Photo by Perfectly Picturesque Photography

Up-and-coming actor Rigel Paciente (Class of 2015) recently starred in Murdoch Theatre Company’s original musical The Killdeer. Written and directed by Taylor Broadley, with music by the Cinnamon Line, The Killdeer follows the story of Elliot, who is returned to his family five years after being abducted at age 11. Rigel played the character of Roger.

‘As much as I loved the other roles that I have played, Roger’s complex characterisation has been something that I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring. As such, I would say that The Killdeer is, by far, the most enjoyable and memorable experience during my involvement in the theatre (sorry, Mr. Dove),’ said Rigel.

While at AvÐÔ°®, Rigel starred in multiple College productions: Romeo in 2012’s Romeo and Juliet; Bugsy Malone in 2013’s Cagey Joe; and 2015’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. After graduating, Rigel commenced his Bachelor of Science majoring in Anatomy and Neuroscience at the University of Western Australia. Determined to still be involved in performing arts, Rigel secured roles in productions staged by UWA’s much-lauded theatre clubs UWA Pantomine Society (PantoSoc) and University Dramatic Society (UDS) in 2016. Rigel took a break from theatre in 2017 to assume a leadership position on the UWA Student Guild Council, before returning the following year to perform with Show Choir at UWA and a winning a coveted lead role in Murdoch Theatre Company’s play Sour Fruits. 

Asked if he had any advice for any budding actors at AvÐÔ°®, Riger said, ‘Keeping your body, mind, and soul at their highest potential will allow you to create amazing art when the opportunity arises. Taking care of your mind and conditioning yourself to think a certain way will alleviate any stress, anxiety, or feeling of worthlessness – [this is] crucial to committing to that audition or role. It is easier said than done; I, too, am still working on this. These stresses might stem from fear of rejection, however, rejection is inevitable regardless of your talent or abilities. Also, practice. As cliched as this sounds, success is 90% practice and 10% talent.’

What’s next for Rigel? Set to graduate this year, he plans on enrolling in a Masters in Biomedical Science before going on to study Medicine. However, if permitted, he also wishes to undertake a Diploma of Musical Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) whilst studying his Masters.
In the meantime, he will also keep auditioning for various productions at local companies. With his impressive track record and healthy mindset, we have no doubt Rigel will be treading the boards for years to come.

Rigel (centre) with co-stars. Photo by Perfectly Picturesque Photography