2024 Winter lab

1 - 13 July

ATC’s fifth annual Winter Lab for bold work and new ideas features six projects ranging from physical theatre and devised work to comedy. In addition to in-person development sessions for each project, the participants take part in a variety of workshops, forums, and panel discussions including:

  • ARIST ORIENTATION

  • MEET & GREET

  • TWO PANEL DISCUSSIONS & TWO WORKSHOPS: Subjects and Facilitators/Panelists to be announced.

  • OPEN SESSIONS

  • RETROSPECTIVE

2024 LEAD ARTISTS & PROJECTS

AI NIE NIE by ZYA KANE (she/her)

DOG MEAT/THỊT CHÓ by ANDREW DANG (he/him)

FINDING LIGHT IN THE SHADOWS by RAS-SAMUEL (he/him)

GRUOCH by MARGOT FENLEY (she/her)

MONTAUCIEL AND THE MOON (WT) by NATALIE FRIJIA (she/her)

STORKED by MYFANWY HOCKING (they/them)

AI NIE NIE

by Zya Kane (she/her)

Reviving spirit mediumship through AI, exploring the hidden wisdom of my grandmother, Mary Ngu Ching Siew. Interactions with AI platforms, shamanistic rituals, and ethical reflections of digital necromancy blend to create a modern séance, exploring the intersection of past and present.

Zya Kane

She/Her

CONCEPT, DEVISOR & DIRECTOR

  • Zya Kane (she/her), a Chinese Malaysian/Australian artist, is a theatre maker, director, and inclusive arts practitioner with over 25 years of experience. Thriving on immersive, participatory experiences, she explores contemporary performance, community engagement, and the power of play. Zya creates sensory-rich performances, blurring boundaries between performer and audience. Delving into themes of absurdity, satire, sensitivity, and intimacy, her work sparks introspection and discussion, advocating for social change by amplifying marginalised voices through collaborative exploration. Photo credit: Meredith O'Shea

COLLABORATORS TO BE ANNOUNCED

DOG MEAT/THỊT CHÓ

by Andrew Dang (he/him)

Vic is back home for Uni break; except it doesn’t feel like home. Growing further detached from their family’s rigid way of life, they connect with the mysterious Wyn. The pair delve into a potentially dangerous relationship and discover new things about themselves. A supernatural coming-of-age story exploring identity, culture and found family. 

Andrew Dang

He/Him

WRITER & ACTOR

  • Brought up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Andrew (he/him) graduated with a Bachelor of Acting from Federation University Arts Academy in 2019. Andrew has worked on multiple short films and has appeared on stage with Melbourne Shakespeare Company as ‘Snug’ in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and ‘Ferdinand’ in The Tempest. He is also the voice of ‘Tal’ in the Netflix animated children's series Eddie’s Lil’ Homies. When he isn’t acting Andrew spends time writing his own original work, hoping to express his passion for diversity and inclusivity in the Australian arts industry.

COLLABORATORS TO BE ANNOUNCED

FINDING LIGHT IN THE SHADOWS

by Ras-Samuel (he/him)

Following Samuel's journey from Ethiopia to Sydney, marred by abuse and homelessness. In Melbourne, he grapples with crime before a revelation in juvenile detention sparks his pursuit of righteousness.

Ras-Samuel

(He/Him)

WRITER & ACTOR

  • Ras-Samuel, a versatile actor, filmmaker, and theater maker, trained at Greentree Acting School and Brave Studios. His film credits include "The Clearing" (Disney+), "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" (20th Century Fox), "Woodywoodpecker" (Universal Studios), and "The Abandoned" (Panorama). As a writer and producer, he's behind acclaimed works like "Jebena Genie" and "BLVCK GOLD," which earned recognition at festivals. On stage, he's starred in productions at Malthouse Theatre, Victorian Opera, Melbourne Shakespeare Company, Sonnet 66, and Chapel Off Chapel. You can catch Ras-Samuel in Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning "Topdog/Underdog" at Melbourne Theatre Company.

COLLABORATORS TO BE ANNOUNCED

GRUOCH

by Margot Fenley (she/her)

Does your life comprise the things you did, or the stories that are told about you? And if you don’t get to write your narrative, how do you make meaning of what it says? An existential metatheatre comedy-tragedy, riffing on the possible life stories of Gruoch (Lady) Macbeth.

Margot Fenley

She/Her

WRITER

  • Margot (she/her) is an actor, intimacy professional, director, devisor and educator, originally trained as an actor at the VCA. She has performed with MTC, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Arts Centre Melbourne, La Mama, and fortyfive downstairs, amongst others, as in various tv series. Most recent directing credits include Willow Sizer and Rachel Lewindon’s Orlando at fortyfive downstairs and Kikki Temple’s Stuck at Meat Market https://margotfenley.comfor Midsumma. Margot trained as an intimacy professional with IDC (USA) through an MEAA-Equity Foundation scholarship, and has had an extensive teaching career, both in Melbourne and the USA. https://margotfenley.com

COLLABORATORS TO BE ANNOUNCED

MONTAUCIEL AND THE MOON

(working title)

by Natalie Frijia (she/her)

France, Summer 1783. The skies are dark, the crops covered in a thick layer of foreign ash, and people riot. But Montauciel looks to the moon. From Montgolfier to Wright, Kitty Hawk to the Apollo 8 capsule, this circus-theatre epic explores what it takes to leave Earth, look back, and discover who we want to be.

Natalie Frijia

She/Her

WRITER

  • Natalie Frijia (she/her) is a writer, arts manager, and circus/theatre maker. She has a PhD in theatre and environmental studies from the University of Toronto, and has worked in circus professionally for over ten years, in almost every role, except performing. Her shows have been produced in Canada, the UK, Australia, and Iceland. Her newest circus-theatre show, GO/NO GO, will be at Gasworks in October 2024. Natalie works as an arts manager with the Victorian circus company Highwire Entertainment, and as the Community, Alumni and Industry Coordinator at the National Institute of Circus Arts.

COLLABORATORS TO BE ANNOUNCED

STORKED

by Myfanwy Hocking (they/them)

To have a kid, to not. There is no compromise. In a 'Sliding Doors' fashion, Storked is a nuanced exploration of being a little guy in a world that wants you to pop a kid out in the next 5 - 10 (years - not minutes, though your Grandma wouldn't mind the latter).

Myfanwy Hocking

They/Them

WRITER & PERFORMER

  • Myfanwy (they/them) is a Narrm based actor, writer, theatre maker, and teacher. They are most interested in queer, feminist works which seek to galvanise the audience. Myf loves performances that include messy make-outs and a dance sequence.

    Myfanwy has worked as a performer with the Melbourne Theatre Company, Theatre Works, Butterfly Club, and NORPA Lismore. In 2022, they took their show How To Be a Person When the World is Ending to the Edinburgh Fringe. Myf is also a professional voice actor, having narrated many audiobooks.

    Myf is a double graduate of the VCA, attaining their BFA in Acting (2019) and their Masters in Writing for Theatre (2021).

COLLABORATORS TO BE ANNOUNCED

DISCUSSION PANELISTS AND WORKSHOP FACILITATORS TO BE ANNOUNCED

2024 SUBMISSION PANELISTS

Comprised of four guest panelists and the Winter Lab producers, all submissions were given the opportunity to have their work reviewed by prominent artists from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds.

GUEST SUBMISSION PANELISTS

Click headshots for bios.

Maude Davey

She/Her

  • Maude (she/her) an actor, writer and director, working in and out of Naarm (Melbourne). Most recently she directed Frankie van Kan in 'A Body at Work' at La Mama, a show about stripping and sex work; appeared in Patricia Cornelius’s 'My Sister Jill' for the Melbourne Theatre Company; presented her own work ‘My First Bike’ with Jane Bayly at La Mama; appeared in ‘Blessed Union’ by Maeve Marsden for Belvoir Street Theatre Company. She teaches regularly at VCA and is a PhD candidate at La Trobe University.

Jonathan Homsey

He/Him

  • Jonathan (he/him) is a choreographer and curator working from the position of a Queer Person of Colour based in Wurundjeri country. Originally an award-winning dancer for crews during the naughties in Southern California, he is humbled to be a community leader in so-called Australia for the past decade, galvanising people together to dance. From Footscray Community Arts to Melbourne Museum, Jonathan specialises in platforming Street and Queer dance forms to cultivate empowerment for sexually and ethnically diverse young people. He is the 2021 Green Room for Best Dance Production and is the 2022 Melbourne Fringe Festival’s Director Choice Winner. In 2023, he was awarded 4 stars for his work choreographing Guys and Dolls for Antipodes Theatre Company and his aquatic performance Shower Thots from The Age.

Vidya Makan

She/Her

  • Vidya (she/her) is a critically acclaimed and award winning actor/singer and composer/lyricist, perhaps most well known for originating Catherine Parr in the Australian tour of SIX (Louise Withers and Associates). Her other performance credits include Bloom (Melbourne Theatre Company), The Lucky Country (Hayes Theatre); Dot/Marie in Sunday In The Park With George (Watch This); Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes Theatre); Once On This Island (Altitude Theatre); Romeo and Juliet (Australian Shakespeare Company); American Idiot (Shake & Stir).

    Her debut original show The Lucky Country (Hayes Theatre), written in collaboration with Sonya Suares, ran in Sydney 2023 to rave reviews. Vidya was the inaugural  recipient of Create NSW New Musical Theatre Fellowship and the 2023 national winner of APRA AMCOS Professional Development Award for her original musical LIGHT [working title] with book writer Tasnim Hossain.

Mama Alto

She/Her

  • Mama Alto (she/her) is a jazz singer, cabaret artiste & gender transcendent diva. She is a transgender & queer person of colour, living with disability, who works with the radical potential of storytelling, strength in softness and power in vulnerability.

    As a theatre maker and playwright, she has been featured in programs including MTC Cybec Electric and Antipodes Winter Lab. 

    She has collaborated with legendary figures including Finucane & Smith, Declan Greene, Brook Andrew and Taylor Mac, and she is the co-creator of highly acclaimed variety cabaret “Gender Euphoria,” Australia’s largest ever entirely trans & gender diverse main stage production. Additionally, she has worked as a writer, playwright, diversity & inclusion specialist, and advocate, and received multiple arts and community awards including from the Australia Council, Creative Victoria and more.

PRODUCERS

Click headshots for bios.

Brandon Pape

He/Him

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CO-PRODUCER

  • Brandon (he/him) directed the Australian Premiere of 'Ghost Quartet' (two 2020 Green Room Award Nominations, return season in 2021) and co-directed with Trudy Dunn their immersive reimagining of ‘Guys and Dolls’ at Chapel Off Chapel in August 2023. Other Antipodes credits include Sam Martin's 'Sam I Am' (sold out season at La Mama, Victorian Premiere), 'And She Would Stand Like This' (Australian Premiere), 'Passing Strange' (Australian Premiere, five 2023 Green Room Award Nominations), and the Winter Lab - Antipodes' annual development program for new work and bold ideas. Antipodes presented their first production originating from the Winter Lab in November 2023 with ‘Orlando’ at fortyfivedownstairs.

Cameron Steens

They/Them

NEW WORK MANAGER & LEAD PRODUCER

  • Cameron (the/them) is a Naarm/Melbourne based multidisciplinary theatre maker, WAAPA graduate and all-round creative. As Antipodes’ New Work Manager, they've produced numerous developments and networking programs (including Winter Labs 2020-2023, Festival of the Unseen 2023) in addition to the premiere of Orlando, Antipodes' first production originating from the Winter Lab. Credits include: This is Living (Assoc Director, Gavin Roach), Guys & Dolls (Production Manager, Antipodes), Protein (Assist Director & Sound Design, Autonomous Inventions), MIMMA (dir. Adam Mitchell), JTC’s RENT (dir. Mark Taylor) & BSSTC’s Assassins (dir. Roger Hodgman). www.cameronsteens.com