CLAIRE WATLING DATE OF BIRTH: 15 November 1970 HEIGHT: 173 cm NATIONALITY: South African HAIR: Blonde EYES: Blue / Grey LANGUAGES: English, Afrikaans (Afrikaans second language) TRAINING 1992 - Performers Diploma in Speech and Drama, at University of Cape Town) 2006 - Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Drama, University of Cape Town) WORK EXPERIENCE: Drag Artist (February 2018 - present) Clarise Fortuna (Drag Mother, Lady Anjelica MacDeath) Creator of the Faux-Drag pin-up chanteuse, Clarise Fortuna. Actor (1 January 2018 4 February 2018) Dandelions and Stones by Jessica McCarthy (Director, Beren Belknap) Played Vivian, a therapist, opposite Lady Anjelica MacDeath at The Alexander Theatre Bar.
Director/Head Lecturer of Private School (October 2017 present) Performer School and Performer School Online (Sole Proprietor, Self) Teaching acting and voice, creating online tutorials for actors for the YouTube Channel, Performer School Online. Assistant Director (May-July 2016) The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gillman (Director, Kim Kerfoot) Performed at The Kalk Bay Theatre by Henri Landon. Part-time Lecturer (20 July 2015 October 2017) University of Cape Town (Drama Department, HOD Geoffrey Hyland) Teaching and directing all students voice and acting. Part-time Lecturer (01 January 2013 January 2016) Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Film Department, HOD Jared Borkhum) Teaching 3rd year and 2nd year film directing students how to work with actors. Actress (27,28, 29 July 2015) The Yellow Wallpaper (Independent production, Alexander Theatre Bar and Café) One-Woman performance of the gothic horror, The Yellow Wallpaper directed by Kim Kerfoot. Private tutoring singing and acting (13 April 2015 December 2016) Claire Watling s Studio (Self-Employed) Private coaching to professional and amateur singers and actors. Art Film Actress (04 October 2011 21 November 2011) Celia s Story (GIPCA, UCT, 31 Orange Street, Cape Town, 8001) My last project as a film actress. An art film directed by Ruth Levin-Vorster, one of the GIPCA fellows that year. It has aired at various film festivals in South Africa. I have been part of similar projects in the past with the artist Andrew Putter Secretly I Will Love You More displays at The Smithsonian Museum in New York.
Drama Teacher (01 January 2010 31 July 2011) Pinelands High School (Forest Drive, Pinelands, 7405) Teach drama according to the Western Cape Education department syllabus to children from grade 8 to grade 11. I was in charge of this Department, I created and maintained its budget. I created the course structure, lesson plans, notes, tests, examination papers and memoranda for all grades. I created the marking structure, captured the data for the marking structure and reported it to the school in the manner stipulated by the education department. I attended a course on emotional intelligence in teens while at the school. I also oversaw various cultural activities within the school. Taught classroom sized groups of 20-30 students, facilitated a workshop of 200 students and gave one on one coaching to individuals, organized and facilitated a dance performance with the entire school body of 900+ students. Freelance Actress (1993 2009) Various employers (Many projects both as an actress and a teacher were done in this period, I have included the most significant and relevant ones.) Cabaret Artist/Tour Organiser (6 February 2007 09 August 2009) Kissed By Brel (Self-employed) Actress and singer and tour organization. I performed the show and collaborated in its creation. This show performed in Cape Town, Gauteng and London. Actress /Voice Coach (01 November 2008 24 February 2009) As You Like It, Artscape (DF Malan Street, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001) Official voice coach on this professional Shakespearean production, directed by Geoffrey Hyland; Also played two acting roles in this production. Received a Fleur du Cap Award nomination for these roles Actress/Voice Coach (01 December 2005 18 February 2006) Twelfth Night, Artscape (DF Malan Street, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001) I played the role of Feste and was nominated and awarded a Fleur du Cap for Best Supporting Actress for this role. Directed by Geoffrey Hyland. Acting and Voice teacher (Oct 2008 Jan 2009) Magnet Theatre (Unit 1, The Old Match Factory, corner St Michaels and Lower Main Roads, Observatory, Cape Town)
Makeup Teacher (2005 2008) UCT (31 Orange Street, Cape Town, 8001) Created course material, taught classes, set and marked written assignments. Organised and assessed practical examinations for the makeup component of the UCT Stage management course. Was responsible for compilation of supply list and ordering of makeup supplies for students. Actress (Bilingual) (01 March 2004 26 May 2004) Uncle Vanya/Oom Vanya, Baxter Theatre (Main Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town) I played the role of Sonya in this production directed by Janice Honeymann. Performed in both English and Afrikaans. I received a Fleur du Cap nomination for this role for Best Supporting actress. Actress (01 December 2003 26 February 2004) Macbeth, Artscape (DF Malan Street, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001) Played the lead role of Lady Macbeth in this production directed by Geoffrey Hyland. I developed a method for preparing for auditions to acquire this role. I subsequently distilled this method into a teachable system I call the Two Sleep rule. A useful system that can be applied to audition preparation, word learning of any kind (including orals and public speaking) and audition preparation for both theatre and film. Street Theatre (Jan 1999 July 2000) Ratanga Junction (Century City, Cape Town, 7441) Was trained in clowning and street theatre techniques and directed by Fred Abrahamse for this project. Much like being part of a circus troupe, we performed a daily carnival, for which I was the Master of ceremonies on alternate performances. For the rest of the day we were responsible for guerilla street entertainment in the park Singer (1998-2001) Various Bands Lead vocals and backing vocals for the band The Tasty Free Radicals. Wrote lyrics and performed at various venues around the Cape. Lead singer for the band Flux. Wrote lyrics and collaborated in song creation. Booked gigs and managed finances for the band, organized rehearsals and was part of performances.
Lead singer for the band Jump. Wrote lyrics, sang lead vocals and collaborated in song creation. This band was commissioned to write and perform the theme song for the Mother City Queer Project, Farm Fresh in December 2001. I was the lyricist and lead singer on that commission. Backing vocalist for band Trans.sky. This band toured with the international band Massive Attack the opening act of their Mezzanine tour in 1998. This tour performed in the Standard Bank Arena in Gauteng, in Durban and in Cape Town at the Three Arts. Singer/Cabaret Artist (1994 1995) Self-employed Wrote original song and script material for various cabarets including: All Things Bright and Rhubarb and Smoke. Collaborated with musicians to create musical scores. Organised performance venues and publicity for each production. Controlled budgets for productions ensuring that all relevant persons receive remuneration. Full-time company Actress (01 January 1993 31 December 1993) CAPAB (Artscape) (DF Malan Street, Foreshore, cape Town, 8001) Employed as full-time professional actress at a time when the regional arts councils were subsidized by the government. Performed in various productions at this time for the company including: The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Julia), The Importance of being Earnest (Cecily Cardew), Hair (Tribe member) and Anthony and Cleopatra (Charmian). Was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for the role of Cecily Cardew at the time. Commercials: A list of commercials is available upon request. SKILLS: Singing (alto and soprano and can go slightly lower than conventional female alto), juggling, poi swinging (fire dancing), song writing, film editing, dancing (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip hop and Jazz), piano, swimming, horse riding, tennis
ACCENTS: American (standard and southern), RP British, Cockney, Liverpool, Australian, German, Scottish AWARDS: 2009 Nomination Fleur Du Cap "Best Supporting Actress" As You Like It 2007 Won Fleur Du Cap "Best Performance in a Revue or Cabaret" Kissed by Brel 2006 Won Fleur Du Cap "Best Supporting Actress" Twelfth Night 2004 Nomination Fleur Du Cap "Best Supporting Actress" Uncle Vanya 1993 Nomination IGI Life Vita Awards: Cape "Best Supporting Actress" Cecily Cardew 1991 Won Fleur Du Cap "Most Promising Student" UCT