Theatre

Q&A

Meet VELVET’s new leading man, Tom Oliver

VELVET newcomer and one of Australia’s brightest young talents, Tom Oliver has done it all - music, theatre, film, television and cabaret. See him strut his stuff from 8 June at The Palms at Crown Melbourne!

See available tickets

Previously starring on stage in Romeo & Juliet, Spring Awakening and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Tom joins the VELVET cast as our leading man – which makes him the perfect cast member to sit down and get to know better!

When did you start performing?
I started a little later than most of my peers. I grew up wanting to play cricket & rugby for Australia. In grade 10 at High School, my rugby mates and I auditioned for the school musical for a bit of a joke (to meet some girls because we went to an all boys school) and I somehow got cast in the lead role. I’d never sung in public before that audition. I was hooked ever since! I still love sport but I am addicted to performing.

Did you already play the Ukulele, or did you learn it especially for the show?
Don’t tell ANYONE this… but I went out and bought a ukulele from my local music store a week before my audition for VELVET. I’d never played a uke before. I’d seen the show in Melbourne a year before and really wanted to play this role. When the producers asked me to come in and audition I knew they would ask me to play that song so I tried to plan ahead.  I called my friend in Brisbane and she taught me the song and…. well here we are!

If you could swaps roles with anyone in VELVET, who would it be and why?
It’s so hard to choose! I love everyone’s tricks in the show. I’d love to play the drums like Joey our live DJ because there are sooooo many fancy electric buttons to play with that make really cool sounds. I’d also like to swap with Stephen Williams our straps performer – have you seen his muscles? That guy is STRONG! He also flies across the room with the gorgeous Emma Goh on chains. I want to look that cool one day.

The best part of being in the cast of VELVET?
I get to sing duets with Marcia Hines eight times a week, go on an amazing journey as the lead character in this story and interact with the best circus performers and vocalists in the world. I’m very very lucky.

What is your favourite disco song?
It changes every day. At the moment I’m loving ‘Thinking of You’ by Sister Sledge.

What is your disco diva name?
Either “The Jiggy Boi” or “Boogie Wonderman”.

Your favourite part of the show?
There’s a moment in the show where I perform a re-imagined version of the Bee Gees song ‘Stayin Alive’. It’s such a different style to the rest of the show and I really like exploring that song. Most of the show is upbeat, colourful and fuelled by the disco beat, but there’s something really nice about being still for a few moments and reflecting.

See Velvet at The Palms at Crown Melbourne 8 June – 2 July. Simply hit the link below for tickets.