Christopher Charles Rickerby.

Where and when were you born?

In Frankston General Hospital on April 8, 1981.

Where did you grow up?

In Karingal, a suburb near Frankston. We lived there until I was 12. My dad Don was working with the Melbourne Water Board and he was offered a position with Central Highlands Water in Ballarat so we moved up to Bacchus Marsh.

Tell us about your family?

My mum Jennifer is a horticulturist, she judges garden shows. She also trained as a chef and judges cooking. She's a great cook. Dad still works for Central Highlands Water and I have an older sister Simone who is an archeologist.

Tell us about your childhood.

We had a fantastic garden in Karingal, my room looked down into a landscaped pond area. It was a great place, I had a lot of imaginary stories I made up about creatures who lived in the ferneries. I remember travelling around doing eisteddfods, and we also used to travel with mum and dad around horticultural shows. We were dragged around in the Holden Commodore all over the place in really long car trips. I used to get car sick all the time. My dad says you could draw a map of Victoria by the places where I was sick!

How did you first start performing?

I was in prep, we were doing some singing and apparently I came home from school and said I wanted to learn how to sing. I went to a singing school and I loved it, then went on to a private teacher and started classical training.

When did you start competing?

I did my first eisteddfod at seven. Because it was the first one my parents didn't really know what was going on and they put me in the under 21 section. I sang ``I'm Late'' from ``Alice in Wonderland'' and I got an honourable mention. I kept going and did really well. I loved performing, especially character songs. I started acting and dance when I was 12. I was the only guy in the dance class, which wasn't too bad!

Then in 1993 I started going to the National Theatre Saturday program in St Kilda. I went for a year and got my first real taste of acting.

Where did you go to school?

I went to Bacchus Marsh Primary School, and tried year seven in Bacchus Marsh then I went to University High School in Parkville. That was fantastic.

What were your first professional productions?

My first professional experience was playing the part of the young Duke of York in ``Richard III'' for two years for the Bell Shakespeare Company. We did Melbourne both years then one year we did Canberra and Adelaide as well. I also played Christopher

Robin in a Garry Ginnivan production of ``Winnie the Pooh'' at the same time, the shows overlapped.

Did you enjoy it?

I loved it, it was like a whole other world to play in and sing in, I was only 12 or 13. I remember taking all this time off school to perform and then it was like it wasn't real when I went back.

What are some of the other highlights of your career?

I performed in Baz Luhrmann's Australian Opera production of ``A Midsummer Night's Dream'' at the State Theatre. On the final night for that we were told we would be touring to Edinburgh to do the Edinburgh Festival, we all freaked out. It was really exciting.

I've worked in guest roles with ``Neighbours'' and ``Blue Heelers''.

``Blue Heelers'' is a production I would really love to work with. They take pride in what they do and it's felt throughout the whole studio. It was great working opposite William McInnes, Martin Sacks and John Wood. Just watching them and how they do things was a really good learning experience. One of the funniest things was working with Lano and Woodley.

Why acting?

I love doing it, it's fascinating. You have these lines written by someone else and you have to find ways to make them ring truthfully. By doing that I get to explore myself and explore other people. I get to be creative and entertain people. There's two sides though, it's very rewarding but then there's not getting any work.

Is there anyone who has really influenced your career?

Constance Coward-Lemke. She was suggested to me as a teacher when I moved to Bacchus Marsh. She's very well known for her technical knowledge and wonderful ability to convey meaning to performers. When I went to to her I had a very limited range. Starting with her was a challenge straight away. Without that I wouldn't have got into the Australian Opera or anything like that.

I've been with her through a lot of changes. She's more than just a singing teacher.

Connie also held a concert to fundraise for the trip, which was great. The people of Ballarat were really supportive. I wasn't expecting so many people to come, it was wonderful to have so many people wishing me well.

You must be looking forward to going to NIDA.

I'm so excited, I can't wait to start and meet my class. It's a great opportunity. I'm going to learn a lot.

I think I will love Sydney.

Was NIDA always a goal?

I had in my mind the whole way through high school that I would get into NIDA. I did my first auditions when I was doing my final exams in 1998 and I didn't get called back, but they took me aside and said they thought I was good, but that I was too young.

I went away and kept performing and getting experience. I also worked in a cafe, room service, hospitality and as an usher in the Arts Centre in Melbourne. I kept auditioning every year and got shortlisted twice, it was frustrating not to get in. Then I went there last year with no pressure on myself, did my first piece and they loved it. I sailed through.

What do you want to do after NIDA?

Try to get work with the Melbourne Theatre Company or the Sydney Theatre Company. I would also love to work overseas.