from Australia to make these dreams happen, and I was like, but they might take longer than I think, and so I had to be prepared for that. There was a lot of defeat, a lot of moments where I was like, why did I move? It definitely happened, but I kept going and I was like, well, the right thing will be for me when it, like it will appear. I am a firm believer in what is meant for you won't pass you, and so I just kept working hard. I was taking classes. I'm seeing a really wonderful vocal coach. Like the training hasn't stopped, if anything, it's accelerated, and so that, to me, is something that like maybe I would have got complacent in Australia into a career of doing everything that I have so far.

Speaker 1:

Yeah but here I was, just like I gotta compete, I gotta step up your game.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's inspiring and it's almost like you've found. I mean, you've always had the love and the passion for the arts, but going there, surrounded by literally all those people, and the iconicness of it all how inspiring to just get you into gear and it even makes me feel inspired. I'm like, oh, I need to go do something today. And you mentioned briefly on some of the moments, the periods that we have and not always highlights, and the big, the amazing things we love to do and love to share.

Speaker 2:

Hey, listeners, if you're interested in yoga, pilates or even becoming a yoga teacher, I highly recommend you come and check out the Australian Yoga Academy. It's located in the heart of Chapel Street in Melbourne, with daily yoga and Pilates classes as well as yoga teacher training to get you Prepared to step on to the other side of the map. Whether you're here to be a teacher or not, you can come to the Australian Yoga Academy and find something for you. They also house Reiki, osteo and physiotherapy and they're really just Revolutionizing the way that we look at our bodies and also connect together as a community. Whether you're a beginner or a daily yogi, the Australian Yoga Academy has something for you.

Speaker 2:

The dive podcast is also filmed here and houses our sound therapy sessions each and every Monday. To receive up to 28 days of Unlimited yoga and Pilates, go on to their website wwwaustralianyogaacademycom Today to check out their generous intro offers for yourself. Now that's enough for me. Let's get back to the episode I'd love to discuss even a little bit about how you kind of got yourself kind of out of the funk when you did Get the rejection or you did have that self-doubt. Was there anything you specifically do or Any guidance you would give to people that may be having those moments, maybe even listening right now, to kind of help them move forward?

Speaker 1:

it's so tricky because I feel like every circumstance of that feeling of defeat or self-doubt is different depending on what has happened. It's different depending on what the audition is or how much the job means to you. There are so many elements in play and I think I Always allow myself to really feel it, especially if it really meant a lot to you. I Think like dismissing it straight away is kind of the wrong move, but I mean when it happens over 40 times, especially when it's like a couple of times.

Speaker 1:

Oh, there was one day when I literally was like, oh, it's a no, it's a no, it's a no. I was like how many of those can you take in one day? That affected me. I was like it's not. I have Certainly never experienced it like that. So that was a really new experience for me and I was like, oh, I'm not good enough. I was like I'm not gonna be able to do this. But what became clear to me was just that those things weren't for me and I had to kind of just put my faith in that and be like, okay, I'm gonna use that to motivate me. There were so many wonderful things that happened in that room that I'm really proud of, and I gave a great audition, so if I'm not right for this job, then that's okay. It'll be someone else's job and I always try to stay positive, but we all know how difficult that can be sometimes.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, for sure, and I mean that that perseverance has obviously got you to where you are today and I love that. We were just talking a little bit before and you're in the dressing room now, in Hand to all. Yet I love that show, I watched it. I think I was here in Melbourne. It's such a fun show and what's that experience been like for you? Now, remember seeing the photo. If we're people watching the YouTube, I could put up the photo that you're in front of the Postar and kind of a big dream moment is happening for you right now. What's that been like? It's I mean.

Speaker 1:

When I got the call from my agent, I basically just collapsed to the floor on 8th Avenue. I mean to be told by someone on the phone you're gonna be on Broadway. We throw that word around a lot. I think back home like Broadway jazz and we're doing Broadway musicals and like the genre of listening to Broadway shows and cast recordings. To actually then be like associating that word with the reason why you basically wanted to move here Is, then, a completely different scenario, because all of a sudden it hits you and you go, wait a minute. That's literally what I've been waiting to hear my entire life, and then, when it happens, of course I fell to the floor.

Speaker 2:

You say yes, you say yes and you run yeah it really was just such a magical moment.

Speaker 1:

And then everything was in full acceleration mode from then, because I've never joined a company before that's already running. And so literally by the end of the next week I already met the whole cast. I'm in costume fittings. I actually learned Shakespeare first as part of my process. By my second week I was already taking the full show as Shakespeare on stage with the cast and I didn't even know who these people were.

Speaker 1:

Basically, what do you mean? Oh, it's the craziest thing. And then I learned my track in the show which I play, henry. And then a month later I'm on stage, like I know both my principal track, which I've already ticked, and my own track. And so then you're just kind of like looking out, like on my first night I think I was expecting to feel this guttural, like cry moment, but I actually just stood there in the bowels. I can't even really explain it. I honestly was just so happy. I kind of felt like it happened and I was able to soak up that moment for what it was, rather than being like oh my God, I did it like crying, but more just kind of like wow, I'm so happy that this happened.

Speaker 2:

Just taking it all in.

Speaker 1:

Yeah yeah. It really was just really magical. And then I made my principal debut two weeks after that and that night I cried a lot Good, mostly in disbelief, I was kind of watching videos back just being like is that me, did I just do that?

Speaker 2:

Well, I guess you waited like so long to do that thing and now the thing's happening. So you put like years upon years of all this planning and hoping and creating that we kind of sometimes never not. We always like waiting for the next thing and getting to that next moment, but when the moment happens, it's like nothing can prepare you for it.

Speaker 1:

No, no, it really can't, and so I feel like only now am I really feeling settled. So I don't even know what time day, who knows where we are. I'm in a different room, like it just now. The ball is rolling and I've gotten into a schedule and a rhythm, which I love. We all love that.

Speaker 1:

But since I started rehearsals at the beginning of this year through to about now, like I really haven't come up for air, because there's just been one thing after the next, and then we were on the Drew Barrymore show, and that was happening while I was making my Shakespeare debut, and then my other principal understudy I was learning as well, like this is like it just all happened so quickly, and so I had to just like really pinch myself and also be like get enough sleep, be grateful, do the hard work like this, all these layers to it as well. But I mean truly. I'm just like so, so incredibly grateful for the journey, everyone who has gotten me to this point, every moment that I've been able to learn and soak up experience and knowledge and then turn it into the career that I've always dreamed of.

Speaker 2:

That's so beautiful. I wish I could come over there and watch you, because now, at the time of filming, we were just saying before you've been asked to go on, but you've checked sphere. What was that? You said that you started with the learning net. What was that process? Like you said, it was really fast.

Speaker 1:

It was so incredibly fast. I was just like, okay, well, I found out that I was going to be starting to learn that probably about three days before I entered the room. So I was like, okay, we have to learn the entire script right now. So I dove straight into it and I learned the show with the associate director and associate director, the choreographer and the dance captains. And yeah, it was wild. But I mean, this show is so fun and the material is just so delicious to sing, the script is witty and funny and you can't help but have a great time. And the role it probably is my favorite role I've ever played. It's just like when something just feels so right, it's got pop elements, it's comedic, I get to dance. You know what I mean? It really is a really, really special role to be able to understudy, and so it is wild to me when I'm just like, oh yeah, tonight I'm just going to lead a Broadway show, sure, amazing.

Speaker 2:

Well, I won't keep you for much longer because you've got to go get ready, but I love asking this at the end of each episode for anyone that comes on. And basically it is if you had to give some advice to yourself when you were starting your career, what would that be?

Speaker 1:

Wow, you've stumped me.

Speaker 2:

Because a lot of people that listen in are, as you think you can move chat. A lot of people that are listening in people that are just starting out in the industry or maybe they're even still in full time, or there's people that are listening in that need that extra little bit of boost or kind of lost the faith within the arts as well. So any advice you can give on that or to yourself at that time when you were there.

Speaker 1:

I think embracing individuality is something that we're told to shun away from for some reason, like when we're training, everyone kind of tries to make us be the one thing, and I think just embracing who you are and what your strengths are and what you have to offer to something is the best thing that we could possibly try to listen to, and I definitely tried to be true to myself and what I wanted to do and what I loved and my skill set throughout my career. But I think we always doubt that and we doubt that that's going to be the recipe to success, or even just that that's the thing that people are gonna love about us, and so I think that's probably the one thing that I would tell myself to embrace more, just to be like, well, this is you and no one else is the same as you, and so your journey is different to everyone else's journey, and so just to be proud of that and to really be proud of what you have to offer.

Speaker 2:

Wonderful, that's fantastic. I couldn't agree more. No, well, that's good. No, it's awesome, and I'm really just loved chatting with you. I haven't been able to catch up for a while and watching all your success and it just reminds me of when we were working together and hopefully in the near future that can happen again soon, who knows?

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, and I'm so proud of you for everything that you're doing as well.

Speaker 2:

Oh, thank you Dali. Well, it's been awesome having you on and maybe we'll see you again on here soon, but have a fantastic show and thank you. Yeah, the dive community is sending our love to you, thank you.

Speaker 1:

Thank you.

Speaker 2:

Bye, bye. Thank you all for being here on the Dive Podcast and for listening in to another episode. If you feel like this episode resonated with you and maybe someone that you know, share it with a friend and share the love, as always, you can head to our website at wwwthedivecomau, which will just help you implement the strategies and topics that we talk about on the show. We have a blog post that I write, a post every single week, really just detailing how you can start to implement the strategies and the topics that we talk about in the show. As always, if you have any questions for me or Daniel or anyone of our guests that have been on the show, you can email us at wwwinvoteatthedivecomau. It's awesome having you here. Thank you for your support and I'll see you on the next one.