Shameless Plug is a new series where we turn things over to creatives. In exchange for plugging their project, they have to spill their origin stories, career hacks, and a few other secrets. Today, two theatre-makers remember school productions and advice from elders.

Sam Strong is a theatre director based in Melbourne. He is currently the CEO and Creative Director of Gasworks, a multi arts precinct in Melbourne. His favourite thing to do is page to stage adaptations – at the moment he is directing Trent Dalton’s Love Stories, adapted by Tim McGarry, a writer, actor and director based in Sydney. McGarry has worked in theatre for over 40 years, since he got the acting bug at 13, and has a long history of adapting Australian literature for the stage.

Here’s the duo’s Shameless Plug:

Sam Strong: The moment I knew I wanted to be an artist was during a high school production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. It was one of those incredible first encounter moments where you experience an artwork in pure form – without any prior knowledge or expectation. I saw people I knew transformed into different people. I felt how a well constructed story can change the temperature in a room full of people. I knew that I wanted to be part of this. And that was it. 

Tim McGarry: I remember clearly the moment I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was a painfully shy five-year-old. Sister Pauline, my St Patrick’s Primary school teacher, selected me to ‘play’ the Bishop in our kindergarten Debut. My mum later admitted that she went to Sister Pauline and told her she was mad. “My son will never be able to do that; he is way too shy.” The feisty nun reprimanded her “you need to have more faith in your son”. As the Debut started, little Timmy sauntered down the aisle of the town hall, blessing the crowd, waving, and I loved every minute. Hiding behind a Bishop’s outfit and skullcap, such a grand character and costume, and well… that was it! My great escape! 

Sam: The best advice I’ve received was “Make a job for yourself”. I got this advice from a literary manager of a theatre in London when I was aspiring to be a literary manager of a theatre in Australia. When I got home I set up a literary department in a small company – a place where I could do what I really wanted to do, dramaturg and direct plays. That role and the play that came out of it launched my career. 

Tim: I remember my dad always saying, “you’re only as good as your next job”. I think it took me a few years after his passing to fully understand the weight of his wisdom. I interpret it to mean never stop striving to be your best self, always work hard, and never rest on your laurels. 

When I was twenty one, moving from Sydney to Perth, to begin the adventure of a lifetime – drama school in a new city. At the airport my mum quietly slipped a card into my backpack and said, “read it on the plane”. Her written words became a mantra for my life. They were simple but mighty: “be successful, but most of all, be happy”.

Sam: My hottest career hack is setting personal goals for each show. When you make works of scale it’s easy to get distracted by noise – media, box office targets, industry commentary. Setting my own artistic goals gives me something to come back to on every project. Regardless of external forms of success or failure, did I achieve what I wanted to achieve?

Tim: I feel most creative if I am writing, researching, reading or just learning lines. My favourite place in the entire world is sitting on my leafy back veranda, looking out at the trees and grass and my overgrown garden. It’s like an oasis in the middle of a busy inner city. A place my imagination can wander and wonder. My next ‘fav’ place is a rehearsal room. I love nothing more than being in a rehearsal room with fellow artists, collaborating on a project whether as a writer, actor or director. Both locations are magical places. They fill my spirit. They fill my soul.

Sam: My closest collaborator is my dear friend Tim McGarry. Between the adaptations of Boy Swallows Universe and Love Stories we have spent close to eight years continually working on something. This has included intensive periods of creative development and rehearsal. Tim is probably the most generous collaborator I’ve ever worked with. As a writer, he’s a theatre animal who understands how to create space for other artists. And as an actor himself, he’ll never write a line someone can’t say!

Tim: Without a doubt in the world Sam Strong is my closest collaborator. What an absolute champion of a human being he is. He has the uncanny knack of saying just the right thing at the right time. Our next adventure, Love Stories completely and utterly cemented my deep faith in him. During the script development phase (which can be a good 18 months) I think I spoke to him more often than I do my partner and daughters.

Sam: That brings us to our shameless plug – Love Stories at the Civic Theatre from Thursday 16 October to Sunday 19 October. Seriously, this is a show that has a unique effect on its audiences. Put simply, it brings people joy and helps them love better. Who doesn’t want that?