2022 WINTER LAB

She/Her

WRITER

Getrude Matshe is an inspirational speaker and actress who has been described as a vibrant bundle of African energy whose zest and passion for life inspires everyone she meets. She is passionate about helping people achieve their full potential and find their individual life purpose. She is passionate about individuals’ success. This makes her an energetic, inspirational and enlightening speaker. Getrude has written several books and is now a book writing coach. Photo by Tim Morrison

She/Her

PERFROMER

Originally from Coffs Harbour, Asha made the move interstate to study at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in the Foundation Program and then the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre). In 2021 Asha appeared in Antipodes Theatre online Ricochet Reading presentation of ‘ The Secret Life of Wonder’ (dir Cheyenne Barboza) and Citizen Theatre’s Sci-fi original play ‘Mara KORPER’ (dir.Jayde Kirchet) as Superior Pretz/Chorus Member.

She/Her

COMPOSER

Velvet Pesu holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts with Honours at Queensland College of Art, Griffith University and is a local experimental visual artist/ musician with a strong commitment to raising social and ecological awareness. Velvet spends her time performing, exchanging and collaborating with visual artists, musicians and filmmakers as well as teaching her recycled and organic art practices. Velvet's performance Concentric Circles On Red is a new and independent solo experimental work that creates an immersive atmosphere. It is spontaneous improvised expression through voice, sound, light and image, featuring her highly distinctive decomposed texture based recycled art/ costume and film projection works.

They/Them

WRITER

Artemis Muñoz is a performer and writer working across cabaret, theatre, music, online video, sketch comedy and more. Artemis holds a Bachelor of Arts (Acting) from Fed Uni’s Arts Academy in Ballarat and a Master of Theatre (Writing) from the VCA. Artemis is neurodivergent, queer and bi-racial and proud to use this lived experience to advocate for better access and representation across the arts and media. Photo by Sarah Clarke

He/Him

PERFORMER

Kinloch Anstiss studied musical theatre in New Zealand, and since graduating NASDA has performed regularly on stages in Christchurch, Auckland, London, and Melbourne. This year he improvised in Improv Attacks Humanity in Adelaide and Melbourne, the led the cast of Seussical (Western Arts Theatre) as The Cat in the Hat. His other favourite roles to date include Earnest (The Importance of Being Earnest), Peter (Company), George (The Drowsy Chaperone), and Bitzer Maloney (Hairy Maclary).

She/Her

DRAMATURG

Enya Daly is an actor and dramaturg. She is a graduate of the VCA (Master of Theatre- Dramaturgy), NIDA (BFA- Acting), and SHOWFIT (full-time musical theatre course). As a dramaturg, Enya has most recently worked with Theatre Works’ 2022 She Writes Collective on their developing projects. Other dramaturgy credits include SLUTNIK™ and MEDEA: Out of the Mouths of Babes (Theatre Works). Acting credits include Spot- Live on Stage and The Gruffalo’s Child (CDP, dir. Liesel Badorrek), The Moors (Siren Theatre, dir. Kate Gaul), Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again and That Was Friday (House of Sand, dir. Charley Sanders), and The Feed (SBS).

She/Her

PERFORMER

Alexandra Nell is an award-winning actor and emerging director and producer. With a Bachelor's degree in acting from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, her work can be seen on Netflix, ABC iview, and SBS On Demand, and has been showcased at Oscar-qualifying film festivals, including St Kilda Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, and Flickerfest. Nell won 'Best Actress' at the 28th Annual Western Australian Screen Awards for her performance in the award-winning short film 'WE WERE HERE', and ‘Best Actress' at the Northbound Film Festival in 2019 for her work on the sci-fi thriller, ‘ABDUCTION’. Nell recently had her directing debut in the short sci-film 'HASH BROWNS' and in the short impact documentary, 'METTLE'. Nell is represented by leading management companies FOURWARD MANAGEMENT (US) and LINSTEN MANAGEMENT (Aus).

They/Them

PERFORMER

Ryan Stewart is a queer actor and producer, born and raised in Naarm/Melbourne.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Chloe Towan is a creative based in Melbourne. Chloe has had a love for writing and storytelling from a young age, and after graduating from a Musical Theatre degree in 2015, branched into playwriting. Chloe wrote and produced her own Covid cabaret Virtual Vaudeville for 2020’s Melbourne Fringe Festival, followed shortly by her first comedy Scary Goats Tour. Chloe has also workshopped two new musical pieces; the immersive Revelation Bar with Antipodes Theatre Company’s Winter Lab and an urban fantasy Travels with Max with Be You’s Be New program. Chloe is currently finalising the scripts for an original musical drama You, Fred & the Road Ahead; the pilot episode is currently available wherever you get your podcasts!

She/They

WRITER & PERFORMER

From the depths of their soul, a song rises. Bubbling up inside them. Bursting to be sung. Kikki is a teller of stories. A keeper of the tales of their ancestors and guardian of the paths they’ve trodden. Paths to breakthrough and power, through valleys of pain, fear and healing, they have come full circle. This journey is evident in the art that flows from them. As an actrex and advocate, Kikki has worked on stages throughout NZ as well as screen and is making a name for themselves here in Naarm. Their stories are ready for the world to see and hear. 2022 will be a year to remember.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Miki is a performance creative based in Melbourne. Since joining the ballroom House of Devine, she has realised her skills in performing as a dancer and actor. Brimming with beauty and personality, Mika is a trans artist that is breathtakingly talented and is a force to be reckoned with. Get ready to be entertained and thoroughly turned on.

She/Her

DIRECTOR

Originally a performer in Perth, Trudy was the Artist-in-Residence for the Midnite Youth Theatre Company moving on to become a director, choreographer and production manager. In these roles, she travelled to the UK, Canada and Singapore. Prior to her move to Melbourne, Trudy coordinated and taught into the Diploma of Acting at WAAPA.  Trudy is passionate about developing new Australian works. She is a contributing writer for the new Australian musical, WAGs, and directed its workshop development in Melbourne.

Most recently she directed Urinetown at the VCA, and Malacañang/Montgomery for the Melbourne Theatre Company’s Cybec Electric program.

He/Him

PERFORMER

Guillaume is a Melbourne based performer born in Mauritius. He has recently appeared in And She Would Stand Like This as Miss Scott for Antipodes Theatre and as a Swing in Passing Strange the Musical. Other notable roles include Grady in The Color Purple. He has completed a Diploma of Musical Theatre at Theatre Blacks class of 2020. Guillaume alongside 101 Bipoc/Cald performers was nominated for a green room award for “I Need You To See Me” and was a top 30 finalist for the AOC initiative.

They/She

PERFORMER

Andrea is a latinx actor and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre Practice) graduate from the VCA. Recent acting credits include Andromache in 'And She Would Stand Like This' with Antipodes Theatre Company, Captain Sim in 'Starship Goldstar'; a queer fiction podcast supported by City of Melbourne and Creative Victoria and April in 'Reigen' with Periscope Productions. They are also an award winning writer and have worked with Overland, the Australian Multilingual Writing Project and the Emerging Writers Festival.

She/Her

PERFORMER

An Account Manager in the corporate sector by day, and a Radio Journalist/Broadcaster during the weekend, Michelle has a Specialised Degree in English/English Literature, and has been involved in theatre for over 30 years. She keeps her sanity reasonably in check, by producing and presenting the weekly arts and issues centred radio show, ‘Community’ on 3MDR 97.1fm, having recently been invited to the Program Committee of 3MDR, and by pursuing her passion for the stage as an Actor and an Arts Advocate.

They/Them

PERFORMER

Graduated VCA MT 2014, career highlights include Melbourne Shakespeare Company (The Tempest, Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night), Jersey Boys (NCL), Duets (Melbourne Cabaret Fest). Queer, vegan, NB, always travelling, cycling and napping.

She/Her

WRITER

Abbey Hanson is an emerging Actor and Writer based in Naarm, Australia. She is a recent graduate of Federation University’s Bachelor of Performing Arts (2021). Her writings were featured in the 2021 Showcase, alongside the student-devised production, Exquisite Corpse. For the 2019 Fringe Festival, Abbey was an actor and writer for T-Minus 1200 with Eclective Theatre Co. As an artist, Abbey is particularly drawn to creating work that reflects their own lived experience as a proud young, queer creator. Abbey will be making her debut as a playwright with her new Australian play The Last Hour at The Butterfly Club. Photo by Lachlan Woods

They/Them

DIRECTOR

Emily Tambree is a Naarm based, non-binary, multi-hyphenate creative. Emily undertook intensive Musical Theatre training at Centrestage, SHOWFIT and received their Diploma of Music at The Australian Institute of Music. They have used their combined knowledge of both performance and music as a basis to develop a body of work that reflects experience in almost every aspect of theatre-making; including acting, directing, and stagecraft. They will be making their directorial debut this June at The Butterfly Club with The Last Hour. Photo by Maeve Hook

They/Them

PERFORMER

Bugs Baschera is a Non-Binary, Neurotypical performer hailing from Woiworung Country in Naarm. They have trained at the Victorian College of the Arts in Musical Theatre, and have appeared in Conor Beaumont's Murder Is An Art appearing at the Butterfly Club in 2022. They are passionate and invested in new works that showcase diversity.

They/He

PERFORMER

Charlie Boscolo Is a performer from Naarm, Melbourne. Since graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre (Federation University), Charlie has appeared in ‘Broadway plugged-in: Up and Coming Concert’, ‘Maybe This Time: a Concert’ (Be You Inc), ‘Tradie the Musical’ (Swinburne University), and has recently concluded a scene study course ‘The Depths’ at 16th Street Acting Studio. They are looking forward to taking part in the upcoming Winter Lab.

She/Her

DIRECTING MENTOR

Kate is a theatre-maker and director with a passion for interdisciplinary collaboration and original works that are creatively and socially accessible for artists and audiences. Her practice is focused on the performance of contemporary poetry, and she is constantly championing and providing opportunities of collaboration between local performers and poets. She has a Master’s in Theatre (Directing) from the VCA and her productions have seen successful runs at Melbourne and Sydney Fringes and presented at La Mama Theatre, Bluestone Church Arts Space, The Butterfly Club, The Blood Moon Theatre, Siteworks, and on Zoom.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Miki is a performance creative based in Melbourne. Since joining the ballroom House of Devine, she has realised her skills in performing as a dancer and actor. Brimming with beauty and personality, Mika is a trans artist that is breathtakingly talented and is a force to be reckoned with. Get ready to be entertained and thoroughly turned on.

She/They

PERFORMER

Hayley Edwards is a recent graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts where she was awarded the Irene Mitchell Award for excellence in acting. She also has a background in professional opera and music theatre and has performed in multiple short films. She is currently starring in two Midsumma Festivals shows ‘Trash Pop Butterflies Dance Dance Paradise’ and ‘Coming Out’.

She/Her

DRAMATURG & WRITING MENTOR

Liv is a theatre-maker, writer, dramaturg and facilitator trained at the Victorian College of the Arts (Masters of Directing) and the University of Sydney. Her practice focuses on building community platforms for independent artists, on new writing development, and on producing original work through her company VIMH.

He/They

PERFORMER

Geo Valentine is an accomplished performer, designer, illustrator, and theatre-maker whose work has been seen across the country and Narrm (Melbourne). Geo’s socially-engaged practice centres neurodiverse, trans, and queer stories. He is inspired by found families, imagined futures, and the potential of performance to create a spontaneous sense of community. Their performance highlights include +++ WE ARE AIR +++ (2020, dir. Cass Fumi) and Owl & the Albatross (2022, Theatre Works, VCE Playlist).

He/They

CREATOR & PERFORMER

Born in Malaysia, Jalen is a transgender actor and theatre-maker who graduated from Federation University. Before moving to Australia, he was a control system engineer. Fed Uni credits: The Sparagus Garden, Vinegar Tom, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and co-creator of Exquisite Corpse. Other credits: And She Would Stand Like This (Antipodes Theatre), Polite Mammals (The Wholesome Hour) and Tiny Beautiful Things (Anthropocene Play Company). Upcoming: Ego Machine (Citizen Theatre). Jalen is interested in devised/physical theatre and incorporating AR and VR into live performances. In his free time, Jalen is a tech enthusiast and is curious about trauma healing. Photo by Lachlan Woods

He/Him

COMPOSER

Anthony Crowley is a multi-award-winning theatre-maker. He is the recipient of several major commissions and awards including The Wal Cherry Play Of The Year Award, The Malcolm Robertson Prize for Drama, The Sumner Locke Elliot - New Dramatists Award, An R. E. Ross Trust Award, An Australian Musical Foundation Grant, An Opera Australia Young Artists Residency, The Pratt Prize For Musical Theatre, The Victorian Premiers Literary Award For Best Music Theatre Script and was shortlisted for the Finch Memoir Prize in 2014. He is currently the joint Program Coordinator of the Bachelor of Performing Arts Program, Federation University, Ballarat. Photo by Ella Crowley.

Any Pronouns

DEVISING CONSULTANT

Lily is an award winning performer, maker, designer, writer and dramaturg. She is a graduate of the National Theatre Drama School and the John Bolton Theatre School. Lily is a founding member of queer Physical Theatre ensemble PO PO MO CO. Her play Yarn is published through PlayLab.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Indigo is an intuitive performer and activist and works to tie the two together, seeking out work that has a strong and important message. She loves to play guitar and write songs. In her third year at Federation University she was thrilled to collaborate with Laura Burzacott, Anthony Crowley and her peers to devise an original piece, Exquisite corpse. In 2020 Indigo was delighted to work with Ross hall on his adaptation of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, Wild Grass (Irina), in 2021 with Kim Durban on Brome’s The Sparagus Garden (Friswood), and with Em Chandler, sharing Queer children’s fairy tales in The Story Keepers at La Mama (Topher/musician).

She/They

PERFORMER

Celina has been performing professionally onstage & screen for over a decade. Theatre credits inc TheKing&I, Kismet, TheBoyFromOz, TheProdCo. Connie in AChorusLine MadAboutTheatre, BringItOn StageMasters, & starring as Liat in OperaAustralia/GFO’s SouthPacific. TV credits inc Neighbours FreemantleMedia, TheWarriors & MadAsHell ABC.She has appeared in various screen projects & in 2018 was nominated for best actress award at Sinag Maynila FF. 2021 brought Celina touring with PawPatrolLive LifeLikeTouringCo, Charlie&TheChocolateFactory XroadsLive, working on a feature film & as a creative AD/Choreographing MusicOfTheNight, SpearsEntertainment.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Ella is an actor who lives and works on the stolen lands of the Wurundjeri People. She has worked with theatre companies such as Australian Shakespeare Company (Graduate Players – Twelfth Night Reimagined) and Melbourne Shakespeare Company (Telling Tales). Ella was tutored on the bliss of clown by Bouffon experts Emily Goddard and Jaime Mears and she completed her formal Acting training with Federation University in Ballarat. Ella now spends her time on her folky music and environmental activism. She is so filled with joy to be part of this theatrical exploration with such a supportive, courageous team.

He/Him

DIRECTOR

Alonso Pineda is originally from Mexico. His work in Australia includes directing Nothing by Fleur Murphy (fortyfivedownstairs), assistant director in Admissions by Joshua Harmon (Melbourne Theatre Company), and interning on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Michael Cassel). As a producer in Mexico, his credits include Constellations by Nick Payne, Heisenberg by Simon Stephens, and Rag and Bone by Noah Haidle. Alonso believes that no matter where someone was born, the language they speak, the colour of their skin or their gender, we all share a basic commonality - we are human, we are curious, we are dreamers and we need storytelling. Photo by Lachlan Woods

She/They

WRITER

Amy May Nunn is an award-winning writer and theatre maker, originally from the UK. Their work has been published in Voiceworks, Verandah, Windmills, Metre Maids and Award-Winning Australian Writing. They are a two-time recipient of the Mathew Rocca Award for poetry, winner of the Express Media Award for poetry and the John Marsden Prize. They have been shortlisted for the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award, the Canberra Youth Theatre Emerging Playwright Commission, and are a co-founder of Dirty Pennies Theatre Project. They are a current member of the She Writes Collective and an Associate Artist alumna at Theatre Works. Photo by Lachlan Woods

She/Her

DESIGNER

Karine Larché is a Set and Costume designer based in Melbourne, whose most recent work includes Costume Design for Gugu naGogo (ABC/Screen Australia short film directed by Taku Mbudzi); Set and Costume Design for Nothing (an adaptation of Janne Teller’s novel by Fleur Murphy directed by Alonso Pineda Garcia) and And She Would Stand Like This (Antipodes Theatre at Meat Market, directed by Margot Tanjutco); Costume Design for Mark Ravenhill’s Pool (No Water) (directed by Leticia Cãceres) and Project F (choreographed by Prue Lang). Photo by Amanda Carr

He/Him

DESIGNER

Sam Diamond is a Naarm/Melbourne based designer holding both a Master of Design for Performance and Bachelor of Environmental Design (Architecture). Playing at the intersection of form, space and light, Sam enjoys bold and minimal gestures that create alternate realities and conceptual spaces. He is the 2022 Graduate Designer for Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre and was the recipient of the 2019 Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship for excellence in production. Recent projects include Darling Boy (Lighting design, The Butterfly Club 2022), Sowing Seeds (Set and costume design, Gasworks 2022), and Earthquakes in London (Set Design, VCA 2020/21). Photo by Amanda Carr

Jayde is a multidisciplinary artist, focusing on feminist theatre and music theatre. In addition to being director & dramaturge for many new Australian works for the Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Poppy Seed Festival, Melbourne Comedy & Fringe Festivals, she has directed & written multiple critically-acclaimed and award nominated productions through her company Citizen Theatre. She is a lecturer at the Victorian College of the Arts and was the 2020 recipient of Monash University’s Jeanne Pratt Artist In Residence. From the University of Melbourne she holds a Bachelor of Music Theatre, Post Graduate Diploma of Arts (Anthropology) and is currently undertaking a PhD researching feminist dramaturgies in music theatre contexts.

She/Her

WRITER

Miranda Middleton is a director, writer, and choreographer with a Master of Fine Arts (Directing) from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). She is particularly interested in the intersection of text, music, and movement on stage, and aims to create theatrical events which spark connection and joy. In 2022, Miranda is the Resident Writer at Theatre Works and will assistant direct Simon Phillips on Come Rain or Come Shine at Melbourne Theatre Company. Her recent directing credits include Not Today (Theatre Works), Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody (Theatre Works), and Sowing Seeds (Gasworks Arts Park).

He/They

COMPOSER

A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts Musical Theatre program, Alec is an actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, musical director and composer. Credits include Twelfth Night (Melbourne Theatre Company), Once (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Hamlet and Measure for Measure (Pop Up Globe), As You Like It (Sport for Jove), Much Ado About Nothing (Artefact Theatre Company), and before Covid cancellations, they were excited to work with Opera Australia in the cast of The Secret Garden. Alec also recently made their first foray into the orchestra pit of Young Frankenstein (Hayes Theatre Co.) Photo by Lachlan Woods

He/Him

PERFORMER

Alex Donnelly is a Victorian College of the Arts Acting graduate. He is an actor, singer and writer. His credits include Peter Pan in Peter Pan (dir. Ben Schostakowski), Henry in The Skin of Our Teeth (dir. Dean Bryant) and notably Tom Riddle in Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody (dir. Miranda Middleton.) He has also led many short films including Detachment (dir. Yianni Rowlands), Friends of Mine (dir. Andréas Giannopoulos) and comedy web-series Undergarment Odysseys (dir. Alex Thomson). Alex is a strong believer in the power of comedy, that there is always room for laughter and the world is open for play.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Virginia Gay is a WAAPA graduate. Her theatre credits include Vivid White, Minnie & Liraz, The Beast, On the Production of Monsters and Gaybies (Melbourne Theatre Company); Calamity Jane (One Eyed Man Productions); The Wharf Revue (Sydney Theatre Company); Cautionary Tales for Children (Arena); High Society (Hayes Theatre); Mame (Neglected Musicals); The Producers, Jerry’s Girls (The Production Company); La Clique (Famous Spiegeltent – Leicester Square); The Boomkak Panto (Belvoir), which she also wrote and co-directed. Her film credits include Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch (Sundance), and the short film Paper Cut (Tropfest 2018), which she wrote and directed. Her television credits include series regular on All Saints and Winners & Losers (Channel 7), Savage River (ABC), After the Verdict (Nine Network), team captain on CRAM! (Network 10), ABC Book Club (ABC), Good News Week (Network 10), In Gordon St Tonight (ABC). Virginia won a Sydney Theatre Award for her role in Calamity Jane.

He/Him

PERFORMER

Guillaume is a Melbourne based performer born in Mauritius. He has recently appeared in And She Would Stand Like This as Miss Scott for Antipodes Theatre and as a Swing in Passing Strange the Musical. Other notable roles include Grady in The Color Purple. He has completed a Diploma of Musical Theatre at Theatre Blacks class of 2020. Guillaume alongside 101 Bipoc/Cald performers was nominated for a green room award for “I Need You To See Me” and was a top 30 finalist for the AOC initiative.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Akansha Hungenahally is a performer, activist, and song-writer with a passion for diverse storytelling in Australian theatre. Akansha has been singing since age 7, starting her training in North Indian Classical Singing, and has completed a Bachelor of Music Theatre at Federation University’s Arts Academy in 2019. Akansha is proud to have featured in the 2020 video phenomenon ‘I Need You To See Me’ by Vidya Makan alongside 100 performers of colour, performed in a cast of all-South-Asian actors in the 2021 MICF production ‘Sri Lankan Fire Team’, and participated in Antipodes Theatre’s 2021 Winter Lab with a phenomenal team of IBPOC creatives.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Emerson studied at The Victorian College of the Arts in 2015 (Music Theatre Foundation). They are an experienced vocalist and actor with over 16 years of dance training in various fields. Emerson's most recent onstage credits include 'Write Your Own Story' in the Melbourne Comedy Festival, 'Besties' (written by Alice Tovay and Ned Dixon) as apart of the 2022 Midsumma Queer Playwriting Awards Finale and their most notable credit was playing 'Moaning Myrtle' in Salty Theatre's Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts' which has toured 3 times since 2021 including the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

They/He

PERFORMER

Tomas is originally from Wollongong, Dharawal Country, and acknowledges the Dharawal people, and that sovereignty was never ceded. Tomas studied at Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) completing the Music Theatre Foundation Program (2015), and the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) last year. He was the recipient of the Nancye Hayes Scholarship which he used to further his studies in London. Credits include The Music of AR Rahman (MSO 2017), Vivid White (Ensemble, MTC 2017), A Chorus Line (Bobbie and Paul Understudy, 2018), Patti Lupone - Don’t Monkey With Broadway (Hamer Hall, 2018) and Into The Woods (Steward and Baker Understudy, 2018).

She/They

PERFORMER

Luisa Scrofani is a Helpmann-nominated Musical Theatre performer. She has performed across Australia and is particularly passionate about developing new Australian works. She was most recently seen in "Bonnie & Clyde" (JRP Australia), and will next be seen in the Brittanie Shipway original play, "SENSER".

She/Her

DRAMAURG

A graduate from NIDA, Brittanie is a singer, actor and storyteller. After studying acting in New York, Brittanie returned home to pursue her passion for new Australian work. This has seen her workshop many original theatre projects, most notably MURIEL’S WEDDING and EVIE MAY. As a creative, Brittanie has written for ABC Radio National’s short stories, articles for SBS and featured on Little Yarns. Brittanie has dramaturgically contributed to ATYP’s THE DEB by Hannah Reilly, NOT TODAY by Ally Morgan and PEAR SHAPED by Miranda Middleton.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Zara is an accomplished Music Director, Composer, Performer, Arranger, Vocal Coach and Music Educator. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she studied classical voice and music education, and has her A.Mus.A. qualification in both voice and piano.

They/Them

PROJECT MANAGER & COLLABORATOR

A WAAPA graduate, multidisciplinary performer, dramaturge and all-round creative. Their credits include BSSTC’s Assassins(dir. Roger Hodgman), JTC’s Rent(dir. Mark Taylor) and was most recently seen in the world premiere of Mimma(dir. Adam Mitchell). Cameron has also been a key member of multiple initiatives including Antipodes Theatre Company’s Winter Labs and Hope: New Works and has also established themself as an excellent programmer having leased theatres for Gasworks Arts Park and run multiple creative & networking programs. Cameron is known for their keen interest in new developments and supporting artists. www.cameronsteens.com

She/Her

PERFORMER

After completing her BA (Acting) at Fed Uni's Arts Academy, Annabelle (she/her) made her professional debut with The Australian Shakespeare Company's Twelfth Night. She quickly forged a prosperous career in Melbourne's outdoor Shakespeare scene, highlights of which include playing Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (MSC), First Witch and Lady Macduff in Macbeth (ASC), Rosalind in As You Like It (MSC). Shakespeare aside, Annabelle originated the role of Hannah in the Australian cast of Puffs, and most recently played Moon in Artefact Theatre's production of The Real Inspector Hound. Annabelle acknowledges that she lives and works on stolen land.

He/Him

PERFORMER

Guillermo is a born and raised Canadian performer (of Chilean descent) who has been living in Australia since 2017. He has been performing professionally in theatre and film for 20 plus years. He is a lover of food and wine and has worked as a flight attendant for almost 14 years until COVID had other plans for that career. He has been fortunate to visit over 50 countries and set foot on every continent, including Antarctica.

She/They

WRITER

Sarah Carroll is a Rotuman/Australian queer multidisciplinary artist working across live performance, writing, film/TV and movement on Dharug Land (Western Sydney). Recently they debuted their one woman show Cherry at KXT Bakehouse as part of the Panimo Pandemonium Festival, and are a Midsumma Pathways participant mentored by Victoria Falconer and part of AFTRS Talent Camp 2022. Sarah strives to champion for underrepresented voices to be heard and create works that uplift and engage audiences in new and exciting ways, usually with lots of sparkle and sass. Photo by Farah Aviva

She/They

CO-WRITER & DIRECTOR

Marissa Saroca is a singer/musician/actor with an extensive recording, songwriting, coaching, and live performance career. They have released two original albums and was on Team Lea (Salonga) of The Voice of the Philippines. Acting highlights: Ensemble in Ghost and Shrek (Manila), Gabriella in High School Musical (Newcastle Entertainment Centre), Ensemble/’Seasons Of Love’ soloist/cover for Maureen and Joanne in Rent (Sydney Opera House), The Arbiter in Chess (Civic Theatre Newcastle), and the title character in Lizzie (Hayes Theatre, Sydney). Photo by Keane Fletcher

DRAG & COMEDY CONSULTANT

MOVEMENT CONSULTANT

DEVISING MENTOR

ACTING CONSULTANT

SCRIPT MENTOR

FUNDING MENTOR

Emele is of Tokelauan and Fijian descent. She is a multidisciplinary storyteller. Emele works across live performance, film, tv & digital media as a writer, director, producer, performer, educator and mentor. Her work explores creative processes and outcomes grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, and nurturing the vā where embodiment, cultural expression, digitisation and neuroscience intersect. She is the Creative Director of Talanoa, founder of Studio Kiin, Co-host of Solwata Kin podcast and a sessional lecturer at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

She/Her

MUSICAL THEATRE CONSULTANT

Dindi is a proud Wiradjuri and Wongaibon woman, born and bred on Ngunnawal land (Canberra). A triple threat, Dindi has been performing and training from age 11, competing in eisteddfods and festivals across the country. In 2020, Dindi was accepted into Brent Street’s Diploma of Musical Theatre, and came into the public eye as a semi finalist in the inaugural AOC Initiative. Dindi has performed with The People of Cabaret for Bloom Fest 2020, Darlinghurst Theatre Company, most recently making her Squabbalogic debut in 'Australian Made'. This coming August, Dindi is set to feature in Burrundi Theatre's up and coming production, Warengesda.

SPOKEN WORD CONSULTANT

He/Him

WRITER & PERFORMER

Darby James is a Melbourne-based writer and composer. His previous work includes Post, A New Musical (Something Blue Productions, 2019), Songs of the Northern River (The MC Showroom Hatchery Sponsorship 2019), Tied Up With Strings (Hope New Works, Development 2020), Protein (Autonomous Inventions, 2021), and Westberg (Hope New Works, Development 2021). Photo by Ebony Moffat

He/They

PERFORMER

Chris Burgess is a Naarm based cabaret artiste, a professional music theatre performer and a practicing yoga teacher. A graduate from Showfit and VCA Music Theatre with Honours, he recently performed with Meow Meow and the MSO at Hamer Hall in ‘Meow Meow’s Pandemonium’ and wrote and starred in his self-devised cabaret ‘LENNOX: Legend In My Livingroom’ which played at Chapel Off Chapel 2021/22 and at the Palais-Hepburn. Chris wrote and produced ‘Take Me To Dinner First’, a dinner and show cabaret at Tusk High Bar and is currently exploring the intersection of therapeutic arts practice and performance by facilitating guided acting classes.

He/Him

DIRECTOR

Dirk is an actor, director, dramaturg, singer, writer, and creative producer with over 20 years of industry experience. Some recent directing credits include; SHARE MY BLANKETS (Melbourne Fringe & Melt Fest’ Brisbane), WE WERE THERE (Tilted Projects), FUGITIVE SONGS (Sonder Theatre Co.), ONE IN SEVEN (La Mama), THE MAN OF MODE (Chapel Off Chapel), BUTCH MASTERS MAN OF DESTINY (The Alex Theatre), OPRAHFICATION (Australian tour & The New York Musical Theatre Festival), and THE BRASS BEAR CABARET for the Melbourne Cabaret Festival.

She/They

CABARET MENTOR

They/Them

COLLABORATOR

A WAAPA graduate, multidisciplinary performer, dramaturge and all-round creative. Their credits include BSSTC’s Assassins(dir. Roger Hodgman), JTC’s Rent(dir. Mark Taylor) and was most recently seen in the world premiere of Mimma(dir. Adam Mitchell). Cameron has also been a key member of multiple initiatives including Antipodes Theatre Company’s Winter Labs and Hope: New Works and has also established themself as an excellent programmer having leased theatres for Gasworks Arts Park and run multiple creative & networking programs. Cameron is known for their keen interest in new developments and supporting artists. www.cameronsteens.com

She/Her

CREATOR

Alanah Guiry is a queer neurodivergent theatre director and dramaturg drawn to creating highly visual and thought-provoking experiences. Alanah graduated from the NIDA MFA Directing course (2018) and participated in an exchange at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Art, Berlin, where she studied puppetry. Alanah was an Associate Artist at Theatre Works (2020), Resident Dramaturg with the She-Writes Collective (2021 - 2022) and a member of the Anthropocene Play Company. Alanah is currently developing visual theatre projects with Platform Arts and Antipodes Theatre Company. Alanah is a lab participant with Lemony S Puppetry.

They/Them

DRAMATURG

Flick is a working artist in Naarm/Melbourne. Primarily they are a dramaturg and facilitator interested in the way that the embodiment of sonic dramaturgy can lead to divergent ways of creating performance texts. Flick is also a writer, with their most recent show SLUTNIK™ debuting during Midsumma 2022. Their written repertoire has appeared in theatre festivals in Melbourne, Sydney and Los Angeles, and developed by theatre companies such as ATYP Nightingale Content and Queerspace Arts. As a queer and disabled artist, they aim to honour their communities through radical accessibility and representative creative teams within the arts.

She/Her

ACCESS CONSULTANT

Sarah-Jayde Tracey is a theatre maker/performer living and working on Wurundjeri land. They have an intense interest in works centering class politics, feminist analysis, and queer performance. Sarah-Jayde’s most recent collaboration, Hedda GablerGablerGabler, with Paper Mouth Theatre, is an experimental, devised piece of theatre that uses competitive gameplay to interrogate and disrupt the themes of the iconic play. Photo by Lauren Connelly.

She/Her

PERFORMER

Teagan is a Naarm based actor and graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts with a BFA in Music Theatre. Theatrically she has been seen in Green Room nominated productions Bring It On The Musical (David Venn Enterprises) and Bright Star (Pursued By Bear), as well as two seasons of immersive theatre piece, Mad World (David Butler Studios). In 2020 she appeared in Deep End: Everything Gone, a web series collaboration between movement and film creatives supported by City of Melbourne and most recently workshopped new musicals, Miss Saigon-Wrong as Ellen by Chi Nguyen and Flat-Earthers: The Musical by Lou Wall and Jean Tong.

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SOUND DESIGNER

Ebony Rattle is a sound designer, sound engineer, writer and director based primarily on Wurundjeri land. In the sound department, they have worked extensively both nationally and internationally for some of the biggest performing arts companies, orchestras and contemporary musicians in the world. Recent sound design credits include The Last Hour (2022, The Butterfly Club), Inoculation (2021, short film dir. John Carlo Rosillo). Their writing and directing practice delves into lived concepts of gender, identity and disability. Writing/directing credits include Ring, Ring! (2021, Theatre Works) and BLITZ (2019, Alex Theatre St. Kilda).

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INTIMACY CONSULTANT

Cessalee Stovall is an Intimacy Director, Director, Cultural Consultant and Equity, Access and Inclusion Specialist and she is an unapologetic champion for the physical, psychological and cultural safety of all humans in our industry. As an Intimacy Director, Cessalee has trained with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, Intimacy Directors of Color and Theatrical Intimacy Education and studied under Intimacy Coordinators Australia. As an actor, Cessalee is a proud union member who has worked in film, tv and theatre in Australia and the US. Cessalee is the founder of Stage A Change, Mama to Alula and wife of Scott.