Liming Bao’s path to musical theatre is itself a story worthy of the stage. The only child of a family from Harbin, China, came to Canada in 2019 to study for her Masters Degree in supply chain management at the Schulich School of Business at York University. As an international student, living alone in Toronto, completing that one year program was “a tough time for me”, she says. It was even more challenging when she graduated because CoVID lockdowns kicked in. “Lucky me, I got a couple of internships,” she said. “I became a data scientist at AECOM, a civil engineering company.”
After one year working full-time, Bao made her first visit to New York City. “One night bored, I noticed there was a lottery to win a ticket for SIX, The Musical on Broadway.” This musical, by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss which premiered in 2017, is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of King Henry VIII where the women tell their stories in song and dance as part of a concert singing competition. “That was my first play. Sitting in the front row, middle, it felt like someone slapped me. I thought, I want to do that, too.”
It was 2022. “When I came back, I did my research. It was my first play. Ever. I learned this was something called a musical. I wanted to apply to musical theatre programs in Canada.” February of the following year, Sheridan had their auditions. “It went well from my perspective. But when I got the result, the cutoff was 86 and I got 84. With no training, I felt I did pretty well. So, I decided to try again, enrolling in their eight- month prep program. Singing. Dancing. Acting.” That was in September 2023. Then Bao applied, did another audition, and she was accepted into the four-year program.
In terms of inspiration, Bao cites that first musical. “One hundred percent, I’m here because of SIX.” But she also feels a connection with one of Shakespeare’s masterpieces. “The show that makes me feel is Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In that play, I see the different sides of myself as an artist. I see myself as him. We take so many risks. Sometimes I ask myself, ‘What am I doing?’ It’s fear.”
Going into her third year at Sheridan, Bao’s goals are to strengthen her skills and to bring some traditional Chinese theatre instrument or structures to school projects. “I want to be really solid, keep refining my skills,” she said.
Imagining her future, with her new career, her joy usurps her fear. “I just couldn’t stop smiling, laughing the moment I got a phone call for a part. I love myself as I’m doing this. I didn’t love myself for a long time until I saw myself singing a song, or dancing to a piece. I remember seeing the Oscars, I saw Michelle Yeoh, her speech was so inspiring. I want to be on stage, on TV but also want to be an artist who inspires people. Maybe have a part in a Tony-award winning play. I want to be any queen in Six.”
Bao chose Sheridan because of their reputation. “I heard it was the best. They have really good teachers. The training is great. I saw alumni and what they’re doing in the industry.”
Going into her third year at Sheridan, Bao’s goals are to strengthen her skills and to bring some traditional Chinese theatre instrument or structures to school projects. “I want to be really solid, keep refining my skills,” she said. “It’s challenging to keep up with my classmates.” One element she must deal with is acting and singing in a language which is newer to her. “I also have to focus on my English and try to pronounce my consonants and vowels as clearly as possible. I need to understand what’s going on to deliver the meaning of the words correctly to be able to deliver and interpret each piece.”
Bao’s other challenges are dealing with self-doubt and juggling school and work. “So many moments, and nights, you doubt yourself. Even now, I love what I’m doing. But it’s hard to really enjoy it because you start judging yourself. There’s no talent without skills. This is the moment when you ask yourself, ‘Am I doing something really good?’
“I also have to balance because I didn’t really quit my job. I’m still working part-time as a data scientist. I grab my laptop, go to the hallway [at Sheridan], turn it on, talk with my boss. Then I say, I have to go to class. It’s hard to see your work colleagues, get a promotion, have a stable life and I have to go back in the studio to learn a double pirouette. I don’t mind working hard, but balancing my time is hard. Sometimes people forget what they felt in the beginning …”
But Bao’s passion for the theatre, ignited by seeing her very first musical, has not dimmed. That passion is still fueling her drive to dream and to succeed.
In terms of inspiration, Bao cites that first musical. “One hundred percent, I’m here because of SIX.” But she also feels a connection with one of Shakespeare’s masterpieces. “The show that makes me feel is Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In that play, I see the different sides of myself as an artist. I see myself as him. We take so many risks. Sometimes I ask myself, ‘What am I doing?’ It’s fear.
Imagining her future, with her new career, her joy usurps her fear. “I just couldn’t stop smiling, laughing the moment I got a phone call for a part. I love myself as I’m doing this. I didn’t love myself for a long time until I saw myself singing a song, or dancing to a piece. I remember seeing the Oscars, I saw Michelle Yeoh, her speech was so inspiring. I want to be on stage, on TV but also want to be an artist who inspires people. Maybe have a part in a Tony-award winning play. I want to be any queen in Six.”
Bao chose Sheridan because of their reputation. “I heard it was the best. They have really good teachers. The training is great. I saw alumni and what they’re doing in the industry.”
Going into her third year at Sheridan, Bao’s goals are to strengthen her skills. “I want to be really solid, keep refining my skills,” she said. “It’s challenging to keep up with my classmates.” One element she must deal with is acting and singing in a language which is newer to her. “I also have to focus on my English. Try to pronounce my consonants and vowels as clearly as possible. I need to understand what’s going on to deliver the meaning of the words correctly to be able to deliver and interpret the piece.”
Bao’s other challenges are dealing with self-doubt and juggling school and work. “So many moments, and nights, you doubt yourself. Even now, I love what I’m doing. But it’s hard to really enjoy it because you start judging yourself. There’s no talent without skills. This is the moment when you ask yourself, ‘Am I doing something really good?’ I also have to balance because I didn’t really quit my job. I’m still working part-time as a data scientist. I grab my laptop, go to the hallway [at Sheridan], turn it on, talk with my boss. Then I say, I have to go to class. It’s hard to see your work colleagues, get a promotion, have a stable life and I have to go back in the studio to learn a double pirouette. I don’t mind working hard, but balancing my time is hard. Sometimes people forget what they felt in the beginning.”
But Bao’s passion for the theatre, ignited by her first musical, is still fueling her drive to succeed.