Valerie Berry is an actor and performance maker who enjoys the challenge of crossing borders into other disciplines. She is obsessed with singing and dance competitions – though she’s the first to admit these are skills she herself does not possess. But you know something? We love Valerie anyway.

Our new Associate Artist can light up a stage, bringing real joy and commitment to her work. This week we’re looking forward to great things as she steps into a leadership role in ActNow’s Theatre of The Global Majority program.

In this Q&A, Valerie tells Smriti, ActNow Theatre’s Marketing and Development Coordinator, why she found herself rethinking her definition of success and why the most pressing question may be: ‘Why the left ear?’

It wasn’t inevitable that you would make a career in theatre – where did the fork in the road come and what have been the joys and challenges of taking this path?

A career in Theatre was not always on the cards! It was an accidental push to audition for a project so we (the Asian/Filipino community) would be represented. I got the job and I was hooked.

The fork in the road came when I was in my 30’s. I made this promise to myself that if I wasn’t ‘successful’ by then, I would give up acting. I almost did and got a day job. But then my brother and I went back to the Philippines (for the first time since migrating to Australia) when we lost our Mum. He wrote a play in response to our grief, and with that collaboration, I decided to change my definition of ‘success’. It became more important to me to define and ground myself within the industry I loved, though for a long time, people were saying it wasn’t ready for performers like me.

The best thing was finding like-minded collaborators from different backgrounds and disciplines, who became my extended family. That helps when you work in places like Sydney. I found a place in the contemporary making scene there. I could bring all facets of my identity into this space. That’s what I bring into every work that I do now.

As a new facilitator, you will have a chance to unpack and address racism through your work. Personally, what have you learned from grappling with and talking through some of these difficult issues?

I haven’t had a chance to facilitate in Like Me, Like You yet but being one of the devisors of this project, I saw firsthand the challenges of how to unpack racism to such a young audience.

I feel that the show is successful because it defines racism in the way a very young audience can relate to. It’s simple. They get to contribute and communicate back what they understand. In the end the message is clear, it’s not okay to be racist. It’s all our responsibility to call people out. Be kind. Be inclusive. Because for all the differences we have, there is always one thing we can agree on. That’s moving forward, accepting our differences, together.

If you could go out for a meal with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

I find this hard, but if I have to pick someone, it’ll be Van Gogh!

I would ask him, why the left ear?

No. Really.

I don’t paint or draw now but when I was at school, I was fascinated by his work and how emotional his pieces were because of the style of the movement, the brush strokes. I painted my own version of ‘Starry Night’ because I love that piece. I would love for him to tell me an anecdote or two about that painting.

What do you do when you’re not at ActNow?

Outside of ActNow I am a co parent to an almost 4-year-old cheeky and inquisitive little man, who keeps me on my toes. I’m also challenging myself to take on more Directing roles. And when I get a quiet moment, I’m trying out my creative writing skills.

What are you looking forward to the most about working with us?

I’m looking forward to working with a team who is focused on building and supporting each other. Also, celebrating someone’s Birthday with cake (homemade or not) is a pretty cool tradition to get excited about!

Meet our new Associate Artist!