The way they’re working the crowd, they’re like rockstars.
Lucy Orkild is on the mic, addressing the packed stadium seating in the Crocoseum, encouraging the crowd to make some noise.
A camera pans to a group of school kids, putting their smiling faces up on the big screen. Their excitement exemplifies the energy that’s rippling through much of the audience.
“CRIIIIIIIIIIIKEY!” the crowd yells back at the presenters down below.
The single-word cry echoes around the rest of the stadium seating as crowds in other sections of the stadium respond.
The Wildlife Warriors Show at Australia Zoo has started.
The stories are in the twists and turns
I met Lucy a few years ago when she was recommended as a Creative Industries (Theatre and Performance) student who might be interested in helping start UniSC’s Tiktok channel.
It turned out to be a great recommendation – from the get-go, she was keen, gregarious and naturally collaborative.
But above all else, her love of theatre and performance rang out the clearest.
“I love the way that theatre brings people together,” she says.
“But I also really like the way it explores sociopolitical frameworks and gives us a deeper understanding of what it means to be a human.”
Lucy’s path to theatre and performance is like any good story – full of interesting twists and turns.
Initially enrolling in uni straight out of high school, life got in the way of her studies. By the time she came back to tertiary education, she had a husband and two young kids in tow.
“I actually think coming back as a mature-age student was probably the best thing I could have done because it brought with it a whole other level of life experience,” Lucy says.
“I'm sure it still would have been just as fruitful if I was younger but I'm glad that it worked out the way it did.”
Saying yes at the right times
When Australia Zoo asked Lucy if she was interested in backfilling a maternity role presenting in the Crocoseum, she jumped at the opportunity.
“I absolutely love what I do,” she says.
“Making people smile and know that they’re part of something bigger is very rewarding.”
In Lucy’s role as a presenter in the Crocoseum, she works alongside zookeepers as they demonstrate and explain unique idiosyncrasies of the birds, mammals and of course crocodiles they showcase – often partnering with members from one of Australia’s most iconic families, including Robert Irwin, to do so.
Watching her work, she looks like a creature in her natural habitat – comfortable, confident and engaged in front of the crowd.
Quite possibly, part of the reason opportunities such as this seem to come Lucy’s way is because she often says yes – she’s willing to put herself out there.
However, she does have some advice for Creative Industries students.
“You need to know your value so saying no sometimes is important too,” she says. “Otherwise, you burn out or you undersell yourself.
“I think a lot of people in the creative industries undersell themselves because there might be underlying insecurities or imposter syndrome.
“It comes down to knowing your value.”
Creative Industries coordinator and Theatre and Performance Senior Lecturer Dr Hannah Banks agrees.
“Australia’s creative economy is essential for our wellbeing as a society," Dr Banks says. "Creativity is not a luxury, it sustains us and new employment opportunities are opening all the time.
“I encourage students to say yes to the roles that genuinely excite them but stay grounded in their sense of worth.
“Each step they take should feel purposeful because their contribution can have real impact in a growing sector.”
The future is unwritten…but it’s always good to have a few notes
For Lucy’s part, she’s still saying yes to new opportunities.
After she graduated from her undergraduate degree, she completed an honours research project about why theatre drew people together.
“Particularly with active Creative Industries, you start looking at how you can create your own job,” Lucy says.
“Creative people tend to be the doers – we tend to observe and think and figure out ways to make things happen.
“Those are great skills to have.”
Lucy has now started her PhD journey – exploring how theatrical philosophies can strengthen workplaces and community spaces.
“A lot of theatrical philosophies make people feel valued,” Lucy says.
“Society, broadly, lacks some of that these days so if we implement some of the values into day-to-day interactions, we're all going to see a benefit.”
As Shakespeare said, all the world is a stage – and Lucy is writing her own script.
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