THE OPEN HAND

He/Him

WRITER

Robert Caisley is chair of Theatre Arts and a professor of theatre and head of the Dramatic Writing Program at the University of Idaho. Born in Rotherham, England, his plays have been performed across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom and translated into Italian and French. In 2014 he was nominated for a Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Best Original Script for his play Happy, which won the 2014 SOTA Award for Best Play, the 2014 BroadwayWorld – New Jersey Award for Best Play, and was a 2012 Finalist for both the prestigious Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s New Play Conference and the Woodward/Newman Award for Drama. He premiered two new plays in 2016 —The Open Hand at Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, TN and A Masterpiece of Comic … Timing at B Street Theatre in Sacramento, CA. Other plays include: Lucky Me (New Jersey Repertory Theatre, Curious Theatre, Riverside Theatre, Oregon Contemporary Theatre, The Modern Theatre, Theatre Tallahassee); Happy (New Theatre, Montana Repertory Theatre, 6th Street Playhouse, New Jersey Repertory, Redtwist Theatre, Laboratory Theatre of Florida, Wasatch Theatre Company); and The Lake (Walnut Street Theatre, Mill Mountain Theatre.)

He/Him

DIRECTOR

Brandon is the Artistic Director for Antipodes Theatre Company. Melbourne credits: GhostQuartet, #Really?! with Mel andPeppy, Bowie Ball,Mad World, From: New York, For: Him.NYC credits: the world premieres of Only You Can Prevent Wildfires, Happily After Ever (also Edinburgh Fringe), and Gordy Crashes for RicochetCollective (which he also co-founded)and several projects as resident producer with The Orchard Project andThe Drama League. Favorite directing credits include The Last Five Years, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Shape of Things, and Big Love. @midwestrunaway

He/Him

READER

Rob is an up and coming performer in the Melbourne theatre scene, having started in 2016. Rob has appeared as Doody in Grease (Phoenix Theatre Co), Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors (SLAMS Music Theatre Co), Cinderella’s Prince and The Wolf in Into The Woods (Bottled Snail Productions), and recently understudied Anthony Scundi in the role of Guido Contini in NINE the Musical (StageArt). Rob also performs as a vocalist with the Melbourne Lawyers’ Big Band, and is currently making his directorial debut with a production of Pasek & Paul’s Dogfight (Lightbox Productions).

She/Her

READER

Melissa is a Northern California native who moved from NYC to be with her Australian husband in Melbourne. She is a graduate of the MFA Acting program at the University of Tennessee, currently in the top 30 programs in the world. Favorite roles include New Shoes (Off-Broadway debut, The Drama League), RENT (Maureen) and The Threepenny Opera (Lucy). She is a founding member of Antipodes Theatre Company and is Artistic Director of Brooklyn Runaways. Together with her creative partner Peppy Smears, she has written and performed in four cabarets. “Thank you to my Hubby, my show hubby, and my business hubby.” www.melissadavid.com.

She/Her

READER

Courtney made her Broadway debut in The Woman In White, understudying and performing the title role. Since moving to Australia in 2014, Courtney has appeared in Man of La Mancha, Kiss Me, Kate, Of Thee I Sing (Squabbalogic), You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Alex Theatre), Brigadoon and Oklahoma! (The Production Company). Next up, Courtney will appear in Sweeney Todd starring Anthony Warlow and Gina Riley, playing Sydney's International Convention Centre and Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne. Later this winter, she will play Yvonne in the Victorian tour of Sunday in the Park with George. Proud graduate of New York University.

He/Him

READER

John trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Film includes Crush, A Waste Of Shame, Penelope, Art Party, and The Infiltrator. TV includes Dr Who, Jonathan Creek, Miranda, The Great Train Robbery, Doctors, Holby City (BBC), two appearances in Downton Abbey, Grantchester, Primeval (ITV), Sons of Liberty (The History Channel), and Neighbours. Recent theatre work includes Fawlty Towers Live and Calendar Girls. John is also an accomplished comedy improviser, and is about to make his Melbourne debut with Impro Melbourne in At The Movies, here at the comedy festival. John was born near Oxford, and now resides in Melbourne.

He/Him

READER

Don is an American-born actor and baritone now living in Australia. Recents credits include Marvin in Falsettos (StageArt) and principal cover for Henry Higgins in the Julie Andrews-helmed My Fair Lady (Opera Australia/GFO). Favorite roles include Beast and Gaston in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Anatoly in Chess, Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Sam Carmichael in the Broadway tour of Mamma Mia, Harold Hill in The Music Man, Thomas Andrews in Titanic, and an award-winning Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar. TV/Film work includes Mars Attacks, Hopelessly Devoted to You, Neighbours, and Preacher. www.donwinsor.com

She/Her

STAGE DIRECTIONS

Chloe is a Melbourne-based actor and writer. Chloe originally studied Musical Theatre at APO Arts Academy. Since graduating in 2015, Chloe has performed in a wide array of productions including Twelfth Night (Melbourne Shakespeare Company), Mad World (David Butler Studio) and The Amazing Superhero Show (Wordsworth Productions). Chloe is an avid writer and is currently in the process of staging her first play, a new comedy titled Scary Goats Tour.