AMTAC Song Showcase

She/Her

HOST

Yve Blake is a playwright, screenwriter, and songwriter, born and raised on Gadigal land. She's best known for writing the Book, Music and Lyrics for the musical FANGIRLS, which has been awarded the 2019 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Mainstage Musical, 2019 Matilda Award for Best Musical or Cabaret, 2020 AWGIE award for Music Theatre, 2021 Green Room award for New Australian Writing for Musical Theatre, and also scored an ARIA nomination for Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album. After premiering at Belvoir and Queensland Theatre in 2019, FANGIRLS returned in 2021 for a national tour, and returned by demand in 2022 at the Sydney Opera House. In 2024, FANGIRLS had its UK premiere at the Lyric Hammersmith, produced by Sonia Friedman Productions. For more info, head to yveblake.co

Photo by Andrew Fraser.

She/Her

GROUND FLOOR & THE YEAR WITHOUT A SUMER

WRITER & COMPOSER

Abigail is an Australian actor, writer, composer and theatre maker. She specialises in queer theatre, environmentalism, feminism, comedy, music, and reinterpreting texts of antiquity. It is her mission to create and be a part of the telling of stories that champion justice and humanity. As of 2021 she is a graduate of the Victorian Collage of the Arts with a BFA in Theatre Making.

She/Her

FROM WATER TO FIRE

COMPOSER & LYRICIST

Alanya is an award-winning composer and musical theatre writer. Her work has been performed around the world, including the Lincoln Center, Feinstein’s 54 Below, Leicester Square Theatre and numerous theatres in New York, Australia and London. Alanya is a graduate of the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, Tisch School of Arts, New York University and member of the Advanced BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Maestra, APRA AMCOS and Mercury Musical Developments. She studied at London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and is a Licentiate of Trinity College, London. Sheet music for her compositions can be found at www.homegrownaus.com and alanyabridge.com.

He/Him

FRESNO

CO-WRITER

Josh is an emerging writer, actor and composer based in Naarm who has been writing and acting for over 10 years. Josh is an autodidact pianist and has composed music for ‘A Zoom Group Project: The Musical’, which he co-wrote and originated the role of Brandon Andrews at The Butterfly Club, and subsequently the show was nominated Green Room’s “Best New Australian Music Theatre Writing”. Josh is beyond excited to bring ‘Fresno’ to the big stage after over 7 years of writing and collaborating, Chapel off Chapel in 2025.

He/Him

PORTRAIT UNKNOWN

COMPOSER

Thomas is a multi-disciplinary performer, music director, composer, and arranger. A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium in Australia, Thomas has worked as a creative on various productions for festivals and tours, both in Australia and internationally. He is the Music Director of UPLIFT Musical Theatre. Thomas has been praised for his “goosebump inducing harmonies (Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane). www.thomascurrie.com.au

They/Them

DEATH TO A BUTTERFLY

MUSIC, LYRICS & CO-BOOK

Andy is a queer, deaf/hard-of-hearing, pianist, songwriter, performer and whose passion lies in stories of hope from a place of trauma. Recently, they performed their autobiographical award winning cabaret, ‘Everything is Shit’ at the Old Fitz. Credits include: Musical Director: ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ (Little Triangle 2022), Little Shop of Horrors, Spiegelesque (Kermond Creative), Forgetting Tim Minchin (Joy Offensive) & The Decay of Lying (by Jess Ramsey, NIDA, 2022). Vocal Director: Girl Band (New Ghosts Theatre Company) Writing: Alice (2021, writer), Holy Ship! (Cope Creative, composer & orchestrator) The Strong Charmion (sound design & composition) (Flight Path 2024) and various arrangements for productions including They’s at the Hayes and Silver Tongue (2024, Hayes Theatre Company). Andy has most recently taken part in ‘The 48 Hour Musical Challenge’ at the Hayes Theatre, composing for ‘A Tiny Doll’s House’.

They/She

RIBBONS IN OUR HAIR

BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS

Michele is a multidisciplinary Thai-Australian storyteller inspired by the diverse heroes of today. Graduating with a Bachelor's in Biomedical Science, she debuted in playwriting with Intersection: Undercurrent and received scholarships for ATYP's National Studio and Fresh Ink mentorship playwriting programs. Michele premiered her first original musical PASSING in 2021 and then staged her new queer punk-rock musical 107 at The Blue Room Theatre in 2022. Beyond the stage, she's an independently published fantasy author, with her debut novel titledTapestries of a Kingdom. When not busy trying to take on the world, you can find her playing Dungeons and Dragons.

He/Him

FRESNO

CO-WRITER

Jeremy is a Naarm-based performer with a lifelong passion for theatre, storytelling, and music. An experienced writer and composer, he champions new works, co-directing Fresno: In Concert at The Butterfly Club and co-writing The Wayfarers, developed Gippsland Performing Arts Centre. His notable roles include Lachlan Green in the Green Room-nominated A Zoom Group Project: The Musical and Guido in Momo. A Federation University Arts Academy graduate, Jeremy has also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, with Bloomsday in Melbourne, and in Love Actually: The Musical Parody.

He/Him

PORTRAIT UNKNOWN

BOOK & LYRICS

Tommy is an Australian actor, playwright and comedian. His writing has been praised as “muscular, poetic, evocative” (Theatre Now) and “a joy for any actor to play”. In 2015, his short play SCRATCH won a record number of awards, including Best Script, at the Short+Sweet Play Festival, Sydney, the largest short play festival in the world. Tommy is also one of the stars of the latest season of TEN POUND POMS (BBC/Stan) and his comedy impressions have gone viral online @tommyjamesgreen.

He/Him

COMPOSER

CLANCY OF THE OUTBACK - A MUSICAL ADVENTURE

Earl Marrows is a Green Room Award nominated composer, director, and writer based in Naarm, Melbourne. He has written music for all manner of dramatic forms including television, film and stage. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts (Masters of Fine Arts - Musical Theatre Writing), Earl has written an array of original musical theatre pieces, including two major full length musicals and five short works. Most recently he collaborated with the New Studio on Broadway and Bookwriter/Lyricist Carrie Caffrey to develop his new original musical For Show which has since been performed in Toronto, Canada as well as at acclaimed New York Cabaret Venue, 54 Below.

He/Him

BOOKWRITER & LYRICIST

CLANCY OF THE OUTBACK - A MUSICAL ADVENTURE

Dylan Marshall is a Green Room Award nominated writer, director and lyricist based in Naarm, Melbourne. He has written and directed across both stage and screen, most notably forming one half of the musical theatre writing duo Marshall and Marrows. As part of this duo, Dylan has co-wrote, co-directed and co-produced two original musicals; ‘PiningFor Affection: A Tree Musical’ and ‘Tone Death: A Ghost Musical’, which both had successful runs at the Melbourne Fringe Festival and Melbourne International Comedy Festival across 2018 and 2019. The former show was restaged in 2023, receiving a Green Room Award nomination for ‘Best New Australian Musical Theatre Writing’.

She/Her

WRITER AND CO-COMPOSER

SPITFIRE GIRLS THE MUSICAL

Rosie Meader is a writer and performer from Sydney who has performed at the Sydney Opera House, Belvoir St Theatre, Seymour Centre and more as a member of many projects. In 2019, she graduated from the prestigious Talent Development Project, where her composition Best Of All Me was recorded at Sony Music. In 2021, Rosie wrote, directed and starred in her first original musical, Everybody Loves A Wedding, which premiered at the Giant Dwarf Theatre and was later revived in 2022 at the Flight Path Theatre to sold-out audiences. She is currently developing her new piece entitled Spitfire Girls The Musical, which has undergone two development workshops and has received support from the Hayes Theatre, APRA AMCOS, Brent Street and the Talent Development Project.

She/Her

SILVER TONGUE

CO-BOOK & LYRICS

Miranda Middleton is an award-winning director, writer, and choreographer with a Master of Fine Arts (Directing) from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). In 2024, Miranda is one of the Sandra Bates Directors Award recipients at the Ensemble Theatre, and is undergoing a professional mentorship with leading Australian director/choreographer Amy Campbell. Miranda’s most recent theatre directing credits include ‘The Grinning Man’ (VASS Productions), ‘The Eisteddfod’ (Old Fitz Theatre), ‘Pear-Shaped’ (Theatre Works), ‘Lemon Tree on Dreg Street’ (Theatre Works), ‘SENSER’ (Theatre Works), ‘Not Today’ (Seymour Centre), ‘Sowing Seeds’ (Gasworks Arts Park), and ‘Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody’ (Theatre Works). In 2023, she was the Resident Writer at Theatre Works, and she has two new musicals in development: ‘Paper Stars’ and ‘Silver Tongue’.

He/Him

CHILDREN OF THE AIR

WRITER

Lachlan Obst is a WAAPA graduate and recent Melbournian, who grew up in regional WA. His unique upbringing sparked a lifelong passion for the arts and his childhood, surrounded by all kind of experiences and people, vast landscapes and a strong sense of community and resilience, inspired his passion for storytelling. Lachlan is currently developing Children of the Air, a new musical that explores themes of country life, education and resilience. Fringe credits include, Crookie, What Makes a Musical? and The Karaoke Club. Lachlan is a Jack-of-all-trades creative, ready for Australia’s entertainment scene.

He/Him

18/23

WRITER & COMPOSER

Hamish Pickering is a Melbourne-based performer, writer and composer. Born and raised in Newcastle, NSW, Hamish attained a Bachelor of Arts (Musical Theatre) at WAAPA in 2022 and a Diploma of Music Theatre at NIDA in 2019. During his studies, Hamish began writing for the stage, developing his style for book, lyric and composition in comedy, cabaret and musical theatre. His debut compositional work 18/23 was developed as part of the 2023 Be New program, since undergoing further workshopping and development. In 2024, Hamish re-staged his debut cabaret ‘Hello, Asteroid’ as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival.

They/She

DEATH TO A BUTTERFLY

DIRECTOR & CO-BOOK

Jess is a queer, neurodivergent theatre maker, and 2023 NIDA graduate from the MFA Directing course. Over 2023 and 2024 Jess has directed and worked on projects at Flight Path Theatre, Old Fitz, Belvoir 25a, Adelaide Fringe, Hayes Theatre, and Antipodes Theatre Company. Their recent directorial work includes ‘The Strong Charmion’ by Chloe Lethlean Higson (Flight Path Theatre), assistant directing ‘Forgetting Tim Minchin’ (Dir. Amy Sole, Belvoir 25a), ‘Berliners’ by comedy duo Nick & Tom (Adelaide Fringe 2024), and currently, they are co-directing Carly Wij’s ‘Us/Them’, (Flight Path Theatre November 2024). Jess has recently added producing and intimacy coordination to their skillset, as creative producer for 107 Projects Inc. and Intimacy Coordinator for ‘Definitely Not A Hungry Games: A Parody Musical’ for Sydney Fringe 2024.

He/They

SILVER TONGUE

MUSIC & LYRICS

A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts Musical Theatre program, Alec is a multidisciplinary artist working as an actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, musical director and composer. Acting credits include Once (Darlinghurst Theatre Co), Twelfth Night (Melbourne Theatre Co), As You Like It (Queensland Theatre), The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child & Room on the Broom (CDP), and before Covid cancellations, they were excited to work with Opera Australia in the cast of The Secret Garden. As a musician, Alec has musically directed, composed or performed in productions with Queensland Theatre, Sport For Jove, Hayes Theatre Co, Pop Up Globe and more. Alec holds their AmusA Diploma in Violin and currently has multiple new works in development, including the new musical ‘Silver Tongue’.

He/Him

GENIUS

WRITER & COMPOSER

Daniel (he/him) is a Melbourne-based musician and composer. Daniel began learning piano, keyboard and organ from early childhood. Daniel obtained a double degree in Business and Computer Science from the University of Technology Sydney and has worked in the technology industry for 15 years, most recently for Atlassian, Australia’s largest enterprise software company, as a senior engineering manager.

Whilst his day-job is outside the music industry, Daniel has been playing and writing original music since his teens.

She/Her

PORTRAIT UNKNOWN

CO-CREATOR

Kristie is a producer, performer, and marketer with a passion for musical theatre. She holds a Diploma in Musical Theatre (Performance) from the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama; Bachelor of Commerce from UNSW, Sydney; and has 15 years experience in business and marketing behind her. Her producing portfolio to date encompasses cabaret concerts, new musical writing, and musical theatre in new digital formats. Kristie is the founder of UPLIFT Musical Theatre and the recipient of a WhatsOnStage Angel Award. www.kristiewinsen.com

She/Her

A WAKE TO REMEMBER

Samantha is a creative and innovative Melbourne-based musical theatre writer/composer. In 2024 she workshopped a musical called ‘A Wake to Remember’ with the Be You Group. Actors and musicians showcased her work in August at the Southbank Theatre, and then in September at Homegrown’s Festival of New Work. She will be staging this musical from the 21-25th May 2025. She has also written several scores for student short film projects, orchestrating the scores and conducting and recording with musicians.