Acting is a Perkin family passion as it turns out. Nyah Perkin was just 13 when she played a leading character in the Manitoba made movie that is enjoying success and great reviews, Daugher of the Sun.
Accomplishment came step by step as Nyah, since she was a young child, put one foot in front of the other taking on the roles that came her way,.
Virden audiences have enjoyed Nyah and her parents, Scott and Meagan Perkin on the Aud stage in several Virden Theatre Productions in recent years.
Her mother Meagan says that Michelle Chyzyk’s mentorship in musical theatre has been important for her daughter. “The way Michelle directs, has such a big heart… and her productions are top-notch,” says Meagan
Under co-directors, Chyzyk and Dean Munchinsky, Nyah played Matilda in Matilda the Musical. Her parents sang in the chorus, and last year, in The Music Man Nyah played the mayor’s daughter, Zaneeta Shinn, and Scott played one of the salesmen.
After Matilda, Nyah landed a role on Rainbow Stage as one of the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz. “That was a dream come true for her,” says her mom. “A pretty big milestone when you’re a musical theatre kid, to be on a professional musical theatre stage.”
Next came Brandon film maker Miles Crossman’s short film, The Button Lady, in which Perkin played a daughter role. For that, a super long day of filming was required - extending well past midnight. Her mom said, “I think it was until three in the morning. She soaked it up, loved every minute of it, came home and said, this is what I want to do.”
To that end, her parents hired an agent who found Nyah a role in a Hallmark movie.
Nyah began working with an acting coach (online) and then another opportunity arose - an audition for a Manitoba movie - Daughter in the Sun.
Following her first audition, Nyah got a call back, but it was almost a month later she got a second call back. Sure enough, she found she’d landed the role of 'Hildie'.
Shooting this movie has been a journey for her, and for her parents, literally. Nyah explains, “I had to move to Winnipeg for the summer as the movie was filmed in Winnipeg and surrounding areas. My family moved our fifth wheel trailer to Winnipeg and we lived in our trailer while filming.”
Fully invested in her work, she won a Best Actress Award at a Buenos Aires film festival. Nyah says, “The Character I played, “Hildie” is quite raw and rough around the edges… has a bit of an attitude but also a soft side… a deep love for her father.
“I loved playing this role because I had to portray so many different emotions and put myself into some interesting situations such as drowning in water scenes and being on set with a live rattlesnake. I also had to dye my hair blonde, went from a dark brunette to very blonde. I was nervous at first but loved it in the end.”
Beyond entertainment value, Perkin talks of the message: “There is so much diversity in this film, and accepting all walks of life. Also, the love between a father and daughter and the lengths they will go through to protect one another.”
Although she has acted, sang and danced on stage from the age of 6, this feature film was a huge step.
“I have been in a short film and a hallmark movie with small roles so this was very different as I was on set for 30 days, learning and studying my role, making sure I was bringing my character to life the way the director wanted.
“I have learned so much from this experience; I have learned how to memorize lines quickly and how to portray different emotions as the character demands; I have learned how to be flexible with script changes and call sheets. You work in all conditions doesn’t matter the weather or the time of the day, you just learn to adapt. I have also learned to take constructive criticism and make quick changes based on the director’s notes.”
The film is going to yet another festival now in Berlin where it will receive more exposure with peers and professionals in the movie industry.
“I am so excited to see this film go to all these film festivals around the world,” she says. “Berlin is super exciting as this is where all the film deals happen and [Daughter of the Sun] could potentially get bought for a major screening platform.”
Nyah was just 13 the summer that the film was shot. Her mother, Meagan has watched her daughter with a little bit of wonder. “It’s kind of surreal in a way, having your daughter in a movie and seeing her perform on a big screen, in a movie is a pretty neat experience,” she says.
Perhaps the film brought out a new dimension in her daughter? Meagan says. “When I first started to watch the movie I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s my daughter on the screen,’” but within minutes that changed. “She played the character so well, that I forgot that she was my daughter….”
But there’s no sitting still.
As any mom would, Meagan thinks of practicalities and her daughter’s schedule: “She’s getting busy though. She dances, five days a week and she’s in voice lessons, she does acting lessons and she’s in school… Gr. 10. She just turned 16.”
Asked if she anticipates more acting on Virden's Aud Theatre stage, Nyah answers, “Yes, I love musical theatre and love working with Michelle and Dean in their productions. They are so fun and so professionally done.”
