STAGES with Peter Eyers on Steno.fm

STAGES with Peter Eyers

STAGES is the podcast that accesses a variety of professional life connecting with an audience. A host of creative artists reflect on their career, their process and what matters – to them. Some have made the arts a lifetime pursuit, some explain how their career became a happy accident … but all describe the challenges and demands – and ultimately celebrate why there’s no business like show business! STAGES talks to talent from front of house and backstage - directors, designers, drag artists and doormen … performers, producers and publicists ... teachers, technicians and talent! Whatever stages it takes to engage and affect an audience –...

S8 E559 · Wed, April 09, 2025
STAGES Episode 559: GARRY MCQUINN
London-based Australian producer Garry is the GM in RGM. With over 25 years experience developing, producing and managing ground-breaking productions around the world, he is an impresario of great vision and passion. RGM Productions is an independent, Olivier Award nominated theatre production company with an objective is to discover, develop and introduce new and compelling productions to new audiences around the world. Established in 2012 by husband and wife team Garry McQuinn and Rina Gill, the company has an impressive portfolio of productions ranging from drama, music, dance and cabaret to children’s theatre and comedy. Garry is the lead producer and managing partner of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical , the Broadway and West End hit show that is now Australia’s most successful theatrical export. For the past decade Garry has been responsible for driving Priscilla’s international success; to date the show has played to almost 6 million people in 135 cities in 30 countries around the world. After working as stage manager for Melbourne Theatre Company, Garry headed to London where he worked as stage manager for Noises Off around the world. He returned to Australia and a life as company manager, production manager and sometimes even director for several big shows. Garry’s list of credits include The Rocky Horror Show , Steaming , Sweet Bird of Youth , Disney’s Beauty and the Beast , The Boy From Oz, Blood Brothers and Showboat , and (while joint Managing Director of Back Row Productions) he toured many international shows including Tap Dogs , Slava’s Snowshow , Mums the Word , Gumboots , Fosse , Shaolin Monks of China , Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake , Jerry Seinfeld, Cats and Circus OZ . Like Priscilla and Tap Dogs , Garry’s story is quintessentially Australian. Before winning a scholarship to NIDA (Australia’s national drama school), he spent his youth playing semi-professional football and surf-lifesaving on Wollongong’s beaches. After leaving school he worked on the blast furnace floor at the Port Kembla steelworks where he fell in with a gang of immigrant labourers who nurtured his interest in theatre and encouraged him to apply for NIDA. Garry not only won a scholarship and graduated, but returned some years later to teach – and then head NIDA’s Production Course for over a decade. He has enjoyed an unbroken relationship with the school for over four decades including two terms as a member of the Board of Directors. He is currently serving as a member of the NIDA Foundation Trust board. Garry joined the STAGES podcast from London to reflect on a celebrated career …. making and presenting impactful theatre. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from
S8 E558 · Sat, April 05, 2025
STAGES Episode 558: TIM JONES
Tim Jones has led the Seymour Centre theatre venues in Sydney since 2009. Last month announced that he is stepping down from the role. Together with a talented and passionate team, he has worked to position Seymour Centre as vital to the creative life of both the City and the University of Sydney. To achieve this he has initiated a range of curated artistic programs, focused on the presentation of outstanding contemporary performance and the exploration of big ideas, and driven by the principles of risk-taking, diversity, and inclusion. His leadership has resulted in collaboration with pre-eminent independent theatre companies to present the best new work from local and international writers and artists; the provision of quality performing arts experiences for primary and secondary students to enhance syllabus learning; and partnerships with major cultural organisations such as the Sydney Festival, Mardi Gras and Sydney World Pride. Supporting emerging and independent companies has also been a feature of Tim’s term with SIMA Jazz, Siren Theatre Company, Shaun Parker and Company, Squabbalogic and Sport for Jove all, at various times, in residence at Seymour. Tim Jones began his career as an actor, performing for St Martin's Youth Arts and Playbox in Melbourne before moving to Sydney and graduating from NIDA with a BFA in Acting. He performed for theatre companies including Belvoir and Sydney Theatre Company before taking up a full-time role as Artistic Associate at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), where he developed his commitment to delivering quality performing arts experiences for young people, a commitment that still informs his ongoing professional arts practice. In 2005 he became the Artistic Director of ATYP, and went on to develop and direct over 14 new theatre works for young performers, including productions by leading Australian writers such as Louis Nowra, Michael Gow, Patricia Cornelius, and Debra Oswald (directing the premiere of her works, Stories in the Dark, in 2007, and Skate , which toured to the Belfast Festival in 2005). International collaborations included two partnerships with Cirque du Soleil and directing the world premiere of Patrick Marber's The Musicians for Sydney Festival. At the Seymour he has developed and directed a range of premiere theatre productions including Transparency by Suzie Miller; two versions of The Hansard Monologues by Katie Pollock and Paul Daley; 2071 , an adaptation of a work about climate change by Duncan Macmillan; Made to Measure by Alana Valentine, developed in partnership with the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney; and, in 2022, the premiere theatrical adaptation of Heather Rose’s Stella Prize-winning novel, The Museum of Modern Love presented as part of Sydney Festival. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spo
S8 E555 · Wed, April 02, 2025
STAGES Episode 555: MATT WEST
Matt West is the Director / Choreographer for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. Matt received the L.A. Drama-Logue Award, the L.A. Ovation Award, New York’s Drama Desk Award and London’s Olivier Award, for the much celebrated show, which is in the Top 10 longest running shows in Broadway history - with 5461 performances. The classic story of Belle and her Beast has become an audience favourite around the globe. Matt recently returned to Beauty and the Beast, 30 years on, to review the show and bring it into a new era - taking full advantage of developments in technology, cultural shifts, choreographic influence and the abundance of magic, readily available from the Disney brand. Matt West has worked for the Disney Corporation a life-time, first joining the team as a Friend of Peter Pan, and graduating to creating productions for Disney Parks in Tokyo, Paris and California. On Broadway he has staged or choreographed productions of Lestat with music and lyrics by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and Mimi le Duck starring Eartha Kitt. His work as a creative is informed from extensive credits as a performer in theatre and on the Broadway stage including Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly and A Chorus Line . Matt also played the role of Bobby in Sir Richard Attenborough’s film adaptation of A Chorus Line. International Theatre includes Little Shop of Horrors (Buenos Aires), The Wanderer (Tokyo’s Parko Theatre) The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Peter Pan for Disney Home Video, The Nutcracker for the Disney Channel. And more than 30 productions of Beauty and the Beast Worldwide. Matt Directed and Choreographed Fantasmic for Tokyo Disney Sea. Current Projects Include the Broadway bound Productions of Smackdown and Click . Matt was recently in Melbourne to visit the brilliant company of Beauty and the Beast , now in it’s final weeks at Her Majesty’s theatre, before it sets of on a national tour. It truly is a glorious production, and I’m thrilled that STAGES had an opportunity to feature Matt in this episode to reflect on his own celebrated career … and to describe the vast journey of the juggernaut, that is, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E556 · Sun, March 30, 2025
STAGES Episode 556: JOHN O’MAY
John O’May has worked in all areas of the entertainment industry encompassing music theatre, cabaret, drama, opera, concerts, comedy, radio, writing and directing. His music theatre credits include Godspell , The 20’s And All That Jazz, Seven Little Australians (which he also directed), HMS Pinafore, Crazy For You, The Merry Widow, A Little Night Music (for which he won his first Green Room Award for Leading Male Performer), The Phantom Of The Opera (in the roles of both M. Firmin and M. Andre both in Australia and internationally), Mamma Mia! and The Light In The Piazza (produced, directed and starred in this award winning show’s only Australian production). John played the lead role of Georges in La Cage aux Folles , Captain Bracket in the acclaimed Opera Australia production of South Pacific , Doctor Tambourri in Passion , Cardinal Felici in the international tour of The Last Confession with David Suchet, Herr Schultz in the musical Cabaret and Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . John has worked extensively with the Melbourne and Sydney Theatre Companies. For The Production Company John has played Major Bouvier/Norman Vincent Peale in Grey Gardens , Elijah Whitney in Anything Goe s, General Harrison Howell/Harry Trevor in Kiss Me Kate , and Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl .His film and TV credits include A Heartbeat Away, City Homicide, The Games, Carson’s Law, Between Wars, Starstruck and the ABC series The Divorce opposite Lisa McCune and Marina Prior. He can currently be seen in the Robbie Williams bio-pic, Better Man. John played the role of Cinderella’s Father/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods for which he was nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Supporting Artist. John recently played the role of Roland in Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Bloom and joins the show once again for its present season at the Sydney Theatre Company. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E555 · Wed, March 26, 2025
STAGES Episode 555: LUKE HURA
W.C Fields famously advised “ Never work with animals or children”. His advice would fall on ‘deaf ears’ for the creatives working on a new production of Annie, premiering at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney in March. One of the creatives contributing to the show, in a very unique way is Luke Hura. Renowned as one of Australia’s leading Animal Trainers, Luke has been working intently with the canine actors playing Annie’s best friend Sandy in the iconic musical. Dogs are essential co-stars in a host of stage musicals whether that be Mama Rose’s Chowsie in Gypsy, Bill Sykes’ mongrel in Oliver, Paulette’s Rufus and Elle Woods’ Bruiser in Legally Blonde, Dorothy’s Toto in The Wizard of Oz or Eden Brent’s prized Pomeranian pooch in Bullets Over Broadway. Perhaps best known, as a canine co-star is Sandy in the musical ANNIE, who frequently steals the show. Luke Hura’s unique career began over 35 years ago and throughout his journey, has worked on some of Australia’s most well-known films, television shows and stage productions. Luke’s love for animals began at a very early age where he began to connect with them energetically and intuitively, with this ability allowing him to read and recognise their behaviours and thus he began to work with the animals on a more intimate level. This incredible gift steered him in the direction of training all types of animals for performance, including dogs, cats and a variety of birds. Luke is well respected in the industry and is an obvious choice for any Producer to have as part of their production team. Some of Luke’s career highlights include – Red Dog & Oddball ( the highest grossing Australian Dog Films), P aws, Ned Kelly, Rogue, Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Rove Live, The Flying Doctors, Dingo, A Country Practice, Thunderstone, Halifax f.p, Sea Change, The Wizard Of Oz, The Saddle Club, Kath & Kim, Rush and McClouds Daughters. So how are the canine actors prepared for such starring roles? Sure they may not have much dialogue, but they have to hit their marks and establish a rapport with their co-stars. To answer all, STAGES spoke with Luke Hura, backstage at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, as Annie (and Sandy) readied for the debut of this new Australian production. Annie plays the Capitol Theatre in Sydney through to early June before a season at The Princess Theatre in Melbourne from July. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E560 · Sun, March 23, 2025
STAGES Episode 560: ANNE-LOUISE SARKS
Anne-Louise Sarks is an international theatre director. Her work has premiered in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Mexico City, New York, Auckland, Warsaw, Mannheim, Perth, Mumbai, and Basel. In April 2021, she was appointed as the Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Melbourne Theatre Company and launched her first season as Artistic director in 2023, directing the double bill Escaped Alone/What If, If Only and Bernhardt/Hamlet in 2023. Prior to her appointment at Melbourne Theatre Company, Anne-Louise directed Stop Girl for Belvoir St Theatre in 2021. In 2019, she directed Avalanche , a new work by Julia Leigh produced by the Barbican London and later presented by the Sydney Theatre Company. In 2018, she was appointed the Artistic Director of the Lyric Ensemble at the Lyric Hammersmith, directed a new production of her acclaimed Medea for Theatre Basel, directed a new feminist adaptation of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People for Belvoir, Sydney, and her production of Sarah Kane’s Blasted at the Malthouse theatre was nominated for four green room awards including Best Director. In 2017, Anne-Louise directed Seventeen for The Lyric Hammersmith, Minnie & Liraz for Melbourne Theatre Company, Merchant of Venice for Bell Shakespeare and Testament of Mary for Malthouse Theatre. Anne-Louise was Resident Director at Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney from 2013-2015. For Belvoir Street Theatre Anne-Louise has directed Stop Girl, Escaped Alone, Jasper Jones, Seventeen and Stories I Want To Tell You In Person ; she directed and co-wrote Elektra/Orestes, A Christmas Carol, Nora and Medea. Sarks was also assistant director on The Wild Duck and dramaturg on Thyestes . In 2015, Anne-Louise directed a new production of hers and co-writer Kate Mulvaney’s modern day imagining of Medea at The Gate Theatre in London. Medea won five 2013 Sydney Theatre Awards including Best Direction, Best Mainstage Production and Best New Australian Work. It was also awarded an AWGIE for Best Stage Play and in 2013 was nominated for four prestigious Helpmann Awards including Best Direction, Best New Australian Work and Best Play. In 2011, Anne-Louise held the positions of Associate Artist for Belvoir, Director in Residence at the Malthouse Theatre Company in Melbourne and from 2010-2013 Anne-Louise was Artistic Director of the acclaimed independent theatre company, The Hayloft Project. Anne-Louise has recently opened a visceral new production of David Williamson’s The Removalists at the Sumner Theatre, for the Melbourne Theatre Company. The classic of the Australian theatre canon, which was born in the New Wave movement of Australian theatre in 1971, shows no signs of its 54 year longevity as a celebrated staple on our stages. Anne-Louise joined STAGES to discuss her prod
S8 E554 · Sat, March 22, 2025
STAGES Episode 554: DEBRA BYRNE Pt2
Easily lauded as one of Australia’s greatest entertainers, Debra Byrne commenced her career as a child star making her television debut on Brian and the Juniors, a children's variety and talent quest, in 1969. In April 1971 she became an original cast member on Young Talent Time. Byrne proved to be a popular cast member: going on to win the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award. Before leaving the Young Talent Time regular cast, Byrne released her first solo single in 1974, He’s a Rebel . Her debut album, She’s a Rebel was released in the same year. Byrne's follow-up single was a second Crystals cover, Da Doo Ron Ron, in 1975. In that year she won both the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award for a second time. Byrne travelled to London to record at Abbey Road Studios with Cliff Richard producing. While in London, she made public and TV appearances, including on The Cliff Richard Show . Returning to Australia she made guest appearances on every major Tonight Show and was a regular performer on the ABC series, The Saturday Show . In 1979 she merged singing with acting for the first time on the ABC’s TV Follies series, eventually co-starring alongside John Farnham in their own series, Farnham and Byrne . In 1985 she starred as Kathy McLeod, opposite Matt Dillon in the feature film, Rebel. She was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role for the performance. Byrne sang lead vocals on nine of ten tracks on the soundtrack album. On the stage Byrne is responsible for some of the most dynamic interpretations of characters that have become iconic in the music theatre cannon. Her Grisabella in Cats (1985), her Fantine in Les Misérables (1987) and her Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1996) have been heralded as master classes of the form. Vivid and visceral renditions that were delivered with enormous heart, powerhouse vocals and poignant fragility. Further triumphs on the musical theatre stage include Jerry’s Girls, Metro Street, Minefields and Miniskirts, Follies, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Little Me and L a Cage Aux Folles. Her cabaret work includes writing, directing, choreographing and starring in Girls, Girls, Girls, a celebration of female vocalists including Cilla Black and Dusty Springfield, and Caught in the Act Again, which included both showtunes and some original material. She has also toured with Visa Bull in their Carole King tribute show Tapestry. In late 2006 her autobiography, Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir , was published on Pan Macmillan. In 2010 she played the role of the Bird Woman in the original Australian production of the stage musical, Mary Poppins at Melbourne's Her
S8 E553 · Wed, March 19, 2025
STAGES Episode 553: DEBRA BYRNE Pt1
Easily lauded as one of Australia’s greatest entertainers, Debra Byrne commenced her career as a child star making her television debut on Brian and the Juniors, a children's variety and talent quest, in 1969. In April 1971 she became an original cast member on Young Talent Time. Byrne proved to be a popular cast member: going on to win the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award. Before leaving the Young Talent Time regular cast, Byrne released her first solo single in 1974, He’s a Rebel . Her debut album, She’s a Rebel was released in the same year. Byrne's follow-up single was a second Crystals cover, Da Doo Ron Ron, in 1975. In that year she won both the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award for a second time. Byrne travelled to London to record at Abbey Road Studios with Cliff Richard producing. While in London, she made public and TV appearances, including on The Cliff Richard Show . Returning to Australia she made guest appearances on every major Tonight Show and was a regular performer on the ABC series, The Saturday Show . In 1979 she merged singing with acting for the first time on the ABC’s TV Follies series, eventually co-starring alongside John Farnham in their own series, Farnham and Byrne . In 1985 she starred as Kathy McLeod, opposite Matt Dillon in the feature film, Rebel. She was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role for the performance. Byrne sang lead vocals on nine of ten tracks on the soundtrack album. On the stage Byrne is responsible for some of the most dynamic interpretations of characters that have become iconic in the music theatre cannon. Her Grisabella in Cats (1985), her Fantine in Les Misérables (1987) and her Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1996) have been heralded as master classes of the form. Vivid and visceral renditions that were delivered with enormous heart, powerhouse vocals and poignant fragility. Further triumphs on the musical theatre stage include Jerry’s Girls, Metro Street, Minefields and Miniskirts, Follies, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Little Me and L a Cage Aux Folles. Her cabaret work includes writing, directing, choreographing and starring in Girls, Girls, Girls, a celebration of female vocalists including Cilla Black and Dusty Springfield, and Caught in the Act Again, which included both showtunes and some original material. She has also toured with Visa Bull in their Carole King tribute show Tapestry. In late 2006 her autobiography, Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir , was published on Pan Macmillan. In 2010 she played the role of the Bird Woman in the original Australian production of the stage musical, Mary Poppins at Melbourne's Her
S8 E552 · Tue, March 18, 2025
STAGES Episode 552: CARLY FISHER
Encompassing three unique locations, Qtopia Sydney is the largest Centre for Queer history and culture in the world. Nestled in the heart of Darlinghurst, it is a home for preserving and celebrating a vivid line of stories. It is no surprise then that the venue boasts 2 unique performance spaces; the Substation and the Loading Dock Theatre. In the 10 months since their first season, nearly 400 artists have taken to The Loading Dock theatre stage as part of the Mainstage Season, Pride Fest and Sydney Fringe Festival, performing to over 9000 audience members. The theatre saw hilarious comedies, heartbreaking dramas, insightful conversations, toe-tapping cabarets, groundbreaking musicals, inspiring literary events and more. As well as the Mainstage and Pride Fest artists, the Loading Dock partners with festivals and organisations like FORM, EnQueer, The Bookshop Darlinghurst, Sydney Fringe, and more. It is a space that proudly shares the stories of the LGBTQIA+ community, its allies and the wider community local to Darlinghurst. The Loading Dock Theatre may not have the biggest capacity or largest stage dimensions in Sydney, but what it has proven is that it does hold one very big heart. The Loading Dock’s 2025 season is off and running. STAGES sat down with Artistic Director Carly Fisher to explore the season and this fabulous new and intimate performance space for Sydney. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E551 · Mon, March 17, 2025
STAGES Episode 551: GRAEME EWER Pt2
Australia’s best known character tenor, Graeme Ewer, was born in Melbourne and appeared in the Australian Premiere Season of South Pacific in the role of Jerome - at age twelve! He studied voice with a handful of teachers in Melbourne including Gertrude Johnston and Annie Portnoj – competing in various singing competitions where he was a finalist in the 1952 popular radio variety contest Australia’s Amateur Hour. In 1964 and 1965, he performed in three opera productions for Victorian Opera Company, then began a two year contract as Alfred Barrett in Robert and Elizabeth for the Garnet H Carroll Management. In 1966/67, Graeme Ewer performed in The King and I, Annie Get Your Gun and The Music Man for Brett Adams Tent Theatre. The following year, he joined The Australian Elizabethan Trust Opera Company (which became The Australian Opera and, later, Opera Australia) where he enjoyed a thirty-five-year career performing seventy-seven roles. He was an audience favourite and was a master of characterisation and comic timing. His four roles (Andres, Cochenille, Pitichinaccio & Frantz) in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann were unique, unsurpassed successes – as was his Njegus in The Merry Widow. He performed in Les Contes d’Hoffmann for San Diego Opera in 1994 and in The Merry Widow for Vancouver Opera in 1976 – both at the invitation of conductor Richard Bonynge. A career highlight was performing the title role in Albert Herring at a Royal Command Performance at the Sydney Opera House but, one imagines that Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress and Gustav von Aschenbach in Death in Venice (rarities in his performing repertoire) were personal highlights. Graeme Ewer appears on numerous commercial recordings and DVDs. He was awarded a Member, Order of Australia, AM, in 1994 and received the Opera Australia Trophy 2001. His dedication to his craft and the operatic art-form has been a lesson to at least two generations of performers. Graeme’s career defines him as one of the jewels in the crown of opera in Australia. (Text courtesy Brian Castles-Onion) The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E550 · Sat, March 15, 2025
STAGES Episode 550: GRAEME EWER Pt1
Australia’s best known character tenor, Graeme Ewer, was born in Melbourne and appeared in the Australian Premiere Season of South Pacific in the role of Jerome - at age twelve! He studied voice with a handful of teachers in Melbourne including Gertrude Johnston and Annie Portnoj – competing in various singing competitions where he was a finalist in the 1952 popular radio variety contest Australia’s Amateur Hour. In 1964 and 1965, he performed in three opera productions for Victorian Opera Company, then began a two year contract as Alfred Barrett in Robert and Elizabeth for the Garnet H Carroll Management. In 1966/67, Graeme Ewer performed in The King and I, Annie Get Your Gun and The Music Man for Brett Adams Tent Theatre. The following year, he joined The Australian Elizabethan Trust Opera Company (which became The Australian Opera and, later, Opera Australia) where he enjoyed a thirty-five-year career performing seventy-seven roles. He was an audience favourite and was a master of characterisation and comic timing. His four roles (Andres, Cochenille, Pitichinaccio & Frantz) in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann were unique, unsurpassed successes – as was his Njegus in The Merry Widow. He performed in Les Contes d’Hoffmann for San Diego Opera in 1994 and in The Merry Widow for Vancouver Opera in 1976 – both at the invitation of conductor Richard Bonynge. A career highlight was performing the title role in Albert Herring at a Royal Command Performance at the Sydney Opera House but, one imagines that Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress and Gustav von Aschenbach in Death in Venice (rarities in his performing repertoire) were personal highlights. Graeme Ewer appears on numerous commercial recordings and DVDs. He was awarded a Member, Order of Australia, AM, in 1994 and received the Opera Australia Trophy 2001. His dedication to his craft and the operatic art-form has been a lesson to at least two generations of performers. Graeme’s career defines him as one of the jewels in the crown of opera in Australia. (Text courtesy Brian Castles-Onion) The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E549 · Wed, March 12, 2025
STAGES Episode 549: LUKE DI SOMMA
Luke Di Somma is one of New Zealand’s leading composers, writers and theatre educators, whose work spans musical theatre, opera and television. He is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. A Fulbright scholar, Luke studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with a Master of Fine Arts from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Programme. He completed his Bachelor of Music at the University of Canterbury, and gained First Class Honours from the New Zealand School of Music where he studied conducting and composition. Luke is the co-writer of hit musical That Bloody Woman , and the composer of The Unruly Tourists . Current projects include several projects with Australian collaborators and a new television show. In the United Kingdom, his work has been seen at Andrew Lloyd Weber’s The Other Palace theatre, and he co-wrote the opening number for the last three West End Bares charity concerts in various theatres in London’s West End. His music has been sung by Broadway’s Andréa Burns, Olivier winners David Bedella and Rebecca Trehearn, and Tony nominees Andy Karl and Eva Noblezada. His music direction credits are numerous. Highlights include Les Miserables, Chicago, Rent, The Mikado, My Fair Lady, Sweeney Todd and Spamalot . He musically directed the European premiere of Lin-Manuel Miranda's 21 Chump Street in London. A regular guest conductor with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, he has conducted performances of Berlin To Broadway, Mad Men and Dangerous Women, The Golden Age of Broadway and The Golden Age of Hollywood as well as four seasons of CSO Kids . He has also worked with New Zealand Opera, the Christchurch Youth Orchestra and founded the Christchurch Pops Choir. Luke is also the founder and director of Christchurch International Musical Theatre Summer School - a biennial programme with a school of both secondary school students and emerging professionals. He has taught with some of Broadway’s finest including Andréa Burns, Sutton Foster, Jonathan Groff, Peter Flynn and Julia Murney. He is currently a Sessional Lecturer at Federation University of Australia in Victoria. During the Sydney Festival in January, Luke premiered a new work (co-written with Constantine Costi) - Siegfried and Roy: The Unauthorised Opera, to huge acclaim. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E548 · Sat, March 08, 2025
STAGES Episode 548: NICK EYNAUD
Nick Eynaud graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2014 and upon graduating, wrote and performed his solo show A Star is Bored (RL Productions) as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Further acting credits include Young Frankenstein (Hayes Theatre Co.), Sweeney Todd (TEG Life Like Company) Last Man Standing (Melbourne Theatre Company), Miss Understanding in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (NCL), Mary Sunshine in Chicago (MAT), Zach in A Chorus Line (MAT), John Hinckley Jr. in Assassins (Black Swan State Theatre Company) and Chantal in La Cage Aux Folles (Showtunes Productions). As a Wig, Hair and Makeup Designer, highlights of Nick’s work include Reefer Madness (RL Productions), American Psycho (Sydney Opera House), Miss Peony (Belvoir), Ghosting the Party (Griffin Theatre Co), Into the Woods (Belvoir), Midnight: The Cinderella Musical (Aspect Entertainment), The Dismissal (Squabbalogic) and A Model Murder (Sydney Festival). Nick was also Head of Wigs, Hair and Makeup on the Australian tour of Hairspray (Crossroads Live), A Christmas Carol (GWB Entertainment), Grand Horizons (STC) and recently A Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare’s Globe. After several seasons of The Picture of Dorian Gray (STC/Michael Cassel Group) including London’s West End. He is excited to be bringing the show to Broadway this season as Wig, Hair and Makeup Supervisor (and onstage quick change diva). The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E547 · Wed, March 05, 2025
STAGES Episode 547: JOHN GADEN
John Gaden is one the theatre’s cherished elders, having contributed to the Australian stage over several decades as actor and director. He commenced his career studying arts and law at the University of Sydney, but when he joined the Sydney University Players, he was bitten by the theatrical bug - chiefly through the works of William Shakespeare. All thoughts of the bar were abandoned for the bard! Early forays in the theatre saw John work during the foundation days at the Octagon Theatre in Perth. Working with Sir Tyrone Guthrie there, he toured with King Oedipus and then joined the Old Tote in 1972, playing in many productions including The Taming of the Shrew, Tartuffe, Love Labour’s Lost, Love For Love and Richard II. He’s been a part of seminal chapters in a developing Australian theatre including the early days of Nimrod, the Paris Theatre Company (with productions of Visions and Pandora’s Cross ) and the experimental Actor’s Company at the Sydney Theatre Company. He spent three years as associate director of the new Sydney Theatre Company, including the direction of their celebrated production of Nicholas Nickleby . From 1986-1990, John was Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia. His performances as actor are lengthy and legendary and include The Sunny South, Close of Play, The Man From Mukinupin, Hamlet, Amadeus, As You Desire Me, The Way of the World, Kold Komfort Kaffee at Nimrod (with Robyn Archer), Patrick White’s Signal Driver (the first production at the Belvoir), Pericles and Henry IV for Bell Shakespeare, Cloudstreet with Company B, The War of the Roses for STC and No Man's Land . He’s played King Lear at three different times in his career. John has appeared in the premieres of many new Australian plays including Flash Jim Vaux, Kabul, An Awful Rose, A Handful of Friends, The Man Who Shot The Albatross and Money and Friends. Most recently there have been productions of Uncle Vanya, Do Not Go Gentle and Mr Bailey’s Minder . But soon, he is back on the boards in Damian Ryan’s new adaptation of Shakespeare’s History plays in Player Kings with Sport For Jove. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E546 · Tue, March 04, 2025
STAGES VALE EPISODE - Nicholas Eadie (1958 - 22nd January, 2025)
In this Vale episode of the STAGES podcast, we replay a conversation with actor Nicholas Eadie (1958 - 22nd January 2025). When STAGES spoke with Nick in 202, he was enjoying a stint as an Uber driver - a sobering reminder of just how precarious the life of an actor can be - even one of our finest. Nick’s resume boasts an impressive list of high-profile television production that we affectionately embrace as key moments in Australian television consumption. He gained success and fame in Australian television series’ such as Cop Shop, The Henderson Kids, A Country Practice and Medivac. He won the Australian Film Institute's Best Actor in Mini-Series award in 1987 for Vietnam, in which he co-starred with Nicole Kidman. He played a rich would-be suitor in The Man from Snowy River II and was nominated again for his portrayal of World War II Academy Award-winning cameraman Damien Parer in John Duigan's Fragments of War, and in 2002 for Halifax f.p. His father was Australian Broadcasting Commission radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, and Nick was a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Nick worked with all the major Australian theatre companies and had over 45 credits to his name. He has appeared in leading roles in plays as diverse as Tennessee Williams: The Glass Menagerie as The Gentleman Caller in a highly acclaimed performance, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Brick. He played John Proctor in three separate productions of The Crucible. In Sydney's Botanical Gardens, he performed for three seasons as Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He played Sam in the original cast of Mamma Mia! in Australia for two years. He has been in the world premiere productions of Michael Gow's Furious, Hannie Raison's Two Brothers, Tommy Murphy's Holding the Man and the highly acclaimed Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America by Stephen Sewell. It was a career of many triumphs but was without its challenge and incident. Nick talked candidly about the work he navigated and reflected on a career that both rewarded and disappointed. Vale Nicholas Eadie. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S8 E545 · Mon, March 03, 2025
STAGES Episode 545: GRAEME KEARNS
Foundation Theatres is a wholly Australian owned theatre owner, operator and production investor. Their current venues are two of Sydney’s premier large commercial theatres, the Capitol Theatre and Sydney Lyric, as well as a new intimate theatre, Foundry Theatre. Foundry Theatre at Sydney Lyric opened triumphantly in February with five sold out performances by Tim Minchin, with audiences blown away by the venue’s incredible sound, its intimate nature, and the unique and theatrical entry through backstage passageways. The Chief Executive Officer of Foundation Theatres is Graeme Kearns. He has led the company since 2009. Prior to joining Foundation Theatres, Graeme was Commercial Director of one of the world’s leading event production companies. Whilst overseeing the organisation’s theatre operations, Graeme’s primary role focuses on the development of the organisation, strategic operations, theatrical investments and programming. He joins STAGES to discuss Sydney’s theatrical temples, his own career trajectory and the business of show. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S18 E544 · Sun, March 02, 2025
STAGES Episode 544: TOM BURLINSON
After graduating from NIDA in 1976, Tom Burlinson’s early work in various productions for the Queensland Theatre Company, the Old Tote Theatre Company, and the State Theatre Company of South Australia included roles in The Merchant of Venice, Da and The One Day of the Year . He co-starred in Tribute for Peter Williams Productions in Sydney and Brisbane and played continuing roles in the TV series Kirbys’ Company (ABC) and The Restless Years (Grundy Organisation). In 1981 Tom was cast in the title role in the feature film The Man from Snowy River . It was an enormous box office success, and led to Tom being offered a succession of leading roles in Australian and international films and mini-series over the next several years. These included Phar Lap, Eureka Stockade, Flesh and Blood, Windrider, Piece of Cake, and The Legend of Kootenai Brown (aka Showdown at Williams Creek ) as well as The Man from Snowy River I I (aka Return to Snowy River ). In 1991 Tom sang the voice of the young Frank Sinatra in the Warner Brothers mini-series Sinatra. This was his first professional singing engagement! Soon thereafter he returned to the stage to star in the Gordon Frost production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He was soon working on the international scene again in the mini-series The Way to Dusty Death , filmed in Europe. In 1995 renowned theatre director Gale Edwards cast Tom in a leading role in the acclaimed workshop production of the Australian musical Miracle City for the Sydney Theatre Company. The following year he was given another chance to further develop his musical abilities in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along , again for the STC. In 1997 Tom hosted the TV series Animal Hospital for the Nine Network. He then appeared in concert at Taronga Zoo in A Tribute to Frank Sinatra. This prompted Tom to create Frank – A Life in Song, under its original title of Frank – The Sinatra Story in Song . On screen, Tom again provided the voice of Frank Sinatra, this time for the Australian feature film The Night We Called It A Day , starring Dennis Hopper as Frank. Tom was cast in the role of Leo Bloom in the Mel Brooks’ musical The Producers , which played for more than 500 performances in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney during 2004 and 2005. In May 2006, Tom was asked to return to the Star City Showroom with Frank-More from a Life in Song , a sequel to the first show, with lots of new songs from the marvellous Sinatra repertoire as well as many of the all-time favourites. In 2019 Tom returned to the musical theatre stage as an actor in the role of the unscrupulous lawyer Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago in seasons at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney and the Lyric Theatre, Brisbane.
S8 E543 · Sat, March 01, 2025
STAGES Episode 543: THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE - 41st ANNIVERSARY
A milestone passed in 2024 - one that STAGES had every intention of acknowledging… but time just got away. It was 40 years since we saw the Australian premiere of a dynamic new production of Gilbert & Sullivans - The Pirates of Penzance . A legendary production in the repertoire of musical theatre on our stages, for it marked the first for many young performers - and also happened to be the first musical to occupy the Victorian Arts Centre during their Summer season. Co-produced by Victorian State Opera, The Australian Elizabethan trust and the Victorian Arts Centre the production boasted a stellar creative team that included Noel Ferrier and Ken McKenzie Forbes as Executive Producers, Roger Barratt overseeing Lighting, Andrew Greene as Musical Director, John Scandratt on Sound, Ray Golden as Wardrobe Master and Americans John Ferraro and Craig Schaefer as Director and Choreographer. The production showcased the extraordinary talents of Jon English as The Pirate King, Simon Gallaher as Frederic, June Bronhill as Ruth, David Atkins as the Police Sergeant and in her breakout role as Mabel Stanley, the glorious Marina Prior. In Australia, The Pirates of Penzance has enjoyed a multitude of productions with State and National Opera Companies, G&S Societies, School productions, Amateur theatre and a further reimagined and triumphant production with Simon Gallaher’s production house - Essgee productions. Like the STAGES celebration episode of the original Australian production of the musical vaudeville CHICAGO at 40 … here’s another STAGES composite episode garnered from conversations with many of the pirates, policemen and sisters who were a part of the legendary production of The Pirates of Penzance. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Tue, February 25, 2025
STAGES S8 PREVIEW: We’re Back!
STAGES returns Sunday March 2nd! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Mon, December 23, 2024
STAGES Episode 542: S7 FINALE/CHRISTMAS 2024
Haul out the holly it’s the time we adore, it’s STAGES season finale for 2024. Throughout Season Seven we featured 81 Episodes showcasing an exciting array of stellar guests covering the gamut from on stage and back stage, to behind the scenes and front-of-house. All captivating conversations with celebrated creatives about craft and career. In the 2024 finale episode we welcome back various STAGES regulars to acknowledge the conclusion of the seventh season of the podcast. A perfect addition to your Christmas Eve as you ready for the festivities this week and an exciting new year ahead. This season finale episode features Mitchell Butel, Rhonda Burchmore, Trevor Ashley, Lauren Schmutter (music by Ron Creager & Tina Messina), Geraldine Turner and STAGES festive co-host, Kate Fitzpatrick. All more ready than ever to embrace exciting new adventures. And thank you dear listeners for joining us in another year of the STAGES podcast. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and the best of times in 2025. The STAGES podcast will be back in March 2025. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E536 · Sat, December 21, 2024
STAGES Episode 541: EMMA MATTHEWS
Emma Matthews is currently head of Classical Voice and Opera Studies at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. She is Patron of the Wesfarmers Young Artist Program at West Australian Opera and is a highly acclaimed and awarded soprano. She has performed with all the state opera companies and the major Australian symphony orchestras; and at the Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Huntington Festivals, with conductors including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Marko Letonja, Sir Charles Mackerras and Simone Young. Emma has sung the title roles in Partenope, Lucia di Lammermoor, Lakmé, The Cunning Little Vixen and Lulu . Other roles have included Leila ( The Pearlfishers), Amina ( La Sonnambula ), Philomele ( The Love of the Nightingale) by Richard Mills , Ilia ( Idomeneo), Juliette ( Roméo et Juliette), Marie ( La Fille du Regiment) , Cleopatra ( Giulio Cesare), Konstanze ( Die Entführung aus dem Serail) , Zdenka ( Arabella ), the four heroines ( The Tales of Hoffmann ), Pamina ( The Magic Flute) , Almirena ( Rinaldo) , Sophie ( Der Rosenkavalier) , Giulietta ( I Capuleti e i Montecchi) and Cunegonde ( Candide ). She is equally in demand on the concert platform, embracing a wide repertoire including the Requiems of Mozart, Brahms and Fauré, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 , masses by Poulenc, Villa Lobos, Haydn and Mozart, and Handel’s Messiah . Emma has also appeared as a special guest with José Carreras at the Sydney Opera House, and the New Year’s Eve Gala concerts for Opera Australia. Career highlights include her Royal Opera House Covent Garden debut in the title role of The Cunning Little Vixen under the baton of Sir Charles Mackerras , Mahler’s Symphony no. 4 with Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo conducted by Yakov Kreizberg and with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Ismene ( Mitridate ) for Sydney Festival. More recent roles include Violetta ( La Traviata ), Fiorilla ( Il turco in Italia) , Gilda ( Rigoletto), the Queen of the Night ( The Magic Flute) and Donna Anna ( Don Giovanni) for Opera Australia and Rosina ( The Barber of Seville) for West Australian Opera. Her recent concert appearances include the Strauss Gala for State Opera South Australia, the national tour of From Broadway to La Scala , Les Illuminations with Ensemble Liaison, Mozart arias with Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl Concert and Eight Poems of Emily Dickinson (Copland) (released on disc for MSO Live in March 2014), and the ‘Jewel Song’ from Faust (Gounod) and the ‘Mad Scene’ from Hamlet (Thomas), also with the Melbourne Symphony, Mozart Requiem and arias with the Tas
S7 E540 · Sat, December 14, 2024
STAGES Episode 540: PAMELA RABE
Pamela Rabe is one of Australia’s most highly regarded and awarded actors, recognised for her immense body of work on stage and screen. Canadian born, she is a graduate from the Playhouse Acting School, in Vancouver, and for the past several decades she has worked constantly in theatre across the country and around the world. Her work has encompassed State theatre companies and commercial theatre with dynamic performances in productions of new work and established classics that extend to God Of Carnage, Blithe Spirit, Dinner, The Misanthrope, The Marriage of Figaro, The Taming of the Shrew, A Moon for the Misbegotten, The Heidi Chronicles, The Cherry Orchard, Little Murders, As You Like It, Tristram Shandy, A Servant of Two Masters, Heartbreak House, Too Young For Ghosts, Visions, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Medea, Top Girls, 84 Charring Cross Road, The Winter’s Tale, The War of the Roses, The Serpent’s Teeth, Gallipoli, Season at Sarsparilla, The Lost Echo, Mother Courage and Her Children, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Holy Day, The Rover, Private Lives, Three Tall Women, Lost in Yonkers, Much Ado About Nothing, The Ham Funeral, Stronger, Miss Julie, Woman Bomb, Boston Marriage, The Apple Cart, Cho Cho San, Do Not Go Gentle, The Marriage of Bette & Boo, The Glass Menagerie, Ghosts, Footfalls, Seventeen, The Children, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Hamlet. Forays into the musical theatre include stellar turns in Name, Grey Gardens, A Little Night Music, Into the Woods, My Fair Lady and The Wizard of Oz. Pamela won the 1997 AFI Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for the film The Well and also appeared in the films Cosi , Sirens and Paradise Road . Her work in television includes The Secret Life of Us, Mercury, The Bite, Rosehaven, CrashBurn, Stingers , Deadloch, Bay of Fires and Wentworth. An equally accomplished Director, her productions have adorned the stages of the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company and Malthouse. They include Daniel Keene’s The Serpent’s Teeth: Citizens with The Actors Company, Elling, In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play and Solomon and Mary, Vanessa Bates’ Porn: Cake, and Jumpy by April de Angelis. Pamela is presently on the Sydney stage with in Tracy Lett’s gothic family saga August: Osage County, playing Matriarch Violet Weston. The production plays at the Belvoir Theatre until December 22nd. In 2025 she will direct and perform in Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days at the STC and deliver a delicious Mrs Danvers in Rebecca for the MTC. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). <a href="http://www.stagespodcast.com.a
S7 E539 · Wed, December 11, 2024
STAGES Episode 539: GUY NOBLE
Guy Noble is an Australian musical composer, conductor, pianist and broadcaster. He studied piano in the early 1980s at the Sydney Conservatorium. On a scholarship from the Australia Council he travelled to London where he worked for four years, including a stint as presenter on BBC Radio 3. In 1984, he was pianist in the Sydney Youth Orchestra and from 1984 to 1986 in the Australian Youth Orchestra. Noble was the inaugural recipient of the Brian Stacey Memorial Trust Award for emerging Australian conductors in 1998; the trust, in collaboration with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, financed the composition and recording of Noble's Flute Concerto, written for Jane Rutter. In 2022 he was appointed as the conductor and host of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Guy Noble regularly conducts the Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, West Australian, Tasmanian and Queensland Symphony orchestras and has worked with the Canberra Symphony, the Auckland Philharmonia and the Malaysian Philharmonic orchestras. He has been Musical Director and Musical Supervisor for musicals including Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Hello Dolly!, South Pacific, Man of La Mancha, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Gypsy and the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber . He has recorded 12 CDs and ABC Classics in Australia has released his comedy sketch CD entitled The Guy Noble Radio Show. He has also conducted and presented concerts with performers including Harry Connick Jr , Dianne Reeves, The Beach Boys, Ben Folds, Clive James, David Hobson, Yvonne Kenny, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Randy Newman. He is a former host of the ABC Classic FM radio breakfast program and he writes a regular column in Limelight magazine. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E538 · Wed, December 04, 2024
STAGES Episode 538: - BROADWAY ROUND-UP - SIMON PARRIS & IAN PHIPPS
It’s the time of year where folk are jetting off on holidays - a key destination for many theatre fans is to head to the West End of London or the bright lights of Broadway - theatre precincts which guarantee excitement and awe. Two gentlemen who make their own annual pilgrimage to the Great White Way or the West End - are ‘Man in Chair’ Simon Parris, and Publicist Ian Phipps. The two theatre aficionados join the STAGES podcast regularly to offer a round-up of the shows they’d seen on recent trips to the theatre meccas. They offer abundant tips regarding what to see and how to secure tickets … so, they’re back again - this time to appraise their recent trips to New York and the Broadway season looming - a delicious appraisal of what is on, what has been, and what we can expect to see in coming months. We also look at the abundance of musical offerings locally in 2025. Simon Parris is a theatre reviewer based in Melbourne. His review blog ‘Man in Chair’ regularly reviews musicals, plays, opera and the arts. Access to these reviews can be found at simonparrismaninchair.com Ian Phipps is one of Australia’s leading publicists, promoting theatre and its stars around Australia. If you know that a show is happening, no doubt it’s because Ian has communicated this to you via a myriad of masterful means. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E537 · Wed, November 27, 2024
STAGES Episode 537: ROGER HODGMAN
Roger Hodgman is a freelance theatre and screen director. He was Artistic Director of the Vancouver Playhouse for four years and Melbourne Theatre Company for twelve. He has worked in drama schools in the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia – including five years as an acting teacher and director at the East 15 School in London, two years as Director of the Playhouse Acting School in Vancouver and four years as Dean of Drama at the Victorian College of the Arts. He has directed over 150 stage productions for numerous companies including MTC, STC, STC of S.A, QTC, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Shaw Festival (Canada), TML Enterprises, Australian Opera, New Zealand Opera and Victorian Opera. He has received Green Room Awards for Best Director in the Theatre, Opera and Music Theatre divisions and a Helpmann for best director (Musical) and numerous nominations. Productions he has directed have won Green Room, Sydney Critics and Helpmann Awards for best production for Theatre, Musical and Opera. Many of his stage productions have toured Australia including Skylight (described by the Sydney Morning Herald as one of the stage highlights of the 1990s), Art , Private Lives and successful commercial productions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Fiddler on the Roof . He counts numerous Shakespeare productions and a number of Stephen Sondheim productions as highlights of his career, along with working in Canada with Tennessee Williams on two new plays. He directed many productions for The Production Company from its second show, She Loves Me to the last, Ragtime. Others include Grey Gardens (Helpman Award) Follies , Showboat , Curtains , A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (which also had an acclaimed separate commercial production in Sydney). His productions for Victorian Opera have been very varied – most recently Banquet of Secrets (by Paul Grabowsky and Steve Vizard), Nixon in China , Parsifal and The Who’s Tommy . Since leaving MTC in 2000, he has also worked as a screen director, directing over 80 hours of TV Drama including Stepfather of the Bride (Chicago Film Festival Award for Best Telemovie), many episodes of A Secret Life Of Us (AFI nomination for Best Director), Lockie Leonard (BAFTA nomination and AFI Award for Best Children’s Series, Mustangs ,, A Place To Call Home (first episode) and Wentworth . He has served on many committees including the Board of NIDA, Drama Committee of the Australia Council, Cultural Advisory Committee for Melbourne City Council (Chair), Advisory Committee to the Victorian Ministry of The Arts, Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (Chair of Drama panel), Vic College of the Arts Board and the Artistic Dire
S7 E536 · Sat, November 23, 2024
STAGES Episode 536: - SUZANNE JONES
Melbourne-born, Suzanne Jones embarked on a career in main stage live entertainment after completing degrees in economics and music. She got her start in the entertainment industry as a sound engineer at Arts Centre Melbourne, which soon led to the role of Head of Sound for System Sound, touring large-scale music theatre productions around Australia and Asia. After a hiatus of several years to explore other industries and interests – including a successful stint as a stockbroker – Suzanne’s love of live entertainment ultimately drew her back, joining the team at the Gordon Frost Organisation. During her time with GFO Suzanne produced dozens of Australian tours in various capacities, which provided the blueprint for her own dynamic and rewarding career pathway. A dynamic commercial executive in the world of theatre and live events, Suzanne has drawn on her close connections with some of the world’s foremost creators of live entertainment and a global network of trusted promotional partners to deliver the world’s most loved and most prestigious productions to audiences in Australia and across the globe. Her unerring commitment to bring the most iconic music theatre productions and live events to Australia has helped showcase the exceptional talent pool that exists in this country, across performance, design, technical and commercial roles, while delivering a positive social and economic impact. Forming her own company, JONES, in 2017 was the culmination of this experience. It is under this banner that Suzanne co-produced the Australian tours of the Andrew Lloyd Webber production of The Wizard of Oz, Chicago The Musical, Pippin, 9 to 5 The Musical, Madagascar, 2:22 A Ghost Story. Recent productions have included the brand new interactive magic show Metaverse of Magic , the current tour of Chicago The Musical and the Australian premiere of Peter and the Starcatcher . Inspired by the idea that theatre has the capacity to transport the audience, Suzanne is committed to producing shows which offer audiences an opportunity to transcend everyday life to spend a few hours experiencing exciting new possibilities that shift their thinking. Suzanne is also motivated to contribute to her community and to act as a mentor for young, disadvantaged LGBTQI+ people by helping them to access opportunities that might otherwise seem out of reach. In 2025 JONES Theatrical Group is looking forward to presenting Hadestown with our wonderful partners at Opera Australia as well as the return of the smash hit musical The Book of Mormon . Suzanne lives in Sydney with her wife, Leone, and their dog, Boots. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and fa
S7 E535 · Wed, November 20, 2024
STAGES Episode 535: EMMA RICE
Australian audiences over the past two decades have been thrilled by the periodic performances directed by dynamic UK theatre visionary, Emma Rice. Productions of Tristan & Yseult, The Red Shoes and Brief Encounter have enthralled attendees at Sydney and Melbourne Festivals. She returns to our shores in January 2025 with her company Wise Children and an acclaimed production of Wuthering Heights , playing an exclusive and limited Sydney season prior to a South East Asian tour. Anyone who has ever seen an Emma Rice production knows that we are to be treated by another glorious experience of consummate story-telling. Emma Rice is the proud Artistic Director of her company, Wise Children, and an internationally respected theatre-maker and director. For Wise Children, Emma has adapted and directed the productions The Buddha of Suburbia, Blue Beard, The Little Matchgirl and Happier Tales, Wuthering Heights, Bagdad Cafe, Romantics Anonymous , Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers and Angela Carter’s Wise Children. As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe: Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales ). As joint Artistic Director of Kneehigh: T he Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline (in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre); Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions); Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic); Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages); Steptoe and Son and the West End production of Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Emma received the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre award at the 2019 UK Theatre Awards and in 2022 was named one of Sky Arts’ ‘50 most influential British artists of the last 50 years’. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E534 · Mon, November 18, 2024
STAGES Episode 534: STUART MAUNDER
Stuart Maunder is Artistic Director of Victorian Opera. Beginning his career in stage management at the then Australian Opera, Maunder has a long history in opera, as a director and arts administrator. He served in senior management roles at Opera Australia from 1999 to 2008 before being appointed General Director of New Zealand Opera in 2014. He was appointed Artistic Director of State Opera South Australia in 2018. In his time at State Opera, Maunder proved himself a passionate advocate for finding a distinctive Australian voice, championing Australian repertoire, developing the next generation of Australian artists while still pursuing a balanced repertoire designed to reach the widest possible audience. His work as a director is highly revered and has ensured Stuart Maunder has remained a consistent presence on Australian stages for over three decades. A frequent collaborator with Victorian Opera, Maunder has directed several popular productions including four musicals by Stephen Sondheim ( Sunday in the Park with George , Into the Woods , Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street , A Little Night Music ), Janacek’s Cunning Little Vixen and a co-production of Richard Meale’s Voss with State Opera South Australia. Maunder’s production of Sweeney Todd was co-produced with New Zealand Opera and toured New Zealand and Australia following its debut in 2015. Victorian Opera recently announced their exciting season for 2025. Stuart Maunder joins STAGES to elaborate on this exciting season and to share great insight into a celebrated career. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E533 · Wed, November 13, 2024
STAGES Episode 533: GRANT PIRO
Grant Piro began his career in the early 1980’s soap opera Sons and Daughters and has since appeared in more than 100 productions. His work has been recognised with several Green Room Award nominations and two wins ( The Merry Widow and The Producers ) as well as AACTA and Helpmann nominations. Best known to young television viewers of the 1990’s as the cult TV host of Couch Potato , just a small sample of Grant’s multiple television credits include; Janus, Correlli, GP, Wildside, Seachange, City Homicide, Blue Healers, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, SeaPatrol, Jack Irish, HalifaxFP, The Librarians, Good Guys Bad Guys, CrashBurn, Newton’s Law, How To Stay Married, Wanted, Ex PM 2, and My Life is Murder . He also featured in the biopics for Olivia Newton John, INXS, Hoges, and Warnie. More recently in ABCTV’s flagship comedy UTOPIA and its flagship drama The Newsreader3 . A few of Grant’s feature film appearances include Rolf deHeer’s horror classic Bad Boy Bubby, Darkness Falls, The Outsider, The Condemned, Crime and Punishment, Mr Accident, The Lighthorsemen, Crocodile Dundee in LA, Mormon Yankees: The Spirit of the Game, Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark, Predestination , and alongside Daniel Radcliffe in Escape From Pretoria . As a performer Grant’s one true love has always been the theatre. Highlights have included the world premiere of Realism, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The 39 Steps, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, His Girl Friday, and The Odd Couple all for the Melbourne Theatre Company . As well as Moby Dick, The Merry Widow, Taking Steps, The Producers, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Under Milk Wood, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hand to God, Oklahoma, Death Of A Salesman, A Christmas Carol, and credits his ultimate highlights as being Connor McPherson and Bob Dylan’s Girl From The North Country for GWB, and performing opposite his wife Marina Prior AM in Hello Dolly! Grant is back on stage in GWB’s annual festive delight - A Christmas Carol, as Mr Nigel Fezziwig. The Old Vic’s big-hearted, smash-hit production of A Christmas Carol returns to the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne for a third triumphant season from 22nd November! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E529 · Mon, November 11, 2024
STAGES Episode 529: EVELYN KRAPE
Evelyn Krape has over five decades of diverse acting experience in theatre, film and television, beginning as a stalwart at Carlton’s Pram Factory. A Melbourne-based actor and director, Evelyn is currently the Artistic Director of the Kadimah Yiddish Theatre. She joined the Australian Performing Group in 1970 when it moved into the Pram Factory, performing in such classic Australian works as Dimboola and Don's Party . She has performed with Victoria’s major companies, from the Melbourne Theatre Company, Playbox and the Victorian Opera to La Mama and Eleventh Hour. Notable performances include A Floating World, Romeo & Juliet, As You Like It, Endgame, A Toast to Melba, Ginger, The Scoundrel That You Need , and recent seasons of Bloom and A Very Jewish Christmas Carol. Evelyn has toured extensively with a number of one-woman shows including Emma Celabrazione!, Ironing Out The Wrinkles and Female Parts. Evelyn has played several major roles with Glenn Elston’s ‘Shakespeare in the Gardens’ series, including Bottom, Titania and Verges. Her film appearances include Quigley Down Under , Babe 1 & 2 , and The Sound of One Hand Clapping , and television work includes Australia You’re Standing In It , Flying Doctors , Blue Heelers and Homicide . Evelyn has received multiple prestigious awards, such as Best Actress for her role as Nellie Melba in A Toast to Melba and the Green Room Award for Best Actress in Ginger at the Playbox. She also shared the Best Actress Award at Tropfest 2019. Evelyn Krape is presently on stage at the Sydney Opera House until November 17th, in Kadimah Yiddish Theatre’s production of YENTL . She gives a visceral and finely detailed performance as The Figure . In 2025, Evelyn will be seen in Victoria Opera’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s FOLLIES and the Sydney season of the musical BLOOM at Sydney Theatre Company. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E532 · Thu, November 07, 2024
STAGES Episode 532: ASHLEIGH RUBENACH
Musical theatre Leading Lady Ashleigh Rubenach was born and raised on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and is a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Most recently Ashleigh played Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard for Opera Australia and Nancy in the hit musical Groundhog Day at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne for GWB Productions. Ashleigh starred as Johanna in Sweeney Todd at the Sydney Opera House (Victorian Opera), toured Australia as Milo Davenport in the Broadway-hit musical An American In Paris (GWB/Australian Ballet) and was much-lauded for her performance as Billie Bendix in the classic Gershwin musical Nice Work If You Can Get It (Hayes Theatre Company). One of her most notable accomplishments came with the role of Allison in Cry Baby (Hayes Theatre Company) with her exceptional performance earning her the Best Female Actor award at the Sydney Theatre Awards. Other theatre credits include Muriel’s Wedding (Global Creatures), Anything Goes and My Fair Lady (GFO/Opera Australia), Funny Girl (Sydney Symphony Orchestra) and The Sound of Music (GFO); in which she not only performed but also understudied the role of Maria. She made her screen debut as Lisa in Seven Network’s Home and Away . Ashleigh next appears with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs in Showstoppers - a celebration of the legendary Broadway show makers, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E531 · Wed, November 06, 2024
STAGES Episode 531: THE END OF THE WHARF REVUE
After 25 years at the Wharf, the Seymour Centre, and many suburban, regional and interstate venues, The Wharf Revue is calling it a day after a final show - The End of the Wharf as we Know it!!! To acknowledge this milestone and celebrate the team who have gifted its with so much joy and laughter, the STAGES podcast revisits conversations with Jonathan Biggins, Amanda Bishop, Drew Forsyth and Philip Scott. After twenty-five years in the harsh and unforgiving spotlight of politics, The Wharf Revue has decided to step away from public life. “It’s an opportunity to spend more time with family,” said a spokesperson. “At the end of the day, this is about the need for renewal. We’ll serve one last term to max out the super and then try to pick up some kind of consultancy work or do a series of “Survivor” - look, it’s too early to say but it has been an honour to serve the Australian people.” Many public figures who’ve appeared in the show regularly over the years are lining up for a place in the final hurrah: Keating, Howard, Downer, Costello, Gillard, Abbott, Carr and other throwbacks too numerous to mention. Those who bear the torch of democracy today: Lambie, Hanson, Bandt, Dutton and Albo - a veritable “Who’s that?” of Australian politics. So join the team for a joyous yet bitter-sweet send-off to one of the great national theatrical institutions. The End of the Wharf as we Know it!!! opens in Sydney at The Seymour Centre and runs from November 11th to December 23rd. An extensive tour follows, concluding in Nunawading next April. Check out the producers website softtread.com.au for all tour dates and booking information. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E530 · Sat, November 02, 2024
STAGES Episode 530: BERT LABONTÉ
Growing up Bert LaBonté had eyes on an AFL career. A chance meeting with legendary actor Terry Norris gave him the confidence to pursue a life on the stage and he was soon studying the craft at Ballarat University. Several decades later and Bert is an established favourite on screen and stages; dramatic and musical, around Australia. Bert is presently in rehearsal for August: Osage County at Belvoir Theatre in Sydney. He recently captivated audiences as Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge! The Musical . A long list of musical theatre credits include: The Book of Mormon, An Officer and a Gentleman,Chess and Grey Gardens. His Melbourne Theatre Company credits include: The Truth, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Lungs , Rupert, Birdland, The Mountaintop, Elling and others . For Sydney Theatre Company, he has performed in Fences, A Raisin in the Sun , All My Sons, The Grenade and Spelling Bee , and his Malthouse Theatre credits include: C loudstreet, I am A Miracle, Time Share. Screen credits include Colin From Accounts , Erotic Stories , Five Bedrooms , Pieces of Her , Lie With Me , FISK , The Newsreader , Surviving Summer , More Than This , Jack Irish , Wentworth, Playing for Keeps , Upper Middle Bogan, Tomorrow When The War Began, Lowdown, Wilfred, The Let Down , and Squinters. Film credits including Animal Kingdom and The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee . Bert has just made is Directorial debut with Melbourne Theatre Company’s Topdog Underdog, and in 2025 plays Maxim in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca with the company. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E528 · Wed, October 30, 2024
STAGES Episode 528: EMMA POWELL
Emma Powell’s first performance was at the age of three when she appeared on US television with Ronald McDonald. As a grown-up, she toured Australia in The Pirates of Penzance with Jon English and Simon Gallaher. She then joined Les Miserables which toured to Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Cape Town. She went on to perform in Mamma Mia as ensemble in the original production then took over the role of ‘Rosie’ for the Australasian tour. She played ‘Hattie’ in Kiss Me Kate and ‘Fruma Sarah” in Fiddler on the Roof. Emma took a break from mainstage musicals to create her own work; A self-devised comedy – Busting Out! which ran for five years touring Australia, New Zealand, the UK (including the Edinburgh Festival). Emma also created another female driven stage comedy – Dumped! The Musical We’ve All Been Through. An original Australian musical comedy Dumped! had three seasons in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne. The last decade has seen a return to major musicals for Emma, touring Australia in Kinky Boots as ‘Trish’ and in Priscilla – Queen of the Desert as ‘Shirley’. Last year Emma completed a four-year Australia-wide run as an original cast member, playing ‘Beulah & Others’ in Come From Away, before joining the regional Australian tour of Menopause The Musical as ‘Housewife’. Emma is presently on stage in the musical Sister Act playing the role of Sister Mary Theresa. Sister Act commences a run at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on November 3rd. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E527 · Sat, October 26, 2024
STAGES Episode 527: STUART GREENE - A History of Sydney Theatres
STAGES welcomes back passionate theatre historian Stuart Greene in an episode which details the life of some of the Sydney’s iconic theatre venues. It’s difficult to contemplate that the Sydney CBD once was home to approximately 28 theatres and movie houses - sacred temples in which audiences experienced an escape of the imagination through entertainments as diverse as vaudeville, musical theatre, burlesque, opera, cinema, circus, silver screen and legitimate plays. Disappointingly, many of these cherished venues have been demolished, making way for urban development and consequently losing much of a vibrant arts heritage. Sydney saw its first theatre in 1796. Only a handful stand today, all housing commercial fare. These theatres include The Capitol Theatre in Haymarket, The Theatre Royal on King street, The Enmore Theatre in Enmore, The State Theatre on Market street and our newest addition, The Lyric Theatre at Star City. Optimistic news arrives occasionally, with the recent acquisition and (hopefully) salvation of the Metro (Minerva) Theatre in Kings Cross, purchased by arts patron Gretel Packer. It’s a frustrating tale, but also one of fascination. Sacred arts spaces where the memory of them hovers like the theatrical ghosts that no doubt resided in them. Stuart is a font of knowledge, identify where and when these theatres stood. We must not ignore this history and ensure we retain all of the great theatres that presently stand proud on Sydney streets, The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E526 · Wed, October 23, 2024
STAGES Episode 526: ARAX MANSOURIAN
Arax Mansourian is one of the superstars of the Armenian Opera and classical music. She started her career in her native Armenia and continued in Australia with Opera Australia. Her beautiful voice and unique timbre, as well as her iconic beauty and regal stage presence, are unforgettable. Arax was born in Beirut, Lebanon in a family of survivors of the Armenian genocide. Her family moved to Armenia when Arax was still an infant. Growing up in Armenia, music was a very important part of her life and she knew early on that she wanted to sing. Arax studied at the Romanos Meliqyan College of Music and later graduated from the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory, where she was the only performer of modern classical atonal music by young composers. During her studies she participated in festivals throughout Russia and The Soviet Union. After graduation, she started to sing at the Yerevan State Opera and became one of its biggest stars. Her repertoire encompasses more than 30 roles which include Verdi's- Aida , Leonora in La Forza del Destino , Desdemona in Othello , Elizabeth Valois in Don Carlos , Amelia in Simon Boccanegra , Leonora in Il Trovatore , Amelia in Un Ballo Di Maschera , Liu in Puccini's Turandot , Mimi in La Boheme, Tosca in Tosca , Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana , Nedda in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci , Isolde in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde , Elizabeth in Tannhäuser, Kundri in Parsifal , Katya in Janacek's Katya Kabanova , Kostelnichka in Janacek's Jenufa, Fata Morgana in Prokofiev's Love for Three Oranges , Anoush in Tigranian's Anoush and Shoushan in Tigranian's David Bek. Arax’s recordings of medieval Armenian chants are an important part of the treasure vault of Armenian music. In the1990's, during a liturgical festival, she toured 14 cities in France with an all male Armenian choir. She has had recitals throughout the world singing the music of European Masters, such as Schubert, Schuman, Mahler, Mozart, Fauré, Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rachmaninoff while always including Armenian classics by Komitas, Kanachian, Berberian and her brother, composer Tigran Mansurian, in her repertoire. Arax is the first performer to sing many never before performed songs by Komitas, as well as his unfinished opera Anoush. After moving to Australia in the mid-nineties, she started her work with Opera Australia. Her first role with OA was of Liu in Turandot, followed by Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana in Melbourne (OA), Sydney Opera House (OA) and Brisbane for Opera Queensland. She also performed Tosca in Tosca (Opera Queensland), Desdemona in Othello (Opera Australia), Elisabeth de Valois in Don Carlos , Katya in Katya Kabanova (OA Sydney), and Fata Morgana in Love for Thr
S7 E525 · Sat, October 19, 2024
STAGES Episode 525: WENDY-LEE PURDY
Wendy-Lee Purdy’s performing career has been varied and exciting. After completing a Bachelor of Music Education degree at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney, Australia in piano and voice, she then studied acting at the Australian Academy of Dramatic Arts. She is presently based in London. Wendy's launch into professional theatre commenced with Chess at the Theatre Royal in Sydney, directed by Jim Sharman. She next performed with the Australian Opera encompassing 19 productions including Der Rosenkavalier, Adriana Lecouvreur, Le Nozze Di Figaro, Mer De Glace, Fiddler On The Roof, L’Italiana In Algeri, Peter Grimes, Romeo and Juliet, Maria Stuarda, Fidelio, Verdi’s Requiem Mass, Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg and Turandot. Further theatre credits include: Sister Mary Theresa and Understudy Mary Lazarus in Sister Act (UK Tour), Mama Morton - Chicago (Japan & International); Mother Abbess/Frau Schmidt - The Sound of Music (UK Tour & Gordon Craig); Fiddler on the Roof (Savoy Theatre, London – Fruma Sarah and Shaindel, understudy Golde, Yente and Grandma, assistant dance captain); Mamma Mia! (international tour – ensemble understudy Rosie, Tanya and Donna); Oliver! (Australia and Singapore – Mrs Sowerberry and understudy Widow Corney, Old Sally and Mrs Bedwin); The Wizard of Oz (GFO), The Phantom of the Opera (Australia and New Zealand – Confidante, understudy Carlotta, Wardrobe Mistress and Mme Firman); Turandot (Sydney Football Stadium) and Cats (Australia and South East Asian tour – understudy Jellylorum/ Griddlebone, Jennyanydots/Gumbie.) Recent appearances in Australia saw Wendy perform at The Hayes Theatre in productions of Half Time as Fran and Aspects of Love as Elizabeth. Wendy has recorded six CDs, including cast recordings of The Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof and nursery rhymes for the Department of Education. She has appeared in various television commercials, films and voiceovers. Wendy has just completed a season in the West End theatre district of London alongside Imelda Staunton in Jerry Herman’s Hello Dolly! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E524 · Thu, October 17, 2024
STAGES Episode 524: BRUCE SPENCE - PT2
Bruce Spence is a cherished elder and pioneer of Australian theatre and cinema. He remains a vital presence on these platforms and was recently seen in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Angus Cerini’s Into the Shimmering World . The year also saw Bruce acknowledged as the recipient of the 2024 Equity Lifetime Achievement award. Bruce began his acting career in Melbourne in the late 1960s as an inaugural member of the revolutionary Australian Performing Group while studying painting and printmaking at the National Gallery Art School. The APG developed an Australian voice for the stage, allowing audiences to see their culture presented in vivid stories for the theatre. The group inhabited iconic venues such as The Pram Factory and La Mama, with Bruce contributing to seminal works such as David Williamson’s The Removalists and The Coming of Stork , Jack Hibberd’s Dimboola and Barry Oakley’s The Feet of Daniel Mannix. His first MainStage production was The Alchemist, with the South Australian Theatre Company. A long and distinguished stage career includes numerous credits with the South Australian Theatre Company, the Melbourne Theatre Company, Griffin and Sydney Theatre Company in repertoire as diverse as Les Miserables, As You Like It, The White Devil, Under Milkwood, Cyrano de Bergerac and The Importance of Being Earnest. Bruce made his film debut in the title role of Stork in1971, for which he won the AFI Award for Best Actor. Since then he has amassed over 100 film and television credits including The Cars That Ate Paris, Eliza Fraser, Mad Max 2, Dimboola, Narnia 3: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Peter Pan, The Year My Voice Broke, Cloudstreet, Finding Nemo, Newsfront, The Dry, The Drovers Wife, Mad Dog Morgan, and Ten Pound Poms . Bruce is the only actor to have appeared in each of the Matrix, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings series of films. Bruce has been a proud Equity member since 1971, served as NSW State President, Federal Vice President and chaired the Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW from 2019 to 2023. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E523 · Wed, October 16, 2024
STAGES Episode 523: BRUCE SPENCE - PT1
Bruce Spence is a cherished elder and pioneer of Australian theatre and cinema. He remains a vital presence on these platforms and was recently seen in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Angus Cerini’s Into the Shimmering World . The year also saw Bruce acknowledged as the recipient of the 2024 Equity Lifetime Achievement award. Bruce began his acting career in Melbourne in the late 1960s as an inaugural member of the revolutionary Australian Performing Group while studying painting and printmaking at the National Gallery Art School. The APG developed an Australian voice for the stage, allowing audiences to see their culture presented in vivid stories for the theatre. The group inhabited iconic venues such as The Pram Factory and La Mama, with Bruce contributing to seminal works such as David Williamson’s The Removalists and The Coming of Stork , Jack Hibberd’s Dimboola and Barry Oakley’s The Feet of Daniel Mannix. His first MainStage production was The Alchemist, with the South Australian Theatre Company. A long and distinguished stage career includes numerous credits with the South Australian Theatre Company, the Melbourne Theatre Company, Griffin and Sydney Theatre Company in repertoire as diverse as Les Miserables, As You Like It, The White Devil, Under Milkwood, Cyrano de Bergerac and The Importance of Being Earnest. Bruce made his film debut in the title role of Stork in1971, for which he won the AFI Award for Best Actor. Since then he has amassed over 100 film and television credits including The Cars That Ate Paris, Eliza Fraser, Mad Max 2, Dimboola, Narnia 3: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Peter Pan, The Year My Voice Broke, Cloudstreet, Finding Nemo, Newsfront, The Dry, The Drovers Wife, Mad Dog Morgan, and Ten Pound Poms . Bruce is the only actor to have appeared in each of the Matrix, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings series of films. Bruce has been a proud Equity member since 1971, served as NSW State President, Federal Vice President and chaired the Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW from 2019 to 2023. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E522 · Wed, October 09, 2024
STAGES Episode 522: JULIAN LOUIS
Julian Louis is a theatre maker and has been the Artistic Director of NORPA (Northern Rivers Performing Arts) based in Lismore, NSW since 2007. The company has developed a national profile as one of Australia’s most exciting regionally based theatre organisations. The company presents a contemporary theatre program, made up of original productions, national and international touring works and artistic development programs. Julian has directed theatre, opera and circus as well as large-scale site-specific works. For NORPA Julian has created a number of highly successful place-based works including Love for One Night - set in and on a country pub, Railway Wonderland – set on a disused railway station, Dreamland – set in small village halls and Wildskin, staged in a warehouse in the Lismore showgrounds . Julian has also directed Engine, The Bloody Bride and Not Like Beckett . He was also part of the creative team that made Cockfight by The Farm in association with NORPA . Julian’s work as a theatre maker and artistic director focuses on original works that are created at the intersection of place, community and adventurous theatre making. These works combine forms including physical theatre, dance, text, and live music to convey the story. Prior to creating an extensive body of work at NORPA Julian has made works for Perth International Arts Festival, Sydney Festival, ATYP and Powerhouse Youth Theatre. He is a graduate of Charles Sturt University BA Theatre/ Media, NIDA’s Directors course and trained as a performer in London with Philippe Gaulier. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E521 · Mon, September 30, 2024
STAGES Episode 521: NATALIE GAMSU
Natalie Gamsu is a singer, actor and cabaret artist whose performances have been acclaimed in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney and Johannesburg. Born in Namibia, Natalie studied Drama at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She established a strong following with her own solo cabaret shows, musical theatre, and the television series, The Big Time , for which she won, Best Actress in a TV series. From 1992 until 2003, Natalie lived and worked in New York City. She made her Manhattan cabaret debut at the Greenwich Village cabaret room, Club 88, where she subsequently headlined six seasons with her own shows. She went on to perform at the famous Oak Room, Fez, and The Russian Tea Room. She won the Backstage Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist and a MAC Award for Outstanding Female Vocalist in 1997 and 2000. Her debut CD Weave also received a MAC nomination for Best New Recording. Natalie featured in the documentary Showbiz Is My Life with the cabaret icon Julie Wilson and Baby Jane Dexter. In 1996, she made her London debut at the ICA, in Gary Carter’s Acts And Revelations . They collaborated again in 2000 at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre with Anger Is Not A Place I Like To Be commissioned by the Fierce Festival. Masque Of Water, commissioned by Queer Up North was performed at The Royal Exchange in Manchester in 2005. Since moving to Australia in 2003, Natalie has performed in clubs in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. She continues to create her own one-woman shows, recently producing her second CD, Misfit . Natalie has been delighted to collaborate with the extraordinary artist and sculptor Ken Unsworth, singing with a 19-piece orchestra for his installation A Ringing Glass at Cockatoo Island, and at the Art Gallery of NSW in House of Blue Leaves . Some of Gamsu’s theatre credits include Candide (Woman With One Buttock – Multiple Award Winner), Dr Zhivago (GFO), Mary Poppins, (Miss Andrew – Disney), Women Of Troy (directed by Barry Kosky for Sydney Theatre Company). Natalie originated the role of Abuela in Baz Luhrman’s Strictly Ballroom (Global Creatures). Natalie also works on the large and small screens. Her credits include the on-going role of Jan Barton in the long running Australian soap Neighbours , and the role of Fatima in the Feature Film, Ali’s Wedding. Her autobiographical theatrical work, Shrapnel takes to the stage at the Hayes theatre in Sydney from October 3rd to 6th. The show is an evening of storytelling, music, and a yearning to find the flamenco dancer inside. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creati
S7 E520 · Wed, September 25, 2024
STAGES Episode 520 - CARMEL DEAN (SPOTLIGHT EPISODE)
Carmel Dean is a Composer, Arranger, Musical Director and Pianist. Her first musical, Renascence , was produced Off-Broadway by the award-winning Transport Group, and was named Best New Musical at the 2018 Off-Broadway Alliance Awards. The Original Off-Broadway Cast album is available on Apple Music and Spotify. Her song cycle Well-Behaved Women starring Broadway stars LaChanze, Bonnie Milligan, Liz Callaway, Barbara Walsh and Andrea Burns, among others, premiered to two sold-out performances at Joe’s Pub in New York City. As a Musical Supervisor and Arranger her recent projects included The Notebook with music by Ingrid Michaelson. Carmel was Musical Director for the Broadway musical If/Then, starring Idina Menzel, and was Music Supervisor of the subsequent National Tour. Other Broadway credits include Hands on a Hardbody , American Idiot , and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee . Off-Broadway credits include Everyday Rapture, Vanities and Elegies by William Finn. International credits include Chicago in Hong Kong and the 2000 Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Sydney. Carmel has also served as Chita Rivera’s Musical Director for many national and international appearances, and she performed with Green Day on the Grammy Awards in 2010. Other compositions include the YouTube series Project: Song Blog; music for the Disney TV show Johnny & the Sprites; and Songs of Innocence & Experience (co-composed with William Finn, Deborah Abramson, Vadim Feichtner & Gi-hieh Lee . ) Carmel is a native of Perth, Western Australia, and received a B.Mus. from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). In 2001 she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in the United States, and subsequently graduated from NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program with a MFA in Musical Theatre Writing. She is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Workshop. Sydney audiences are readying for an enormous treat as Carmel is in town for the return Australian season of her delicious song-cycle Well-Behaved Women . This dynamic and empowering musical extravaganza celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. Well-Behaved Women is a co-production between Belvoir Theatre and Michelle Guthrie Presents. It plays the Belvoir Theatre from September 28th to November 3rd. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E519 · Wed, September 18, 2024
STAGES Episode 519: RUPERT NOFFS & MARK TREVORROW
Old Friends Mark Trevorrow, Rupert Noffs and Bev Kennedy have much in common; great musicianship and their love of Stephen Sondheim’s extraordinary songbook. They have crafted an intimate evening of cabaret celebrating the late, great composer/lyricist’s vast cannon. OLD FRIENDS! features solos, duets, mashups and medleys, with light hearted banter and stories in between. It is a classy, superbly played and sung show with a cheeky queer bent. Bev Kennedy is one of Australia’s leading musicians and Musical directors having worked on over 30 Professional music theatre productions including Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia!, The Producers, We Will Rock You, The Lion King, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Chicago, Muriel’s Wedding, Heathers, Jersey Boys, Wicked & The Concert version of Sunset Boulevard with Judi Conelli. As Assistant Musical Director she has worked on Simon Gallaher’s Pirates of Penzance; the highest selling recording of a musical in Australian history & also won an Aria award for best soundtrack. Rupert Noffs is a singer and actor trained at NIDA and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. As the grandson of the legendary Ted Noffs, founder of Kings Cross’ Wayside Chapel, he carries a significant artistic legacy. Rupert discovered his love for Stephen Sondheim at 16, performing “Being Alive” at the Sydney Opera House. Rupert has appeared on screen as Jacki Weaver’s son and played Bob Downe’s nephew, in both Sydney and San Francisco. During his seven years living and working in Manhattan, Rupert collaborated with New York cabaret legend Amber Martin at Joe’s Pub and Parkside Lounge. He was a judge on Seven’s All Together Now hosted by Julia Zemiro, and performed sold-out one-man shows at Claire’s Kitchen on Oxford Street.” Comedian, singer, actor, broadcaster and journalist, Mark Trevorrow’s 40+ year journey through Australian media and show business has taken him from the Melbourne Herald Sun, to cabaret group The Globos , to arts editor of Vogue Australia, to the creation of Bob Downe in 1984, to acting in Kath & Kim , singing as himself on Good News Week and broadcasting on ABC TV and local radio – then back to Bob again. His work has taken him from Australia to Edinburgh to London to New York, and it’s not over yet! OLD FRIENDS! is touring through November with dates in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, and Melbourne. Check out the team’s Instagram page - oldfriendssingsondheim The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E518 · Wed, September 11, 2024
STAGES Episode 518: GREGG ARTHUR
Gregg Arthur is an original voice who has learned from and performed with music industry giants all over the world. His warm baritone and huge range allows him to embrace an audience with a tender ballad and thrill with outstanding vocal acuity, but most of all it’s his emphasis on rhythm and phrasing that has brought him admiration from legends and critics everywhere. Gregg started singing and playing piano at an early age, always loving the jazz standards from his grandmothers sheet music and listening to his father’s record collection. He gained professional stage experience working for Australian Opera in productions of Aida, Marriage of Figaro, The Merry Widow and more, during a classic era of Dame Joan Sutherland and Rita Hunter and met legendary actor and teacher Hayes Gordon during Fiddler On The Roof. With stage and acting coaching by Gordon and vocal training teacher Don Graden he soon knew how to perform a song with originality, confidence and knew how to own the stage. He has always worked with and had great friendships with the very best musicians and orchestrators in the music industry. Performing with Don Burrows and George Golla, John Morrison and Swing City, Chair Of Jazz Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Craig Scott, Band leader and pianist Geoff Harvey, and Maestro Tommy Tycho with whom he recorded albums for ABC Music with a 50 piece orchestra. In the USA Gregg Arthur has worked with and performed with Frank Sinatra’s pianist and conductor Vincent Falcone, Bobby Darin’s pianist and arranger Bob Rosario, and Sammy Davis Jr’s drummer Clayton Cameron. Over many years Gregg Arthur performed at Herb Alpert’s Bel Air venue Vibrato with bass legend Pat Senator of Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass, and pianist and arranger Tom Ranier. Gregg Arthur has released 9 albums, 7 compilations and 2 EP’s. His latest album out now is Gregg Arthur In Concert The Great American Songbook . His reworking of Australian classic My City Of Sydney was released in October 2020. www.greggarthur.com The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E517 · Wed, September 04, 2024
STAGES Episode 517: WEST END REPORT - SIMON PARRIS & IAN PHIPPS
Two of STAGES favourite Arts workers have recently returned from pilgrimages to London …. and have inhaled the smorgasbord of musical and play offerings playing on West End stages. Publicist Ian Phipps and ‘Man-in-Chair’; Simon Parris, return to the STAGES podcast to share what they saw .. what they liked, what they didn’t …. and perhaps even to boast a little. They provide first-hand insight of what we could expect, if finding ourselves in the Savoy, Dominion, National, Donmar, Old Vic or Barbican theatres over the coming months. Simon Parris is a theatre reviewer based in Melbourne. His review blog ‘Man in Chair’ regularly reviews musicals, plays, opera and the arts. Access to these reviews can be found at simonparrismaninchair.com Ian Phipps is one of Australia’s leading publicists, promoting theatre and its stars around Australia. If you know that a show is happening, no doubt it’s because Ian has communicated this to you via a myriad of masterful means. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E516 · Fri, August 30, 2024
STAGES Episode 516: SILVIE PALADINO
Silvie Paladino has established herself as one of Australia’s most versatile and talented entertainers. Her first theatrical role was Eponine in the Australasian tour of Les Misérables . She was then invited to perform the same role on the West End in the London production. In 1997, Silvie returned to London and performed the role of Fantine in Les Misérables for a successful two-year season. Silvie’s other Australasian credits include the role of Jeannie in Hair , Grizabella in the Australian and Asian tour of Cats , Ellen in Cameron Mackintosh’s Australian premiere of Miss Saigon , Donna in the smash hit Mamma Mia! , Rita in the world premiere of Sideshow Alley , Lady Thiang in The King And I , Florence in Chess (Green Room Award and Helpmann nomination), Clara in Stephen Sondheim’s Passion , Helen Bechdel in MTC’s Fun Home and the Fairy Godmother, in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella . She has performed as guest solo artist with Australia’s leading orchestras and has also toured with Patrizio Buanne and Michael Bolton. She has had the honour of performing with celebrated theatre composers Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim. Silvie is also well known to Australian audiences through her performances at special events including the AFL Grand Final, NRL Grand Final, The Boxing Day Cricket Test, The Asia Pacific Special Olympics, The Olympic Dinner in Beijing, A Night with Roger Federer and Friends – and regular television appearances including Carols by Candlelight . Her recordings include Silvie Paladino Sings Streisand (a live recording of her one-woman show for which she was nominated for a Green Room Award), Silvie Paladino – Christmas List , On My Own , When You Believe , O Holy Night and I Give You My Heart with the Salvation Army Band. Silvie is currently playing the role of Norma Desmond at select performances in Opera Australia’s production of Sunset Boulevard . The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E515 · Wed, August 28, 2024
STAGES Episode 515: ANTON BEREZIN
After originally studying double degrees in Law and Arts (Politics and Economics) at Monash University, Anton Berezin found success as an Actor, Producer, Writer and Director. He established his first Production Company in 1994. He is known for his roles in commercial musical theatre productions for over 30 years, in celebrated productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, The Bridges of Madison County, Evita, Sweeney Todd, Wicked, The Producers, Cabaret, Fiddler of the Roof and Cats. Anton was co-founder of Australasia's leader in live family entertainment; from humble beginnings, Life Like Touring and The Entertainment Store grew to become the third ranked (by sales volume) businesses of their kind globally. Anton's businesses were acquired by Australian entertainment behemoth, TEG, in 2016, with Anton staying on as Managing Director until October 2019. The independent production company, Monstrous Theatre , is Anton’s next commercial venture, a production house he established with his wife and creative force, Theresa Borg. Monstrous Theatre presents opera, musicals and plays, with coming attractions that include bold productions of You’re the Man at La Mama in Melbourne, Yentl at the Sydney Opera House and Anne Being Frank across the USA. monstroustheatre.com.au The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E514 · Sat, August 24, 2024
STAGES Episode 514: BENJAMIN OSBORNE
Originally from Melbourne Australia, Benjamin Osborne made his stage debut in the original production of The Boy from Oz . This was followed by appearing in Shout - The Legend of the Wild One and the original Australian company of Mamma Mia! During his time there, he assumed the role of Dance Captain for the Australian and Asian tours. Benjamin then took on the role of Dance Captain for the Australian production of Miss Saigon , where he later became the Resident Choreographer. He has since worked on the Korean, Dutch, Japanese, New York and U.K/European Tour productions as the Associate Choreographer. Benjamin’s other credits include the 10th Anniversary production of Mamma Mia! , the Australian and New Zealand tours of Jersey Boys , and the Australian productions of The Addams Family and Disney’s Aladdin , all as Resident Choreographer. Benjamin also choreographed the first Australian professional showings of both ‘ Passion’ and ‘ City of Angels’ for Lifelike Productions. Benjamin and is presently the Resident Director for the Australian tour of Beauty and the Beast , guiding the inhabitants of the enchanted castle and nurturing the tale as old as time. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E513 · Wed, August 21, 2024
STAGES Episode 513: EWAN CAMPBELL
Ewan Campbell, Australia's No. 1 television warm-up artist, is the creator and founder of Stentorian Communications. He is an actor, director and presentation coach; a talented and multi-faceted performer, with vast experience in corporate training and facilitation, voice-overs, and MC roles. Ewan has successfully written produced and facilitated presentations for a who's who of corporate Australia including IBM, Optus, Samsung, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Westpac, Telstra and McDonalds Australia. He was a founder and director of Instant Theatre , the first innovative impro training company using improvisational and theatrical techniques to provide a unique and different training experience. Ewan Campbell is a sought after television warm-up comedian and his resume includes The Footy Show, Midday, Andrew Denton's Enough Rope, Australian Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Master Chef, Junior Master Chef, The Biggest Loser and the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards . He is also a first-rate improvisation (improv) comedy performer of many years' experience, regarded as one of the best improv comics in Australia. He has a long standing reputation for his ability to catch and hold even the most challenging audience! Ewan competes in Impro’s gala event of the year … Celebrity TheatreSports™ on Sunday 25th August 4pm, at The Enmore Theatre, Newtown. Comedy magic for a cause: proudly supporting Canteen. Canteen supports young people (aged 12-25) when cancer turns their world upside down. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E511 · Sat, August 17, 2024
STAGES Episode 511: RODNEY FISHER - Part 2
Rodney Fisher is a stage director who has worked in most major theatres in Australia and for all Australian theatre companies as well as Opera Australia, VSO, Bavarian State Opera, Royal Ballet London and Legs on the Wall. He has directed in England, Germany, Hungary, Hong Kong and at the Spoleto Festival, Charleston, South Carolina. He has worked in dance, film, video and written several theatre pieces and screenplays. Highlights include: The Bastard from the Bush (Robin Ramsay one man show) , A Star is Torn – also wrote – (Robyn Archer), Master Class , My Fair Lady (Anthony Warlow and Suzanne Johnston) and Steaming (legendary Australian tour). Work for the Sydney Theatre Company includes: The Lady in the Van, Pentecost, The Rain Dancers, The Secret Rapture, and The Doll Trilogy. Rodney was Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia from 1997 to 2000, directing The Department, Macbeth, The Idiot, Kafka Dances, Courtyard of Miracles, The Rose Tattoo and Twelfth Night. Other credits include: Design for Living, Hay Fever (MTC); The Merry Widow (Ess Gee Productions); From Here to There (Legs on the Wall); A Winter’s Tale (QTC), Maria Stuarda, Lady Bracknell’s Confinement, Hello Dolly , My Darling It’s Noel, Shock of the New, La Traviata, A Violent Act (STC); Don John (SSO); and The Bookclub (Hit Productions/Ensemble theatre). Rodney adapted, designed and directed Henry Purcell’s King Arthur for the 2016 Brisbane Baroque Festival, and directed the ACO production Barry Humphries' Weinmar Cabaret , starring his frequent collaborator, Meow Meow for its initial Australian season and its tour to London and North America. Rodney Fisher is one of our master storytellers whose contributions to the theatre are substantial and of vital significance. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E510 · Wed, August 14, 2024
STAGES Episode 510: RODNEY FISHER - Part 1
Rodney Fisher is a stage director who has worked in most major theatres in Australia and for all Australian theatre companies as well as Opera Australia, VSO, Bavarian State Opera, Royal Ballet London and Legs on the Wall. He has directed in England, Germany, Hungary, Hong Kong and at the Spoleto Festival, Charleston, South Carolina. He has worked in dance, film, video and written several theatre pieces and screenplays. Highlights include: The Bastard from the Bush (Robin Ramsay one man show) , A Star is Torn – also wrote – (Robyn Archer), Master Class , My Fair Lady (Anthony Warlow and Suzanne Johnston) and Steaming (legendary Australian tour). Work for the Sydney Theatre Company includes: The Lady in the Van, Pentecost, The Rain Dancers, The Secret Rapture, and The Doll Trilogy. Rodney was Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia from 1997 to 2000, directing The Department, Macbeth, The Idiot, Kafka Dances, Courtyard of Miracles, The Rose Tattoo and Twelfth Night. Other credits include: Design for Living, Hay Fever (MTC); The Merry Widow (Ess Gee Productions); From Here to There (Legs on the Wall); A Winter’s Tale (QTC), Maria Stuarda, Lady Bracknell’s Confinement, Hello Dolly , My Darling It’s Noel, Shock of the New, La Traviata, A Violent Act (STC); Don John (SSO); and The Bookclub (Hit Productions/Ensemble theatre). Rodney adapted, designed and directed Henry Purcell’s King Arthur for the 2016 Brisbane Baroque Festival, and directed the ACO production Barry Humphries' Weinmar Cabaret , starring his frequent collaborator, Meow Meow for its initial Australian season and its tour to London and North America. Rodney Fisher is one of our master storytellers whose contributions to the theatre are substantial and of vital significance. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E510 · Sat, August 10, 2024
STAGES Episode 510: VALE John Newman (30/8/1930-28/7/2024)
In July we lost one of the pioneers of entertainment in Australia - Mr John Newman. We featured John in an episode recorded in March 2022. John Newman is the savvy entrepreneur who pioneered the glory of theatre restaurant in Australia, with the establishment of the iconic Tikki & John’s in Melbourne. The venue fast became an institution in the city and a haven for a stellar cast of performers. With wife Tikki Taylor, he founded an entertainment dynasty spawning further theatre dining experiences such as Dracula’s, Cafe Crypt and Crazyhouse. A Geelong boy, his parents were publicans. He was born to perform and garnered early experiences entertaining hotel guests. He joined the Geelong Musical Comedy Company, a flourishing amateur group whose members also included John’s brother Bill, Ernie Bourne and Barry Crocker. His success in comic and singing roles with that company, prompted him to embark on show business as a profession. He joined an outfit calling itself, rather ambitiously The South Pacific Film and Television Company, which planned to hit the high spots with a grand tour of Victorian country areas. The variety show, in which John did comedy, magic and his impressions of Groucho Marx and other stars of the day, played Geelong, Colac and Camperdown. He was next a member of the Blind Institute Concert Party, which performed everywhere in Victoria in one - and - two night stands, raising money for the institute. John stayed with the unit for two years, and then he left to go into the chorus of the J. C. Williamson Song of Norway. The run of Song of Norway was followed by a revival of Annie Get Your Gun , with Evie Hayes and Hayes Gordon, and John then went into the chorus of South Pacific, where he met Joyce Taylor (Tikki), Tikki Taylor had studied dancing at the Jenny Brennan Academy and appeared on stage for the first time in a juvenile role in Blue Mountain Melody , an Australian musical which starred Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott. After pursuing a classical ballet career she joined J.C. Williamson’s as a show dancer, her first show being The Desert Song with Max Oldaker. Then followed Rose Marie, White Horse Inn, No, No, Nanette, The Girl Friend, Follow The Girls and Oklahoma , in which she understudied three roles, eventually playing the lead comedienne, Ado Annie. John and Tikki combined both their professional and private lives working in the same shows. They formed an act and toured it through the U.K. for eighteen months with top Australian magician The Great Levant covering England, Scotland and Wales. After that, they toured the U.S. Army bases in Europe. Back in London they saw the latest American musical hit The Pajama Game , and John knew that Tikki would be perfect for the comedy-dancing role of Gladys Hotchkiss. They rushed back to Australi
S7 E509 · Wed, August 07, 2024
STAGES Episode 509: JOHN BELL
John Bell has been named by the National Trust of Australia as one of ‘Australia’s Living Treasures.’ Born in Maitland, NSW, in 1940, he is a theatre polymath whose work has shaped the evolution of a distinct Australian theatre. Educated at University of Sydney, Bell acted in university theatre and made his professional debut in 1963 in the Old Tote Theatre Company’s inaugural production, The Cherry Orchard . In 1964 he was a sensational Henry V, with Anna Volska as Katherine, in an innovative Adelaide Festival tent presentation. The Sydney Morning Herald called him ‘a possible Olivier of the future’. After training with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Bell joined The Royal Shakespeare Company for four years and was made an Associate Artist. He returned to Sydney in 1970 as Head of Acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. That same year he produced the landmark Australian musical burlesque The Legend of King O’Malley and co-founded the Nimrod Theatre Company. He was its artistic director, director and principal actor until 1985. At Nimrod Bell presented many significant Australian plays, such as David Williamson’s Travelling North, The Club and The Removalists, Peter Kenna’s A Hard God , Jim McNeil’s How Does Your Garden Grow and Ron Blair’s The Christian Brothers . Other highlights included a dramatic adaptation of Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy, The Venetian Twins , an Australian musical based on the Goldoni classic, and the Bernstein musical Candide . Bell also introduced a distinctive Australian Shakespeare style, with memorable productions of Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth . In 1989 Bell played the Duke in Big River , his first major role in a musical. Shortly after this he was invited by the late Tony Gilbert, a Shakespeare-loving philanthropist, to establish a national touring organisation presenting Shakespeare in a popular style. The Bell Shakespeare Company was launched in 1990 with Hamlet and The Merchant Of Venice (with Bell as Shylock), followed by Richard 3 (with Bell in the title role) and Romeo And Juliet . Thirty-four years on, the company is a vital presence in the national theatre landscape. John Bell is a font of knowledge and anecdote and what a privilege to access a bit of that in this enthralling episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E508 · Wed, July 31, 2024
STAGES Episode 508: ANGELA PUNCH MCGREGOR
Angela Punch McGregor graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1974. Her early roles were in a renaissance period of Australian cinema, with lauded performances that garnered her a slew of AFI Awards, for the films The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, Newsfront, and Annie’s Coming Out. Her career continued in numerous television production and stage roles, working for most of the country’s main-stage theatre companies. Angela’s television credits include Mary - The Making of a Princess , Love My Way, Rafferty’s Rules, Halifax, All Saints, White Collar Blue, and Home & Away. Further film work includes We of the Never Never, Savages Crossing, The Delinquents, Spotswood, Tom White, Ash Wednesday and Runt. Celebrated turns in the t heatre includes A Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche), Festen (Else), Long Days Journey Into Night (Mary Tyrone) , Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll (Pearl), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Marquise de Merteuil), Great Expectations (Miss Havisham), The Odd Couple (Female version opposite Pamela Stephenson) Romeo & Juliet (opposite Mel Gibson), Up For Grabs (Felicity), Blackrock (Diane) and Othello (Desdemona). Angela is a respected mentor and teacher, guiding young artists to a career on stage and screen. She held the position of Lecturer in Acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts from 2006-2014. Further teaching has been at NIDA, The Actor’s Centre Sydney and the Actor’s Hub Perth. As a Counsellor, her new venture is with the online resource; Soul Repair - a home for counselling, community and care. A space to foster continuity and growth. Angela Punch McGregor joins STAGES to reflect on her brilliant career thus far, and the journey ahead. https://www.soulrepair.com.au The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E507 · Wed, July 24, 2024
‘It’s Opening Night!’ - Playwright; James Elazzi
James Elazzi is an award winning playwright, screenwriter and director. His plays have been nominated in the NSW Premier's Literary Award three years consecutively, shortlisted twice in the Rodney Seaborn Award, four time award winner in the Sydney Theatre Awards and is a three time Silver Gull Playwriting Award Nominee. James' sold out theatre stage plays include Son of Byblos (Belvoir St Theatre 25A), Lady Tabouli (National Theatre of Parramatta), Queen Fatima (National Theatre of Parramatta) and Omar and Dawn (KXT). In 2023-2024, James wrote, directed and produced his second short film about Lebanese migration, Seeds of Gold . In 2022, James directed and produced his short film Yannis which has officially been selected in more than 17 Film Festivals around the world including Los Angeles, Poland, Lebanon, Greece and Italy. It has since won Best Performances in the 2022 LGBTQI+ Los Angeles Film Festival and nominated 7 times in the Made in The West Film Festival, including best director and screenplay, winning best Lead Actor. James was Assistant Director on Holding the Man (2024 Belvoir St Theatre). His new work, Karim, opens in July at Parramatta Riverside Theatres. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E506 · Tue, July 23, 2024
‘Stairway to Paradise’ - Remembering Theatre Architect Vivian Fraser; Sharon Fraser
Born in 1936, acclaimed Architect Vivian Fraser passed away in 2021. His name may not be immediately recognisable, but this Master Architect left a legacy that continues to reward the Arts community and their audiences. On his tombstone he jested that he would like the epitaph to read, “ … he provided simple answers to difficult problems.” It would seem that this mantra would never be better tested than in crafting a design for a working theatre - considering aesthetic, safety, functionality and longevity, for temples that harbour community and celebrate humanity. Vivian Fraser (1936–) was educated in Newcastle, where he practised independently before arriving in Sydney in 1965. He first worked as the associate of Douglas Snelling (1965-66) and then worked for Ancher Mortlock Murray and Woollley. Commencing in 1975, he operated an independent practice, mainly designing award-winning theatres and houses, Vivian Fraser’s most remarkable project was renovations to a cargo shed at Walsh Bay. Premier Neville Wran’s foresight to commence a State Theatre Company in NSW meant that a location was required which would house the many needs of a theatre company - auditorium, foyer, workshops, stage, administration, rehearsal rooms etc. Pier 4-5, was discovered in a wide search of Sydney - a derelict wharf in Walsh Bay which had lied dormant for 30 years; it housed zillions of pigeons, both alive and dead. And so, commenced the development of what would become a vital arts precinct. Viv’s theatre legacy extends to other venues in NSW - the Belvoir Theatre in Surry Hills, the Australia Council office refurbishment in Redfern and the Kings School Theatre in Parramatta. Viv’s daughter Sharon, also an Architect, joined STAGES to remember and celebrate the work of Vivian Fraser. It is a fascinating history. Hopefully this conversation enables his name to become as instantly recognisable as the theatres he conceived. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E505 · Mon, July 22, 2024
‘New Ways to Dream’ - Choreographer; Fabian Aloise
Fabian Aloise’s choreography has been critically acclaimed and has garnered multiple nominations including two Olivier Award Nominations for Best Theatre Choreographer, WhatsOnStage Award for Best Choreography, Stage Debut Award for Best Creative West End Debut and the Off West End Award “OFFIE” (winner). Recently he was also listed as one of The Stage 100 - a definitive list of theatre's most influential artists. Originally born in Canada to proud immigrant parents, Fabian moved to Melbourne, Australia at an early age to train in classical ballet and contemporary dance at The Victorian College of the Arts on a full scholarship. Fabian's career spans Australia, Europe, the United States, Asia and London's West End performing in shows including West Side Story, Cats, Chicago, Fosse, We Will Rock You, Fame, Legally Blonde .Most recently, Fabian choreographed Sunset Boulevard (Savoy Theatre) for the Jamie Lloyd Company, In Dreams (Leeds Playhouse), The Spongebob Musical (Southbank Centre & UK Tour), Cabaret by Kander and Ebb at the LIDO 2 in Paris. He is Co-director and choreographer for Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder for Francesca Moody Productions (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022/ 23, Bristol Old Vic, Manchester Home), choreographer for the first non-replica production of Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked in Germany, Bring It On - The Musical (UK), Evita ( Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Kander and Ebb’s The Rink at Southwark Playhouse starring Caroline O'Connor, Our House (UK Tour), The View Upstairs (Soho Theatre), Madagascar The Musical (UK/Asia/Australia/New Zealand), Working (Southwark Playhouse), On The Town (BBC Proms Royal Albert Hall) and The 24 Hour Musical (Old Vic). Associate choreographic credits include Matilda (UK tour/West End - Associate choreographer/Resident choreographer for Peter Darling , Australian premier company - Associate choreographer), We Will Rock You (European productions - Associate choreographer to Arlene Phillips) and Fame (UK national tour - Assistant choreographer to Karen Bruce ).One of Fabian’s career highlights was working alongside theatre legend Ann Reinking as associate choreographer on Fosse (USA and international tours) and he continues to be inspired by the legacy of Fosse/Verdon. On September 28th he commences previews in New York with the Jaimie Lloyd Company’s transfer of Sunset Boulevard to the Broadway stage; eagerly anticipating his sublime choreographic work being embraced on the Great White Way. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotif
S7 E504 · Sun, July 21, 2024
‘Liz, Margaret, Molly, Marion and Mel’ - Playwright; Melanie Tait
Melanie is a writer for stage and screen with a proven track record in Australia and the UK. Her first play The Vegemite Tales won critical and popular acclaim, playing eight years in London, including two years on the West End. Melanie then trained as a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where she worked for twelve years across radio, podcasting and television. Her next play The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race premiered at the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney in March 2019 and toured nationally in 2021. The play has been programmed right around Australia and New Zealand including at the State Theatre Company of South Australia and productions at Queensland Theatre and The Court Theatre in Christchurch. Melanie also adapted the play into a feature film with EQ Media, writing the screenplay for The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race . She has 5 plays under commission at Melbourne Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Festival and Blue Cow Theatre Tasmania and is developing an original tv series with Screen Tasmania and Next Gen Productions. She is also at various stages of development on a slew of screen projects. Melanie’s play A Broadcast Coup , opened in 2023 at Ensemble Theatre as part of Sydney Festival. Here next, The Queen’s Nanny, will open at Ensemble Theatre in September, and is touring nationally in 2025. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E503 · Sat, July 20, 2024
‘Make ‘em Laugh!’ - Actor, Producer, Presenter; Shane Jacobson
Shane Jacobson is one of Australia’s most loved, award-winning actors, presenters and entertainers. His incredible and varied career spans over 40 years both here at home and internationally. The successful film Kenny brought Shane world-wide recognition in 2006 as well as an AFI Award for best lead actor. Shane’s subsequent credits include Cactus , Charlie & Boots , the animated Santa’s Apprentice , Surviving Georgia and Hollywood blockbuster The Bourne Legacy , the hugely popular Oddball , The Dressmaker and, more recently, The BBQ , That’s Not My Dog! , Guardians of the Tomb , Brothers’ Nest , Bruce Beresford’s Ladies in Black , The Very Excellent Mr Dundee and Never Too Late . As a TV host, presenter and actor, Shane’s appearances have been numerous and varied. Some of his shows have included hosting and presenting at the Australian Film Institute Awards , Top Gear Australia , The Great Australian Bake Off , The Logies , Little Big Shots , Australia Now & Then and Inside Central Station , as well as telemovies Beaconsfield , The Mystery of the Hansom Cab and Jack Irish , to roles in TV series like Kenny’s World , The Time of Our Lives , Fat Tony & Co , Open Slather , The Real Full Monty , The All New Monty , Australia’s Got Talent , AACTA Awards host, The All New Monty: Guys & Gals and Australia Now & Then host. Shane’s stage career has been just as successful. On stage, he has received a Helpmann Award for Best Male in a Supporting Role for ‘Nicely Nicely’ in the 2008 revival of the musical Guys and Dolls . Some of Shane’s other on-stage roles include The Drowsy Chaperone , QI Live , 8 The Play , Shane Warne – The Musical , Mother & Son , The Rocky Horror Show , Hairspray and Midnight: The Cinderella Musical . As an author, Shane has penned his best-selling bio The Long Road to Overnight Succes s and most recently his exploration of his life as a motoring tragic in his second book, Rev Head . Shane also is a passionate producer of film, television and events, having recently produced The West Gate Bridge Disaster: The Untold Stories documentary, the TV show ManSpace , That’s Not My Dog! Comedy Festival , The Roast of Paul Hogan and The Australian Roast of John Cleese . He is presently starring in the Sydney season of Neil Simon’s award winning play The Odd Couple with Todd McKenney. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with crea
S7 E496 · Fri, July 19, 2024
‘It’s Not Where You Start But Where You Finish’ - Highlights from 500 Episodes of The STAGES Podcast
To celebrate the 500 milestone we give you a highlights package - just a few of the stand-out moments from 7 years of the STAGES podcast. It is by no means ALL of the wonderful moments, but just a few that stand out for me - joyous moments along the way. The podcast has featured on-stage and off-stage roles from a variety of genres - Musical theatre, Theatre, Dance, Opera, Vaudeville, Drag, Television, Film, Variety and Arts Education have all been explored. We’ve celebrated shows - such as the 40th Anniversary of the Australian production of CHICAGO (w Nancye Hayes & Geraldine Turner) and 50 years on THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW in Oz. And we chronicled the evolution of new shows, in documentations of Noelle Janaczewska’s THE END OF WINTER - and Robyn Kennedy’s commission for World Pride - CAMP - both produced by Siren Theatre Company and directed by Kate Gaul. We’ve featured a TONY Awards episode each year - and looked at the highlights from Broadway and The West End with regular theatre pilgrims Iain Phipps and Simon Parris. We’ve talked to creatives and performers commencing their careers (our youngest guests have been George Holahan-Cantwell and Ryan Yeates, who were sharing the role of Charlie Bucket in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY) and we’ve applauded our industry elders - our oldest guest being Lee Young at 93. We’ve recorded conversations with 16 Drag performers, featuring them in a series during World Pride. We’ve profiled the roles of Stage Door, Photography, Agent, Opera chorister and Scenic Design with Stage Door Johnny, David Hooley, Sonya Marturano, Jenifer Eddy, Mark Morrisey, Katherine Wiles, Stella Ginsberg and Rod Clarke. We’ve recalled the careers and contributions of the great Gloria Dawn with her daughter Donna Lee ….. the legacy of Architect Vivian Fraser with his daughter Sharon … and the enormous contribution to Musical theatre in Australia from Betty Pounder with Kevin Coxhead. We’ve profiled artists during the Covid lockdowns and how they navigated their way through it. We’ve recorded with the practitioners - Dr Richard Walley, Wesley Enoch, Eva Grace Mullaley and Lisa Maza detailing the evolution of indigenous theatre in Australia. We’ve documented the History of seminal theatre companies including JC Williamson's, Garnett Carroll, The Ensemble Theatre, the Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Nimrod, Kookaburra Musical Theatre, The Old Tote, Jane Street and the Pram Factory.We’ve examined the craft with screen writers and playwrights Joanna Murray-Smith, Danny Ball, Dr Grace Barnes, David Williamson, Melanie Tait, Jeffrey Jay Fowler, Barry Dickins, Jordan Shea, Tommy Murphy, Laneikka Denne, David Sale, Tony Sattler, David Mitchell, John-Michael Howson, and Barry Creyton We’ve saluted Australians making big waves on global theatre stages - Carmel Dean, Fabian Aloise, Kaye Tuckerman, Michaeljon Slinger, Neil Gooding, Yve Blake, David Harris, and Daniel Assetta, to name but a few. We’ve l
S6 E501 · Thu, July 18, 2024
‘Hey Look Me Over’ - Episode No:1 Revisited; The Legendary Toni Lamond
To celebrate reaching this milestone of 500 … the podcast will be dropping an episode a day for the next week. It’s a stellar line up and I cannot wait to share each episode with you. Episode 502 is a highlights package featuring some of my favourite moments from the seven seasons of the show. Episode 503 features funny man and all round nice guy Shane Jacobson , currently on stage in Sydney in Neil Simon’s THE ODD COUPLE. In Episode 504 we talk with Playwright Melanie Tait . Her new play THE QUEEN’S NANNY takes to the stage in September at The Ensemble Theatre. For Episode 505 I was thrilled to talk with Australian choreographer Fabian Aloise . Fabian has recently opened his first show in the West End theatre district of London as Director, with the musical KATHY & STELLA SOLVE A MURDER. Fabian is also the choreographer for the exciting new take on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s SUNSET BOULEVARD. The production directed by Jamie Lloyd and starring Nicole Scherzinger won 7 Olivier awards and opens on Broadway in October. Next up in Episode 506 , it was my privilege and honour to celebrate the legacy of Theatre architect Vivian Fraser with his daughter Sharon. Viv is the man responsible for designs of the Belvoir street theatre and the development of the Wharf 4/5 theatre precinct in Walsh bay. It is an extraordinary legacy and I know this chat will inform and fascinate. Concluding the week with episode 507 is playwright James Elazzi who also opens a new show on July 27th - KARIM which will play at Parramatta Riverside theatre for the National Theatre of Paramatta. But for this episode - 501 , I’d like to take you back to STAGES very first episode in April 2018. I was beyond thrilled when the legendary Toni Lamond keenly accepted my invitation. A woman of firsts, it seemed inevitable that she’d have to be first guest on a podcast that has now made it to 500! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E500 · Wed, July 17, 2024
‘Together Again For The First Time’ - Mark Humphries chats to STAGES Producer/Host; Peter Eyers
After many requests and prompts, I’ve given in. The A-listers were not available for this milestone episode of the STAGES podcast, so you get me in the chair. But who to fire the questions and prod the guest? There was only one person in my mind; longtime listener and champion of all things theatre, Mark Humphries. The talented Mr Humphries is urbane, informed and care personified. What else could one ask for? And yes!!! It is an old headshot. I know. It’s from the attic! Thankyou Mark. And thank you listeners. Episode 500! Here we go! Peter Eyers is a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He is presently the Head of Drama at an Independent School in Sydney. Peter is a passionate advocate for the Arts in education and a keen proponent of Australia’s rich Arts heritage. These qualities have contributed to the evolution of the STAGES podcast and a quest to record oral histories from the artists, the creatives and the ancillary roles that have contributed so vividly to what we relish on stages and screens. As producer and host, he features an array of guests that range from the elders who rightly wear the mantle of legend and star, to the emerging talents, set to shape and define the content of the future. As an actor his work has encompassed theatre, television and film. Theatre roles include My Fair Lady (WA Music Theatre Company) , The Judgement of Paris (Hole in the Wall, Perth), Winnie the Pooh & The Magic Faraway Tree (Garry Ginivan Attractions), How To Succeed In Business Without ReallyTrying (The Production Company) , The Voyage of Mary Bryant (Ensemble Theatre) ,The Wizard of Oz (Gordon Frost Organisation) , An Ideal Husband directed by Sir Peter Hall (Gordon Frost Organisation) , Fallen Angels (Downstairs Belvoir) , La Cage aux Folles (Miranda MS) , Rope (Bondi Pavilion) , On Golden Pond (The Actor’s Company) , and Privates on Parade, Harvest, Australia Day & The Real Thing (The New Theatre). His screen credits include Home & Away, Farscape, Backberner, Water Rats and Danny Deckchair. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E499 · Wed, June 26, 2024
‘Infinite Joy’ - Actor; Nadine Garner
One of Australia’s most respected actors, Nadine Garner’s career has spanned film, television and theatre for more than 30 years. Nadine recently performed on stage in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s The Almighty Sometimes and Belvoir’s production of Tell Me I’m Here to rave reviews. Her recent screen credits include the ABC crime drama series Savage River and Scott Major’s debut feature film Darklands which premiered on Stan. Nadine’s other television credits include the Network 10/Channel 5 (UK) series Lie With Me , the Stan original series Bloom, My Life Is Murder and Mr Black for Network 10, The Blake Mysteries: Ghost Stories Telemovie for the Seven Network, ABC’s The Doctor Blake Mysteries , the Seven Network drama City Homicide , ABC comedy It’s A Date, Blue Water High, The Henderson Kids, G.P, The Flying Doctors, Boys From The Bush, and RAW FM for which she was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama. Nadine’s feature film credits include Ben Hackworth’s debut feature Celeste which premiered at the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival, Ana Kokkinos’ The Book Of Revelation , Darren Ashton’s Razzle Dazzle and Amanda Jane’s The Wedding Party , which earned her a New York City International Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1988, Nadine received an AFI Award for Best Actress for her role in Mull and in 1995, she received a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Supporting Actress and an AFI Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in Metal Skin. Nadine has worked for many of Australia’s theatre companies performing both contemporary and classical pieces including The Lifespan of a Fact which earned her a Green Room Award Nomination for Outstanding Performance , Emerald City (co-production with QT), Photograph 51, Di and Viv and Rose, The Distance, The Weir, Private Lives, The Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard for MTC; A Little Night Music for Watch This National Theatre; Zebra! and Life After George for STC; Miss Julie for Perth Theatre Company; Romeo & Juliet and Taming of the Shrew for The Australian Shakespeare Company. She starred in Sam Mendes’ production of Cabaret and received a Helpmann Award and Green Room Award for her performance as Fraulein Kost. In 2011, Nadine wrote and directed the short film Afterglow which was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Screenplay. Nadine returns to the Musical stage in July for William Finn’s Elegies, being presented at 45 Downstairs in Melbourne. In August she is in Sydney making her Opera House debut in a unique presentation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The STAGES podcast is availa
S8 E498 · Sat, June 22, 2024
‘Stories on a Grand Scale’ - Opera Singer; Warwick Fyfe
Warwick Fyfe is an Australian opera singer, considered to be one of Australia’s leading exponents of the Wagnerian repertoire and is the recipient of Helpmann and Green Room awards. Warwick has performed throughout Australasia and internationally. Most recently, he has sung the rôles of Wotan / Wanderer (MO, OMM and Alberich, OA). Other Wagner rôles include Heerrufer (OA); Beckmesser (OA); Klingsor (OA); Hunding (WASO); Dutchman (OA), Daland (VO); Wolfram (OA); Fasolt (SOSA). Other major work encompasses Amonasro (Aida-FNO, OA); Pizarro (Fidelio-MO, OA,WASO); Athanaël (Thaïs-FNO); Peter (Hansel and Gretel- OA),OMM); Four Villains (Tales of Hoffmann-ETO); Falstaff (OA); Rigoletto (OA, NZO); Sancho Panza (Don Quichotte- OA); Paolo (Simon Boccanegra- OA); Leporello (NZO) (OA); Fra Melitone (Forza del Destino- OA); Scarpia (WAO, OA); Tonio (I Pagliacci- NZO); Faninal (Der Rosenkavalier- OA); Schaunard (La Boheme- OA); Dr Schon /Jack the Ripper (Lulu- OA); Germont (La Traviata- OA); Mandryka (Arabella-OA). Warwick has delighted audiences in comedic rôles, such as Bottom (Midsummer Night’s Dream, Adelaide Festival); Barone di Trombonok (Viaggio a Rheims - OA); Geronio (Il Turco in Italia- OA); Dr Bartolo (Barber of Seville- WAO) (VOC); Pooh Bah (OA); Taddeo (Italian Girl in Algiers- NZO); Papageno (OA). Concert work includes: Gurrelieder, (SSO); Carmina Burana (MSO, QSO, Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus); Beethoven 9 (MSO), (Orchestra Wellington); The Bells , WASO; Stabat Mater (Rossini, SSO); Viva Verdi (TYO); St Ma
S8 E497 · Wed, June 19, 2024
‘I Lived for Art; I Lived for Love’ - Opera Director; Edward Dick
Edward Dick trained as a theatre director with Cheek by Jowl, and has directed acclaimed theatre and opera productions across the UK and abroad. Edward’s first short film, An Act of Love , starring Stephen Mangan and Gina McKee, premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2010 and has played at festivals around the world. His second short That Woman was also successful on the festival circuit and led to his first project for television, A Little Cracker for Hillbilly / Sky 1. In 2016 he was invited to take part in the BBC’s continuing drama training scheme, which has seen him direct multiple episodes of BBC One dramas Holby City and Doctors , receiving an RTS nomination for outstanding new talent for his work on the latter. He is a member of BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew 2021 and was recently named by the BBC as one of its ‘broadcasting stars of the future.’ In 2020 he took part in the Directors UK High End Drama training programme on Silent Witness , directing 2nd Unit and working across all aspects of the production on multiple blocks and on the development of the 25th anniversary series. He is presently in Australia directing an acclaimed production of Giacomo Puccini’s TOSCA. The production recently played the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne and soon takes to the stage in the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. In this acclaimed, five-star production from Opera North, director Edward Dick writes the tension large upon the stage. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E496 · Wed, June 12, 2024
‘Look What Happened to Mabel!’ - Stage Legend; Caroline O’Connor
The annual TONY Awards ceremony celebrates the best and brightest of the Broadway season. And I’m delighted that one of our favourite performers, who has graced the great white way, is the STAGES guest for our TONY episode. Caroline O’Connor is one of the foremost interpreters of musical theatre in the world. Projects have taken her from Sydney to Paris to London and the bright lights of Broadway in a vast array of leading roles, that are coveted by musical theatre performers at their peak. At 17 she won a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Ballet School in London. The discipline and routine of such classes instilled in her a fierce work ethic that allows her characterisations to be delivered with boundless energy, masterful timing, consummate skill and infinite joy. Her career continues to reward her with great stories, mesmerising performances and a loyal audience. She commenced the year returning to Jerry Herman’s Mack & Mabel, this time in the role of Lotte, in a fully staged concert season in Los Angeles. In May she played with the State Theatre Company and State Opera of South Australia in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide and in November joins the Lido 2 Company in Paris for a 60th anniversary production of Hello, Dolly! In the eponymous role of Dolly Levi. These performances indicate a versatility that demands an appreciation of style and technical dexterity. Confirming she’s one of the best! Caroline returns to the STAGES podcast for a long overdue catch-up and to shed light onto her forays on the Broadway stage, in this annual STAGES celebration of the TONY Awards. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E495 · Tue, June 11, 2024
‘Stories that Sing’ - Renowned Director; Neil Armfield
Neil Armfield AO is a leading Australian director of theatre, opera and film. Alongside Rachel Healy, Neil was Artistic Director of Adelaide Festival between 2017 and 2022. Prior to that, Neil was the inaugural Artistic Director of Belvoir St Theatre, which he also co-founded, for 17 years. As Artistic Director of Belvoir, and for other companies, Neil has directed well over 100 productions, with a focus on new and Indigenous writing, Shakespeare, David Hare and Patrick White. Some highlights include; The Tempest , Hamlet , Up the Road , Summer of the Seventeenth Doll , Keating! , Toy Symphony , Dallas Winmar’s Aliwa, Angels in America , A Cheery Soul , Signal Driver , The Blind Giant is Dancing and Things I KnowTo Be True. Neil’s production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman opened in late 2023 to glowing reviews. Produced by GWB Entertainment and Red Line Productions at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne, it starred Anthony LaPaglia and Alison Whyte. After the success of the Melbourne season, the play will be presented at the Theatre Royal Sydney in May/June 2024. In 2022, Neil directed the world premiere of the oratorio Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan by Joseph Twist at the Adelaide Festival, and Glyndebourne Festival’s production of Brett Dean’s Hamlet at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Neil directed the same production of Hamlet at Munich’s Bayerische Staatsoper in July 2023. For the 2021 Adelaide Festival, Neil directed the Australian premiere of A German Life by Christopher Hampton, starring Robyn Nevin, as well as Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Festival Theatre. Later that year he directed an acclaimed production of Rameau’s comic masterpiece Platée for Pinchgut Opera. In addition to his extensive work in Australia, many of Neil’s productions have played internationally. These include Cloudstreet (toured to London, Dublin, Zurich, New York), The Diary of a Madman (with Geoffrey Rush, toured to Moscow, St Petersburg, New York), Exit The King (Broadway), The Book of Everything (toured to New York), The Judas Kiss (toured Australia with Bille Brown, London, New York and Toronto with Rupert Everett), The Secret River (adapted by Andrew Bovell, toured to Edinburgh Festival and London) and the world premiere of David Hare’s I’m Not Running for National Theatre in London. Neil frequently collaborates with major opera companies, having directed productions at The Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Chicago Lyric Opera, Zurich Opera, Bregenz Festival, Washington National Opera, Opera Australia, Pinchgut, Canadian Opera, Welsh National Opera, and Houston Grand Opera. In addition to classics by Mozart, Brit
S7 E495 · Sun, June 09, 2024
‘Satin on my Shoulder and a Smile on my Lips’ - Stage and Screen Favourite; Genevieve Lemon Pt2
Genevieve Lemon has appeared in many premiere Australian productions in a 40-plus year career including Steaming, Steel Magnolias, Seventeen, Miracle City, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Billy Elliot, which she also played in London’s West End. Other performances include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Death of a Salesman, Summer Rain, The Venetian Twins, Summer of the 17th Doll and North by Northwest . Screen performances include Sweetie, The Piano, Top of the Lake and The Power of the Dog (among others with Jane Campion); Ticket to Paradise, Colin from Accounts, Prisoner, Here Out West, The Dressmaker, Suburban Mayhem, Rake, The Tourist, Acute Misfortune, Population 11 and the upcoming feature film Runt . Awards include Helpmann, Green Room and Sydney Theatre Critics awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Billy Elliot and Best Actress in a Feature Film from the Sydney Film Critics’ Circle for Sweetie . Genevieve Lemon returns to the musical theatre stage as the Mother Superior in Sister Act which opens at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney in August and the Regent Theatre Melbourne in November. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E494 · Sat, June 08, 2024
‘Luck Be a Lady’ - Stage and Screen Favourite; Genevieve Lemon Pt1
Genevieve Lemon has appeared in many premiere Australian productions in a 40-plus year career including Steaming, Steel Magnolias, Seventeen, Miracle City, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Billy Elliot, which she also played in London’s West End. Other performances include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Death of a Salesman, Summer Rain, The Venetian Twins, Summer of the 17th Doll and North by Northwest . Screen performances include Sweetie, The Piano, Top of the Lake and The Power of the Dog (among others with Jane Campion); Ticket to Paradise, Colin from Accounts, Prisoner, Here Out West, The Dressmaker, Suburban Mayhem, Rake, The Tourist, Acute Misfortune, Population 11 and the upcoming feature film Runt . Awards include Helpmann, Green Room and Sydney Theatre Critics awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Billy Elliot and Best Actress in a Feature Film from the Sydney Film Critics’ Circle for Sweetie . Genevieve Lemon returns to the musical theatre stage as the Mother Superior in Sister Act which opens at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney in August and the Regent Theatre Melbourne in November. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E492 · Tue, June 04, 2024
‘Fascinating Rhythm’ - Cabaret Icon; Dillie Keane
Dillie Keane is one-third of iconic Cabaret trio Fascinating Aida. She is presently in Australia for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, where alongside her partners in song, Liza Pulman and Adèle Anderson, Fascinating Aida will present a 40th anniversary show. Since their first performance together in 1983, the trio have racked-up millions of internet followers, performed in the world’s most prestigious venues and have been showered with awards and plaudits galore. Proving they’re still in their glorious prime, these mistresses of their craft ring in this four-decade milestone with their trademark diamond-sharp satire, lyrical wit and belligerent sass. The bare bones of Dillie’s life are these. Born Portsmouth 1952. Father a GP. Three much older, very nice siblings who have done nothing but grace the name of Keane and distinguish themselves in every way. Family despaired of Dillie ever conforming. Educated at Portsmouth High School (very happy) and then at successive Convents of the Sacred Heart (first Hove, where she was miserable but learned remedial curtseying and sang all the time, then Woldingham where she was utterly and completely miserable and still sang all the time). “ She’ll come to no good, that girl! ” opined one of the nuns as her parents took her away after she was expelled. Safely at university, she drank and shagged and partied like a girl released from a convent and became a leading light of the drama society and ended her first year being elected Miss Elegance, hahaha! After three years of this divinely crazed existence, her mortal frame nearly gave out. A spell in hospital exposed her complete unfitness for the life of a musicologist. As her parents took her away – she was too ill to take her Part 2 and couldn’t face doing 5 years of a 4 year degree – her Professor suggested that a career in Stage Management might suit. Finally, she took control of her life. A spell as secretary to the Deputy MD of a leading advertising firm in London gave her financial independence, and she secretly auditioned for LAMDA. The day she got her acceptance letter was the best day of her life. Having flunked out of university, her parents were reluctant to fork out for 3 more years of further education, so she wrote to anyone she could think of who might help. Eventually, the fabled Jim Slater of Slater Walker stepped in with a scholarship and paid her tuition fees. Her defeated parents agreed to give her £100 per term towards living costs, and she was able to accept her place on the course. Those three years were a thrilling ride. LAMDA was everything she hoped for and more, though trying to keep body and soul together was wonderfully crazy. She had a stall in the Portobello Road every Saturday, where she and a friend sold handmade shopping bags, aprons and second-hand clothes they’d collected from friends and strangers. She temped in the evenings and throughout the holidays, became an ar
S7 E491 · Mon, June 03, 2024
‘The Soldier Tir'd of War's Alarms’ - Veteran Actor; Robert van Mackelenberg
Extensive experience throughout Australia in theatre, film, radio and television, over several decades, established Robert van Mackelenberg as one of our leading actors. Studying in New Zealand, Robert’s journey through the theatre was as a stage manager first but he soon found his true place was in assuming the great roles in classical and contemporary theatre. He has worked with many companies throughout Australia and New Zealand in over 150 productions, including leading roles in such modern classics as The Elephant Man, Amadeus, Equus, Chinchilla, Long Day’s Journey into Night, The Cherry Orchard, The Seagull , and Break of Noon. His formidable list of leading roles in the great classics of world theatre include Antony and Cleopatra, Hamlet, The Country Wife, The Recruiting Officer, and Romeo and Juliet. Modern Australian classics include Emerald City, Sons of Cain, Away, and The Man from Muckinupin. The list of musicals to his credit include Hello Dolly, Pal Joey, Company, Cole, and Happy End. Television and film work includes Carson’s Law, Cop Shop and Haydaze. It is a career that has gifted much anecdote and wisdom. These are elements that will enthral in this compelling episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E490 · Sat, June 01, 2024
‘If They Could See Me Now’ - STAGES 5-Year Catch-Up; Alexander Berlage & Todd Jacobsson
The STAGES podcast is now in its Seventh year. Over that time we’ve garnered a vast number of insightful and glorious conversations with a broad range of artists. Some of these have recorded fascinating histories with the elders from various disciplines - theatre, dance, opera, musical theatre, television - the list goes on. We’ve also been able to record reflection and story from various younger talents, commencing careers in an industry that can often be precarious. One of the delightful opportunities in entering our seventh season is catching up again with some of those emerging creatives and performers …. A re-cord record STAGES intends to pursue in coming seasons. This could be considered STAGES ‘7-up’ series of discussions. A unique chance to check in with young artists at 5 -year intervals perhaps? In 2019, STAGES recorded with Lighting Designer and Director, Alexander Berlage. He was in rehearsal for the musical - AMERICAN PSYCHO. We also spoke to Music Theatre performer Todd Jacobsson, who was about to commence a tour of West Side Story, playing the iconic role of Tony. And of course, in 2019, we had no idea that a pandemic was looming - set to strangle the Globe. So how have these artists navigated the past 5 years? What was the impact of Covid for THEM? Has anything changed. Where have the respective careers of Alex and Todd taken them? What are they doing now? It was my great privilege to catch up with these artists again, and record a new instalment of their creative journey. Enjoy this ‘5-UP’ episode of the STAGES podcast! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E489 · Wed, May 29, 2024
Vale Keith Robinson (1958-2024)
As one of our finest actors, Keith Robinson carved a career on stages around the country. As a wit and treasured talisman, he kept us informed and in stitches with his regular postings on social media. Keith’s repertoire of characters included the great clowns of Shakespeare. He was admired for his tremendous physicality in realising these endearing fools and jesters …. and for his dependability in affecting an audience. As a member of the ensemble at Belvoir Theatre, he contributed to the success of milestone productions such as Hamlet, The Tempest, The Alchemist, Night On Bald Mountain and Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Keith’s extensive theatre credits also included the Dickensian epic Nicholas Nickleby with the Sydney Theatre Company …… and ventures into musical theatre with the premiere Australian production of Les Miserables. As performer and playwright - Keith co-authored (with Tony Taylor) the silly, comic romp The Popular Mechanicals - a fond valentine to the determined amateur acting troupe of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2006 his life upon the boards looked like being snatched away when he was diagnosed with a neurological condition, called Guillain-Barre syndrome. His personal expression as an actor became compromised with limited mobility and the necessity of a wheelchair. But Keith was a determined thespian …. and in 2016 he returned to the Belvoir stage as a wise and moving Feste …. in a production of Twelfth Night. As well as a phenomenal talent, Keith was immensely entertaining and terrific company. Passionate, funny and tremendously informed, Keith traversed an eventful life on and off the stage. His legacy of compelling screen performances are fortunately preserved in television productions such as the anthology series Summer Love , season 2 of The Twelve and in a much discussed TVC for Australia post, where we may still be able to find him at various point of sale. This conversation, recorded for the STAGES podcast, took place in May 2021 when Keith was preparing to play Leonid Gayev in The Cherry Orchard at the Belvoir street theatre. It was to be the final time we would see Keith light up a stage. I hope this return episode brings you some comfort - and joy - relishing in Keith’s wonderful anecdote, insightful wisdom - and that enormous laugh that instantly embraced it’s listener. Vale Keith Robinson - you will be greatly missed. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E488 · Sat, May 25, 2024
‘This is My Life!’ - Drag Legend; Doug Lucas
Entertainer Doug Lucas has been delighting audiences around the country for several decades as a comic, a creative and much loved drag performer. Chiefly his performance stage has been found in various Melbourne venues. Doug is a pioneer of these establishments, commencing Melbourne's first gay disco in 1975 and the legendary show evening, Pokeys , in 1977. “It was only going to be a little Sunday night show but it grew and grew”, Lucas recalls. “We started without any sets or props, then started doing little simple sets”. As its popularity grew, those simple sets became increasingly elaborate, as did the costumes and staging. “We used to do a massive, massive show. They were the biggest drag shows Melbourne has seen.” Doug has been performing and running events ever since. Most recently with the very popular Broadside entertainments. He is a legend of the Melbourne scene and a most charismatic fellow. You’ll quickly discover in this terrific conversation with the fabulous Doug Lucas. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E487 · Wed, May 22, 2024
‘Play Time!’ - Director, Dramaturge, Teacher; Iain Sinclair
Iain Sinclair is one of Australia’s finest, award winning theatre directors specialising in new writing and contemporary international work. Iain established the critically acclaimed theatre company Elbow Theatre in Canberra, where he received four Critics Circle Awards. He received a Sydney Theatre Award for his production of The Seed by Kate Mulvaney and is also an AWGIE Award nominated director. He has directed a number of highly praised main stage productions in Sydney including Our Town by Thornton Wilder for The Sydney Theatre Company, which was described as “a triumph”. His production of Arthur Miller’s, All my Sons was described as “A rock solid production of a play that makes you shake your head in wonderment”. Iain has also directed for The Melbourne Theatre Company, The Ensemble, The Queensland Theatre Company, Belvoir and Sport for Jove with celebrated productions of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? By Edward Albee, The Caretaker by Harold Pinter, A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller, Mojo by Jez Butterworth, Blood Wedding by Federico Garcia Lorca (translation by Sinclair), The Beast by Eddie Perfect, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare and Berlin by Joanna Murray Smith. Iain graduated with distinction from the RADA Masters Program and Kings College, London. He is the associate artist and resident dramaturge for Playwriting Australia and has been assistant director to Cate Blanchett and Max Stafford Clark. Iain was invited by Max Stafford Clark to tour the UK as a member of his company “Out of Joint” teaching principles of new play making and Max Stafford Clark’s legendary process based on actioning. Iain continues his work as a dramaturge and has worked with the following companies; ASK Los Angeles , New Dramatists New York , The Traverse Scotland , The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal Court and The National Theatre England. Iain Sinclair is presently the Head of Acting at 16th Street Actors Studio in Melbourne, where he nurtures a new generation of actors and continues to practice and refine his magnificent craft. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S17 E486 · Mon, May 20, 2024
‘The Perfect Year’ - Stage and Screen Actor; Tim Draxl
Tim Draxl is an actor and singer with a career spanning more than two decades. Most recently he was seen in the SBS anthology television series Erotic Stories , for which he has received an AACTA Nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama series, and the lead role in ABC’s four-part musical drama In Our Blood , for which he has received both an AACTA Nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series and TV WEEK Logie Award Nomination for Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. On stage, Tim was most recently seen in Belvoir’s Into The Woods as ‘Cinderella’s Prince/ Wolf’ and in the role of ‘Steve Healy’ for the first overseas tour of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill produced by GWB. Other theatre credits include critically acclaimed Only Heaven Knows , Catch Me If You Can and Evie May (all for Hayes Theatre), Torch Song Trilogy (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Lip Service , Mothers and Sons (Ensemble Theatre), Freeway – The Chet Baker Journey (Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Festival, Brisbane Festival), Nailed (Griffin Theatre Company), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Belvoir), The Sound Of Music (GFO) and She Loves Me (The Production Company). Other television credits include anthology series Summer Love and critically acclaimed The Newsreader both for the ABC, hit series A Place to Call Home as series regular Henry Fox (FOXTEL), the Molly Meldrum telemovie Molly , the critically acclaimed series Serangoon Road , Reef Break, Mrs Biggs, Home & Away, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Crownies, Day One, Tangle, Headland, Supernova, Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure and The Shark Net .Tim’s film work includes action film Blacklight alongside Liam Neeson, Guardians of the Tomb , directed by Kimble Rendall, A Few Best Men , Undocumented , Ivory , In My Sleep , Red Canyon , Right Here Right Now , Travelling Light , Swimming Upstream , and Dirty Deeds . He received his first TV WEEK Logie Award Nomination for Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 2005 for The Shark Net and an ASTRA Award Nomination (later renamed The AACTA Awards) for Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy for Supernova (2006). His one man show Tim Draxl in Concert was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Live Music Presentation in 2002 and has received several Sydney Theatre Award nominations for his cabaret and theatre shows winning the award for best cabaret production with Back For Seconds in 2006. He has released four solo albums. ‘Ordinary Miracles’ and ‘Insongniac’ for Sony Music Australia under the Columbia label, the independently released ‘Tim Draxl Live at the Supper Club’ and ‘My Funny Valentine’ released through A
S7 E485 · Sat, May 18, 2024
‘A Wild and an Untamed Thing’ - The Original Australian ROCKY HORROR SHOW turns 50!
Happy Anniversary to the original Australian company of The Rocky Horror Show - the production opened at the New Art Cinema, Glebe on April 19th, 1974. This outrageous musical has a book, musical and lyrics by Richard O’Brien, and is a tribute to the B-grade Science Fiction and Horror films of the 1930s to early 60s. It’s premiere production was produced and directed by the brilliant Australian creative Jim Sharman, upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre on 19th June, 1973.The iconic Australian production was produced by the legendary impresario Harry M. Miller and directed by the brilliant Jim Sharman.A veritable who’s who of actors filled the roles throughout its first Australian productions. The musical continued to host extraordinary talents in the flamboyant roles through the decades since, and the show has morphed through different production approaches to realise the camp tale of Dr Frank N. Furter and the disturbed, disruptive and decadent inhabitants of his isolated castle.The show awakens a sexuality and excitement in each new generation that witnesses the stage production, or the iconic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show: also directed by Jim Sharman and designed by celebrated Australian designer, Brian Thomson.The STAGES podcast featured Brian Thomson in a thrilling double episode. We’ve also been honoured to traverse the careers of many of the original Australian production’s sensational cast, which include Maureen Elkner, Reg Livermore, Sal Sharah, and Kate Fitzpatrick.In this very special episode of the STAGES podcast, we recall the experiences of those artists in that very first Rocky Horror Show, and salute a musical that has become an intrinsic part of that theatrical form.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E484 · Wed, May 15, 2024
‘Come With Me, And You’ll Be In A World of Pure Imagination’ - VIVID Sydney Artistic Director; Gill Minervini
Vivid Sydney is an annual celebration of creativity, innovation and technology, which transforms Sydney for 23 days and nights. In 2024, for its 14th year, Vivid Sydney will fuse art, innovation and technology in collaboration with some of the most boundary-pushing artists, musicians, thinkers and culinary experts of our time. Mark the dates 24 May – 15 June 2024 in your calendar and explore the program of Light, Music, Ideas and Food, united by this year’s artistic direction, "Vivid Sydney, Humanity”. Vivid Sydney 2024 explores what makes us human and how we can make a better world, together. Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency. At the helm of this creative fusion and imagination is Artistic Director, Gill Minervini. For over 35 years Gill has produced some of Australia’s most engaging and successful international events and festivals, creating unforgettable, immersive experiences for diverse audiences. In her time at VIVID, the annual festival has celebrated International recognition and relished record-breaking audience numbers. A mantra which she shares with her production teams is that they are ‘ in the business of creating memories ’. We can all recall the first time we shared in the palpable experience of a creative event or festival. Such experiences are an immersion with community, art, humanity and the theatre of life. Essential experiences that feed into the human condition. Gill Minervini is passionate about her job and communicating stories. It’s obvious in this conversation. She provides insight, reflection and passion for the craft of making big art, telling stories with a broad palette, and what it takes to curate a magical experience like VIVID Sydney. This episode of the STAGES podcast is dedicated to the inaugural Creative Director of VIVID Sydney; Ignatius Jones (1957-2024) The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E483 · Mon, May 13, 2024
Vale Frank van Straten (1936-2024)
In this Vale episode of the STAGES podcast, we remember Arts Historian - Frank van Straten, who passed away in April. Frank was the inaugural archivist at the Performing Arts Museum (now Australian Performing Arts Collection at Arts Centre Melbourne) and later its founding Director. Renowned as a theatre historian of supreme knowledge, Frank was the author of many publications which celebrated theatres, artists, practitioners and productions. His historical perspectives of plays and musicals were a regular feature of programs for commercial producers. Between 1986 and 2001, he researched and presented ABC Local Radio ’s Nostalgia segment, broadcast on Melbourne’s 774 and the ABC Victorian Regional Network. He was the Historical Consultant for Graeme Murphy ’s ‘dance musical’ Tivoli , performed by the Sydney Dance Company , and given his tremendous knowledge, he frequently accepted invitations to contribute information to considerable books, speeches, biographies, performance and exhibitions. In recognition of his services to the performing arts in Australia, Frank van Straten was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1999. Frank’s passion for our performing heritage was palpable. With an ability to talk at length on any subject to do with the performing arts in Australia he was the perfect guest for the podcast. I’m so grateful he agreed to a conversation for the STAGES podcast. He was a gentleman of the theatre who I much admired. We recorded this conversation for Series One of the podcast in 2018. Like everyone, I am deeply saddened by the passing of dear Frank. What a cultural institution he became as a custodian of our history, his endless anecdote, and his tireless support of creatives and artists. Born in London in 1936, today (May 14th) would have been Frank’s 88th birthday. Vale Frank van Straten - A champion of the Performing Arts in Australia. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E482 · Sat, May 11, 2024
‘Hooray for Hollywood’ - Writer, Journalist, Actor, Presenter; John-Michael Howson
John-Michael Howson worked as a journalist, starting in Mildura, Victoria, before moving to print and radio in Melbourne where he began writing comedy sketches and songs for revue clubs, theatres and television. After several years working in the UK and Europe he returned to Australia and created, wrote and performed in two of Australia’s most beloved children’s shows the multi-award winning The Magic Circle Club and Adventure Island. He also adapted the international stage hits Irene , No, No, Nanette and Norman Is That You? for Australian productions. John-Michael also wrote the hit 1970’s musical Razza Ma Tazz at a time when it was difficult to get locally written musicals produced. He has also written several successful children’s theatre productions including adapting Disney’s Pinnochio . For many years he wrote for, and appeared on, a score of variety shows which led to becoming a popular team member of one of Australia’s legendary shows The Mike Walsh Show where he first met and worked with producer David Mitchell (a co-writer of SHOUT! and Dusty ). John-Michael travelled the world covering international stories from The Academy Awards, Emmys, Tonys, world premieres and royal weddings. In 1989 he moved to Los Angeles to report on the entertainment industry for Australian print, radio and TV including Midday with Ray Martin and GMA with Bert Newton . He also appeared on a number of US television and radio shows. John-Michael was a regular on The Joan Rivers Show and The Gordon Elliott Show , appeared on LA based talk shows and also had small parts in comedy shows like The Tracey Ullmann Show . He also filed news reports for SKY UK and other international news programs. He wrote the best selling mystery novellas Once Upon a Nightmare and Deadly Dreams . After seventeen years he returned to live in Melbourne where he was heard on radio shows around the country and starred on the top rating political commentary show Sunday Morning on 3AW . John-Michael has co-written SHOUT! and Dusty – the Original Pop Diva (with David Mitchell and Mel Morrow), Pyjamas in Paradise (with Peter Pinne), Dream Lover -The Bobby Darin Story (with Frank Howson) and More Sex Please, We’re Seniors . In 2025, his new musical based on the lives of the Andrews Sisters will open in the U.S.A. John-Michael was awarded an OAM in 2009 for services to writing and children’s television. He is proudly a patron of a number of organisations involved in the arts and charity. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stage
S7 E481 · Fri, May 10, 2024
‘High Flying Adored’ - Stage and Screen Star; Stephanie Beacham
Stephanie Beacham is without a doubt one of Britain's most talented, beautiful and well-known actresses. Despite becoming world famous and an icon of the 1980s due to her role as Sable Colby in the American soap operas Dynasty and The Colbys and going on to have starring roles in shows such as Sister Kate, Seaquest DSV, Beverly Hills 90210, and Bad Girls , Stephanie Beacham had already carved a solid acting career back in her home country. Born in Hertfordshire in southern England, one of the four children of an insurance executive and a housewife, Beacham began an interest in acting at a young age and studied mime at the respected and renowned school of Étienne Decroux in Paris before completing her studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Guest roles on British television followed in the late 1960s such as The Saint and UFO , however Beacham's breakthrough was her starring role opposite Marlon Brando in the cult horror film The Nightcomers that brought her critical acclaim and widespread attention. She became a regular staple in British horror films for the remainder of the 1970s and early 1980s such as Dracula A.D. 1972 , House of Mortal Sin, Schizo and Inseminoid , however she was still a commonly seen face on television, such as being given her own soap opera in Marked Personal as well as regular modelling work. It was in the 1980s however that Beacham's career became supercharged. She had starring roles in the acclaimed television series Tenko and Connie , the latter gaining particular interest in the US. Beacham moved to Hollywood in the mid-1980s and was given the role of Sable Colby in the ABC soap opera The Colbys , and then joined it's parent show Dynasty where she remained until the show's cancellation. Both shows made Beacham a household name on both sides of the Atlantic as the glamour-puss wife of Charlton Heston 's character Jason and cousin of Joan Collins ' Alexis, with the two regularly involved in a 'battle of the bitches' scenario. Following the cancellation of Dynasty , Beacham headlined the sitcom Sister Kate for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, before going on to have main roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 as Iris McKay, Steven Spielberg 's Seaquest DSV as Dr. Kristen Westphalen and Countess Bartholomew in Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as film roles opposite Christopher Plummer in Secrets and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000164/?ref_=nmbio_m
S7 E480 · Wed, May 08, 2024
‘The Name on Everybody’s Lips ….’ - Musical Theatre Leading Lady; Lucy Maunder
Since graduating from WAAPA in 2006, Lucy Maunder has cemented her reputation as one of Australia’s musical theatre leading ladies performing in a huge range of roles over the last 17 years. Most recently she appeared as Winifred Banks in the critically acclaimed Cameron Mackintosh/Michael Cassel Group/Disney revival of Mary Poppins . Prior to this Lucy starred in Victorian Opera’s production of Kurt Weill’s anti-capitalist musical Happy End as Lillian Holiday. The start of 2022 also saw her play the protagonist Alison Bechdel in the acclaimed MTC/STC Australian premiere production of Fun Home (Green Room and Sydney Theatre Award nominations for Best Performer in a Leading Role in a musical). In between seasons of Fun Home , Lucy reprised her role of Mrs Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Crossroads Live) for which she received a Helpmann Award nomination. Following the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic to the Arts, Lucy was lucky enough to appear in the first main stage commercial musical to return after the shutdown of all theatre as Catherine in Pippin for Crossroads Live. Her other recent career highlights include Cynthia in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Michael Cassel Group, Green Room Award nomination), Miss Honey in Matilda: The Musical (Louise Withers/RSC, Helpmann Award nomination), The Spirit of Christmas (QPAC), There’s Something About Music (The Little Red Company), Heather Chandler in Heathers (ShowWork Productions), Patty in Tim Finn’s Ladies in Black (QTC/MTC), Rizzo in Grease (GFO, Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Award nominations), Cinderella in Into the Woods (Victorian Opera, Helpmann and Green Room Award nominations), Georgia Hendricks in Curtains (The Production Company), Gertrude Lawrence in Noël and Gertie (CDP Theatre Producers, Glug Award for Best Actress in a Musical), Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera (STC/Malthouse/Victorian Opera), Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (TML Enterprises), Emma in Jekyll & Hyde (TML Enterprises) and Anne in A Little Night Music (Opera Australia). Lucy also created the role of Lara in the world première of Doctor Zhivago opposite Anthony Warlow (GFO, Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Award nominations). Lucy’s film credits include The Eternity Man (Channel 4 UK/ABC) and the lead role in the short film Identical , amongst other commercial and television appearances including the National Anthem at the State of Origin, The Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols (Channel 9) and appearances on The Morning Show (Channel 7) and Today Extra (Channel 9). Lucy’s one-woman show Irving Berlin: Songs in the Key of Black toured Australia to rave reviews at venues such as the prestigious Spiegeltent, the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, His Majesty’s Theatre P
S7 E479 · Mon, May 06, 2024
‘A Pal, a Sister and Advisor’ - Stage and Screen Favourite; Lucy Durack
Lucy Durack is one of Australia’s most well-known leading ladies with major roles to her credit including Glinda in Wicked , Sophie in The Letdown (Netflix/ABC), Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical , Roxy in Sisters (Netflix), Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (for which she won a Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Award), Audra in A Perfect Pairing (Netflix), Chantelle “Tugger” Waugh in Doctor Doctor (Nine) and most recently Mrs Lilicroft/Mrs Madrina in the World Premiere of Midnight the Musical . Further highlights include playing Katie Halloway in Now Add Honey (Gristmill/Netflix), Michelle in Upper Middle Bogan (ABC/Netflix), Rose Walker on Neighbours (Ten Peach), Sarah in Touching the Void (MTC), Glinda in The Wizard of Oz (GFO), Sybil Chase in Private Lives (MTC), as The Cactus on The Masked Singer (Ten), a judge on Australia’s Got Talent (Seven) and as the voice of Daisy Quokka’s Mum in animated feature film Daisy Quokka: World’s Scariest Animal. Lucy won the Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for Legally Blonde ; Best Screen Play Asia Web Award for Lift ; and the AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy Series for Love In Lockdown . She is currently developing television series with Gristmill and Jungle, and is the proud co-founder and co-director of evidence-based health and wellness tech company and CSIRO tested app Hey Lemonade, for which she is a finalist in this year’s Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards. Through May and June she will be playing the role of Cecily Pigeon in Neil Simon’s classic comedy - The Odd Couple. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E478 · Sat, May 04, 2024
‘I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here!’ - Musical Theatre Legend; Robyn Arthur
Robyn Arthur is one of Australia’s leading theatre performers who soon celebrates 50 years working in the Industry. Robyn toured with Jonathan Church’s Singin’ in the Rain and Jonathan Biggins’ Australia Day for Hit Productions and Mother & Son with Noeline Brown for McLaren House. In 2013, she toured Australia in Elizabeth Coleman’s play It’s My Party (And I’ll Die If I Want To!) with Henri Szeps for Hit Productions and appeared in the Production Company’s Singin’ in the Rain directed by Gary Young at the State Theatre. In 2011, she starred again alongside Todd McKenney in the hit revival of The Boy From Oz having also appeared in the original cast. Robyn played Mrs Potts in the Aria Award winning Australian premiere season of Beauty and the Beast with Hugh Jackman and will be long remembered for her performance as Madame Thenardier (Victorian Green Room Award) in the original cast of Les Miserables directed in Australia by Trevor Nunn. Robyn clocked up almost 1,300 performances in the role. In 2007, she was nominated for a Helpmann Award for her performance in the Australian premiere of Sideshow Alley (Keelan/Young) for QPAC. Robyn’s other theatre highlights include Stuart Maunder’s production of My Fair Lady (Opera Australia); Minefield’s and Miniskirts by Terence O’Connell (Malthouse), Gale Edwards’ production of Sweeney Todd (Opera Queensland); Stephen Sondheim’s Company directed by the late Richard Wherrett and Michael Gow’s classic Away for the Sydney Theatre Company. Television credits include The Newsreader, Rosehaven, Five Bedrooms, Sisters, Woodley, Twentysomething, Laid 2, The Librarians, City Homicide, Very Small Business, Kath and Kim, Blue Heelers, MDA, Neighbours, and the US production, Nightmares and Dreamscapes. Robyn also appeared in Charlotte’s Web with Dakota Fanning for Paramount Pictures and the Tropfest short film Hoarder Control directed by Nichola Colla. Robyn’s been a proud member of Actors Equity since 1975 and serves on the Victorian Actors Benevolent Trust (VABT). The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E477 · Wed, May 01, 2024
‘Today is for Amy’ - Musical Theatre Leading Lady; Amy Lehpamer
Amy Lehpamer is currently starring in the hit pop musical & Juliet as Anne Hathaway. Amy earned nation-wide critical acclaim playing Maria in The Sound of Music, receiving the 2015 Sydney Theatre Award for best Actress in a Musical, as well as Helpmann and Glug award nominations. She was Helpmann nominated in 2017 for her portrayal of pop and soul icon Dusty Springfield in the Australian hit musical Dusty for The Production Company. Amy played lyricist and hit-maker Cynthia Weil in the Australian premiere cast of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and was awarded the 2018 Helpmann for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for the role. From 2018-2020, Amy toured Australia, NZ and China as Rosalie Mullins, the uptight school Principal with a Rock 'n Roll soul in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical version of School of Rock . She played Mrs Webb in Queensland Theatre's revival of the pulitzer prize winning classic, Our Town and Mrs Walker in the Australian Premiere of The Who's Tommy for the Victorian Opera. Her skill as a violinist and performer were highlighted in her role of Reza in Once for the Gordon Frost Organisation and Melbourne Theatre Company. This, and her big haired, starry eyed Sherrie in Rock of Ages saw her receive Helpmann nominations. She has twice played Christine Colgate in the musical adaptation of the hit comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, in her first ever leading role for Melbourne's The Production Company. Other notable roles for Amy include Tracy Lord in High Society for the Hayes Theatre, the iconic Janet Weiss in Rocky Horror for GFO/ATG. Amy created the title role of Margaret Fulton in the new Australian musical Margaret Fulton: Queen of the Dessert (Theatreworks) and was part of the original cast of Eddie Perfect's Shane Warne - The Musical, as well as the 2014 production for Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Hamer Hall, featuring on the cast recording.Additional theatre credits include: The Threepenny Opera (Malthouse and Victorian Opera); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Songs for a New World (Doorstep Ensemble); Young Phyllis in Follies (The Production Company).Amy is the co-creator and star of the musical comedy webseries Donnatelegrams , produced by the ABC and Screen Australia, and now viewable on YouTube. On screen, Amy also holds credits in prime time television shows: Get Krack!n', Utopia. The Time of Our Lives, Winners and Losers, House Husbands , and the HBO mini-series The Pacific . She has performed disco classics alongside Kate Ceberano and Paulini with the Adelaide and Queensland Symphony Orchestras. And she's sung The Best of Rodgers and Hammerstein alongside Simon Gleeson with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. The
S7 E476 · Sat, April 27, 2024
‘… Full of Game’ - Actor/Manager/Artistic Director; Damien Ryan
Damien Ryan is managing director and artistic director of Sport for Jove Theatre Company , now in its twelfth year, where he has directed more than 30 productions, written and developed three new works and adapted over a dozen plays. The company has a comprehensive education program developed by Damien, and works with tens of thousands of Australian students annually at secondary and tertiary levels. Damien has worked extensively with Shakespeare, performing in or directing over 70 productions in Australia and overseas, and has worked as actor, director and writer across Australia’s major companies including STC , MTC , Bell Shakespeare , Belvoir , Sydney Festival , Canberra Theatre Centre , Brisbane Festival and Queensland Theatre , and in the independent sector in Sydney. Recent directing credits include, Venus & Adonis (a feature film), Romeo & Juliet, The Crucible, The Father, Hamlet, Henry V, Henry IV Parts 1&2, Romeo & Juliet, Rose Riot, Merchant of Venice, Antigone, Antony and Cleopatra, The River at the End of the Road, Cyrano de Bergerac, No End of Blame, Othello, The Tempest, Romeo & Juliet, Away, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Loves Labour’s Lost, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Crucible, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, All’s Well That Ends Well, Twelfth Night, The Libertine, Look Back in Anger. Acting credits include Venus & Adonis, Othello, Romeo & Juliet , Life of Galileo, Twelfth Night, Nora ; As You Like It, Antony and Cleopatra, Richard 3, Comedy of Errors, Hamlet ; Crime and Punishment, Under Milk Wood ; Mother Courage, Isolde and Tristan, Hamlet and King Lear . Damien has two award-winning play adaptations (Antigone and Cyrano de Bergerac) published with Currency Press. From May 1st to June 1st, Sport for Jove’s production of ISOLDE and TRISTAN plays the Old Fitz theatre in Sydney - and it is directed by today’s featured guest - Damien Ryan. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
S7 E475 · Wed, April 24, 2024
‘Ghost Light’ - Actor; Daniel MacPherson
One of Australia’s most highly regarded leading actors, Daniel MacPherson has most recently been seen starring as Sam Levine in Russell Crowe’s feature Poker Face and as fan favourite Hugo Krast in Apple TV+’s sci-fi behemoth Foundation opposite Jared Harris. Daniel will next be seen in the anticipated US action feature Land of Bad , reuniting with Russell Crowe and alongside Liam Hemsworth. In 2023 he starred in the theatre production 2:22 A Ghost Story , receiving critical acclaim in the role of Ben. Daniel’s other feature film credits include Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time directed by Ava DuVernay, Shane Abbess’ Science Fiction Volume One: The Osiris Child and INFINI , the lead in the US independent feature Generational Sins and Simon Wincer’s The Cup . Recently starring as Sgt Samuel Wyatt in the latest seasons of the HBO/Cinemax action series Strike Back , Daniel’s other international credits include the Fox hi-tech crime series APB , the MTV fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles and ITV/UKTV’s The Bill . Closer to home Daniel has starred in Wild Boys, Bad Mothers, City Homicide and Neighbours . On stage, Daniel alternated the roles of Jesus and Judas in the musical Godspell directed by Scott Schwartz, which played in London and the UK, and starred opposite Edward Woodward in The Mysteries at London’s Canterbury Cathedral. In 2013, Daniel was part of the all-star Australian cast of 8 The Play . One of Australia’s most experienced live television presenters, Daniel has hosted seven series of Dancing With The Stars as well as the first season of X-Factor Australia , and in 2017 Daniel hosted the International AACTA Awards in Los Angeles for Foxtel. Recipient of the TV Week Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent in 1999, Daniel has since twice been nominated for the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor, as well as Best Newcomer at the British National Television Awards. In 2008, GQ Magazine named Daniel as Australia’s Most Popular Television Personality. Daniel’s other passions include horses, music and fitness. He is a six-time Ironman Triathlon finisher and has represented Australia at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. He has run multiple endurance events to raise money and awareness for charities such as World Vision, Reclink, Charity: Water, and The Indigenous Marathon Project, for which he is an Ambassador. Daniel soon embarks, with John Waters, on a National tour of the stage thriller and tale of terror, The Woman in Black. The season kicks off in Toowoomba, opening on April 27th. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
S7 E474 · Sat, April 13, 2024
‘The Trees are Full of Starlight’ - Legendary Musical Theatre Performer; Jodie Gillies
Jodie Gillies commenced her dynamic career in 1983, following her graduation from the Nepean College in Sydney. In the same year she was cast as one of Major Stanley’s daughters in the iconic Victorian State Opera’s production and consequent tour of The Pirates of Penzance. She then appeared in Camelot with Richard Harris; followed by the role of Marta in Stephen Sondheim's Company and Vikki Fowler in King of Country , both for the Sydney Theatre Company. In October 1985 Jodie won the inaugural Australian Contemporary Singing Competition at the Sydney Opera House. Jodie starred in Australia Day Live , the Network Ten Bicentennial extravaganza. Jodie then went on to begin the first of three musical engagements at the Theatre Royal in Sydney, all of which would include the honour of creating her roles in the Premiere Australian seasons, these being Les Miserables, Chess and Aspects of Love . Firstly she played Eponine in the amazing original Australian production of Les Miserables and her performance as the waifish Eponine won her wide acclaim as did her ensuing role as Aldonza in The Man of La Mancha . Jodie has also appeared in cabaret at Kinsela’s in It’s One for the Money and Two for the Show displaying her comedy and mimicry. Jodie then went on to play the lead role of Florence Vassy in the musical Chess to standing ovations and then toured to Queensland as Jess in Lipstick Dreams . Jodie was also awarded the prestigious Musical Theatre Performer of the Year by the Variety Club in 1991. Jodie has also toured with her own production The Other Woman which marked her debut as a writer and director. This show also took her to New York in 1992, where it was very well received. From there Jodie went on to play the role of Giulietta Trapani in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love in both Sydney and Melbourne. Jodie also joined the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , taking over the starring role of the Narrator from Tina Arena at Sydney's Her Majesty's Theatre. Jodie also performed in Love Lemmings at the Tilbury Hotel in Sydney. In late 1995, Jodie performed her second self written show called A Soldier's Song which tells the story of her Grandfather during the war years. She based the show on some diaries that her Grandfather had left behind from the war plus some of the classic tunes from around that time. Jodie’s television credits include The Ray Martin Show, A Country Practice, Home and Away, The Money or the Gun, Live n' Sweaty, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, the Steve Vizard Show and Once in a Blue Moon , a celebration of Australian Musicals. Jodie has also released a self titled solo album featuring songs from Les Miserables, Aspects of Love, Chess, Miss Saigon and more. The STAGES podcast is available to acce
S7 E473 · Wed, April 10, 2024
‘Consider Yourself at Home’ - Actor, Hotelier; Andrew Sharp
Andrew Sharp began his professional career playing The Artful Dodger in J.C.Williamson’s 1966 revival of Oliver! He went on to work steadily in theatre and on television in the 1970s, in shows such as Peter Kenna’s A Hard God and Peter Handke’s Kaspar at the Nimrod Street Theatre, The Season at Sarsaparilla and Julius Caesar for The Old Tote Theatre Company, The Rocky Horror Show at The New Art Cinema in Glebe, as well as playing a regular role in The Young Doctors and guest roles in other Grundy’s productions. At the age of 25 he moved to London where he played leading roles in three long-running West End productions: Beyond the Rainbow , Stage Struck and Deathtrap. Returning to Australia in the 1980s he worked mostly in film and television, notably in movies such as Buddies and Undercover, mini-series such as Glass Babies and Sword of Honour and the 13 episode Taurus Rising - amongst other work. Throughout his career he dabbled in directing, producing shows with friends in unusual locations such as garages, living rooms and church halls. He graduated from the post-graduate diploma course in film directing at Melbourne’s Swinburne Institute of Technology in 1986. In the 1990s he went on to work as an assistant director on several operas at The Australian Opera (as the company was then known), before returning to the UK in the 1990s, where he directed opera students at the Royal College of Music and the Birmingham Conservatoire and - for the Covent Garden Opera Festival - directed Handel’s Saul and his own translation of Mozart’s The Impresario . In 2002, searching for “home”, he moved to the small northwestern NSW town of Barraba, where he created The Playhouse Hotel , a 9 bedroom boutique hotel housing an 80 seat theatre. There he has presented dozens of touring theatre performances, bands, musicians and comedians… though he admits he misses his real hometown of Sydney, and plans to return soon. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E472 · Sat, April 06, 2024
‘The Wheels of a Dream’ - Composer, Dramatist, Storyteller; Stephen Flaherty
Stephen Flaherty is a composer who writes for theatre, film and the concert hall. With longtime collaborator Lynn Ahrens, he won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for the Broadway musical Ragtime and was nominated for two Academy awards and two Golden Globes for the animated feature film Anastasia, which they also adapted for Broadway. Additional Broadway credits include Once on This Island (Tony Award, Best Revival), Seussical , Rocky, My Favourite Year, Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life (original songs), and Neil Simon’s Proposals (incidental music). Off-Broadway and Regional credits include The Glorious Ones , Dessa Rose , A Man of No Importance (all three at Lincoln Centre Theatre), Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein (About Face), Little Dancer (Kennedy Centre and Seattle 5th Avenue), In Your Arms (Old Globe) and Lucky Stiff (Playwrights Horizons). Future productions include Little Dancer and Knoxville. Stephen Flaherty’s work in film includes the animated feature Anastasia, the original score for the documentary After the Storm, Lucky Stiff and Nasrin. His concert commissions include American River Suite and With Voices Raised . Additional awards include London’s Olivier (Best Musical), Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson (Best Musical) and four Grammy nominations. He serves on Council for the Dramatists Guild of America and co-founded the DGF Fellows Program for Emerging Writers with Lynn Ahrens. In 2014 Ahrens and Flaherty received the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement and in 2015 they were inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. For more information please visit AhrensAndFlaherty.com . The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E480 · Wed, April 03, 2024
‘If I Can Make it There …’- Broadway Debut Performer; Daniel Assetta
Australian musical theatre performer Daniel Assetta is currently based in New York City, where he recently made his Broadway debut in the hot-ticket show, & Juliet. This follows an Off-Broadway debut with The Light in the Piazza for NY City Center Encores! Most recently, Daniel appeared in the Original Australian company of Hamilton as Samuel Seabury and performed Tony in the Opera Australia production of West Side Story across Australia, New Zealand and Germany. His theatre credits include; Al Deluca in the Darlinghurst Theatre Company's A Chorus Line ; Elder Young in the original Australian company of The Book of Mormon ; The Rum Tum Tugger in the Australian/New Zealand tour of CATS ; the 10th Anniversary Australasian tour of Wicked ; The Ziegfeld Tenor in Funny Girl ; Luke in the world premiere of The Gathering; Follies in Concert ; and Curtains. Daniel is also the proud recipient of the prestigious Rob Guest Endowment Award in Australia. Notable stage appearances include ABC News Breakfast, Carols in The Domain, The ARIA Awards and Michael Mott & Friends concerts. Over the last couple of years, Daniel produced, co-wrote, choreographed and performed alongside his sister, Chiara, in Siblingship which played to sold-out audiences across Australia and was awarded the winner of 'Best Cabaret' in BroadwayWorld Australia Awards 2020. As a Choreographer, Daniel has worked extensively with highlights including Squabbalogic's production of NINE the musical, Twisted Broadway at Melbourne's Regent Theatre, the opening of the Sydney Latin Festival and concept pieces for the leading performing arts companies, Ettingshausens Pro & ED5International. Visit www.danielassetta.com and follow @dassetta on Instagram. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E470 · Sat, March 30, 2024
‘Give Me Your Hands If We Be Friends’ - Theatre Director, Designer, Devisor, Visual Artist; Kim Carpenter
Kim Carpenter AM is an Australian visual artist, theatre director, designer and devisor. For thirty years he was artistic director of his company, Kim Carpenter's Theatre of Image. During the 1970s, Carpenter designed for the Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney’s Nimrod Theatre Company. He was, for a short period, co-Artistic Director of Nimrod in the early 1980s. In 1988, Kim established Theatre of Image as Sydney's first visual theatre company. Theatre of Image developed into a leading Australian theatre company for children and families, with its productions having a distinctive visual style. In September 2019 he announced the closure of the company. His work includes The Book of Everything which he created with Neil Armfield for Theatre of Image and Belvoir. The production toured Australia and played a season in New York at the New Victory Theatre. In 2019 he adapted and designed The Happy Prince as a ballet for The Australian Ballet. It premiered at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Kim Carpenter was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2013 for significant service to the performing arts. He has devised, directed or designed over 100 productions for theatre, opera, dance, physical theatre, ballet and puppetry. A prolific visual artist also, Kim Carpenter has been represented in Australian and International exhibitions. His next exhibition is a series inspired by William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This show of works will be exhibited at Maunsell Wickes Gallery Paddington, from April 6th to 21st. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E469 · Thu, March 28, 2024
‘Glorious’ - Actor; Diana McLean
Diana McLean has had a long career in TV, Film and Theatre and is best known by the public for her role of Vivienne Jeffries in the iconic TV Soap, The Young Doctors. On her return to Australia, after 16 years in UK and France, she appeared in many TV shows including, Water Rats, Murder Call, All Saints, Backberner, Number 96, Wonderland, and is still remembered for playing Bess O'Brien in Neighbours. Her miniseries credits include Ben Hall, The Norman Lindsay Series, Winner Takes All, and A Model Daughter. Theatre work has included; The Cold Child for Anthony Skuse at Griffin, Colder for Lachlan Philpot at Griffin, Love & Money at The Old Fitz, Three Sisters for Kate Retz, & Cry Havoc at ATYP, Julius Caesar for Anthony Skuse at The New, Other Desert Cities at The Ensemble Theatre (2015) and a national tour playing Florence Foster Jenkins in the play Glorious . Diana reprised her role of Vera in 4000 miles , twice in 2014 for which she was nominated as Best Leading Actress at the Sydney Theatre Awards. Most recently Diana has appeared in the World Premiere of Joanna Erskine’s new Australian play, Air (Old 505) and was part of the ensemble cast of The Humans at the Old Fitz. She joins STAGES for a long over-due catch up, and to reflect on a life-time telling stories. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E468 · Wed, March 27, 2024
‘Centred Stages’ - Performing Arts Counsellor, Coach & Mentor; Sophie Carter
The Arts are widely recognised as a unique tool for human expression and offer a valuable contribution to society. They define our humanity. For anyone working in the Arts, it is a wonderful and fulfilling profession. But a creative or performance career will present considerable emotional challenge. Navigating an industry with precarious employment opportunities means that artists (on and off the stage), may experience mental health concerns, anxiety or stress. Artists are required to manage a role that brings huge expectations from colleagues, self and potential employers. Work is not guaranteed, and this can place huge demands on day to day survival. Resilience, belief, and confidence are sought in creative industries, contrasted alongside a need for vulnerability, which provides a window to access the emotional states that support creativity and authentic performance. The Arts are a very human expression. Sophie Carter is a qualified counsellor and coach, who supports those who work within all sectors of the arts. She discovered a passion for music and performing at a young age. Finding her calling in theatre as a teenager, she never looked back and went on to enjoy a nearly 20-year career as a professional actor, singer, and dancer. Sophie has also had roles behind the scenes as a stage manager, an assistant director, an assistant producer, and a vocal coach. She continues to perform regularly in the contemporary live music scene and has ridden the turmoil of the Covid and post-Covid era alongside her fellow performers in an ever-shifting landscape. With two decades experience working in the professional theatre, music and film/tv industries, Sophie brings her lived experience with the arts to the counselling experience to help her clients navigate this wonderful but challenging industry. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E467 · Sat, March 23, 2024
‘Hey Old Friend!’ - Actor, Director, Writer; Barry Creyton
Barry Creyton began his career at the age of 17 in theatre and in radio in Australia and by age 20, was playing leads on stage, and in national radio productions. He also hosted his own weekly radio program devoted to theatre news and interviews. At 21, he made his Australian television debut as Lorenzo in a national television production of The Merchant of Venice. For three seasons, he starred in the TV series The Mavis Bramston Show . This ground breaking show, the highest rated in the history of Australian television, dealt with topical and political satire. Creyton relocated to England for twelve years playing comedy and dramatic roles in London's West End - including Don's Party (Royal Court), Roger's Last Stand (Duke of York's), T en Years Hard (Mayfair), Urban Guerilla (Soho Poly), a revival of the musical Salad Days, and Liz , a musical based on Aristophanes' Lysistrata as well as several revues and the National Tour of Abelard and Heloise. On his return to Australia, Creyton starred in many theatre productions - Ayckbourn's Bedroom Farce, Season's Greetings and Absurd Person Singular, Frayn's Noises Off , and in Pack Of Lies, Side By Side By Sondheim, The Owl And The Pussycat, Suddenly At Home, The Philanthropis t, and played twins in the comedy-thriller Corpse. He guest starred on many popular TV episodics. These roles were generally amorous cads or big-business villains - characters at odds with the comedies he played on the stage. They included The Restless Years, The Young Doctors, Skyways, Cop Shop, The Sullivans, I Married a Bachelor, Cuckoo in the Nest , as well as guest star roles in TV movies, Image of Death, All at Sea , the Michael Powell feature, They're a Weird Mob and the BBC's Robert Louis Stevenson in Australia . He turned to directing, with the musical Nunsense which broke box office records all over Australia, and employed two companies playing simultaneously. A motorcycle accident during the run of Corpse resulted in a badly broken leg. The long recuperation period enabled him to write a stage comedy, Double Act. Since 1990, Creyton has worked almost exclusively in the United States, principally as writer and director. He relocated from New York to Los Angeles when commissioned to write a movie of the week for Hearst Television, while his off Broadway revue Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know ran for two and a half years in New York. His critically acclaimed adaptation of Noël Coward's Peace in Our Time for the Antaeus Theatre Company in L.A. received the Ovation Award and the L.A. Weekly Annual Theatre Award; the L. A. Times voted the production among the best world theatre of the year. He has appeared on stage at the Antaeus Theatre in Balzac's Cousin Bette , Shaw's <em
S7 E466 · Wed, March 20, 2024
‘Grease is the Word’ - Actor/Director; Luke Joslin
Luke Joslin is a graduate of The University of Western Sydney and The Actors College of Theatre and Television, Luke has forged a successful career in both musical theatre and straight drama, as well as being highly sort after as a director. Luke worked as an Actor for 15 years. His extensive credits include the national tour of Peter Pan Goes Wrong, The Play That Goes Wrong , both for Lunchbox and Jon Nicholls, Brigadoon for Production Company, Machu Picchu for State Theatre Company of South Australia, Pinnochio for Windmill and Sydney Theatre Company, Threepenny Opera for Malthouse and Sydney Theatre Company, 25th Anniversary production of Les Miserables for Michael Cassel and Cameron McIntosh, Annie and Dr Zhivago both for GFO, Avenue Q for Arts Asia, Assassins for Neil Gooding, Dirty Dancing for Jacobsens, Titanic for Seabiscuit and Guys and Dolls for Dennis Smith. In 2009 he won the Helpmann and Greenroom Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Nicky/Trekky in Avenue Q . Luke was also Nominated for a Greenroom Award for Best Male in a Supporting Role in 2018 for Brigadoon . Directorial credits include Annie for Riverside Theatre, Educating Rita for Seymour Centre, Thank You For Being a Friend for Neil Gooding and Matt Henderson, Songs for a New World (Melbourne and Sydney) for Blue Saint and Hayes Theatre, Giggle and Hoot Live show for ABC and Live Nation, In the Heights (Hayes and Sydney Opera House) for Blue Saint and Sydney Opera House in which he was nominated for a Helpmann Award and Sydney Theatre Award for Best Director, Resident Director for Shrek the Musical for GFO, Les Miserables for Packemin Productions and Riverside Theatre, Revival Director – Otello with Opera Australia, Resident Director – Cinderella The Musical for John Frost at XRoads and Opera Australia and Bells are Ringing with Neglected Musicals. Luke also spearheaded the Riverside Theatre Digital Concert series where he conceptualised and directed six shows back to back. Luke most recently was show director for both Jimmy Rees’s Not that Kinda Viral Tour and the Swag on the Beat Live Show. He presently helms the exciting new production of Grease which has made its way to Sydney following a triumphant season in Melbourne. And the next stop is Perth. Luke Joslin joined STAGES to reflect on his journey from actor to director; and why Grease is still the word! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au </p
S7 E465 · Tue, March 19, 2024
‘Time to Learn, Time to Care’ - Celebrated Opera and Theatre Director; Francesca Zambello
Francesca Zambello is an internationally recognised director of opera and theatre. She is the Artistic Director of The Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center; a role she has occupied since 2012. In 2022 she retired from a celebrated role as the General Director of The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, N.Y., having been appointed in 2010. Francesca has also served as the Artistic Advisor to the San Francisco Opera from 2005–2011 and as the Artistic Director of the Skylight Theatre from 1987–1992. She has since staged new productions at major theatres, festivals and opera houses in Asia, Australia, South America, Europe and the USA. Collaborating with outstanding artists and designers and promoting emerging talent, she takes a special interest in new music theatre works, innovative productions, and in producing theatre and opera for wider audiences. Francesca Zambello has been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for her contribution to French culture and the Russian Federation’s medal for Service to Culture. Other honours for her work include three Olivier Awards from the London Society of Theatres and two Evening Standard Awards. The French Grand Prix des Critiques was awarded to her twice for her work at the Paris Opera. She has received the Medallion Society Award from the San Francisco Opera recognizing 30 years of work for the company. For Opera Australia, Francesca Zambello directed the 2012 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production of La Traviata , as well as T he Love for Three Oranges in 2016, and West Side Story on Sydney Harbour in 2019, for which she received the Helpmann Award for best direction of a musical. Ms. Zambello has also served as an adjunct professor at Yale University. An American who grew up in Europe, she speaks French, Italian, German, and Russian. She began her career as an Assistant Director to the late Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Francesca Zambello lives in New York with her wife, Faith Gay, a founding partner of Selendy & Gay and son, Jackson. www.francescazambello.com The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E464 · Sat, March 16, 2024
‘Sing Out Louise!’ - Musical Director, Performance Coach & Archivist; Michael Lavine
Michael Lavine is a Broadway Performance Coach and Sheet Music Expert. He has also worked as a musical director, pianist, vocal coach and singer all over the world. He is very much; a Music Man! Michael gives master classes on auditioning in New York, Los Angeles, Australia and Martha’s Vineyard. He has worked several times at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Accompanying many artists, he has worked regularly with Heather MacRae on her show about her father, Gordon and has accompanied Broadway and television star Bryan Batt in New Orleans, at 54 Below, Feinstein’s and the Metropolitan Room. He musically directed Bryan’s show Batt on a Hot Tin Roof at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in Australia, touring subsequently to Melbourne and Sydney. Michael regularly plays for the Outer Critics Circle Awards and musically directed the Broadway Cares Teddy Bear Auction for its entire 15-year run. Michael has conducted orchestras in Wichita, Kansas, Traverse City, Michigan, and Beverly, Mass., among other cities. He co-produced and musically directed the American premiere recording of HONK! at the York Theatre. Michael served as musical director for the Comden & Green musical Billion Dollar Baby starring Kristin Chenoweth, Marc Kudisch and Debbie Gravitte and the Burton Lane/Alan Jay Lerner musical Carmelina. He has shared the stage with Mimi Hines and Peter Howard (his mentor) at the Kennedy Center in a Rodgers & Hart revue, This Funny World . Michael is known for owning one of the largest privately held sheet music collections in the world, and is frequently called upon for his extensive knowledge, and is celebrated for preserving and archiving the musical theatre and American songbook. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E463 · Fri, March 15, 2024
‘New York City Boy’ - Actor/Writer; Eddie Grey
Eddie Grey was born and raised in Sydney. An accomplished musician and talented performer, he graduated from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and quickly garnered an impressive list of credits in productions of Spring Awakening (for the Sydney Theatre Company), and commercial productions of Legally Blonde, Wicked (as Boq) and The Book of Mormon. Whilst at WAAPA he started writing his own material. His first work was Frau Fangus’ Revenge , a musical about a masochistic Weimar-era piano teacher who falls in love with her student and makes the student murder her husband. Y’know. Standard musical comedy fodder! Following his successful forays on the Australian stage, he took the plunge and moved to New York, where he has performed in the National tour of The Book of Mormon - a show in which he also made his Broadway debut. Eddie recently completed a stint in the Broadway run of the musical Harmony, written by Barry Manilow. Both gigs came about under fascinating circumstances. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit that Eddie really started writing again, completing a postgraduate course in screenwriting for television at UCLA. The first short film he wrote and produced, titled Weather or Not, was based on a story by David Sedaris that Eddie optioned from the author himself. It went on to a successful festival run and distribution and also paved the way for his second short, The Singing Telegram which had its LA premiere at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Currently, he has a television project under development with Aurora Pictures in Sydney and another with Kilo Pictures in London. STAGES caught up with Eddie on a recent visit to New York where we learned so much more about his talent to amuse, and craft engaging theatre and film. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E462 · Wed, March 13, 2024
‘Drama Queen’ - Designer & Arts Educator; Judith Hoddinott
Judith Hoddinott has made considerable impact as an educator and a theatre designer across all disciplines. Training at the University of New England and the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, her design work has been seen complementing a myriad of stages with companies as diverse as the Sydney Theatre Company, GFO, CDP, Jacobsen Entertainment, Playbox, Opera Australia, Performing Lines, Theatre of the Deaf, New Moon, Hunter Valley, STC, Marian Street, & Ensemble theatre companies, and the Flying Fruit Fly Circus. Judith has taught Theatre Design at East Sydney Technical College, University of Western Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney and NIDA. She currently teaches at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. Theatrical fare that has soared with costume and/or set designs by Judith include Phedre, Away, Oleanna, Antony and Cleopatra, A Delicate Balance, The Merchant of Venice, Gary’s House, After Dinner, The Killing of Sister George, A Hard God, Macbeth, Sight Unseen, Emerald City, Death of a Salesman, The Sunshine Boys, Wit, I Ought to Be In Pictures, Aunty and Me, I’m Not Rappaport, The Heartbreak Kid, and Arms and the Man. Musical Theatre includes Guys and Dolls, A Chair in the Landscape, Shout!, Footloose, Il Trovatore, A Broad With Two Men, Working, Only Heaven Knows, The Man from Mukinupin and South Pacific. Judith offers abundant knowledge on the processes of design, and teaching, in this illuminating episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E461 · Sat, March 09, 2024
Vale Episode - Producer, Manager, Impresario; Martin McCallum.
On January 14th we learned of the passing of Theatre Impresario, Martin McCallum. He was a featured guest on the STAGES podcast in January 2019. The podcast was only a year old, but Martin with his enthusiasm and vigour for supporting new ventures was keen at my first suggestion. I am so honoured that we were able to record some of his story in this episode. Martin resided in Australia for the past 20 years. He was brought here originally when overseeing the transfer of global hit musicals such as Evita , to Australian shores; working alongside the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. The relationships he established in Australia would enable him to successfully bring Cameron Mackintosh’s four juggernaut musicals to our theatres in the 80s and 90s; Cats, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon. Martin guided Mackintosh’s overseas production ventures and managed Australian and New York offices. He worked closely with Mackintosh on restoring The Prince Edward and Prince of Wales theatres in London’s West End. He commenced his life in the theatre as a stage manager and bit-part actor in regional repertory theatre in the UK, working his way up the ranks to joining Laurence Olivier and the National Theatre at the Old Vic in 1971. Adept at all technical elements of the theatre, and proving himself as an accomplished manager, Martin oversaw the practical and technical transfer of the National to the South Bank building in 1976. He was indeed a giant and gentleman of the theatre. And a lovely bloke and treasured friend to many of us. Vale Martin McCallum (April 6, 1950 - January 14, 2024) The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E460 · Wed, March 06, 2024
‘Not a Day Goes By’ - Stars of GROUNDHOG DAY; Andy Karl & Elise McCann
Groundhog Day The Musical made its Australian Premiere at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre on Thursday February 1st - (incidentally February 2nd is the actual Groundhog Day). Direct from its record-breaking return season at London’s Old Vic, the Australian production will play a 13-week season in Melbourne. Groundhog Day the Musical is a gloriously joyful and heart-warming production from the award-winning minds of Australia’s one and only Tim Minchin AM , the writer of the iconic 1993 film Danny Rubin and director Matthew Warchus . Broadway Veteran Andy Karl returns to Groundhog Day after his critically-acclaimed reprisal at London’s Old Vic as ‘Phil Connors,’ the role he originated on Broadway which won him an Olivier Award and a Tony Nomination; the third of his Tony nominations. He was previously seen in the Broadway revival of Into The Woods as both ‘Rapunzel’s Prince’ and ‘Cinderella’s Prince/The Wolf,’ and leading the Broadway musical Pretty Woman as ‘Edward Lewis.’ Other notable theatre credits include the Broadway revival of On the Twentieth Century , the title role in Rocky, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, 9 to 5, Legally Blonde, Wicked, The Wedding Singer , and Saturday Night Fever . On television he appeared in Season 17 of Law & Order: SVU as “Sergeant Mike Dodds.” , and also The Good Fight and Blue Bloods. The production also features Elise McCann, who is most well-known for originating the role of Miss Honey in the Australian production of Matilda for which she won the 2016 Helpmann Award. Her breadth of musical theatre experience is extensive with celebrated credits that include Lucille Ball in Everybody Loves Lucy, Mary Flynn in Merrily We Roll Along and most recently for her performance as Donna in the 2023 20th Anniversary Tour of MAMMA MIA! the Musical. Further theatre credits include The Last Five Years, The Wedding Singer; Oklahoma, Brigadoon, South Pacific, Doctor Zhivago, Fiddler on the Roof, Falsettos, Into The Woods, Little Women and My Fair Lady . Andy and Elise were recently in Sydney where we caught up to discuss the extraordinary show they’re currently navigating and the many joys and challenges of a career in musical theatre. Groundhog Day - The Musical plays the Princess Theatre in Melbourne until April 20th. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S7 E460 · Fri, February 23, 2024
STAGES SEASON 7 - "It's So Nice to Have You Back Where You Belong!"
The STAGES podcast returns in 2024 for it's 7th Season - conversations with creatives about craft and career! Season 7 launches on March 7th.
S6 E459 · Wed, December 13, 2023
‘Christmas Stages’; Peter Eyers, Kate Fitzpatrick, Trevor Ashley, Rhonda Burchmore, Mark Humphries & Geraldine Turner
We’ve arrived at the end of season 6 of the STAGES podcast and we celebrate with our annual Christmas episode. It’s been a huge year for the podcast - delivering 99 episodes! Every one a super conversation with artists and creatives and support staff across all disciplines. Old friends return to spread the Christmas cheer. STAGES catches up with Trevor Ashley, Rhonda Burchmore, Mark Humphries and Geraldine Turner - and of course, the episode wouldn’t be complete without the wonderful Kate Fitzpatrick. A perfect episode to finish the year, to say thank you for listening, and to wish you a very Merry Christmas! We’ll be back in March 2024! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E458 · Sat, December 09, 2023
‘Give My Regards To Broadway’ - Theatre Pilgrims; Man in Chair, Simon Parris and Publicist Extraordinaire, Ian Phipps
It’s the time of year where folk are jetting off on holidays - a key destination for many theatre fans is to head to the West End of London or the bright lights of Broadway - theatre precincts which guarantee excitement and awe. Two gentlemen who make their own annual pilgrimage to the Great White Way or the West End - are ‘Man in Chair’ Simon Parris, and Publicist Ian Phipps. The two theatre afficionados joined the podcast last year to offer a round-up of the shows they’d seen on recent trips to New York and London. Many listeners reported that they enjoyed the abundant tips offered in the conversation regarding what to see and how to secure tickets … so, we’ve invited them back again - almost to the year when they joined us last. No London round-up this time - but a delicious appraisal of what is on, and what has been celebrated, in the theatre mecca of Broadway. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E457 · Fri, December 08, 2023
‘Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?’ - Jazz Virtuoso; Emma Pask
Award winning vocalist Emma Pask, has firmly established herself as one of Australia’s favourite voices in Jazz. Her effortless, honest stage presence combined with her powerful vocal ability, leaves audiences spellbound and inspired whenever she takes to the stage. While Emma’s voice and style are unique, and individually her own, her performances are reminiscent of the classic era of jazz, when swing was top of the charts. Her talent was first spotted by internationally renowned Jazz great James Morrison, when she was just 16 years old. She joined his band as the lead vocalist and went on to spend a solid 20 years touring the world with Morrison. On request Emma performed the Bridal Waltz for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban at their wedding. More recently she played support to Legendary Guitarist/Vocalist George Benson when he toured Australia. Emma opened for Grammy Award winning American vocalist Kurt Elling, on his 2018 Australian Tour. Emma is a “Mo’ award winner for Jazz Vocalist of the year, and has received two ARIA award nominations for Best Jazz Album of the Year in 2014 and 2016. Emma has had the honour to sing for VIP audiences including the late Diana Princess of Wales and Princess Mary of Denmark. She has sung in London at The Queen Elizabeth Hall with the BBC Concert Orchestra , the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra . Emma has performed in China with The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra , Auckland with the NZ Philharmonic, and with the WA Symphony Orchestra in Perth. In 2019 the Emma Pask Band headlined at the Havana Jazz Festival in Cuba. Emma has toured her band throughout Europe, Asia and Australia. She has received rave reviews for her performances in Uruguay, South America, and is a regular at the prestigious Ascona Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Despite her achievements and the international recognition of her talent, Emma retains her natural, refreshing and unpretentious, positive approach to life. Jazz virtuoso James Morrison says of Emma, “Whilst it’s fashionable to be a jazz singer these days, she is the real thing!” In 2020 amidst the Covid 19 lockdown, Emma was chosen by The Sydney Opera House to launch the first of their concerts live streamed from the stage of the hallowed Joan Sutherland Theatre. This performance won the offical Time Out (in) award for favourite Arts livestream. In 2021 The Emma Pask Big Band brought Sydney’s music scene back to life after lockdown, as they featured with a sold out performance at Sunset Piazza. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). <a href="http://www.stagespodcast.c
S6 E456 · Wed, December 06, 2023
‘Seasons of Play’ - Artistic Director Ensemble Theatre Company; Mark Kilmurry
Mark Kilmurry is a writer, director and actor for theatre, film, television and radio. His writing credits for theatre include Mercy Thieves, Happy as Larry and Viv, The Light Comes Up, Bruised, The Mime Artist’s Wife and Arthur and Amy. Aside from his own work, he has directed Retreat from Moscow (Ensemble Theatre); The Lover (Belvoir Street Theatre); and Hammerklavier (Stables Theatre) and as an actor he has appeared in The Dumb Waiter (Studio Company); Japes, Aunty & Me, The Yalta Game, Afterplay and Art (Ensemble Theatre); What a Piece of Work (Stables Theatre); One Shot, John Wayne Never Slept Here, Neville’s Island and Tartuffe (Santa Fe Stages Theatre Festival); and Cyrano de Bergerac (Sydney Theatre Company). He co-founded the Snarling Beasties Theatre Company in the UK with Debbie Isitt. Mark first came to Australia in 1991 with The Snarling Beasties , and moved permanently in 1996. He is currently the Artistic Director of the Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli after first working there as an actor in 2002, then becoming associate director, co-artistic director and from 2015 sole artistic director. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E454 · Mon, December 04, 2023
‘Basking in the Limelight’ - Arts Journalist; Jo Litson
Jo Litson has been one of the Nation’s treasured Arts Journalists for some 37 years. She is the Print Editor of Limelight ; the magazine that celebrates music, arts and culture. Jo originally joined Limelight magazine as Deputy Editor in August 2016 after more than 25 years working as a freelance arts writer for publications including The Australian, Limelight magazine, The Bulletin, the Qantas magazine, POL Oxygen, the Sydney Theatre Company’s Backstage magazine, and the Sunday Telegraph where she had been the arts writer/theatre reviewer since 2006. Fascinated by the magic of theatre from a young age, she sought and navigated a career in the performing arts in a range of roles. In tertiary study, Jo completed a BA (Hons) in English/Drama from Birmingham University in the UK. And so the adventure begun. After working front of house in several West End theatres, and as an Assistant Organiser in the Theatre Department at British Actors’ Equity, she moved to Australia in 1982. Initially based in Melbourne, she worked as an Assistant Publicist and Front of House Manager for Melbourne’s Playbox Theatre Company , and as an usher and then Box Office Manager at Her Majesty’s Theatre . She was also a dresser on several musicals including La Cage Aux Folles and Guys and Dolls. In 1986, she moved to Sydney and managed the Halftix Booth before embarking on a career in arts journalism. Jo was Arts Editor of Vogue Australia in the late 1980s and an on-screen reporter for the ABC-TV arts magazine programme Review. From 1998 – 2000, she edited the Australia Council magazine Artforce. Jo has written the extended labels for the Archibald Prize for the Art Gallery of NSW for over 20 years and wrote the programmes and media kits for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 15th Asian Games in Doha in 2006. Her appreciation of all arts is extensive, informed by a life-time working in and around stages. How fortunate we are to have Jo celebrating performance, investigating craft and shining the light. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E455 · Sat, December 02, 2023
‘Starting Out’ - Actor; Anthony Yangoyan
Anthony Yangoyan was born in Sydney, where he grew up in Sydney’s inner west. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from The Victorian College of the Arts. In 2019, Anthony co-wrote and performed in a new work titled ‘Tiger Cage’ at The Victorian College of the Arts student run Discord 879 Festival. Anthony aims to create work that promotes both inclusion and diversity amongst the acting industry and is passionate about working with fellow creatives to communicate meaningful and intricate stories. Over the course of his career, Anthony has played a part in multiple productions including: for Griffin: Dogged (for which he was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award) and an acclaimed performance in Jailbaby ; for Sydney Theatre Company/STCSA: The Dictionary of Lost Words ; for ATYP: A Clockwork Orange ; for Red Line Productions/Critical Stages: King of Pigs. Anthony has also featured in Play in a Day for Bell Shakespeare. Other stage credits include: for Company Clan: The Shape of Things ; and for VCA: A View from the Bridge , The Cherry Orchard , The Comedy of Errors , Doctor Faustus , Mad Forest . Anthony also worked on the original web series Frank’s Patch where he played the lead role of Frank. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E421 · Fri, December 01, 2023
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED JOHN WATERS - from October 22nd, 2020
As we draw towards the end of our 6th Season and chalk up 450+ episodes, it’s time we reach into the archive to feature conversations and creatives previously featured on STAGES. We spotlight such episodes, in case you missed them first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. The STAGES podcast opens an essential doorway to access precious oral histories from the people who were, and are, on and around our stages. Conversations with Creatives about Craft and Career! John Waters is one of Australia’s most recognised and favourite actors. His theatre credits span productions in Australia and the United Kingdom. Demonstrating terrific versatility, John has taken lead roles in an array of plays, musicals, television and film. He was featured on the STAGES podcast in October, 2020. He made is debut as Claude in Harry M. Millar’s production of Hair. Subsequent performances include Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, They’re Playing Our Song, An Ideal Husband, The Woman in Black, A Little Night Music, Talk, The Sound of Music, The Graduate, Oliver!, Rocky Horror Picture Show, My Fair Lady and The Addams Family. As well as his 20-year involvement with the iconic Australian children’s show Play School, his other television credits include City Homicide, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, The Man from Snowy River, Singapore Sling, All The Rivers Run, Rush, All Saints, Underbelly: The Golden Mile, Offspring, Mystery Road and Division 4 for which he was awarded the TV Week Silver Logie for Best New Talent in 1975. His impressive list of feature film credits includes Stealth, The Sugar Factory, High Country, Breaker Morant, Eliza Frazer and Pino Amenta’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams for which he received the AFI (AACTA) Best Actor Award. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E453 · Wed, November 29, 2023
‘The Write Stuff’ - Playwright; Joanna Murray-Smith
Joanna Murray-Smith’s plays have been produced and translated all over the world, in over two dozen languages, including on Broadway, the West End and at the Royal National Theatre in London. Joanna has worked across many forms, from plays to novels, journalism, opera libretti and screenplays. Her plays include Three Little Words, Switzerland, Pennsylvania Avenue, True Minds, Songs for Nobodies, The Gift, Rockabye, The Female of the Species, Ninety, Bombshells, Berlin and Flame (Melbourne Theatre Company); L’Appartement (Queensland Theatre); American Song (Milwaukee Repertory); Day One-A-Hotel-Evening (Red Stitch); Fury (Sydney Theatre Company); Rapture, Nightfall, Redemption, Love Child and Honour (Malthouse Theatre). Both Honour and Rapture won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Best Play. Joanna has also adapted Hedda Gabler (for the State Theatre Company of South Australia) and Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage for Sir Trevor Nunn (Coventry/London). Her adaptation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya will be seen at the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney next year; as will Switzerland . While a tour of her extraordinary examination of our female Prime. Minister, Julia will play in Melbourne, Adelaide and a return Sydney season. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E452 · Sat, November 25, 2023
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED MAUREEN ELKNER - from October 18th, 2018 - Episode 18
As we draw towards the end of our 6th Season and chalk up 450+ episodes, it’s time we reach into the archive to feature conversations and creatives previously featured on STAGES. We spotlight such episodes, in case you missed them first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. The STAGES podcast opens an essential doorway to access precious oral histories from the people who were, and are, on and around our stages. Conversations with Creatives about Craft and Career! In this return episode, we spotlight a conversation with Maureen Elkner. Maureen joined the podcast in our very first year - in fact, hers was episode no:18. Maureen has been singing since the sixties. Carving out a career as a rock/pop vocalist she began her professional career in a trio called The Chiffons. Singing back-up for John Farnham and providing some of the vocals on Russell Morris’s classic The Real Thing, Maureen found her great success with the chart climber ‘Rak Off Normie’ – the follow up single to Bob Hudson’s novelty hit ‘The Newcastle Song’. Maureen released 7 singles and two albums through the 70s and also found success as an actress and comedienne in the original Australian productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and The Rocky Horror Show. A short-lived season (only two performances!) of the musical Oh Calcutta! saw her arrested along with the rest of the cast. Maureen also entertained the troops during the Vietnam war, venturing into enemy territory to relieve our soldiers from the horrors they were navigating. It’s a fascinating story and STAGES was delighted to sit down with the inspiring Maureen Elkner. This conversation was recorded in October, 2018. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E451 · Wed, November 22, 2023
‘Queens of the Night’ - Opera Collaborators; Kate Gaul and Andy Dexterity
Mozart’s The Magic Flute will be presented by Opera Australia during their Summer season in early 2024. At the helm of the production is Director Kate Gaul. An artist of tremendous invention and imagination. The production she conjures will thrill and seduce, as this opera favourite is brought to vivid life. Assisting Kate as Movement Director is frequent collaborator, Andy Dexterity. His eclectic style and command of the physical always delights and sheds enlightening perspective. Both were guests in early seasons of the STAGES podcast. It was a treat to catch up with them once again to hear what’s been happening in their worlds and what we can look forward to in the world of The Magic Flute. Kate has been directing full-time since completing the NIDA Director’s course in 1996 and has established herself as a distinctive and inventive director, with productions for such companies as Pinchgut Opera, Belvoir St Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Griffin Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company. Kate’s productions include The End of Winter, Camp!, Good With Maps, The Trouble with Harry, The Ham Funeral, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Britten), Misterman, Invisible Circus, Il Matrimonio Segreto (Conservatorium of Music), Castor et Pollux (Pinchgut Opera), The New Electric Ballroom and Carmen (OzOpera). Andy Dexterity is a Green Room Award-nominated performance maker primarily recognised for his unique brand of movement, fusing dance, physical theatre and physical languages. Andy is fascinated by the way we communicate and interact as a species and Andy creates playful work with the intention to empower, connect and transcend linguistic boundaries. The Magic Flute plays the Sydney Opera House February 1st to March 16th, 2024 The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E450 · Sat, November 18, 2023
‘Give ‘Em A Show That’s So Splendiferous’ - Stage Titan; Anthony Warlow Pt3
Anthony Warlow has been thrilling audiences from the moment he arrived on the theatrical scene and has successfully inhabited a diversity of roles in opera and musical theatre, his versatility gaining him an honoured place on the international stage. From his debut with the Australian Opera in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1980, he has left an indelible stamp on the industry both at home and abroad. Anthony’s lengthy stage credits include the London National Theatre production of Guys and Dolls , making his music theatre debut with the role of Sky Masterson in 1986, creating the role of Enjolras in the Australian production of Les Misérables (1988), and the title role of the Phantom in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera (1990 and 2007-2008). In 1995 he enjoyed a joyous season in Lucy Simon’s The Secret Garden as Archie Craven, and collaborated with her again in 2010, creating the role of Dr Yuri Zhivago in the Australian premiere production of Doctor Zhivago: The Musical. Other highlights include Australian tours of Annie (2000 and 2012), seasons with Opera Australia and a critically acclaimed performance as Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof in 2016. Anthony made his Broadway debut in 2013, portraying the iconic role of Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks in the 35th Anniversary production of Annie , directed by James Lapine. His performance won him several Broadway nominations (Drama Desk, Drama League, People’s Choice), and in 2015 he was invited to return to the US to perform the dual roles of Miguel De Cervantes/ Don Quixote in The Shakespeare Theatre Company of Washington production of Man of La Mancha. This portrayal won him the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. The same year he replaced Kelsey Grammer ( Frasier ) in the Broadway production of Finding Neverland , playing the roles of Charles Frohman/ Captain Hook. Anthony made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2013 but is no stranger to the concert platform, performing around Australia with our Symphony Orchestras. His studio recordings have spanned more than 20 years and include solo albums, cast recordings and live performances in concert and with Opera Australia. His love of “flawed anti-heroes” continued with his portrayal of Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street . His performance was hailed by critics and was a welcome addition to his theatrical canon. Anthony has been honoured by the nation receiving the title of Living National Treasure , and his outstanding achievements acknowledged with his investiture as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to the performing arts. He is married to Amanda and divides his time and career between Australia’s capital cities and New York. Anthony Warlow is back on the boards and will step into the shoes of the cunning and charisma
S6 E449 · Wed, November 15, 2023
‘When the Momentum and the Moment are in Rhyme’ - Stage Titan; Anthony Warlow Pt2
Anthony Warlow has been thrilling audiences from the moment he arrived on the theatrical scene and has successfully inhabited a diversity of roles in opera and musical theatre, his versatility gaining him an honoured place on the international stage. From his debut with the Australian Opera in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1980, he has left an indelible stamp on the industry both at home and abroad. Anthony’s lengthy stage credits include the London National Theatre production of Guys and Dolls , making his music theatre debut with the role of Sky Masterson in 1986, creating the role of Enjolras in the Australian production of Les Misérables (1988), and the title role of the Phantom in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera (1990 and 2007-2008). In 1995 he enjoyed a joyous season in Lucy Simon’s The Secret Garden as Archie Craven, and collaborated with her again in 2010, creating the role of Dr Yuri Zhivago in the Australian premiere production of Doctor Zhivago: The Musical. Other highlights include Australian tours of Annie (2000 and 2012), seasons with Opera Australia and a critically acclaimed performance as Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof in 2016. Anthony made his Broadway debut in 2013, portraying the iconic role of Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks in the 35th Anniversary production of Annie , directed by James Lapine. His performance won him several Broadway nominations (Drama Desk, Drama League, People’s Choice), and in 2015 he was invited to return to the US to perform the dual roles of Miguel De Cervantes/ Don Quixote in The Shakespeare Theatre Company of Washington production of Man of La Mancha. This portrayal won him the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. The same year he replaced Kelsey Grammer ( Frasier ) in the Broadway production of Finding Neverland , playing the roles of Charles Frohman/ Captain Hook. Anthony made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2013 but is no stranger to the concert platform, performing around Australia with our Symphony Orchestras. His studio recordings have spanned more than 20 years and include solo albums, cast recordings and live performances in concert and with Opera Australia. His love of “flawed anti-heroes” continued with his portrayal of Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street . His performance was hailed by critics and was a welcome addition to his theatrical canon. Anthony has been honoured by the nation receiving the title of Living National Treasure , and his outstanding achievements acknowledged with his investiture as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to the performing arts. He is married to Amanda and divides his time and career between Australia’s capital cities and New York. Anthony Warlow is back on the boards and will step into the shoes of the cunning and charisma
S6 E448 · Sat, November 11, 2023
‘To Run Where the Brave Dare Not Go’ - Stage Titan; Anthony Warlow Pt1
Anthony Warlow has been thrilling audiences from the moment he arrived on the theatrical scene and has successfully inhabited a diversity of roles in opera and musical theatre, his versatility gaining him an honoured place on the international stage. From his debut with the Australian Opera in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1980, he has left an indelible stamp on the industry both at home and abroad. Anthony’s lengthy stage credits include the London National Theatre production of Guys and Dolls , making his music theatre debut with the role of Sky Masterson in 1986, creating the role of Enjolras in the Australian production of Les Misérables (1988), and the title role of the Phantom in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera (1990 and 2007-2008). In 1995 he enjoyed a joyous season in Lucy Simon’s The Secret Garden as Archie Craven, and collaborated with her again in 2010, creating the role of Dr Yuri Zhivago in the Australian premiere production of Doctor Zhivago: The Musical. Other highlights include Australian tours of Annie (2000 and 2012), seasons with Opera Australia and a critically acclaimed performance as Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof in 2016. Anthony made his Broadway debut in 2013, portraying the iconic role of Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks in the 35th Anniversary production of Annie , directed by James Lapine. His performance won him several Broadway nominations (Drama Desk, Drama League, People’s Choice), and in 2015 he was invited to return to the US to perform the dual roles of Miguel De Cervantes/ Don Quixote in The Shakespeare Theatre Company of Washington production of Man of La Mancha. This portrayal won him the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. The same year he replaced Kelsey Grammer ( Frasier ) in the Broadway production of Finding Neverland , playing the roles of Charles Frohman/ Captain Hook. Anthony made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2013 but is no stranger to the concert platform, performing around Australia with our Symphony Orchestras. His studio recordings have spanned more than 20 years and include solo albums, cast recordings and live performances in concert and with Opera Australia. His love of “flawed anti-heroes” continued with his portrayal of Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street . His performance was hailed by critics and was a welcome addition to his theatrical canon. Anthony has been honoured by the nation receiving the title of Living National Treasure , and his outstanding achievements acknowledged with his investiture as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to the performing arts. He is married to Amanda and divides his time and career between Australia’s capital cities and New York. Anthony Warlow is back on the boards and will step into the shoes of the cunning and charisma
S6 E447 · Wed, November 08, 2023
‘Is He Really German?’ - Entertainer; Matt Gilbertson (Hans)
‘Hans' is the creation of Adelaide born entertainment journalist Matt Gilbertson. Boozier than Oktoberfest, more drive than a Volkswagen, and more sausage than a bratwurst convention, Hans is Germany’s proudest export. An international superstar, sex symbol, accordionist and Berlin boy-wonder, Hans has been thrilling audiences around the globe with his own fabulous brand of award-winning comedy cabaret for over a decade, performing for everyone from Prime Ministers to Princesses and paupers to paper boys. In 2018 Hans won the hearts of 16 million Americans with his cheeky and electrifying song and dance routines on NBC’s juggernaut TV series, America’s Got Talent . 2020 arrived and Hans put his foot down on the gas of his luxury German four wheel drive as he accepted his invitation to return to the USA and appear on America’s Got Talent: The Champions (NBC). Competing against the very best contestants from the US, Europe and the Antipodes, Hans made it through to the Grand Final and was declared one of the ten best entertainers in the world (no, really, look it up). Hans’ original production of Hans: Like a German debuted to sell out crowds at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2019, winning the Best Cabaret award and followed by a nationwide tour. Now with an über spring in his step, his brand new show, Haus of Hans: Disco Spektakulär , premiered at Adelaide Fringe Festival 2020. It was his most ambitious production ever and became the highest selling comedy cabaret show at the festival, and the highest grossing South Australian production too. To top it all off, Hans took home the coveted Best Cabaret award for the second year in a row. On television you may have seen Hans on Eurovision: Australia Decides Live (SBS) and appearances on The Good Friday Appeal (Seven), Sunrise (Seven), The Today Show (Nine), Studio 10 (Ten), The Morning Show (Seven), Carols in The Domain (Seven), SA Weekender (Seven)…you get it, he goes where the money is. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E446 · Sat, November 04, 2023
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED; JONATHAN BIGGINS - from February 21, 2019
As we draw towards the end of our 6th Season and chalk up 440+ episodes, it’s time we reach into the archive to feature conversations and creatives previously featured on STAGES. We spotlight such episodes, in case you missed them first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. The STAGES podcast opens an essential doorway to access precious oral histories from the people who were, and are, on and around our stages. Conversations with Creatives about Craft and Career! In this return episode, we spotlight a conversation with Jonathan Biggins from February 2019. Jonathan Biggins loathes all forms of social media. When I invited him onto STAGES, he told me he’d never listened to a podcast! So, I was thrilled to introduce him to the form. Mr Biggins is charming, and armed with a wit we relish and crave. He is one of the creators and performers of the Wharf Revue – a popular entertainment that has demanded a date on the calendar annually. Well, it’s that time of the year once again, when the silliness and satire takes centre stage, in a season at Sydney’s Seymour Centre. This year’s offering, The Wharf Revue: Pride in Prejudice , has been written by the team we adore - Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phil Scott (incidentally, who all have been featured on the podcast and can be found in the STAGES archive!). The cast consists of Mr Biggins, Mr Forsythe, Mandy Bishop, David Whitney and Andrew Worboys. Bookings at seymourcentre.com . From November 8th. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E445 · Wed, November 01, 2023
‘You Should Get a Medal, or be Even Made a Knight!’ - Veteran Actor; Tony Llewellyn-Jones Pt2
London-born Tony Llewellyn-Jones graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1971 and was invited to join the Melbourne Theatre Company. Over the next two years Tony appeared in productions including Tonight at 8.30, Mother Courage, The Cherry Orchard, How Does Your Garden Grow?, The Time is Not Yet Ripe, Danton’s Death, Paying the Piper, An Ideal Husband, You Want It Don’t You Billy?, Macquarie, The Plough and The Stars, Forget-Me-Not-Lane, The Tavern, Sticks and Bones and Batman’s Beachhead . Tony has returned to Melbourne Theatre Company for The Visit , Life x 3 , Realism and North By Northwest . He also has appeared for the Old Tote Theatre Company, Marian Street, Nimrod Theatre, Griffin, Belvoir and Bell Shakespeare. For the Sydney Theatre Company his credits include The Crucible, Saint Joan, Life After George, Corporate Vibes, Amigos, Metamorphosis, The Tempest, Hay Fever and King Lear. He served on the panel that engaged Richard Wherret as the inaugural Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company. He received an AFI Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in the celebrated cinema capture of Picnic at Hanging Rock. In 2012 Tony performed in the Australian tour of Yes, Prime Minister for Guild, Woods & Bryce Productions. And in 2016 he was cast in the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady , as Colonel Hugh Pickering - a role it seems he was destined to play. Tony has appeared in numerous television series, including Rake, I Spry, The Prime Minister Is Missing, Underbelly, G.P., All Saints, Hell Has Harbour Views, BackBerner, Grass Roots, 13 Gantry Row, The Paper Boy, One Day Miller and Who Do You Think You Are?. His film appearances include Illuminations, Inside Looking Out, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Girl who Met Simone de Beauvoir in Paris, Fatty Finn, Seeing Red, Man of Flowers, Cosi and Human Touch. Tony also has worked as a producer on Paul Cox feature films, including Man of Flowers, My First Wife, Cactus, Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent van Gogh, Human Touch, Salvation and Force of Destiny. Tony Llewellyn Jones is a true gentleman of the theatre - abundant with anecdote, considered opinion and tremendous passion for a career that has rewarded him many times over. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E444 · Sun, October 29, 2023
‘The Best Things in Life are Three’ - Veteran Actor; Tony Llewellyn-Jones Pt1
London born Tony Llewellyn-Jones graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1971 and was invited to join the Melbourne Theatre Company. Over the next two years Tony appeared in productions including Tonight at 8.30, Mother Courage, The Cherry Orchard, How Does Your Garden Grow?, The Time is Not Yet Ripe, Danton’s Death, Paying the Piper, An Ideal Husband, You Want It Don’t You Billy?, Macquarie, The Plough and The Stars, Forget-Me-Not-Lane, The Tavern, Sticks and Bones and Batman’s Beachhead . Tony has returned to Melbourne Theatre Company for The Visit , Life x 3 , Realism and North By Northwest . He also has appeared for the Old Tote Theatre Company, Marian Street, Nimrod Theatre, Griffin, Belvoir and Bell Shakespeare. For the Sydney Theatre Company his credits include The Crucible, Saint Joan, Life After George, Corporate Vibes, Amigos, Metamorphosis, The Tempest, Hay Fever and King Lear. He served on the panel that engaged Richard Wherret as the inaugural Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company. He received an AFI Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in the celebrated cinema capture of Picnic at Hanging Rock. In 2012 Tony performed in the Australian tour of Yes, Prime Minister for Guild, Woods & Bryce Productions. And in 2016 he was cast in the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady , as Colonel Hugh Pickering - a role it seems he was destined to play. Tony has appeared in numerous television series, including Rake, I Spry, The Prime Minister Is Missing, Underbelly, G.P., All Saints, Hell Has Harbour Views, BackBerner, Grass Roots, 13 Gantry Row, The Paper Boy, One Day Miller and Who Do You Think You Are?. His film appearances include Illuminations, Inside Looking Out, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Girl who Met Simone de Beauvoir in Paris, Fatty Finn, Seeing Red, Man of Flowers, Cosi and Human Touch. Tony also has worked as a producer on Paul Cox feature films, including Man of Flowers, My First Wife, Cactus, Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent van Gogh, Human Touch, Salvation and Force of Destiny. Tony Llewellyn Jones is a true gentleman of the theatre - abundant with anecdote, considered opinion and tremendous passion for a career that has rewarded him many times over. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E444 · Wed, October 25, 2023
‘If You Liked it Then you Shoulda Put a Ring on it!’ - Opera Singer; Daniel Sumegi
In the thirty-fifth year of his career, Daniel Sumegi has sung over one hundred operatic roles on many of the world’s major stages – including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, as well as at Opera Australia. He has also appeared in the opera houses of Bonn, Cologne, Frankfurt and Hamburg, as well as Paris, Barcelona, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Houston among many others. Regarded also for his dynamic acting, his broad repertoire encompasses all periods of music – from Monteverdi and Mozart to Britten, Tippett and Puts. Equally comfortable as Strauss’ Baron Ochs, Mozart’s Sarastro and Commendatore, Verdi’s Grand Inquisitor and Sparafucile, Offenbach’s Four Villains or Puccini’s Scarpia, he has participated in Ring Cycles in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Strasbourg, Cologne, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Seattle, Melbourne and Adelaide, most notably as Hagen. He has additionally performed Hunding in concert for the Hong Kong, Atlanta, Stuttgart and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras. Daniel’s 2021/2022 engagements included Die Walküre (Singapore), Salome (Victorian Opera), Fidelio (Dublin) and Bluebeard’s Castle, Aida and Lohengrin (Opera Australia). Among other roles, he has sung Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Pogner) for Opera Australia, Salome (Jochanaan) for New Israeli Opera, Der fliegende Holländer (title role) for Malmö Opera in Sweden and Carmen (Zuniga) for Seattle Opera. He also undertook his music theatre debut, as Judge Turpin in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, seen in Sydney and Melbourne. Past highlights include Don Carlo and Madama Butterfly (Metropolitan Opera), Der Rosenkavalier (Scottish and Welsh National Opera), Luisa Miller (San Francisco), Billy Budd and Rigoletto (Los Angeles), Parsifal (Hamburg, Barcelona, Adelaide), Salome (Washington, Hamburg, Leeds, Hong Kong), Der fliegende Holländer, Aida, Beatrice and Benedict and Barbiere (Seattle), Manchurian Candidate (Minnesota, Austin), and more than 25 principal roles for Opera Australia. He has collaborated with noted conductors such as James Conlon, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, Dan Ettinger, Asher Fisch, Valery Gergiev, Nicola Luisotti, Sir Charles Mackerras, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Renato Palumbo, Sir Simon Rattle, Carlo Rizzi, Donald Runnicles, Nello Santi, Sir Jeffrey Tate, Edo de Waart, Sebastian Weigle, and Simone Young. Daniel Sumegi appears on CD in Beatrice di Tenda and Seattle Opera’s acclaimed Ring Cycle, and on DVD in the San Francisco Opera Production of Capriccio, Opera Australia’s Don Giovanni, and the historic condensed Ring Cycle from Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires. In December, he makes his role début as Wotan/The Wanderer in OA’s new production of Der Ring des Nibelungen. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagra
S6 E442 · Sat, October 21, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Impresario; John Frost
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Known affectionately as Frosty the Showman; impresario John Frost has been at the pinnacle of Musical Theatre in Australia for several decades. The Gordon Frost Organisation has contributed much of the commercial product that has traversed stages around the country. His productions have garnered a swag of local awards as well as two Tony Awards on the Broadway stage for his celebrated production of The King & I. Frosty joined STAGES for a second time in an episode titled BACK TO BROADWAY which considered the 2021 Tony Awards - and John’s own forays into the theatre of Broadway. John Frost was a guest of the STAGES podcast in September 2021.
S6 E441 · Wed, October 18, 2023
‘So Many Possibilities’ - Theatre Designer; Richard Roberts
Richard Roberts is an award-winning designer and educator. His body of work spans theatre, ballet, opera, musical theatre, and film, across Australia and internationally. Richard is currently Head of Design and Production at the Victorian College of the Arts. He has held positions as Head of Design at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Head of Production at The Victorian College of the Arts and Head of Design at The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Richard’s designs for opera include: for Opera Australia, Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, The Magic Flute and Die Fledermaus (with West Australian Opera); for Victorian Opera, Parsifal, Cunning Little Vixen; Nixon In China, The Magic Flute, Baroque Triple Bill, The Marriage Of Figaro; The Corronation Of Poppea and Don Giovanni; for Opera Queensland, Ruddigore; and for New Zealand Opera, Seattle Opera, and Philadelphia Opera Rigoletto. For dance, Richard’s designs include: for Australian Ballet, Don Quixote, Requiem, Molto Vivace and Raymonda; La Sylphide and La Fille Mal Gardee for West Australian Ballet and Queensland Ballet. For theatre, Richard’s designs include: for Queensland Theatre, Othello, The Sunshine Club, Death Of A Salesman, Noises Off (with MTC), Much Ado About Nothing, Tartuffe and Managing Carmen (with Black Swan); for Ensemble Theatre, Black Cockatoo ; for TML, Fiddler On The Roof ; for Melbourne and Sydney Festivals, The Season national tour; for Melbourne Theatre Company, Last Man Standing, Solomon And Marion, Next To Normal, The Gift and Frost/Nixon, Macbeth, Dreams in an Empty City, As You Like It, Hedda Gabler, The Sapphires, All My Sons; for Sydney Theatre Company, Australia Day (with MTC), True West, Riflemind ; for Black Swan, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Glengarry Glen Ross; for Belvoir, The Sapphires (with Black Swan). For screen, Richard’s work includes production design for George Ogilvie’s The Battlers for the Seven Network, the 12-part series Five Times Dizzy for SBS and I Own The Racecourse for Barron Films. Richard has designed the Operatic adaptation of Jane Harrison’s The Visitors for Victorian Opera, currently playing The Arts Centre in Melbourne. For Opera Australia’s Summer season he is Design Consultant for the Mozart Opera’s Idomeneo and The Magic Flute. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E440 · Sat, October 14, 2023
‘Defying Gravity’ - Stage Stalwart; Rod Waterworth
Rod Waterworth commenced the discipline of Dance in his twenties, and subsequently ‘opened a new window’ to a triumphant career on the stage. For several decades Rod has been a delightful fixture of commercial Musical theatre throughout Australia His professional theatre credits include Cats, Anything Goes, The Wizard of Oz, 42nd Street, Me and My Girl, The Pirates of Penzance, My Fair Lady, Red, Hot & Rhonda, Crazy For You, Jolson, Annie, Singin’ in the Rain, Fiddler on the Roof, Saturday Night and various VSO/Opera Australia and Australian Ballet productions. Rod worked regularly in Children’s theatre for Garry Minivan Attractions and performances include Possum Magic, Winnie the Pooh, The Magic Faraway Tree and The Fairies. As a regular performer with Melbourne’s The Production Company, Rod clocked up an amazing array of appearances in Mame, She Loves Me, Funny Girl, Call Me Madam, Gypsy, Guys and Dolls, Mack and Mabel, Anything Goes, Bye Bye Birdie, High Society and The Pajama Game. Rod’s film and television credits include Strange Bedfellows, Da Kath & Kim Code, Scottish Bob, Bed of Roses, The Midday Show and Good Morning Australia. Along the way he gave life to the exuberant ‘showgirl’, Laura Gravity; adding another dynamic string to his theatrical bow. Rod’s most recent stage role was singing and dancing the story of little orphan Annie. A production he has twice traversed. He continues navigating the ‘roar of the greasepaint’ attending to his daily post as the congenial stage doorman at the iconic Her Majesty’s Theatre in Exhibition street, Melbourne. Whether stage door or stage centre, Rod is a welcome presence to audience and colleagues alike. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E439 · Wed, October 11, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Theatre Scholar; Howard Sherman
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Howard Sherman , though not Australian, is a guest we’ve featured on the STAGES podcast due to his extensive relationship with the theatre of Broadway and New York. Howard was executive director of the American Theatre Wing from 2003 to 2011. During that time, he served on the Tony Awards Management and Administration Committees. Howard was the first General Manager of Goodspeed Musicals, working on 24 new and classic musicals, including the U.S. Premiere of Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s By Jeeves. He has moderated artist conversations for public audiences for more than 30 years, and when STAGES spoke with him he had just released a book on the eternal fascination and magic of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town - a classic of the American Theatre cannon. Howard Sherman was a guest on the STAGES podcast in December 2020
S6 E438 · Mon, October 09, 2023
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - INTERNATIONAL STAGE MANAGER’S DAY; LUKE WOODHAM - from February 7, 2019
With SIX seasons and 450+ episodes in the STAGES archive …. from time to time we revisit conversations previously featured. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. The STAGES podcast opens an essential doorway to access precious oral histories from the people who were … and are, on and around our stages. Conversations with Creatives about craft and career! In this episode, we celebrate International Stage Manager’s Day, spotlighting a conversation with Stage manager - Luke Woodham; recorded in February 2019. On any successful theatre production, you’ll find a key position is that of the Stage Manager. The role is a unique function because it serves as a key support to the director and production staff during the rehearsal period, and then becomes the figure in charge of the production during the actual performance. The running of the show rests on their shoulders. It’s a vital role covering many facets – management of time and staff, delivery of a quality product and harmony in the enormous machinery of a big show. At the helm of many of our big commercial musicals and plays has been Luke Woodham – Luke has overseen the life of many productions throughout Australia – these have included The Book of Mormon, Strictly Ballroom, Mary Poppins, Matilda the musical …… and the theatrical juggernaut, War Horse. A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Luke is a native Tasmanian, who hasn’t stopped working since graduation, in a variety of projects from corporate to festivals to concert to theatre. Live performance can be a pressured environment and it pays to keep a cool head and a methodical approach – all of which Luke has in spades. It was an insightful conversation delving in to the world of Stage Management … all called by the man on cans … Luke Woodham. STAGES celebrates all the Stage Manager’s running our shows around the country today. You can celebrate a Stage Manager on this International Stage Manager’s Day by going to one of these shows. Mr Woodham, Mr Eyers … beginners please!
S6 E437 · Sat, October 07, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Actor/Singer; Amelia Cormack
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel.Amelia Cormack has played on Broadway over the past year in the Tony Award winning Best Musical - HADESTOWN. This thrilling evening of theatre will be served on the New York-Broadway Academy Travel tour in January. STAGES caught up with Amelia in November 2022, live from New York City, to celebrate her passion for musical theatre, the importance of chasing your dreams and … to rejoice in the occasion of Amelia making her long anticipated debut on Broadway.
S6 E436 · Thu, October 05, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - VALE Episode - Jacqueline Dark
Hello. Thanks for checking in to this repeat performance of a STAGES conversation, recorded with the divine Jacqueline Dark in April 2019. Jacqui's passing is a terrible shock and sadness that we all share. A consummate artist who had so much more to give her audience - across many platforms - Opera, Musical Theatre and Cabaret. Jacqui commanded a stage with an exquisite presence, an extensive skill set and an elegant humanity. Her stage presence was such because of her love of life and all that she encountered in it. Her generosity of spirit and laughter and kindness touched so many people. I was fortunate to know Jacqui for several decades, meeting her in community theatre productions in Ballarat. She excelled in the operetta of the Gilbert & Sullivan cannon, featured annually during Ballarat's Begonia Festival. She turned her focus to straight plays too, giving a delicious 'Nora' in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. And I watched mesmerised at every performance of Godspell, as she delivered a passionate ‘By My Side’. She excelled in theatre restaurant and music hall presented at The Victoria Theatre, Sovereign Hill. Cheeky, dedicated, warm, witty and possessed of the most magnificent voice - Jacqui was destined for far bigger stages. And so she did. And so, she conquered them all. Condolences to all of Jacqui’s colleagues, family and friends. We have lost a giant talent and a super human being! The Wizard of Oz remarks to the Tin Man on his departure from Oz ………. “And remember, my sentimental friend, that a heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others”. Vale Jacqui Dark.
S6 E435 · Wed, October 04, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Song & Dance Man; Michaeljon Slinger
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Michaeljon Slinger was born in Queensland and via a series of successful twists and turns, found himself studying in New York in his late teens. He received a full scholarship to attend American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis school. Study at the prestigious Julliard school followed, making him the first Australian to be accepted into either one of these programs. A significant run on the musical theatre stage in New York has earned him 7 Broadway credits in a host of roles as Performer, Swing and Dance Captain. It commenced with his debut in the revival production of West Side Story directed by Broadway Titan …. Arthur Laurents. In recent times he has shifted his focus to choreography as an associate and assistant. Michaeljon Slinger was a guest of the STAGES podcast in April 2021
S6 E434 · Sat, September 30, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Actor/Singer; Kaye Tuckerman
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Kaye Tuckerman played Broadway in the Donna Summer Musical! - and has appeared in extensive Musical Theatre product around the globe.She relishes living in the Big Apple - and all that it offers culturally to its inhabitants and many visitors. Kaye Tuckerman joined the STAGES podcast in April 2023.
S6 E433 · Wed, September 27, 2023
‘Mr Smith Goes to Canberra’ - Actor; Justin Smith
Justin Smith is presently filling the shoes of Australia's 21st Prime Minister, Edward Gough Whitlam, in Squabbalogic's world premiere production of 'The Dismissal'. He will appear in three upcoming series’ premiering in 2023: The Messenger for the ABC based on Marcus Zusak’s bestselling novel, and Last Days of the Space Age and The Artful Dodger, both for Disney+. He most recently featured in the smash hit Netflix reboot of Heartbreak High . Elsewhere on the small screen he appeared in the latest season of Foxtel’s hit drama Wentworth and in the hit Channel Seven series RFDS . Prior to that he starred in both seasons of major Foxtel’s series Secret City alongside Anna Torv and Jacki Weaver. He also returned in the second season of the award-winning ABC comedy The Letdown . Both seasons have aired on Netflix around the world. Previously, Justin played Glen McNamara in the Seven Network drama Blue Murder: Killer Cop opposite Richard Roxburgh. Other notable television credits include playing Damon in the first season of Stan’s brilliant comedy The Other Guy , the role of Lester Lawrence alongside Sam Worthington and Hugh Dancy in Foxtel’s Deadline Gallipoli , Underbelly: Badness , The Straits and Bastard Boys , for which he was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor.Justin’s feature film credits include the forthcoming Sony feature Carmen starring Paul Mescal, the award winning Australian film Babyteeth , Disney’s hit film Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Man Tell No Tales starring Johnny Depp. Fred Schepisi’s The Eye of the Storm , Around the Block , Sleeping Beauty , Burning Man , Being Venice and Angst . Justin has starred in numerous stage productions. Most recently Into The Woods at Belvoir, Dubbo Championship Wrestling at Hayes Theatre Co, and Wudjang Not The Past for Bangarra. Other theatre credits include as Billy’s Dad, Jackie Elliot, in Billy Elliot The Musical , Small Mouth Sounds for Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam at the National Theatre of Parramatta, The Long Forgotten Dream , directed by Neil Armfield for Sydney Theatre Company, A Strategic Plan for Griffin Theatre Company, and A Flea in Her Ear and Arcadia for the Sydney Theatre Company. Justin has appeared in many notable productions for Belvoir, Bell Shakespeare, Griffin and the STC.Justin made his professional debut in the 1992 Australian production of Jesus Christ Supersta r alongside John Farnham and Kate Ceberano. In 1998 he played the role of Mark in the original Australian cast of Rent the Musical . He was later to play the role of Tony Elliot in the original Australian production of Billy Elliot . The STAGES pod
S6 E432 · Wed, September 20, 2023
‘The Music and the Mirror’ - Veteran Performer, Choreographer & Director; Karen Johnson Mortimer
Karen Johnson Mortimer began her professional career at the age of 15 in the Cole Porter musical, Anything Goes starring Toni Lamond. She has subsequently carved a dynamic career in musical theatre, contributing via a succession of roles. As a performer, Karen played Cassie in the original Australian production of A Chorus Line and appeared in musicals as diverse as Company, The Conquest of Carmen Miranda, Dames at Sea, Kiss Me Kate, No No Nanette, Irene, Cabaret and Footloose. Throughout the 80’s Karen was also a regular solo guest artist in television variety on The Don Lane Show and The Mike Walsh Show. Karen’s choreographic credits also include a variety of experiences. She crafted dance and movement for the Reg Livermore productions of Turns, Wonder Woman and Sacred Cow , Grease-The Mega Musical (GFO), Stones In His Pockets (STC), Leader of The Pack - The Ellie Greenwich Musical (Star City), Anzac Military Tattoo (Acer Arena), the 2007 Helpmann Awards, Tin Symphony (Opening Ceremony – 2000 Sydney Olympics), the Norman Gunston Show (ABC TV) and Farnham & Byrne (ABC). A new direction pursuing Directorial roles as Associate, Resident and Director in her own right, have seen her steer a number of prominent commercial productions. In 2017 Karen enjoyed the great honour of working with Dame Julie Andrews as her Associate Director for the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady . A role she also assumed for Crossroads Live’s production of Dolly Parton’s 9 TO 5. She has also been the Associate Director for Grease -The Arena Spectacular , Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard Of Oz, Dirty Dancing and the Australian tours of Wicked. Karen remounted the Korean Language production of Wicked in Seoul. Karen was Resident Director for the 2009 production of Chicago and returned for the 2019 production. She directed the production of Saturday Night Fever starring Marcia Hines, and Annie starring Anthony Warlow. She has directed three annual Rob Guest Endowment Finalists Concerts held in both Sydney and Melbourne. Karen has returned to the rehearsal room to mount the recently launched season of Wicked and soon shifts focus to the return of another audience favourite - Kander and Ebb’s Chicago. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E431 · Wed, September 13, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Leading Lady; Caroline O’Connor
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Showbiz icon Caroline O’Connor has played Broadway 3 times - in Chicago, A Christmas Story and Anastasia . They are but 3 of her theatrical triumphs contributing to a career of star turns in a vast resume of stage roles. Caroline O’Connor was a guest on the STAGES podcast in January 2019.
S6 E430 · Wed, September 06, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Leading Man; Hayden Tee
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Hayden Tee is currently touring Australia in the new Musical phenomenon - & Juliet . But he is no stranger to appearing on the stages of the West End and Broadway. His triumphant turn as Inspector Javert in Les Miserables won many accolades around the globe before Hayden played the role on the Broadway stage. Hayden Tee joined STAGES in December 2019. When STAGES caught up with Hayden Tee, he had just released an exciting album called Hayden Tee : Face To Face. The recording features a full orchestra backing with Hayden delivering musical theatre favourites and also capturing a few of the dynamic performances he has given in a stellar career.
S6 E429 · Sat, September 02, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Actor/Singer; Maree Johnson
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Maree Johnson opened the premiere Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera in Melbourne in 1990 as a member of the ensemble and a cover for Christine …. later becoming the Christine Alternate. In the most wonderful serendipity, a couple of decades later, Maree rejoined The Phantom of the Opera - on Broadway. This time Maree played the role of Madame Giry - a role she relished from 2017 through to the closure of the production earlier this year. Maree Johnson was a treasured addition to the STAGES podcast … joining us in March 2020.
S6 E428 · Wed, August 30, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Actor; Tony Sheldon
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Theatre great, Tony Sheldon triumphed as Bernadette in the musical PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT ……following an extensive tour the production played Broadway and garnered a TONY Award nomination for Sheldon, and along the way, a slew of accolades for his spell-binding performance. Tony Sheldon joined the podcast in November, 2018 and reflected on his brilliant career - and the realisation of a dream - playing Broadway.
S6 E427 · Mon, August 28, 2023
‘Broadway Spotlight’ - Music Maker; Carmel Dean
Tune in to a Broadway Spotlight edition of the STAGES podcast. A Spotlight replay brought to you by Academy Travel - a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours. In January 2024, Academy Travel will be leading a 10 day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple. Find further information at the Academy Travel website … academytravel.com.au and search Theatre in New York - Best of Broadway tour. To whet the appetite, STAGES will be revisiting conversations with Australian artists who have conquered The Great White Way in a series of Broadway SPOTLIGHT episodes - brought to you by Academy Travel. Carmel Dean is a composer/lyricist, arranger, music supervisor/director, and conductor of musical theatre, based in NYC. Carmel’s composition credits include Renascence, produced Off-Broadway by Transport Group in 2018. Her Music director/arranger credits include the Broadway productions of Funny Girl, If/Then, Hands on a Hardbody, American Idiot, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and ….. The Notebook ….. coming to New York in the near future. Carmel Dean joined the STAGES podcast in June 2020.
S6 E426 · Wed, August 23, 2023
‘An Actor’s Life for Me!’ - Actor; Steven Tandy
After graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1971, Steven Tandy landed the role of Tom Sullivan in the iconic Australian television series The Sullivans. Subsequently, he has carved a career in a succession of film and stage roles. He returned to NIDA in 1995 to study directing. With the Melbourne Theatre Company, Steven has appeared in productions of Translations, Three Sisters, The Winter’s Tale and The Maid’s Tragedy. For Queensland Theatre his credits include Bastard Territory, Happy Days, Romeo & Juliet, 25 Down, Loves Labours Lost, Who Cares?, Love For Love, The National Health, Juno and the Paycock, Expresso Bongo, The Badly Behaved Bunyip, The Man, The Spirit Fish and The Rainbow Snake. Steven’s other theatre credits include Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar (Harvest Rain Theatre Company); Amigos, Last Drinks, Summer Wonderland, James and Johnno and The White Earth (La Boite Theatre Company); Dad’s Army, Run For Your Wife, The Rocky Horror Show, “ ‘Allo ‘Allo” (Twelfth Night); The Speakers (Nimrod Street); What If You Died Tomorrow?, See How They Run and When We Are Married (Marian Street Theatre); Who Was Harry Larsen? (New England); and The Threepenny Opera (Riverina). Television and film credits include Sons and Daughters, Mortified and Gettin’ Square. Steven is the Co-Founder of the Victorian Green Room Awards for Excellence in Theatre. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E425 · Sat, August 19, 2023
‘It’s Time!’ - Actor & Writer; Blake Erickson
Blake Erickson has worked throughout Australia, Asia, Britain, and the United States as a writer, actor, and singer. He studied drama and musical theatre at the University of Sydney and The Actor’s Connection New York. Previous to this, he studied Political Science and International Relations. He is the co-writer of the new Australian musical The Dismissal: An Extremely Serious Musical Comedy. Other writing credits include Pearls Before Swine and Hold Me Closer Logies Dancer (Gooding Productions, Hayes Theatre) Acting credits include Shrek (GFO), the international tour of Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Misérables (Michael Cassel Group), Mamma Mia! (Packemin Productions), CRY-BABY, High Fidelity, Melba, and his acclaimed cabaret Hold Me Closer Logies Dancer (Hayes Theatre Co.); the Australia & New Zealand tour of Madiba , Of Thee I Sing at the Sydney Opera House; Grey Gardens, Title of Show, Forbidden Broadway, and Sondheim on Sondheim (Squabbalogic). Blake is presently on stage in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical at the Theatre Royal, Sydney. The Dismissal: An Extremely Serious Musical Comedy plays The Seymour Centre, Sydney from August 26th. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E424 · Thu, August 17, 2023
‘Warm Face, Warm Hands, Warm Feet’ - Leading Lady; Anna O’Byrne
Anna O’Byrne has established an international career spanning opera, theatre, concert and film. Well known for her performance as Eliza Doolittle in Opera Australia’s My Fair Lady, Anna received the 2017 Helpmann Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber cast Anna as Christine Daaé in Love Never Dies , his sequel to The Phantom of the Opera . Anna made her West End debut as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London. Subsequent West End credits include The Woman in White, Strangers on a Train, Kings of Broadway, and A Little Night Music . Anna debuted with English National Opera in Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, starring Emma Thompson. She recently completed the Australian Tour of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and touring with her one-woman show Becoming Eliza. The show reflects on her unique experience and shares stories about working intimately with internationally adored icon Julie Andrews. Anna takes the show to Melbourne for a very special performance on August 26th. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E423 · Sat, August 12, 2023
‘Oh What a Circus, Oh What a Show’ - Playwright, Director & Theatre Scholar; Dr. Grace Barnes
Grace Barnes started her directing career as an assistant director at Sydney Theatre Company on Into the Woods and has since been a staff director at Opera Australia, and an associate or resident director on War Horse, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Sunset Boulevard, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof. Originally from Scotland, she ran her own theatre company Skeklers Theatre Company for five years and her work as a playwright has been produced throughout Scotland including at the Citz in Glasgow, the Royal Lyceum and the Traverse in Edinburgh, and at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Grace has written the book for two musicals, Nevermore and Crossing, which premiered at the Tony Award winning Signature Theatre in Arlington. A third musical The Blue Poppy should have premiered at Signature in 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. Grace has a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, and has published academic analysis on musical theatre in the journal Studies in Musical Theatre, and has contributed a chapter to the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of the Global Musical . Her book on the place of women within musical theatre Her Turn on Stage was published in 2015, and in 2022 her book National Identity and the British Musical: from Blood Brothers to Cinderella was published by Methuen Drama. Earlier this year, Grace’s creative biography of the first women to swim for Australia in an Olympic Games, In Search of Mina Wylie, was published. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E422 · Wed, August 09, 2023
‘Tim Time’ -Actor, Director, Playwright; Tim McGarry
Passionate about interrogating, developing and devising new Australian work, Tim trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and works as a writer, director, dramaturge and a devising theatre maker. Tim is currently a commissioned writer for Riverside Theatres, Parramatta and The Art House Wyong to create a write a new play based on Colleen McCullough’s award-winning novel Tim due to hit the stage in 2023. Most recently Tim saw his 2019 commission by Queensland Theatre to create a theatre script based on Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe come to life with a sold out production which premiered at the 2021 Brisbane Festival. In 2019 he was also commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) to write and direct a new work based on Margaret Wild’s There’s a Sea in My Bedroom which is due to hit the stage in July 2022. In 2018 Tim stepped in as interim Director on Caleb Lewis’s Maggie Stone for the Eternity Playhouse, and wrote and directed Music for the Dreaming , a collaboration between ABC Classic FM and Sydney Opera House Presents. Tim also directed the ABC Classic FM/SOH Sounds like Australia earlier in 2018. He devised a new work for the SSO with Simon Tedeschi Who Needs A Conductor Anyway which premiered in March 2018 . Tim was engaged by CDP to translate and write additional content for the Australasian version of Spot the Dog , set to tour nationally in 2019. Between 2005-2017 Tim was a Creative Director and Producer at Monkey Baa Theatre Company, one of Australia’s largest touring companies for young audiences, where he co-wrote and produced nearly 20 new Australian works, including the critically acclaimed Goodbye Jamie Boyd , award winning Jackie French’s Hitler’s Daughter and Sonya Hartnett’s Thursday’s Child . Tim directed multi award winning The Peasant Prince – The True Story of Mao’s Last Dancer, which toured 36 theatres nationally. He assistant directed on Tim Winton’s The Bugalugs Bum Thief and was the remount Director on The Unknown Soldier , a new Australian play written by Sandra Eldridge. In 2017 he worked as dramaturgical consultant on Randa Abdel Fattah’s Where the Streets Had a Name. In 2013 Tim was engaged by CDP Producers to write and direct several works for the Sydney Opera House Baby Proms Program including Swing Baby Swing featuring Wayne Scott Kermond and The Nutcracker (co directed with choreographer Adrian Burnett). He co-devised The Pirate Ship (script) for Urban Myth Theatre Company SA, A More Fortunate Life for Theatre Ink and EscapAIDS for the One Night Stand Theatre Company, a work which targeted both young people at risk and the WA prison population about HIV AIDS. He is devised a new work for the SSO Education with Simon Tedeschi called Who Needs A Conductor Any
S6 E420 · Sat, August 05, 2023
‘Good Guys & Bad Guys’- Actor; Damon Herriman
Damon Herriman was born in Adelaide and has been acting since the age of eight. His extensive credits are a testament to his versatility and standing. Damon’s Australian television credits include the upcoming series for Disney+ The Artful Dodger , Thai Cave Rescue for Netflix, The Tourist (AACTA 2022 Nominee) for STAN/BBC/HBO Max, alongside Jamie Dornan and Danielle MacDonald, The Commons for STAN, Lambs of God for Lingo Pictures, Mr. Inbetween (Series 1 - 3) for FX directed by Nash Edgerton, Riot (2018 AACTA Award Winner - Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama, 2018 Logie Award Nomination; Most Outstanding Actor), No Activity S2 for STAN, Top of the Lake: China Girl , Secret City for Matchbox Pictures and Foxtel (2017 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor and the 2016 AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama), Never Tear Us Apart as INXS manager Chris Murphy for the Seven Network, The Outlaw Michael Howe in the titular role of Michael Howe, The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting , Rake (ABC), Love My Way (Foxtel), Offspring (Network 10), Brides of Christ (ABC) and the series two co-lead in Laid (ABC). Damon's film credits include the upcoming 20th Century Studios Bikeriders, The Portable Door alongside Christoph Waltz and Sam Neill, Run Rabbit Run starring alongside Sarah Snook and the Biopic on the life and experience of Robbie Williams; Better Man . Nude Tuesday (AACTA Nomination for Best Lead Actor) with Jackie Van Beek and Jemaine Clement, Judy & Punch , which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival (2019 AACTA Award Winner - Best Lead Actor), The Nightingale , which premiered at the Venice Film Festival 2018, Down Under (AACTA Nomination for Best Supporting Actor), The Little Death (AACTA Nomination for Best Lead Actor), Son of a Gun , starring Ewan McGregor, Russell Crowe’s The Water Diviner , 100 Bloody Acres , The Square, Candy, Ned and The Big Steal. In 2008 Damon won the Best Actor award at the St Kilda Film Festival for his performance in the short film Len’s Love Story. He can next be seen in the upcoming film The Portable Door alongside Christoph Waltz and Sam Neill, Run Rabbit Run starring alongside Sarah Snook and the Biopic on the life and experience of Robbie Williams; Better Man . Damon also works extensively in the US
S6 E419 · Wed, August 02, 2023
‘Everything About it is Appealing’ - Actor, Designer, Director; Doug Kingsman
Doug Kingsman now retired (or resting), has navigated an exciting career as a theatre actor, designer and director. Following a lengthy stint in showbiz, he subsequently carved a career as an Interior designer for 25 years on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Known as an all-round entertainer in the true sense, he could turn his hand to many crafts, whether it be singing, dancing, acting or designing sets and costumes. Born and educated in Sydney, he was studying singing and dancing at 14 and sought early experience at The Independent Theatre. He made many appearances on Channel 7 programmes. Later work in television included The Mavis Bramston Show and a lengthy stint responsible for the sets on The Mike Walsh Show. For the Tivoli Circuit he toured in variety shows, played juvenile leads in Fade Out, Fade In and Instant Marriage, and the title role in the Tivoli Pantomime, Robin Hood . For The Phillip Theatre he played Tony in a celebrated production of The Boyfriend. At Menzies Theatre Restaurant he played lead roles in many of their musical productions while too, designing sets and costumes. For The Independent Theatre, The Ensemble and Marian Street Theatre he designed and built countless sets including Halloran’s Little Boat, Scent of Flowers, The Promise, Blithe Spirit, Private Lives, The Rainmaker, I Do! I Do!, and Cowardy Custard. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E418 · Sat, July 29, 2023
‘Baubles, Bangles and Beads’ - Stage Legend; Sheila Bradley
Sheila Bradley is one of the country's most experienced and best-loved music theatre stars, with a career that has spanned 70 years working all over the world. Born in Essex, U.K., Sheila was brought to Australia in the 1950s by J.C. Williamson's to play the lead in Grab Me a Gondola . She had an established career as a lead singer with the George Mitchell Singers and playing Lalume in Kismet opposite Alfred Drake in the West End. Sheila quickly decided on Australia as home, and so begun a litany of leading roles in plays and musical theatre around the country. Sheila was the nation’s original Nancy in Oliver , playing opposite Johnny Lockwood as Fagin. Celebrated turns include Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress , Anna Leonowens in The King and I , Sharon Mclonegran in Finian’s Rainbow , Vera Charles in Mame , and Mrs Peachum in The Threepenny Opera. Performances in revue at the Phillip Street theatre, alongside colleagues Gordon Chater, Johnny Ladd and June Salter, confirmed her position as a fine comedienne with a dynamic voice. Her indelible presence made it’s mark in productions right up to the early 2000s with performances of The Wizard of Oz, Nunsense 2, Crazy For You, Jolson, Hello Dolly!, Follies in Concert, Me and My Girl, My Fair Lady, The Pirates of Penzance , and in pantomime and theatre restaurant. Sheila is one of Australia’s much loved and enduring performers. She recently celebrated her 90th birthday and retains the energy, humour and passion that made her a star several decades ago. It was indeed a tremendous privilege to share a couple of hours with the wonderful Sheila Bradley. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E417 · Fri, July 28, 2023
‘Ding Dong the Bells are Gonna Chime!’ - Actor and Television Pioneer; Denise Drysdale
Denise Drysdale began her career at GTV-9 when she was 10 years old, performing in the Tarax Happy Show. She has worked in and around television ever since, providing a host of magical moments through the live medium. The longevity and brilliance of her career in television confirms she is one of the best and few have replicated her golden talent. Her life has paralleled the growth of television. In the 1960’s Denise appeared regularly on Graham Kennedy’s In Melbourne Tonight as a dancer, and performed many comedy sketches on that popular late night show. Denise worked on The Ernie Sigley Show in the 1970’s and won Gold Logies in 1974 and 1975 for the Most Popular Female Personality on Australian television. She is affectionately known as ‘Ding Dong’, a moniker given to her by Sigley. As well as appearing on The Ernie Sigley Show twice weekly throughout 1975, Denise also appeared on Celebrity Squares, Young Talent Time, Countdown, the Norman Gunston Show. Denise has worked all over Australia in radio, commercials and television, as well as various club work. From 1983-84 she worked in Sydney, appearing on Weekend Magazine and Beauty and the Beast. In 1989 she teamed up once more with long-time friend Ernie Sigley, hosting a top rating national morning television show. She has also worked in regional television in Victoria with guest appearances on BTV-6 Ballarat and hosting a morning magazine show on GLV-8. Denise joined the cast of Hey Hey it’s Saturday for a season and presented her own show, Denise, for channel seven. She was seen on The Circle for channel ten and can be seen as a guest host on Studio 10. She has also had extensive experience as an actress, appearing in the television stalwarts Division Four, Homicide and Bellbird. Most recently, she was seen as Ginger in Josh Thomas’ Please Like Me and the iconic soap, Neighbours. Her film work includes The Last of the Knucklemen, Snapshot and Blowing Hot and Cold. Her professional life began in the theatre with credits that include Dimboola, Grease (for Harry M. Miller), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (JCW), Two Gentlemen of Verona (Aztec productions), Salad Days (St Martin’s Youth Theatre) and Hello Dolly! (GFO). The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E416 · Thu, July 27, 2023
‘The World Must be Bigger Than An Avenue’ - Entertainment Legend; Julie Anthony
Julie Moncrieff Anthony (nee Lush) was born on a farm at Galga, South Australia. The population of the location was 15 and by necessity cultivated a vivid imagination in young Julie and a talent to amuse. She began singing in her teens with a local band, an engagement instigated by her enthusiastic father. In 1970 Julie won an amateur television talent quest which led to regular appearances on Ernie Sigley’s Adelaide Tonight. She moved to Sydney, making television appearances and performing on the club and cabaret circuit, eventually extending her music-making to international tours. An engagement at the Hong Kong Hilton in 1973 was followed by lead role in the Australian production of the musical Irene. Julie was keen to diversify her talents, so without any acting credits presented herself to J.C. Williamson’s to extend her performance repertoire. Guided by the legendary Betty Pounder, Julie Anthony became Irene O’Dare and three years after the Australian production, she starred in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre. The Play and Players of London honoured her with the Best Newcomer for 1976. She returned to Australian television and appeared in three national specials. Julie won the Sammy and Penguin awards for Best Television Variety Performer. Tours of America followed and Julie Anthony worked with Bill Cosby, Roy Clarke and Merv Griffin. Julie played Maria in The Sound Of Music in 1983 for JCW. For the 1988 World Expo in Brisbane, Anthony was invited to sing with the renewed Seekers, joining the group as lead singer from 1988-89. The same year she returned to the stage in I Do!, I Do!. In 1990, she was awarded AM in the Order of Australia for services to the entertainment industry. Anthony teamed with jazz musician Don Burrows in 1994 for tours, including the Jazz and Blues Festival at the Gold Coast International Hotel in 1995. A year later she returned to cabaret with a season at the Tilbury Hotel in Sydney. Julie Anthony’s voice is known to millions for singing the national anthem live at various formal events and in recorded versions that have included the broadcast closing time of ABC television, Australian Football League finals, the opening of Australia’s new Parliament House and the opening of the Sydney Olympics. Her theatrical ventures continued in productions of Spamalot as The Lady of the Lake and The Mikado as Katisha. She starred in a biographical musical at the Sydney Theatre Company, titled Lush! And for several decades performed with Simon Gallaher in live concerts and on television, proving they had a remarkable vocal blend. Their hit series of concerts titled Together At Last produced an album which was recorded live in concert. This album was in addition to Julie’s extensive recording output of some 15 albums and various singles. Julie Anthony has won Australia’s prestigious Mo Award for entertainer of the year three times and best female variety performer
S6 E415 · Wed, July 26, 2023
‘Minuscule Musical’ - Performer, Podcast Producer & Musical Purveyor; Simon Hall
imon Hall (Yon) is best known for his work in comedy band Tripod. His solo projects include Second Wedding Singer, commissioned by the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the Green-Room award-winning Mandaddy: Songs of Love and Love. More recently, Yon has also written songs for Dragon Lady starring Fiona Choi, Musical Fictions for the Sydney Writers’ Festival and for upcoming video game musical, Stray Gods. As part of Tripod, Yon has performed on stage in the Edinburgh Festival, Montreal Comedy Festival and Melbourne Comedy Festival as well as with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Tripod have made countless TV appearances, including Just for Laughs Montreal, the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala, (Network Ten and ABCTV), Skithouse (Network Ten) and The Sideshow (ABCTV). Tripod have written songs for Monster Beach (Cartoon Network) and the video game Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (Ubisoft). 2023 sees the release of Simon’s six-episode podcast series: Minuscule Musical. Minuscule Musical is a show where the hosts have written a short (minuscule) musical where form, structure, and good taste is stretched to its limits and ultimately asks: What is a musical anyway? Each 25-minute episode features Yon (Tripod) and one of his guest collaborators (including Sammy J, Jude Perl, Margot Morales, Karl’s Zaid, Andrew Patterson and Gillian Cosgriff) performing for the first time (and then discussing) their tiny show in front of a live audience. Subscribe and follow at minusculemusicalpodcast@gmail.com The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E414 · Sat, July 22, 2023
‘Curtain Up!’ - Arts Educationalist, Administrator, Researcher & Practitioner; Dr Peter Cooke
Peter Cooke, AM PhD, is an internationally recognised performing arts educationalist, administrator, researcher and practitioner. Born in Brisbane, Australia and educated in Kuala Lumpur, Canberra, Southport and Sydney, Peter was the first graduate of the Theatre Design Course at Australia’s premiere theater school, the National Institute of Dramatic Art [NIDA] in Sydney, Australia. He earned his PhD at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Peter was appointed Professor and Head of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama in January 2009. He was subsequently appointed a University Professor in 2019. Peter stepped down as Head of School in September 2020, after 12 years in the position. Prior to his appointment he was Deputy Director and Head of Design at NIDA, a role he held for twenty-two years. Peter is a member of the NIDA Foundation Trust and of the governing NIDA Company. Peter has taught and lectured extensively throughout Southeast Asia – including leading design master classes and designing productions at the National School of Drama in New Delhi, India, where he has been a visiting professor for the past 16 years. Over three decades Peter has designed some one hundred and fifty productions across the disciplines of drama, opera, dance, puppetry, music-theatre, television, casinos and large-scale events. Peter’s Australian, Indian and American students have gone on to win numerous national and international accolades for their contributions to the arts, including, Helpmann and Green Room Awards [AU], and Tony Awards, Emmy Awards and Academy Awards [USA]. In 1990 Peter was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to audit theatre training pedagogy and practice in several leading drama schools across Europe and the USA. In 1996-97 he spent an academic year at the Yale School of Drama as a Special Research Fellow, auditing the Directing, Producing, Design and Playwriting Courses. He subsequently published a book about his time spent with Yale’s legendary design teacher, Professor Ming Cho Lee – ‘Yale School of Drama – Theatre Design Training’, Nairnpress 1999. In 1996 Peter led the design team responsible for the Handover Ceremony at the Closing Ceremony of the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games. His inclusion of Australian student designers in the Atlanta team led to many being commissioned to design the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Sydney Summer Olympic Games in 2000. Peter completed his PhD at the University of New South Wales in 2002 – researching the notion of ‘Australianness’ in the output of the London based and Tasmanian born theatre designer, Loudon Sainthill, 1919-1969. Peter co-presented the ‘Excellence in Theatre Education Award at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 CBS Tony Awards ceremonies in New York City. Peter was made a Member of the Order of Australia, AM, in the Australia Day Honours in 2017 for ‘Substantial service to the performing arts as an administr
S6 E413 · Wed, July 19, 2023
‘A Song For Somebody’ - Virtuosic Vocalist and Showbiz Shapeshifter; Bernadette Robinson
Bernadette Robinson’s acclaimed performances in multiple sell-out seasons of the one-woman musical plays Songs For Nobodies and Pennsylvania Avenue have confirmed her standing as one of Australia’s leading singer/actresses. Audiences and critics alike loved both shows: “The audience is on its feet with a standing ovation” (The Age), “Bernadette Robinson’s performance is theatrical alchemy” (Herald Sun), “Beyond virtuosity to the sublime” (The Australian). After he saw Songs For Nobodies for the second time, Barry Humphries announced that “Bernadette is a major talent and a spellbinder”. Like Humphries, Australia’s general theatre-going public had discovered Bernadette’s virtuosic acting skills and her uncanny ability to inhabit the voices of famous singers such as Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and many others. Bernadette played the role of Beatrice in Nick Enright and Terry Clarke’s The Venetian Twins, and has appeared in lead roles with Chamber Made Opera and Wellington City Opera. She is a familiar figure on Australian concert stages, having given sell out concerts at the Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Festival Centre, the Melbourne Recital Centre and its neighbour, Hamer Hall, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Bernadette studied voice with the legendary Dame Joan Hammond at the Victorian College Of The Arts before embarking on her professional career in productions of The Pirates of Penzance, Nine and Cats. She presented her earlier solo shows You Might As Well Live, Calling All Angels and Patsy Cline: Her Songs, Her Story around Australia to critical and audience acclaim. In addition to her one-woman shows, Bernadette has had great success performing at high profile events for large corporates across Australia and (singing in English and in local languages) in Tokyo, Beijing (during the 2008 Olympic Games), Shanghai (during the 2010 World Expo), Hong Kong, Macau, Buenos Aires, Singapore, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto. Following the success of her previous, sold-out one-woman shows, Bernadette Robinson is returning to Australian stages with the World Premiere of her post-pandemic solo tour-de-force, DIVAS. It was STAGES great pleasure to catch up with this consummate artist following a week of rehearsals, nearing her to Opening night. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E412 · Sat, July 15, 2023
‘A Summer Song’ - Artistic & Theatre Director; Lindy Hume
Lindy Hume, AM, is one of Australia’s leading directors, acknowledged internationally for fresh interpretations of a wide variety of repertoire, and for progressive artistic leadership of a number of Australian arts organisations, including Opera Queensland (2012-2017), Sydney Festival (2010-2012) and Perth International Arts Festival (2004-2007). She was also the first Artistic Director of West Australian Opera (1992-96), Artistic Director of Victoria State Opera and then OzOpera (1996-2001). Lindy has most recently been Creative Director of the Four Winds Easter Festival, Bermagui and is currently Artistic Director of the 10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania 2019-2023. In 2021 Lindy Hume was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the performing arts, particularly to opera. After a hugely successful year in 2021, during which Lindy directed The Marriage of Figaro for New Zealand Opera, Madama Butterfly for Welsh National Opera and The Barber of Seville for State Opera South Australia, 2022 saw her continuing in her roles as Creative Director of the Four Winds Easter Festival and Artistic Director of the 10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania as well as developing a new staged presentation of Schubert’s Die Winterreise for Musica Viva’s national tour of the work with Alan Clayton, which was also seen at the Barbican, in London. Lindy’s production of Rigoletto was also presented by Opera Philadelphia. As a director, Lindy has created more than 50 major productions across Australasia including Carmen, Don Giovanni, Fledermaus, La Périchole and Les pêcheurs de perles (Opera Australia), Orlando, Trouble in Tahiti and The Barber of Seville (OzOpera), Alcina and Orpheus in the Underworld (West Australian Opera), Carmina Burana (State Opera of South Australia/The Australian Ballet), Idomeneo (Pinchgut Opera), Rigoletto and Lucia di Lammermoor (NBR New Zealand Opera). European productions include La bohème (Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin, which was telecast live throughout Europe), Tolomeo (Musiektheater Transparant in Belgium), Radamisto (Handel Festspiele and Opernhaus Halle), A Streetcar Named Desire and Norma (Opera Theatre St Gallen in Switzerland), Così fan tutte (Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London), and Albert Herring and Phaedra (Aldeburgh Festival in the UK). She made her American debut in 2004 directing The Barber of Seville for Houston Grand Opera, returning in 2009 and 2013 to direct Rigoletto and Die Fledermaus respectively. Her production of “Cenerentola” was produced by NBR New Zealand Opera in 2015 and presented by Oper Leipzig and in San Diego in 2016. Lindy is recognised as a champion of new Australian work across a range of genres. As Artistic Director of OzOpera, she commissioned the MDTV project, award-winning screen operas with ABC TV, and major Australian works including Paul Grabowsky’s Love in the Age of Therapy and Richard Mills’ Batavia (with Opera
S6 E411 · Wed, July 12, 2023
‘Chanson’ - Conductor & Opera Australia Chorus Master; Paul Fitzsimon
Australian conductor Paul Fitzsimon has been Chorus Master at Opera Australia since 2019, and has worked as repetituer and conductor with the company since 2012, most recently conducting performances of La Boheme and Don Giovanni at the Sydney Opera House. He was Assistant Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2008/09 and has conducted most of the symphony orchestras in Australia, and in Europe has conducted the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris, and the Hamburg Ballet at the Baden Baden Festival. Highlights in recent years include conducting the national tours of The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, and Madama Butterfly for Opera Australia, Dvorak’s Symphony no. 7 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, as well as a new production of Brian Howard’s Metamorphosis for Opera Australia in 2018. Paul majored in piano performance at The University of Melbourne and later completed his orchestral conducting studies at the Universität der Künste in Berlin and through the Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program. He was the recipient of the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Conductors in 2008. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, July 08, 2023
‘Oh, You Beautiful Doll!’ - Operatic Soprano; Jessica Pratt
Hailed by the New York Times as a soprano of “gleaming sound, free and easy high notes, agile coloratura runs and lyrical grace,” Jessica Pratt is considered one of today’s foremost interpreters of some of bel canto’s most challenging repertoire. She returns to Opera Australia to sing all the female leads in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. The production was in rehearsal in 2021 when it succumbed to the force of the Covid pandemic. Fortunately for us, the production is back on track, opening at the Sydney Opera House on July 11th. In August of 2021 STAGES shared an episode featuring the magnificent Jessica Pratt. We share it with you once again, along with a recent catch-up as she commenced rehearsals for take-2 of Offenbach’s great work. Jessica Pratt will also take the stage in Delirio - a mind-blowing evening of cliffhangers presented in a repertoire of classic mad scenes from Opera’s great narratives. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E408 · Sat, June 24, 2023
‘Here’s a Howdy Do!’ - Opera, Theatre & Cabaret Performer; Kanen Breen
Kanen Breen is one of Australia’s most sought-after operatic tenors and a renowned concert and cabaret artist. He made his international debut, in 2003, in the role of Rodolfo, in Baz Luhrman’s Broadway production of LA BOHEME in New York. He has been a principal artist for OPERA AUSTRALIA over many years singing an extensive range of roles including Camille in THE MERRY WIDOW , Nanki Poo in THE MIKADO, Truffaldino in THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES, Florville in IL SIGNOR BRUSCHINO, Alfred in DIE FLEDERMAUS, Monostatos in THE MAGIC FLUTE and Ralph Rackstraw in HMS PINAFORE, Sellem in THE RAKE’S PROGRESS, Marco Palmieri in THE GONDOLIERS, Dr. Caius and Bardolf in FALSTAFF, Pong in TURANDOT, Andres/Cochenille/Pittinaccio/Frantz/Nathanael in THE TALES OF HOFFMANN, Pirelli in SWEENEY TODD, Almaviva in THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, Rinuccio in GIANNI SCHICCHI, Nadir in The Pearlfishers, The Duke and Borsa in RIGOLETTO, Almaviva in THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, Count Albert in DIE TOTE STADT, the title role in ALBERT HERRING and Rev. Horace Evans in PETER GRIMES, the Sorcerer in DIDO & AENEAS and Damon in ACIS & GALATEA, Dr. Blind in DIE FLEDERMAUS, Guillot in MANON, Ramiro in LA CENERENTOLA, Count Elemer in ARABELLA, Pliable and Lord Lechery in THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS, Arturo in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Squeak in BILLY BUDD, Vitek in THE MAKROPULOS AFFAIR and Johnny in the company’s world premiere seasons of BLISS at the EDINBURGH FESTIVAL. His performances of Emilio in Handel’s PARTENOPE were awarded a HELPMANN AWARD. For the STATE OPERA OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA his roles include Peter Quint in A TURN OF THE SCREW and Dr. Studz in HOW TO KILL YOUR HUSBAND. And for WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA he appears as Cassio in OTELLO during 2023. He was first engaged by VICTORIAN OPERA for its premiere season of THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS and has since appeared as The Beadle in SWEENEY TODD, Uncle Ernie in THE WHO’S TOMMY and the premiere season of Richard Mills’ ‘TIS PITY with Meow Meow. For OPERA NEW ZEALAND he has appeared as the Governor/Vanderdendur/Ragotski in CANDIDE. Breen is also regularly engaged by PINCHGUT OPERA, in 2021 appearing in the title role of Rameau’s PLATÉE. His past appearances including Erice in Cavalli’s, L’ORMINDO and Arnalta/Nutrice/Famigliari in Monteverdi’s THE CORONATION OF POPPEA. Other engagements have included the MELBOURNE FESTIVAL‘s production of Jonathan Mills’ THE GHOSTWIFE, performances which he repeated at the Adelaide and Sydney festivals and in London at the BARBICAN’s BITE02 festival, The Witch Of Endor in the ADELAIDE FESTIVAL‘s season of the GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL OPERA production of Handel’s SAUL, his performances receiving a HELPMANN AWARD and the role of Wilhelm in Tom Wait’s THE BLACK RIDER. And on the musical theatre stage, he joined the cast of the GORDON FROST ORGANISATION‘s Australian production of CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. 2023 includes the role of Dr Treves in THE MARVELLOUS ELEPHANT MAN in
S6 E407 · Wed, June 21, 2023
‘If The Shoe Fits’ - Musical Theatre Composer and Storyteller; Anthony Costanzo
Anthony Costanzo's career as a performer spans more than 20 years. His theatre credits: How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Mack & Mabel, The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber – Masterpiece, Pinocchio, Hair, The Witches Of Eastwick, CATS – World tour – Asian Tour, We Will Rock You, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Seriously – The Petshop Boys Reinterpreted, Wicked – Australian tour Strange Bedfellows and Chess. Anthony studied at Monash University, majoring in Classical Piano and Musical Theatre. In 1995 he won The International Year of Tolerance song writing competition and the ASA National Songwriting Contest in 1998, 2000, 2003. In 2002 Anthony was commissioned to compose additional songs for the Australian Production of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. He has collaborated twice with Mary Anne McCormack, writing John & Sarah, which was short-listed for the Pratt Prize and on BOXED-IN which was produced by the VCA. Anthony also collaborated with Peter Fitzpatrick on Life’s a Circus, which was short-listed twice for the Pratt Prize, nominated for three Green Room awards including Best New Australian Musical, featured in the Short, Sweet & Song Festival and the 2008 OzMade Musicals. In 2015 Anthony and Peter wrote and produced Crossroads. Anthony is currently writing a personal project titled One Way Ticket and is one of the creative writing team for Midnight – The Cinderella Story, set to premiere in Melbourne in June. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E406 · Sat, June 17, 2023
‘Don’t Dream It, Be It’ - Performer, Choreographer, Creative; Nathan M. Wright
With nearly 30 years’ experience and nominations for his work as both a performer and choreographer, Nathan is a driving force in the performance industry. After 14 successful years as a performer, Nathan began his transition into choreography and direction in 2006. He has since made a name for himself as a highly acclaimed and sought-after Artistic Director and Choreographer with an impressive portfolio that highlights the scope of his skill-set. Nathan has a knack for breathing new energy into classic productions while maintaining a respectful nod to the timeless choreography that audiences love. His passion for storytelling has led him to large-scale productions where he has embraced the opportunity to create something powerful and impactful on an international platform. His talent for finding the tempo that best fits the style of the production makes him an asset to any project. Showcasing experience in theatre, large-scale events, film and television, a few of his career highpoints include Head of Choreography and Staging Director for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Artistic Director for both Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games, Director of Mass Choreography for the 2014 Winter Olympics, The 40th Anniversary of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show, High Society at the prestigious Old Vic in London’s West End, and choreographing for the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. They are vast, varied and impressive credits in a career that continues to thrill audiences and performers alike - indicating that there is so much more stellar creation and triumphant accolade ahead for Nathan M. Wright. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E405 · Wed, June 14, 2023
‘Where Painted Trees and Flowers Grow’ - Theatre Connoisseur; Stuart Greene
Stuart Green has been a fixture around theatre foyers for over 5 decades - as the genial bar manager who attends to your cocktail pre-show and at interval …. or sometimes even post-show if the theatre allows (a disappearing culture). Stuart commenced his career serving the clientele of Sydney Theatre in 1972 with his first shift being Opening Night of JCW’s A Little Night Music at Her Majesty’s Theatre - a treasured venue now demolished and replaced by an apartment block. Stuart has subsequently catered for patrons at a host of Sydney venues - the Theatre Royal, The Cremorne Orpheum Picture Palace and the State Theatre, where he now manages bar operations and leads tours of the venue. These appointments have brought a series of close encounters, witness to a changing theatre culture and opportunities to observe an abundance of shows over a 50 year period. An avid fan of stage and screen, Stuart is a font of knowledge about all things show. His laser memory and obvious glee in sharing such information is substantial. Any detail, trivial or major, regarding film, the commercial theatre, the theatre and cinema buildings long gone, and artists & creatives who have graced our stages … Stuart is a custodian of that theatre heritage and only too willing to share. STAGES featured Stuart in our first season and it’s a delight to welcome him back to extend our knowledge once again. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E409 · Sun, June 11, 2023
‘Life is a Cabaret, Old Chum!’ - Living Legend, Industry Pioneer, and Provocateur; Robyn Archer
Robyn Archer AO FAHA is a singer, writer, artistic director and public advocate for the arts. Winner of the Helpmann Award for Best Cabaret Performer 2013 and named Cabaret Icon at the 2016 Adelaide Cabaret Festival, she currently performs highly acclaimed recitals of French (Que Reste-t’Il) , German (Dancing on the Volcano) and American (The Other Great American Songbook) song, wrote and directed The Sound of Falling Stars (2017/18) and released her album Classic Cabaret Rarities in 2019. In July 2022 Robyn premiered Robyn Archer: an Australian Songbook with a two-week season for Queensland Theatre. Working with long term accordionist George Butrumlis, actor and guitarist Cameron Goodall and pianist Enio Pozzebon the show was an audience and critical success and will tour in 2023. Robyn is recognised internationally for her expertise in the repertoire of the Weimar Republic (Brecht and his musical collaborators and others from 1920s and 30s Germany) which she has been performing through Australia and worldwide since the 1970s, including at the National Theatre, London in 1977, in Hong Kong, Honolulu, and at the Brecht Festival in Augsburg. Her many other stage successes include The Seven Deadly Sins which opened the Space in 1974, and one-woman shows A Star is Torn (through Australia and at Wyndham’s in London’s West End for a year) and Tonight Lola Blau both at the Adelaide Festival Centre. She has written and had produced, plays including Il Magnifico, Poor Joanna (with poet Judith Rodriguez), and Architektin; plays with music including Songs from Sideshow Alley, Café Fledermaus and The Bridge; and devised cabarets featuring her own songs and writing such as The Pack of Women, Scandals and Cut and Thrust. Robyn has published numerous books from The Robyn Archer Songbook to Mrs Bottle’s Burp and Detritus (a collection of her public speeches) as well as writing for the Griffith Review and the Australian Book Review. Among her many awards, including the ABR Laureate, the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Cultural Leadership Award, the SA Premier’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the International Society for Performing Arts’ International Achievement Award and an ARIA Award for Best Soundtrack (The Pack of Women), the 2018 Adelaide Festival of Ideas Dedication recognised Robyn for her contribution to the world of ideas and public life. In the same year she also received the JC Williamson Centenary Lifetime Achievement Award. Robyn is an Officer of the Order of Australia, Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France), Officer of the Crown (Belgium), Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and has Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Sydney and Adelaide as well as Flinders, Canberra and Griffith Universities and the University of South Australia. Robyn Archer - An Australian Songbook - commences a National Tour - kicking off in Melbourne tonight playing …. June 12th & 13th - Victori
S6 E404 · Sat, June 10, 2023
‘King of the World’ - Dancer - Shaun Parker Dance Company; Joel Fenton
Joel Fenton is a contemporary dance theatre artist. Born in Tasmania, he completed a Master of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2017 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at Queensland University of Technology in 2010. His masters explored the process of creating and crafting contemporary dance theatre through his SITCOMS task based improvisation practice. Joel received a JUMP mentorship in 2013, where he was mentored by Shaun Parker. This mentorship has been ongoing with Joel currently developing his skills in the roles of Project Coordinator, Tour Manager and Rehearsal Director for Shaun Parker & Company. Since joining the company in 2015, Joel has performed in KING, Happy as Larry, Trolleys, Hover, The Box, Axle & Spin, touring extensively across Australia and internationally to Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Austria and Germany. Joel has also performed, taught or choreographed for Tasdance, Devize Co, Brand X, Lyric Opera, Phluxus2Dance Collective, QL2, Stompin, Arts Tasmania and several independent artists. Joel was Artist in Residence at University of Tasmania in 2018 and undertook an Arts Tasmania Education Residency at Launceston College in 2019. He produced Summer Solo Series in Melbourne 2012-14, Tasmanian Solo Series in Launceston 2020 and The Dance Photography Exhibition in Brisbane 2010. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E403 · Wed, June 07, 2023
TONY Episode - ‘Folks, It’s Funny Girl, Fiddler and Dolly Combined’ - Satirist and Broadcaster; Mark Humphries
It’s TONY time once again - the annual celebration of the Broadway community via their awards ceremony - The Tony’s - named after Antoinette Perry, an actress, producer and theatre director who was co-founder and secretary of the American Theatre Wing The 2023 awards have been surrounded by some controversy as producers negotiated with the striking writers guild of America for cooperation to present the ceremony. Happily, the awards will proceed as scheduled featuring live performances but in a non-scripted format. The televised performance is an essential marketing tool that can boost sales for those shows nominated and those that are awarded prizes. The ceremony will be broadcast on American network CBS on June 11th. The awards were postponed for approx. 18months in 2020 during the Covid pandemic which made such an event impossible. Audiences have yet to return to prepandemic levels, so such a telecast is understandably needed. Australians are an ever growing presence on the Broadway stage and this year were are cheering for Suzie Miller’s production of Prima Facie; a play that has taken the world by storm. After a commanding production starring Sheridan Harbridge which commenced at Sydney’s Griffin Theatre, it landed triumphantly in London’s West End starring Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer. The production won Best Play and Best Actress at the Olivier Awards. The production opened on Broadway in April, once again starring Comer. Once again conquering box-office and compelling audiences with its visceral storytelling. A recent announcement has informed us that the play will be adapted into a feature film starring Tony winner Cynthia Ervio. Prima Facie is nominated in these categories at the Tonys …Best Leading Actress in a Play - Jodie Comer (first time on stage), Best Scenic Design of a Play - Miriam Buether Best Sound Design of a Play - Ben & Max Ringham, Best Lighting Design of a Play - Natasha Chivers. And Australian Daniel Edmonds is Assistant Conductor on the Best Musical nominee - Shucked! STAGES is joined in this episode by Musical afficiando Mark Humphries who will share his experiences of the Great White Way and offer his own predictions as to where the Tony’s may land amongst this year’s nominees. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E402 · Tue, June 06, 2023
‘I have played in my time, every possible part …’ - Esteemed Actor; Peter Carroll Pt2
Peter Carroll’s distinguished career has spanned over 100 productions and 50 years. He continues to work in musical theatre, new Australian texts, and global classics. He has worked with the major theatre companies and commercial managements in Australia including, MTC, QTC, STC, STCSA, Belvoir, Bell Shakespeare, and Opera Australia. Peter began his career as a teacher (English, History and Drama) while gaining experiences in theatre work. In 1968 he went to London to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama where he topped the course. He returned to Sydney in 1970 and for three years headed the Voice and Speech department at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. During this time, he produced many plays for the students and kept up his acting work with guest appearances. At the end of 1973 Peter decided to attempt a full-time acting career and his work since then has more than vindicated his choice. He was a founding member in the 1970’s of the Nimrod Theatre Company, performing up to seven or eight major roles a year, ranging from Shakespeare and Restoration comedy to contemporary Australian drama. He has acted for the Sydney Theatre Company from its beginnings at the Sydney Opera House. Some of his early performances were as Benedick in John Bell’s hilarious production of Much Ado About Nothing, the dual roles of Hotspur and Pistol in Richard Wherrett’s production of Henry IV, Jesus in a Perth Festival production of The Mystery Plays of Wakefield and Thomas à Becket in a Perth Festival production of Murder in the Cathedral. As one of Australia’s most admired and popular stage actors, he is particularly well remembered for his beautifully studied role of the Catholic priest in Ron Blair’s one-character play, The Christian Brothers, which was performed to acclaim from leading critics and audiences in all Australian capitals, numerous country centres, NZ and Riverside studios in London. In a vast career some standout performances include, Money and Friends, The Cherry Orchard, The Blind Giant is Dancing, A Hard God, Happy Days and Night on Bald Mountain. His repertoire is extensive. His casting in the role of Juan Peron, in the musical Evita marked a return to the earliest days of his career when he sang Gilbert and Sullivan productions at Sydney University. A resume of iconic musical theatre roles have peppered his career - Sweeney Todd, Thenadier in Les Miserables, Gus the theatre cat in CATS, Bella Zangler in Crazy for You, Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar and The Narrator in Into the Woods. His film and television career has been extensive here in Australia and internationally. TV credits include titles such as Aftertaste, The Letdown, Bloom, and Rake. Film credits include The Power of the Dog, Sleeping Beauty, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, and Crazy Rich Asians.Peter has won many awards including Green Room Awards, a Helpmann Award, a Sydney Theatre Critics’ Circle Award and an Honorary Doct
S6 E401 · Mon, June 05, 2023
‘Climb Every Mountain’ - Esteemed Actor; Peter Carroll Pt1
Peter Carroll’s distinguished career has spanned over 100 productions and 50 years. He continues to work in musical theatre, new Australian texts, and global classics. He has worked with the major theatre companies and commercial managements in Australia including, MTC, QTC, STC, STCSA, Belvoir, Bell Shakespeare, and Opera Australia. Peter began his career as a teacher (English, History and Drama) while gaining experiences in theatre work. In 1968 he went to London to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama where he topped the course. He returned to Sydney in 1970 and for three years headed the Voice and Speech department at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. During this time, he produced many plays for the students and kept up his acting work with guest appearances. At the end of 1973 Peter decided to attempt a full-time acting career and his work since then has more than vindicated his choice. He was a founding member in the 1970’s of the Nimrod Theatre Company, performing up to seven or eight major roles a year, ranging from Shakespeare and Restoration comedy to contemporary Australian drama. He has acted for the Sydney Theatre Company from its beginnings at the Sydney Opera House. Some of his early performances were as Benedick in John Bell’s hilarious production of Much Ado About Nothing, the dual roles of Hotspur and Pistol in Richard Wherrett’s production of Henry IV, Jesus in a Perth Festival production of The Mystery Plays of Wakefield and Thomas à Becket in a Perth Festival production of Murder in the Cathedral. As one of Australia’s most admired and popular stage actors, he is particularly well remembered for his beautifully studied role of the Catholic priest in Ron Blair’s one-character play, The Christian Brothers, which was performed to acclaim from leading critics and audiences in all Australian capitals, numerous country centres, NZ and Riverside studios in London. In a vast career some standout performances include, Money and Friends, The Cherry Orchard, The Blind Giant is Dancing, A Hard God, Happy Days and Night on Bald Mountain. His repertoire is extensive. His casting in the role of Juan Peron, in the musical Evita marked a return to the earliest days of his career when he sang Gilbert and Sullivan productions at Sydney University. A resume of iconic musical theatre roles have peppered his career - Sweeney Todd, Thenadier in Les Miserables, Gus the theatre cat in CATS, Bella Zangler in Crazy for You, Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar and The Narrator in Into the Woods. His film and television career has been extensive here in Australia and internationally. TV credits include titles such as Aftertaste, The Letdown, Bloom, and Rake. Film credits include The Power of the Dog, Sleeping Beauty, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, and Crazy Rich Asians.Peter has won many awards including Green Room Awards, a Helpmann Award, a Sydney Theatre Critics’ Circle Award and an Honor
S6 E400 · Sat, June 03, 2023
‘… Drew Back The Curtain, To See For Certain’ - Stage & Screen Lyricist, Storyteller and Musical Theatre Titan; Sir Tim Rice
From an early age Tim Rice was a pop music fanatic. He began his professional life as a trainee solicitor. While still an apprenticed clerk Tim approached the head of Arlington Books, Desmond Elliot, with the idea of writing a book about pop history. The idea didn't impress Elliot, but the fact that Tim was also a budding song-writer did. Elliot knew someone in need of a collaborator: a young man called Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wanted to be a composer. At Elliot's suggestion, Tim wrote to Andrew, and a meeting was quickly arranged. The two men hit it off immediately, and, owing to Andrew’s love of American musical theatre, began to try to write a musical rather than pop singles. And so this story begins. Tim Rice continued to work with Andrew Lloyd Webber, giving us visceral and intelligent musical theatre fare that includes Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. The pair also share the unique accolade of writing a song for Elvis Presley; “It’s Easy for You”. The song is also remarkable in that it is the last song on the last album released during Elvis' lifetime. Subsequent collaborations have been with fellow titans of the craft - Elton John, Alan Menken, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson creating popular theatrical fare that includes Chess, The Lion King, Aladdin and Aida. His output has been presented by the Disney Organisation, on Broadway, in The West End and for commercial stages around the globe. The popularity of his works with community and school theatres has ensured that at any time, somewhere in the world, a Tim Rice musical is being produced. This year in Australia alone we have seen commercial productions of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and Beauty & the Beast. Tim is the recipient of 3 Academy Awards, 4 Tonys, 5 Grammys and 1 Emmy - making him that ‘rare bird’ in the entertainment industry - one of only 17 artists to have garnered an EGOT. He was knighted by Elizabeth 2nd for services to music in 1994. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is an inductee to the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, a Disney Legend Recipient, a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, and has his own Cricket team. With Andrew Lloyd Webber he wrote a musical for Queen Elizabeth titled Cricket, and has crafted songs for Freddy Mercury, Placido Domingo and David Essex. Tim Rice has contributed songs to soundtracks, such as “All Time High” for the Bond movie Octopussy. His most recent musical work, From Here To Eternity opened in 2013. He is the co-author of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and a co-founder of Pavilion Books. And today, celebrates 400 episodes of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).<a
S6 E399 · Thu, June 01, 2023
"Whatever you please, it's okay, even if it's impossible, we'll arrange it” - Actor, Director, Producer; John Diedrich Pt2
John Diedrich is one of the Australian theatre’s greatest and most versatile talents, having contributed to the industry across many platforms as actor, writer, director and producer. John commenced his career at age 11 with J.C. Williamson’s, appearing in the classics Camelot and then Oliver!, playing the Artful Dodger. At the age of 19 John produced and directed his first musical, presenting Minnie’s Boys, a musical based on the life of the Marx Brothers. Regular engagements as an actor followed in both plays and musicals, including Salad Days at St Martins, Grease for Harry M. Miller, Two Gentlemen of Verona for Kenn Brodziak, Lloyd George Knew My Father, starring alongside Sir Ralph Richardson, and with Leslie Phillips in The Man Most Likely To. John co-wrote, directed and performed in three highly successful revues; Gershwin - a musical tribute to the songwriting brothers, The Twenties and All That Jazz and Oh Those Thirties. In 1980, John was cast as Curly in Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s seminal musical Oklahoma!, playing the Palace theatre on London’s West End. The production was directed by Oscar’s son, James Hammerstein. For his performance, John was nominated for an Olivier Award as Best Actor in a Musical. He returned to Australia in 1982 to recreate the role in the Australian production and tour. In 1987, John co-produced and starred as Guido Contini in the ground breaking musical Nine, for which he was nominated as Best Director of a Musical in the Sydney Theatre Critics awards. Nine was also nominated as the outstanding production of the year. John co-produced the original cast album of Nine which won the ARIA Award for Best Cast recording. He has recorded five other cast albums. John’s other theatre credits include Inspector Javert in Les Miserables, Wolf by Tobsha Lerner and Insignificance by Terry Johnson for Playbox, Aren’t We All with Sir Rex Harrison and Claudette Colbert, High Society for the Melbourne Theatre Company, as Dr Grant Swain in David Williamson’s Dead White Males for the Sydney Theatre Company and as Vittorio Vidal in Sweet Charity. In 1993, he again appeared on London’s West End at the Prince of Wales theatre in the role of Frank Butler in Ronald Lee’s production of Annie Get Your Gun. In 1998, John created the role of the silver-tongued lawyer, Billy Flynn, in the acclaimed revival of Chicago. In 2000, he was invited to London to play the role on the West End stage. Further theatre credits include Mack & Mabel, South Pacific, Into the Woods and Follies. Producing and directing credits include the musicals South Pacific, Titanic, Zorba and Jekyll & Hyde. His television and film credits include Bluey, Special Squad, Class of ’74 and The Challenge. In the UK, the sitcom The Gingerbread Girl and Second Thoughts; and Fred Scheppsi’s The Devil’s Playground. In this two part conversation with John Diedrich, STAGES recounts many of those highlights, along with
S6 E398 · Wed, May 31, 2023
‘There’s a Bright, Golden Haze on the Meadow’ - Actor, Director, Producer; John Diedrich Pt1
John Diedrich is one of the Australian theatre’s greatest and most versatile talents, having contributed to the industry across many platforms as actor, writer, director and producer. John commenced his career at age 11 with J.C. Williamson’s, appearing in the classics Camelot and then Oliver!, playing the Artful Dodger. At the age of 19 John produced and directed his first musical, presenting Minnie’s Boys, a musical based on the life of the Marx Brothers. Regular engagements as an actor followed in both plays and musicals, including Salad Days at St Martins, Grease for Harry M. Miller, Two Gentlemen of Verona for Kenn Brodziak, Lloyd George Knew My Father, starring alongside Sir Ralph Richardson, and with Leslie Phillips in The Man Most Likely To. John co-wrote, directed and performed in three highly successful revues; Gershwin - a musical tribute to the songwriting brothers, The Twenties and All That Jazz and Oh Those Thirties. In 1980, John was cast as Curly in Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s seminal musical Oklahoma!, playing the Palace theatre on London’s West End. The production was directed by Oscar’s son, James Hammerstein. For his performance, John was nominated for an Olivier Award as Best Actor in a Musical. He returned to Australia in 1982 to recreate the role in the Australian production and tour. In 1987, John co-produced and starred as Guido Contini in the ground breaking musical Nine, for which he was nominated as Best Director of a Musical in the Sydney Theatre Critics awards. Nine was also nominated as the outstanding production of the year. John co-produced the original cast album of Nine which won the ARIA Award for Best Cast recording. He has recorded five other cast albums. John’s other theatre credits include Inspector Javert in Les Miserables, Wolf by Tobsha Lerner and Insignificance by Terry Johnson for Playbox, Aren’t We All with Sir Rex Harrison and Claudette Colbert, High Society for the Melbourne Theatre Company, as Dr Grant Swain in David Williamson’s Dead White Males for the Sydney Theatre Company and as Vittorio Vidal in Sweet Charity. In 1993, he again appeared on London’s West End at the Prince of Wales theatre in the role of Frank Butler in Ronald Lee’s production of Annie Get Your Gun. In 1998, John created the role of the silver-tongued lawyer, Billy Flynn, in the acclaimed revival of Chicago. In 2000, he was invited to London to play the role on the West End stage. Further theatre credits include Mack & Mabel, South Pacific, Into the Woods and Follies. Producing and directing credits include the musicals South Pacific, Titanic, Zorba and Jekyll & Hyde. His television and film credits include Bluey, Special Squad, Class of ’74 and The Challenge. In the UK, the sitcom The Gingerbread Girl and Second Thoughts; and Fred Scheppsi’s The Devil’s Playground. In this two part conversation with John Diedrich, STAGES recounts many of those highlights, along with
S6 E397 · Mon, May 29, 2023
‘Reviewing the Situation’ - Arts Journalist & Actor; Martin Portus
Martin Portus has managed media and communication strategies for five organisations, including the launch of the National Museum of Australia, for the University of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music, Parramatta City Council and the Australia Council for the Arts. At Parramatta City Council Martin was also employed as senior policy/political adviser to three Lord Mayors. Most recently, he completed a one-year contract where he reinvented the branding, media and partnership strategies for the Commonwealth’s new Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). NIDA trained, his first career was as a television and stage actor in Sydney and Adelaide. Later, with a BA from Adelaide University, he studied a post-graduate diploma of journalism at City University in London. After freelancing in London, Martin worked in Sydney as an arts journalist and critic for Fairfax Media, mostly the SMH, before joining the ABC in 1989. From 1989–2000, Martin was an ABC TV and Radio National arts broadcaster and producer - presenter of Arts National, presenter of Performance (a specialist performing arts program) and producer/presenter of Arts Today. Martin continues to work as a theatre and dance critic, a freelance journalist and a PR and media strategy consultant. He also works for the performing arts advocacy organisation, Currency House. Martin is a director of Currency and a media and editorial advisor, notably in promoting and steering the quarterly Platform Papers and quarterly Creative and Business Breakfast addresses at the MCA. He has also served on the boards of the Sydney Star Observer, the ACT AIDS Council and the Street Theatre in Canberra. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E396 · Sat, May 27, 2023
‘Bonjour Amour’ - Actor; Natalie Mosco - Pt2
Welcome back to this companion episode of the STAGES podcast and our conversation with Natalie Mosco. In Part 1, Natalie shared anecdote from her vast career, particularly the period when she worked throughout Australia is many shows, garnering a significant profile. Natalie of course arrived in Australia via the Musical Hair, where she had been a member of the Broadway company. Subsequent stage sojourns included Grease, Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Magic Show, Gershwin, The Rocky Horror Show, Get Happy and Pippin. All of which she shares terrific insight to - the triumphs and occasional trauma. And always with tremendous passion, joy and respect; for an art form she adores and the folk who inhabit it. She recalls her first Australian too - the great Cyril Ritchard, who directed her as an 11 year old in La Perichole at the old Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. In Part 2, Natalie recounts growing up and embracing an education in the Performing Arts. And revisits celebrated performances in Follies, as Emily Whitman, and Grand Hotel as the Ballerina Grushinskaya. Throughout her stellar career she has also worked alongside key artists, teachers, performers and creatives - everyone a contributor to Natalie’s remarkable story; and for who she continues to carry the torch of their combined artistry. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E395 · Fri, May 26, 2023
‘The Circus is Coming’ - Actor; Natalie Mosco - Pt1
New York born, Natalie Mosco appeared on Australian stages over a three decade period in productions that included The Rocky Horror Show, Get Happy, The Conquest of Carmen Miranda, Company and Oscar’s Turn to Sing. Her earliest theatrical experiences were garnered as a dancer in a string of operas for the Metropolitan Opera House, as well as Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty for Britain’s Royal Ballet. She turned to acting in 1965 with plays for Off-Broadway’s American Place Theatre. In 1968 she was a member, and later starred with the original Broadway cast of Hair and began a four year association with that show which took her as a performer/choreographer to Toronto, Boston, Paris, and finally Melbourne for the beginning of the Australian tour. Following Hair, Natalie toured with Jesus Christ Superstar, leaving that show for major roles in Grease, Two Gentlemen of Verona, No Sex Please We’re British, Pippin, Gershwin, and The Magic Show. An offer to re-create her Australian role in The Magic Show on Broadway took her back to America where she remained for almost five years doing Broadway, television, and regional theatre work including new plays, musicals and ‘standards’ such as ‘Maggie’ in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. In Australia, her television credits include regular roles in Bellbird, Number 96, Learned Friends, The Last Bastion, A Country Practice and Carson’s Law, as well as guest spots for the ABC and Crawfords in sundry roles. Natalie performed the role of ballerina ‘Grushinskaya’ in the West End production of Grand Hotel. And for the prestigious Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey; ‘Belinda Blair’ in Noises Off; and ‘Emily Whitman’ in the first revival of Follies, alongside Kaye Ballard, Eddie Bracken, Donna McKechnie and Ann Miller. We’re thrilled to welcome Natalie Mosco to the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E394 · Wed, May 17, 2023
‘Requiem, Recorders & Ralph!’ - Artistic & Music Director; Brett Weymark
Brett Weymark is one of Australia’s foremost choral conductors. Since 2003 Brett Weymark has conducted the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs throughout Australia and internationally. He has also conducted the Sydney, Adelaide, Queensland, West Australian and Tasmanian symphony orchestras, Orchestra of the Antipodes, Sydney Youth Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic and productions for WAAPA, Pacific Opera and OzOpera. He has performed with Opera Australia, Pinchgut Opera, Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Song Company and Musica Viva. He studied singing and conducting at Sydney University and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and continued conducting studies with Simon Halsey, Vance George, Daniel Barenboim and Sir John Eliot Gardiner, amongst others. His performances have included Bach’s Passions and Christmas Oratorio, the requiems of Mozart, Verdi, Duruflé and Fauré and Orff’s Carmina Burana. He is champion of Australian composers and has premiered works by Matthew Hindson, Elena Kats-Chernin, Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards and many others. He has prepared choirs for Sir Charles Mackerras, Zubin Mehta, Edo de Waart, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Sir Simon Rattle. He has recorded widely for the ABC and conducted film scores, including Happy Feet, Mad Max Fury Road and Australia. Recent highlight performances include Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (West Australian Opera), Paul Stanhope and Steve Hawke’s Jandamarra (SSO), Michael Tippett’s A Child Of Our Time (Adelaide Festival) and Carousel (State Opera South Australia). In 2001, Brett was awarded an Australian Centenary Medal. In 2021, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the performing arts through music. Brett is passionate about singing and the role that music plays in both the individual’s wellbeing and the overall health and vitality of a community’s culture. Music can transform lives and should be accessible to all. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E393 · Sat, May 13, 2023
‘Sing Out Louise!’ - Generational Actors; Belinda Giblin and Romy Bartz
A special episode of the STAGES podcast - a Mother’s Day focus with two of our favourite Mother/Daughter acting pairs - Belinda Giblin and Romy Bartz. Many women have followed their Mums into the precarious vocation that is the stage and screen. Whilst being witness to the challenge and triumph of such a career, it has not stopped them following in Mother’s footsteps - chasing the dream, telling stories and embracing a wondrous profession. For many showbiz families, it is the family business; and we are aware of the dynasties who have made Acting their focus across several generations. Some who trod the boards, are the ‘black sheep’ of the family, who find their way without a single member guiding the way. So what are the challenges, or the advances, if any, of having your Mum lead the way. Belinda and Romy offer a unique insight and allow us to celebrate their significant talents. Belinda Giblin is one of Australia’s most distinguished stage and screen actors. Her most recent theatre credits include “Amadeus” alongside Michael Sheen, and Melissa Bubnic’s “Ghosting the Party” (Griffin Theatre). Other recent credits include “Blonde Poison” (Old Fitz, SOH, Southbank) “Doubt” (Old Fitz) Samuel Beckett’s “Happy Days”(Old Fitz) for all of which she was nominated for Best Actress in an Independent production by the Sydney Theatre Critics’ Circle Awards. On television Belinda has had regular roles in the series “Home and Away”; “Sons and Daughters”; “Heartbreak High”; “The Sullivans”; and “The Box “. Film credits include “ Peterson”, “Say you Want Me” for which she won a Sammy award, and an award winning short film “Stille Nacht”. Belinda appeared in an Independent feature film, “A Stitch in Time”(Sasha Hadden Productions) in 2022. Belinda is presently playing in ‘Suddenly Last Summer’ at the Ensemble Theatre. Romy Bartz is an actor and director who graduated from NIDA. Since graduating she has performed in theatre productions such as ‘Hillbilly Thriller’, ‘The Moors’, ‘Mercury Fur’, ‘Slaughterhouse’, ‘Bull’, ‘Idle Lies’, ‘Why Torture is Wrong and the People Who Love Them’ and ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’. Romy’s television credits include ‘Reef Break’, ‘The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show’, ‘The Surgeon’, ‘Love My Way’, ‘Skool Sue’, ‘White Collar Blue’ and ‘Murder Under the Microscope’. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E392 · Wed, May 10, 2023
‘Podium Patter’ - Conductor, Composer, Creative; Nicholas McRoberts
Born in Australia, Nicholas McRoberts studied piano, composition and conducting at the Melbourne Conservatory, the Victorian College of Arts, the CNSM in Paris and the Ecole Normale. He studied conducting with Robert Rosen, Jorma Panula and Dejan Savić. Today he is based in France. His works include operas, symphonies, ballets, voice, piano and chamber works. His Symphony No. 1 “From the Old World” was premiered by the Sofia Philharmonic on the 27th of August 2022 with the composer conducting. His "Adagio for Strings" was commissioned for the Nürtinger Chamber Orchestra and first performed on November 14, 2021, conducted by Friederike Kienle. It was written during the Covid lockdowns and recorded with the Janaček Philharmonic in March 2021. The French première was given by the Ensemble Orchestral de Biarritz, conducted by Yves Bouillier in July 2022. In September 2019 he was named conductor of the Orchestre Démos du Grand Verdun with the Philharmonie de Paris. In 2018 he was named artistic director of Opéra Montmartre in Paris. In 2017 he collaborated with the French choreographer Nawel Oulad on a ballet Les Tisseuses de Silence and a duo Femme au Piano for the Semaine de la Danse in Paris which were performed in the Festival Les Aliennes and the Festival Appel de la Lune. His Violin Concerto was recorded in 2017 with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. His operas include "Lyon" (2016) premiered by the Ruse State Opera in July 2016, and "Nera" (2017) adapted from the play "Devojka Modre Kose" (The Girl with the Midnight Blue Hair) written by the Serbian playwright Vida Ognjenović. His composition "Festival Fanfare" was the recipient of the 2002 OpenBook Award for Sacred Music. His works are published by Halcyon Publications in Paris. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E391 · Sat, May 06, 2023
‘Sinners, Saints and Socialites’ - Opera Australia Chorister; Katherine Wiles
Katherine Wiles has been a full-time member of the Opera Australia Chorus since 2007. An essential and vital ensemble of players who contribute enormously to the world of the narrative being sung on stage. A stimulating position that sees the ensemble represent community in a breadth of operatic repertoire - as nuns, soldiers, townsfolk, mourners, socialites and sisters. But whether it’s dressing up or dressing down, the chorus is an exulted position that completes the Opera aesthetic and sound. Katherine delivers an honest, raw, and hilarious insight into the life of an Opera Chorister. …. in a recently penned autobiography detailing a most splendid vocation. NO AUTOGRAPHS PLEASE! - LIFE IN AN OPERA CHORUS. It is filled with backstage antics, onstage disasters, personal anecdotes, and shines a light on a section of the opera industry people know very little about. New Zealand-born Katherine lives in Sydney, after being based in the UK where she studied with Patricia Hay. She holds an F.T.C.L. Voice from Trinity College, London, England, a Masters in Opera from Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland and a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from Auckland University, New Zealand. From 1996-1999 Katherine was a Young Artist and Chorus Member of New Zealand Opera. In 2016/2017 Katherine performed the roles of Lady Boxington/Ensemble in the Opera Australia/John Frost 60th Anniversary Production of My Fair Lady directed by Dame Julie Andrews, touring Australia. In 2015 Katherine continued performing with Opera Australia as Papagena (The Magic Flute), Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) in the Melbourne season, and Handmaiden (Turandot). During 2014 Katherine’s performances with Opera Australia included Papagena in The Magic Flute and Giannetta in The Elixir of Love. In 2013 Katherine performed the role of Cupid in Orpheus in the Underworld and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni on tour for OzOpera in Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia and New South Wales, as well as covering Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Eurydice (Orpheus in the Underworld) and Ortlinde (Die Walküre) for Opera Australia’s Ring Cycle. In 2012 Katherine performed Valencienne (The Merry Widow), Papagena (The Magic Flute) and Handmaiden Two (Turandot) for Opera Australia and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) for OzOpera on tour in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. Other recent performances include the roles of a Musician (Manon Lescaut), Mrs. Nordstrom (A Little Night Music) and First Bridesmaid (The Marriage of Figaro) for Opera Australia; Adina (L’elisir d’amore) for State Opera of South Australia; Serenade to Music with the Sydney Symphony conducted by Mark Wigglesworth; High Tea concerts at the Sydney Opera House; a series of concerts with Opus Orchestra on tour in New Zealand; Messiah for Sydney Philharmonia Choirs at Sydney Opera House as well as for Auckland Choral Society and Christch
S6 E390 · Wed, May 03, 2023
‘Making Theatre’ - Jack of All Theatrical Trades; Danny Ball
Danny Ball is a proud Italian-Australian actor, producer, educator and writer/director. He graduated from NIDA in 2016. Born in Melbourne; during high school he developed an interest in filmmaking and literature as well as being a committed martial artist competing at a national level. He studied a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne where he became involved in student theatre; performing in plays as well as producing and directing his own work. He subsequently formed an independent theatre company and produced two new Australian works; The Apartment and Narcissus (Melbourne Fringe Festival) As an actor his work includes Blackrock, Macbeth, Mercury Fur, Concrete, Romeo & Juliet, The Serpent’s Teeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Cleansed and The Italians. As playwright, his debut play, Adidas Girls, was produced by the Drama Studio and performed at Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in 2021. His play, The Italians, received a production in Sydney in 2022 at Belvoir theatre as part of the 25A program. This production can be accessed for screening from www.australiantheatre.live In 2022 he directed Tom at the Farm at the Kings Cross Theatre, KXT. Danny also navigates his passion as an arts educator and tutor working for NIDA Open, ATYP, Bell Shakespeare and Parramatta Actors Centre - teaching young people and adults in a range of contexts from school holiday programs to Juvenile Justice Residencies. From May 5 to 25, Danny play’s Ari in the adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas’ Loaded at the Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E389 · Sat, April 29, 2023
‘Mamma Mia, Here I Go Again’ - Musical Theatre Swing, Understudy, Performer; Emily Cascarino
In May, Emily Cascarino returns to the cast of MAMMA MIA! The Musical. She made her professional debut as a swing, and Sophie, Ali & Lisa understudy; in the 10th Anniversary Tour in 2009. Since then, Emily has played Nessarose in the Australasian tour of Wicked (Gordon Frost Organisation) and was dance captain and swing on Jersey Boys (Newtheatricals). More recently, Emily covered Emma Wiggle on the Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle! Tour. She is effervesent, ever-ready and ever delightful . Let’s say hello to Emily Cascarino. Her other credits include Glinda in Wicked (Packemin Productions), Lorraine Hastings in Bells are Ringing and Sue Harding in Applause both for Neglected Musicals, Sally De Banis in Squabbalogic’s Reefer Madness, as well as opera productions Carmen (Alexander Productions) and Dead Man Walking (Andrew McManus Productions). Emily also featured in Village Roadshows’ Natalie Wood: Hollywood’s Last Child as Natalie Wood’s young sister Lana Wood. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E388 · Wed, April 26, 2023
‘To Thine Own Self Be True’ - Theatre Director, Actor, Teaching Artist; Jeremy James
Jeremy James is a theatre director, actor, dramaturg and teaching artist, whose work has taken him to more than 20 countries over the past 25 years. Collaborating with renowned artists, directors and theatre companies internationally, most notably with Ariane Mnouchkine and Théâtre du Soleil for eight years, Jeremy has toured extensively to prestigious theatres and international festivals. He has received notable public and critical acclaim, with eminent theatre academic, Patrice Pavis, describing Jeremy's sharply crafted ensemble work as ’masterly performed and characteristic of the recent evolution of the dramaturgy of the actor’. Jeremy's distinctive approach to theatre practice and pedagogy evolved through his work and training with European master directors and teachers, including Mnouchkine, Katie Mitchell, Philippe Gaulier, Monika Pagneux, Kristin Linklater, Anatoly Vasiliev and the founding members of Complicité, Song of the Goat and Shared Experience. His stage language is further informed by his earlier visual art practice in photomedia, installation and performance art. An award winning graduate of the Canberra School of Art and Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Jeremy studied with Anne Ferran, Ingo Kleinert, John Reid and Jan Peacock in the 1990s, while exhibiting works in Australia, Canada and the USA. Jeremy is a regular guest director and lecturer at national theatre schools and universities, while his specialist workshops for actors, directors, dancers, choreographers and musicians have been hosted in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, Philippines, Spain, UK, USA and Uruguay. Embracing artistic, cultural and linguistic diversity, his interdisciplinary work spans form and genre, and actively questions the roles that theatre can play in society today. Based back in Australia since 2020, Jeremy founded RARE BIRD ensemble. Underpinned by rigorous research, investigation and exchange in the creation of innovative site-specific works, he seeks to enrich connections between artists and audience while inspiring dialogue about who we are and who we want to be.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E377 · Tue, April 25, 2023
"When I Get My Name in Lights" - Todd McKenney Pt 1 (corrected to include introductory remarks)
This episode 377 was previously published but missing introductory remarks. Complete episode here.
S6 E387 · Sat, April 22, 2023
‘If They Could See Me Now’ - Broadway Veteran, Michael Misita
Michael Misita grew up in Ohio and is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music. He subsequently carved a brilliant career as a dancer, actor and choreographer. Early work commenced in the American theatre tradition of summer-stock at the Melody Top theatre in Milwaukee. There he ‘cut his teeth’ on shows that included Irma La Douce, Sweet Charity, Lady in the Dark and The Boyfriend. He landed a Broadway show on his first day in New York City; a brief run in a musical titled The Fig Leaves are Falling, alongside Dorothy Louden and David Cassidy. More successful runs allowed him to work with a host of master Directors and Choreographers, who included Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Tommy Tune and Hal Prince. Michael appeared in nine Broadway productions including the original Follies, and Applause, and as replacement cast in Pippin. He was cast in A Chorus Line when it began at the Public Theatre, and performed in Equus, where Richard Burton and Tony Perkins played the lead at different times. Other leading players he was able to watch up close included Lauren Bacall, Marian Seldes, Alexis Smith, Yvonne de Carlo, and Anne Miller in Mame. He has appeared in over fifty plays and musicals in regional theatres across the country, 200 television commercials, including the first Dr Pepper commercial. In Los Angeles Michael appeared in numerous television series, soaps and films; among them The Great Gatsby and Alligator. Michael now enjoys retirement in Hawaii - and it was there that I eventually got to meet him ‘in person’ during a recent visit. And he didn’t disappoint - charming, erudite and still passionate about the life he carved in the theatre. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E386 · Wed, April 19, 2023
'Colour and Light’ - Scenic Artists, Rod Clarke and Stella Ginsberg
The art of scenic design is a craft as old as the theatre itself. Painted cloths, gauze and scenery complete the illusion to which we attend so freely. However, with the advent of technologies, the theatrical experience, which essentially has a responsibility to transport us into other worlds, has seen new and often unsatisfying ways of conjuring this magical immersion. Rod Clarke and Stella Ginsberg are artists who have been constructing and executing the specific craft of the scenic artist for several decades. Their bespoke and alluring art has given dimension, atmosphere and life to stage settings in a most unique and hypnotic manner. It is an art form that is at some risk however, as a new generation of designers begin to explore other avenues of invention to tell their stories. Their craft was inherited from ‘old hands’ who generously and responsibly passed on their knowledge of constructing huge canvases. This ensured a dying art was kept alive so that it could continue to enhance precious storytelling. Their work has been experienced and applauded across a range of disciplines and stages - Opera Australia, Bell Shakespeare, Bangarra Dance Theatre, The Elizabethan Theatre Trust, The West Australian Ballet Company, Jupiter’s Casino and commercial musicals including Love Never Dies and South Pacific; they’ve worked with artists Charles Blackman and Sidney Nolan; and performers such as Crowded House and magician Joe Labero. Clarke and Ginsberg set up their own studio and theatrical business, Scenografic Studios, in the 1980s. Their headquarters in Newtown quickly became a location of enormous creativity and hive of activity as the couple and their staff were enlisted to prepare and paint scenery for a vast range of entertainments - pop concerts, operas, plays, dance and musicals. Their talent and experience preserving and celebrating this theatrical craft is to be applauded. Stella and Rod have keenly accepted the challenge of translating an idea on paper to a spellbinding realisation of dramatic effect on the stage. They have completed a magical experience for all of us who have ever sat in a theatre. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E385 · Sat, April 15, 2023
‘If Music Be The Food Of Love’ - Maestro, Richard Bonynge
Born in Sydney, Richard Bonynge studied at the NSW Conservatory of Music and the Royal College of Music. He served as Music Director of the Sutherland-Williamson Grand Opera Company in 1965 (Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane), as Artistic Director of the Vancouver Opera from 1974-77 and Music Director of The Australian Opera from 1976-86. Maestro Bonynge’s accomplishments as conductor and musical scholar were recognized when Queen Elizabeth II, during her Silver Jubilee Celebration in 1977, made him a Commander of the British Empire. In the summer of 1989, the French government honored him with the rank of “Commandeur de l’Ordre National des Arts et des Lettres”. Throughout his illustrious career, Richard Bonynge has conducted in the world’s leading opera houses in Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand and Asia. He has received world-wide acclaim as a scholar of bel canto opera and is celebrated for leading the renaissance of eighteenth and early-nineteenth century musical theater, such as Les Huguenots(Meyerbeer), Semiramide, Sigismondo (Rossini), La Fille du Régiment, Maria Stuarda, Anna Bolena, Lucrezia Borgia(Donizetti), Esclarmonde, Le Roi de Lahore, Thérèse (Massenet), Medea (Pacini), Orfeo (Haydn), I Masnadieri (Verdi). In recent seasons he led performances of La Traviata in Athens, I Capuleti ed I Montecchi in London, Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Scala di Seta, Signor Bruschino, Roméo & Juliette in Sydney, Lucia, Norma and Faust in the United States, La Favorite in Barcelona, I Lombardi in Buenos Aires and Semiramide (Meyerbeer) at the Wildbad Festival, Germany. Mr. Bonynge’s extensive career includes innumerable performances with his wife, Dame Joan Sutherland, culminating in her farewell engagements in opera and recital throughout the world. The two artists also toured the United States with the Sydney Symphony in celebration of Australia’s Bicentennial, with concerts at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the United Nations. His discography reflects the eclecticism of his music interests. He has recorded over 50 complete operas as well as the three Tchaikovsky ballets, three Delibes ballets and numerous lesser known ballets by Adam, Minkus, Burgmuller, Auber, Drigo, Offenbach. He recorded several recital discs with Sumi Jo, Jerry Hadley, Deborah Riedel, Rosamund Illing, Cheryl Barker and Elizabeth Whitehouse. His recent recordings are Le Domino Noir (Auber), Le Toréador (Adam), Der Czarevich, Das Land des Lächelns (Paganini), Giuditta (Lehar), Cendrillon (Nicolo), Orfeo (Haydn), Die Herzogin von Chicago and Die Czardasfürstin (Kálmán), British Opera Arias (Balfe, Wallace, Sullivan), Sacred and Profane Arias (Massenet), Puccini Arias (Puccini), La Somnambula (Hérold), Verismo Arias and Tchaikovsky & Grieg piano concertos with Simon Tedeschi and the Queensland Orchestra. Video recordings include Les Huguenots, La Fille du Régiment, Adriana Lecouvreur, Die Lustige Witwe, Les Dialogues des Carmél
S6 E384 · Wed, April 12, 2023
‘Be Like The Bluebird’ - Veteran Actor, Peter Whitford
Peter Whitford had celebrated 17 prolific years in show business as one of Australia’s leading actors before he was ever required to sing publicly in the commercial theatre. This was as the wily Governor in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Eight years later he trod the musical boards again in another Mike Walsh produced delight; Anything Goes as Moonface Martin; public enemy number 13, opposite Geraldine Turner. Another musical was to follow with Me and My Girl as Sir John, opposite Sheila Bradley. Born in Adelaide, his early stage ventures came though university theatre. Graduating from NIDA in 1963, Peter did an ABC radio play, King of Hearts, and never looked back. His professional stage experience was in the Old Tote’s inaugural production of The Cherry Orchard. His theatre performances include Ghosts at Belvoir Street; See How They Run, Why Me? And A Small Family Business for the Northside Theatre Company; and The Country Wife for the Sydney Theatre Company. Other credits on his vast list include Hedda Gabler for the Royal Queensland Theatre Company, Butley and The Season at Sarsaparilla for the Old Tote, Cyrano de Bergerac and A Map of the World for the Sydney Theatre Company, When the Wind Blows for Belvoir Street, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Catch Me If You Can for Northside, and Kennedy’s Children for the Melbourne Theatre Company. For television, Peter’s performances include roles in I’ve Married a Bachelor, Water Under the Bridge, Division 4, Number 96, Carson’s Law, A Country Practice, Bodyline, The Last Bastion, The Henderson Kids, Land of Hope, Rafferty’s Rules, All Saints and the spin-off series for Kingswood Country known as Bullpitt! Some audience members may even remember him as Jack in ABC radio’s Blue Hills. Peter’s last acting credit was an episode of Rake in 2010. Peter has appeared in many films including My Brilliant Career, Phar Lap, Careful He Might Hear You, Dead End Drive-in, Running from the Guns and Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train. Perhaps his most indelible screen performance was as the flamboyant Les Kendall in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom. Our stage and screen elders possess such a wealth of knowledge and experience. It’s so vital that we hear these stories. It was an enormous treat to access those stories via Peter Whitford. Enjoy! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E383 · Tue, April 11, 2023
‘Everybody Needs A Little Mate’ - Actor and Mentor, Valerie Bader
An actor whose career is approaching fifty years, Valerie Bader has worked extensively across all performance disciplines. Notwithstanding her considerable film and television credits, Valerie is perhaps best known for her theatre work – having performed with all of the major theatre companies (and even more of the minor ones). Raised in a family of folk who all explored ways to express themselves in various roles of the theatre, Valerie’s first forays into show business were with ‘the firm’ - J.C. Williamson’s; in the musicals Irene and No, No, Nanette. She also featured in productions of Original Australian Musicals; The Venetian Twins, Pearls Before Swine, Jonah Jones, Darlinghurst Nights and Summer Rain. Theatre credits includes: Dinkum Assorted, Australia Day, Parramatta Girls, Barmaids, Thomas Murray and the Upside Down River, TALK, Children of the Sun, M Rock, The Floating World, Away, The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race and A Christmas Carol. She is also remembered in Sydney for her many appearances with the Wharf Revue team.Recent screen appearances include the feature film, Wish You Were Here, the award-winning Black & White & Sex and Rip Tide, which debuted at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival. On the small screen Valerie’s work includes The Crew’s Ship, Devil’s Playground, Dead Lucky, The Let Down, The Chuck In, All Saints, East of Everything, Come in Spinner, True Believers, Murder Call and GP. She has been an active member of Equity since 1972, and is presently serving as an Executive Committee Member for the Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW. In recent years, Valerie has enjoyed mentoring young performers as they negotiate the early stages of their careers. She is a passionate advocate for them; and is proud to instil in them a strong regard for themselves, their industry, and their union. In May, Valerie can be seen at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre playing in Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer. She treads the boards again in August with another appearance in the stage adaptation of Colleen McCollough’s Tim. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E382 · Mon, April 10, 2023
‘Silver Threads and Golden Needles’ - Entertainment Icon and Author, Angela Ayers
Angela Ayers is an icon in the entertainment industry throughout Australia and New Zealand becoming the golden girl of NZ TV through her appearances with Peter Sinclair and Craig Scott in the musical TV shows Happen Inn and Sing in the 70’s. This led to her being voted “NZ’s Queen of Television” and “Most Popular Female Artist”. Shortly after moving to Australia, she won the plum role of Maggie in A Chorus Line subsequently winning the only scholarship the New York Shakespearian Festival Trust had ever awarded to study Jazz/Ballet in Los Angeles. A steady stream of significant roles in Musical Theatre kept her in Australia throughout the 80’s including West Side Story, The Rocky Horror Show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Cabaret, Chicago, Guys and Dolls and Jerry’s Girls. She appeared regularly on all National Variety TV Shows in Australia throughout the 90’s such as The Don Lane Show, The Mike Walsh Show, Hey Hey It’s Saturday and The Two Ronnie’s Specials; as well as many TV programs in guest roles and in commercials. In 1998, she wrote her own one woman cabaret show entitled I Can Cook Too, performing with the legendary Jazz Pianist Ray Alldridge. In a career of many highlights, Angela rates one of them as singing the New Zealand National Anthem to over 90,000 people at the MCG Bledisloe Cup Match. She was a regular favourite entertainer in the 1980’s and 1990’s on Cruise ships and entertained troops in the Sinai with the late Ricky May. Returning to NZ she starred in musicals such as 42nd St, Jerry’s Girls, and Mum’s the Word. There were numerous television credits in Shortland Street, Spin Doctors and Menopause the Musical in both Australia and New Zealand. Then in 2014, Angela played Miss Potts in Hairy Maclary at The Sydney Opera House. Angela’s cabaret show, ‘I Can Cook Too’ is in demand throughout Australia and is popular with the Senior Citizens Concerts. Even more so, is her new show “Simple Dreams” the amazing songs of Linda Ronstadt. Angela has recently launched her first children’s book; a talent discovered during the COVID lockdown. 2 LITTLE KIWI BIRDS will be released in a series of 6 with an accompanying song. It is a charming, delightful book following the adventures of two kiwi birds, Les and Beryl, who travel from New Zealand across to Australia and settle here. www.angelaayers.com STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E381 · Sun, April 09, 2023
‘State of Independence’ - Performer/Creative, Kaye Tuckerman
Originally from Sydney, Australia, Kaye Tuckerman has carved a niche internationally as a sought after director, performer, writer, and designer. Her directing career has garnered many awards globally, and her performing career has seen her headline some of the worlds biggest stage productions. She is currently producing and directing ‘Take your Seats’ a documentary about Broadway’s closure during 2020 and beyond, adapting ‘Tears on the Equator’ into a screenplay, and creating the pilot ‘The Wicked Cometh’. Other credits include the lead in the horror/thriller feature fill ‘The Girl Who got Away’, and appearing opposite James Spader on The Blacklist. Kaye has performed on Broadway in ‘Summer: The Donna Summer Musical ‘(Broadway) creating the role of ‘Pete Bellotte’. Other Highlights include: ‘Les Miserables’, ‘The Boy From Oz’, ‘Mamma Mia!’. She has performed at Madison Square Garden for the NBA, alongside Jennifer Hudson and the Dropkick Murphys with the Boston Pops, and at the Macy’s Day Parade. She has won multiple awards for her solo performances, and can be seen onscreen in 'The Matrix', ‘The Loudest Voice, 'The Characters’, 'Royal Pains’, as well as many shorts, web series and independent features such as the award winning ‘The Actor’, ‘The Prime’, ‘Vandal’ and ‘Crossroads of America’. As a designer in Kenya, she was nominated for an African Academy Award for 'From a Whisper' other work can be seen in campaigns such as Nike Write the Future,and Nokia: Sub-Saharan Africa, features such as 'I am Slave', and numerous documentaries for Discovery, National Geographic and Raw TV. Kaye gained her degree at WAAPA, and directing training at NIDA. Kaye was the Creative Producer/Director of The Australian Dance Awards for three years, Creative Director for Inglot NYC, directing and designing multiple photo shoots, and fashion events, Associate Casting Director for Disney's The Lion King' (Australia), and Casting Director for Sydney Dance Company. She has directed theatre productions throughout Australia and Asia, and most recently has directed the short films: “Black Canvas’ ‘Fragile', ‘Trumped’, ‘Nanas Room’, ‘Nil by Mouth’, 'Choice', ‘Famousland', 'On my Shoulder', 'JOE', ‘Coping’. As well as, multiple commercials, music videos, and the Hawaiian Documentary ‘The Last Queen’. Kaye was recently back in Australia and STAGES caught up with her for a long overdue reunion. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E380 · Sat, April 08, 2023
‘One Fine Day’ - Maestro, Brian Castles-Onion
In 2012, Opera Australia commenced an event that has quickly become a must on the global operatic calendar. For eleven years they have produced an Opera in one of the most beautiful locations in Sydney - the Fleet Steps at Mrs Macquarie’s Point. Every year in March/April, an incredible infrastructure is constructed on this site, allowing audiences an exhilarating experience; serving a treasured opera with a backdrop consisting of our treasured icons - Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. It is pure magic! Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour commenced with a production of Verdi’s La Traviata. This year we will experience the majesty of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in a sumptuous production that will dazzle you with what can be accomplished on an outdoor stage. In the intervening years we have been treated to exquisite interpretations on the floating stage of productions that include Carmen, Aida, Turandot, La Boheme, West Side Story and The Phantom of the Opera. At the musical helm of the Operatic repertoire for nine productions has been Maestro Brian Castles-Onion. He is as synonymous with the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, as the fire-works that thrill the audience in strategically placed moments in each opera. STAGES was thrilled that BCO could charm the podcast once again; this time to detail the history of HOSH and the tremendous creativity and logistics that are invested by Opera Australia each year to deliver this exciting event to an eager audience. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E379 · Fri, April 07, 2023
‘You’ll Always Hit the Spot, Big Shot’ - Actor, Presenter, Performer; Todd McKenney - Part 3
One of Australia’s most versatile performing artists, Todd McKenney is an award winning and critically acclaimed performer on stage and screen. As an actor and the leading man of song and dance in musical theatre productions, he has entertained Australians for 40 years, from the main stage to intimate venues. It’s not surprising that Todd McKenney is a household name. National exposure came with his delicious portrayal of the acerbic adjudicator on Dancing with the Stars - a television juggernaut that has completed multiple seasons. Todd’s stage credit roll and career highlights include his most notable role of Peter Allen in the Australian hit production The Boy From Oz, in which he performed over 1000 shows nationally and became one of the longest running and most successful musical productions in Australian history. Todd’s first professional musical role was in 1983 in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance. His career followed with lead and headline roles in Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Crazy For You, Born Yesterday, Camelot, Pirates of Penzance, Cabaret, Strictly Ballroom, La Cage aux Folles, Singin’ In the Rain, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Orpheus In the Underworld for Opera Australia, Annie the Musical, Grease, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Anything Goes. In 2018 he stepped into the stilettos and successfully took on the role of Frank N’ Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in Melbourne. In 2019 Todd stepped out on stage as Australia’s Greatest Showman in the title role of Barnum, and most recently played Lord Farquaad in the hit musical Shrek and Lord Chancellor Sebastian in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. As a dancer, his journey started at the age of three at his mother’s dancing school in Perth, training in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom dancing. He represented Australia in ballroom and Latin American dancing, winning many international dance titles. Amongst his Australian awards for performance in musical theatre he has two Mo Awards, the Variety Club Heart Award, the Glug Award, the Green Room Award, two Australian Dance Awards and a Helpmann Award. On the small screen Todd has starred in the hit show Winners and Losers on the 7 Network. He has also appeared as a guest judge on Australia’s Got Talent, hosted on a range of morning Television programs and appeared as an entertaining guest across all networks. On radio Todd co-hosted Sydney’s MIX106.5 breakfast radio program with Sonia Kruger for two years and is a regular guest on the airwaves. In 2020, Todd played Lewis in the award winning feature film Unsound. On the small screen Todd has appeared in the acclaimed ABC series Significant Others; an engrossing, intelligently crafted six-part series about a missing persons case. On a personal level, Todd had the delight of becoming a father in 2007 and his daughter Charlotte is the light of his life. He is a student of Auslan sign language and has worked wi
S6 E378 · Thu, April 06, 2023
‘Things are Looking Up’ - Actor, Presenter, Performer; Todd McKenney - Part 2
One of Australia’s most versatile performing artists, Todd McKenney is an award winning and critically acclaimed performer on stage and screen. As an actor and the leading man of song and dance in musical theatre productions, he has entertained Australians for 40 years, from the main stage to intimate venues. It’s not surprising that Todd McKenney is a household name. National exposure came with his delicious portrayal of the acerbic adjudicator on Dancing with the Stars - a television juggernaut that has completed multiple seasons. Todd’s stage credit roll and career highlights include his most notable role of Peter Allen in the Australian hit production The Boy From Oz, in which he performed over 1000 shows nationally and became one of the longest running and most successful musical productions in Australian history. Todd’s first professional musical role was in 1983 in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance. His career followed with lead and headline roles in Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Crazy For You, Born Yesterday, Camelot, Pirates of Penzance, Cabaret, Strictly Ballroom, La Cage aux Folles, Singin’ In the Rain, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Orpheus In the Underworld for Opera Australia, Annie the Musical, Grease, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Anything Goes. In 2018 he stepped into the stilettos and successfully took on the role of Frank N’ Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in Melbourne. In 2019 Todd stepped out on stage as Australia’s Greatest Showman in the title role of Barnum, and most recently played Lord Farquaad in the hit musical Shrek and Lord Chancellor Sebastian in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. As a dancer, his journey started at the age of three at his mother’s dancing school in Perth, training in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom dancing. He represented Australia in ballroom and Latin American dancing, winning many international dance titles. Amongst his Australian awards for performance in musical theatre he has two Mo Awards, the Variety Club Heart Award, the Glug Award, the Green Room Award, two Australian Dance Awards and a Helpmann Award. On the small screen Todd has starred in the hit show Winners and Losers on the 7 Network. He has also appeared as a guest judge on Australia’s Got Talent, hosted on a range of morning Television programs and appeared as an entertaining guest across all networks. On radio Todd co-hosted Sydney’s MIX106.5 breakfast radio program with Sonia Kruger for two years and is a regular guest on the airwaves. In 2020, Todd played Lewis in the award winning feature film Unsound. On the small screen Todd has appeared in the acclaimed ABC series Significant Others; an engrossing, intelligently crafted six-part series about a missing persons case. On a personal level, Todd had the delight of becoming a father in 2007 and his daughter Charlotte is the light of his life. He is a student of Auslan sign language and has worked wi
S6 E377 · Wed, April 05, 2023
‘When I Get My Name in Lights’ - Actor, Presenter, Performer; Todd McKenney - Part 1
One of Australia’s most versatile performing artists, Todd McKenney is an award winning and critically acclaimed performer on stage and screen. As an actor and the leading man of song and dance in musical theatre productions, he has entertained Australians for 40 years, from the main stage to intimate venues. It’s not surprising that Todd McKenney is a household name. National exposure came with his delicious portrayal of the acerbic adjudicator on Dancing with the Stars - a television juggernaut that has completed multiple seasons. Todd’s stage credit roll and career highlights include his most notable role of Peter Allen in the Australian hit production The Boy From Oz, in which he performed over 1000 shows nationally and became one of the longest running and most successful musical productions in Australian history. Todd’s first professional musical role was in 1983 in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance. His career followed with lead and headline roles in Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Crazy For You, Born Yesterday, Camelot, Pirates of Penzance, Cabaret, Strictly Ballroom, La Cage aux Folles, Singin’ In the Rain, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Orpheus In the Underworld for Opera Australia, Annie the Musical, Grease, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Anything Goes. In 2018 he stepped into the stilettos and successfully took on the role of Frank N’ Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in Melbourne. In 2019 Todd stepped out on stage as Australia’s Greatest Showman in the title role of Barnum, and most recently played Lord Farquaad in the hit musical Shrek and Lord Chancellor Sebastian in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. As a dancer, his journey started at the age of three at his mother’s dancing school in Perth, training in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom dancing. He represented Australia in ballroom and Latin American dancing, winning many international dance titles. Amongst his Australian awards for performance in musical theatre he has two Mo Awards, the Variety Club Heart Award, the Glug Award, the Green Room Award, two Australian Dance Awards and a Helpmann Award. On the small screen Todd has starred in the hit show Winners and Losers on the 7 Network. He has also appeared as a guest judge on Australia’s Got Talent, hosted on a range of morning Television programs and appeared as an entertaining guest across all networks. On radio Todd co-hosted Sydney’s MIX106.5 breakfast radio program with Sonia Kruger for two years and is a regular guest on the airwaves. In 2020, Todd played Lewis in the award winning feature film Unsound. On the small screen Todd has appeared in the acclaimed ABC series Significant Others; an engrossing, intelligently crafted six-part series about a missing persons case. On a personal level, Todd had the delight of becoming a father in 2007 and his daughter Charlotte is the light of his life. He is a student of Auslan sign language and has worked wi
S6 E376 · Tue, April 04, 2023
‘The Play’s The Thing’ - Playwright and Screenwriter, David Williamson
David Keith Williamson was born in Melbourne on 24 February 1942 and brought up in Bairnsdale. He studied mechanical engineering and psychology at the University of Melbourne and Monash University, graduating in mechanical engineering in 1964. He lectured in both these subjects and worked as a design engineer for General Motors. His first play, The Indecent Exposure of Anthony East, was produced by the Tin Alley Players at Melbourne University’s Union Theatre in 1968. David Williamson’s career as a dramatist began when La Mama produced three of his short plays and The Coming of Stork in 1970, followed by The Removalists in 1971, launching him to become one of Australia’s best known and most widely performed playwrights and one of Australia’s leading screenwriters. Some of his more than fifty produced plays include Don’s Party, The Department, The Club, Travelling North, The Perfectionist, Sons of Cain, Emerald City, Top Silk, Money & Friends, Sanctuary, Dead White Males, After the Ball, Face to Face, Up For Grabs, A Conversation, Charitable Intent, Soulmates, Birthrights, Amigos, Influence, Lotte’s Gift, Scarlet O’Hara at the Crimson Parrot, Let the Sunshine, Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica, Don Parties On, At Any Cost? (co-written by Mohamed Khadra), When Dad Married Fury, Managing Carmen, Rupert, Cruise Control, Jack of Hearts, Odd Man Out, Sorting Out Rachel, Nearer the Gods, and Family Values. His plays have been produced by all the major Australian theatre companies – with twenty Sydney Theatre Company productions and twenty-two at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre. His plays have been translated into many languages and performed internationally, including; The Removalists at Royal Court London, New York, Germany, France and Los Angeles; Don’s Party at the Royal Court and in Scandinavia; The Club at Kennedy Center for Arts in Washington DC and then a Broadway transfer, Hampstead Theatre London, Toronto; The Perfectionist at Hampstead Theatre and the Spoleto Festival; Money & Friends in Los Angeles, and in Poland and Canada; Sanctuary in NZ, Antwerp, Belgium, Hong Kong and Singapore; Up For Grabs on the West End starring Madonna, and Rupert at the Kennedy Centre Washington DC in 2013. David has directed eight professional productions of his own work and written many radio dramas. David has written (or co-written) fifteen feature films, including the original screenplays for Petersen, Eliza Fraser, (starring Susannah York) Gallipoli, The Year of Living Dangerously (both starring Mel Gibson), Phar Lap and Balibo. His writing feature adaptations of his own plays include The Removalists, Don’s Party, The Club, Travelling North, Emerald City and Sanctuary. For television he adapted On the Beach, wrote The Four Minute Mile, A Dangerous Life, The Perfectionist, and The Department. David was the first person outside Britain to receive the George Devine Award (for The Removalists). His many awards include twelve Australian
S6 E375 · Sun, March 19, 2023
The STAGES PODCAST - Season 6 Preview - Returning on Wednesday April 5th
The STAGES podcast is Back - Season 6 commences on Wednesday April 5th. You’re invited to join me and a most sensational set of guests as we embark on a new season of the podcast, that converses with creatives about craft and career. We hope you’ve enjoyed the STAGES World Pride mini-series playing in recent weeks - a retrospective of the magnificent drag performers and personalities who have been featured on the STAGES podcast over the past 5 years. And the overview episode of the construction of a play - CAMP! It’s been a good break - but we’ve not been idle - STAGES has been tete a tete with a tittering of terrific guests already. They will reveal even more of why the podcast has garnered such loyal listenership. Why we love it. Why we crave the anecdote and wisdom imparted by each of our guests, every week. In the first episodes of this series, prepare to hear from a stellar line-up of guests … a pod-cast of characters! Standby for conversations with …. Peter Whitford, David Williamson, Todd McKenney, Valerie Bader, Jeremy James, Kaye Tuckerman, Brian Castles-Onion, Angela Ayers, Stella Ginsberg and Rod Clarke, Michael Misita, and Richard Bonynge. And that’s just for a start! We’ve many conversations lined up with an array of artists from all disciplines - on stage and behind the scenes. A front row seat to the artists and creatives who have enriched our lives in so many ways. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and wherever you access your favourite podcasts. I’m excited! I look forward to your company on Wednesday April 5th when we commence season 6 with episode 376!
S6 E375 · Fri, March 03, 2023
The STAGES PODCAST Episode 375: World Pride Series - C.A.M.P. - The evolution of a movement and the movement of a play
The evolution and construction of any theatre is eternally fascinating. Elements of collaboration, persistence, intellect, resilience, humour, patience and invention are required - the creative process is unleashed as players and creatives forge forward to arrive at Opening Night - delivering a theatrical ‘baby’ ready to be invested, received and judged by the anticipating audience. This journey is much more heightened in the construction of a new play - CAMP by Elias Jamieson Brown, commissioned by Robyn Kennedy and directed by Kate Gaul - is a play with historical and political elements - chronicling the rise of a movement in Australia. The birth of LGBTQI rights and the subsequent advocacy it ignited for further human rights at home and globally, is a salient story demanding to be told to an audience ignorant of what has gone before - but also to an audience who forged that movement and who hopefully will find further and deserved recognition in this theatrical treatment. The play is being served at World Pride - a gathering of the global tribe in Sydney - where the reverberations of the movements early days can now be rightly celebrated - alongside a recognition of what is still left to be accomplished. How will this play be received? What does it take to build a production from the ground floor? Who are the players tasked with this responsibility? In this episode of the STAGES podcast, we chart the development of the play CAMP, speaking with the creatives and artists involved and examine that tumultuous time in history (not that far away) when the story of CAMP was born. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S6 E374 · Thu, March 02, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - CARLOTTA
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Carlotta is an Australian cabaret performer and television celebrity. She is as iconic as the Sydney Opera House, Kylie Minogue and Vegemite! Carlotta began her career as an original member of the long-running Les Girls cabaret show, performed entirely by heavily costumed males, which started in 1963 in the purpose built Les Girls building, which stood on a prominent corner in the heart of Sydney's Kings Cross, Carlotta, rose through the ranks of the show to eventually become the show's compere and its most famous member. Les Girls and Carlotta soon became must-see attractions for visitors to Sydney and the show was popular with visiting international celebrities. Since then she has become an iconic part of the Australian queer and mainstream landscapes, appearing in a host of stage triumphs - and as a popular personality on television. Carlotta returned to the stage for two dynamic outings in 2022; as ‘Astrid Zeneca’ in Trevor Ashley’s Christmas panto, Moulin Scrooge and a triumphant turn performing in Priscilla; Queen of the Desert at The Star on The Gold Coast. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E373 · Wed, March 01, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - MISS 3D & CINDY PASTEL
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! In the bohemian world that is drag, few artists can lay claim to the exulted and ebullient eccentricity that is Cindy Pastel. The alter ego of performer Ritchie Finger, Cindy has been delighting, thrilling and astonishing audiences for close to 45 years. A unique talent, Finger has inspired generations of drag performers who have followed in his fabulous footsteps - whether they be in stilettos or on skates. Ritchie Finger arrived in Sydney from Melbourne in 1979 and became one of the many young drag addicts to work at ‘Patch’s’ Nightclub on Sydney’s celebrated Oxford street. In the early part of the A.I.D.S. crisis Pastel was a tireless worker for HIV/AIDS organisations and charities. The decimation of community was enormous and Pastel, alongside many drag artists, kept everyone smiling. Cindy Pastel has been recognised by the DIVAs - The Drag Industry Variety Awards - twice in her illustrious career. A career that has reached incredible peaks and challenged with occasional obstacles. But through it all Ritchie Finger and Cindy Pastel have danced, paraded, twirled and taken centre stage, to ensure that ‘Everybody’s happy!” Recently celebrating a 72nd birthday, Miss 3D is still going strong, embracing every opportunity to perform and entertain an adoring fanbase. The alter ego of Glenn R. Lewis, Miss 3D has been at the pinnacle of Drag performance for over 40 years. Recognised as a matriarch of Sydney Drag performers, she has entranced with a vibrant and unique style; and incredible artistry, eternally mesmerising with opulent and eccentric costume. Growing up in a rural Victorian town, a diet of community theatre and ballet classes shaped a desire to command a stage. Study at the Australian Ballet school followed, before a quick visit to Sydney seduced Glenn and he met his drag tribe through performers such as Doris Fish, Teresa Green and Danny Aboud. Miss 3D quickly established herself on the scene as an artist of superior talent and invention. A holiday to New York City landed a permanent gig at the iconic Anvil Club where 3D performed for two years, wowing the American crowd. Returning to Australia Miss 3D continued to navigate the stages of venues such as Stranded and Patchs, eventually t
S6 E372 · Tue, February 28, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - STRYKERMEYER
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Strykermeyer is a drag performer of unique powers and enormous skill. His work has enamoured audiences around the world. His ability to conjure a crowd is harnessed with immense theatricality; drawn from the combination of idiosyncratic invention in performance; and the greasepaints that contribute to the creation of an arresting and hypnotic aesthetic. Migrating to Australia as a boy from the UK, his family found residence in the Goldfields town of Kambalda in Western Australia. The contrast of geography and climate built a resilience in the young Stryker and forced avenues to escape - in imagination and by train! Landing in Perth in the 70s he entered his first nightclub - Matches on William street. The lure of the stage called and his place in the world was found. This was the time of a different drag scene. Experimental and exciting, it drew a queer community together and launched the careers of a bounty of burgeoning artists. Established performer Audrey Woodstock-Rose guided Stryker in the early days providing lessons in stagecraft and an appreciation of Asian theatre styles such as Kabuki, Noh, and Butoh; influences that resonate in Stryker’s performance repertoire. Early song choices that supported his developing style included Gary Numan’s Are Friends Electric? and Iggy Pop’s I’m Bored, which he performed in ‘boy drag’. Considered one of the best make-up artists in Australia, Stryker contributed to the drag aesthetic on the film Priscilla - Queen of the Desert; ultimately being awarded the British Academy of Film and Television Award for Best Make-up and Hair Design in 1994. Today he continues to contribute a vivid artistic and considered temperament to queer and art spaces around W.A. Collaborations with fellow performer Ash Baroque inspire his creativity and ensure we continue to be enthralled by his vast talents. Stryker the man, is a modest gentleman who possesses years of experience and knowledge; eternally maintaining a passion for his art and craft. He is a treasured and gifted artist who has been an avant-garde presence on the queer scene for several decades. What a treat that he shares all of that in this riveting episode of the STAGES podcast! The STAGES p
S6 E371 · Mon, February 27, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - HUGH MONROE
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Hugh Monroe has been delighting audiences since childhood in a range of entertainments. A long resume demonstrates success and exuberant performance across stage, television, drag performance and Audio/Visual production. As a child he appeared in productions of Shakespeare, directed You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and flew ‘across the skies’ as an impish Peter Pan. You may recall him as a congenial presenter on the highly popular television show, Simon Townsend’s Wonder World - a news program produced for a youth audience in the ‘80s. At the other extreme you might have been witness to his antics as the regular host of the piano bar at the iconic Albury Hotel on Sydney’s Oxford Street. Hugh could sing, on his head, on the piano! His skill in drag has also allowed him forays into the musical theatre joy of Pageant and La Cage Aux Folles. The past decade has been spent in Children’s theatre, nurturing audiences of the future and informing them via various theatre-in-education projects. Touring the country he introduces the magic of theatre to thousands of young people each year. Hugh loves a chat. And a story. It was much fun to share the microphone with Hugh Monroe, in this naughty but nice, Stages conversation. He is passionate, excitable, cheeky, and he enjoys nothing more than to engage & entertain an audience. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E370 · Sun, February 26, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - VONNI BRIT WATKINS
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Vonni Brit Watkins’ first stage experience was in 1975 when she worked in a cabaret style burlesque club as a striptease artist in Adelaide. In 1978 she joined the Melbourne touring show of Les Girls!, touring and performing throughout Australia and New Zealand, including outback Australia. She toured in a bus, working and performing in pubs and casinos, including Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs. In 1983 she received an invitation from Carlotta to join the world-famous Sammy Lee's Les Girls in Kings Cross Sydney as their resident stripper. In 1984 she appeared in a pop video clip for Stephen Cummings smash hit Another Kick In The Head. Which then, in 1995 lead her being asked to appear as ‘Lola the stripper’ in the Channel 9 TV mini-series Shout the story of Johnny O'Keefe. In 1996 she left Sydney to live in Adelaide where she still lives. For 17 years she was the manager of Australia’s longest running strip club The Crazy Horse Revue. Vonni also co-wrote 5 live shows that toured South Australia and in 2008 one of the shows The Girly Side of Butch went to Dublin and enjoyed a sell-out season at The Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival. These days she works as a freelance performer hosting shows and running talent shows. She is also dabbling in the craft of the DJ. In July, Vonni made her musical debut in Priscilla, Queen of the Deser t at The Star Gold Coast, presented by Matt Ward Entertainment. She played the glamorous showgirl and matriarch, ‘Bernadette’. The show had her back working alongside her long-time friend and ex house mate, the legendary Carlotta; the inspiration for ‘Bernadette’. Vonni’s enthusiasm and passion for performance is palpable. She is astute, big-hearted, and she employs the most wicked and delightful sense of humour. Hers is a life lived fully and a career that is fascinating and fabulous! The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E369 · Sat, February 25, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - POLLY PETRIE
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Every Sunday night, for over 15 years, a weekly Drag celebration was presented at Sydney’s Stonewall Hotel on iconic Oxford Street. Polly’s Follies became a Sydney institution having commenced life at the famous Albury Hotel some 28 years before. Presiding over this hypnotic entertainment was the doyen of Sydney Drag, Polly Petrie; a tough broad with humour as dry as the Sahara, the glamour of Zsa Zsa Gabor and the steely command of Joan Crawford. Polly Petrie is also Drag Mother to a host of novice drag queens taking their first steps into this colourful world of performance. Polly takes a maternal approach to the rookies; mentoring, guiding and passing on her infinite wisdom. Polly Petrie is the creation of Craig Petrie, a ballroom dancer who was initially discovered working behind a bar by choreographer Ross Coleman. He was thrust into the role of back-up dancer to many celebrated drag queens of the past, who lead the shows at famed Capriccios - a prominent venue on Oxford street with extravagant shows of big casts and glamorous costumes. In this fascinating conversation Polly gives us an insight into the early scene as a performer; one that continues to engage him in the persona of which he is famous around the world. He explains the origin of the follies and the link with the musical The Boyfriend , that gave him his drag name. It is a life rich with fabulous experiences and encounters. We recorded this conversation in his famous ‘caravan’, a haven that accommodates his extensive wardrobe. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E368 · Fri, February 24, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - TREVOR ASHLEY
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Trevor Ashley follows in a long line of Australian stage larrikins that include Roy Rene (Mo McCackie), Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), Gary McDonald (Norman Gunston) and Reg Livermore (Betty Blokkbuster). These performers have created characters who have celebrated the outrageous, and all that is particular about our culture. Trevor Ashley continues this biting and hysterical piss-take, serving it up in flamboyant and finely realised entertainments such Fat Swan, Little Orphan Trashley, Bodybag and The Lyin’ Queen. Alongside these ‘naughty’ pantos, Ashley has also enjoyed worldwide success with his one-man shows Liza on an E, Liza’s Back! - is Broken , and Diamonds Are For Trevor. He has also proved himself on the musical theatre stage with acclaimed performances in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Miss Understanding), Jesus Christ Superstar (King Herod), Hairspray (Edna Turnblad) and Les Miserables (Thenadier). Trevor can also be seen conquering television in RFDS on channel 7 and in the new Australian film, Seriously Red. Intent on embracing many roles, Ashley also wears the titles of producer, writer, musician and director. In the role of Director, he returned to Priscilla - the musical, staging it for a season at The Star Gold Coast, in July 2022. That December, he completed a triumphant addition to his pantomime series - Moulin Scrooge - and can be presently found on stage as Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E367 · Thu, February 23, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - STAN MUNRO
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Born in Wales in 1941, Stan Munro has accumulated a life-time of wonderful adventure, challenge and triumph. His, is an eventful and colourful existence, navigated with resilience and a cheeky sense of humour. Stan’s first forays into frocks came when he would perform at family Christmas parties. Furniture would be parted and his family would be mesmerised by the boy miming to Rosemary Clooney records. He played his first Pantomime Dame at the age of 12. He joined the entertainment industry working with a partner performing sight acts in variety around the UK. Along the way he worked with artists such as The Andrews Sisters, Petula Clarke, Tommy Cooper, Danny La Rue and Tessie O’Shea. He moved to Australia in 1963 and soon found himself employed as a male dancer in the famous Les Girls show in King’s Cross, Sydney. Working with the Drag Artistes of the day ignited Stan’s boyhood infatuation and he quickly joined the girls with his own blend of glamour and comedy. So much so that he was eventually appointed MC of the iconic revue. An extended season with the show followed at The Ritz, in St Kilda, Melbourne. It has been a career in heels since, as Stan has delighted, confused and amused audiences around the globe. He has a fascinating story and an engaging take on life. He is wicked, charming and an absolute darling! The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E366 · Wed, February 22, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - VANESSA WAGNER
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Tobin Saunders is a freelance performer, writer, choreographer, dancer, actor, DJ and events Co-ordinator/producer. Combining elements of contemporary dance, expressive movement, popular culture, social comment and satire, Tobin’s work could best be described as - Pastiche! Over the past 30 years he has been involved in theatre works, production and performance at Mardi Gras, in fashion parades, film, and dance variety at Belvoir St Theatre. Tobin is now working solo with the Vanessa Wagner character and is also freelancing as an actor. He appears on TV as a social commentator and contemporary icon. His eclectic experience and skills have enabled Tobin to produce work that is fresh, challenging and innovative. Avoiding the labels of “Dance”, “Theatre” or “Comedy”, he combines all into a vibrant hybrid. Vanessa Wagner is one of Australia’s most colourful and entertaining identities. She started as a dedicated housewife and part time hostess. Vanessa was crowned Sydney Mardi Gras Miss Fair Day 1993 and for seven years she coordinated and hosted the spectacularly successful Drag Race Meet at Bondi Beach for the Sydney Fringe Festival. From early 1993 till 1996 Vanessa captivated audiences with ‘Jamie and Vanessa’ parties and stage shows. Vanessa now produces her own parties, events and shows. She is proud dance mistress of her very own Crystal Stepz Dance Company, creating works of a kind rarely seen! Her sell out hit dance show, Vanessa Wagner’s History of Dance broke box office records during its premiere season. She Co-hosted the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade telecasts on Channel Ten for 5 years. She also had a regular appearance as talk back host, on national youth radio station Triple J. Vanessa’s intelligent, opinionated and funny repartee is a sure crowd pleaser. She was the most colourful and loved entrant in Celebrity Big Brother, has made Australia laugh featuring in a saucy Snickers TV commercial and keeps Australia laughing with TV and Cable appearances. As a tireless advocate for HIV health education and safe practice, Tobin’s work has had far reach in many communities. In July 2022, Academic Daniel Reeders commented - “Tobin’s ground-breaking work as Vanessa Wagner with Kath Albury as Nurse Nancy was a key inspiration for Michael Hurley’s theory of cultures of care that has
S6 E365 · Tue, February 21, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - MONIQUE KELLY
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Monique Kelly is one of Australia’s greatest drag artists. Equally adept at glamorous, torch-song, and comic turns; she commands the stage with a comprehensive appreciation of stagecraft, savvy and seduction. Monique first stepped on stage at Gilligans, Bondi Beach in 1972 and has never diverted her desire to please an audience. In 1973 she took up residence in Kings Cross and was a featured performer at the Carousel Cabaret and an original cast member of the long-running revue Les Girls, touring Australia and New Zealand. It’s at this time that Monique Kelly created the Golden Girls and staged crowd pleasing shows at the Unicorn Hotel, The Flinders Hotel and the Taxi Club. Her cheeky pantos at the Taxi Club set new levels of production and fabulously outrageous costuming for a cast of three. Monique Kelly has headlined at almost every gay hotel and club on Sydney’s golden mile. Iconic venues from a time passed, all of which offered a joyous celebration of the art of Drag; the Unicorn, Patches, Capriccios, Tropicana, Flo’s Place, Paddington Green Hotel, the Albury and Annie’s Bar. In the early nineties Monique joined the original cast of the famous ‘Carlotta and her Beautiful Boys’ revue as its comedienne. This production show travelled for several years to every major town and city across the entire country playing to packed audiences who would be transported and delighted by the seductive illusions before them. In 2002 she made a triumphant return to our spotlights starring in her own show at The Venus Room, bringing the kind of original performance, not seen on other stages. Monique has been involved with, and worked tirelessly fund raising for all of the major charities related to HIV/AIDS for many years, especially the Luncheon Club. She has appeared in and compered the Luncheon Club’s World AIDS Day picnic in the park, as well as the Carols in the Park at Christmas time. In 2002 she was inducted into the DIVA Hall of Fame - an acknowledgement of her generosity, skill and fabulousness as a performer, and Sydney icon. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney
S6 E364 · Mon, February 20, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - CLAIRE DE LUNE
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Claire de Lune is the alter ego of Restauranteur and Chef, Marc Kuzma. Claire has been a mainstay in Sydney’s Gay life for several decades while Marc has been a celebrated mainstay of our food scene. Claire de Lune gained fast notoriety after her 17 cooking segments on Channel Nine’s “The Midday Show” with Kerrie Anne. She then did her Drag apprenticeship by working in most of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian venues. Renowned for her kooky sense of humour, Claire was often in demand on TV, radio and for corporate functions. Claire career was celebrated in 2000 by winning 3 DIVAs (the Drag Industry Variety Award) including entertainer of the year, best cast 3 & under for Lady Penelope’s Baby with Verushka Darling, and an award for her charity work, particularly for the AIDS Trust of Australia, an award also won in 2001. Claire also took part in the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games and was part of the entertainment at the Olympic village during the Paralympic games. 2001 was a triumphant year for Claire with From D’Rags To Riches, Claire de Lune The Musical selling out during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, followed by a 4 week season of The Tempest , a major part in a Lipton Tea television commercial, a guest spot on Beauty and the Beast (channel 10) and as a guest judge on SBS broadcast of the Eurovision song contest. Claire has been featured many times on television: Food Lover’s Guide to Australia, Young Lions , White Collar Blue , Fresh , Georges Negus Tonight , Queer TV , Faux pas Rever , Voyage , Mondo Thingo, Good Morning Australia and a Virgin Blue Mobile and Vodaphone ad campaign; and the launch of Virgin Atlantic in Sydney. Marc was the general manager at Slide in Oxford street, Sydney and created two highly successful weekly shows: El'Circo and Vampire stories. He now delights patrons at a very special venue that combines exquisite French culinary indulgence and stellar cabaret performance at Claire’s Kitchen at Le Salon. The restaurant is a favourite destination for diners and connoisseurs of classic cabaret performance. A weekly line-up of artists comple
S6 E363 · Sun, February 19, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - MITZI MACINTOSH
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! Mitzi Macintosh is an adored drag identity who has worked in all the major Sydney venues over some two decades. Outrageous and subversive, with a heart of gold and possessed with immaculate comic timing, she is the drag persona of performer Graeme Browning. Now residing in the UK, Graeme (and Mitzi) were back in Sydney for their first one-woman show – Mitzi Macintosh – My Life in Lipstick – when this conversation was recorded in 2018. The show was presented as part of the 40th Anniversary Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Browning’s knowledge of drag as an art-form and of a Sydney now past, is extensive He is very much one of the custodians of the vibrant drag scene that existed through the 80s and 90s. Graeme Browning sat down with STAGES, three days after the 2018 Mardi Gras parade and party, to discuss his show, his process, and the art of the drag performer. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E362 · Sat, February 18, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - BOB DOWNE
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! One of Australia’s most loved and enduring comedy characters, Bob Downe, is the creation of journalist, comedian, actor and broadcaster Mark Trevorrow. Born in Melbourne, Mark started his working life at 17 as a copyboy with The Sun News-Pictorial, before co-founding cabaret comedy group The Globos, who released two Australian Top 20 hit singles, Tintarella di Luna (1982) and The Beat Goes On (1983). He created Bob Downe in1984 and has toured the world as the Prince of Polyester ever since. Bob’s stage shows have played to acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, with decades of touring across Australia and the UK including P&O Comedy Cruises and performing for the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance. Bob’s TV appearances range from Countdown to The Project, from the Mike Walsh Show to Studio 10, and hosting multiple Sydney Mardi Gras broadcasts. As Mark he has been heard regularly on ABC local radio and presented The Way We Were , a ratings winner on ABC TV in 2004. He was also featured regularly on Kath & Kim as ‘Darryl’ the menswear salesman. Bob's comedy/chat series, The Bob Downe Show (Foxtel/ TV1), went to air in December 2000. Bob Downe's national theatre tours, Whiter! Brighter!, Cold August Night and iBob have been sellouts everywhere, including the Sydney Opera House and the State Theatre. Mark Trevorrow and Rupert Noffs perform their show, ‘Old Friends ’ at Claire’s Kitchen at Le Salon on Monday February 20th and Tuesday February 21st. Bookings at wwwclaireskitchen.com.au The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and from where you find your favourite podcasts. Tune in daily for a history of drag in Sydney. Tell your friends, share the podcast, relish the stories and embrace your own sense of Pride.
S6 E361 · Fri, February 17, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - MINNIE COOPER
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! For 30 years Aaron Farley and his drag persona Minnie Cooper have been entertaining audiences from Oxford street to Oxford circus. A happy accident in 2003 saw Farley embrace the art of drag and a new diva was born. Minnie Cooper is an enamoured part of the Australian drag industry and a recipient of more Drag Industry Variety Awards (DIVAs) than just about anyone. Minnie has been awarded Entertainer of the Year on a record number of four occasions. This new dimension in Farley’s career followed an established position in many commercial musical productions throughout Australia including The Witches of Eastwick, Showboat, Crazy For You, Chicago and Singin’ in The Rain. Successful turns as a choreographer and director have also allowed Farley to flex his creative muscle, teaching a new legion of performers and constructing engaging artistry for audiences. Minnie Cooper was abandoned as a baby and left in the doorway of Arq Nightclub. Thankfully, she was adopted and raised by drag queens who taught her everything about miming, glitter lipstick, platform heels and everything in between. She is the Queen of Oxford St, producing award-winning shows and driving Sydney’s party goers wild with excitement. She has produced and choreographed many large-scale spectacles at events such as Mardi Gras ,Sleaze Ball and Flash Mobs . Minnie has worked with stars including Jimmy Barnes, Cyndi Lauper, Kylie Minogue, Tina Arena, Dannii Minogue, Kate Miller-Heidke, Adam Lambert ,Deborah Cox, David Atkins, Todd McKenney, Rhonda Burchmore and Australia’s most famous drag performer, Carlotta. She has won more DIVA awards than just about anyone, including Entertainer of the Year 4 times, Sydney’s Favourite Drag Queen and Choreographer of the Year just to name a few.In 2016 Minnie was semi finalist on’ Australia’s Got Talent’ combining her drag and musical theatre talents. She appeared in season 4 of Jack Whitehall:Travels with My Father on Netflix. Minnie Cooper most recently appeared in RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Season 2. And this is why they call her the “Super Duper Minnie Cooper!” Minnie Cooper performs her show, ‘ From Chorus Boy to Leading Lady’ at Claire’s Kit
S6 E360 · Thu, February 16, 2023
The STAGES Podcast - World Pride Series - Drag Divas, Legends and Icons; Oh My! - CINDY PASTEL (and cameo by Ayesha)
It’s World Pride 2023 and the queer globe is converging on Sydney Australia to celebrate diversity, inclusion, community and fabulousness! To mark this momentous event the STAGES podcast is saluting the cast of captivating drag divas and personalities who have been featured on the podcast during the past 5 seasons. They are artists who have appeared on national and global stages; thrilling audiences, making a difference, healing community and expressing unique and wondrous talents. We spotlight these episodes so you can savour a second listen - or so you can sample the delights of these entertainers for the very first time. A Diva a day for each day of World Pride! In the bohemian world that is drag, few artists can lay claim to the exulted and ebullient eccentricity that is Cindy Pastel. The alter ego of performer Ritchie Finger, Cindy has been delighting, thrilling and astonishing audiences for close to 45 years. Guided through life by a signature catch cry ‘Is Everybody Happy?’ Pastel has ensured that we are always a satisfied audience. A unique talent, Finger has inspired generations of drag performers who have followed in his fabulous footsteps - whether they be in stilettos or skates. Ritchie Finger arrived in Sydney from Melbourne in 1979 and became one of the many young drag addicts to work at Patches (later DCM) Nightclub on Sydney’s celebrated Oxford street. An auspicious beginning, entering a talent quest under the drag name Barbara Mattel (Barbie), allowed Finger to make an indelible impression. Though he didn’t earn a place. Finger discovered ‘Barbie’ had a younger sister and so, Cindy Pastel was born. The song that Finger performed was ‘A Love Like Yours Don’t Keep Knocking Every Day’ featuring both Sonny AND Cher. “Once on stage I felt like I had been there before and my world became my stage for evermore”. In the early part of the A.I.D.S. crisis, Pastel was a tireless worker for HIV/AIDS organisations and charities. The decimation of community was enormous and Pastel states “I believe the microphone was my personal way of unleashing anger towards the hideous disease. I felt like an Andrews sister doing her bit through shows during war time”. Cindy Pastel exploded in the 80’s and was in high demand performing shows at the Hordern Pavillion for Mardi Gras, Sleaze Ball, Bacchanalia, Rat, and Sweatbox parties. Cindy Pastel worked at The iconic Albury Hotel for many years forming a group called ‘The Showbags’ consisting of Miss 3D, Twisty (Pat Gently) and numerous other showbag fill-ins such as Kandy Conrad and Sara Pax. Cindy formed other drag ensembles at pubs and clubs like Stranded Nightclub, where she worked with Channelle Saint Laurent and Christina. They were called ‘The 3C’s’ At The Exchange Hotel Cindy performed with a group called ‘Mixed Company’ with Julie Ashton, Ginger Benson, and Polly Petrie as the male dancer. Finger’s performance work has also extended beyond drag as an actor in Richard Wherett’s production of A M
S5 E359 · Wed, December 21, 2022
‘Faithful friends who are dear to us’ - STAGES Season 5 Finale and Christmas Episode; Rhonda Burchmore, Kate Fitzpatrick, Tony Sheldon, Geraldine Turner and Peter Eyers
Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s episode 359. The final episode of season 5 - from the STAGES podcast. It’s that time of year again when we haul out the holly, stuff the stockings and trim the turkey … have you been naughty or nice? Kate Fitzpatrick drops in for our annual lunch and reflections. We are also visited by Rhonda Burchmore, Tony Sheldon, Ron Creager, Lauren Schmutter, and Geraldine Turner - sprinkling their Christmas cheer and spicing up the festive period with mirth and music. It’s been another wonderful year for the podcast, recording and preserving precious stories and experiences from a diverse range of creatives, performers and essential supporting roles, who all contribute to the arts and entertainment, on and around our stages. We’ve lots planned in this episode; a perfect accompaniment as you wrap your gifts, decorate the tree or pour that first glass of Christmas cheer! Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! And best wishes for the New Year!
S5 E358 · Tue, December 20, 2022
‘Haul out the Holy’ - Santa, Snow, and Show tunes; Tony Sheldon
Though the shops seem to commence their yuletide spruiking earlier with each passing year, the Christmas period is fleeting. It begins to look a lot like Christmas when carollers stalk our shopping centres and actors in jolly red suits beckon little ones to approach and impart their festive wish list. Christmas is time to replay our favourite Christmas movies; to revisit that miracle on 54th street or relate to the Griswolds family as they navigate their stressful Christmas. It might mean your annual intake of plum pudding, egg nog; or that singular opportunity to pull a Christmas cracker. It’s a merry time that beckons us to haul out the holy and to put up the tree, before our spirits fall … again! But in the worlds of the Broadway musical, Christmas is a setting, a period, a backdrop, a location, a moment; that is called upon to elicit an emotional engagement. STAGES was recently spinning some show tunes and was caught by the magnificent Christmas sequence (The Twelve Days to Christmas) in the jewel box musical, She Loves Me. A golden age musical that takes place over the Christmas period, providing an enchanting backdrop for the two protagonists to slowly realise that they are destined for each other. This show tune set off a challenge to compile a list of musicals that are set at Christmas time or feature a Christmas themed song. The show might even feature a scene set at Christmas time. The challenge became obsessive. Then it dawned that the the best source to seek out, to satisfy the search for Santas and snow in the show tune, would be none other than our favourite showbiz oracle, Tony Sheldon. Sheldon is one of our favourite Australian actors and theatre-makers. Show business is the family business and he has tread the boards on national and global stages for several decades. His respect, passion and investigation of the entertainment industry has equipped him with an infinite knowledge of all things show. So, the challenge to provide STAGES with a stocking stuffed with shows and show tunes celebrating and set during the festive season was met with the excitement of Old Saint Nick delivering toys on Christmas morning. This is the perfect episode to indulge as you wrap your gifts and get in the Christmas mood. We may be rushing things but deck the halls again now! Merry Christmas from Sheldy, and STAGES. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E357 · Sun, December 18, 2022
‘That’s Entertainment’ - Musician, Impresario and Showbiz Legend; Kevin Jacobsen - Part 2
This is STAGES companion episode to our conversation with Entertainment Entrepreneur - Kevin Jacobsen. In part 1, we learned of Kevin’s early days as a musician - forming and guiding bands that included the KJ Quintet and Col Joy and the Joy Boys. A triumphant career in music, that saw national acclaim for the band and many chart topping hits. In part 2 Kevin takes us on a journey through some of his trials and triumphs as a promoter of artists that include The Bee Gees, Evel Knievel, The Three Tenors, Barbra Streisand and Michael Jackson; and his success as a producer developing the home-grown musical - Shout! - The Legend of the Wild One - Johnny O’Keefe. It is a fascinating career and a conversation that reveals much of the negotiation, collaboration and frustration that goes into securing and presenting such iconic entertainment experiences. In 1985 Kevin received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in recognition of his services to the performing arts. He has also garnered numerous ARIA, Mo and Green Room Awards for his theatrical productions. In 2002 Live Performance Australia honoured his contribution to the industry with its James Cassius Williamson Award. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E356 · Sat, December 17, 2022
‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’ - Musician, Impresario and Showbiz Legend; Kevin Jacobsen - Part 1
Born in Sydney in 1937, Kevin Jacobsen began his working life in a chartered accountant’s practice. An adept piano player, he devoted all his spare moments to music. In 1957, he and his brother Colin, joined with John Bogle, Lawrie Erwin and Dave Bridge to form the KJ Quintet. After some success changed their name to Col Joye and the Joy Boys, adding younger brother Keith. Almost immediately they scored a booking on Bill McColl’s Jazzarama concert in October 1957. After this came an engagement to play at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney as a curtain raiser for the film The Tommy Steele Story, an appearance on TV’s Bandstand and a recording contract. While Col Joye went on to become a ‘teen idol’ and an enduring pop legend, Kevin left the band and began managing artists and promoting concerts. He and Col set up Col Joye enterprises and their own publishing company. In 1965, with Col and Tony Brady, Jacobsen founded ATA Allstar Artists, which encompassed a record label, a recording studio, event promotion and production, and artist representation. Initially Jacobsen presented local acts – including, of course, Col Joye and the Joy Boys – but before long he began importing overseas attractions. It was to mark this change of direction, that ‘Kevin Jacobsen Productions’ was created. He claims that in the 1970s and 1980s he toured more artists than any other Australian promoter. Eventually he started producing theatrical shows and arena spectaculars, frequently working in partnership with other promoters. Among his early successes was a tour by the affable Irish comedian Dave Allen; one of his disasters was The Evil Knievel Thrill Spectacular, whose infamous American daredevil star failed to deliver either thrills or spectacle. In 1987 Jacobsen presented Michael Jackson’s first Australian tour. In 1988 he was commissioned by the Queensland Government to mastermind ‘Queensland Day’ celebrations in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and by the Federal Government to produce the Royal Bicentennial Concert in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. In 1989 he presented the sell-out concert event Legends of Rock. In 1995 he was the first promoter outside the USA to be invited by the Disney organization to present the stage version of Beauty and the Beast. Its run of two years in Melbourne and 15 months in Sydney grossed $58 million. Also that year he produced the television series Gladiators for the Seven Network. The gross takings for his 1997 presentation of The Three Tenors at the Melbourne Cricket Ground were the largest in Australian history for a single concert – $15 million. In 1999 he presented The Bee Gees – One Night Only, the first live performance at Stadium Australia – the Olympic Stadium. In 2000 Barbra Streisand’s four stadium concerts in Sydney and Melbourne achieved the highest grosses anywhere in the world for this artist, more than $23 million. The year 2001 brought Shout! – The Legend of the Wild One, an all-Australian
S5 E355 · Wed, December 14, 2022
‘Gonna Build A Mountain’ - Independent Theatre Producer, Christine Dunstan
Christine Dunstan was awarded an OAM in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours for Services to the Performing Arts as a Producer and as a Mentor. In 2016 Christine Dunstan was the recipient of the Sydney Theatre Critics ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’. Christine has spent 50 + years working continuously in the Australian theatre industry and is one of Australia's most experienced independent theatre producers. Commencing in 1966 as an Assistant Stage Manager at Sydney's Independent Theatre, Christine moved on to Canberra Repertory Society and then Melbourne Theatre Company, where she was the first ever female stage manager. Christine's other 'female firsts' include Stage Director at Sydney's Marian Street Theatre, Production Manager at Nimrod Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company. In 1975 she was awarded an International Theatre Institute Scholarship to observe staging techniques in Europe and North America and on her return to Australia in 1976 she founded the Stagewright Group of Companies, comprising Stagewright Constructions, Stagewright Scenery, Anthony Phillips Costumes, Donn Byrnes Lighting, Stagewright Productions and Stagewright Designs. The group was a unique concept at the time and provided entertainment and production services to the theatre, advertising and corporate industries. Stagewright quickly became the 'go to' company for technical services and Christine was engaged as Production Manager on some of the country's major productions, including the original Australian productions of 42nd Street, Anything Goes; AIDA at the Montreal Olympic and Sydney Football Stadiums, the NSW Bicentennial Royal Command Concert, the EXPO Australia Week Concerts in Japan (1985) and Brisbane (1988), as well as many others. During this time Christine was Production Manager for the Sydney Theatre Company, from 1980 until 1984. In 1990 she sold Stagewright and moved to Alice Springs to be Director and CEO of the Araluen Centre for Arts and Entertainment in Alice Springs. Returning to Sydney in 1993 she joined Barry Humphries for two years as his Production Director, and formed Christine Dunstan Productions. As a producer, Christine always strives to deliver the highest quality work which is true to the concept and which has a broad appeal to the audience. Her work includes drama, contemporary music, comedy, and family entertainment. Her productions have been seen in literally hundreds of regional centres throughout Australia as well as in every capital city. Christine's productions have also toured to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, London International Theatre Festival and to New Zealand. Christine's practical theatre knowledge was utilised by then Nimrod Theatre Company in 1976 when the former tomato sauce factory was converted to what is now the Belvoir Street Theatre. She was the Design Project Manager for the construction of the Showroom at Jupiters Casino at Queensland's Gold Coast and for the ABC TV Australian Information Media Studios in Sydney. Christine
S5 E354 · Mon, December 12, 2022
‘On the Line’ - Actor and Corporate Coach; Mariette Rups-Donnelly
Mariette Rups-Donnelly has transferred her extensive experience on stages around Australia to guide the corporate world in effective communication and establishing a firm rapport with their audience. Essentials, she knows only too well; garnered from extensive forays into musical theatre, plays and cabaret. A graduate in languages from Sydney University, Mariette was intended for a career in the diplomatic corps but fate took a hand when she auditioned and was cast in the musical Godspell . Her career in the theatre was off to a promising start and subsequent work in children’s theatre and pantomime (including the role of the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ) and with Ashton’s Circus, extended her theatrical experience. Several other musical productions followed, including The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band and Paint Your Wagon, before Mariette landed the role of Val in the original Australian production of A Chorus Line. She played another iconic role in the musical theatre cannon when cast as the alternate ‘Evita Peron’ in the original Australian production of Evita . Following Evita she went on to appear in Company, The Sentimental Bloke, Side By Side By Sondheim, Big River, and the national tour of Forbidden Broadway. Roles in Annie, The Seagull, Hamlet, Emerald City and Away are further credits with companies that include the Sydney Theatre Company, Hole in the Wall Theatre, (Perth), JC Williamson’s, The Q Theatre (Penrith), the Gordon Frost Organisation and the Melbourne Theatre Company. Mariette has taught at tertiary level in some of Australia’s leading acting schools including Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, The Actor’s College of Theatre and Television, Sydney; the Actors' Centre, Sydney; The University of Western Sydney; The Sydney Institute of TAFE and in The National Institute of Dramatic Art’s Actor’s Program, Open Program and Corporate Program. Taking her experience as a leading actor and teacher of actors, she has combined this knowledge with an astute business understanding to create programs that go to the core of business performance. She develops and expands her client’s ability to create personal presence, engage on an emotional as well as an intellectual level, run meetings with authority, pitch persuasively and to deliver dynamic presentations. Her clients particularly value her understanding of how to use the voice and body to create maximum impact and her ability to specifically target what each person needs, to take their speaking performance to the next level. Her company, Powerhouse Presentation devises one-on-one programs and customised workshops for business owners, professional speakers, senior executives, and corporations. The S
S5 E353 · Sat, December 10, 2022
‘Be Our Guest’ - Drag Performer and Restaurateur; Marc Kuzma (aka Claire de Lune)
Claire de Lune is the alter ego of Restaurateur and Chef, Marc Kuzma. Claire has been a mainstay in Sydney’s Gay life for several decades while Marc has been a celebrated mainstay of our food scene. Claire de Lune gained fast notoriety after her 17 cooking segments on Channel 9 “The Midday Show” with Kerrie Anne. She then did her Drag apprenticeship by working in most of Sydney Gay and Lesbian venues. Renowned for her kooky sense of humour, Claire was often in demand on TV, radio and for corporate functions. Claire career peeked in 2000 by winning 3 DIVA (drag industry variety award) including entertainer of the year, best cast 3 & under for Lady Penelope’s Baby with Verushka Darling, and an award for her charity work, particularly for the AIDS Trust of Australia, an award also won in 2001. Claire also took part in the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games and was part of the entertainment at the Olympic village during the Paralympic games. 2001 was a great year with From D’Rags To Riches, Claire de Lune The Musical selling out during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, followed by a 4 week season of The Tempest , a major part in a Lipton Tea television commercial, a guest spot on Beauty and the Beast (channel 10) and as a guest judge on SBS broadcast of the Eurovision song contest. Claire has been featured many times on television: Food Lover’s Guide to Australia, Young Lions , White Collar Blue , Fresh , Georges Negus Tonight , Queer TV , Faut pas Rever , Voyage , Mondo Thingo, Good Morning Australia and a Virgin Blue Mobile and Vodaphone ad campaign and the launch of Virgin Atlantic in Sydney. Marc was the general manager at Slide in Oxford street, Sydney and created two highly successful weekly shows: El'Circo and Vampire stories. He now delights patrons at a very special venue that combines exquisite French culinary excellence and stellar cabaret performance at Claire’s Kitchen at Le Salon. The restaurant is a favourite destination for diners and connoisseurs of classic cabaret performance. A weekly line-up or artists complements the artistry of Marc and his staff who deliver a superb experience - merging Marc’s three great personas - performance, food and fabulousness! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E352 · Wed, December 07, 2022
‘Reviewing the Situation - Comedy’ - Television Writer, Comedy Creator and Producer; Tony Sattler
Tony Sattler possesses a comic brain that has served audiences a vast helping of laughter, via a healthy diet of sketch and situation comedy on Australian television. Through classic programs such as The Naked Vicar Show and Kingswood Country he has created a legacy of television that has not only caused mirth but has left an indelible cultural mark. It is this impact that lead the Sound & Film Archive to label him, ‘socially significant’. It is a description he laughs off, but these highly popular programs gave us permission to laugh at ourselves, and influenced a colloquial language as folk borrowed the iconic catchphrases invented by the writers for the characters. Who hasn’t uttered, ‘Leave the money on the fridge’, ‘You’re not wrong Narelle’ or ‘Pickle me Grandmother’? Tony Sattler was working as a creative director for the advertising agency George Patterson Y&R in Brisbane in 1972, when he met fellow copywriter Gary Reilly. They worked on the production of commercials and jingles in Sydney. Reilly and Sattler began to collaborate on writing longer scripts for radio and television. They contributed satirical “anti-ads” to Sydney radio station 2JJ, and followed this by creating the successful parody radio serial for 2JJ entitled Chuck Chunder and the Space Patrol; which attracted a cult following on both 2JJ and Radio One. They wrote other parody radio serials including The Novels of Fiona Wintergreen and Doctors and Nurses. Based on the success of their work the ABC commissioned Sattler and Reilly to write two hour-long scripts for Grahame Bond's Flash Nick from Jindivick in 1974. They were subsequently asked to write a half-hour sketch comedy series for Radio One (now Radio National) which would become The Naked Vicar Show. The success of this program on radio encouraged them to develop a television concept for it in 1976, featuring the same performers - Noeline Brown, Ross Higgins and Kevin Golsby. When the ABC turned it down, the Seven Network in Sydney took up the option. The Naked Vicar Show ran on radio, television and in theatre between 1975 and 1978. Reilly and Sattler met Graham Kennedy in 1977 and they were asked to write a tonight show for him. He subsequently asked to feature in one of their radio serials. They created seven radio plays for him entitled Graham Kennedy's R.S. Playhouse, with him as the lead performer. The series won a number of awards and led to Reilly and Sattler continuing to contribute writing for Kennedy in his hosting and variety show appearances. Exhausted by the pace of sketch writing, Reilly and Sattler moved into the situation comedy format. They submitted four scripts to the Seven Network and their work on Kingswood Country was ultimately selected for a full series. Kingswood Country featured the character Ted Bullpitt, who had been introduced in The Naked Vicar Show, and starred the same actor, Ross Higgins. In 1981, Sattler and Reilly created a sitcom set in a newspaper office, Daily at Dawn and also
S5 E351 · Tue, December 06, 2022
‘Because She Can, Can, Can!’ - Entertainment Icon and Trailblazer; Carlotta
Carlotta is an Australian cabaret performer and television celebrity. She began her career as an original member of the long-running Les Girls cabaret show, performed entirely by heavily costumed males, which started in 1963 in the purpose built Les Girls building which stood on a prominent corner in the heart of Sydney's Kings Cross, New South Wales. The building was owned by Sydney identity Abe Saffron. Carlotta rose through the ranks of the show to eventually become the show's compere and its most famous member. Les Girls and Carlotta soon became must-see attractions for visitors to Sydney and the show was popular with visiting international celebrities. The show continued in the Les Girls building until 1993, the Les Girls show went on-the-road, touring Australia, which inspired the film "Priscilla Queen of the Desert". The Les Girls building, which was still standing intact with original 1960s features, throughout the 1990s was the venue for alternative cabaret, including the much loved Sunday night club The Tender Trap (club). Carlotta was featured in the soap opera Number 96 in 1973 as Robyn Ross, the new girlfriend of Arnold Feather. In the story it was soon revealed that Robyn was in fact a transsexual showgirl, a revelation that led to the character's quick departure from the show. To preserve the shock ending to this storyline the true identity of Robyn's portrayer was kept secret from all but a few central cast and crew members of the series, her scenes were shot on a closed set, and Carlotta was credited as "Carolle Lea". Carlotta's sex-change operation in the early 1970s was not the first such procedure in Australia, but due to her celebrity status it became the first to receive publicity there. Carlotta was also one of the inspirations for the film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. She had a few short breaks from Les Girls for international tours, but overall by the time she left the show for the final time in 1992 she had spent a total of 26 years performing with the troupe. In 2005, she featured in her own half a million dollar stage production, "Carlotta's Kings X", presented at the Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney. Produced by Brett Elliott and Richard Bernardo, the 90 minute show delivered classic storytelling, stand up comedy, lavish costumes, and team of 'Les Girls' dance performances throughout. Carlotta has toured Australia with her "Carlotta - Queen of the Cross; show and regularly features at all sorts of festivals and gala premieres, including Melbourne's Midsumma, Gold Coast's Glitter and Brisbane's Melt festivals. On 26 January 2020, Carlotta was the recipient of Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division) for significant service to the performing arts, and to the LGBTIQ community. Carlotta returns to the stage in Trevor Ashley’s Christmas panto, Moulin Scrooge. The annual entertainment is a much anticipated indulgence on Sydney’s theatrical calendar. This follows a triumphant turn earlier in the year, performi
S5 E350 · Sat, December 03, 2022
'You Have to Believe we are Magic'- Showman, Illusions Designer and Magician; Adam Mada
Adam Mada has been entertaining audiences and creating custom magic and Illusion shows internationally for more than 20 years. As a leading magician, entertainer and Magic / Illusions consultant Adam Mada has his audiences spellbound with spectacular stage shows and cutting edge magic performances with an affectionate nod to the golden era of magic. He was the Magic and Illusions coach to the Australian production of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child – parts 1 and 2, and the magic & illusion consultant and coach for the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art. Adam is also the magic/illusion designer for the highly anticipated stage adaptation of Mem Fox’s Australian classic ‘ Possum Magic ’. Adam’s highly sought after live and digital performances are in demand throughout the world, playing everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to The Royal Bombay Yacht Club. He is the founder and director of Magic Inc. a company that creates bespoke custom magic illusions and performances for advertising and special events. Magic Inc. also fosters emerging magic talent including Australian and New Zealand Junior champions “The Cardistry Boys” as well as Tik-Tok Magic sensation Ash Magic. Among his many other achievements, Adam Mada has supported the Starlight Children’s Foundation as National Magic Coach for the Captain Starlight Program and is a member of Band Of Magicians – the world’s first supergroup of magicians. He was also magician in residence at experimental cabaret show El Circo. Whether wowing high-end, private parties or massive-scale corporate events, Adam mixes his signature blend of wit, spectacle and invention and delivers the slickest of interactive experiences, stealing away the breath of each and every audience member and keeping it safely up his sleeve until the final curtain. The art and craft of magic and illusion has fascinated me for a lifetime. The craft has been practiced on stages around the globe for centuries. As an entertainment it always inspires awe and delightful confusion. As an art, it requires incredible discipline and skill. I can’t wait to investigate the artistry further with Adam Mada. STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E349 · Wed, November 30, 2022
‘Dedicated Housewife and Part-time Hostess’ - A.K.A. Vanessa Wagner; Tobin Saunders
Tobin Saunders is a freelance performer, writer, choreographer, dancer, actor, DJ and events Co-ordinator/producer. Combining elements of contemporary dance, expressive movement, popular culture, social comment and satire, Tobin’s work could be described as - Pastiche! Over the past 30 years he has been involved in theatre works, production and performance at Mardi Gras, in fashion parades, film, and dance variety at Belvoir St Theatre. Tobin is now working solo with the Vanessa Wagner character and is also freelancing as an actor. He appears on TV as a social commentator and contemporary icon. His eclectic experience and skills have enabled Tobin to produce work that is fresh, challenging and innovative. Avoiding the labels of “Dance”, “Theatre” or “Comedy”, he combines all into a vibrant hybrid. Vanessa Wagner is one of Australia’s most colourful and entertaining identities. She started as a dedicated housewife and part time hostess. Vanessa was crowned Sydney Mardi Gras Miss Fair Day 1993 and for seven years she coordinated and hosted the spectacularly successful Drag Race Meet at Bondi Beach for the Sydney Fringe Festival. From early 1993 till 1996 Vanessa captivated audiences with ‘Jamie and Vanessa’ parties and stage shows. Vanessa now produces her own parties, events and shows. She is proud dance mistress of her very own Crystal Stepz Dance Company, creating works of a kind rarely seen! Her sell out hit dance show, Vanessa Wagner’s History of Dance broke box office records during its premiere season. She Co-hosted the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade telecasts on Channel Ten for 5 years. She also had a regular appearance as talk back host, on national youth radio station Triple J. Vanessa’s intelligent, opinionated and funny repartee is a sure crowd pleaser. She was the most colourful and loved entrant in Celebrity Big Brother , has made Australia laugh featuring in a saucy Snickers TV commercial and keeps Australia laughing with TV and Cable appearances. As a tireless advocate for HIV health education and safe practice, Tobin’s work has had far reach in many communities. In July 2022, Academic Daniel Reeders commented - “Tobin’s ground-breaking work as Vanessa Wagner with Kath Albury as Nurse Nancy was a key inspiration for Michael Hurley’s theory of cultures of care that has had a sustained and powerful influence on HIV health promotion practice in Australia. Vanessa and Nancy used glamour and humour to bring audiences on a journey through sensitive topics like having a positive sex life and managing complicated medication regimes in the emerging era of antiretroviral treatments.” With a myriad of corporate speaking & charity works across Australia, Vanessa has proved her flexibility and has cemented her position as a loveable Australian icon. As has Tobin! It is always an absolute treat to catch up with this icon(s). Always genuine. Always
S5 E348 · Mon, November 28, 2022
‘The Showman’ - Arts Reviewers and Ardent Audience Members; Simon Parris and Ian Phipps
As a teen I religiously tuned into a weekly program broadcast nationally on ABC radio. This program, was the ‘go to’ source for everyone to learn the latest theatre news. This treasure trove program was called ‘The Showman’ and was hosted by a celebrated announcer called John West. Demonstrating an enormous appreciation for the theatre and the arts, West was able to combine his profession and passion through ‘The Showman’. Other than subscribing to monthly theatre magazines, and without the existence of the www, this much anticipated weekly radio broadcast was our window to what was happening on stages around Australia; and also carried news from New York and London. Correspondents such as Terry Hughes and Stan Pretty would enthusiastically provide details and description of what was ‘the latest’ from Broadway and West End theatres. Via the platform of radio, and through informed and passionate announcers, the show ignited imagination and informed intensely to those listening from afar. Two of STAGES favourite Arts workers have recently returned from pilgrimages to New York and London and delved into the latest in musicals and plays on the Broadway and West End stages. And they join us in this episode to provide first-hand insight and some degrees of envy in their descriptions of what we could expect, if finding ourselves in these theatre meccas over coming months. Simon Parris is a theatre reviewer based in Melbourne. His review blog ‘Man in Chair’ regularly reviews musicals, plays, opera and the arts. Access to these reviews can be found at simonparrismaninchair.com Ian Phipps is one of Australia’s leading publicists, promoting theatre and its stars around Australia. If you know that a show is happening, no doubt it’s because Ian has communicated this to you via a myriad of masterful means. This episode of STAGES is dedicated to ‘The Showman’ program, and John West, for inspiring, informing and igniting the imagination of theatre fans, around the country, from 1964 to 1990. While also being a terrific round-up of present production around the globe, and what we can expect on Australian stages in 2023. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E347 · Sat, November 26, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Maureen Howard - from March, 2019
With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. In February 2020 we lost a great artist. Maureen Howard was a star across many platforms - radio, television, musical theatre, operetta and opera. STAGES was enraptured to be in her company and record a conversation of such extraordinary history, contagious humour and fierce reflection. Long after the recording stopped, Maureen entertained with anecdote and cheeky reminiscence. It was a thrill to be in her audience - even in her kitchen! A brief stint as a hairdresser lead Maureen Howard to a career in musical theatre and then Opera, after a customer enquired if she’d planned to do anything with her singing. Maureen had been a regular performer on Channel 7’s Sunnyside Up in the early years of television in Australia. Roles in The Music Man, Man of La Mancha and The Most Happy Fella for the Garnett Carroll organisation quickly followed, allowing her to explore the dynamic quality of her voice. Proving that she had an instrument that could extend to Opera, she soon established herself as one of the country’s leading voices, singing roles in Madama Butterfly, Tosca and La Boheme during the 1970’s. In recent years she returned to Opera Australia to perform in Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and as The Witch in Humperdink’s Hansel and Gretel . Her final performance was that of Old Heidi in Sondheim’s Follies - in Concert, singing the ethereal ‘One More Kiss’. Maureen was a wonderful human being. She was also a very fine artist of whichever form she chose to interpret. Please enjoy this treasured memory from the STAGES archive. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E346 · Fri, November 25, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Eva Grace Mullaley - from December, 2019
With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. The Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company is Australia’s leading Aboriginal theatre company, based in Perth, WA, in the heart of the Nyoongar Nation. Formed in 1993, Yirra Yaakin provides the means and environment to assist the nurturing of Aboriginal community cultural development. Yirra Yaakin means ‘stand tall’ in the Nyoongar language. At the commencement of 2019, Yamaji woman, Eva Grace Mullaley was appointed as Artistic Director. Eva Grace grew up predominantly in the South West of Western Australia and moved to Perth in 2002. She is a graduate of the Aboriginal Theatre course at WAAPA. She soon joined Yirra Yaakin as an actor performing in Whaloo is That You?, and with Black Swan in the production, Tear From a Glass Eye. In 2005 Eva Grace lectured the Aboriginal students at WAAPA on script writing and directed the collaborative piece Black Tracks. She assisted David Milroy during the Windmill Baby creative development for Yirra Yaakin and was Stage manager during its first public season. She has keenly embraced the extensive roles existing in the theatre. Such work has included roles as a tour manager, producer, event manager, dramaturge, actor and extensive time in administration - essential experiences that have informed her work as a director. At her appointment, Eva Grace was looking forward “t o continuing such an inspirational legacy and building on the shoulders of those that came before (her) to lead Yirra Yaakin to a new era.” Four years on, it is a delight to return to an early conversation with Yirra Yaakin Artistic Director, Eva Grace Mullaley. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E345 · Thu, November 24, 2022
‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ - Intimacy Coordinator; Chloe Dallimore
The role of the Intimacy Coordinator is to support a screen or stage production by providing a safe, professional environment and clear structure and process for the choreography of intimate content. In the same way a stunt coordinator is engaged to realise a scene with physical risk, the Intimacy Coordinator is engaged to realise a creative, repeatable, and safe intimate scene. They are someone who works with the director, creatives, and actors to ensure that any scenes that require a certain level of intimacy are done so safely and respectfully, with everyone’s comfort levels and consent being addressed. It is a new role that observers of, and participants in the Industry, are still becoming familiar with. To enlighten us and to dispel any of the mystery, STAGES welcomes to this episode an old friend and champion of the entertainment industry in Australia, Chloe Dallimore. Chloe is known to audiences for a swag of stage triumphs in Musical Theatre including Crazy For You, Chicago, The Wizard of Oz, The Producers and The Addams Family . She is also known to the industry as a fierce and dedicated leader in her role as national president of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; a role she navigated with elegant style and committed focus, for seven years. She is now a recognised and .much sought after presence on television and film sets; and in rehearsal rooms, as an Intimacy Coordinator. With a passion for dance, movement and choreography, and with a career spanning over 20 years, it would appear that Chloe is an ideal ally to assist in the management of such content, making the workplace a safer and efficient place for everyone. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E344 · Wed, November 23, 2022
‘Now I will believe that there are unicorns…’ - Actor; Elaine Hudson
Elaine Hudson is an actor/director/producer/teacher. She trained at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) and has worked in theatre, film and television. Directing credits include Endgame (Lookout Theatre); The Lady from Dubuque (Downstairs Belvoir); Poles Apart (Stables Theatre); The Death of Peter Pan; After the Fal l (Associate Director), Relative Comfort, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Gross Indecency/The Importance of Being Earnest and Seven Little Australians (new theatre); The Man Who Came to Dinner (Genesian Theatre), A Touch of Paradise (Downstairs Belvoir) and Young Dramatists – Page to Stage (Co-Artistic Director 1999 – 2013 ), Heir Raising for Mardi Gras 2009 and Associate Director on Trapped in Mykonos , Downstairs Seymour 2013. Acting credits include roles for Sydney Theatre Company, including a celebrated Elizabeth Proctor in Richard Wherret’s often mentioned The Crucible; new theatre; Company B; Griffin Theatre ; Queensize Productions (Dacia Maraini's Mary Stuart –Excellence Award from International New York Fringe Festival); Cumulus Productions ( Mother Teresa is Dead, The Women of Lockerbie, Box and Quotations from Mao Tse-Tung ). In 2009 Elaine performed in A Streetcar Named Desir e, directed by Liv Ullmann, for the Sydney Theatre Company, touring to Washington and New York. In 2010, at Teatro Cortile in Bolzano, Italy, Elaine premiered a group devised solo performance inspired by life and work of Emily Dickinson. A residency at Bundanon was followed by a second performance of this work at the Adelaide Fringe in 2012. In 2012, Elaine took part in a performance of poems of Miyazama Kenji at Theatre X (Cai) in Ryogoku, Tokyo, directed by Roger Pulvers. Film and Television work as an actor includes Cross-Life (Sydney Film Festival), Dying Breed (Tribeca), The Disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain, Joh’s Jury (AFI Best Actress Nomination), All Saints, White Collar Blue, Grassroots, Heartbreak High, Chandon Pictures and Rake. It is indeed a rich tapestry which Elaine has woven in her pursuit of artistic endeavour. She is passionate about all forms and her academic investigation of each equips her with extensive knowledge and a broad experience of theatre-making. I adore any encounter with Elaine, so I cannot wait to share this STAGES conversation with you, so you can see exactly what I mean. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au </p
S5 E343 · Tue, November 22, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: DOLORES DUNBAR - from August, 2020
With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Dolores Dunbar possesses an energy that has equalled that of her teenage students. In her role as Head of Musical Theatre at the McDonald College of Performing Arts she has contributed to the development of the next generation of performers with a knowledge garnered from extensive industry experience in a variety of roles. After several decades as nurturer, guide and mentor, Dolores is stepping down from her teaching role; but is certainly not stepping away from the industry she adores. She made her professional stage debut in the Australian company of Funny Girl for J.C. Williamson’s. A stack of shows followed for Dolores, including My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Les Miserables and Shout. Other creative roles have seen her choreograph the immensely successful production of Nunsense , serve as Company Management and direct productions of Eurovision, Copacabana and Grease. Always ready with an amusing anecdote that serves as a brilliant history lesson, Dolores is a walking encyclopaedia of our musical theatre past and the many characters who have inhabited its stage. We should all maintain the optimism, energy and passion of Dolores. She is a great champion for all of us to aspire toward. It is a joy and honour to revisit this conversation with Dolores and celebrate her immense contributions as Performer and Teacher. Bravo Dord!
S5 E342 · Mon, November 21, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: ROD DUNBAR - from September, 2018
With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. In February 2019 we lost a stalwart of the musical theatre fraternity in Australia. Rod Dunbar was a gentleman who relished a life on the boards, navigating a career over five decades. STAGES was honoured that he consented to be featured in our very first series. And a privilege to revisit his extensive career and life in showbiz in this Spotlight episode. Growing up in Rockhampton in Queensland, Rod made the piano his instrument of choice. But he soon discovered he had a decent ‘set of pipes’ and promptly pursued a career fronting bands. It was a move hastened by his viewing of Blackboard Jungle, a film celebrated for its innovative use of rock and roll in its soundtrack. His taste for entertaining an audience prompted a venture south to Sydney where he quickly established himself as an in-demand vocalist. An enthusiastic beginning saw him perform with the Petersham Musical Society guided by Helen de Paul and working alongside her daughter, a young Trisha Noble. He became a regular on Channel Seven’s Sing Sing Sing hosted by Johnny O’Keefe (it aired from 1962 to 1965), and launched a pop career that saw recordings such as ‘Break Down’, ‘Dare I Say It Again’, ‘Little Girl It’s Time We Parted’ and ‘What Do You Want from Me?’. Rod toured the country, doing gigs with other high-profile entertainers including The Bee Gees, Digger Revell and the Denvermen, Lee Sellars and Jimmy Little. They attracted attention everywhere, due to their national exposure through the new medium of television. At a time when he was looking to expand the possibilities of his career, Rod was spotted by J.C. Williamson’s Betty Pounder, who encouraged him to pursue a career in musical theatre. His celebrity made him an ideal candidate to join Noel Ferrier’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Rod was cast as a featured courtier and worked alongside John Meillon, Gwen Plumb, Tony Bonner and Max Phipps. This was followed by performances in The Boys From Syracuse, Oliver!, and his renowned turn in 1967 as The Fiddler in the original staging of Fiddler on the Roof in Australia, with Hayes Gordon and Brigid Lenihan. He experienced personal triumphs in the original Australian productions of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown as Snoopy, and in Godspell in 1972 in a magnetic performance as Jesus. The production also toured New Zealand. His extensive career included the celebrated production of Chicago directed by Richard Wherrett for the Sydney Theatre Company. Other work for the STC included Company and Merrily We Roll Along. He completed tours of Dirty Dancing for Kevin Jacobsen and Are You Lonesome Tonight, South P
S5 E341 · Sat, November 19, 2022
‘Lights, Camera, Theatre!’ - Australian Theatre Live, Associate Producer; Emma Wright
The opportunity to view ‘live’ theatrical performance from the comfort of home is an experience to which many of us have given indulgent thought. Competing with the ordeal of travel, parking and audience, especially in the time of Covid, is never an attractive proposition. However, we do so, because nothing can replace the visceral engagement of witnessing a company of performers and creatives conjure stories right there in front of us. Living in the big cities can make this ritual commonplace; but it is a practice that is not available to many keen theatre-goers. Patrons in regional centres, immunocompromised viewers and those looking for affordable and accessible tickets are likely to miss out on the work presented by our national theatre, dance, music and opera companies. Australian Theatre Live is a new experience of performance allowing us to see quality theatre on digital platforms while also preserving for eternity what is an ephemeral night in the theatre. Australian Theatre Live has just launched a subscription platform for digital theatre experiences, making Australian art more accessible to all. With a growing content library of mainstage and independent theatre, opera, dance, acrobatics and music, Australian Theatre Live captures live performance for you to enjoy on your schedule. Their fast-growing digital library is designed with everyone in mind. The Australian Theatre Live catalogue includes theatrical experiences from Sydney Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre Company, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Sydney Festival, Kings Cross Theatre, the Old Fitz and more. “People often have this perception that recorded theatre is not as enjoyable as the live thing. However, due to the beautiful camera angles and crisp sound quality, our films offer a level of intimacy beyond that of the usual audience member’s experience. Watching an Australian Theatre Live film is like watching a play from on the stage” – Grant Dodwell, Creative Director Australian Theatre Live Home audiences are able gain access to some of the best of what Australian theatre has to offer, regardless of your location, income, or access needs. Australian Theatre Live grants all Australians the opportunity to enjoy, critique and participate in the development of our artistic heritage. Emma Wright is an Associate Producer with the company and joins STAGES to provide insight into this fascinating alternative to experiencing and preserving, our great performances. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E340 · Wed, November 16, 2022
‘A Night at the Opera’ - Head of Music OA and Conductor; Tahu Matheson
Tahu Matheson has worked for Opera Australia since 2007. He became Head of Music for the company in 2017. He studied piano with Kalle Randalu in Germany, and with Oleg Stepanov and Natasha Vlassenko at the Queensland Conservatorium, where he completed his Master of Music. He is a frequent accompanist for international artists including Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Anthony Dean Griffey, Yvonne Kenny and Emma Matthews. His Opera Australia repertoire includes - Conductor of Tosca , L’elisir d’amore , The Magic Flute and The Pearlfishers at Sydney Opera House; Aida on the Beach and tours of Don Giovanni . Tahu was Assistant Conductor of the Ring Cycle, Bliss, Falstaff, Otello, Rigoletto, Carmen, Capriccio, Of Mice and Men, The Barber of Seville, Lucia di Lammermoor, Werther, The Magic Flute, La Bohème, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, La sonnambula, Orpheus in the Underworld, A Streetcar Named Desire, Billy Budd and Don Giovanni. For other companies Tahu has conducted Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins for Victorian Opera. This work was paired with the premiere of a new work by four Australian Composers, of the same name, but with updated subject matter and music. Tahu has conducted many concerts including a concert performance of a new opera, Nelson , by Stuart Greenbaum in London, and a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for 4MBS Radio in Brisbane. He recently made his debut with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Tahu performed the Rachmaninov Preludes Op 23 and the world premiere of Ten Concert Studies for Piano , written for him by Edwin Carr (New Zealand International Festival of the Arts – recorded on CD for international release by Kiwi Pacific Records). Tahu has been a soloist in the major concert venues throughout Australia and New Zealand, toured for Musica Viva and Chamber Music New Zealand, and been broadcast on New Zealand and Australian radio and television. Through November and December Tahu Matheson conducts Opera Australia’s brand new, Sydney-exclusive open-air event, Opera on Cockatoo Island , with a gritty new production of Bizet’s much-loved Carmen , giving visitors a thrilling opportunity to experience world-class opera under the stars with stunning harbour views. STAGES caught up with Tahu at his place of work - Opera Australia - to discover what’s in store for audiences attending Carmen, and the gateway through which he discovered his passion for telling big stories on the Operatic stage. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). <a href="http://www.stagespodcas
S5 E339 · Mon, November 14, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Nancye Hayes Pt2 - from February, 2020
With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Nancye Hayes is synonymous with Australian show business and her presence in any show guarantees a consummate artist determined to engage, with vast skill and an extensive joy she invests in to every performance. In October, the great lady celebrated 60 years of a life ‘on the boards’. Nancye Hayes started her professional career as a dancer in My Fair Lady . She then progressed through roles in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hello Dolly! and The Boys from Syracuse. She scored tremendous personal success as Charity Hope Valentine in her break-out performance in Sweet Charity , establishing herself as a bright new star. The accolades came thick and fast, leading Nancye to great acclaim and on to a career that has seen her conquer all genres and theatrical roles; on and off the stage. She has contributed dynamically to the industry in creative roles too; as Director, Choreographer, Mentor and Teacher. Her vast repertoire of leading and character roles has given us memorable performances as Miss Adelaide, Miss Hannigan, Madame Armfeldt, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Potts, Mrs Lovett, Aunt Eller and Lady Hotham. Her vast repertoire of plays and musicals has given us dynamic performances in Sweeney Todd, Nine, Showboat, Pippin, The Importance of Being Earnest, Same Time Next Year, Steel Magnolias, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Mary Poppins. Nancye Hayes is one of our great elders. Her tremendous warmth, star quality and enormous contribution to the Arts in Australia, have made her universally adored. STAGES salutes her six decades as a leading lady by revisiting this sparkling 2-episode conversation from 2020, when she visited the podcast to record her remarkable story.
S5 E339 · Mon, November 14, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Nancye Hayes Pt1 - from February, 2020
With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Nancye Hayes is synonymous with Australian show business and her presence in any show guarantees a consummate artist determined to engage, with vast skill and an extensive joy she invests in to every performance. In October, the great lady celebrated 60 years of a life ‘on the boards’. Nancye Hayes started her professional career as a dancer in My Fair Lady . She then progressed through roles in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hello Dolly! and The Boys from Syracuse. She scored tremendous personal success as Charity Hope Valentine in her break-out performance in Sweet Charity , establishing herself as a bright new star. The accolades came thick and fast, leading Nancye to great acclaim and on to a career that has seen her conquer all genres and theatrical roles; on and off the stage. She has contributed dynamically to the industry in creative roles too; as Director, Choreographer, Mentor and Teacher. Her vast repertoire of leading and character roles has given us memorable performances as Miss Adelaide, Miss Hannigan, Madame Armfeldt, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Potts, Mrs Lovett, Aunt Eller and Lady Hotham. Her vast repertoire of plays and musicals has given us dynamic performances in Sweeney Todd, Nine, Showboat, Pippin, The Importance of Being Earnest, Same Time Next Year, Steel Magnolias, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Mary Poppins. Nancye Hayes is one of our great elders. Her tremendous warmth, star quality and enormous contribution to the Arts in Australia, have made her universally adored. STAGES salutes her six decades as a leading lady by revisiting this sparkling 2-episode conversation from 2020, when she visited the podcast to record her remarkable story.
S5 E338 · Sat, November 12, 2022
‘Nice Work’ - Veteran Actor; Sal Sharah Pt2
Sal Sharah is an actor and singer who studied at the Actors Conservatory under the tutelage of Brian Syron and Henry Bannister. He trained in singing with Dot Mendoza and Dance with Keith Bain. Sal’s Theatre credits include the role of Sahir in Jump for Jordan (Griffin), Miss Julie (STC), Les Enfants du Paradis (Belvoir), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (STC), Hakawati (National Theatre of Parramatta/Sydney Festival), Felliniada (Belvoir/Auto de Fe); Salome (Crossroads); My Son the Lawyer is Drowning (Ensemble Theatre); Alex & Eve (Bulldog Theatre Company) and Grace Under Pressure. Musical theatre forays include Guys and Dolls, Aladdin, Grease, Sunset Boulevard and My Fair Lady . Sal originated the role of Riff Raff in Australia, in Harry M. Millar’s celebrated production of The Rocky Horror Show. Sal’s Television credits include a host of classic and groundbreaking programs; The Code, Rake, Major Crime, East West 101, Water Rats, All Saints, Wildside, Heartbreak High, Mission Impossible, GP, A Country Practice and The Restless Years. His film credits include the role of Nick in The Boys (Arenafilms), Chain Reaction (Palm Beach Pictures), Iman in Alex and Eve , Section 29, Hostage and The Custodian. Sal has navigated a rich variety of theatrical experience on stage and behind the scenes. He generously charts his career and provides unique insight of a wondrous profession, in a challenging industry, in this fascinating 2-episode conversation of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E336 · Thu, November 10, 2022
‘Livin’ It Up’ - An Australian on Broadway; Amelia Cormack
Amelia Cormack is a New York based singer, actor, musician, voice over artist and songwriter. She is currently Fate 1 in Hadestown on Broadway . Originally from Australia, she has credits in theatre, film, television, voice over, and cabaret in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and US. She was an original Diva in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - The Musical, and performed the role in Australia and New Zealand for nearly 2 years, then went on to reprise the role on London’s West End. Most recently in Australia she performed the role of Tilly Devine in Razorhurst for the Hayes Theatre Company. She has toured the US with Kinky Boots, Les Miserables and Come From Away , and originated the role of Raven Johnson in Douglas Lyons and Ethan Pakchar’s Beau. Most recently, she appeared in the world premiere of the online musical Your Musical is Cancelled - The Musical . As a singer and songwriter, Amelia has released 2 self-titled albums, and is featured on the original cast recordings of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert The Musical, LOVEBiTEs and Lyons & Pakchar - Beau (World Premiere Recording) . She is one half of folk/bluegrass duo ‘Cormack & Guinn’ with fellow Les Mis Tour alum Allison Guinn, and covers band ‘Pull Up the Covers’ with her husband Roger Plotz. Amelia plays violin, piano, guitar and mandolin, and has played all her instruments in a number of concerts and actor-musician shows. STAGES caught up with Amelia, live from New York City, to celebrate her Broadway debut. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E337 · Wed, November 09, 2022
‘It’s Astounding, Time is Fleeting’ - Veteran Actor; Sal Sharah Pt1
Sal Sharah is an actor and singer who studied at the Actors Conservatory under the tutelage of Brian Syron and Henry Bannister. He trained in singing with Dot Mendoza and Dance with Keith Bain. Sal’s Theatre credits include the role of Sahir in Jump for Jordan (Griffin), Miss Julie (STC), Les Enfants du Paradis (Belvoir), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (STC), Hakawati (National Theatre of Parramatta/Sydney Festival), Felliniada (Belvoir/Auto de Fe); Salome (Crossroads); My Son the Lawyer is Drowning (Ensemble Theatre); Alex & Eve (Bulldog Theatre Company) and Grace Under Pressure. Musical theatre forays include Guys and Dolls, Aladdin, Grease, Sunset Boulevard and My Fair Lady . Sal originated the role of Riff Raff in Australia, in Harry M. Millar’s celebrated production of The Rocky Horror Show. Sal’s Television credits include a host of classic and groundbreaking programs; The Code, Rake, Major Crime, East West 101, Water Rats, All Saints, Wildside, Heartbreak High, Mission Impossible, GP, A Country Practice and The Restless Years. His film credits include the role of Nick in The Boys (Arenafilms), Chain Reaction (Palm Beach Pictures), Iman in Alex and Eve , Section 29, Hostage and The Custodian. Sal has navigated a rich variety of theatrical experience on stage and behind the scenes. He generously charts his career and provides unique insight of a wondrous profession, in a challenging industry, in this fascinating 2-episode conversation of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E335 · Sat, November 05, 2022
‘Comedy Tonight’ - Satirist, Actor, Writer; Mandy Bishop
Mandy Bishop is a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Known and revered for her deft impersonation of Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard; Mandy is also an actor, comedian, musician and writer of considerable accomplishment. Commencing her career with the celebrated A cappella group Bite My Chilli, Mandy toured Australia performing concert and corporate entertainment, while also developing skills in producing and arts management. Her theatre credits are extensive and include a variety of of repertoire; The Pillowman, Boston Marriage, Fallen Angels, Vicious Streaks, Angry Penguins and Withering Heights . On television she has been seen in Heartbreak High, Blue Heelers, All Saints, Big Sky, My Place, Rake and Drop Dead Weird. Most recently she appeared in Anyone Can Whistle for Neglected Musicals. Mandy has collaborated with producer Michael Bourchier on two children's television series; The Upside Down Show , on which she played the role of Mrs. Foil in every episode, and Penelope K, by the Way , on which she played the title role. In 2011 Mandy co-wrote and created the four-part sitcom, At Home With Julia, in which she portrayed the sitting PM. She has acted in Sydney’s legendary Wharf Revue since 2008, inhabiting a vast array of political and pop-culture characters. Each demonstrating a penetrating examination and superlative execution. Mandy joins the Wharf Revue team of Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phil Scott once again as Soft Tread Enterprises presents Looking for Albanese . This much anticipated event on our calendars commences its Sydney season at The Seymour Centre from November 12th and through December. “The world is grim - what better time to have a laugh?” Mandy examines the craft of humour, her artistic relationship with ‘Julia’ and the joy of satire and revue in this sparkling episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E334 · Wed, November 02, 2022
‘Continuing the Story’ - Actor, Singer, Writer; Liza Maza
Lisa Maza is a singer, actor, writer and film-maker. It is no surprise that she has accomplished such vast artistic endeavour, growing up surrounded by theatre-makers; her father being the legendary trailblazer, Robert Maza. Lisa made her stage debut at the age of eight, playing a little boy called ‘Pumpkinhead’ in Robert Merritt’s The Cakeman . It was the first all Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander-run production performed at the newly formed National Black Theatre, and was directed by Robert Maza. In 2007 she began co-writing with her sister, their autographically inspired theatre show Sisters of Gelam, which premiered at Malthouse Theatre in 2009. In 2011 Lisa travelled to London to perform in Belvoir’s Production of The Sapphires. In 2016, Lisa performed in Kate Miller-Heidke’s award-winning ‘The Rabbits’ , a collaboration between Opera Australia and Perth-based Barking Gecko Theatre Company, adapted from the picture book by John Marsden and Shaun Tan by librettist Lally Katz. In addition to her eclectic performance career, her theatre writing and documentary-making, Lisa has expanded her skill set along the way in a range of other areas that include theatre administration, tour managing, project management, MC work, and associate producing. Lisa performs in the triple Oliver Award winning stage show of Emilia which is making its Australian debut at Art Centre Melbourne from 10-27 November. The production will then tour to Canberra. Written by British playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm in the midst of the Me Too movement, this Australian production features a team entirely made up of women and non-binary creatives from diverse cultural backgrounds as they unite to celebrate women’s voices through the story of this trailblazing forgotten woman. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify, Apple podcasts or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E333 · Mon, October 31, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Iain Grandage - from November 29th, 2019
With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Iain Grandage is a composer, conductor and Festival Director. He has previously been at the helm of the Port Fairy Music Festival. When he joined STAGES in 2019, he was preparing to launch his first program as Artistic Director at The Perth Festival. He recently announced the program for the 2023 Perth Festival - another exciting celebration of the Arts, headlined by Icelandic singer Björk in an exclusive season of her dazzling live concert experience, Cornucopia. Born and bred in Perth, his excitement at steering this festival was palpable. He knows his audience and the responsibility of celebrating local and indigenous art forms, whilst also delivering unique and stimulating experiences drawn from an international canvas. As a composer, Iain’s concert works have been performed by the ACO, Brodsky String Quartet, Australian String Quartet, Australian Brass Quintet and choirs and orchestras around Australia. As music director he has conducted orchestras for Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan and Tim Minchin, and led the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also conducted and presented the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Education program. His scores have covered a broad range of genres and cover diverse subjects; Opera with The Rabbits and The Riders , Theatre with Cloudstreet and The Secret River, Dance with When Time Stops and Film with Satan Jawa . On this day of recording, Iain greeted me armed with a block of chocolate and a peppermint tea, eager to generously share his vision for the 2020 festival and an insight into his incredible instinct and ethos as an artist. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E332 · Sat, October 29, 2022
‘The Rain in Spain ...’ - Voice Consultant and Teacher; Julia Moody
Julia Moody has a Graduate Diploma in Voice Studies from NIDA (Sydney), a BA from Curtin University (Perth), is a fully accredited Associate teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework (New York), and did her actor training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (UK). She has performed as an actor in Theatre, Film, TV, and Radio with companies across Australia. Julia has been voice and accent coach on over 300 professional theatre productions. She has worked as a Voice trainer and Consultant in the professional media with SBS TV and Radio since 1994, and with ABC TV, Channel 10, Open Channel, Public Radio News, RTRFM, 5UV, and 6PR. She works internationally, running bespoke voice training sessions for professional speakers in all domains: the corporate arena, the professional media, education, theatre and film; with politicians, legal professionals, medical professionals, sporting professionals, and many others. Julia has lectured in Voice at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Victorian College of the Arts School of Drama, the University of Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts, and was Head of Voice in the Acting Department of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University for 21 years. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E331 · Wed, October 26, 2022
‘That’s Amore!’ - Actor; Deborah Galanos
Deborah Galanos is an Australian actress of Greek heritage and a National Institute of Dramatic Art acting degree graduate. Before NIDA, Galanos attended Sydney University and UNSW studying Arts & Law. She has appeared in many theatre, television and film roles and is best known for her role as Dr Meredith George in ABC’s Children’s Hospital. However, since 1990, most of her work has been in the theatre, and through years of touring has performed on most stages all over Australia. Deborah recently completed a season of the stage adaptation of Anne Deveson’s Tell Me I’m Here. The adaptation by Veronica Nadine Gleeson, was presented as part of Belvoir theatre’s 2022 season. Other work on the Belvoir stage includes Stop Girl, The Boomkak Panto and 25A’s Son of Byblos. Her other theatre credits include Greek Tragedy (Belvoir Company B), Bonnie & Clyde (Hayes Theatre Company), Wicked Sisters (Griffin), Lady Tabouli (National Theatre Of Parramatta/Sydney Festival), Gods of Strangers (State Theatre Company South Australia), The God Committee, Heartbreak Kid (Ensemble), I’m With Her, The Mystery of Love & Sex (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Antigone (Sport For Jove), Metamorphoses (Apocalypse/Old Fitz), Unfinished Works, Homesick (Bontom/Seymour/505), Seagull (Secret House), Dropped (The Goods Theatre Company/Old Fitz), House of Ramon Iglesia (MopHead/Old Fitz), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (theatrongroup), Mum’s the Word (Burberry Productions/Australian tours/SOH Playhouse/Glen Street), A Kind of Alaska, Suddenly Last Summer, Hotel Hibiscus (NIDA company), Boswell for the Defence (Sydney Festival), The Shearston Shift (STC/Australian People’s Theatre). Her television credits include My Place, Police Rescue, G.P., Pulse, Rake, Redfern Now (ABC); Camp (NBC/Matchbox); Murder Call (Nine Network); A Country Practice, All Saints, Home & Away (Seven Network). Deborah’s film credits include Chasing Comets, Balls, Boys from the Bush, Cavity, Inside Out, No Worries, The Premonition , and Razzle Dazzle. Deborah’s been nominated for several Sydney Theatre Awards and is a proud MEAA Member since 1990. From October 23rd to November 6th she appears in Danny Ball’s The Italians, at 25A Belvoir Theatre. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E330 · Mon, October 24, 2022
‘You’ve got to be carefully taught’ - Theatre Practitioner and Scholar; Leith Taylor
Leith Taylor is an experienced theatre practitioner having worked across a range of fields as an actor, director, producer, writer and drama educator. As an actor Leith worked extensively over two decades in film, television and radio as well as appearing in more than sixty theatre productions nationally and internationally. In Perth she is well remembered for her numerous appearances in leading roles at the Playhouse and Hole in the Wall theatres. After being awarded a Fellowship, she transitioned to directing and founded her own company, Theatre West, with a focus on shows by or about women. She subsequently directed numerous productions, some under the banner of her own company but also in collaboration with or for other theatre companies including Black Swan, W.A. and Perth Theatre Companies, deckchair and Melbourne’s HIT Productions. Some of her productions toured nationally or were part of Arts Festival programming and include Oleanna, One Small Step, Woman in Mind, Speaking in Tongues, The Season at Sarsaparilla, Sixteen Words for Water and Blood Moon . Leith has long been involved with professional drama training having lectured and directed at numerous performing arts institutions in Australia and overseas including the Drama Studio (U.S. and U.K.), LaSalle College of the Arts (Singapore) and a long association with the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Early training in journalism enhanced her work as a dramaturg and scriptwriter, while her psychology qualifications resulted in work as a drama therapist with groups and individuals in this specialist field. She was able to bring these different perspectives to her doctoral research which focused on the role of emotions in actor training programmes, signalling the necessity for significant procedural changes in drama schools and in the profession. Leith is a graduate of the University of Western Australia, California State University L.A., the Drama Studio London and WAAPA @ ECU where she completed her PhD. She has won several awards for acting and directing and been a member of numerous boards and consultative panels including the Australia Council for the Arts, Perth International Arts Festival, Healthway Foundation and the W.A. Department for Culture and the Arts. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E329 · Sat, October 22, 2022
‘A Sunday with the Parke called Tyran’ - Music Theatre Educator, Actor and Director; Tyran Parke
Tyran Parke is a Director-Actor-Teacher whose work has garnered much admiration and triumph. As an actor, he has played roles professionally in musicals, contemporary plays, television and Shakespeare. As a teacher, he has worked for the National Institute of Performing Arts, (NIDA), The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) but it is at The Australian Institute of Music (AIM) where he is currently course co-ordinator for the Melbourne campus. Professional Directing credits include the musicals; Rent, Jekyll and Hyde, Lovebites, Cheek to Cheek, King of the World , the plays; Great Expectations, Pool(no water), Thom Pain, Barnum, The Laramie Project, The Opera, The Fairy Queen and many concerts. He has worked at the Hayes Theatre several times both as both an actor and a director when he was the helm of The Goodbye Girl and Anyone Can Whistle for Neglected Musicals, Rob Mills is Surprisingly Good (and national tour) and Stalker- the musical . He has also directed the critically acclaimed ‘ Big Fish’ in Sydney and ‘Ordinary Days’ at Chapel Off Chapel. And productions of Barnum starring Todd McKenney and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest with Lachy Hulme. Tyran has a built a strong reputation for interpreting the work of Stephen Sondheim. These productions include, ‘ Assassins’ , the all-star concert of ‘Follies’ , and ‘Into the Woods ’. He directed the new Australian musical, ‘ Crossroads’ to great acclaim in Melbourne, the national tours of “ From Broadway to La Scala ’ with Lisa McCune, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, David Hobson and Greta Bradman, and ‘Tapestry’ starring Debra Byrne and Vika Bull. In 2023, Tyran directs Jonathan Larsen’s tick, tick … BOOM! for seasons in Melbourne and Brisbane. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E328 · Wed, October 19, 2022
‘Pencils and Powders and Paint’ - Drag Performer, Make-up Artist and Trailblazer; Strykermeyer
Strykermeyer is a drag performer of unique powers and enormous skill. His work has enamoured audiences around the world. His ability to conjure a crowd is harnessed with immense theatricality; drawn from the combination of idiosyncratic invention in performance; and the greasepaints that contribute to the creation of an arresting and hypnotic aesthetic. Migrating to Australia as a boy from the UK, his family found residence in the Goldfields town of Kambalda in Western Australia. The contrast of geography and climate built a resilience in the young Stryker and forced avenues to escape - in imagination and by train! Landing in Perth in the 70s he entered his first nightclub - Matches on William street. The lure of the stage called and his place in the world was found. This was the time of a different drag scene. Experimental and exciting, it drew a queer community together and launched the careers of a bounty of burgeoning artists. Established performer Audrey Woodstock-Rose guided Stryker in the early days providing lessons in stagecraft and an appreciation of Asian theatre styles such as Kabuki, Noh, and Butoh; influences that resonate in Stryker’s performance repertoire. Early song choices that supported his developing style included Gary Numan’s Are Friends Electric? and Iggy Pop’s I’m Bored, which he performed in ‘boy drag’. Considered one of the best make-up artists in Australia, Stryker contributed to the drag aesthetic on the film Priscilla - Queen of the Desert; ultimately being awarded the British Academy of Film and Television Award for Best Make-up and Hair Design in 1994. Today he continues to contribute a vivid artistic and considered temperament to queer and art spaces around W.A. Collaborations with fellow performer Ash Baroque inspire his creativity and ensure we continue to be enthralled by his vast talents. Stryker the man, is a modest gentleman who possesses years of experience and knowledge; whilst retaining a passion for his art and craft. He is a treasured and gifted artist who has been an avant-garde presence on the queer scene for several decades. What a treat that he shares all of that in this riveting episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E327 · Mon, October 17, 2022
‘Step in Time’ - Entering the Industry; Jacob Steen
Jacob Steen has commenced a very exciting time in a performer’s career. He is making his professional debut in the musical Mary Poppins ; now touring around Australia, presented by Disney, Cameron Mackintosh and Michael Cassel. An exciting and joyous time indeed, but one that presents its share of challenge, discovery and discipline. Jacob is keen to share his experience thus far and provide insight for the novice performer ‘waiting in the wings’ and the audience who are fascinated by the theatre and the backstage of showbiz. Jacob completed first year of the Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts, prior to the opportunity to join Mary Poppins. He has trained in Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Acro, Musical Theatre and Contemporary under Renie Ann Martini OAM at the May Downs School of Dance from 2016 until 2020. His training begun with jazz and tap under Jodie Greenwood at Upstage Dance Academy. Jacob has been a proud member of Actor's Equity since 2022. It is indeed a recent professional debut and STAGES is delighted to welcome Jacob onto STAGES and applaud his new adventure ‘on the boards!’ The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E326 · Sat, October 15, 2022
‘Gerry’s Girl’ - Actor; Gerry Connolly
Gerry Connolly is an accomplished Australian actor, comic and musician on stage, in cabaret, film and television. For half the reign of Queen Elizabeth 2, he rendered Her Majesty in a celebrated and vivid portrayal across many stages and platforms. This turn began life at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in revue, and along with his rendition of Sir Joh Bjelke Petersen, quickly became the basis of stage shows such as Men and Women of Australia, I CONnolly, Gerrymander Joh, Pianomaniac and Gerry Connolly: Alone or with Others? Gerry is widely acclaimed across Australia as a comic of tremendous skill and observation, enjoying enormous success at the Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide Comedy Festivals, as well as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2012 he brought his own brand of comic and classic taste to the Richard Tognetti Festival Maribor, in Slovenia. His theatre credits include Wuthering Heights (shake & stir), The Marriage of Figaro (QTC), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (MTC), Once in a Lifetime (STC), Cyrano de Bergerac (MTC), Little Murders (MTC), A Royal Commission into the Australian Economy (Melbourne Comedy Festival), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (GFO), Anything Goes (Opera Australia/GFO), Sydney Opera House: The Eighth Wonder (Opera Australia), The Pirates of Penzance (Essgee), Fledermaus (Opera Queensland), Summer Rain (STC), Urinetown (MTC) and Tomfoolery (MTC). Gerry’s television credits include Gerry Connolly Show (ABC), Fast Forward (Channel 7), Kath & Kim (Channel 7), Spicks ‘n Specks (ABC), Dead Gorgeous (ABC) , Mystery of a Hansom Cab (ABC), A Royal Commission into the Australian Economy (Channel 7) and various Current Affairs and panel programs, including Celebrity Roasts for Bert Newton, Molly Meldrum and Brian Henderson. Gerry is presently on stage as Mr Paravicini in Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap . The production kicks off a national tour at the Theatre Royal in Sydney … and celebrates the 70th anniversary of the iconic thriller. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E325 · Wed, October 12, 2022
‘So Somewhere in my Youth or Childhood …’ - Actor, Writer, Director; Nicholas Hammond
Nicholas Hammond first appeared on Broadway as the ten-year-old son of Sir Michael Redgrave and Googie Withers in Graham Greene’s The Complaisant Lover , winning enthusiastic praise from the New York critics. From that first footstep onto the stage of the Barrymore Theatre, Nicholas has had a lifelong love of acting, whether on stage, film or television. He has had the good fortune to work all over the world, and with many of the greatest artists of the time. He has been featured in over 40 films, some 250 television shows and countless plays in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Theatre Company, and national tours all over the United States, Great Britain and Australia, performing the works of Graham Greene, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Noel Coward, Alan Ayckbourn, Sean O’Casey and Neil Simon among many others. His global film career includes films from Lord of the Flies to Ladies in Black and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and starring in his own American prime time series The Amazing Spiderman. But, as he and his film “siblings” always say, no matter how many wonderful roles he plays, most people will always think of him as Friedrich Von Trapp in the most successful film musical of all time, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music . Nicholas’ connection with Rodgers and Hammerstein has continued since making that film, and in 2019 he won first prize at the British Television Awards for a BBC documentary he wrote and presented, Climb’d Every Mountain with Nicholas Hammond , comparing the fictional story of the film to the factual story of the real Von Trapps, many of whom are his close friends to this day. For the Gordon Frost Organisation (now Crossroads Live Australia), he toured Australia and New Zealand with Dame Julie Andrews in a hugely successful two-person show, a wonderful reunion 50 years after they made the film. Nicholas Hammond returns to the stage in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella . The fact that Julie Andrews played Ella in the first production of the show makes the connection even stronger, and for Nicholas to play Sebastian now, is a joy. Cinderella plays Sydney’s Lyric Theatre from October 23rd. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E324 · Tue, October 11, 2022
‘Mum’s the Word!’ - Playwright, Performer and Perfect Wit; Ash Flanders
Ash Flanders is a multi-award winning playwright and screenwriter from sunny Melbourne. In 2006 he and Declan Greene formed theatre company Sisters Grimm and together they have written a dozen shows including Summertime in the Garden of Eden (Theatre Works, Griffin Theatre), Little Mercy (STC), The Sovereign Wife (MTC), Calpurnia Descending (Malthouse/STC) and Lilith: The Jungle Girl (MTC). Ash has also created the solo shows Meme Girls (Malthouse), Special Victim (Feast Festival), Playing to Win (Arts Centre Melbourne), Ash Flanders is NOTHING and End Of (Darebin Speakeasy) as well as SS Metaphor at The Malthouse Theatre. Ash has been invited to present work for the Emerging Writers’ Festival, The Wheeler Centre’s Show of the Year as well as Women of Letters, where his letter was chosen to be published in the book S igned, Sealed, Delivered: Women of Letters . His erotic Golden Girls fan fiction became the short film Divine Decadence of Cheesecake which played Frameline, Out On Film, LLFF Canada and other international film festivals. He co-wrote the web series FRIENDLY (over 10K views) and has a slate of fresh screen projects in development, including a series taken from the world of his solo shows. Ash will premiere a new play, This is Living , at The Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne, in 2023. Over the next 2 months, Ash will be performing a solo show, also penned by Ash; titled End Of. It plays the Griffin Theatre in Sydney from October 13th to November 5th. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E323 · Mon, October 10, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Alexander Berlage - from April, 2019
Alexander Berlage is an award-winning director and lighting designer. He is co-artistic director of the Old Fitz Theatre. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Production, returning three years later to complete his Masters in Direction. Delivering a focused and creative flair since childhood, it would seem that his career was always assured. As a lighting designer, Alexander has worked for Sydney Theatre Company, Opera Queensland, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Sydney Chamber Opera, Sydney Dance Company, Griffin Theatre Company, and Redline Productions … just to name a few! Alexander’s directing work includes American Psycho, Cry-Baby, Young Frankenstein; Gloria, There Will Be A Climax and Mr Burns. His productions command easy engagement and seduce with a vibrant and quirky aesthetic - guaranteeing audiences, delight and reward. In October Berlage stages Let the Right One in for the Darlinghurst Theatre Company - A supernatural thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat A visceral stage adaptation of the best-selling Swedish novel and film, Let The Right One In is a modern-day horror story with a twist … superbly crafted for the stage by Jack Thorne, the award-winning writer of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, this blood-thirsty thriller will set your heart racing with its shocking conclusion. To mark this new production directed by Alexander Berlage, we return to a conversation recorded in April 2019. A lot has happened since then but revisiting this chat gives us an insight into a theatre-maker at the dawn of his incredible output thus far. Let’s revisit my conversation with - Alexander Berlage. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E323 · Sat, October 08, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Kate Fitzpatrick - from December, 2019
With episodes nearing 300 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Kate Fitzpatrick is one of our great actors. She was born in Perth but grew up in Adelaide. It was in this city that she developed her passion for art and cricket and classical music. Her potential as a visual artist was recognised by Jeffrey Smart, who awarded her a travelling art scholarship to Japan. Her love of cricket lead her to an appointment as the world’s first female Cricket commentator. And classical music has sustained her through a vast array of experiences in a career that has rewarded and challenged. At the age of 18 she was accepted into NIDA to study Acting. This instigated her move to Sydney and a career as one of our favourite actors. Her triumphant theatre roles include The Lady of Camellias, Hamlet on Ice, Rooted, Insignificance and Kennedy’s Children. She was there at the beginning of a burgeoning Australian theatre working in seminal works at The Jane Street Theatre, The Old Tote Theatre and Nimrod. She created the role of Magenta in the original Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show and began her career alongside iconic Australian directors like John Bell, Rex Cramphorne and Jim Sharman. She has been a regular face on our film and television. And an unmistakeable voice on radio. Kate has made an impression across all mediums. Kate joined me for Episode 99 of the podcast over a long lunch and a candid conversation. She detailed an extraordinary life in the theatre and some extraordinary experiences with some extraordinary people. Kate has since become a regular on the STAGES podcast, co-hosting our annual Christmas episode. She is tremendous fun and tells a great story - as you’ll hear in this compelling conversation from the STAGES vault. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E321 · Wed, October 05, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Maggie Blinco - from September, 2018
With episodes surpassing 300 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Maggie Blinco is an octogenerian, and carries with her a life-time of experiences that fuel each character she plays. As an actor, she claims to be in a category ‘all of her own’ as far as roles go, especially when there doesn’t seem to be many roles for actors in her age bracket. She didn’t come to acting until late. Having done theatre at university, it wasn’t until her late 30s that she turned professional. Since our conversation, she has delivered a celebrated turn in the play John for Outhouse Theatre Company and in 2021 she was acknowledged by the Sydney Theatre awards for her lifetime achievement as an actor. Through April/May this year, Maggie performed with the Belvoir Theatre in their production of Alana Valentine’s Wayside Bride. She was as vivacious and engaging as ever - not bad for 88!! So how has she managed longevity in what can be a pretty tough industry? She reveals all in this wonderful reflection. What a delight to revisit Maggie Blinco. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E320 · Sat, October 01, 2022
‘Wired For Sound’ - Sound Technician; Jennifer Morgan
An element of production that is so crucial to the success of a musical or play is an invisible one. The potency and power of Sound Design serves to support a work through a vibrant aural experience. Our theatrical forms are reliant on quality and clarity with amplification and resonance. Such is the fragile and sensitive nature of sound production in the theatre. With a Musical it is about ensuring a balance of sound, contributed to from an actor’s voice, spoken and sung, orchestral brilliance and sound effects. A vessel through which the sound is transferred to an attentive audience is the microphone, more specifically radio mics attached to an actor, to relay story, emotional range and vocal prowess. I’m thrilled that we can investigate this vital component of Musical theatre with Sound Technician, Jennifer Morgan. Jen is a much valued, adored and essential presence backstage at many commercial Musical theatre productions as she maintains, manages and manipulates the amplification of sound, ensuring the performers are able to fulfil their duties with ease and confidence. If you have sat in the audience of Wicked, The Wizard of Oz or Annie you will have appreciated the contribution of Jen. She is backstage monitoring the quality of sound and attending to the support of the performer. Jen also posses a great sense of humour and fascinating insight to the magic of sound. She recently completed a season of Mary Poppins in Sydney and now travels with the company to Brisbane. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E319 · Wed, September 28, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Elizabeth Butcher - from May, 2019
With episodes surpassing 300 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Elizabeth Butcher is a champion of the Performing Arts in Australia. An administrator of considerable brilliance, she has steered many of our Arts organisations to prominence, accolade, survival and celebration; nationally and on the world stage. Elizabeth was the dynamic General Manager of the National Institute of Dramatic Art for nearly 40 years, and together with its Director, John Clarke, steered the school to become a flagship training ground for Arts practitioners, many of whom have progressed to be triumphant on global stages. It was Elizabeth who found the site of the Sydney Theatre Company – an abandoned wharf in Walsh Bay – who upon discovery, knew it would be the perfect home for a theatre company. She was present at the beginnings of the Sydney Theatre Company and managed the move of the Old Tote Theatre company to the newly built Sydney Opera House, for its finale season of plays. She has served on countless boards too, contributing to a variety of arts disciplines and institutions. She has made an immense contribution to the cultural life of Australia. It was my great privilege to celebrate Elizabeth Butcher in the second season of STAGES. It is a remarkable career and one we acknowledge again today in revisiting this episode. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E318 · Sat, September 24, 2022
‘Slick your hair and wear your Buckle Shoes’ - Performer and Author; Tobias Madden
Originally from Ballarat, Tobias Madden began his training at the Ballarat Ballet Centre. He then studied at Brent Street in Sydney, and completed a Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2009. Shortly after graduating, he sailed around the world as the Singer / Dancer and Dance Captain onboard the Pacific Princess, returning home to perform in the Aus/NZ tour of Mary Poppins in which he understudied and performed the role of Bert. He has appeared as Corporal Calvin in Guys and Dolls and Rod in Singin’ in the Rain, both for The Production Company. He also played Paul in Vic Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of Loving Repeating. Other credits include Pippin, Oklahoma! and Hollywood Honkytonk. In 2019, Tobias edited and published Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories, which featured his first published work, Variation. He also co-wrote the cabaret show Siblingship, which played to sold-out audiences in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. He continues to tell stories striking a chord with readers of Young Adult fiction. As an author his debut novel Anything But Fine was long listed for the Australian Book Industry Awards. His second novel, Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell was released by Penguin books in August. Whether on the page or on the stage, Tobias has contributed vividly as a story-teller ….. welcome to STAGES Tobias Madden. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E317 · Wed, September 21, 2022
’Tis the Season’ - Theatre Maker and Griffin Theatre Company Artistic Director; Declan Greene
Declan Greene is the Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company and works as a playwright, dramaturg and director. He was previously Resident Artist at Malthouse Theatre. As a playwright, his work includes Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography , The Homosexuals, or ‘Faggots’ , Melancholia , Moth , and Pompeii L.A . Declan co-founded queer experimental theatre company Sisters Grimm with Ash Flanders in 2006, and has directed and co-created all their productions to date, including: for Griffin Independent and Theatre Works: Summertime in the Garden of Eden ; for Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company: Calpurnia Descending ; for Melbourne Theatre Company: Lilith: The Jungle Girl ; and for Sydney Theatre Company: Little Mercy . As a director, his credits include: for Griffin: Dogged , Green Park , Whitefella Yella Tree ; for Malthouse Theatre: Wake in Fright ; for Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company: Blackie Blackie Brown ; for Sydney Theatre Company: Hamlet: Prince of Skidmark ; for ZLMD Shakespeare Company: Conviction . Declan has won awards including the Malcolm Robertson Prize, the Max Afford Playwright’s Award, an AWGIE for Theatre for Young Audiences and the Green Room Award for Best Original Writing. Declan has just launched the 2023 season for the Griffin Theatre Company. He joined STAGES to elaborate on the season and to reflect on his unique role as an Artistic Director and as one of our most exciting and inventive theatre-makers. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E316 · Wed, September 14, 2022
‘Moons and Junes and Ferris Wheels’ - ‘Les Girls’ alumna and Drag Legend, Vonni Brit Watkins
Vonni Brit Watkins’ first stage experience was in 1975 when she worked in a cabaret style burlesque club as a striptease artist in Adelaide. In 1978 she joined the Melbourne touring show of Les Girls!, touring and performing throughout Australia and New Zealand, including outback Australia. She toured in a bus, working and performing in pubs and casinos, including Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs. In 1983 she received an invitation from Carlotta to join the world-famous Sammy Lee's Les Girls in Kings Cross Sydney as their resident stripper. In 1984 she appeared in a pop video clip for Stephen Cummings smash hit Another Kick In The Head. Which then, in 1995 lead her being asked to appear as ‘Lola the stripper’ in the Channel 9 TV mini-series Shout the story of Johnny O'Keefe. In 1996 she left Sydney to live in Adelaide where she still lives. For 17 years she was the manager of Australia’s longest running strip club The Crazy Horse Revue. Vonni also co-wrote 5 live shows that toured South Australia and in 2008 one of the shows The Girly Side of Butch went to Dublin and enjoyed a sell-out season at The Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival. These days she works as a freelance performer hosting shows and running talent shows. She is also dabbling in the craft of the DJ. In July, Vonni made her musical debut in Priscilla, Queen of the Deser t at The Star Gold Coast, presented by Matt Ward Entertainment. She played the glamorous showgirl and matriarch, ‘Bernadette’. The show had her back working alongside her long-time friend and ex house mate, the legendary Carlotta; the inspiration for ‘Bernadette’. Vonni’s enthusiasm and passion for performance is palpable. She is astute, big-hearted, and she employs the most wicked and delightful sense of humour. Hers is a life lived fully and a career that is fascinating and fabulous! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E315 · Wed, September 07, 2022
‘Pleased to Meet You’ - Musical Theatre Leading Man; David Harris
With a celebrated career spanning over 25 years, David is one of Australia’s most acclaimed leading men. Based in New York City, David is currently starring as the Duke of Monroth in the North American production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical and is delighted to return to Do You Hear the People Sing? after appearing in the show since its inception in Shanghai, Manila, and Taipei. David gained critical acclaim for his portrayal of Chris in Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s new production of Miss Saigon which earned him Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Award nominations for "the year's most truthful and moving stage portrayals" (Sydney Morning Herald). He received a further Helpmann Award nomination for his performance as Fiyero in Wicked. David was awarded a Green Room Award for Best Actor as well as Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Award nominations for his portrayal of Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde and was awarded Theatre People's Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of The Baker in Victorian Opera’s production of Into The Woods. In 2018, David was nominated for his fourth Helpmann Award and second Green Room Award for his portrayal of Tick in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Relocating to New York City in 2014, David received a Connecticut Critics Circle Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance of Dan in Next to Normal and starred as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables which co-starred and was directed by Tony Award winner Terrence Mann. He starred as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, as Father in Ragtime and originated the role of Max Bronfman in the new, reworked production of Rags with Stephen Schwartz. Other Australian performances include; the dual roles of Adam and Noah in the Australian premiere performance of Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden (Theatre People Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical); Malcolm in The Full Monty; The Beast in Beauty and the Beast; Greg in The Boy From Oz; Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees; John Brookes in Little Women; Prez in The Pajama Game; Perchik in Fiddler On The Roof alongside Topol; John in Andrew Lippa's John & Jen; Oscar in The Wild Party; Orville Wright in Richard Maltby Jnr and David Shire’s new musical Take Flight; and Jimmy Smith in the Australian premiere of Thoroughly Modern Millie. David originated the role of Bud in the Australian premiere production of the two-man comedy, Gutenberg! - The Musical; created the numerous male roles in the Australian premiere of Breast Wishes; and received a GLUG Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in LOVEBiTES. David began his professional career in the original Australian productions of The Boy From Oz and Mamma Mia and was awarded a MO Award for Best New Talent in 1997. In concert, David toured with Michael Ball on his Australian tour; performed with Lea Salonga in Vietnam; performed with Stephen Schwartz in Stephen Schwartz and Friends; with Andrew Lippa in Lippa and Friends. In 2016, David starred alongside Sutton Foster, Aaron T
S5 E314 · Sat, September 03, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Tony Delroy - from July, 2019
With episodes nearing 300 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. For 26 years Tony Delroy was at the helm of a nightly, nationally broadcast, late show called Nightlife on the ABC. He fronted the show with barely a sick day offering his listeners an informative entertainment into the early hours of the morning. Delroy’s enormous breadth of interest and knowledge helped to garner his success, along with a passionate understanding of his audience. Nightlife featured a team of experts every week - motoring, literature, movies, American politics, finance, superannuation and travel. He presented engaging variety that supported the delivery of current affairs and the news. Tony has now stepped down from this night owl existence and has embraced retirement; and his doona! He joined STAGES in July 2019 and we now shine a spotlight, on the career and craft of Mr Tony Delroy. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E313 · Wed, August 31, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - CONVERSATIONS REVISITED: Gale Edwards - from November, 2019
With episodes nearing 300 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. There are very few Australian directors who can lay claim to have conquered the stages of the world. This accolade belongs to the trailblazing Gale Edwards; one of our most acclaimed directors. In a career spanning more than 30 years she has rewarded audiences with visceral and vibrant story-telling. As a preeminent story-teller she is the first Australian to have opened large commercial musicals on Broadway and in the West End. She is the only Australian to have directed at The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon - and the only woman to have directed on their main-stage. Gale Edwards is frank, astute, intuitive and possesses an infectious sense of humour. It is evident that she adores her role as a story-teller and is most reverential in her respect for the texts to which she gives life. The incredible joy she experiences in being in a rehearsal room is palpable. Gale was the guest on STAGES in 2019 in a compelling 2-part conversation. We shine the spotlight today on our first episode with Gale. Hers is a fascinating story and it was a privilege to spend time with this astute theatre-maker as she shared insight, assessment and anecdotes of a celebrated and trailblazing career. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E312 · Wed, August 24, 2022
‘Welcome to the Rock’ - Gander Resident and Come From Away ‘original’; Oz Fudge
In September 2001, Oz Fudge was one of two town constables in Gander. While the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the so-called “Mounties”) handled major criminal investigations, Fudge handled community-oriented enforcement, including traffic tickets, public disorderliness and the like. He was on duty monitoring speedsters in the school zone when he was alerted to the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. Seemingly another country away, the trauma of the event was soon to arrive on his doorstep, as the air space was to ordered to clear immediately and all planes were instructed to land as soon as possible. This directive saw the town of Gander welcome 37 passenger aircraft, carrying 7000 passengers; world citizens who required a ‘home base’ until safety could be guaranteed. These passengers had ‘come from away’. The response, care and generosity that ensued over the following week has come to illustrate the tremendous resilience and kindness of humanity. The community of Gander and the visitors in that week have become celebrated in the musical Come From Away . A joyous celebration of community and the human spirit to overcome any challenging event. It is immensely relatable and has never failed to elicit joy and confirm faith in the goodness of humanity. Oz Fudge has now joined the ranks of Harold Hill, Tevye and Danny Zuko, in becoming a character in a Broadway musical. But it is as a result of being a fascinating part, of a story that changed the world. Oz was recently in Sydney where we caught up and he keenly shared his experience of that week whilst heralding the brilliance of the musical Come From Away , which is now on tour around Australia and New Zealand. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E311 · Wed, August 17, 2022
‘Whether I Took the Lead or in Character Parts’ - Actor and Vocalist; Michael-John Hurney
Michael-John Hurney trained with the legendary Hayes Gordon and commenced his theatrical career with the rock musical Hair . An Australian tour of Oklahoma soon followed. He then appeared as Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar and played Simon several years later in a new production in Hong Kong. Other theatre credits include The Baker’s Wife, The Pirates of Penzance, La Cage Aux Folles, Guys and Dolls, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Danny La Rue Show, The Rocky Horror Show, Bad Boy Johnny & The Prophets of Doom, And It’s Got a Lovely Backyard, Rasputin and Lend me a Tenor . For a number of years Michael-John produced and starred in the highly successful, MeatBalls – Fat out of Hell . Michael-John has appeared on classic TV variety shows such as The Don Lane Show, Michael Parkinson, Midday with Ray Martin, The Bert Newton Show, and The Footy Show. He sang as part of a showcase for the Sydney 2000 Olympics bid at The Sydney Opera House. He is a featured voice on many TV & Radio commercials including soundtrack albums Moulin Rouge, Paris -The Rock Opera, La Cage Aux Folles, Oklahoma and his own Meatballs-Fat out of Hell ‘live’ C.D. He has worked in the corporate arena as both lead performer and a creative force behind the highly successful impostors ‘The Three Waiters’. Michael-John performed the solo corporate show Luciano Pavlova – ‘The World’s Biggest Comic Opera Star’ all around the Globe. In Jakarta - Indonesia Michael-John performed the role of Jean Valjean for Les Miserables in Concert with the 70 piece Twilite Symphony Orchestra under the musical direction of Indonesia’s leading conductor Addie MS and a 60-member choir. In 2004 Michael-John played Pontius Pilate in a London production of Jesus Christ Superstar , completing a trifecta with his casting in the musical. His very last corporate performance before returning to Australia was for David (Becks) & Victoria (Posh Spice) Beckham at their home (aka Beckingham Palace) in North London. In 2008, Michael-John joined the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s world tour of Cats. His performance as Gus the Theatre Cat / Growltiger would earn Michael-John a highly prized nomination for the prestigious Green Room Theatre Awards as ‘Best Male Artist in a Featured Role’. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E310 · Sat, August 13, 2022
‘Angel of Music’ - Soprano and The Phantom of the Opera’s ‘Christine Daaé’; Amy Manford
Australian/American soprano, Amy Manford most recently performed the role of ‘Christine Daaé’ in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s original production of The Phantom of the Opera on the West End before a short stint in Greece in the same role. Prior to her West End debut, Amy had performed internationally as a soloist with the London Handel, London Cello and the Perth Symphony Orchestra’s. She had also sung at iconic venues such as the Seoul Arts Center in South Korea and at Buckingham Palace for the Prince of Wales. She was especially honoured to sing the Australian Anthem for HRH Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle for the 2018 Anzac Day Memorial Service in London. In 2017, Amy graduated with a Master of Performance from the prestigious Royal College of Music where she was lucky enough to perform numerous title roles with their International Opera School. Before moving to London, Amy had graduated with a Bachelor of Music at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in her hometown, Perth. A diverse performer, Amy also has a unique history in rhythmic gymnastics and pole vaulting, winning gold medals at the Australian National Championships in both fields. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E309 · Wed, August 10, 2022
‘Look Who’s Here!’ - Stage and Television Legend; Hazel Phillips
Hazel Phillips is an authentic entertainment legend in the Australian landscape. At the age of 92, she has achieved tremendous longevity in a career that is notoriously precarious. She has conquered screens and stages, as an actor and singer. She has hosted and presented; painted, written and composed. All delivered with inspirational resilience and immense personality. She has appeared on television since its inception. Her many credits include the original Beauty and the Beast and The Mavis Bramston Show. Her own talk show, Girl Talk , was the first midday show on television and ran daily for four years. The program took her to Hollywood for a series of celebrity interviews that included Bing Crosby, Paul Newman, Omar Shariff and Fess Parker. Girl Talk made Hazel the most popular female personality on Australian television and in 1967 she was awarded the gold and bronze Logies. Since then, she has appeared in every branch of the media - TV, films, theatre, cabaret, radio and journalism. Hazel has written, starred and appeared in three musicals of her own, as well as thirty other musicals and several movies. She has appeared in plays for Queensland Theatre Company, including leads in The Circle, Pride and Prejudice, Shakespeare's Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor. For J.C. Williamsons, Hazel played Adriana in the Rodgers and Hart musical, The Boys from Syracuse. Hazel has recently completed movie and television projects and declares that the word ‘retirement’ is not in her vocabulary. She was awarded the OAM in the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours for her contribution to television and the entertainment industry. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E308 · Sat, August 06, 2022
‘Got the Time and the Place and I got Rhythm’ - Song and Dance Man; Jack Webster - Part 2
Jack Webster figures prominently in the history of Musical Theatre in Australia. His cheeky charm and undoubted ability as a song & dance man have endeared him to audiences over several decades, in an impressive list of celebrated productions. Each has demonstrated an artist possessed of seductive powers and an innate sense of theatre. Any wonder he is considered one of our first triple-threat performers. Jack was born in Yorkshire, England. He has danced in many British television shows with such people as Tom Jones, Cilla Black and Cliff Richard. He has danced all over Europe and appeared in television specials for Eurovision in Berlin and Amsterdam. Jack has worked with Jack Benny and Val Doonican at the London Palladium. His West End stage experience extends to the musicals Mr & Mrs and Promises, Promises; in which he shared the stage with Betty Buckley and Donna McKechnie. Jack can also be seen in the in the film versions of Oliver! (an Oscar winner for Best Film) and Scrooge. In 1970 he came to Australia and appeared with Jill Perryman and Johnny Lockwood in When We Are Married and with Toni Lamond in Anything Goes. Joining J.C. Williamson’s he was in the cast of No, No, Nanette and Irene. Jack has danced with Ronne Arnold’s Dance Company and worked with Carol Channing during her Australian visit in 1972. Jack achieved considerable success with the role of Tulsa in the original Australian production of Gypsy. A role he owes to JC Williamson’s Matriarch, Betty Pounder who recognised and nurtured a talent in Jack to embrace the spotlight. Jack forged forth completing a grand list of character roles in A Chorus Line, Chicago, Annie, Dames at Sea, The Pirates of Penzance, Jolson, Funny Girl, Follies, Mary Poppins - and a show that would take him back to the West End - Hot Shoe Shuffle. Other stage credits include; The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Run For Your Wife, Black Comedy, When We Are Married, Oh Coward! and Stepping Out. In 2003 Jack was honoured to be a guest artist with the Sydney Dance Co. in Graham Murphy's Tivoli. Jack is a well established choreographer and his credits include The Venetian Twins, Nunsense, Annie and Jesus Christ Superstar. It is an impressive career that Jack has navigated with style and class. He is respected, reliable and always brilliant! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify, Apple podcasts and from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E307 · Wed, August 03, 2022
‘Wish Me Luck, the Same to You’ - Song and Dance Man; Jack Webster - Part 1
Jack Webster figures prominently in the history of Musical Theatre in Australia. His cheeky charm and undoubted ability as a song & dance man have endeared him to audiences over several decades, in an impressive list of celebrated productions. Each has demonstrated an artist possessed of seductive powers and an innate sense of theatre. Any wonder he is considered one of our first triple-threat performers. Jack was born in Yorkshire, England. He has danced in many British television shows with such people as Tom Jones, Cilla Black and Cliff Richard. He has danced all over Europe and appeared in television specials for Eurovision in Berlin and Amsterdam. Jack has worked with Jack Benny and Val Doonican at the London Palladium. His West End stage experience extends to the musicals Mr & Mrs and Promises, Promises; in which he shared the stage with Betty Buckley and Donna McKechnie. Jack can also be seen in the in the film versions of Oliver! (an Oscar winner for Best Film) and Scrooge. In 1970 he came to Australia and appeared with Jill Perryman and Johnny Lockwood in When We Are Married and with Toni Lamond in Anything Goes. Joining J.C. Williamson’s he was in the cast of No, No, Nanette and Irene. Jack has danced with Ronne Arnold’s Dance Company and worked with Carol Channing during her Australian visit in 1972. Jack achieved considerable success with the role of Tulsa in the original Australian production of Gypsy. A role he owes to JC Williamson’s Matriarch, Betty Pounder who recognised and nurtured a talent in Jack to embrace the spotlight. Jack forged forth completing a grand list of character roles in A Chorus Line, Chicago, Annie, Dames at Sea, The Pirates of Penzance, Jolson, Funny Girl, Follies, Mary Poppins - and a show that would take him back to the West End - Hot Shoe Shuffle. Other stage credits include; The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Run For Your Wife, Black Comedy, When We Are Married, Oh Coward! and Stepping Out. In 2003 Jack was honoured to be a guest artist with the Sydney Dance Co. in Graham Murphy's Tivoli. Jack is a well established choreographer and his credits include The Venetian Twins, Nunsense, Annie and Jesus Christ Superstar. It is an impressive career that Jack has navigated with style and class. He is respected, reliable and always brilliant! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify, Apple podcasts and from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E306 · Wed, July 27, 2022
’From Blitz to Glitz’ - Writer, Actor, Producer and Television Pioneer; David Sale
David Sale’s contributions to Australian television are supreme. Satirical comedy and episodic drama received the nation’s attention and obsession under David’s guidance. As executive producer of The Mavis Bramston Show or as creator of Number 96 , David’s work was guaranteed to be controversial, outrageous, ground-breaking and classic. Both of these series rated highly in their day and still rank amongst the most famous and influential programs to have appeared on Australian television. Born in Manchester, England, David Sale was brought to Australia by his migrant parents and has had a lengthy career as an actor, scriptwriter, producer and author. Commencing his career as a journalist with the ABC, he simultaneously took on performing roles with Kew Repertory Theatre and with the Melbourne Little Theatre. A Garnet H. Carroll tour of The King & I quickly followed. He then returned to the UK to become an actor, in several plays and films. This adventure also saw him lead the first company of The Mousetrap to tour outside the UK. He has provided special material for some of Australia’s legendary entertainers on stage, television and cabaret; including writing for Toni Lamond’s guest hosting on In Melbourne Tonight . David produced the last of Sydney’s notoriously naughty Phillip Street Theatre Revues, Lie Back and Enjoy It, starring Carol Raye and Hazel Phillips. David Sale has authored six novels, two of which were bought for the movies. Extending his genre writing, he has also collaborated on a Musical Theatre adaptation of Sumner Locke Elliott’s Careful He Might Hear You , with composer Ron Creager; providing the book and lyrics. David is a font of knowledge, reflecting on the development of television and theatre in Australia. The craft of writing is also examined insightfully. David shares many anecdotes and much joy in this compelling episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E305 · Wed, July 20, 2022
‘Said I to Myself - Said I’ - Opera Impresario and Godfather; Moffatt Oxenbould
Moffatt Oxenbould’s contribution to the development of opera in Australia and Opera Australia (OA) spans a period of more than fifty years. He was Artistic Director of Opera Australia from 1984 – 1999, during which time he also directed a number of milestone productions for the company including Il trittico, Madama Butterfly, La bohème , Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Rossini’s Semiramide , Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito based on the production of the late Göran Järvefelt and Idomeneo . In 2000 he directed a new production of Simon Boccanegra for OA in the Sydney Olympic Arts Festival. Having retired from the position of Artistic Director of the Australian Opera at the end of 1999, he continued an active role as an Opera Director and Broadcaster. He has remounted and directed a number of highly regarded productions including Idomeneo at Houston Grand Opera, La Clemenza di Tito and Il trittico for Opera Australia, and Madama Butterfly for Opera Queensland. Moffatt Oxenbould was awarded an AM for his services to Opera in 1985 and was the recipient of the inaugural Dame Joan Hammond Award, in recognition of his contribution to opera. To honour his dedication to developing the talents of young Australian artists, Opera Australia named its Young Artists Development Program – The Moffatt Oxenbould Young Artist Program. He is a blessed artist and administrator, who navigated every stage of his career, with tremendous joy, education and passion. And through this investment, Moffatt has enabled legions of performers to embrace their craft …. and audiences to embrace the most mysterious and magnetic of all art forms - the Opera! The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E304 · Wed, July 13, 2022
‘Curtain Up!’ - Stage Director/Designer and Theatre Polymath; John Senczuk
A theatre polymath, NIDA graduate John Senczuk’s multi-award winning career spans forty years with his work seen nationally and internationally in commissions for opera, dance and drama. He worked concurrently as an academic, with fifteen years at the Faculty of Creative Arts, University of Wollongong (creating and teaching courses in Scenography, Directing and Dramaturgy) before taking senior positions at Toi Whakaari, New Zealand Drama School, and WAAPA (Program Director—Production, Design and Arts Management; Head of Design). He was Chairman of Griffin Theatre Company in 1985, appointing the Company’s first artistic director; founding Chair of Paul Mercurio’s Australian Choreographic Ensemble ; and sat on the Boards of Theatre South, Currency House, Dramaturgical Services Inc., The Seymour Group and Matt Lutton’s Thin Ice. For ten years, from 1989, John was associate director of Wollongong’s Theatre South where his credits on over thirty productions as director/designer included Hamlet, After Dinner, Twelfth Night, Christian Brothers and The Time is Not Yet Ripe. He has also directed drama, opera and musicals: Bony Anderson (Seymour Group); Flesh and Blood (Festival of Sydney); Irene (with Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds,) and the premieres of David Williamson’s When Dad Married Fury, Justin Fleming’s Kangaroo and John Aitken’s The Enchanters. John collaborated with Gale Edwards on the book & lyrics for the musical Eureka! , and wrote the Opera libretto for African Queen. Highlights of his career as a designer include L’Orfeo (Oslo Summer Festival) and Sons of Cain (West End). He collaborated on over twenty productions for the Sydney Theatre Company, including David Williamson’s Dead White Males and Heretic, and the Australian premiere of Into the Woods ; and has worked extensively in both the subsidised and commercial theatre nationally. John submits his PhD Theses (Flinders University) in 2022. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
S5 E303 · Sat, July 09, 2022
A Class Act’ - Director, Conductor, Musician and Co-Founder of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Choir; Paul Dyer
As Artistic Director of the Brandenburg Orchestra, Paul Dyer leads a dedicated team of musicians and support staff who bring passion and excellence to every performance. In 2013 Paul was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his ‘distinguished service to the performing arts, particularly orchestral music as a director, conductor and musician, through the promotion of educational programs and support for emerging artists’. Under Paul’s direction, the Brandenburg has become one of the most outstanding period instrument ensembles in the world. Paul Dyer founded the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra with Managing Director Bruce Applebaum in 1989. The Brandenburg's first official concert was at the Sydney Opera House, a moment Paul readily recalls with fondness and disbelief at his own naivete with such an ambitious project. It is however this ambition and passion that Paul has brought to the organisation every day, and which has led the orchestra from strength to strength. Paul's dedication and enthusiasm continue to inspire the musicians and support team, as the orchestra grows and innovates, challenges and inspires, both audience and performer alike. Paul completed postgraduate studies in solo performance with Bob van Asperen at the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague, and has appeared as soloist, continuo player and conductor with many major Australian and European orchestras - the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia, Australian Youth Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Vancouver, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, London. Paul is an inspiring teacher and has been a staff member at various Conservatories throughout the world. In 1995 he received a Churchill Fellowship and Paul is also Patron of St Gabriel’s School for Hearing Impaired Children. In 2003 Paul was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for his services to Australian society and the advancement of music and in 2010 the Sydney University Alumni Medal for Professional Achievement. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, July 06, 2022
'Dressed For The Occasion' - 'Wigs and Wardrobe Manager' @ Opera Australia; Rebecca Ritchie
Rebecca Ritchie is Opera Australia's Wigs and Wardrobe Manager. She has been with the company since she was 19, joining as a sewer on their celebrated production of Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme. She leads a devoted team of artists who create the opulent costumes you see on stage in every Opera Australia production. When I spoke with Rebecca, she and her team were preparing productions of Madama Butterfly, La Traviata and Il Trovatore. We explore the process of building these costumes and honouring the Designer's vision. So many production elements contribute to the stage pictures we see across all platforms - theatre, dance, musical theatre and of course, the Operatic stage. The artistry of Rebecca and her team complete the aesthetic for the audience, transporting us to vivid 'other' worlds. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, July 02, 2022
'Dancing through Life' -Actor, Creative Artist, Director, Choreographer; Leah Howard
Leah Howard has worked extensively across the entertainment industry both as an actor and creative artist. She is a unique triple threat performer and a versatile director and choreographer. Theatre performance credits include: Rosie in Mamma Mia,Chief Berry in Nice Work If You Can Get It, Disney's Aladdin, Aretha Thomas in Legends! starring Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills, Mrs Corry in Mary Poppins, Avenue Q, Hair the Musical, Fame the Musical, Dein Perry's Steel City (Australia and Radio City Music Hall NYC), UK tour of Tap Dogs Rebooted and Tap Dogs USA. Leah recently appeared in the new ABC drama series Wakefield and has choreographed Australia's first live streamed musical Who's Your Baghdaddy, or How I Started the Iraq War during the Covid-19 restrictions on live theatre. Currently Leah is The Australian Associate Director of Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. Leah was the Resident Director for the Australian tour of School of Rock and was the Resident Director/Choreographer for The Rocky Horror Show. She toured to Korea as the Resident Director for the UK Production of Avenue Q and worked creatively for; Rocky Horror Live (UK) Other creative credits include: Bridges of Madison County, Xanadu The Musical, Australia's Got Talent, Sydney Mardi Gras. Leah has choreographed for Hi-5, A Gurls Wurld, Blue Water High, and So You Think You Can Dance Australia and worked with artists including Wafia, G Flip, Baker Boy, Macy Gray, Olivia Newton John, Cyndi Lauper, Peking Duck, Sam Sparro. Danced alongside and behind Kylie Minogue, Vanessa Amorosi, Deborah Cox, Meatloaf Music videos: Sloane Peterson, Olympia, The Vines, Rogue Traders,Young Divas and Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Leah was the guest vocalist with KD Lang and Jimmy Somerville for the Sydney 2002 Gay Games and performed in the 2000 Olympics ceremonies. She was the face of Disney Juniors theme song, singing Heads, Shoulders, Ears and Bows and the Host of Disney Channel's My High School Musical. Leah appears in the feature film Happy Feet. Leah is a sought after choreographer across all mediums and has been a massive part of Tik Toks Mardi Gras Campaign for the last two years. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 29, 2022
You'll Never Get away From Me' - Remembering Gloria Dawn
Gloria Dawn Evans was born in Port Melbourne on 26 February, 1929. Her father was William Evans, a ventriloquist, magician and paper-tearer known as Billy Andross, and her mother was Zilla Weatherly, a contortionist and singer who toured for many years with her sisters Zaida and Queenie. Gloria made her stage debut with them when she was only 14 days old. Three years later she was singing and dancing, billed as 'Baby Dawn'. In 1939 she toured with other talented youngsters in the Tivoli Gang. In 1941, when she was 12, her mother launched her at the Tivoli as an adult soubrette. She appeared there with George Wallace, Jim Gerald, Queenie Paul and Roy Rene ('Mo'), though she had a golden rule: 'I never work blue or nude.' In 1946 Dawn appeared in revue for Harry Wren at the Cremorne in Brisbane. The following year she married a juggler, Frank Cleary, and together they toured with Sorlie's tent show in pantomime and revue. In 1949 Dawn made her musical comedy debut in Little Nellie Kelly and Sunny for Will Mahoney at the Cremorne. In 1952 she had the title role in the starry production of Cinderella at the Melbourne Tivoli. Tommy Trinder, who played Buttons, was impressed: 'She was a great artist. Had she gone to England or America she would have been a world star.' In 1959 Garnet H. Carroll gave Gloria Dawn the coveted Carol Burnett role in his production of the musical Once Upon a Mattress at the Princess in Melbourne. In 1961-2 she toured for J.C. Williamson's in the comedy The Amorous Prawn and as the ebullient Rose in the Australian musical The Sentimental Bloke. From 1965 until 1967 Gloria Dawn featured in a string of sparkling Phillip Theatre revues for William Orr: A Cup of Tea, a Bex and a Good Lie Down, Hail, Gloria Fitzpatrick (a 'revuesical' designed to showcase her versatility), There Will be an Interval of 15 Minutes and But I Wouldn't Want to Live There. Following this, she played the title role in Annie Get Your Gun, first, in 1967, 'in the round' in a large tent at Warringah Mall on Sydney's North Shore, and, a couple of years later, at David H. McIlwraith's resplendent Lido Theatre Restaurant in Russell Street, Melbourne. In 1972 Dawn and comedian Johnny Lockwood conducted workshops in vaudeville tradition for the cast of the Old Tote's How Could You Believe Me When I Said I'd be Your Valet When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life?, and John Bell's free-wheeling interpretation of Goldoni's A Servant of Two Masters. It was Dawn's great friend, playwright Peter Kenna, who persuaded her to take the greatest gamble of her life. At the Community Theatre in Sydney in 1972 she played her first major dramatic role, Oola Maguire, in a revival of The Slaughter of St Teresa's Day, which Kenna had written expressly for her. Her remarkable performance won her the Sydney Critics' Circle Best Actress Award. This triumph led to three more challenges the following year: she was Anna Fierling in Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children for the Mel
Sat, June 25, 2022
STAGES LIVE @ VIVID - 'All kinds of weather, we stick together, the same in the Rain or Sun' - Drag Royalty; Cindy Pastel (Ritchie Finger) and Miss 3D (Glenn R. Lewis)
In the bohemian world that is drag, few artists can lay claim to the exulted and ebullient eccentricity that is Cindy Pastel. The alter ego of performer Ritchie Finger, Cindy has been delighting, thrilling and astonishing audiences for close to 45 years. A unique talent, Finger has inspired generations of drag performers who have followed in his fabulous footsteps - whether they be in stilettos or on skates. Ritchie Finger arrived in Sydney from Melbourne in 1979 and became one of the many young drag addicts to work at 'Patch's' Nightclub on Sydney's celebrated Oxford street. In the early part of the A.I.D.S. crisis Pastel was a tireless worker for HIV/AIDS organisations and charities. The decimation of community was enormous and Pastel, alongside many drag artists, kept everyone smiling. Cindy Pastel has been recognised by the DIVAs - The Drag Industry Variety Awards - twice in her illustrious career. A career that has reached incredible peaks and challenged with occasional obstacles. But through it all Ritchie Finger and Cindy Pastel have danced, paraded, twirled and taken centre stage, to ensure that 'Everybody's happy!" Recently celebrating a 72nd birthday, Miss 3D is still going strong, embracing every opportunity to perform and entertain an adoring fanbase. The alter ego of Glenn R. Lewis, Miss 3D has been at the pinnacle of Drag performance for over 40 years. Recognised as a matriarch of Sydney Drag performers, she has entranced with a vibrant and unique style; and incredible artistry, eternally mesmerising with opulent and eccentric costume. Growing up in a rural Victorian town, a diet of community theatre and ballet classes shaped a desire to command a stage. Study at the Australian Ballet school followed, before a quick visit to Sydney seduced Glenn and he met his drag tribe through performers such as Doris Fish, Teresa Green and Danny Aboud. Miss 3D quickly established herself on the scene as an artist of superior talent and invention. A holiday to New York City landed a permanent gig at the iconic Anvil Club where 3D performed for two years, wowing the American crowd. Returning to Australia Miss 3D continued to navigate the stages of venues such as Stranded and Patchs, eventually taking up residence at the iconic Albury Hotel with a trio called The Showbags, alongside Drag Legends, Cindy Pastel and Pat Gently. It was a privilege and a delight to feature these two iconic performers in the STAGES 'Live' series at The Powerhouse Up late for VIVID Sydney. They are an essential part of Sydney's Gay heritage and elders of the community who must be celebrated and applauded for an immense contribution. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.sta
Wed, June 22, 2022
STAGES LIVE @ VIVID 'Hi Darling!' - Actor, Director, Producer; Trevor Ashley
Trevor Ashley follows in a long line of Australian stage larrikins that include Roy Rene, Barry Humphries, Gary McDonald and Reg Livermore. These performers have created characters who have celebrated the outrageous, and all that is particular about our culture. Trevor Ashley continues this biting and hysterical piss-take, serving it up in flamboyant and finely realised entertainments such Fat Swan, Little Orphan Trashley, Bodybag and The Lyin' Queen. Alongside these 'naughty' pantos, Ashley has also enjoyed worldwide success with his one-man shows Liza on an E, Liza's Back! - is Broken, and Diamonds Are For Trevor. He's also proved himself on the musical theatre stage with acclaimed performances in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Miss Understanding), Jesus Christ Superstar (King Herod), Hairspray (Edna Turnblad) and Les Miserables (Thenadier). Trevor can also be seen conquering television in RFDS on channel 7 and in the new Australian film, Seriously Red. Intent on embracing many roles, Ashley also wears the titles of producer, writer, musician and director. It is in the role of Director that Trevor is presently executing his craft. He has returned to Priscilla - the musical, staging it for a season at The Star Gold Coast, Broadbeach, Queensland from July16th to August 7th. The production is presented by Matt Ward Entertainment. It's bound to be flamboyant, fabulous, loud, lewd, colourful and camp - just like our Trev, who was the perfect guest for STAGES 'Live' @ VIVID. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, June 18, 2022
STAGES LIVE @ VIVID 'Designing Women' - Theatre and Film Costume Designers; Jennifer Irwin and Julie Lynch
The Art of Costume Design is a key element in the evolution of a production. The work of the Designer helps to establish the 'world of the play', the definition and resonance of character, and a 'skin' in which the performer can execute their best work. Australian Costume Designers, Jennifer Irwin and Julie Lynch have decades of experience helming the aesthetic of attire in a vast repertoire of entertainments across many genres and disciplines. Jennifer Irwin's commissions include over 90 ballets as well as some of the largest scale spectacular productions ever staged in Australia; including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and Francesca Zambello's 'West Side Story' staged on Sydney Harbour. Jennifer designed the costumes for the International Box office sensation 'Dirty Dancing' the musical, breaking all pre box office pre sales of any show ever staged in the history of London's West End. Her costume design for the feature film 'SPEAR' was nominated for an AACTA award in 2017. She was recognized for her contribution to Dance at the Australian Dance Awards 'Service to Dance' in 2015. Jennifer has designed for Bangarra Dance Theatre since the company's inception. Jennifer's work can currently be seen on the stages of the Sydney Opera House in 3 seperate productions with Bangarra and Opera Australia. Julie Lynch enjoys a successful costume design career spanning 35 years, working with many of Australia's leading directors, including: Neil Armfield, John Bell, Jonathan Biggins, Richard Cottrell, Gale Edwards, Lee Lewis, Elke Neidhardt and Richard Wherrett. She has designed for Australia's leading theatre companies, including: The Sydney Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Belvoir St, Bell Shakespeare, Victoria State Opera, The State Theatre Company of South Australia and Opera South Australia. After a year of teaching young students online during the first wave of COVID-19, Lynch decided to leave her leadership position as Director for Design Practices at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) to pursue her passion for Visual Art and has loved every minute. A great discussion ensued at STAGES 'Live' dissecting the process of the designer and exploring the immense possibilities presented with Costume Design. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Mon, June 13, 2022
"Gone Fishin'" - From Inspector Javert to Benjamin Stone; Phillip Quast - Part 2
Philip Quast graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1979 and began his career with State Theatre Company of South Australia debuting as Adam in The Mystery Plays of Wakefield. He went on to appear in numerous productions with the company including On The Wallaby, A Hard God, No End of Blame and The Threepenny Opera. His first musical was in the title role of Nimrod Theatre Company's Candide. Philip also began appearing as a presenter on the Australian children's show Play School, a program he would continue to present for 17 years. He shot to prominence in 1987 when he appeared as Javert in the original Australian production of Les Misérables. This performance won him a Sydney Critic Award and in 1989, he travelled to London to play Javert on the West End and eventually in Les Misérables: The Dream Cast at The Royal Albert Hall. Philip's stage success continued as he won the coveted role of Georges Seurat in the original London production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George at the National Theatre where he also performed in David Hare's Stuff Happens, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum, South Pacific and most recently the award winning Follies (which screened live around the world.) He has won three Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Musical; Sunday in the Park with George, South Pacific and The Fix. He has appeared with the Sydney Theatre Company in Coriolanus, Sondheim's Into the Woods,The Cherry Orchard, Democracy and the much-lauded production of Waiting For Godot. Most recently with Death of a Salesman. Philip has been a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company's seasons in London and Stratford Upon Avon with The White Devil, Macbeth, Troilus and Cressida and The Secret Garden. His other innumerable roles include Juan Peron in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 2006 production of Evita at the Adelphi Theatre, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd at London's Royal Festival Hall, The Lincoln Centre in New York and for The English National Opera. He played Georges in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles in the West End. His many film and television appearances include; Midsomer Murders, Morse, UltraViolet, Brides of Christ, The Damnation of Harvey McCue,Truth, Hacksaw Ridge,The Devil's Double and Picnic At Hanging Rock. Philip can be heard in over 15 cast recordings. He now devotes much of his time to directing, writing and teaching. Philip will be performing at this year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival with Moments In The Woods - Songs & Stories of Sondheim, directed by Mitchell Butel. Moments In The Woods also features Geraldine Turner, Queenie van de Zandt, Josie Lane and Mitchell Butel. The show plays June 23rd at Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best
Sun, June 12, 2022
'Getting to Know You' - Theatre Titan and Teacher; Phillip Quast - Part 1
Philip Quast graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1979 and began his career with State Theatre Company of South Australia debuting as Adam in The Mystery Plays of Wakefield. He went on to appear in numerous productions with the company including On The Wallaby, A Hard God, No End of Blame and The Threepenny Opera. His first musical was in the title role of Nimrod Theatre Company's Candide. Philip also began appearing as a presenter on the Australian children's show Play School, a program he would continue to present for 17 years. He shot to prominence in 1987 when he appeared as Javert in the original Australian production of Les Misérables. He travelled to London to play Javert on the West End and eventually in Les Misérables: The Dream Cast at The Royal Albert Hall. Philip's stage success continued as he won the coveted role of Georges Seurat in the original London production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George at the National Theatre where he also performed in David Hare's Stuff Happens, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum, South Pacific and most recently the award winning Follies (which screened live around the world.) He has won three Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Musical; Sunday in the Park with George, South Pacific and The Fix. He has appeared with the Sydney Theatre Company in Coriolanus, Sondheim's Into the Woods,The Cherry Orchard, Democracy and the much-lauded production of Waiting For Godot. Most recently with Death of a Salesman. Philip has been a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company's seasons in London and Stratford Upon Avon with The White Devil, Macbeth, Troilus and Cressida and The Secret Garden. His other innumerable roles include Juan Peron in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 2006 production of Evita at the Adelphi Theatre, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd at London's Royal Festival Hall, The Lincoln Centre in New York and for The English National Opera. He played Georges in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles in the West End. His many film and television appearances include; Midsomer Murders, Morse, UltraViolet, Brides of Christ, The Damnation of Harvey McCue,Truth, Hacksaw Ridge,The Devil's Double and Picnic At Hanging Rock. Philip can be heard in over 15 cast recordings. He now devotes much of his time to directing, writing and teaching. Philip will be performing at this year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival with Moments In The Woods - Songs & Stories of Sondheim, directed by Mitchell Butel. Moments In The Woods also features Geraldine Turner, Queenie van de Zandt, Josie Lane and Mitchell Butel. The show plays June 23rd at Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow social
Sat, June 11, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - Conversations Revisited; 'It's TONY Time!' - Tony Sheldon from November 29th, 2018
With episodes nearing 300 in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time 'round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you'll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Born into a family dynasty of performers it would appear that Tony Sheldon's destiny was pre-ordained. Recognition as a talented youth saw him perform on In Melbourne Tonight with Graham Kennedy and join the workhouse in the Sydney season of the musical Oliver. As a young man his career as an actor in plays saw him embrace a fast-growing repertoire in roles as a sensitive young man - Equus, The Glass Menagerie and Peter Kenna's seminal Australian work, A Hard God. His break-out performance as Arnold Becker in Torch Song Trilogy quickly followed. It wasn't long before he extended his playing into the Musical Theatre; a form that has been a life-long passion. Sheldon's engaging style, colossal charm and extensive appreciation of the form have provided us with perfect portrayals in shows that include The Venetian Twins, Into The Woods, The Producers, The Witches of Eastwick, Dames At Sea, Man of La Mancha, My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly!, Victor/Victoria, and a show that has taken him around the world, given him Olivier and Tony award nominations - and a portrait in Sardi's - the role of transsexual Bernadette, the glamorous and resilient showgirl in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - The Musical. This interview was recorded during the Sydney run of anniversary production of PRISCILLA in 2018. Sheldy was negotiating a back-injury and doubted he would reach 2000 performances in the role of Bernadette. The show goes on and of course, Sheldon continued on to Adelaide and Brisbane seasons of the musical. Not deterred by a back-injury, he completed 2006 performances in a role that commenced his global journey in 2006. Tony Sheldon has retired from the stage. His legacy is a host of glorious turns on stage, as well as being a cherished mentor, accomplished teacher, director and writer, and professional colleague to a legion of performers. The Broadway TONY Awards are on this weekend in New York. What better way to mark the occasion than revisiting this wonderful conversation with the brilliant Tony Sheldon. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Fri, June 10, 2022
'What's New Pussycat?' - Chanteuse, Actor and Post-post- modern Diva; Meow Meow
Post-post-modern diva Meow Meow has hypnotised, inspired, and terrified audiences globally with unique creations and sell-out seasons from New York's Lincoln Centre and Berlin's Bar Jeder Vernunft to London's West End and the Sydney Opera House. As well as being a prolific original music, theatre and dance-theatre creator for such commissioners as Pina Bausch, David Bowie and Mikhail Baryshnikov, Meow Meow specialises in the Weimar repertoire and French chanson. She has played Jenny in Brecht/Weill's Threepenny Opera in Paris and London with the London Philharmonic and Anna 1and 2 in Brecht/Weill's Seven Deadly Sins with Orchestra Victoria, and with United Ensemble at the Konzerthaus Berlin. Meow Meow's original works include Vamp, Beyond Glamour, Feline Intimate, Meow Meow's Little Match Girl, Meow Meow's Little Mermaid, His Master's Choice, Apocalypse Meow, and An Audience with Meow Meow. Concert work includes Meow Meow's Pandemonium with the London Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic and Sydney Symphony Orchestras. She recently appeared in Barry Humphries's critically acclaimed Weimar Cabaret season at the Barbican and at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. In other works, Meow has played Titania in Emma Rice's A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe and appeared on the West End in Kneehigh and Michel Legrand's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in a role created especially for her - La Maîtresse. She played Pegleg in Tom Waits' musical fable The Black Rider with Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre; Édith Piaf in Cocteau's Le Bel Indifferent, for the Greenwich Music Festival and an acclaimed Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls with the Royal Philharmonic at Royal Albert Hall. Meow Meow has performed as guest artist with iconic orchestra Pink Martini at the Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Opera Garnier Monte Carlo, the Hollywood Bowl, and across the concert stages of Europe, Canada, and the United States. Their album Hotel Amour: Meow Meow with Thomas M. Lauderdale includes duets with Rufus Wainwright, Barry Humphries, the Von Trapps and the late Michel Legrand. It was released in 2019 and named one of The Times' top 100 albums of the year. Meow Meow is a favourite performer at Adelaide Cabaret Festival and returns this year performing with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Meow Meow's Pandemonium plays at Her Majesty's Theatre on June 18th. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Thu, June 09, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - Conversations Revisited; Broadway and West End Star, Ruthie Henshall - from June, 2019
With episodes nearing 300 in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time 'round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you'll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. West End and Broadway star Ruthie Henshall was STAGES guest in 2019 during the podcast's second season. Ruthie Henshall made her West End debut in 1987 in Cats, navigating several of the feline family before assuming the pivotal role of Grizabella. The supremely gifted 19 year old would go on to become a five time Olivier Award nominee for a succession of roles in Crazy For You, Chicago, Peggy Sue Got Married and Marguerite; winning for the role of Amalia in the London revival of She Loves Me. Her list of theatre credits is extensive and in an extraordinary accomplishment, audiences have seen her play the three female principal roles in the musical Chicago; originating the role of Roxie in the West End, giving her Velma on Broadway and returning recently to the London production in the role of Matron Mama Morton. When we spoke with Ruthie she was in the middle of an Australian tour leading to a season at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Ruthie's tour was produced by Enda Markey. The Adelaide cabaret Festival for 2022 kicks off today and runs until June 25th. Ruthie generously shared her story and provided terrific insight into the rewards and challenges of navigating a career as one of the world's most consummate musical theatre performers. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 08, 2022
'The Main Event' - Event and Festival Pioneer; Johnny Allen
Johnny Allen is a seminal figure in alternative arts and culture in Australia, and a recognised pioneer of the event industry, often referred to as the 'Father of Events' in Australia. He published and edited Masque national magazine of the performing arts from 1965 to 1968, and wrote The Entertainment Arts in Australia published by Paul Hamlyn Sydney in 1968. In the early 1970s he ran the indy music venue The Arts Factory in Surry Hills. In 1972, as Cultural Director of the Australian Union of Students, he established a national touring circuit including activists such as Ralph Nader, Spike Milligan, Phil Ochs, Ron Cobb and Richard Neville. In 1973 he produced the Nimbin Aquarius Festival with Festival Director Graeme Dunstan. After spending time in the US in the mid-1970s, he returned to Sydney and ran the Paris Theatre opposite Hyde Park, producing the first gay film festival, Images of Gays in 1978. He went on to start the radical performance collective Cabaret Conspiracy, the Gay Theatre Company, and Palms Cabaret in Oxford Street. In 1985, he directed the 25th Anniversary Mattara Festival of Newcastle, and went on to direct that city's celebrations of Australia's Bicentenary in 1988, including the State Music Festival, the Royal Visit of the Queen and Prince Phillip, and The Longest Birthday Party on the Newcastle Foreshore, awarded Best Australia Day Event of the Bicentennial year. He returned to Sydney in 1989 as Event Manager for the Darling Harbour Authority, positioning it as 'where Sydney celebrates' with an annual program including major celebrations of Australia Day and New Year's Eve. Now semi-retired, Johnny continues to practise event management, coordinating the cabaret program for the Sedition Festival in 2019, the Golden Mile Gallery exhibition of gay history in 20 shopfronts in Oxford Street as a feature event of the Oxtravaganza program for Mardi Gras in 2020, and gay cultural history exhibitions for Mardi Gras in 2021 and 2022. He is a board member of the proposed queer museum project Qtopia Sydney, a consultant to the State Library queer exhibition in 2023, and is currently preparing a major gay cultural program for Sydney WorldPride in 2023. Next Thursday June 16th he is presenting a Queer themed evening of events at the Powerhouse Museum - up late! The evening is part of the IDEAS program for the VIVID festival - now enthralling patrons across Sydney. Johnny joined STAGES to discuss this event - and a life-time creating memories. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, June 04, 2022
STAGES LIVE @ VIVID 'Swinging from the Chandelier' - Director/CEO Global Creatures and Executive Producer Moulin Rouge; Carmen Pavlovic
Carmen Pavlovic is the CEO of Global Creatures, an Australian live entertainment company which she founded with Gerry Ryan OAM. Global Creatures creates original works and produces internationally. Throughout the 1990's, Carmen's career spanned various theatre companies including Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Company (Australia). In 2001 Carmen relocated to London and took up the role of Executive Producer at Clear Channel Entertainment. Later she became the Director of the International Production Department for Stage Entertainment, responsible for establishing new territories for the company (including Russia, Italy and France), licensing and programming of 25 theatres across Europe, and overseeing productions in the UK, Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Spain and Russia. For Stage Entertainment, Carmen was the International Executive Producer of the European premiere of Dirty Dancing in Germany and subsequently Holland, the Russian speaking productions of Cats and Mamma Mia! (the first open-ended musicals in Moscow), the German-speaking production of Wicked; the Spanish-speaking production of The Producers; the French-speaking productions of Sam Mendes' Cabaret at the prestigious Folies Bergere and The Lion King at the Mogodor Theatre in Paris. In 2008, Carmen returned to Australia and co-founded Global Creatures for which she has produced original works Walking with Dinosaurs - The Arena Spectacular, How To Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular, King Kong, Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Muriel's Wedding The Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. 2019 represented a milestone year for Global Creatures with King Kong already running on Broadway, Moulin Rouge! The Musical making its Broadway debut and Muriel's Wedding the Musical launching to critical acclaim in Australia. Moulin Rouge! The Musical was honoured with 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and is now playing on Broadway, and the West End. A North American tour will commence in 2022 and further productions have been announced for Cologne, Germany (2022) and Tokyo, Japan (2023). Following the premiere Australian production in Melbourne, Moulin Rouge has recently commenced a Sydney season at The Capitol Theatre. Carmen Pavlovic joined STAGES for a 'Live' conversation recorded in front of an audience at the Powerhouse Museum, as part of the VIVID Sydney program. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 01, 2022
'Whatever the boat I row, you row, a duo' - Performers, Producers and Partners; Wayne and Katie Kermond
Wayne and Katie Kermond continue the line of an illustrious show business dynasty of performers and theatre-makers. Wayne is the fourth generation of an entertainment family and Katie has forged her own way in the industry as a singer, dancer and producer. Together they ensure audiences are kept enthralled through a fusion of the entertainment of yesteryear and the thrill of contemporary stage vocals, visuals and spectacle. Wayne's introduction to professional musical theatre was at the age of 11 when he was cast as a tap dancing sailor in the musical Gypsy. He then went onto to co-star and play such featured roles as Tom Thumb in Barnum, Baby John & Arab in West Side Story, Seven Little Australians, Jonah Jones, Guys & Dolls, A Chorus Line, Chicago and Urinetown. Wayne is most acclaimed for his starring role as Cosmo Brown in the Australasian Tour of Singin' in the Rain. Wayne has also starred as Max Bialystock in The Producers, the Modern Major General in The Pirates of Penzance, The Vaudevillian in Smoke & Mirrors, Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray The Big Fat Arena Spectacular and in Anything Goes, as Moonface Martin. With over 30 years' experience in the Entertainment Industry, Katie's diverse and comprehensive skills have kept her in demand as a Theatre and Event Producer, Director, Choreographer, Production Coordinator, Performer and sometimes Stand-up Comedian. On the Performance side - Katie has appeared in major Musicals such as West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Evita, Grease, Chicago, Singing' in the Rain... to name just a few. Wayne and Katie's passion for the form of Cabaret has lead them to, create, perform and produce such shows as Candy Man - a celebration of the ultimate Song & Dance Man, Sammy Davis Jnr. and The Kermond 3 Gen Variety Show. Most recently they conceived and produced Spiegelesque in the SpiegelZelt tent touring Australia, with Wayne playing the role of the cheeky Emcee "Vayne". The pair have also steered a host of musicals as Directors/Choreographers - Evita, Mary Poppins, Wicked and Kinky Boots have all received the Kermond golden touch. Wayne and Katie recently concluded a triumphant season of We Will Rock You at The Empire Theatre in Toowoomba. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, May 25, 2022
'Together Wherever We Go' - An Entertainment Dynasty; Warren and Pam Kermond
Warren and Pam Kermond belong to a dynasty of performers who have made an indelible mark on the performing arts in Australia and abroad, in a range of theatrical styles - Vaudeville, Comedy, Acrobatics, Musical Theatre and Dance. Their stages have been vast and varied; from the touring tent shows of Sorlies to the majesty of the Tivoli and the global club circuit. "It's experience that counts" And they have it in spades! Pam is one of 11 children. An enthusiastic Aunt suggested that she should take dance lessons; and so began a career in show business. Initially this was in a variety show titled 'Thanks For The Memories' and then as a magician's assistant to The Great Levante. Growing up as the third, of now five generations of a show business family, Warren gained experience at a very early age in theatre, pantomime, night clubs, television, cabaret and Musical theatre. He has been involved in every aspect of the Entertainment Industry over the past fifty years and it is difficult to express his knowledge, credibility and understanding of the Industry both in Australia and Internationally. Warren and Pam toured internationally with their celebrated double-act. Billed as an Acrobatic Song and Dance Act, they navigated tours and stages, enthralling and delighting audiences with a unique entertainment. As an actor Warren played the role of Custus in the GFO production of Crazy For You and the role of The Rabbi alongside Topol in Fiddler on the Roof for TML Enterprises. He has been seen in numerous television commercials. Pam developed a very successful dance school in which she trained several generations of performers over 41 years. Warren appeared regularly on In Melbourne Tonight and other national television shows. He had his own TV program in Adelaide and was also a regular headliner at Wrestpoint and other major Theatre and Cabaret Venues. Warren and Pam are a prominent fixture in our performing arts heritage. They are a link to an entertainment past that is now a memory - but one that we must acknowledge, investigate and celebrate. This is a conversation that is essential listening. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, May 21, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - Conversations Revisited; Caroline O'Connor from January, 2019
With episodes nearing 300 in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time 'round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you'll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Caroline O'Connor is considered to be one of the foremost interpreters of musical theatre in the world. Projects have taken her from Sydney to Paris to London and the bright lights of Broadway in a vast array of leading roles, that are coveted by musical theatre performers at their peak. She's interpreted the works of Sondheim, Bernstein, Jerry Herman, Kander & Ebb, Jule Styne and Aherns & Flattery - indicating a versatility that demands an appreciation of style, and technical dexterity. Caroline O'Connor was a guest of STAGES in our second season. Tonight she opens in Brisbane in the role of Roz Keith in the Dolly Parton musical - 9 to 5. The show continues after Brisbane with seasons in Melbourne and Adelaide. Chookas to Caroline and the company of 9 to 5. And welcome back to Caroline in this STAGES conversation revisited. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, May 18, 2022
'A Man for all Seasons' - Director, Composer, Pianist, Actor, Musical Director, Dramaturg and Teacher; Terence Clarke Returns
Terence Clarke was the guest of STAGES in series 3. A jack of all theatrical trades, our conversation found a focus on his career as a Composer of such vibrant Australian Musical theatre works as Summer Rain, Variations and The Venetian twins. However, there is much more to Clarke's contribution to the arts in Australia. It is vast and passionate. Clarke's work as Actor and Director are also ripe for the record. He has acted in English repertory, for Nimrod (Horatio/Rosencrantz to John Bell's Hamlet), and for the National Theatre Company, Perth, where he was for over two years Aarne Neeme's Associate Director. He was foundation Artistic Director of the first regional professional theatre company in Australia, the Hunter Valley Theatre Company in Newcastle, and has been the Artistic Director of the Playwrights Conference and Head of Directing at NIDA. Terence has directed the premieres of a number of Australian plays, most notably John O'Donoghue's A Happy and Holy Occasion (HVTC) and Janis Balodis' Backyard (Nimrod). He has directed over 140 productions and workshopped some dozen: the companies include the Melbourne and Queensland Theatre Companies, Nimrod, and Playbox; the music theatre works include Madam Butterfly (for State Opera of SA, twice), Annie, Anything Goes, The Pirates of Penzance (with Reg Livermore, Canberra), HMS Pinafore, and The Yeomen of the Guard. Other work for the STC: The Venetian Twins (composer/pianist/MD); Summer Rain (composer); The Sunny South (composer/arranger); A Happy and Holy Occasion (director). Terence is a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the performing arts as a director, actor, writer, composer and educator. Terence has directed many productions at NIDA. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, May 11, 2022
'Anyone Can Whistle' - Theatre Director & Disability Advocate; Dan Graham
Dan Graham is a Theatre Director and a Disability Advocate with a particular interest in access support for neuro-diverse performing artists. Dan himself has a neurodiverse disability. His directing and access work have seen him travel all over Australia and the world to research and explore access and inclusion. Dan has engaged with companies across Australia such as Bell Shakespeare, Sydney Festival, Sydney Fringe, Antipode Theatre Company, and the Ensemble Theatre. His recent collaborations in the US include the Atlantic Theatre Company and Pasadena Playhouse, and in the UK the Globe Theatre. Dan is a fellow of the Australia Council's Future Leader's Program, an Ian Potter Foundation scholarship, and Create NSW Fellowship recipient. He has a stellar director resume and uses his success to advocate for other artists who identify as neurodiverse. Dan studied BA (Communication) and MCA (Theatre, specialising in directing) at the University of Tasmania and Honours in Performance Studies at the University of Sydney. His Honours paper focused on the playwright's intent and how this is realised in the director's vision. Dan also holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Dan is a board director of Arts Access Australia and a regular peer assessor for the Australia Council for the Arts. He is the co-chair of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance's (MEAA) artists with Disability Board and on the LGBTQIA+ disability advisory group for ACON. He is a board member of the Hickson Road Group Accessible Arts, and a member of Accessible Arts NSW Artists Advisory Group. He is Access Consultant for Brand X. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, May 04, 2022
'Song and Dance' - Opera Director; Shane Placentino
Adelaide born Shane Placentino graduated from The Australian Ballet School in 1990 and was accepted into the The Australian Ballet in 1991. He also worked with Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon appearing in Murphy's Nutcracker and Beyond Twelve. After ten years with The Australian Ballet, Shane departed in 2000. He joined The Sydney Dance Company in 2002. His repertoire with the company includes Ellipse, Air and other invisible forces, Salome, Free Radicals, the role of 'Jack' in Tivoli, Underland, Random Play, Some Rooms, Grand, Hua Mulan, Berlin and Ever After Ever. Dance credits with The Australian Ballet encompass the full classical and contemporary repertoire including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, The Merry Widow, Jiri Kylian's Sinfonietta, Nacho Duato's Jardi Tancat, Stanton Welch's Red Earth, John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet and Kenneth MacMillan's Manon. In 2008 Shane has assisted and performed in Meryl Tankard's Inuk2 and was appointed the stage manager for Rafael Bonachela's recent work with The Sydney Dance Company. A move in to the world of opera has seen him embrace the various guises of choreographer and director. For Opera Australia he has assisted on productions of The Merry Widow (2018), West Side Story, Madama Butterfly (2019) and Faust. As Revival Director his work has brought to vivid life the operas Faust (2020), The Merry Widow (2021), Aida, Madama Butterfly (2022) and Turandot. In May he directs global opera sensation Jonas Kaufmann in Olivier Py's celebrated production of Wagner's Lohengrin. The opera plays May 14th to 24th at the State Theatre, Arts Centre, Melbourne. It is a stunning production, bound to thrill and delight. Shane Palcentino joined STAGES to describe the task ahead of him in reviving the opera for its Australian season and an indication of what's in store for the fortunate Melbourne audience. He also reflects on a journey through Dance that has lead him to his cherished role as a director/choreographer with Opera Australia. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, April 30, 2022
'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' - Actor; Tim Wright
Tim Wright grew up in Albany, WA. He studied at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He is presently performing on Broadway in the revival production of Richard Greenberg's 'Take Me Out'. Initial stage credits in Australia include I Own The racecourse (Bell), Lockie Leonard - Human Torpedo (Ensemble) and This is Our Youth (Echelon). Regular appearances at the Melbourne Theatre Company followed with Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Glass Menagerie, Boy Gets Girl, Metamorphoses and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (also STC). TV credits include Stingers, Big Sky and The Secret Life of Us. Venturing abroad in 2009, he landed in New York and has since carved an impressive career with three Broadway credits and a host of U.S. television; Blue Bloods, New Amsterdam, Quantico, and the cult musical-theatre themed Smash- seasons 1 and 2. On the Broadway stage Tim has appeared in The Bridges of Madison County and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time; joining this show also for its US tour. Off-Broadway he worked with the Atlantic Theatre Company on 3 Kinds of Exile. Seasons of Sunset Boulevard and The Jungle at Regional theatres have also enjoyed Tim's talents. Tim is nearing the end of the run of Take Me Out - and also a stint in New York that has seen him realise great accomplishment - in conquering the Broadway stage. We applaud Tim for his tenacity in making a career in New York a reality and celebrate his impressive performance achievements as he prepares to return to Australia. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, April 27, 2022
'Big Sister' - Actor/Director/Writer; Kenneth Moraleda
Kenneth Moraleda is an actor/director/writer/producer of Filipino descent. He started training at Australian Theatre for Young People before being accepted into the National Institute of Dramatic Art graduating with a Bachelor of Acting in 1995. As a performer his recent theatre credits include An Enemy of The People with Belvoir Street, and Kasama Kita for 25a, the Global Creatures national tour of Muriel's Wedding The Musical, Talk at the Sydney Theatre Company and Australian Graffiti- a debut play from Disapol Savetsila playing Boi. Other theatre credits include playing Banzai in Disney's The Lion King Musical under the direction of Julie Taymor, the National Theatre Of Great Britain and Global Creatures' production of War Horse, playing Kulygin in Sport for Jove's critically acclaimed Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, creating the role of Roger Chan in Nick Enright's A Man With Five Children, Hilary Bell's The White Divers of Broome, David Williamson's Cruise Control, the satirical comedy Australia Day by Jonathan Biggins and Yellow Moon-The Ballad of Leila and Lee directed by Susanna Dowling. His Philippine stage debut was with Repertory Philippines in the Pulitzer Prize Winning Play August: Osage County. His directing debut was an immersive theatrical and cinematic music show They Say She's Different written and starring Cecilia Low. After a showing at Ding Dong Lounge in Melbourne, it was picked up by the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and was a highlight of the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2015 for a season at Gasworks receiving rave reviews. He was a leading artist in This Here Land. - an experimental performance part of Liveworks Experimental Arts Festival in October 2017 for Performance Space. He has several writing projects in development including One Hour No Oil co-written with Jordan Shea. Numerous television credits include Schapelle, East West 101, Maximum Choppage, Bondi Banquet, City Life, Water Rats, Wildside, White Collar Blue, City Homicide, Janet King and Bureau of Magical Things. Notable film roles include The Great Raid, Locusts and Arun in the iconic Australia comedy Lucky Miles which has won him the Best Actor Award at the Cinemanila International Film Festival. He was also in Dead Europe and lead the short films, Perfection by Jane Eakin and The Fence by Lucy Gaffy, Banana Boy by Steven Woodburn and Legacy by Josh Mawer. In December 2020, Kenneth co-founded the theatre company KWENTO alongside Jordan Shea and Jana Vass. The company seeks to create new Australian works, that challenge the norms of Australian society. In April they will premiere a new work titled ATE LOVIA by Jordan Shea which will be directed by Kenneth Moreleda. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stag
Wed, April 20, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT - Conversations Revisited: Geraldine Turner - from April, 2018
With episodes nearing 300 in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time 'round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you'll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Geraldine Turner is one of the Music Theatre's legitimate and intelligent voices. She conveys passion, truth and power in a voice that she has given to many of the form's great characters - Nancy, Mrs Lovett, Joanne, Petra, Sally Adams, Desiree Armfeldt, Reno Sweeney, The Baker's Wife, Velma Kelly and Felicia Alden. She has chartered a career spanning 4 decades and is an artist at ease in any form. She has mastered cabaret, plays, television and film - and has recently become a playwright, a director and a memoirist. Geraldine Turner's autobiography, 'Turner's Turn - a disarmingly honest memoir' was recently released by New Holland Publishers. It is a compelling record of a life navigated In Turner's Turn she shares poignant stories of her relationship with her parents and siblings and the many years of commitment required to make it to the top. Geraldine describes frankly the highs and disappointments of a life in show business, the challenge of maintaining personal relationships alongside a demanding schedule of rehearsals and performances, as well as the rivalries and camaraderie amongst those who have made the stage their life. Geraldine Turner appeared in the very first week of episodes when STAGES launched in 2018. Always frank and possessed of great warmth, Turner is the ideal guest. So popular was her story, we continued it in a companion episode, released in 2019. We share this first episode today to mark the launch of her stellar story with Turner's Turn - and to celebrate Geraldine as one of the Australian Musical Theatre's greatest stars! The Bookshop Darlinghurst and Claire's Kitchen will be hosting a literary launch of Geraldine Turner's memoir - Turner's Turn - at Claire's Kitchen on Sunday May 22nd between 3pm and 6pm. It will be a wonderful opportunity to meet the author and hear some of her story. She will be in conversation with the STAGES podcast. So, come along and say hello. Bookings can be made through The Bookshop, Darlinghurst, from next week. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, April 13, 2022
'Working 9 to 5' - Multitalented Entertainer; Casey Donovan
Casey Donovan is one of Australia's most versatile Entertainers. After a meteoric rise to fame at the age of sixteen, Casey became the youngest ever winner of Australian Idol in 2004. Since then, she has made her mark not only as a musician, but also in the areas of stage, screen, presenting and writing. Casey is a multi-Award winner and nominee, including an ARIA No #1 Award for Listen with Your Heart and Deadly Awards for Best Album, Best Single and Most Promising New Talent. After taking a break from music, in 2009 under the direction of Rhoda Roberts, Casey made her theatrical debut in Miracle In Brisbane for Brisbane Festival. This was to be the first of many acclaimed theatrical performances thus far in Casey's career, including The Sapphires, As You Like It, Opera Yarrabah, The Flowerchildren, Rent, We Will Rock You as Killer Queen, and Chicago as Matron "Mama" Morton. Casey's stage credits have earned her respect from the industry, which has seen her receive a nomination for Best Newcomer and Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical in the Sydney Theatre Awards. In 2010 Casey also returned to music with the release of the single Big, Beautiful & Sexy, along with a sell-out tour and major festival performances plus opening for the legendary Cyndi Lauper on her 2011 Australian tour. Musically, Casey then released her highly anticipated EP Off The Grid & Somewhere in Between hitting the Top 30 chart and in 2019 was invited to participate in Eurovision - Australia Decides, performing and releasing the original song Proud in the national final, placing second. Over the span of her illustrious career, Casey has appeared on all major daily and weekly Network television programs and has presented her own indigenous music themed show Fusion on SBS/NITV during 2012 and 2013. In 2017 Casey was crowned Queen of the Jungle by public vote in the third season of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. Casey made her scripted television debut in 2018 on Network Ten's comedy series Streetsmart as Tia the probationary parking inspector and then was cast in the hit TV show How To Stay Married, alongside Peter Helliar and Lisa McCune. Following this was a hosting role alongside Noni Hazlehurst and Kurt Fearnley on SBS's TV's What Does Australian Really Think? Casey is currently playing the role of Judy Bernly in Dolly Parton's stage musical '9 to 5'. Her enthusiasm for what she does is palpable; evidenced here in a joyous conversation. '9 to 5' plays the Capitol Theatre in Sydney before moving on to Brisbane in May at The Lyric Theatre, QPAC. Seasons in Melbourne and Adelaide will folow. The show features Marina Prior, Eddie Perfect, Caroline O'Connor, Erin Clare and the fabulous, Casey Donovan. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awa
Sat, April 09, 2022
'Dancing on the Ceiling' - Dancer, Director, Choreographer; Meryl Tankard
Internationally acclaimed for the emotional punch packed into her bold choreography, Meryl Tankard is one of Australia's finest contemporary artists. As a director, choreographer and writer, her work has been staged in Europe, UK, USA, Asia and Australia, and includes co-productions with the Sydney Opera House, a full-length ballet Wild Swans for The Australian Ballet, musicals for Disney on Broadway and Andrew Lloyd Webber on the West End. Meryl created the opening section Deep Sea Dreaming for the Sydney Olympics Games Ceremony 2000 and has been commissioned by some of the world's most dynamic companies including Lyon Ballet and Netherlands Dance Theatre. Beginning her career as a dancer with the Australian Ballet, Meryl went on to become one of Pina Bausch's principal soloists with the ground-breaking Wuppertaler Tanztheater, creating roles in Café Muller, Kontakthof, 1980, Arien, Walzer, Bandoneon etc In 1989 she founded her own dance company in Canberra, synthesizing a range of influences and styles to create her own unique dance theatre style. As Artistic Director of Adelaide-based Australian Dance Theatre (1993-1999) Meryl transformed the company into a leading International company with her diverse range of full-length works including Furioso, Possessed, Aurora, Rasa, Inuk, Songs with Mara. Since 2000 Meryl has been working as an independent artist and in 2010 began focusing on film direction, graduating from Australian Film Television and Radio School where she made two short films Mad and Moth. Her documentary Michelle's Story, commissioned by ABC TV and 2015 Adelaide Film Festival, won the Adelaide Film Festival Audience Award for Best Short Film and Screen South Australia awards for Best Short Film, Best Documentary and Best Soundtrack. In 2017 Meryl was awarded the prestigious Jim Bettison Helen James Award for her contribution to the community. In 2018 Meryl choreographed Claudel for Theatre de LAthenee in Paris and remounted her acclaimed production Furioso for Sidi Larbi Cherkaouis Royal Ballet of Flanders. For the Adelaide Festival in 2019 Meryl created two works : Two Feet, a full-length solo work for acclaimed Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova, and Zizanie for Restless Dance Theatre (for performers with and without disability) In 2019, Meryl was honoured with an Officer of Australia for her distinguished services to the performing arts. www.meryltankard.com The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, April 06, 2022
'Together at Last' - Actor, Singer, Teacher - Sally Bourne
Sally Bourne's career began at the age of 12 when she was cast in the title role in the original Australian production of the musical Annie. A role that cast her alongside Hayes Gordon, Jill Perryman and Nancye Hayes. 40+ years on from that auspicious debut performance, Sally has worked in musicals, on T.V, in cabaret, concerts and as a comedian both in Australia and in London. Her destiny as a performer seems inevitable. Her mother was a dancer/choreographer and her father, the legendary Australian actor, singer and comedian, Ernie Bourne. Her parents met at the Palais Theatre St Kilda, in the musical The Desert Song. She wasn't born in a trunk but it was pretty close. Most recently, Sally was seen in the sixth instalment of her cabaret series with Susan-ann Walker; Subtle, playing to packed houses in Melbourne. She was also featured in the ensemble cast of the new musical work Mrs Prime Minister, composed by John Thorn and written & directed by Terence O'Connell. Before this new work Sally appeared at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival as a part of the improv team Spontaneous Broadway at Trades Hall. Her extensive theatre credits in Australia include; Brigadoon, Company, Moonshadow (Original Cast). The Boy From Oz, Nine, Damn Yankees, Once We Lived Here (Original Cast) & Shane Warne - The Musical (Original Cast). Television credits include Prisoner, I Can Jump Puddles, The Sullivans and Neighbours. Sally lived & worked in London from 1991 to 2004 appearing in My Fair Lady, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hey Mr Producer, A - My Name is Alice, The John Wayne Principle & the world premier productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical; The Beautiful Game and Jerry Springer the Opera at the Royal National Theatre. During her time in London, Sally made her debut as a stand up comic with her comedy partner Lucinda Cowden & was a finalist in the 'So You Think You're Funny' awards as well as appearing at the Edinburgh Festival with the comedy troupe The Hairstyles. She can also be seen in the Alan Parker movie; Evita playing Eva's maid. Sally is also one of Melbourne's busiest singing teachers & has been on staff at some of the U.K's & Melbourne's most prestigious theatre schools, as well as directing cabaret showcases at The Victorian College of the Arts & Patrick Studio's Australia. Sally is great fun. Armed with an abundance of anecdotes, she is the perfect guest. She is also a source of tremendous knowledge, informed by her celebrated longevity in a career that is often precarious, but never dull. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, April 02, 2022
'New Ways To Dream' - Actor, Writer, Director, Theatre Maker; Terence O'Connell
Terence O'Connell took his first steps towards a life in the theatre as dresser to the male chorus in J.C. Williamson's celebrated production of Funny Girl. The role provided the perfect vantage point to observe the machinery of a large musical, on stage and off, cementing an ambition to make theatre himself. Terence completed time as an actor working through Western Australia followed by a venture to the UK which awakened a desire to direct. Upon returning to Australia, Terence completed the Directors Course at NIDA and has subsequently, staged some 150 productions in theatres, concert halls, circus tents, cabaret rooms and comedy venues across Australia and internationally. His national touring shows include Barmaids, They're Playing Our Song, Motherhood: The Musical and The 39 Steps, The Rocky Horror Show, Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story, Busting Out, Decadence, Bouncers, Circus OZ, Flying Fruit Fly Circus and Certified Male. Terence has created many of his own productions including I Only Want To Be With You: The Dusty Springfield Story, Life On Mars: The Words And Music Of David Bowie, Cruising Paradise: Sam Shepard Tales, Greek Goddess: Melina Mercouri, Reviewing The Situation: At Home With Lionel Bart, and Minefields And Miniskirts: Australian Women And The Vietnam War. Terence was Director of Spiegelworld's outrageous circus burlesque Empireon, its international tour, and Circus Sensa at London's Albany Empire. Terence helmed nine Broadway musicals for The Production Company at Melbourne's State Theatre. These included Oklahoma, The King & I, Crazy For You, Damn Yankees, 42nd Street and The Pajama Game, and demonstrated his ease at staging big stories on a large canvas. Recently he has been adapting two Australian classics for the stage; One Crowded Hour: Neil Davis, Combat Cameraman and a music theatre adaptation of the classic memoir, I Can Jump Puddles. Mrs Prime Minister, a song cycle focussing on several prominent wives of Australian leaders, has also taken to the stage under Terence's construction and guidance. He is passionate about telling stories across all forms and styles. Whether making original, or staging established product, Terence O'Connell's work is always inspired, exciting and bound to prompt awe. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, March 30, 2022
'Some Enchanted Evening' - Actor, Showman and Theatre Restaurant Impresario; John Newman
John Newman is the savvy entrepreneur who pioneered the glory of theatre restaurant in Australia, with the establishment of the iconic Tikki & John's in Melbourne. The venue fast became an institution in the city and a haven for a stellar cast of performers. With wife Tikki Taylor, he founded an entertainment dynasty spawning further theatre dining experiences such as Dracula's, Cafe Crypt and Crazyhouse. John Newman is a Geelong boy whose parents were publicans. He was born to perform and garnered early experiences entertaining hotel guests. He joined the Geelong Musical Comedy Company, a flourishing amateur group whose members also included John's brother Bill, Ernie Bourne and Barry Crocker. His success in comic and singing roles with that company, prompted him to embark on show business as a profession. He joined an outfit calling itself, rather ambitiously The South Pacific Film and Television Company, which planned to hit the high spots with a grand tour of Victorian country areas. The variety show, in which John did comedy, magic and his impressions of Groucho Marx and other stars of the day, played Geelong, Colac and Camperdown. He was next a member of the Blind Institute Concert Party, which performed everywhere in Victoria in one - and - two night stands, raising money for the institute. John stayed with the unit for two years, and then he left to go into the chorus of the J. C. Williamson Song of Norway. The run of Song of Norway was followed by a revival of Annie Get Your Gun, with Evie Hayes and Hayes Gordon, and John then went into the chorus of South Pacific, where he met Joyce Taylor (Tikki), Tikki Taylor had studied dancing at the Jenny Brennan Academy and appeared on stage for the first time in a juvenile role in Blue Mountain Melody, an Australian musical which starred Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott. After pursuing a classical ballet career she joined J.C. Williamsons as a show dancer, her first show being The Desert Song with Max Oldaker. Then followed Rose Marie, White Horse Inn, No, No, Nanette, The Girl Friend, Follow The Girls and Oklahoma, in which she understudied three roles, eventually playing the lead comedienne, Ado Annie. John and Tikki combined both their professional and private lives working in the same shows. They formed an act and toured it through the U.K. for eighteen months with top Australian magician The Great Levant covering England, Scotland and Wales. After that, they toured the U.S. Army bases in Europe. Back in London they saw the latest American musical hit The Pajama Game, and John knew that Tikki would be perfect for the comedy-dancing role of Gladys Hotchkiss. They rushed back to Australia and with the support of choreographer Betty Pounder and stage director Ian Roberts, Tikki managed to persuade the JCW management that it was not necessary to import an American actress for the role. This seminal production embraced an all-Australian company including Toni Lamond, Jill Perryman and John's broth
Sat, March 26, 2022
'Back On The Boards' - Entertainer and Musical Theatre Leading Man; Dale Burridge
Dale Burridge is one of Australia's most successful concert and corporate entertainers having starred in numerous musicals, concerts and corporate events all over the world. He first tread the boards professionally back in the 1980's as 'Rolf' in Britain's renowned West End Production of The Sound of Music. Dale returned to Australia in 1989, to create the role of Alan Courtney in Seven Little Australians and then featured in the 1989 production of Anything Goes with Geraldine Turner. Dale had long association with Les Miserables before joining the cast in the role of Raoul, opposite Marina Prior, in the original Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera. He played the role for two years and the following season, appeared as young Scrooge, opposite Keith Michell in the 1994 premier Australian production of Scrooge - the Musical. At this time Dale began performing in numerous concert performances throughout Australia and with Marina Prior at the Sydney Opera House. Engagements at the Melbourne Concert Hall included An Evening with Fred and Ginger with Rhonda Burchmore, From Brigadoon to Broadway with the Australian Pops Orchestra and the 1994 Morning Melodies Christmas concert. Dale has made constant appearances on Australia's various television variety shows, and was a regular performer on Bert Newton's Good Morning Australia. Dale has also performed as the featured artist on the QE2 cruise liner, performing for their international guests. Dale returned to his role in the The Phantom of the Opera before embarking on the International 1996 tour of Les Miserables in the role of the student leader, Enjorlas. Dale has been guest performer at major launches, conventions, and special events all over Australia and Asia. In 1997 he was the guest performer at the Darling Harbour Christmas Concert and Australia Day Concert. He has appeared as the guest artist with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra in A Night In Tuscany, with the Tasmania Symphony Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in a special Gershwin Concert series with Maestro Tommy Tycho, and on a Wiggles film. After an absence of more than two decades, Dale Burridge has returned to the stage with a funny, moving, heart felt exploration of the highs and lows of a life spent on, and off, the boards, launching his up close and personal cabaret 'At the Crossroads' in his hometown of Melbourne. Having spent the last twenty years focusing his energies on expanding his hugely successful bespoke entertainment production company, Dale felt the seductive pull to return to the intimate cabaret form; firstly in a show titled 'Back On The Boards'. He is now delighted to be returning to Sydney with his new show 'At the Crossroads', an exploration of the many twists and turns of a life in the theatre, appearing at The Hayes Theatre in April. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conver
Wed, March 23, 2022
'Softly, Deftly, Music Shall Surround You' - Conductor, Orchestrator, Musical Director and Musical Supervisor; Guy Simpson
Guy Simpson has been working as a Conductor, Orchestrator, Musical Director and Musical Supervisor for over 40 years. He is currently Musical Supervisor of The Phantom of the Opera and Cinderella for Opera Australia. He is also the conductor of The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour, taking to the Harbour stage in March/April. Guy's work on The Phantom of the Opera began in Australia in 1990 and has continued on and off for the past 30 years, conducting or supervising productions in Auckland, Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Brazil (in Portuguese), Manila, Bangkok, Singapore, Guangzhou, Beijing and Seoul. He has had a similar long association with Miss Saigon since 1994 - conducting or supervising productions in Australia, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brazil, Seoul, The Netherlands and Japan. For Opera Australia he was Musical Director of Evita (starring Tina Arena), the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady (directed by Julie Andrews) and West Side Story (on Sydney Harbour). Other international productions include Cats (Australia, New Zealand), Chicago (Australia, Hong Kong) and We Will Rock You - the QUEEN musical (Australia, Japan). Productions throughout Australia include Muriel's Wedding, The Wizard of Oz, Dream Lover, Prima Donna (the opera by Rufus Wainwright), Passion, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Love Never Dies (the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera), Les Miserables, Cabaret, Company, Into the Woods, Little Shop of Horrors, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Pirates of Penzance, Snoopy, Seesaw, Zorba, Oklahoma!, Funny Girl, Call Me Madam, Mack and Mabel, The Music Man, They're Playing our Song, Carousel, Camelot, Little Me, Follies, Promises Promises, Gypsy and Guys and Dolls. As an orchestrator recent projects include the musicals Ladies in Black and Dream Lover. As a producer of cast recordings he has produced the albums of Muriel's Wedding and Dream Lover for Sony, and two cast recordings of The Phantom of the Opera in Korea. Guy joined STAGES prior to the rehearsal period for 'Phantom' on Sydney Harbour to reflect on his affinity with the iconic show, and his extensive career guiding and delivering musical scores to audiences around the world. Opera Australia's HOSH The Phantom of the Opera plays March 25th to April 24th at the Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries' Point, Sydney. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sun, March 20, 2022
'Show me the way to the next Whiskey Bar' - Director, Writer, Co-Artistic Director of Red Line Productions; Constantine Costi
Constantine Costi is a director, writer and the co-artistic director of Red Line Productions at the Old Fitz working across opera, film, and theatre. He was named one of the 21 hottest creatives of 2021 by The Australian. Most recently Constantine directed Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour La Traviata for Opera Australia, as well as Verdi's Requiem for Ensemble Apex and Phoenix Central Park, and is currently preparing a Kurt Weill Double Bill for The Old Fitz Theatre of Mahagonny Songspiel and The Seven Deadly Sins. In 2020 he directed the feature film A Delicate Fire for Pinchgut Opera based on the madrigals of Barbara Strozzi, wrote the libretto of a new Australian opera Cassandra for Victorian Opera by composer Simon Bruckard, directed Monochromatic; a video series of piano portraits for Phoenix Central Park, and directed an online Don Giovanni production for the Shanghai Opera with Maestro Xu Zhong. Constantine has also directed Karakorum starring David Wenham (Australian Brandenburg Orchestra); the award-winning production of Bittersweet Obsessions, and Messiah which played to standing ovations and sell-out seasons in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane; Puccini's Suor Angelica (Opera Projects Sydney); and Il Tabarro at Alfie's Sydney. Constantine has directed revivals of Harry Kupfer's Otello (OA), Il Viaggio a Reims (Dutch National Opera, OA and Royal Danish Opera), Sir David Mc Vicar's Vienna State Opera production of Falstaff(National Centre of Performing Arts, Beijing); and La Traviata (OA). He also assistant directed productions of Ring Cycle (Chen Shi-Zheng) and Wozzeck (Salzburg Festival, OA, Canadian Opera Company, Metropolitan Opera); Hunde Gottes (Schauspielhaus Vienna); and The Marriage of Figaro (OA). Constantine has also worked with director Chen Shi-Zheng as assistant director of Puccini's Turandot (OA, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour), as well as co-directing Werther with director Elijah Moshinsky (OA). Other work includes directing and co-creating the world premiere of jazz musical The Overcoat (Belvoir's 25A); co-writing the immersive theatre experience Visiting Hours (Vivid Festival); and directing The Space Between the Fuel and the Fire (NIDA). Constantine is the recipient of The Berlin New Music Opera Award with The Opera Foundation for Young Australians where he worked with Komische Oper Berlin's directing team on the premiere of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin directed by Barrie Kosky. Other directing credits include: The Hypochondriac, The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet (NIDA); Young Artist's Program Showcase (Opera Australia); Thomas Arne's The Sailor's Return (Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival); The Master and Margarita after Bulgakov (Aboriginal Centre of the Performing Arts); Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo (Zenith Theatre); and The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer (George Georgiou Inc). Constantine has previously been a member of the Belvoir Artists' Workshop and was affiliate director with Griffin Theatre. Constantine's scree
Sat, March 19, 2022
'Everything in Life has a Purpose' - Opera Singer and pioneering Singer's Agent; Jenifer Eddy
For over three decades, the name of Jenifer Eddy was foremost in the Australian opera scene as the major Artist Manager. Her stable of artists became household names under her guidance and Jenifer Eddy Artist Management boasted the crème de la crème of operatic celebrities. Their careers were carefully governed and tailored to present them at their finest. Jenifer Eddy had the knowledge and manner to assist a young singer in career growth. How did this lady of diminutive physical stature but strong character gain such knowledge? How did she so clearly understand the emotional plight of a singer and tend to their needs? What was little known was that Jenifer Eddy had experienced the journey of a singer, on an international level, first hand. Her career as a brilliant coloratura and soubrette soprano had taken her to the major opera houses of the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. Her on-stage colleagues included some of the finest and admired performers of the second half of last century. She packed into her fifteen years on the operatic stage what reads like twice the amount of performances of any other soprano of this voice type. Jenifer's vocal technique was strong and secure. Her delivery of the most difficult, stratospheric vocal writing appeared easy and her pert stage presence was beloved by colleagues and audiences alike. What seemed to be the perfect career, flying high, came to a sudden halt in 1968 due to a physical condition which remained undiagnosed for almost seven years - by which time, Jenifer had closed the door to her singing career and opened another as an Artist Manager. "Everything in life has a purpose" is a mantra that Jenifer has held throughout her careers. It provided an inner strength to travel the bridge from singer to agent. Both roles demonstrate careers of excellence, and legacies that have left an indelible mark on classical singing and opera in Australia. (text: Brian Castles-Onion) The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, March 16, 2022
'The Party of a Lifetime' - Musical Theatre Veteran, Geraldene Morrow
A respected and adored veteran of the Australian theatre, Geraldene Morrow began her professional career at the age of 16 as a dancer in the Bobby Limb Revue. Shortly after arriving in Melbourne from her home town of Perth, she was chosen to understudy Eliza in J.C. Williamson's My Fair Lady. One month later she played the role for a week and stayed with the show for two years. Other JCW productions to follow included Bye Bye Birdie and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. For Garnet Carroll she played the juvenile lead in Once Upon A Mattress. Other musical theatre work includes East Lynne, Lady Orderly's Secret, Caroline, Little Mary Sunshine, The King & I, 1776 and Brigadoon. In the U.K. she performed in plays, pantomimes and musicals including No, No, Nanette, My Fair Lady, The Girlfriend and the lead female role in the West End production of Cindy. She appeared in the film of Oliver and for BBC television she was featured in The Mikado and Iolanthe. Returning to Australia in 1969, she is remembered for her roles in Charlie Girl, Side By Side By Sondheim, Cowardy Custard, La Cage Aux Folles, Nunsense, Baby, Into the Woods, Big River and the original Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera as Madam Giry. Television credits include Bellbird, Water Under the Bridge, Young Ramsay and Prisoner. Geraldene was also one of the Glitter Sisters who toured the national cabaret circuit. STAGES spent a delightful hour with Geraldene reflecting on a prolific career and the immense joy it has brought her and audiences alike. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, March 09, 2022
'To the New Chandelier!' - Director; Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips began his career in New Zealand before emigrating to Australia in 1984 to take up a position as lecturer and director at the West Australian Academy for Performing Arts. In 1987 he joined the Melbourne Theatre Company as Associate Director and in 1990 he was appointed Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia. After freelancing nationally and internationally between 1994 and 1999, he returned to MTC as Artistic Director from 2000 to 2011, overseeing the design and construction of the company's new headquarters and the Southbank Theatre. His directing credits range from new works to contemporary and Shakespearean classics, to musicals, to opera. He has directed works by most of the great contemporary writers: Albee (A Delicate Balance), Beckett (Happy Days), Brecht (Arturo Ui), Churchill (Cloud Nine/Serious Money), Hare (The Blue Room), McDonagh (The Pillowman), Orton (What the Butler Saw/Entertaining Mr Sloane), Shepherd (Buried Child, A Lie of the Mind), and Stoppard (Arcadia, Rock'n'Roll). He has also directed the premieres of many new works by leading Australian writers, including David Williamson, Matt Cameron, Hannie Rayson, Stephen Sewell and Joanna Murray-Smith. Simon's musical credits in Australia include Love Never Dies, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (which has had numerous international seasons including The West End and Broadway), The Twenty-Fifth Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Urinetown the Musical, Company, The Threepenny Opera, Cabaret, Muriel's Wedding - the musical, Ladies in Black, Dream Lover, An Officer and a Gentleman and High Society. In New Zealand he directed Oliver!, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Pirates of Penzance. Among his many classical productions, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, A Comedy of Errors and The Importance of Being Earnest all toured nationally in Australia. Simon's opera credits include: La Bohème, Falstaff, L'Elisir d'Amore and Lulu for Opera Australia, The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni for Opera New Zealand and A Midsummer Night's Dream and Billy Budd for Hamburg State Opera. Simon is the recipient of many Australian Theatre awards and has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Melbourne. He recently directed As You Like It for the Melbourne Theatre Company and has now turned his focus to Sydney with an adaptation of North By Northwest, and a thrilling new production of The Phantom of the Opera for Opera Australia; they take to the stages of the Lyric Theatre and Sydney Harbour. He discusses these exciting theatrical ventures, as well as his illustrious career, in this compelling episode of STAGES. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.
Sat, March 05, 2022
'Tripping the Light Fantastic' - Lighting & Set Designer; Nick Schlieper
Nick Schlieper has designed lighting for all of the major performing companies in Australia and works regularly in Europe and the U.S. Recent engagements include Nick's debut at, and return to, the prestigious Salzburg Festival, designing the lighting for Aribert Reiman's Lear in the Felsen Reitschule, and for Cherubini's Medeé; as well as Mosquitos, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Real Thing, Still Point Turning, Harp in the South, A Cheery Soul, The Resistable Rise of Arturo UI, Chimerica, Three Sisters, All My Sons, Speed the Plow, A Flea in Her Ear and Switzerland for Sydney Theatre Company; Macbeth, Twelfth Night and Photograph 51 (also set design) for Melbourne Theatre Company; Packer and Sons, Ghosts and Twelfth Nightfor Company B Belvoir. Nick also returned to the National Theatre of Norway for Private Confessions, directed by Liv Ullman, and to New Zealand Opera for The Elixir of Love. He also lit Sydney Theatre Company's revival of The Present with Cate Blanchett on Broadway, and The Space Between the Notes (Emma Matthews' one woman show). Nick's work in Music Theatre includes First Wives Club The Musical at the Oriental Theatre, Chicago, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Musical in Australia, New York, Toronto, London, Sao Paolo and throughout Europe; Love Never Dies in Hamburg, Tokyo, Sydney and Melbourne for The Really Useful Company. His extensive work in opera in Australia includes Don Giovanni, Nabucco, Tannhäuser, Il Trovatore, L'elisir d'amore, Andrea Chenier, Freischütz, Falstaff and Seraglio for Opera Australia; Salome (and set design) and Parsifal for State Opera of South Australia; Flying Dutchman, Don Giovanni, and Ken Russell's Madam Butterfly for Victorian State Opera; Macbeth (and set design) for Opera New Zealand and Don Giovanni (and set design) for Opera Queensland. He was also lighting and associate set designer of the first Australian production of Wagner's Ring Cycle in Adelaide in 2004. Nick has also designed lighting for Scheherazade for the Australian Ballet, the acclaimed Cinderella for Royal New Zealand Ballet, and several pieces for Bangarra Dance Company, including Bush, Bennelong and Patyegarang. The year commences for Nick with lighting designs for productions of Wudjang: Not the Past (Bangarra Dance), North By Northwest (Kay & McLean Productions) and The Phantom of the Opera (Opera Australia) on Sydney Harbour. With such a full schedule it was a treat for STAGES to examine the art of Lighting Design with one of the country's most prolific and eloquent artists; Nick Schlieper. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Fri, March 04, 2022
'The End of Winter' - Anatomy of a Production
During February, the Siren Theatre Company presented Kate Gaul's bewitching production of The End of Winter - a performance essay by Noelle Janaczewska, at the Stables Theatre. The production featured actor Jane Phegan. This episode of STAGES will chronicle the evolution of the production. STAGES followed the personnel - performer, director, designers, playwright - over a 4 week period, checking in occasionally to ascertain the contribution of each to the production process and how they navigate the construction of theatre. To the uninitiated, it is a fascinating process as disparate parts collaborate under the guidance of director to create the magic of live performance. The deft conjuring of illusion and the seductive pull of storytelling, transport us to other worlds, and enlighten us through evocative text and passionate craft. STAGES approached Kate Gaul from the Siren Theatre Company as rehearsals were about commence, giving the podcast access to a show's evolution. The company she had assembled combined the team who had previously presented Janaczewska's Good with Maps (a production that toured extensively), and keen creatives, early in their careers as theatre makers. Through the episode you'll be privy to my conversations with Director Kate Gaul, Actor Jane Phegan, Composers/Sound Designers Nate Edmondson & Kaitlyn Crocker, Lighting Designer Becky Russell and playwright Noelle Janaczewska. The End of Winter is a new work for the stage that speaks to our current climate crisis. Written in the wake of the devastation of the 2019 bushfires, it asks: What is happening to Winter? The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Thu, March 03, 2022
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: 'Don't Rain on My Parade' - Revisiting Drag Legend, Stan Munro
The rains have caused havoc with many folk around the country and we extend our thoughts and concern to those who are doing it tough at present. The advertised conversation with Tobin Saunders (aka Vanessa Wagner) will not be podcast today as planned. We will catch up with Tobin in a future episode. In lieu however, we are going to feature a conversation with the great Stan Munro, recorded in June, 2021. Stan was due in Sydney this week to celebrate his long career as another of our stellar drag artistes - nationally and on the global stage. Stan was to be featured in the Mardi Gras parade, but unlike Fanny Brice, the skies have rained on Stan's parade - for this year only. He'll be back where he belongs no doubt as soon as possible. We send Stan our best wishes and a happy Mardi Gras from afar! Born in Wales in 1941, Stan Munro has accumulated a life-time of wonderful adventure, challenge and triumph. His, is an eventful and colourful existence, navigated with resilience and a cheeky sense of humour. Stan's journey as a gender illusionist across several decades and continents has reaped countless anecdotes. Stan's first forays into frocks came when he would perform at family Christmas parties. Furniture would be parted and his family would be mesmerised by the boy miming to Rosemary Clooney. He played his first Pantomime Dame at the age of 12. He joined the entertainment industry working with a partner performing sight acts in variety around the UK. Along the way he worked with artists such as The Andrews Sisters, Petula Clarke, Tommy Cooper, Danny La Rue and Tessie O'Shea. He moved to Australia in 1963 and soon found himself employed as a male dancer in the famous Les Girls show in King's Cross, Sydney. Working with the Drag Artistes of the day ignited Stan's boyhood infatuation and he quickly joined the girls with his own blend of glamour and comedy. So much so that he was eventually appointed MC of the iconic revue. An extended season with the show followed at The Ritz, in St Kilda, Melbourne. It has been a career in heels since, as Stan has delighted, confused and amused audiences around the country. He has a fascinating story and an engaging take on life. He is wicked, charming and an absolute delight, as you will realise in this riotous episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, March 02, 2022
'Is Everybody Happy?' - Drag Legend; Ritchie Finger a.k.a. Cindy Pastel
In the bohemian world that is drag, few artists can lay claim to the exulted and ebullient eccentricity that is Cindy Pastel. The alter ego of performer Ritchie Finger, Cindy has been delighting, thrilling and astonishing audiences for close to 45 years. Guided through life by a signature catch cry 'Is Everybody Happy?', Pastel has ensured that we are always a satisfied audience. A unique talent, Finger has inspired generations of drag performers who have followed in his fabulous footsteps - whether they be in stilettos or on skates. Ritchie Finger arrived in Sydney from Melbourne in 1979 and became one of the many young drag addicts to work at 'Patch's' Nightclub on Sydney's celebrated Oxford street. An auspicious beginning, through entering a talent quest under the drag name Barbara Mattel (Barbie), allowed Finger to make an indelible impression, though he didn't earn a place. Finger discovered 'Barbie' had a younger sister and so, Cindy Pastel was born. The song that Finger performed was 'A Love Like Yours Don't Keep Knocking Every Day' featuring both Sonny AND Cher. "Once on stage I felt like I had been there before and my world became my stage for evermore". In the early part of the A.I.D.S. crisis Pastel was a tireless worker for HIV/AIDS organisations and charities. The decimation of community was enormous and Pastel states "I believe the microphone was my personal way of unleashing anger towards the hideous disease. I felt like an Andrews sister doing her bit through shows during war time". Cindy Pastel exploded onto a multitude of stages through the 80's and was in high demand performing shows at the Hordern Pavillion for Mardi Gras, Sleaze Ball, Bacchanalia, Rat, and Sweatbox parties. Cindy Pastel worked at The iconic Albury Hotel for many years forming a group called 'The Showbags' consisting of Miss 3D, Twisty (Pat Gently) and numerous other showbag fill-ins such as Kandy Conrad and Sara Pax. Cindy formed other drag ensembles at pubs and clubs like Stranded Nightclub, where she worked with Channelle Saint Laurent and Christina. They were called 'The 3C's'. At The Exchange Hotel Cindy performed with a group called 'Mixed Company' with Julie Ashton, Ginger Benson, and Polly Petrie as the male dancer. Finger's performance work has also extended beyond drag as an actor in Richard Wherrett's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, staged at The Sydney Opera House; and roles in the films The Everlasting Secret Family, Desire, Hand Job, Gone Tomorrow and the documentary Ladies Please! The celebrated film Priscilla - Queen of the Desert entered Ritchie Finger's world when his life story inspired the character of Tick, played by Hugo Weaving. Finger travelled to London and The Cannes film festival to promote the film and further his own adventure. A delicious icing on the remarkable cake of Ritchie Finger's career was sitting in the silver shoe atop the Priscilla bus, in the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. A recognition that cel
Tue, March 01, 2022
'Everybody Dance Now!' - Music Promoter, Producer and DJ, Dan Murphy
DJ Dan Murphy has followed a passion to create avenues for people to enjoy music. He writes and produces music and music videos. He is best known though as a charismatic and dynamic DJ, overseeing a variety of parties and events, globally and throughout Australia. In Sydney, he is the creative genius behind the popular party concept IRH (I Remember House). The event is known for its high quality music and production, and has become an iconic party in Sydney. In addition to playing his own parties, Dan has been a regular DJ at the iconic Sydney Mardi Gras party. He has been enlisted to select and mix the soundtrack for the New Year's Eve fireworks displays in Sydney Harbour. A far journey from the young man who studied pipe organ and piano at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. The enduring period of isolation and the climate of closure saw Dan turn his talents to a variety of online entertainments to connect with an audience and ensure they could access expression through music. Like us all, he pines for an outcome when we can gather freely again and celebrate community and dance with spellbinding music. DJ Dan joined Stages to provide an insight to the science of music and the career path that has allowed him to be part ring-master, part magician and all charm. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Mon, February 28, 2022
'There is Nothing Like a Dame' - Showgirl & Drag Doyen; Monique Kelly
Monique Kelly is one of Australia's greatest drag artists. Equally adept at glamorous, torch-song and comic turns, she commands the stage with a comprehensive appreciation of stagecraft, savvy and seduction. Monique first stepped on to a stage at Gilligans, Bondi Beach in 1972, and has never stopped her desire to please an audience. In 1973 she took up residence in Kings Cross and was a featured performer at the Carousel Cabaret and an original cast member of the long-running revue Les Girls, touring Australia and New Zealand. It's at this time that Monique Kelly created the Golden Girls and staged crowd pleasing shows at the Unicorn Hotel, The Flinders Hotel and the Taxi Club. Her cheeky pantos at the Taxi Club set new levels of production and fabulously outrageous costuming for a cast of three. Monique Kelly has headlined at almost every gay hotel and club on Sydney's golden mile. Iconic venues from a time passed, all of which offered a joyous celebration of the art of Drag; the Unicorn, Patches, Capriccios, Tropicana, Flo's Place, Paddington Green Hotel, the Albury and Annie's Bar. In the early nineties Monique joined the original cast of the famous 'Carlotta and her Beautiful Boys' revue as its comedian. This production show travelled for several years to every major town and City across the entire country playing to packed audiences who would never forget the fantastic experience of seeing this artist at her best. In 2002 she made a triumphant return to our spotlights starring in her own show at The Venus Room, bringing the kind of original performance, not seen on other stages. Monique has been involved with, and worked tirelessly fund raising for all of the major charities related to HIV/AIDS for many years, especially the Luncheon Club. She has appeared in and compered the Luncheon Club's World AIDS Day picnic in the park, as well as the Carols in the Park at Christmas time. In 2002 Monique Kelly was inducted into the DIVA Hall of Fame - an acknowledgement of her generosity, skill and fabulousness as a performer, and Sydney icon. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Whooshkaa, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages). www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sun, February 20, 2022
The STAGES Podcast - Season 5 - We're Back!
The STAGES podcast enters it's 5th year in 2022. A host of great guests is guaranteed! Tune in weekly with host Peter Eyers as he celebrates creative talents on stage and off. STAGES returns on March 1st. Catch you then!
Thu, December 23, 2021
'A Stages Christmas' - Final episode of Season 4
The STAGES podcast now arrives at the final episode of Season 4 - a Christmas themed addition featuring Geraldine Turner and Kate Fitzpatrick. It's been a big year for the podcast, dropping 87 episodes in 2021. And what a year! Join us for this Christmas Eve edition as Kate and I reflect on Christmas' past and present; we pull some crackers, and reflect on Stephen Sondheim's legacy with Geraldine Turner. We again feature the Ron Creager and Tina Tessina penned Christmas song, 'Christmas Will Find Us Wherever We Are'; performed by Lauren Schmutter. And the cast of '9 to 5' jingle festive bells to carry us into a very 'Dolly' Christmas! We also highlight some of the theatre offerings heading our way in 2022. The STAGES podcast will be back in March. Thanks for your support through 2021. Have yourself a Merry Christmas and the best of times in the New Year!
Wed, December 22, 2021
'You're Not Wrong Narelle!' - Actor, Comedienne and National Treasure; Noeline Brown - Part 2
Noeline Brown is a National Treasure. A beloved star of stage and screen, Noeline first gained notice for her comedic skills in the brilliant Phillip Street Revues of the early 1960's in Sydney. Her TV fame began when she starred in the legendary satirical smash The Mavis Bramston Show in 1964, with Gordon Chater, Barry Creyton and Carol Raye. Starting in 1976, Noeline starred in The Naked Vicar Show along with Ross Higgins and Kev Golsby. She was also everyone's favourite panellist on Blankety Blanks with Graham Kennedy. Her film career features memorable roles in the classic Walkabout and Emma's War. Her sixty year stage career includes Don's Party, Cowardy Custard, Emerald City, Applause, Double Act, Valentine's Day, Later Than Spring and Wallflowering. Noeline won the Norman Kessell Award for Best Performance in 2008 for her starring role as Florence Foster Jenkins in Peter Quilter's Glorious. In 2014 Noeline starred as Maggie in the hit QTC production of Geoffrey Atherton's Mother and Son. In 2008 Noeline was made Australia's first Ambassador of Ageing. Her works as an author include "Longterm Memoir" and "Living the 1960's". In 2022, she is back on the boards and on tour in Mono: A three-person one-man show, alongside John Wood and Max Gillies. What a thrill to welcome Noeline Brown to STAGES! The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Mon, December 20, 2021
'There's Magic Happening in There!' - Actor, Comedienne and National Treasure; Noeline Brown - Part 1
Noeline Brown is a National Treasure. A beloved star of stage and screen, Noeline first gained notice for her comedic skills in the brilliant Phillip Street Revues of the early 1960's in Sydney. Her TV fame began when she starred in the legendary satirical smash The Mavis Bramston Show in 1964, with Gordon Chater, Barry Creyton and Carol Raye. Starting in 1976, Noeline starred in The Naked Vicar Show along with Ross Higgins and Kev Golsby. She was also everyone's favourite panellist on Blankety Blanks with Graham Kennedy. Her film career features memorable roles in the classic Walkabout and Emma's War. Her sixty year stage career includes Don's Party, Cowardy Custard, Emerald City, Applause, Double Act, Valentine's Day, Later Than Spring and Wallflowering. Noeline won the Norman Kessell Award for Best Performance in 2008 for her starring role as Florence Foster Jenkins in Peter Quilter's Glorious. In 2014 Noeline starred as Maggie in the hit QTC production of Geoffrey Atherton's Mother and Son. In 2008 Noeline was made Australia's first Ambassador of Ageing. Her works as an author include "Longterm Memoir" and "Living the 1960's". In 2022, she is back on the boards and on tour in Mono: A three-person one-man show, alongside John Wood and Max Gillies. What a thrill to welcome Noeline Brown to STAGES! The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, December 18, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - JOAN CARDEN from November 8th, 2020
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Joan Carden was born in Melbourne in 1937 on the anniversary of the great composer Giuseppe Verdi's birth. After understudying June Bronhill as 'The Merry Widow' in 1960, Joan Carden sought tuition in London studying with her major musical influence, London-trained and based, West Australian-born, multi-lingual, expatriate vocal coach, Vida Harford. She made her stage debut with The Australian Opera as 'Liu' in Turandot and 'Marguerite' in Faust. After much acclaim in Australia as 'Gilda' in Rigoletto she was invited to repeat the role at Covent Garden. Engagements ensued throughout the United Kingdom and United States. Joan Carden has sung virtually all the Mozart heroines. Her performance of 'Violetta' in Verdi's La Traviata has been noted for the moving interpretation. Her voice in 'Violetta's' famous aria, is on the sound track of the film Priscilla, Queen of The Desert. She has sung more than 50 major roles from the 18th century through to contemporary works. It is a magnificent career. Joan Carden is engaging grace and charm. In the episode she reflects warmly on a career that has not only brought audiences great joy but also rewarded her, in the ability to gift the art of song. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Thu, December 16, 2021
'An American, in Paris, in Australia' - New York City Ballet Principal & Broadway Leading Man, Robbie Fairchild
Robert Fairchild began dancing at the age of four in Salt Lake City. He began his training at the School of American Ballet at the age of 15 and shortly after rose through the ranks of the prestigious New York City Ballet. He became an apprentice with NYCB in June 2005. The following June, he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. He was promoted to soloist in May 2007 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in October 2009. Robert Fairchild made his Broadway debut with his breakout role as 'Jerry Mulligan' in the Tony Award-winning musical An American in Paris. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance By An Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, and won the 2015 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, the 2015 Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer, and the 2015 Theatre World Award. He was also nominated for the 2015 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance. He appeared for 12 years in NYCB's seasons at the Lincoln Center. His roles ranged from Prince Desirè in The Sleeping Beauty to works by world renowned choreographer William Forsythe. Television appearances include Julie's Greenroom on Netflix, Romeo in NYCB's Romeo and Juliet and Carousel Boy in NY Philharmonic's Carousel, both for PBS; Live From Lincoln Center, Dancing With The Stars, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Live with Kelly and Michael, CBS Sunday Morning, 60 Minutes. On film, Robert played a regal Munkustrap in the screen adaptation of Cats. He is charm personified and easily carries the mantle of Song & Dance man. STAGES caught up with him soon after his arrival in Australia, as he prepares to commence rehearsals for An American in Paris down under. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, December 15, 2021
'Happy Talk' - Actor, Singer, Painter; Katrina Retallick
Katrina Retallick is one of Australia's foremost leading ladies with an ever-growing list of theatre, film and television credits to her name. She grew up in Wagga Wagga and trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Her phenomenal credits include Big Fish, Titanic and New Rocky Horror Show. She was also in Sydney Theatre Company's Wharf Revue, alongside comedy legends Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott. Other performances include Ruthless! The Musical, with Katrina winning rave reviews for her lead role in the hilarious showbiz satire. Prior to that, Katrina's dramatic talents were on vivid display in her role as 'Trina' in the musical Falsettos and her riotous turn as brash Oklahoma heiress 'Jolene Oaks' in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels earned her a Sydney Theatre Award. As the high voltage 'Alice Beineke' in the New Theatricals' production of The Addams Family under renowned director Jerry Zaks, Katrina received outstanding critical acclaim and a Helpmann Award Nomination for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Earlier roles include A Little Night Music as 'Charlotte Malcolm', Wind in the Willows, Jekyll & Hyde, Las Vegas The Musical as 'Francesca Carlucci', Company as 'Sarah' and South Pacific as 'Nellie Forebush'. Katrina Retallick wrote and performed in her one-woman show called Impossible Blonde, which featured songs and stories of iconic blonde performers such as Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Andrews and Doris Day among many others. In film, Katrina appeared in the magic realism feature Accidents Happen with the legendary Geena Davis. She also performed in an operatic feature film co-produced by Channel 4 UK and ABC Australia called The Eternity Man. She is currently gracing stages as 'Diane' in the brilliant Come From Away - a show that proves the perfect tonic with its joyous celebration of humanity, community, and kindness. Welcome to STAGES ... Katrina Retallick. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Mon, December 13, 2021
'Ten Miles From Bergamo' - Celebrated Actor and Co-Creator of The Wharf Revue, Drew Forsythe
Drew Forsythe first appeared on stage in Sydney over 40 years ago. He grew up in far north Queensland and his prolific career on film, stage, and television has seen him become one of our favourite actors; equally adept in dramatic, comic and musical roles. A graduate of NIDA, he spent several years performing with the Old Tote Theatre company and the exciting new Nimrod theatre company, in a variety of roles that included The Seagull, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard 3, Twelfth Night, The Club, Comedy of Errors, Gone with Hardy, Romeo & Juliet, Henry 4, The Life of Galileo, The Three Sisters, The Bacchoi, Are you now or have you ever been? and Servant of Two Masters. Among his legendary performances, the title roles of the heroic Tonino and the foolish Zanetto in the Nick Enright/Terence Clarke musical, The Venetian Twins, are always recalled in awe. The show was written for Forsythe. He originated these dual roles for Nimrod Theatre Company in the first Sydney Theatre Company season in 1979, and subsequently in two revivals. Other stage musical appearances include Big River, Strictly Ballroom, The Republic of Myopia, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado. Drama credits include Mrs. Warren's Profession and Under Milkwood for the Sydney Theatre Company. He can lay claim to the unique position of being in the company of productions as they have opened new theatre venues. These include the Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House, Nimrod, Belvoir, and the Sydney Theatre (the Roz Packer). For the film Caddie, Forsythe received the 1976 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His television appearances include The Miraculous Mellops, The Dingo Principle, and Three Men and a Baby Grand, satirical sketch television comedy programs for which he was a writer/performer with Phillip Scott and Jonathan Biggins. The 'Three Men' team started in revue at the Tilbury Hotel, and much of the thematic material from these revues has been revisited and developed in the Sydney Theatre Company's 'Wharf Revue' series. He is presently performing in the Sydney season of the Wharf Revue, now playing at The Seymour Centre. The show is the perfect tonic to the tumultuous year in politics, and delivers the laugh we all need. Drew is erudite, engaging and possessed of a brilliant career in Australian theatre. At long last we can add Drew Forsythe to the absorbing alumni on STAGES. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, December 11, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - DONNA LEE from June 14th, 2018
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Donna Lee comes from a long line of performers. Show business is the family business. Donna belongs to the fifth generation of her family, to embrace performance as a career. As a child she travelled the country and performed with her parents. Her father Frank Cleary, was a juggler and variety performer; and her mother Gloria Dawn, was one of Australia's most versatile actors on the legitimate stage and musical theatre. Donna has been acknowledged with a Green Room Award for her role as Ado Annie in Oklahoma, and garnered a swag of Mo Awards for her cabaret work. Extensive work in musical theatre has seen Donna feature in shows such as Les Miserables, Summer Rain, Fiddler on the Roof and Dames at Sea. Television work has seen her reside in Summer Bay, Ramsay street and Wandin Valley. Donna is a font of knowledge and an exuberant guest. She loves a chat and a laugh, and celebrating a rich arts heritage. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, December 08, 2021
'The Prince of Polyester' - Journalist, Comedian, Actor and Broadcaster; Mark Trevorrow (aka Bob Downe)
One of Australia's most loved and enduring comedy characters, Bob Downe is the creation of journalist, comedian, actor and broadcaster Mark Trevorrow. Born in Melbourne, Mark started his working life at 17 as a copyboy with The Sun News-Pictorial, before co-founding cabaret comedy group The Globos, who released two Australian Top 20 hit singles, Tintarella di Luna (1982) and The Beat Goes On (1983). He created Bob Downe in 1984 and has toured the world as the Prince of Polyester ever since, becoming one of Australia's most loved and enduring comedy characters. Bob's stage shows have played to acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, with decades of touring across Australia and the UK including P&O Comedy Cruises and performing for the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance. Bob's TV appearances range from Countdown to The Project, from the Mike Walsh Show to Studio 10, and hosting multiple Sydney Mardi Gras broadcasts. As Mark he has been heard regularly on ABC local radio and presented The Way We Were, a ratings winner on ABC TV in 2004. He was also featured regularly on Kath & Kim as 'Darryl' the menswear salesman. Bob's comedy/chat series, The Bob Downe Show (Foxtel/ TV1), went to air in December 2000. Bob Downe's national theatre tours, Whiter! Brighter!, Cold August Night and iBob have been sellouts everywhere, including the Sydney Opera House and the State Theatre. Bob is presently touring Viva Bob Vegas. Catch it if you can. It's a joyous celebration of camp, crooners, lounge and laughter. Bob always delivers! So does Mark, in this fervent and fabulous chin-wag for STAGES. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Mon, December 06, 2021
'Been a Long Day' - Musical Theatre Stalwart; Meredith O'Reilly
Meredith O'Reilly has been an entertainer for over 35 years. A popular and reliable ensemble member, and supporting player, her theatrical highlights include Starkers, Les Misérables, Hello Dolly!, Chess, New Rocky Horror Show, Gypsy, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, The Producers, Karaoke the Musical, Rain, Love Never Dies, The Addams Family and My Fair Lady. Meredith played the role of theatrical agent Sylvia St. Croix in Ruthless! in 2014. She toured Australia in The Sound Of Music as Baroness Elberfeld, understudying Sr Berthe and Frau Schmidt, playing the latter role for six weeks in Sydney. She played principal roles in the Australian productions Karaoke the Musical, Life Force and King Of The Air (in concert at City Recital Hall, Sydney). Meredith's most recent cabaret, Curtains, about her showbiz ups and downs was seen at Sydney's Glen St Theatre, the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre and in The Bondi Cabaret Festival in 2019. In 2020 she performed a new solo show at Claire's Kitchen. She fronts 18 piece Big Band Horns Plus led by Bob Coassin. Meredith has appeared in numerous TV dramas, commercials, corporate ﬁlms and is a voiceover artist. She has hosted several radio shows and narrated audio books for Vision Australia for ten years. Meredith reflects on a career of great joy and wonderful moments. She ponders what has contributed to her longevity in an industry that can be precarious. And she engages with an effusive and sanguine personality. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, December 04, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - GRAEME BROWNING/MITZI MACINTOSH from May 31st 2018
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Mitzi Macintosh is a much loved drag doyen who graced the stages of prominent Sydney venues for over two decades. Outrageous, subversive, possessed with a heart of gold and immaculate comic timing, she is the drag persona of performer Graeme Browning. Now residing in the UK, Graeme (and Mitzi) were back in Sydney in March 2018 for their first one-woman show - 'Mitzi Macintosh - My Life in Lipstick' - a riotous evening presented as part of the 40th Anniversary Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Graeme's knowledge of drag as an art form and recollection of a Sydney now past, is extensive. He is a precious custodian of the vibrant drag scene that existed in Sydney through the 1980s and 90s. He sat down with STAGES, three days after the Mardi Gras parade and party, to discuss his show, his process, and the art of Drag. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, December 01, 2021
'The Art of Making Art' - Artistic Director, Queensland Theatre Company; Lee Lewis
Lee Lewis commenced her career as an actor, training at Columbia University in New York. Her performance resumes includes work on and off-Broadway. Upon her return to Australia she completed a Masters of Directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. As a director, Lee has forged a stellar career and it is exciting to see that her work on Suzie Miller's incredible Prima Facie helped build an international appetite for this powerful production, which debuts in London next year. Lee has been an outspoken advocate for increased cultural diversity on Australian main stages, and a leading voice for the representation of female directors and playwrights. In 2013 she was appointed Artistic Director at The Griffin Theatre in Sydney, overseeing a vast array of new Australian works. In 2020 she became A.D. of the Queensland Theatre Company; a month in, confronted with the challenge presented by the Covid pandemic and the closure of theatres. Lee's vast resume has seen her directing classic and new work at companies around Australia including the Sydney and Melbourne Theatre Companies and Bell Shakespeare. The theatre she has given vision to includes Our Town, Family Values, First Love is the Revolution, Is There Something Wrong With That Lady?, The Almighty Sometimes, Kill Climate Deniers, Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography, The Homosexuals or 'Faggots', The Bleeding Tree, Emerald City, A Rabbit for Kim Jong-il, The Serpent's Table, Silent Disco, Smurf In Wanderland, The Call, A Hoax, The Nightwatchman, The Literati, The Misanthrope, Mary Stuart, Honour, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Hayfever, Rupert; That Face, The School for Wives and Twelfth Night. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. And where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, November 27, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - JOHN FROST from March 26th, 2020
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. John Frost was featured in a 2-part conversation for STAGES in season three of the podcast. The episodes have garnered much attention and awe for John's candid insight into a life in the theatre. They are required listening for anyone fascinated by this business we call show. Known affectionately as Frosty the Showman; impresario Frost has been at the pinnacle of Musical Theatre in Australia for several decades. The Gordon Frost Organisation has contributed much of the commercial product that has traversed stages around the country. His productions have garnered a swag of local awards as well as two Tony Awards on the Broadway stage. He left school at 15 and began his career as a dresser on the JC Williamson's production of Mame. Frost had found what he wanted to do and the young apprentice garnered enormous knowledge working his way through a succession of roles - Wardrobe Master, Office Assistant to Ken Brodziak, Stage Manager, Company Manager and Agent - each experience informing his prized accomplishment as Producer. In 1983 John Frost co-founded the Gordon Frost Organisation with Ashley Gordon. Following a triumphant run of shows, the company recently transitioned to become Crossroads Live. In 2022, Crossroads Live will be presenting Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella and Dolly Parton's 9 to 5. It's a riveting story and John speaks frankly and with great wit, about his journey and what is involved in being Frosty the Showman. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, November 24, 2021
'A Right Royal Occasion' - CEO of the Theatre Royal, & Director/Co-Owner GWB Entertainment -Torben Brookman
December 2nd, will see the glorious Theatre Royal open its doors once again to usher its audience into a refreshed cultural haven. Regarded as the city's oldest theatre, it has been on the same site since 1875, albeit through a few incarnations. In 1975, famed architect Harry Seidler reimagined the theatre and it found home as part of the MLC Centre, on King Street. Dark since 2016, the theatre will burst into life with the stage adaptation of Alana Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. Productions of Girl from the North Country and An American in Paris follow early in the new year guaranteeing the Theatre Royal as a venue to see exciting and stimulating theatrical fare. Torben Brookman is CEO of the Theatre Royal. He is an experienced producer and presenter with a wide range of experience across commercial theatre, festivals, venue management and funded organisations. Along with producing and presenting throughout Australia and New Zealand, Torben has specialised in producing and touring productions throughout Asia since 2001. Torben is a founding director of GWB Entertainment. Previous roles have included Deputy Executive Director of the Adelaide Festival, General Manager and Executive Producer of The Ambassador Theatre Group Asia Pacific, Executive Producer of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Commercial Projects at the Adelaide Festival Centre and Associate Producer at The Really Useful Group Asia Pacific, Producer at the Adelaide Festival of Arts and General Manager of the Australian Festival for Young People. A prolific producer of first-class theatrical productions, Torben's recent shows have included West Side Story (Australia, Germany, New Zealand), School of Rock (Australia, China, Korea, New Zealand), Matilda the Musical (South Africa, Singapore, China, Philippines), The King and I (London, Tokyo, UK), 1984 (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore) and The Rocky Horror Show (Australia). The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. And where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, November 20, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - MARK MORRISSEY from August 29th, 2019
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Mark Morrissey is one of the elders of the Agent profession in Australia. Now in his 36th year, Morrissey Management represents and guides the careers of many of our finest actors on local and world stages. Morrissey began his career as an actor in television shows like Rafferty's Rules, Sons and Daughters and Prisoner; a perfect vantage point to garner essential experience by observing work behind the camera. The knowledge acquired would inform his ambition and understanding, ultimately propelling him into a position as one of the country's best. A meeting with Mark is met with charm, calm and a keen desire to contribute to an ever evolving industry. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, November 17, 2021
'From There to Eternity' - Founding CEO and Emeritus Artistic Director of The Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Glenn Terry
Darlinghurst Theatre Company recently unveiled a new two-pronged leadership team with current Co-Artistic Director Amylia Harris promoted as sole Artistic Director and founding CEO Glenn Terry taking on the newly created role of Executive Director. This restructuring is accompanied by Terry's announcement that he plans to retire in early 2022. For Glenn Terry, this has been a long time coming, and the culmination of many years spent searching for the right person to whom he could entrust his legacy - someone who understands that social inclusion is part of the Darlo DNA. Inclusion has been a hallmark of Glenn Terry's work, since the 1992 establishment of Darlo Drama, an acting school for adults of all ages and from all walks of life. The following year he presented an all-female staging of Waiting for Godot, before founding Milk Crate Theatre, which is celebrating 21 years of theatre making specifically by and with people who have lived experience of homelessness, mental health issues and disability. In 2005 Terry established Critical Stages Touring to deliver outstanding independent productions to every corner of the nation, and in 2009, after many years of lobbying for a larger space, the City of Sydney invited Terry to collaborate on the design and construction of the 200-seat Eternity Playhouse, which became the home of Darlinghurst Theatre Company in 2013. The company's former home, which Terry had also fitted out at the Reginald Murphy Hall in Potts Point, now houses the Hayes Theatre. Few people can claim to have given a city two brand new theatres and founded four unique performing arts organisations that continue to thrive. Glenn Terry has done just that. With all these achievements behind him, Terry is confident he can finally hand over the artistic reigns to a new Artistic Director and begin the process of transitioning out of the company he's spent the last thirty years building. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, November 13, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - KEVIN JACKSON from June 28th, 2018
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Kevin Jackson is widely known to be one of Australia's most effective acting teachers. Completing extensive periods with the old NIDA Acting course and the American Conservatory Theatre course in San Francisco, his knowledge and passion for the craft of acting has no comparison. He's guided many of Australia's best and noted actors, with insights and an approach which is direct, firm and fosters discovery. In recent years his passion has extended to the development of an online blog that reviews live performance - The KJ Theatre Diary. These detailed appraisals not only provide us with an assessment of production and performance, but a considered history of the play and extensive reflection on the creatives - from the original work and subsequent productions. To read a KJ review provides one with the intelligence of his reaction, a record of the cultural landscape and a greater appreciation of this most hypnotic craft. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, November 10, 2021
'Making Theatre For Young People' - Monkey Baa Artistic Director, Eva Di Cesare
Eva Di Cesare graduated from Victorian College of the Arts in 1989. She is a founding member of Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People, established in 1997, along with Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge. In 2021, Eva commenced her appointment as Artistic Director of the company. Based in Sydney, the company has achieved critical acclaim for its work and today enjoys a national reputation for producing quality theatre programs for young people, their families and theatre goers. Eva has directed Jackie French and Bruce Whatley's Diary of a Wombat, which won the Glug Award for Outstanding Presentation for Children. Cesare also wrote and directed Where the Streets Had a Name, based on the novel by Randa Abdel-Fattah. She has co-adapted Sydney Theatre Award winning play Li Cunxin's The Peasant Prince, Helpmann award winning plays Jackie French's Hitler's Daughter and Sonya Hartnett's Thursday's Child, Tim Winton's The Bugalugs Bum Thief, Morris Gleitzman's Worry Warts, Gillian Rubinstein's The Fairy's Wings, Stephen Michael King's Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat, Susanne Gervay's I Am Jack, Elizabeth Fensham's Goodbye Jamie Boyd, Duncan Ball's Emily Eyefinger, and Jackie French and Bruce Whatley's Pete the Sheep and Josephine Wants to Dance. She also co-wrote and directed the 2013 Opera House show Babies Proms Series and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (with Sandra Eldridge) for CDP Theatre Producers, and Simon Tedeschi Pianist and Prankster for Monkey Baa. Monkey Baa's Mission is to produce high quality theatre programs for young people, their families, teachers and communities throughout Australia and internationally. The company's vision is to be recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in the creation of meaningful and innovative theatre for young people, and to engage young audiences through the telling of Australian stories that entertain, inspire and encourage a greater understanding of the world and their place in it. In 2017 Eva was awarded a Sydney Theatre Award for 20 years of excellence and extraordinary service to the children and young people of Australia. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, November 06, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - KATE GAUL from August 23rd, 2018
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Kate Gaul has established herself as a distinctive and inventive director, with directing credits including plays, opera, physical theatre, devised works, and classics for theatre companies and schools in Australia. She is Artistic Director of Siren Theatre Company where her passion is for text-based drama which challenges artists and audiences to have bold imaginative experiences. She has been a considerable force in playmaking in Australia over the past 25 years. Directing premiere productions and new Australian works. Her directing folio has covered a broad repertoire of stories - The Laramie Project, The Trouble with Harry, Svetlana in Slingbacks, The Ham Funeral, Run Rabbit Run, The Moors and Good With Maps, to touch on a few. A champion of the work of Irish playwright Enda Walsh, she has directed productions of his plays Penelope, The New Electric Ballroom and Misterman - this last play receiving extensive glowing accolades and huge success at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival. Opera credits include Castor + Pollux (Pinchgut), Eight Songs for a Mad King (Verbruggen Ensemble), The Cunning Little Vixen (Sydney Chamber Opera), Hansel and Gretel (Pacific Opera), Il Matrimonio Segreto, English Eccentrics, Les Mamelles de Tiresias, Cendrillon (Sydney Conservatorium), Dialogues of the Carmelites, Die Fledermaus (WAPPA). For Opera Australia, Kate was the assistant director of Rigoletto (Opera Australia) Aida, Opera Australia's Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour and revival director for the schools' production By the Light of the Moon, and OZ Opera production of Carmen, 2007. Kate directed a gender-bending H.M.S Pinafore for Hayes Theatre and its NSW tour in 2020. During the pandemic Kate has been a saviour in lockdown, regularly recommending a vast repertoire of world theatre that periodically played online. She has her finger on the pulse of exhilarating theatre and those who make it. If it's a must-see, Kate will urge us to see it. Kate Gaul is a vital artist and one whose productions never fail to impress, to engage and to prompt discussion. sirentheatreco.com The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, November 03, 2021
'The Talent Box' - Talent Agent/Manager, Sonya Marturano
Sonya Marturano has been a leading actor's Agent/Manager for over 20 years. She began her career at Kids Casting Agency in 1997 where she worked for 3 years and then opened up her own agency and talent studio in 2001. The Fame Talent Management & Studios operated for 7 years and in 2008 Sonya joined the team at Random Management, where where she has been actively involved in management for the past 12 years. She has worked with many young actors in developing them for stage and screen. Having her own children involved in the entertainment business, she knows very well what it's like to be a parent of a young performer. She is aware of the sacrifices made to give children the opportunities to help them succeed in a challenging industry. Talent Box is the Youth Division of Random Talent Management. They are Australia's leading youth talent agency specialising in the development of young talent for the stage & screen. The talented client base at Random Management and Talent Box have worked locally and Internationally. Sonya provides an insightful look at the work of an Actor's Agent, and candid advice to the young performer, and their parents, considering a career as an actor. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, October 30, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - JANET HOLMES À COURT from November 21st, 2019
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them first time 'round - or so you can simply savour a second listen. Either way, you'll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages. Janet Holmes à Court is charming, astute and informed; recognising the supreme necessity for us all to celebrate and embrace the arts across all genres. She grew up in a household infused with the arts. Her parents instilled in her an enduring love of art, music and theatre. Ms Holmes à Court is recognised as a leading philanthropist and a major collector of indigenous art, which contributes to an extensive collection, much of which is loaned to public galleries around the world. She has guided, chaired and managed strong associations with arts organisations such as the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the Australian Children's Television Foundation, the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG). It is a career of vast artistic governance and leadership. Janet was a founding patron and chairperson of Western Australia's Black Swan Theatre Company, recognising the enormous benefit of a state theatre company that traverses local and indigenous stories, and explores an expansive repertoire of classic, and international works. Janet Holmes à Court was featured in season two, during a STAGES visit to Perth. She was one of several creatives joining STAGES to converse and celebrate the immense artistic output and creation that has emanated from and continues to thrive in Western Australia. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, October 27, 2021
'Ash Magic' - Magician and Tik Tok Sensation, Ash Hodgkinson
Ash Hodgkinson fell in love with magic and started busking in the streets of Sydney when he was just eleven years old. Magic became a passion that opened doors and he quickly started performing through his teens, across the country and internationally, on stage and on TV. As a young boy he experienced ADHD and anxiety. Magic provided a focus to manage this. His live shows collected awards along the way; the Sydney Fringe Festival - Best Kids Entertainment, Overall winner at Short and Sweet Comedy and Magic Festival, Australian Junior Magic Champion and New Zealand Magic Champion. Performances included public and corporate gigs, but the best shows of all were the shows in children's hospitals and the slums of India. These experiences confirmed in Ash a belief that finding good vibes whatever your circumstances can, and should be, a global message. This was the seed from which the @ashmagic channel grew and connected with a global audience providing magic, behind the scenes tutorials, comedy skits, but also connecting with the audience through comments and responses as only social media can. Every day Ash's videos are driven by his mantra of "love, accept and respect". Unlike traditional channels, Ash will regularly post videos to his followers with positive affirmation messages and promoting mental health self care. All videos are original, scripted, directed, filmed and edited by Ash. Ash has pursued his passion for Acting too in completing a course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He has practiced this craft as a core cast member of the television series R.F.D.S. playing Henry Harrod on the Channel 7 program. It is Ash's unique approach to the @ashmagic channel which is the subject of the biography "Real Magic by Ash Magic" commissioned by Penguin Random House and released recently in August. Ash is enthusiastic, energetic and excited - to pursue his passions and to spread optimistic messages of acceptance, inclusion, respect - and following your dreams. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, October 23, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - JAN RUSS from May 9th, 2019
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES showcases such episodes in case you didn't catch them, first time around - or perhaps for you to enjoy, a second time. Either way, you're accessing vibrant oral histories of around, and on, our stages. A variety of performance roles in the ranks of JC Williamson produced musicals, gave Jan Russ a first-hand knowledge of the actor's craft. Her informed eye, and passion for talent, ultimately lead her to a role in which she was able to guide and nurture actors as they entered residency in one of Australia's most iconic locations; Ramsay street, Erinsborough. Casting came calling initially to Jan through Crawford productions - the production house responsible for an extensive repertoire of great Australian content. A move to the Grundy organisation provided a casting role that oversaw the population of Wentworth Detention centre in the iconic series Prisoner. It wasn't long before she was on the ground floor of a new series, originally titled Living Together. It would eventually be christened NEIGHBOURS and go on to become part of the echelon of Australian Television history, and make its mark around the world. For almost 30 years Jan was the Casting Director of this television juggernaut - Neighbours. Jan possesses an infinite knowledge of the craft of acting on stage and screen. She is a living legend and a fine raconteur who converses with enormous joy and ardour; giving STAGES a fascinating insight to the business of casting and a unique journey in the theatre. Jan was guest No: 42 and featured in Season 2 of the STAGES podcast.
Wed, October 20, 2021
"Think of Musical Comedy-the most glorious words in the English language!" - Music Theatre International Managing Director: Australasia, Stuart Hendricks
Putting on a show is one of life's great joys. The process creates community, cultivates creativity and brings live performance to audiences who crave a didactic and entertaining experience from the theatre. Commercial, amateur and educational bodies who wish to procure the rights to present a musical must first apply to the representative of the authors of such properties. Whether you're an established professional or a community theatre, a licence to present a work must be obtained, to ensure the intellectual property is protected and the necessary parties receive their rightful compensation. Music Theatre International is one such agent managing an extensive library of classic and contemporary Musical fare. MTI was founded in 1952 by American composer and lyricist Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker. MTI's catalogue includes legendary shows ranging from Guys and Dolls, West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof, to popular titles like Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors and Mamma Mia! The company also represents the majority of works of Stephen Sondheim, as well as all the stage productions of Disney Theatrical and Cameron Mackintosh (including The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Miss Saigon and Les Miserables). In an attempt to make many of these titles user-friendly for a variety of keen theatre-makers, MTI has adapted many of the shows for the BROADWAY JUNIOR arm of the company. The modified editions have been a great salvation of many teachers and youth theatre groups as the show becomes more manageable and performer and audience friendly. Stuart Hendricks is the Managing Director of Music Theatre International, Australasia and knows only too well the benefits of story-telling with showtunes. His creative and collaborative approach to providing access to the shows for professional, community and school producers, his passion for every work and the form of musical theatre and his equal respect for the elements of 'show' and 'business' make him the perfect guardian for this vast collection of shows. Stuart joins STAGES to elaborate on the history of the company, the many ways it serves its clients and the triumph and challenge of mounting a show! The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, October 16, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - TONI LAMOND from April 19th, 2018 - STAGES inaugural episode
The legendary Toni Lamond requires no introduction. She is synonymous with Australian Entertainment having made her mark across all genres; television, film, theatre, cabaret, recording, concert, publications and of course, musical theatre. Showbiz is in her DNA; all of her family members have contributed significantly to the arts, in Australia; and internationally. It is indeed the family business! Toni Lamond exudes vast optimism and palpable passion - traits that have been steadfast in navigating her illustrious career. A career that has included a number of firsts. Lamond lead the company of The Pajama Game as Babe Williams in J. C. Williamsons first foray into casting a musical with a company of Australian performers. And she was the first to host a television show as a guest host of infinite charm on GTV 9s, In Melbourne Tonight. Toni was the inaugural guest on STAGES in 2018, sharing with us a long life of triumph, challenge and dedication. She shared insights into a stellar career that made her one of our first, bona-fide stars.
Wed, October 13, 2021
'My Life is Music, Music is my Life' - Music Royalty, Marcia Hines
Marcia Hines is an iconic presence in Australian entertainment. She is beloved by colleagues and audiences on the concert stage, television and theatre. With a career spanning five decades, she has released 22 albums, selling 2.6 million copies, and has garnered countless chart-topping singles and multi-platinum records. Marcia is an inspiration to women and Australians everywhere, constantly reinventing herself and setting industry benchmarks. She moved from Boston Massachusetts to Sydney at just 16 to star in the Australian production of Hair, she created history being the first black woman to star as Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar and she has advocated ceaselessly for diabetes. Marcia was Australian Idol's favourite judge for the show's seven consecutive years, and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007. She received the Order of Australia (AM) in 2009 for her services to the Australian Entertainment Industry as a performer, judge and mentor, and to the community through a range of charitable organisations. She's been a favourite thespian too! A succession of stage musicals have demonstrated her range and consummate skill in telling a story through song. Her impressive resume of stage triumphs include Jerry's Girls, Big River, Velvet, Velvet Rewired, Are You Lonesome Tonight? and Saturday Night Fever. In early 2020, Marcia became 'The Dragon' in the long-awaited Australian premiere of Shrek The Musical. Whether recording artist, judge, mentor, advocate or actor, the legendary former 'Queen of Pop' shows no sign of letting up! The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, October 09, 2021
'Bohemian Rhapsody' - Operatic, Recording, Concert and Stage Favourite, David Hobson - Part 2
Australian tenor and composer David Hobson is one of Australia's best-known operatic, concert and stage performers, with a repertoire that spans the gamut of musical styles from Baroque through to Pop. Beginning his career in rock and jazz bands, David's potential as a 'classical' singer was discovered by the Victoria State Opera in the 1980s. He subsequently made his name with Opera Australia in his award winning performance of Rodolfo in La Boheme directed by Baz Luhrmann. Since then he has gone on to become a well regarded classical performer, major recording artist, most recently a music theatre leading man and a frequent television performer on shows like Carols By Candlelight, Carols in The Domain, Spicks and Specks, Dancing With the Stars, It Takes Two, and as a presenter on Foxtel's Studio. He has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in the Great Hall in Canberra and sung at the AFL Grand Final. His many operatic roles include Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Ferrando (Cosi Fan Tutte), Tamino (The Magic Flute), Don Ramiro (La Cenerentola), Count Almaviva (The Barber of Saville), Nadir (Pearl Fishers), Lindoro (L'Italiana in Algeri), Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Nemorino (l'elisir d'amore), Eisentein (Die Fledermaus), Danilo (The Merry Widow), Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance) Nanki-Poo (The Mikado), Marco (The Gondoliers), Ralph Rackstraw (H.M.S. Pinafore), the Defendant (Trial By Jury), the title roles in Orphee and Candide, The Architect in the world premiere of The Eighth Wonder and, most recently, Caractacus Potts in the Australian premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. His international roles include Chevalier Danceny in Dangerous Liaisons with Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson for San Francisco Opera. Recordings include The Promise, A Little Closer, Presenting David Hobson, The Exquisite Hour, Cinema Paradiso, French and Italian Arias, Handel Arias, Inside This Room, Tenor and Baritone (with Anthony Warlow), You'll Never Walk Alone (with Teddy Tahu-Rhodes) and Singing for Love (with Yvonne Kenny). He is Musica Viva's In Schools Ambassador, an Ambassador for Heart Kids and Patron of the Ballarat Arts Foundation. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, October 06, 2021
'Going in Hard' - Composer and Singer, David Hobson - Part 1
Australian tenor and composer David Hobson is one of Australia's best-known operatic, concert and stage performers, with a repertoire that spans the gamut of musical styles from Baroque through to Pop. Beginning his career in rock and jazz bands, David's potential as a 'classical' singer was discovered by the Victoria State Opera in the 1980s. He subsequently made his name with Opera Australia in his award winning performance of Rodolfo in La Boheme directed by Baz Luhrmann. Since then he has gone on to become a well regarded classical performer, major recording artist, most recently a music theatre leading man and a frequent television performer on shows like Carols By Candlelight, Carols in The Domain, Spicks and Specks, Dancing With the Stars, It Takes Two, and as a presenter on Foxtel's Studio. He has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in the Great Hall in Canberra and sung at the AFL Grand Final. His many operatic roles include Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Ferrando (Cosi Fan Tutte), Tamino (The Magic Flute), Don Ramiro (La Cenerentola), Count Almaviva (The Barber of Saville), Nadir (Pearl Fishers), Lindoro (L'Italiana in Algeri), Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Nemorino (l'elisir d'amore), Eisentein (Die Fledermaus), Danilo (The Merry Widow), Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance) Nanki-Poo (The Mikado), Marco (The Gondoliers), Ralph Rackstraw (H.M.S. Pinafore), the Defendant (Trial By Jury), the title roles in Orphee and Candide, The Architect in the world premiere of The Eighth Wonder and, most recently, Caractacus Potts in the Australian premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. His international roles include Chevalier Danceny in Dangerous Liaisons with Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson for San Francisco Opera. Recordings include The Promise, A Little Closer, Presenting David Hobson, The Exquisite Hour, Cinema Paradiso, French and Italian Arias, Handel Arias, Inside This Room, Tenor and Baritone (with Anthony Warlow), You'll Never Walk Alone (with Teddy Tahu-Rhodes) and Singing for Love (with Yvonne Kenny). He is Musica Viva's In Schools Ambassador, an Ambassador for Heart Kids and Patron of the Ballarat Arts Foundation. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, October 02, 2021
'When you get it, If you get it ... Good you got it!' - Australia's Leading Lady of Musical Theatre, Marina Prior - Part 2
In our first episode Marina described her artistic life growing up, and the audition that changed her life. She scored the lead role of Mabel in the 1983 production of The Pirates of Penzance, alongside Jon English, Simon Gallaher, David Atkins and June Bronhill. In Part 2 of STAGES conversation, we launch into further story and reflection of a life in the theatre, working on iconic shows like Cats, Les Mis and the Phantom of the Opera in an insightful instalment - celebrating the magnificent career of a dynamic leading lady - Marina Prior. Marina has played leading roles in over thirty productions including The Pirates of Penzance, Cats, Les Miserables, Die Fledermaus, Anything Goes, West Side Story, The Secret Garden, Showboat, The Merry Widow, The Witches of Eastwick, Noises Off, Harp on the Willow, Annie Get Your Gun, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Hypocrite, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,Guys & Dolls, Mary Poppins, Promises Promises, The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly, Hay Fever, Fun Home and Dream Lover. Marina's recordings include Leading Lady (which reached platinum status), Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber (which reached gold status and for which she was nominated for an ARIA award), Somewhere - the Songs of Sondheim and Bernstein and, more recently, Both Sides Now, Encore and Christmas Candlelight. In 2006, she was honoured with induction into Australia's 100 Entertainers of the Century. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, September 29, 2021
'A Prior Engagement' - Australia's Leading Lady of Musical Theatre, Marina Prior - Part 1
Marina Prior is regarded as Australia's leading lady of musical theatre. She is best known for her lead role in The Phantom of the Opera which she played for over three years. She has also performed with international stars including Richard Harris, José Carreras and international vocal group Il Divo. Marina has played leading roles in over thirty productions including The Pirates of Penzance, Cats, Les Miserables, Die Fledermaus, Anything Goes, West Side Story, The Secret Garden, Showboat, The Merry Widow, The Witches of Eastwick, Noises Off, Harp on the Willow, Annie Get Your Gun, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Hypocrite, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,Guys & Dolls, Mary Poppins, Promises Promises, The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly, Hay Fever, Fun Home and Dream Lover. Whilst she is well known to television audiences through her appearances on Carols by Candlelight and as a judge on Channel Seven's top rating It Takes Two. In 2015, Marina starred in the ABC television series The Divorce. Marina's recordings include Leading Lady (which reached platinum status), Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber (which reached gold status and for which she was nominated for an ARIA award), Somewhere - the Songs of Sondheim and Bernstein and, more recently, Both Sides Now, Encore and Christmas Candlelight. Over the years, she has won numerous awards for her performances on stage as well as an Advance Australia Award for her contribution to the performing arts. In 1999, Marina was surprised on stage by the television program This is Your Life which celebrated her life in the Arts. In 2006, she was honoured with induction into Australia's 100 Entertainers of the Century. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Fri, September 24, 2021
'Back to Broadway' - Two-Time Tony Award Winner, Impresario John Frost
Broadway is back! A swag of productions that were forced into an extended hiatus, upstaged by Covid, are back in theatres on the Great White Way. The return to the business of show coincides with the 74th Tony Awards ceremony. The event takes place on September 26th at The Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. STAGES is joined in this episode by two-time Tony winner; Producer John Frost. Known affectionately as Frosty the Showman; impresario John Frost has been at the pinnacle of Musical Theatre in Australia for several decades. The Gordon Frost Organisation has contributed much of the commercial product that has filled theatres and graced stages around the country. His productions have garnered a swag of local awards as well as Tony Awards for productions of The King & I and Hairspray. Locally he has presented Australian productions of Broadway fare that has included Wicked, Big River, The Producers, Legally Blonde, Chicago and Pippin. Frosty reflects on his various attendances at the Tony Awards and the thrill of being acknowledged by the Broadway community. He also ponders our own Helpmann Awards, describes the recent transition of the Gordon Frost Organisation to Crossroads Live, and hints at what he could be presenting in 2022. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, September 22, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - REG LIVERMORE from September 19th, 2019
With over 230 episodes in the STAGES archive, it's time to revisit conversations featured in previous seasons. STAGES showcases such episodes in case you didn't catch them, first time around - or perhaps for you to enjoy, a second time. Either way, you're accessing vibrant oral histories of around, and on, our stages. Reg Livermore is one of our greatest showmen. A trailblazer whose career has encompassed roles as playwright, performer, presenter and one of the country's finest actors. His artistry is iconic and his pioneer performances in a succession of one-man masterpieces birthed characters such as Betty Blokk Buster, Vaseline Amilnitrate, Irene, Beryl and Leonard. Such personas perfectly entwined risqué and social sensibilities; and cheekily unsettled, and aroused, an awakening Australian audience. Reg is a composite super-talent informed by burlesque, vaudeville, music hall, weimar cabaret, the ballet, the opera, the classics and Gilbert & Sullivan - all forms have contributed to a most unique and vital talent. His work has transformed the Australian theatre industry. Cavorting in a pair of high-heels in the original Rocky Horror Show; he then developed a small cameo in Jesus Christ Superstar, into a 9-minute showstopping star-turn. He stirred profound empathy in the seminal musical Hair and in subsequent turns on the Musical stage he has given us an assortment of vivid portrayals - P. T. Barnum, The Wizard of Oz, Max Biallystock, Dr Pangloss, Henry Higgins and Alfred P. Doolittle. Our theatre heritage is richer because of his countless contributions on stage and off. He has offered us a chance to laugh at ourselves, embrace the mischievous and be changed by reverberant and dynamic performances. Reg was featured in Season 2 of the STAGES podcast in a 2-part conversation.
Sat, September 18, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - BUNTY TURNER - Released October 24th, 2019
During our second season, STAGES was delighted to connect with Australia's original Eliza Doolittle, Bunty Turner. In 1950's Australia the Original Cast Recordings of the West End and Broadway productions of My Fair Lady, became highly sought treasures. Families gathered at homes to 'Get to the Church on time' and 'Dance all Night' dreaming of when the show would arrive in Australian theatres - 'Wouldn't it be Loverley?' Eager to replicate the productions in London and New York, J.C.Williamsons imported American creatives and secured a principal cast from the UK. 'The Firm' had a policy at the time of preferring to cast lead players that they could bill as "direct from the West End" even if unknown. It was felt that an actor with that billing would always attract larger audiences than an Australian. These were pioneering days in the commercial theatre, but the seed for an Australian Company of players had commenced a few years earlier with The Pajama Game. Leading the Original Australian company of My Fair Lady was Bunty Turner. Born in Northern Ireland she had established herself as a singer of great skill in London productions of Free As Air, The Dancing Years and Hansel & Gretel. The original production of My Fair Lady in this country enjoyed tremendous success and launched a second company that toured Australian capitals and New Zealand. Bunty played the role of Eliza in productions throughout Australia, London and South Africa. Bunty is a delight. She is effervescent and her joy is contagious. She possesses great charm, class and cheeky humour. One can easily understand why she made the perfect 'Eliza Doolittle'.
Wed, September 15, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - PAUL SALIBA - Released May 17th, 2018
Paul Saliba has been described as 'a man of fire'. His dance and choreographic work radiates a sense of energy, light and warmth. The man himself is excitable, committed and vital. A conversation with Paul is enlightening and re-affirming. Paul was only guest No:7 when he talked with STAGES. He reflected on his time with The Australian Ballet, and a car accident that could have put an end to his career. He expanded on his work with The Sydney Dance Company and a key period studying in New York with the great Martha Graham. He danced in the celebrated film of the ballet 'Don Quixote' alongside Nureyev, Aldous and Helpmann. Paul's work is fed by a fascination with world cultures and their employment of dance as personal expression, as storytelling and as history. He is one of our treasured custodians of dance in Australia. Everyone who has worked with Paul, or been taught by him, recognise a resounding brilliance and passion. These qualities are contagious and evidenced beautifully in this joyous conversation. What a delight to talk dance with Paul Saliba.
Sat, September 11, 2021
STAGES SPOTLIGHT: CONVERSATIONS REVISITED - ROBERT LOVE - Released March 5th, 2020
Robert Love recently completed two decades as the Director of the City of Parramatta's Riverside Theatres. It was a role he relished; overseeing one of the most highly attended venues in the country. Love founded his own theatre company - 'Toe Truck Theatre' in 1976, providing a valuable social and educational role to students in regional and urban schools. Subsequent roles travelled management positions with organisations such as the University of Sydney's Seymour Centre, the State Theatre Company of South Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company, Fox Studios and News limited; eventually taking up the baton at Riverside Theatres in 2000. He was made a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for 'significant service to the performing arts, particularly in Western Sydney, as an administrator, and as a supporter of Independent artists'. He joined STAGES in early 2020 for a riveting conversation pondering the place of the Arts in nourishing a population, the dilemma of Arts funding, the future of theatre as an art form, and his own stellar career as a leader at various Arts organisations. Interesting to note that this conversation took place B.C. - before Covid! Thank you Robert - and Congratulations!
Wed, September 08, 2021
'Good News!' - Journalist and Newsreader, Bruce Roberts
Bruce Roberts is a welcome presence in households around the country. As the genial Newsreader for WIN News, he has anchored more than 18,000 primetime news bulletins and written extensive content featured in the nightly broadcast. Bruce has been with WIN News for 13 years, daily presenting bulletins aired throughout Victoria, the ACT and New South Wales. As a graduate in performance from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, he is no stranger to the camera. For three years, Bruce played Constable Nick Parrish in the iconic Australian series, Home & Away; cast in the role the day after completing Drama school. A sojourn in the U.K. during the 90s provided him opportunities to traverse the stage in a breadth of performance from Shakespeare to Pantomime. He also commenced roles presenting and reporting for the BBC and SKY Sports. Returning to Australia, he played the role of Sam Carmichael in Mamma Mia for the Sydney and Australasian tour of the show. Having tried to lycra, he made the switch to suit and tie, with a focus on journalism in 2008. Bruce joined STAGES to reflect on all elements of performance and presenting; and just a little, on the pull of football. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, September 04, 2021
'Dancing Through Life' - Director and Choreographer, Amy Campbell
Amy Campbell is one of Australia's most accomplished dance talents with a career spanning all areas of the entertainment industry. Her extensive list of choreographic credits include Once (Darlinghurst Theatre Co), In The Heights (Blue Saint Productions in association with The Hayes Theatre), the Australian premiere of Violet, the national tour of HAIR (Sydney Opera House and Peace Productions), An Act Of God (Darlinghurst Theatre Co), Spring Awakening (ATYP), the original Australian work Guilty Pleasures (Blue Saint Productions) and Oklahoma for The Production Company. Amy's theatre credits include dance captain and role cover in the Australian tour of Dirty Dancing, Fame The Musical, Saturday Night Fever, Xanadu, the world premiere of King Kong Live on Stage, principal dancer in Opera Australia's Carmen and the Resident Choreographer of The Bodyguard Musical Australia. She was also the Choreographer/Movement Director and Assistant Director on The Sydney Symphony Orchestra's productions of Funny Girl, Porgy and Bess and Candide. Amy has performed domestically and internationally, dancing alongside Kylie Minogue, Flo Rida, Redfoo, Tina Arena, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Sam Sparro and Sam and The Womp. She has choreographed on Dance Academy, The X Factor and ABC's Giggle and Hoot. Last year Amy choreographed Velvet Rewired and was revival choreographer for Carmen (Opera Australia). She has twice prepared to make her directorial debut originating a brand new Australian production of A Chorus Line with The Darlinghurst Theatre Company. But as with much of live theatre and the work of production houses around the country, Covid is determined to pause this essential expression. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, September 01, 2021
'The Producer' - Peter Cousens, Part 3
Peter Cousens name is synonymous with the musical theatre in Australia. His contributions are many - as a leading man, producer and passionate advocate of the form. From 2006 to 2008 he was CEO and Artistic Director of Kookaburra: The National Musical Theatre Company. The Company produced seven musicals, two major concerts and fourteen cabaret events. He tours extensively around Australia with his own one man show and works regularly in concert performing in Australia's major performing arts venues and with Symphony Orchestras. Peter recently directed the feature film Freedom starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and William Sadler which he produced and directed in USA. Freedom enjoyed world wide release in 2015. He is a consummate artist who has invested his talent across many platforms, stages and roles. His experiences and garnered wisdom are vast. STAGES welcomes the opportunity to celebrate Peter Cousens. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, August 28, 2021
'The Leading Man' - Peter Cousens, Part 2
Peter Cousens is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art and has carved a career as an actor, singer, producer, director, teacher and film director. He played the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on London's West End for eleven months in 1997/98. He has starred alongside Russel Crowe in Blood Brothers, the late Richard Harris in Camelot and has had an extensive career playing major roles in musicals throughout Australia, New Zealand and England. His musical theatre roles include Tony in West Side Story; Eddie in Blood Brothers; Mordred in Camelot; Chris in Miss Saigon; Nanki Poo in The Mikado; Motel in Fiddler on the Roof; Eddie in Blood Brothers; Bill in The Sentimental Bloke; Raoul in the Australian production of The Phantom Of The Opera; The Phantom in London's West End production of The Phantom of the Opera; Alex in Aspects of Love; Marius in Les Miserables; Ravenal in Hal Prince's Show Boat; Marius in Fanny; The Celebrant in Bernstein's Mass; Anthony and Tobias in Sweeney Todd; Bobby in Company; Mr Makin in The Hatpin; Floyd in Floyd Collins; Bobby in Company; Vince in Strange Bedfellows. He has recorded five albums - Corner Of The Sky, From A Distance, A Life on Earth, A Musical Christmas, The Peter Cousens Collection and performs the role of Chris on the International Symphonic Recording of Miss Saigon. Peter is a consummate artist who has invested his talent across many platforms, stages and roles. His experiences and garnered wisdom are vast. STAGES welcomes the opportunity to celebrate Peter Cousens. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, August 25, 2021
'The Actor' - Peter Cousens, Part 1
Peter Cousens' name is synonymous with the musical theatre in Australia. His contributions are many - as a leading man, producer and passionate advocate of the form. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art and has carved a career as an actor, singer, producer, director, teacher and film director. He played the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on London's West End for eleven months in 1997/98. He has starred alongside Russel Crowe in Blood Brothers, the late Richard Harris in Camelot and has had an extensive career playing major roles in musicals throughout Australia, New Zealand and England. As an actor he has worked extensively with Australia's major performing arts companies including Sydney Theatre Company Macbeth, Measure for Measure, Nicholas Nickleby, Chicago, Chinchilla and Convict's Opera; Griffin The Falls; Philip Street Theatre Whose Life is it Anyway; The Queensland Theatre Company Camille, Breaker Morant, You Never Can Tell, The Sentimental Bloke; Marian Street, London Assurance & Fanny; Melbourne Theatre Company Company; Sydney Dance Company in Tivoli; Out of Joint (UK) The Convicts Opera; Darlinghurst Theatre The Paris Letter. On Television Cliffy, Phryne Fisher, Return to Eden, The Sullivans, Carson's Law, The Young Doctors, Son and Daughters, The Timeless Land and Under Capricorn. Peter tours extensively around Australia with his own one man show and works regularly in concert performing in Australia's major performing arts venues and with Symphony Orchestras. He is the Artistic Director of the Talent Development Project and conducts workshops and master classes with elite talent from Government Schools across NSW. Peter also conducts classes and workshops with the NSW Education Departments Arts Unit specifically around the development of performance skills for secondary students. He teaches in the Musical Theatre Diploma Course at NIDA and regularly directs theatre, conducts workshops and classes at Central Queensland University. He is a consummate artist who has invested his talent across many platforms, stages and roles. His experiences and garnered wisdom are vast. STAGES welcomes the opportunity to celebrate Peter Cousens. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, August 21, 2021
'Make Someone Happy' - Arts Advocate and Actor, Jonathan Mill
Jonathan Mill is a gregarious presence who guarantees good work, and a giggle. His career as an actor has been paralleled with a committed support of his fellow performers through extensive work with the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. He was pivotal in establishing the Australian AIDS fund-raising body of Oz Showbiz Cares; an organisation that produced the annual 'Hats Off' concert, which featured an extensive list of entertainers over 20 years. He graduated from NIDA in 1986 and has worked with the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Belvoir St Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Sport For Jove, GFO, Cameron Mackintosh. On these stages he has played in productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, A View From the Bridge, Cabaret, King Lear, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Oliver!, The Crucible, The Ham Funeral, Mary Bryant, Moby Dick, Meet Me in St Louis, Buddy, Jolson, The Government Inspector, Twelfth Night and Waiting for Godot. For four and a half years he toured as Officer Krupke in West Side Story. Jonathan has written and directed many shows including cabarets for Caroline O'Connor, Margi de Ferranti, Leonie Page and Maree Johnson. His television work includes A Country Practice, Water Rats, Home and Away, All Saints and several seasons of Andrew Denton shows on the ABC. His most famous film appearance was in The Wiggly Wiggly Christmas. He has taught at institutions that include NIDA, Actors Centre Australia, Flinders University, Adelaide Centre For The Arts, Brent Street, Sydney Actors School and Westside Actors Studio. Jonathan served four terms as the Federal Vice President of Actors Equity and for many years has represented Australian performers on numerous boards nationally and internationally. He has been a champion to many and shares his story with his trademark passion, candour and humour. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, August 18, 2021
'Angel of Music' - Musical Director & Accompanist, Bev Kennedy
Bev Kennedy is generally regarded as one of Australia's leading Musical Directors & accompanists, having worked on over 40 professional productions. Shows she has worked on include Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia! The Producers, We Will Rock You, The Lion King, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Chicago, Wicked, & The Concert version of Sunset Boulevard with Judi Connelli. She was assistant Musical Director for Simon Gallaher's Pirates of Penzance, which is the highest selling recording of a musical in Australian history & also won an Aria award for best soundtrack. Most recently Bev has been working on the shows Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, School of Rock, Evita featuring Tina Arena, Muriel's Wedding, Jersey Boys, Jekyll and Hyde in concert with Anthony Warlow & was Musical Director on the touring version of Avenue Q and the Australian premiere of Heathers for which she was nominated for a Sydney theatre critics award. She was also nominated for a Green room award for her work as Musical Director on Gutenberg the Musical. Bev has also worked for Cove Musical Theatre Agents booking musicians & entertainers at the Regent Hotel during the 2000 Olympics when it was the official SOCOG hotel & host to several international dignitaries & Royal families. She has worked as Musical Director for two years on Short, Sweet & Song and for several Mardi Gras 'Hats Off' Concerts, including the 2008 Hats Off Meets the Stars Come out concert. She has also worked as Musical Director on the Light the Night charity concerts raising money for leukemia research. In 2008, Bev was the official pianist at the World Youth Day Papal Welcome which was televised worldwide. The year before she played at Kerry Packer's memorial which was also broadcast live around the World. In 2011 Bev was Musical Director for the Luminale Festival at the Sydney Opera House under the direction of Paul Capsis. In the past Bev has accompanied International artists such as Joan Rivers and Grammy award winners Liz Callaway, Jose Carreras, Basement Jaxx, Thelma Houston and Sir Bryn Terfel. She continues to play for award winning artists such as Bob Downe, Trevor Ashley, Tina Arena & Anthony Warlow. She is also a Consultant & Adjudicator for the Sydney Eisteddfod and a teacher at the Actor's Centre & the Talent Development Project. Bev is currently the talent co-ordinator for Sydney's premiere cabaret venue, Claire's Kitchen. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, August 14, 2021
'Funny Boy' - Stand-Up Comedian & Creative Producer, Mr. Henry Moss
Henry Moss is a queer stand-up comedian. His comedy cabaret QUADRUPLE THRE4T was nominated for Best Comedy at 2019 Brighton Fringe and was a Reviews Hub LGBTQI pick for Vault Festival in 2020. Henry recently performed his Work In Progress version of HENRY: QUEEN OF SQUATS at Fringe Futures Festival at Pleasance. With Soho Theatre's pro comedy Lab his stand-up material has been workshopped by Soho Theatre's associate director Adam Brace. As a producer, Henry was co-producer on Unlikely Productions Vault show '1&Only' and production assistant on numerous Les Enfants Terribles shows. In the past year, Henry has continued to develop his online presence, now with over 14k followers on TikTok. His niche explores and satires life in musical theatre, drama school and life in London. He posts daily sketches and is developing a devoted fan base who are keen to see his work live in London. Henry has also played multiple sets across the UK with industry accolades at We Are Funny Project Dalston, Comedy Virgins Stockwell, and The Warren Late Show Brighton. In the UK he has been a featured performer in Big Girls Don't Cry which played across the UK in major venues such as Sheffield City Hall, Cast Doncaster and The Lowry, Manchester. As a producer, Henry recently completed a Masters in Creative Producing at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD) and completed a 6-month internship with Les Enfants Theatre Company (LET), assisting the Head of Education & Outreach. He is a graduate of Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, Brent Street, and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Discover more at https://www.mrhenrymoss.com/press The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, August 11, 2021
'It's a Fine Life!' - Actor, Anthony Phelan
Anthony Phelan grew up in Northern Queensland, and has enjoyed a varied career across film, television and theatre. Screen projects include Wanted Series 1 & 2, the series Seven Types of Ambiguity for ABC Australia, The Kettering Incident, Deep Water, Gallipoli, Rake, Spirited; Top of the Lake, directed by Jane Campion and the feature Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie. Anthony has over 100 theatre credits. For Belvoir Theatre these include The Laramie Project, Hamlet, Once in Royal David's City, Mother Courage and Her Children, Twelfth Night and The Wild Duck (including Melbourne, Perth, Vienna, Amsterdam and Oslo tours.) Anthony was awarded the 2011 Helpmann Award and the 2011 Sydney Theatre Award for his work in this play. Other theatre credits include, for The Sydney Theatre Company, Uncle Vanya, (Sydney, New York and Washington D.C.) and for The Bell Shakespeare Company, the National tour of King Lear playing the Duke of Cornwall. In August/September Anthony returns to the stage in the Queensland Theatre Company's production of Boy Swallows Universe. The stage play by Tim McGarry is adapted from the smash hit novel inspired by Brisbane author Trent Dalton's own childhood. "It's an exhilarating story of magic and madness, of beauty and brutality, of joy and heartbreak, and of the power of love to triumph over the darkest of circumstances". It's always a treat to catch up with Anthony and in this episode of STAGES he recounts how the grandson of a Queensland Cane Cutter became one the country's most dependable, engaging and finest actors. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, August 07, 2021
'High Flying Adored' - Musical Theatre Actor, Yvette Robinson
Yvette Robinson trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. She has carved an exciting career in musical theatre roles in Australia, Europe and the U.K. Her numerous credits in London's West End include: The Woman in Blues in the Night (The New Wolsley Theatre), alternate Eva Peron in Michael Grandage's revival of Evita (The Adelphi Theatre), and Lead Woman in Side by Side by Sondheim. She was an original cast member of The Woman in White and also played the role of Marian Halcombe, at The Palace Theatre. Yvette returned to the Palace theatre as Marion in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and her extensive stage resume includes Marguerite, Bare, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Fatbusters. Through Europe she played the roles of Pearl & Dinah in Starlight Express in Germany, for over a year before moving to London. Yvette also performed as the alternate Donna in the International tour of Mamma Mia and performed I Do! I Do! at the Vienna English Theatre and Chess in Oslo, Norway. In Australia, Yvette's credits include: Julie Rooney in Jolson - The Musical; Factory girl & covering the role of Fantine in the 20th Anniversary Production of Les Miserables; alternate Belle in Beauty & The Beast: Original cast member and Ellen cover in the cast of Miss Saigon; Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, alternative Eva & the Mistress in Evita and the Bakers Wife in Into the Woods. Yvette has appeared on television in the role of Polly Posh in Cushion Kids for the Nine Network and in The Kosmos Kids for Wave Entertainment. She joined Harry Connick Junior and Glenn Close, as Nurse Heedy in the screen version of South Pacific and is on the original cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White. Yvette also writes and records her own original music and performs throughout London at many acoustic live music venues. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, August 04, 2021
'The Doll's House' - Operatic Soprano, Jessica Pratt
Hailed by the New York Times as a soprano of "gleaming sound, free and easy high notes, agile coloratura runs and lyrical grace," Jessica Pratt is considered one of today's foremost interpreters of some of bel canto's most challenging repertoire. Since her European debut in 2007 as Lucia di Lammermoor, Ms Pratt's schedule has included performances at opera theatres and festivals such as the Teatro alla Scala of Milan, Zurich Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Vienna State Opera and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, working with conductors such as Daniel Oren, Nello Santi, Kent Nagano, Sir Colin Davis, Christian Thielemann, Donato Renzetti, Pier Giorgio Morandi, Carlo Rizzi, Antonino Fogliani, Wayne Marshall and David Parry. The 2012/13 season brought several acclaimed debuts at Festival Verdi in Parma, including Gilda to Leo Nucci's Rigoletto, at Deutsche Oper Berlin as Lucia, at Vlaamse Opera in New Year's Eve Concert, at Teatro de la Maestranza in Sevilla (Gilda, once more next to Leo Nucci), in the role of Matilde in Guillaume Tell next to Juan Diego Florez interpreting Arnold in Lima, Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi in Reims, in the role of Lisinga in Demetrio e Polibio of Rossini in Neaples, and in the role of the protagonist in Giovanna d'Arco at Festival della Valle d'Itria in Martina Franca. In the 2013/14 season Ms Pratt could be heard in new productions of Lucia di Lammermoor at La Scala and in Amsterdam, as Amina in La sonnambula in Bari, Gilda in Padova, in the season opening of La Fenice as Inès in Meyerbeer's L'Africaine, as Musetta in La Bohème in Salerno, in her role debut as Violetta in La Traviata in Melbourne, as Zenobia in Aureliano in Palmira at the Pesaro Rossini Opera Festival as well as in recitals in Tokyo and Florence with Vincenzo Scalera. In 2014/15 the soprano made her role debuts as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare at the Teatro Regio in Turin and as Amenaide in Rossini's Tancredi at the Opéra de Lausanne. Other performances included Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice; Elvira in I Puritani in Florence and in Melbourne; Lucia di Lammermoor at the Rome Opera House and at the Festival Granda in Lima; her role and festival debut as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Arena di Verona, where she could also be heard as soprano soloist in Carmina Burana; the soprano solo in Rossini's Messa di Gloria alongside Juan Diego Florez and La morte di Didone at the Rossini Opera Festival; as well asconcerts in Milan, Bonn, and London. Performances of the 2015/16 season included Jessica Pratt's returns to Florence, Turin and Melbourne as Lucia di Lammermoor, her debuts at the Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona as Desdemona in Rossini's Otello, at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia Valencia in Mozart's Davidde penitente and at the ABAO Bilbao as Amina in La sonnambula, her role debuts as Semiramide at the Opéra de Marseille and later at the Washington Concer
Sat, July 31, 2021
'Welcome Aboard!' - Front-of-House Manager, The Ensemble Theatre; James Birch
A visit to the the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney's Kirribilli is generally greeted by the genial presence of James Birch. Either welcoming you into the auditorium or serving a drink from behind the bar, Jim's cheerful demeanour feels like an essential part of the theatre's aesthetic. In July, Jim celebrates 30 years of service with the Ensemble. He stumbled upon the iconic institution while residing in the neighbourhood. That eventful afternoon has lead to a triumphant run that has seen countless opening nights and celebrated seasons at the theatre. Jim's career commenced in the Navy; a perfect grounding for a life in the theatre and keeping everything ship shape. He compliments his work at The Ensemble with a passion for visual arts and painting; along with the joys of family. The famed theatre on the edge of Sydney Harbour, is committed to performing and presenting the best of international plays, well-loved classics and new Australian works. Each season prides itself on delivering powerful, memorable and engaging live theatre of the highest standard. Founded in 1958, the Ensemble Theatre is the longest continuously running professional theatre in Australia. And Jim Birch is no doubt the longest serving Front-of-House Manager in a theatre in Australia. We'll drink to that! The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, July 28, 2021
'Flash, Bang, Wallop, What a Picture!' - Production Photographer and Actor, David Hooley
David Hooley is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. His theatre credits include Spamalot (Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne), Fiddler On The Roof (Aus/NZ tour), Richard III (Sherrif's Court Theatre Glasgow), The Bends (Traverse Theatre Edinburgh), As You Like it (Shakespeare Globe Aus) and The View Upstairs and Aspects Of Love at the Hayes Theatre. David has been a photographer for over a decade; beginning as a theatre photographer in Hong Kong, and then branching into other facets of photography such as promotional and portraiture. Having lived and photographed in Hong Kong, Glasgow, London and New York, David now calls Australia home. This diverse background has contributed to his unique style of photography, ironically based in simplicity. In the theatre industry, he has worked with many of Sydney's production companies including Squabbalogic, Sugary Rum Productions, Neil Gooding Productions, the Actors Benevolent Fund, Hayes Theatre Co. and The Gordon Frost Organisation. His work has been published in multiple online publications including ItNews, Stage Whispers, Sydney Arts Guide, Timeout, USA Today, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Telegraph. David is a regular contributor to aussietheatre.com, writing articles and photographing mainstage theatrical productions for them. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, July 24, 2021
'Make My Song Take Flight' - Actor/Singer, Josh Piterman
Josh Piterman grew up with a love of sport, playing AFL and Tennis. He might have pursued excellence in these arenas but instead his passion for entertaining and singing took him to The University of Ballarat Arts Academy where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre) in 2006. His musical theatre credits include playing 'Bustopher Jones' in Cats, a role that won him the Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor in A Musical; 'Edward' in Willy Russell's Blood Brothers; Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray; Ramon Gutierrez in An Officer And A Gentleman; 'Michael' in Grease 2 and 'The Caliph' in Kismet. Other credits include 'Giuseppe' in The Light in the Piazza, 'George' in The Drowsy Chaperone and 'Jamie' in The Last Five Years. Josh commenced his career performing with the International group, The Ten Tenors and then made his mark as 'Tony' in the 2010 tour of West Side Story. Josh played the role of 'Gerry Goffin' in the national tour of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical. He released his debut album Josh Piterman; a collaboration with John Foreman of contemporary pop songs with a classical twist, on Fanfare Records. Josh Piterman was the most recent Phantom in the brilliant original West End Production of The Phantom of the Opera in London, prior to the COVID shutdown. On the eve of commencing rehearsals for an Australian production of the show, and an opportunity to deliver his Phantom to a home crowd, producers regretfully announced a postponement of the show to 2022, owing to the obstacles presented in this time of the COVID pandemic. In this episode Josh reflects on his stellar career thus far - and the disappointment delivered by the creative hiatus, that has impacted artists around the globe. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Whooshkaa and Spotify. Or, from where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Fri, July 23, 2021
'You shall go to the Ball!' - Actor, Tina Bursill
Celebrated actress Tina Bursill's outstanding career spans decades, with a substantial body of work which has brought to life some of Australia's best loved characters on stage and screen. Commencing her career in revues and political satire, such as Scandals of '74 and The Son of the Naked Vicar before transitioning to other genres, Tina's characters are often cool, grounded and self-reliant women tinged with humour, including alcoholic Lenore in Time of Our Lives, Sonia Stevens in Prisoner, Louise Carter in Skyways, single mum Hilary Scheppers in Heartbreak High and Maree the project mum in both A Moody Christmas and The Moodys. In Doctor Doctor, her portrayal of family matriarch and outspoken mayor Meryl Knight has earned Tina two AACTA Award nominations, in 2017 for Best Supporting Actress and in 2018 for Best Actress. Her other television credits include Frayed (Series 2), Wentworth (series 8), Neighbours, Jack Irish, Rake, Crownies, Offspring, Farscape, Flying Doctors, Jackeroo, Winner Takes All and the animation The Three Musketeers. Tina starred in the feature film Jilted which earned her an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Her other film credits include Wish You Were Here, Three Blind Mice, The Great McCarthy, Billy's Holiday, Heroes Mountain and Never Tell Me Never. Her theatre credits include Top Silk, Beyond Mozambique and Zastrozzi for Nimrod Theatre, Feather in the Web for Griffin Theatre Company, Boys Will Be Boys and Up For Grabs at the Sydney Theatre Company. Tina has also conquered the musical theatre stage in productions of Grease, Godspell and Manning Clark's A History of Australia - the Musical. She will soon return to that stage playing the role of Madame in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. A perfect way to celebrate 50 years as an actor. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, July 21, 2021
'New Ways To Dream' - Actor and Producer, Australian Theatre Live - Grant Dodwell
Grant Dodwell is an actor, writer and producer with over 40 years' experience in theatre, film and television. Trained at NIDA, he is perhaps best known as Dr Simon Bowen in the iconic series A Country Practice; winning three Logie awards for the role he played for three years of its eleven year run. Grant's many television credits include Willing and Abel, Homicide, Skyways, Glenview High, The Young Doctors and Patrol Boat, and the feature films Goodbye Paradise and Cathy's Child. On stage he has appeared with the Melbourne Theatre Company, The Queensland Theatre Company and Belvoir Street Theatre, and delivered turns in the musicals The Sentimental Bloke, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Godspell, Sunset Boulevard and Anything Goes. Grant is a co-founder of Australian Theatre Live and is passionate about ensuring younger generations have affordable access to theatre. He is a consistent advocate for actors and theatre creatives, ensuring their work is preserved and celebrated both locally and abroad. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where your favourite podcasts are found.
Sat, July 17, 2021
'The Best Of All Possible Worlds!' - Theatre-maker, Thespian and Artistic Director of State Theatre Company South Australia, Mitchell Butel
Mitchell Butel became interested in theatre as a child after seeing the musical Song and Dance and later The Little Shop of Horrors. He attended the University of New South Wales and studied for a degree in Arts/Law, majoring in Theatre Studies. He was destined for a career telling stories and has contributed markedly as a creative, on and off the stage, around Australia. With an extensive career in theatre, film and television, Butel is one of Australia's most prolific acting talents. From Shakespeare, Moliere, Williamson and O'Neill to musicals such as Avenue Q, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Mikado, to AFI-nominated feature film and TV performances, he has excelled. Butel's writing credits include Excellent Adventure and Killing Time and he wrote additional material for Meow Meow's Little Match Girl, Belvoir Street Theatre's production of The Government Inspector and Opera Australia's production of The Mikado. His directing credits include Violet at the Hayes Theatre, Spring Awakening for Australian Theatre For Young People, Porgy and Bess, Funny Girl and The Bernstein Songbook for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Candide for the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Butel co-directed An Act of God for the Darlinghurst Theatre Company and directed the Australian premiere of Jordan Harrison's play, Marjorie Prime. Productions of Mary Rachel Brown's Dead Cat Bounce for Griffin Theatre and Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's Caroline Or Change for the Hayes Theatre have followed. In 2019 he was appointed Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company South Australia, launching his first program in 2020. His extensive experience as a versatile creative have equipped him well as he has steered the company through the challenges of the past year. Mitchell is passionate about his craft and making theatre. He is a super conversationalist and a delight to welcome to the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, July 14, 2021
'Of Thee I Sing' - Performer and Singing Teacher, Peter Bodnar
Peter Bodnar is a singing teacher based in Sydney, Australia. He trains professional singers in the music theatre and classical performing arts industry. Peter harnesses over 30 years in the business, as a singer, actor and teacher on corporate and musical theatre stages. A variety of credits include children's theatre and commercial musical theatre - The Magic Faraway Tree and Winnie The Pooh with Garry Ginivan Attractions, South Pacific for GFO, The Mikado and HMS Pinafore with Essgee Entertainment and Goetterdaemerung with the Sydney Symphony. He has also been a regular performer with the global sensation The Three Waiters, providing an opportunity to exercise his own voice in a repertoire of musical theatre and classical fare. Peter fosters the careers of both up-and-coming performers and industry legends through his committed and insightful approach to the Artist's voice. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, July 10, 2021
'Hear Me Roar' - Vanguard Actor, Barbara Stephens
Barbara Stephens is amongst a group of Australian actors who were part of the 1970s 'Australian Renaissance'. They were the trail-blazers who worked for and achieved Australian plays, films and TV, for Australian audiences. This group of theatre makers commenced and created a space for the Australian identity and our stories to be recognised on stages. Barbara's theatre, film, and TV credits are extensive and fantastic; a testament to the fabulous range of this wonderful Australian actress. Her TV credits include Matlock Police, A Country Practice, Home and Away and an early ABC sitcom called Who Do You Think You Are? Her film work includes Playing Beattie Bow. She is an actor of terrific range and her theatre credits include the plays of Noel Coward, Tom Stoppard, David Williamson and William Shakespeare. She played 'Desdemona' opposite Frank Thring in the South Australian Theatre Company's production of Othello. She has traversed the stage of the Russell Street theatre for the Melbourne Theatre Company. And Barbara has toured extensively, delivering memorable performance to regions in every State. Barbara was in the original Sydney production of Don's Party by David Williamson and directed by John Clark. She was also in the original productions of other plays of Williamson including Money and Friends directed by Aubrey Mellor and Dead White Males directed by Wayne Harrison. She is effervescent, wise and thoroughly engaging as she recounts a dynamic career in the theatre. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, July 07, 2021
'This Fabulous Lady!' - Stage and Screen Favourite, Amanda Muggleton
Amanda Muggleton is a British-born actor who emigrated to Australia in 1974. She trained at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Dance. Perhaps her most famous television role is that of Chrissie Latham in Australian soap opera Prisoner. Other roles include Connie Ryan in Richmond Hill, and guest roles in television series including A Country Practice and Cop Shop, and a role in the miniseries Sarah Dane. Film credits include Mad Max, Street Hero, Queen of the Road, Mr Reliable, Feeling Sexy and Idiot Box. Muggleton is one of Australia's best-loved, most versatile and colourful leading ladies in the theatre. She has appeared with all the State and commercial theatre companies. On stage, her performances with State theatre companies include Privates on Parade, The Matchmaker, The Seagull, Shirley Valentine (MTC), Master Class, Nicholas Nickleby, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Soulmates (STC), Duet for One, The Winter's Tale, Gigi, We Were Dancing (QTC), Twelfth Night, Blithe Spirit (SATC), Educating Rita, Medea and Shirley Valentine (Hole in the Wall, Perth). Amanda's commercial credits include HMS Pinafore, Hello Dolly, The Book Club, Master Class, Annie, the original Steaming, Eureka! and Losing Louis. Whether on stages or screens Amanda is a reliable and comforting presence. She is an actor of infinite charm and ability. It is no wonder that she has enjoyed a celebrated career of longevity and versatility. STAGES is delighted to welcome Amanda Muggleton in this very jolly episode. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, July 03, 2021
'Making the ordinary 'Extraordinary'' - Teacher, Director and Theatre Scholar, Tony Knight
Tony Knight was educated at Sydney Grammar School and trained at the Drama Centre London. He has considerable knowledge, experience and expertise as a professional acting teacher and director. Tony has been the Program Leader for the Musical Theatre (B.A. Hons.) course at the LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore, developing and implementing a new curriculum. He was also the Head of Acting at Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), training some of Australia's most celebrated national and international actors. He has taught, directed and lectured in many parts of the world, including Australia, the USA, Japan, Romania, Singapore and Tonga. He has spoken at numerous international and national conferences, including the annual ITI-Drama Schools Conference in Romania, and at the Musical Theatre Educators Conference, in Perth 2015, which included delivering a paper re current research - What's Hidden Underneath: Secrets & Sex -The Pajama Game and American Drama In the early 1950s, the Age of McCarthyism, HUAC, and The Kinsey Report. Tony has a passionate interest in all the performing arts, and is dedicated to improving the training of young actors. He is freelancing and completing his PhD on Richard Burbage: Shakespeare's Actor & the Art of 'Personation. Now resident in Adelaide, South Australia, most recently he has successfully delivered three public lectures on the Identity of the Australian Actor at the National Portrait Gallery and the National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra. Tony is co-producer and director of STARC Productions, Adelaide, which has presented a number of highly acclaimed productions, specialising in '2-person plays', including the Australian premiere of Suzie Miller's award winning Australian play Reasonable Doubt. Furthermore, he has held two successful photographic exhibitions for the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival. Tony's motto and aim in all his work is 'Making the Ordinary "Extraordinary!"' The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 30, 2021
'If Someone stood up in a Crowd' - Musical Theatre Stalwart, Rodney Dobson
Rodney Dobson was born in Wonthaggi, South Gippsland. His family moved to Perth when he was ten. Sport was his passion growing up but in his late teens he found accomplishment and applause in the experiences he was having with the performing arts. Today, he is preparing to commence rehearsals for Global Creatures production of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge. Rodney is a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts; arriving at the Academy in one of their first intakes of Musical theatre students. He has now enjoyed a continuity of career entering its 4th decade. Recently he delivered us a brilliant turn as Amos Hart in Chicago. His extensive list of credits include the new musicals; Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical (Charlie) and Moonshadow (Mr Mathew). He has also been a member of the Original Australian Casts of Wicked (Dr Dillamond), The Full Monty (Dave), Rosie (George), Jolson, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Aspects of Love, Return to the Forbidden Planet and Chess. Rodney's other theatre credits include the Julie Andrews-directed My Fair Lady, Singing in the Rain (Roscoe Dexter), Les Misérables 10th Anniversary tour (Factory Foreman / Coufeyrac) and 25th Anniversary tour (Bishop, Thenardier), Annie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Company (David), Sweeney Todd in both 2001 and 2006 for Opera Australia (Tobias), Buddy in 1994 and 2000 (The Big Bopper), Twelfth Night (Belvoir), South Pacific, Legally Blonde (Professor Callahan) and Miss Julie (STC). He is celebrated for his dependability in delivering 'the goods' on every show and for his congeniality and contribution as a company member. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 23, 2021
'And that's the Revolutionary Costume for today' - Custodian of Costumes, Lucetta Stapleton
The theatre costume is an essential element of production. It is a 'skin' creatively considered and crafted to complete character. Conceived by the designer it is animated by the actor; contributing to narrative in play or musical through its functionality and ability to transport an audience to a specific place and time. The theatre costume is also invested with extensive time and dollar in its construction, for it needs to be durable and service the longevity of extensive production seasons. Costumes are utilised eight shows a week and with that use comes a necessity for maintenance and care. Lucetta Stapleton is a custodian of the theatre costume. Having assumed the many roles constructing, maintaining and celebrating costumes, she has contributed to the spectacle we enjoy when attending live theatre. She has filled crucial production roles backstage that include Dresser, Assistant Head of Wardrobe, Wardrobe Supervisor and Co-ordinator. She knows the art of costume and insightfully attends to delivering the sartorial story-telling splendour of these garments. Lucetta has recently been working on the musical Hamilton, and soon heads to Melbourne to take up the role of Deputy Head of Wardrobe with Moulin Rouge. It is a role that fills her with excitement. Another opportunity to tell yet another story, through costume. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, June 19, 2021
'I Am My Own Special Creation' - Drag Doyenne, Stan Munro
Born in Wales in 1941, Stan Munro has accumulated a life-time of wonderful adventure, challenge and triumph. His, is an eventful and colourful existence, navigated with resilience and a cheeky sense of humour. Stan's journey as a gender illusionist across several decades and continents has reaped countless anecdotes and he has recorded them all in an autobiography which is bound to amuse, shock and tease, as indeed has he, on countless stages. Stan's first forays into frocks came when he would perform at family Christmas parties. Furniture would be parted and his family would be mesmerised by the boy miming to Rosemary Clooney. He played his first Pantomime Dame at the age of 12. He joined the entertainment industry working with a partner performing sight acts in variety around the UK. Along the way he worked with artists such as The Andrews Sisters, Petula Clarke, Tommy Cooper, Danny La Rue and Tessie O'Shea. He moved to Australia in 1963 and soon found himself employed as a male dancer in the famous Les Girls show in King's Cross, Sydney. Working with the Drag Artistes of the day re-ignited Stan's boyhood infatuation and he quickly joined the girls with his own blend of glamour and comedy. So much so that he was appointed MC of the iconic revue. An extended season with the show followed at The Ritz, in St Kilda, Melbourne. It has been a career in heels since, as Stan has delighted, confused and amused audiences around the country. He has a fascinating story and an engaging take on life. He is wicked, charming and an absolute delight, as you will realise in this riotous episode of the STAGES podcast. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 16, 2021
'You, I Like!' - Actor, Simon Maiden
Simon Maiden was born in Ballarat. He is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and has appeared in the feature films The Dressmaker, The Great Raid, Romulus My Father and The Killer Elite. Extensive television appearances have included Deadline Gallipoli (Winston Churchill), the telemovie Hawke (Sen. Graham Richardson) and featured roles in Jack Irish, Wentworth, Newton's Law, Tangle, Scorched, Bed of Roses, Winners and Losers, Dangerous Remedy, Satisfaction, Rush, City Homicide and The Doctor Blake Mysteries. An accomplished singer, songwriter and musician he possesses a chameleon-like voice that can mimic just about any accent and comfortably navigate across all styles. Such accomplishment was heard in the sci-fi thriller Upgrade, with Simon delivering the ominous vocals of 'Stem'. His numerous theatre credits include A View From the Bridge and Last Man Standing for the Melbourne Theatre Company, Robots Vs Art with Tamarama Rock Surfers, Lamb and Reuben Guthrie for Red Stitch, Criminology and Love for the Malthouse Theatre, and Curtains for The Production Company. Presently he is touring the country in the extraordinary Come From Away; the musical that delivers an timely celebration of community and kindness. Simon plays the role of Oz and has received accolades as a member of the uber-talented ensemble who deliver the story so passionately at every performance. Simon discusses the show, his extensive career and more, in this joyous episode of STAGES. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, June 12, 2021
'And it is, it is a Glorious Thing' - Performer, Pianist and Producer, Simon Gallaher - Part 2
Simon Gallaher is not only one of Australia's leading musical theatre performers, he is loved by Australian audiences as a television star, concert performer, singer, musician, pianist, songwriter and successful theatrical producer. In 1984 Simon took to the musical theatre stage in the Australian production of the Broadway smash hit The Pirates of Penzance, playing over 1,000 performances. He has also performed starring roles in Hello Dolly, The Student Prince, My Fair Lady, The Mikado, HMS Pinafore and The Merry Widow. By 1992 Simon's company, Essgee Entertainment, was a major concert presenter and in 1994 he created a new stage production of The Pirates of Penzance. New productions of The Mikado and HMS Pinafore followed, winning more critical acclaim and a loyal audience. The musicals toured internationally and Essgee's television productions screened internationally. Essgee produced a new and lavish production of The Merry Widow which toured nationally in 1998-9 starring Simon and Marina Prior. The acclaimed Tony Award-winning play Master Class starring Amanda Muggleton followed and was an outstanding triumph, and a new production of Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum toured throughout Australia and New Zealand. 2012 marked a return to both the concert stage with a series of tours across each state, and also a return to the musical theatre stage when he starred as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray for Harvest Rain. 2014 saw another national concert tour, and a role in the musical comedy Spamalot. Since 2007 Simon has been a trustee of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust (QPAC) and sits on its board of directors. In 2012 he was also appointed to board of the Queensland Theatre Company and the Chair of Brisbane's Harvest Rain Theatre Company. He is patron to many arts organisations and sits on the Musicals Nominating Panel for the Helpmann Awards. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Whooshkaa and Spotify. Also from where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 09, 2021
'I Love a Piano' - Performer, Pianist and Producer, Simon Gallaher - Part 1
Simon Gallaher is not only one of Australia's leading musical theatre performers, he is loved by Australian audiences as a television star, concert performer, singer, musician, pianist, songwriter and successful theatrical producer. At the age of 15 Simon hosted a children's television show, Simon's Scene, for the Seven Network. He studied for a Bachelor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and staged and starred in his first professional concert before he was 19. He became a regular guest on Australian television's immensely popular The Mike Walsh Show and his career took off as audiences flocked to his concerts and quickly sent five albums gold. Simon won a TV Logie Award for his work on The Mike Walsh Show, and became the youngest entertainer ever to be given his own night-time television variety show which ran for two successful seasons on ABC-TV. In 1984 Simon made the transition to the stage in the Australian production of the Broadway smash hit The Pirates of Penzance, playing over 1,000 performances. He has also performed starring roles in Hello Dolly, The Student Prince, My Fair Lady, The Mikado, HMS Pinafore and The Merry Widow. By 1992 Simon's company, Essgee Entertainment, was a major concert presenter and in 1994 he created a new stage production of The Pirates of Penzance. The musical was an overwhelming success, playing to over 500,000 people and a television broadcast was viewed by an audience of over two million people. It was a triple-platinum video and won an Aria Award for Best Musical Soundtrack. New productions of The Mikado and HMS Pinafore followed, winning more critical acclaim and a loyal audience. The musicals toured internationally and Essgee's television productions screened internationally. Essgee produced a new and lavish production of The Merry Widow which toured nationally in 1998-9 starring Simon and Marina Prior. The acclaimed Tony Award-winning play Master Class starring Amanda Muggleton followed and was an outstanding triumph, and a new production of Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum toured throughout Australia and New Zealand. Simon marked 25 years in show business by returning to the concert platform in 2000. The following year saw Pirates return for a national tour which lasted two years. In 2004, Simon produced the new Australian musical Eureka which opened in Melbourne to critical acclaim. A new album with Julie Anthony, Together At Last, was released in 2006 and Essgee launched Showstoppers an immensely successful initiative for young up-coming performers offering a series of music-theatre workshops featuring the cream of Australian show business talent as tutors and mentors. 2012 marked a return to both the concert stage with a series of tours across each state, and also a return to the musical theatre stage when he starred as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray for Harvest Rain. 2014 saw another national concert tour, and a role in the musical comedy Spa
Sat, June 05, 2021
'And All That Jazz!' - CHICAGO at 40, Nancye Hayes and Geraldine Turner
On June 6th, 1981, audiences were given access to the Australian premiere of Kander & Ebb's masterpiece CHICAGO - A Musical Vaudeville. The production debuted at The Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House and made history. The production was conceived entirely by a local team who were not obliged to follow any blueprint from productions gone before. J.C. Willamson and Paul Dainty produced the show on tour, but CHICAGO in Australia was originally presented by The Sydney Theatre Company where the Artistic Director was Richard Wherrett. The show was directed by Wherrett and he assembled a team of master creatives, some who were at the beginning of their theatrical careers. They included Ross Coleman, Brian Thomson, Roger Kirk, Peter Casey, Michael Tyack, John Scandrett and Sue Nattrass in various roles. Wherrett's vision to bring a musical fare to a subsidised company was revelatory. In his program notes he wrote " ..... the job of such companies is to present, amongst other fare, the best of existing dramatic literature; and the musical, while a latter development of theatrical expression, is as legitimately deserving of our attention as any other theatrical form." The STC production of CHICAGO was a big, fat hit and showcased the extraordinary talents of a host of our established and emerging musical theatre best - Nancye Hayes, Geraldine Turner, Judi Connelli, Jack Webster, George Spartels, Terrence Donovan, Robina Beard, Kevan Johnston, Joy Miller, Peter Cousens, Garry Ginivan, DJ Foster, and Rod and Dolores Dunbar have all contributed to product in the decades since. This CHICAGO was certainly a milestone production of the show, and of the form in Australia. For our 200th episode, STAGES is joined by "Chicago's own killer dillers - those two scintillating sinners", Australia's original Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly; Nancye Hayes and Geraldine Turner. A nostalgic episode celebrating the ruby anniversary of this seminal production. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Whooshkaa and Spotify. Also from where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, June 02, 2021
'Open a New Window' - Writer, Director, Actor - Sheridan Harbridge
Sheridan Harbridge is a director, actor and author of plays and musical works. She authored the acclaimed musical Songs For the Fallen, which won Best Musical and Best Actress at The New York Music Theatre Festival 2015, and a Green Room award for Best Artist. This brilliant show has toured the major Australian and New Zealand arts festivals. Sheridan co-wrote and directed the musical bloodbath Nosferatutu (or Bleeding at the Ballet), for Griffin Independent and Glenn Street Theatres. She co-wrote and directed Reg: The Reg Livermore Retrospective for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. And she has directed The Blueberry Play, a Griffin Award finalist and The Sentimental Bloke for the Neglected Musicals series at The Hayes Theatre. Alongside creating her own work she has forged a career as an actor/writer having been part of the workshopping cast, dramaturgy, and premieres of many new Australian works such as the musicals Muriel's Wedding, Dream Lover, Melba, The Detective's Handbook, and the plays North By Northwest, The Speechmaker, The Sugar House, The Dog/The Cat, Prima Facie, Kill Climate Deniers and Jump For Jordan. As an actress, the NIDA graduate has appeared on the stages of all the major Australian companies, most recently to acclaim for her work in Prima Facie for Griffin Theatre, and Calamity Jane and Stop Girl for Belvoir Theatre. She soon returns to the stage with a return season of Suzie Miller's Prima Facie. This phenomenal work will play at The Seymour Centre from 23 June to 10 July. Later in the year she is at the helm of a new Australian musical with her direction of Dubbo Championship Wrestling to be staged at The Hayes. She is contagiously vivacious, hugely talented, ultra-insightful and terrific fun. She is, Sheridan Harbridge. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Whooshkaa and Spotify. And from where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, May 29, 2021
'Everything about it is Appealing' - Musical Theatre Performer, Director and Creative, Martin Croft
Martin Croft started his professional career at the age of 17 with appearances on Melbourne TV. Initially trained as a classical singer, his first major show was Jesus Christ Superstar for Harry M. Miller touring Australia and New Zealand. This led to a full career in music theatre and opera, first as performer and then adding director/musical director, writer, teacher, event manager and producer to the list. Martin has starred in most of the major shows of the last 25 years in Australia, the U.K. and USA including Les Miserables, Godspell, Cats, Miss Saigon, and The Phantom of the Opera. He has been a guest principal singer with Opera Australia and he produced and performed in Closer Than Ever, Putting It Together and the award-winning 3 Vile Men. Martin produced, co-wrote and starred in the highly successful Joe Starts Again which received the 2004 Green Room Award for Best New Musical and was invited to the inaugural New York Music Theatre Festival in September 2004. Martin's recent credits as resident director include: Come From Away (Melbourne), Jersey Boys (New Theatricals Australasian Production), Les Miserables (Asia/South Africa Tour), The Boy From Oz (Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth), Oliver (Cameron Mackintosh Australia/Singapore), and as director: Into The Woods In Concert at Melbourne's Regent Theatre, Hats Off 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 Hats Off To Sondheim, Chelsea Plumley - Live and Luscious, Nothing's Changed - Nehama Patkin, Alex Rathgeber - Momentary Act, Ship of Fools, Dutch Courage, Boxed In, Kim Smith is Madly Adored, Thrill Me - The Leopold and Loebe Story, Up, Is There Life After High School, Into The Woods, Company, and A Little Night Music. He has also directed numerous award ceremonies, concerts, workshops, cabarets and plays in Australia and overseas. STAGES caught up with Martin in his studio where he imparts infinite knowledge to a new generation of performers. His career has taken him around the world and he shares some of that in this insightful conversation. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Whooshkaa and Spotify. Also from where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, May 26, 2021
'With Cat Like Tread' - Performer's Agent & Manager - Mark Gogoll
Mark Gogoll has been involved in the entertainment industry for over thirty years. After majoring in Drama and Psychology at Melbourne University, Mark taught at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. He then went on to directing productions for The Adelaide Theatre Trust and The State Theatre Company in Perth. As a performer, he toured in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Gondoliers, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, The Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore. He then worked in theatre production, publicity and casting before joining an actor's agency in Sydney back in 1987. After returning to Melbourne, he was invited to join Performers Management and created the first Music Theatre branch of any agency in Australia. During this time, he worked on over 40 contracts of the original productions of Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. Five years later he branched out on his own and opened his company Mark Gogoll Enterprises in 1994. Since then, he has personally managed high profile performers for stage and screen including Marina Prior, David Hobson and Silvie Paladino. Mark is charming and insightful. He is equipped with infinite knowledge of the demands and rewards presented to performers. From his unique vantage point he engages with an exciting industry and in recent times has observed the monumental impact of the Covid pandemic on stages and screens. He generously recounts a career in the entertainment sector and ponders the challenge and triumph it can deliver. The STAGES podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa .... or, wherever you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagepodcast.com.au
Sat, May 22, 2021
'I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing In Perfect Harmony' - Composer, Choir Leader, Musical Director, Pianist and Vocal Coach; Vicky Jacobs
Vicky Jacobs has developed a reputation for her ability to get anyone singing at their best - from Australia's top music theatre stars to the nervous novice. Vicky has worked in a broad range of roles contributing to the Australian entertainment and musical theatre industries. She recently served as Associate Musical Director on Come From Away, having also filled this role on Beautiful: the Carole King Musical. In 2016 -17 she toured Australia and Japan as Deputy Musical Director for Singin' in the Rain. Vicky toured Australasia as Assistant Musical Director for the critically-acclaimed Jersey Boys and has played for rehearsals and in the orchestras of some of the biggest shows to have graced the Australian stage in recent years: these have included Wicked, Xanadu, Les Miserables, Strictly Ballroom and Hugh Jackman's Broadway to Oz. She has been Musical Director of Motherhood The Musical, and Elegies: A Song Cycle, and been nominated for Greenroom Awards for her work on John & Jen and Thrill Me. She has thrilled as host of the City of Hobart's Big Sing Bonfire where she got the crowd of 3000 all singing as one! Vicky loves to get people singing. She is the founder and director of Glee Club, Melbourne's hippest sing-a-long choir with new chapters recently arriving in Hobart and Yarraville . She also hosts large-scale events, corporate choirs and workshops that guarantee to get everyone using their voice (and loving it!) Vicky writes and arranges choral music which you can find at www.sheetmusicplus.com and The Australian Music Vault Choir Project. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, May 19, 2021
'O Nature, thou art wonderful, thou shinest with eternal radiance!'- Actor, Keith Robinson
Keith Robinson is one of our finest actors. His repertoire of characters include the great clowns of Shakespeare. He has been admired for his tremendous physicality in realising these endearing fools and jesters, and for his dependability to tell a good story. As a member of the ensemble at Belvoir Theatre, he has contributed to the success of milestone productions that include Hamlet, The Tempest, The Alchemist, Night On Bald Mountain and Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Extensive theatre credits also include the epic Nicholas Nickleby with the Sydney Theatre Company and ventures into musical theatre with the premiere Australian production of Les Miserables. Another terrific accomplishment saw Keith co-write (with Tony Taylor) the silly, comic romp The Popular Mechanicals - a fond valentine to the determined amateur acting troupe of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2006 his life upon the boards looked like being snatched away when he was diagnosed with a neurological condition, called Guillain-Barre syndrome. His personal expression as an actor became compromised with limited mobility and the necessity of a wheelchair. Keith is a determined thespian and in 2016 he returned to the Belvoir stage as Feste in a production of Twelfth Night. TV gigs have followed too. Next week he is once again on the Belvoir stage as Leonid Gayev in The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. Keith is immensely entertaining and terrific company. He is passionate, funny and tremendously insightful in describing an eventful life on and off the stage. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also from where you find your favourite podcasts! www.stagespodcast.com.au
Sat, May 15, 2021
'A Life of Song' - Operatic Tenor, Gregory Dempsey
The Australian tenor, Gregory Dempsey, was born in Melbourne in1931. He originally trained as a baritone but made his debut as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni in 1954 with National Opera of Victoria, also appearing as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Pedro in d'Albert's Tiefland. In 1955 he won the £1,000 Lever Award (a commercial radio award) and in 1956 was a grand finalist in the Mobil Quest. When the Elizabethan Trust Opera was formed in 1956 he took part in its season of four operas. The following season, he appeared in their productions of Tosca, La bohème and The Tales of Hoffmann, and in the 1958 season sang principal roles in Carmen, The Barber of Seville and Fidelio. He became a permanent member of the chorus for the Channel 9 television singers. 1960 found him singing Monostatos in The Magic Flute, the First Jew in Salome, Goro in Madama Butterfly and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. During this season, Gregory Dempsey sang a matinee of Goro in Madama Butterfly, followed by Luigi in Il tabarro (replacing another tenor) followed by Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. Three roles, quite different roles, in one day! In Perth, he sang in both opera in a double-bill as Mundit - an aborigine - in the 1962 premiere of the Australian opera, Dalgerie and followed with Beppe in Pagliacci after interval. Gregory Dempsey joined Sadler's Wells Opera in London in 1962 and this was his main UK base for the next fifteen years. His roles there and the Coliseum included Tom Rakewell, Peter Grimes, Jimmy Mahoney, Albert Gregor, Skuratov, Don José, Erik, David, Mime (Das Rhinegold and Siegfried) and the Shepherd in King Roger. He created the role of Boconnion in Richard Rodney Bennet's The Mines of Sulphur after which one critic wrote "an heroic-villainous part of formidable challenge." Dempsey appeared as Dionysus in the British premiere of Henze's The Bassarids and the title role in the first British staging of The Adventures of Mr Brouček. Gregory Dempsey worked frequently with Scottish Opera, in roles including Britten's Albert Herring, Quint and Lysander, as well as Florestan, Aeneas in The Trojans, David and Števa. Later, with Scottish Opera, he created the role of Bothwell in Musgrave's Mary, Queen of Scots in 1977. He made his Covent Garden debut in 1972 as Števa, returning as the Drum Major in Wozzeck. In the USA he appeared in San Francisco from 1966, as Albert Gregor and Tom Rakewell. He returned to Sydney to become a member of Opera Australia singing David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Herman in Queen of Spades, Dimitri in Boris Godunov, Jimmy in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, Mime in both Das Rheingold and Siegfried, Trin in La fanciulla del West, Valzacchi in Der Rosenkavalier and Bob Boles in Peter Grimes. With Victoria State Opera he sang Nero in L'incoronazione di Poppea, Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria, The Magician in The Consul, Monostatos in The Magic Flute, Benoît and Alcindoro in La bohème, Incredible in Andrea Chenier, Prince
Wed, May 12, 2021
'When you get Caught between the Moon and New York City' - Actor, Model and Creative - Nick Atkinson
Nick Atkinson is an Australian actor, singer, songwriter, writer & producer based in LA. He is a graduate of The West Australian Academy Of Performing Arts. Nick played the role of debonaire host Maximilian Martel at The McKittrick Hotel from its inception in 2011until August 2018. Nick emcee'd many of the fantastic events & performed in the legendary 'immersive defining off- Broadway show, Sleep No More, for almost a decade. Sleep No More won the New York 2011 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience & was awarded a special citation at the 2011 Obie Awards. Nick appeared in the 2014 US Open promotional TV spots as Maximilian, alongside the legendary duo - Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett. The vibrant commercial series was nominated for an Emmy. Nick has featured in immersive online projects through Little Cinema. The Alien test - Angel Of Darkness event won 3 awards for the 2020 BizBash Event Style Awards. Other events include the launch of TNT's Snowpiercer, & for director Patty Jenkins 'I Am The Night.' He also hosted a live streamed event for the launch of Jack Ryan Season 2. He appeared with Loic Mabanza in the pilot for Myles Raven playing an underworld drug lord. In New York he played Shamrayev in The Seagull at The East River Amphitheater. In Australia he appeared on Big Sky, Breakers & as Summer Bay 'bad boy' Rod Sutton on Home & Away and on film in Rebel Penfold Russell's Willful & Let's Get Skase starring Alex Dimitriadis. As a producer his work has been critically acclaimed. The brilliant short film 116 by Julia Campanelli has had huge success on the short film circuit, both domestically & abroad. Nick's production company Breakfield Entertainment, specialises in films & plays focussing on the LGBTQ experience. Nick's first play, Where Do You Plan To Spend Eternity? was an Official Selection for the 2019 LGBTQ Short & Sweet West Hollywood Festival.The play is based on Nick's personal experience at LA Pride parade in 2019. He is also excited to be collaborating on new projects with the Actors Theatre Of New York. The STAGES podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa .... or, wherever you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagepodcast.com.au
Sat, May 08, 2021
'An Autonomous Artist' - Actor, Director, Performance & Script Consultant and Arts Educator, Lindy Davies
Lindy Davies has worked as a Director, Actress, Actor Trainer and Performance Consultant, winning awards and nominations for performance, direction and inspirational leadership. Her contributions to our cultural heritage and stages are remarkable and many. Lindy Davies was a founding member of La Mama in Melbourne; a company that forged a new wave of theatre writing and performance in Australian theatre. Her work as an actress includes film and theatre. She was awarded the A.F.I as Best Supporting Actress for the film Malcolm. And on stages has mesmerised in Scenes from an Execution (Belvoir), The Seagull, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Wild Honey (SATC), Upside Down at the Bottom of the World, World is Made of Glass, Buried Child (Playbox); and with Rex Cramphorn's Actor's Development Stream: Antony and Cleopatra, Britannicus, Hamlet, Not Suitable for Adults and Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. Lindy Davies has worked extensively as a performance consultant in film in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, London and Sydney. She conducted Performance workshops for actors, writers and directors at the Canadian Film Centre from 2010 - 2019. Lindy worked with Julie Christie on Robert Redford's The Company You Keep and Catherine Hardwicke's Red Riding Hood. Previously she worked with Julie on Stephen Poliakoff's Glorious '39 and Sarah Polley's Away From Her for which Julie won a National Board of Review Award, a Critics' Circle Award, a Screen Actor's Guild Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Julie Christie was also nominated for an Academy Award for this performance. Lindy's work as a Director includes productions in Europe and Australia. For the National Theatre of Slovenia: Scenes From an Execution and The Changeling. Old Times at the Moscow Maly Theatre. At Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End: Old Times (with Julie Christie, Leigh Lawson and Dame Harriet Walter) and Hedda Gabler at Chichester Festival Theatre (with Dame Harriet Walter, Nicholas Le Prevost and Phyllida Law). At the Sydney Theatre Company she has directed Three Days of Rain, A Month in the Country and Old Times. With Bell Shakespeare; As You Like It and at Belvoir Street; Scenes from an Execution. Lindy has also been involved in Actor Training for thirty years. She was Head of the School of Drama at the former Victorian College of the Arts from 1995 to 2007 and also held the position of Head of Acting at the Victorian College of the Arts from 1979 to1982. She is presently writing a book on her Approach to Performance: The Intuitive Actor... a path to Autonomy. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Whooshkaa and Spotify. Also from where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au
Wed, May 05, 2021
'In The Moment' - Actor and Artistic Director of Outhouse Theatre Company, Jeremy Waters
Jeremy Waters is the Artistic Director of Outhouse Theatre. As a theatre-maker he has nearly twenty years of performing, producing and teaching experience. He has appeared in national and international stage and screen productions and recent credits include Janet King (Season 3), Jade of Death, The Combination 2, Harvest (Richard Bean), Jerusalem (Jez Butterworth), 4 Minutes 12 Seconds (James Fritz), A Man With 5 Children (Nick Enright) and The Aliens (Annie Baker). He also works as a voiceover artist and is an ecstatic Dad. Outhouse Theatre was formed by Jeremy and Nick Stevenson, two Australian actors who stumbled over each other whilst living in New York City. The Company was created with "a mission of showcasing Australian theatre artists in New York, telling the stories that resonated with us and building a community of like- minded convict collaborators". With Jeremy returning to Australia and Nick staying put in the Big Apple, the cross- cultural spirit still drives the company. The backgrounds and experiences of the creators in the US and Australia have fused into a unique theatrical DNA, blending the strengths of both countries' theatrical traditions to produce muscular and vibrant work; with a big, beating, bloody heart at its core. Outhouse has presented an impressive repertoire of productions that have provided actors and audience vivid visceral and intellectual experiences. Plays have included John, The Flick and The Aliens by Annie Baker, Trevor by Nick Jones, The Rolling Stone by Chris Urch, Four Places by Joel Drake Johnson and Ride by Jane Bodie. Next week they present the ferocious comedy Ulster American by David Ireland. A long planned conversation finally came to fruition with Jeremy joining STAGES to record this insightful episode in which we cover a broad range of subjects that include Independent theatre, the craft of acting and fatherhood. The STAGES podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify, Whooshkaa or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Sat, May 01, 2021
'Who Could Ask For Anything More?' - Publicist and Producer, Michelle Guthrie
A theatre foyer would not be complete without the presence of Michelle Guthrie. She has worked in the entertainment industry for over 30 years and has been present at a vast array of entertainments as a performer, publicist or producer. Since her youth she has been an avid participant in any experience involving the business called show. She was always destined to contribute to the making of theatre. Creating Neglected Musicals in 2010, Michelle has presented 21 musicals over the past 10 years. She is the Associate Producer of the critically acclaimed and Award winning Calamity Jane, which toured Australia in 2018 and Monty Python's SPAMALOT touring in 2020. Michelle is also a board member of Hayes Theatre Co. She has produced the Coogee Carols for Randwick City Council for 18 years and each year provides Christmas Entertainment events across Sydney . With over 20 years as one of Australia's leading Entertainment Publicists, Michelle has managed the media for Cyndi Lauper, Barry Humphries, The Dali Lama, CATS, The Graduate, The Phantom of the Opera, Guys & Dolls, Bernadette Peters, Kristin Chenoweth, The Helpmann Awards and more. Previously Michelle has been General Manager of Peter & Ellen Williams Presents at the Sydney Opera House, director of Australian Creative Management, Client Manager with the Harry M Miller Group, Publicist with Mollison Consulting and The Really Useful Company Australia before setting up MGM Publicity & Promotions in 2002. It is a wealth of opportunity that has garnered tremendous experience and placed Michelle at the top of her game. This year she oversees two more additions to the Neglected Musicals repertoire. STAGES was delighted to learn more and to be engaged by the effervescent and highly informed Michelle Guthrie.
Wed, April 28, 2021
'That's Entertainment!' - Entertainment Reporter, Peter Ford
Peter Ford is one of Australia's pre-eminent entertainment reporters. For over 30 years he has been breaking the news and sharing insight on the people and product that grace an array of stages. Whether they be real stars or reality stars, legitimate legends or legends in their lunchbox, Hollywood royalty or House of Windsor, red carpet or red face; Pete keeps us informed using his vast sources and impeccable charm. Commencing his career as an office boy with Radio 3UZ in Melbourne, he had a valuable vantage point to observe a world he longed to be part of, and the many personalities that inhabited that world. Forays into producing for radio and then TV, at the age of 21, producing Good Morning Australia, then hosted by Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Gordon Elliott, quickly followed. In such experiences he was beginning to garner terrific insight to celebrity and the shenanigans, shine and schmooze of showbusiness. It was entertainment legend Bert Newton who first recognised Ford's potential as an on-air talent and provided the encouragement and opportunity to develop this skill. Other mentors have included comedienne Joan Rivers, who Peter met in the most surprising of circumstances. Entertainment reporters create a range of personas to take on the flamboyance and glitter of the industry they profile. Ford has maintained a mantle as a reporter who has investigated with integrity and honesty. Perhaps that's why he is the best and most widely heard entertainment reporter in Australia and NZ. "Allegedly". So says his twitter profile. A platform he inhabits for work and to satisfy his thirst for the news cycle. But navigation of the twitterverse comes with its share of personal attacks. He elaborates on recent attention. Peter rarely gives interviews but graciously agreed to this conversation, recorded in his studio at Channel 7 in Melbourne. He is a marvel to watch in action. A consummate pro who knows his content, knows his audience and knows how to share a story. Here's my breaking story, with Peter Ford. The STAGES podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify, Whooshkaa or wherever you get your podcasts.
Wed, April 21, 2021
'Together, wherever we go' - Show Veterans, Lesley and Bruce Scott
Lesley and Bruce Scott are a dynamic duo. They have championed the careers of countless performers and guided them in the pursuit of career and craft; providing invaluable experiences on tours and on stages. They launched their own company, Dance Encore Productions in 1980, supplying professional entertainment to Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Japan and South Korea. Theatre productions of Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs contributed to their enormous output, with the two of them effectively completing many of the creative and producing tasks required. The pair were perfectly equipped as they came to the business extensively schooled as performers in the business! Bruce commenced his professional career in 1966 in J.C. Williamson's production of Funny Girl as a dancer, and followed this with the appointment as Principal Dancer in their next production, Fiddler on the Roof. A sojourn to the U.K followed with gigs that included Humpty Dumpty on Ice, several West End revues and two years at the Lido in Paris. Returning to Australia he danced in the musicals Charlie Girl and Pippin. At the age of 9, Lesley made her first professional stage appearance in The Johnny O'Keefe Show followed by numerous Australian tours of the pantomimes Snow White, The Flintstones and Peter Pan. Performing in the Australian and West End seasons of the musicals My Fair Lady and Irene added to her growing resume; and for the Australian Opera, Lesley was the Principal Dancer in productions including The Merry Widow, La Boheme and Nambucco. Soon after meeting, the pair formed an adagio/acrobatic/contortion act and toured the world performing in some of the most famous theatres, nightclubs and cabarets. It is a delight to feature Lesley and Bruce Scott in this episode of STAGES. Theirs is a life rich in experience, wisdom and so much more; gathered from a dedication and life traversing vast stages.
Wed, April 14, 2021
'Super Trouper' - Actor, Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie's resume boasts an impressive list of high-profile television production that we affectionately embrace as key moments in Australian television consumption. He gained success and fame in Australian television series' such as Cop Shop, The Henderson Kids, A Country Practice and Medivac. He won The Australian Film Institute's Best Actor in a Mini-Series award in 1987 for Vietnam, in which he co-starred with Nicole Kidman. He played a dashing horseman in The Man From Snowy River 2 and was nominated again for his portrayal of World War II Academy Award-winning cameraman Damien Parer in John Duigan's Fragments of War, and in 2002 for Halifax f.p. He is the son of ABC radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, and is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Nicholas Eadie has worked with all the major Australian theatre companies with over 45 credits to his name. He has appeared in leading roles in plays as diverse as Tennessee Williams: The Glass Menagerie as The Gentleman Caller and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Brick. He has played John Proctor in three separate productions of The Crucible. And partied hard as Don in David Williamson's Don's Party. In Sydney's Botanical Gardens, he performed for three seasons as Oberon/Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He played Sam in the original cast of Mamma Mia! in Australia for two years. He has been in the world premiere productions of Michael Gow's Furious, Hannie Raison's Two Brothers, Tommy Murphy's Holding The Man and the highly acclaimed Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America by Stephen Sewell. It is a career of many triumphs but it has not been without its challenges. Nick talks candidly about the work he has navigated and reflects on a career that has often rewarded and sometimes disappointed. Here's my chat with the charming Nicholas Eadie.
Sat, April 10, 2021
'Say My Name' - Actor, Writer and Broadway Composer, Eddie Perfect
Eddie Perfect is one of Australia's most diverse, respected and prolific writer/ composer/ performers. His most recent work as Composer of Beetlejuice - the Musical on Broadway won him a nomination for Best Original Score at the 2019 Tony Awards. He has made his mark in the fields of comedy, music theatre composition and book writing, playwriting, screenwriting, classical music, jazz and acting for stage and screen. He has won multiple awards for his work both as a performer and writer and has worked with top creatives from Baz Luhrmann and Global Creatures (Strictly Ballroom the Musical, King Kong on Broadway), Simon Phillips and Neil Armfield (Shane Warne The Musical, Keating! The Musical), Richard Maltby and David Shire, Jason Robert Brown, Andrew Lippa (Adelaide Cabaret Festival) to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO Town Hall Proms), Victorian Opera (The Threepenny Opera), Opera Australia (South Pacific), the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (Symphony Under The Stars), Malthouse Theatre (Babes In The Wood, Drink Pepsi Bitch, The Big Con) the Australian National Academy Of Music, Iain Grandage and UK's Brodsky Quartet (Songs From The Middle). In this captivating episode of STAGES, Eddie provides insight to the gestation of Beetlejuice - the Musical and generously shares his approach to composition. It is a fascinating process and a brilliant career. 'Say his name!" Here's Eddie!
Wed, April 07, 2021
'Dressing Them Up' - Costume and Set Designer, Roger Kirk
Roger Kirk is a Tony Award-winning set and costume designer for theatre, film and television. He has designed costumes on world stages for productions that have included The Boy From Oz Arena Production with Hugh Jackman, The King and I, 42 Street, Jesus Christ Superstar and King Kong - the Musical. He began his career in television in Australia, working in the costume department of the Sydney ABC studios where he graduated to design television productions that included The Marcia Hines Show and The Norman Gunston Show. Prior to television he had worked in London's West End for three years managing the props. for stage productions. While working in the costume department at the ABC an opportunity lead to design costumes for the Sydney Theatre Company and their landmark production of Chicago; a production that boasted an entirely Australian creative team in the construction of the seminal Broadway musical. He has designed sets for Elton John's 1986 Australian tour, sets and costumes for the Australian TV version ofGladiators and awards shows such as the AFIs. Roger was the costume designer for the most recent filmed production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and has worked extensively on set and costume design for Opera Australia. Other credits include Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down The Wind in the West End; Silver Rose, Le Corsaire for Munich Opera House, Dusty - The Original Pop Diva, and Shout!. In 1996 Roger received the Tony Award for Best Costume Design for his work on the Broadway production of The King and I. He also received the Drama Desk Award, the Friends of New York Award, and the Outer Critics Circle Award for the same production. In 2001 the highly acclaimed production of The King and I took centre-stage at London's Palladium Theatre. For Opera Australia Roger has designed costumes for Manon Lescaut, The Gypsy Princess, Pirates of Penzance, My Fair Lady, A Little Night Music, Iolanthe, HMS Pinafore, Trial by Jury, Manon, and Graeme Murphy's production of Aida. Further credits include Sweeney Todd for Victorian Opera, and sell-out shows in Sydney and Melbourne for Hugh Jackman's Broadway to Oz: Hugh Jackman Live in Concert. It is a vast career and Roger shares terrific anecdote and insight in this fascinating episode of STAGES.
Sun, April 04, 2021
'Radical Rock and Roll Resilience' - Actor and Author, Anni Finsterer
Anni Finsterer graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts from the University of Western Sydney. She was awarded an AFI Award in 2009 for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Movie for Three Acts of Murder. Other film credits include Johnny Ghost, To Have and To Hold, The Boys are Back, Prime Mover, The Clinic, Strange Fits of Passion and Sweet Country. She has appeared in numerous television series including City Homicide, All Saints, Home and Away and Love My Way. In theatre, Anni has worked for both major and independent companies including the Sydney Theatre Company, Australian People's Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company, Company B Belvoir, Queensland Theatre Company, Griffin and Bell Shakespeare. She has played major roles in Macbeth, Hamlet, The Women of Troy, Othello and Antony and Cleopatra. Two major car accidents might have prevented her vast experience as an actor. Tremendous determination and resilience have supported her in the realisation of an ambition. She is the author of a new book titled Radical Rock and Roll Resilience. A succession of challenging experiences contribute to the content of the book and Anni generously reflects on those in this absorbing conversation with STAGES. Check out: www.annifinsterer.com
Wed, March 31, 2021
'Put On Your Sunday Clothes' - Broadway Performer and Creative, Michaeljon Slinger
Originally from Queensland, Michaeljon Slinger moved to the United States in 2004 after winning the Australian Dancer of the Year Award and receiving full scholarship to attend American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. He went on to attend the B.F.A Dance program at the prestigious Julliard School in New York City, making him the first Australian to be accepted into either one of these programs. In 2009, Michaeljon made his Broadway debut as an original cast member and Dance Captain of the revival of West Side Story, directed by Arthur Laurents. He continued his career on Broadway as both a performer and Dance Captain, appearing in the Broadway companies of Billy Elliot the Musical, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Evita, Side Show, and Matilda. His performing career culminated in the role of Dance Captain for the 2017 revival of Broadway's Hello Dolly! Starring Bette Midler. Michaeljon's career shifted in 2018, when he made his West End debut as Associate Director and Choreographer of the brand new musical, Mythic. He continues to thrive as a Choreographer, most lately working alongside Lorin Latarro, first as Associate Choreographer on Michael Mayer's World Premiere of La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera, and following in quick succession as Assistant Choreographer and Dance Captain of the Roundabout Theatre and Fiasco Theatre production of Merrily We Roll Along in New York. The pair are currently collaborating on two Broadway-bound shows with Michaeljon serving as Associate Choreographer for both Almost Famous and Mrs Doubtfire. When not performing, Michaeljon promotes the importance of Arts Education and hopes to continue to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of young performers. Check out: www.michaeljonslinger.com
Sat, March 27, 2021
'The Play's The Thing' - Actor and Playwright, Laneikka Denne
At 19, Laneikka Denne is an award-winning playwright, actor, and filmmaker based in Western Sydney. Her debut play Dead Skin was awarded the State Theatre Company & Flinders University Young Playwright's Award and is published by Australian Plays. She is currently developing a new work titled Shithole for Q Theatre. In 2020, Laneikka ventured into screen with her debut short Mitsuku. The script was selected by producer Liz Arday on behalf of ScreenJam Productions in the UK to be produced in 2021. In addition to this, her other short, Feed Me Bubbe is in pre-production in Sydney. Young queer women are at the heart of all of her work, as she seeks to represent real women with agency and intrigue. Dead Skin will premiere at the King's Cross Theatre (KXT) on April 2nd and run until the 17th. Written at the tender age of seventeen, the play is a hybrid text of queer and hetero love stories that challenge what it truly means to love and be loved at seventeen. It is a coming-of-age story of a mother and daughter navigating the toxicity of their own relationships, in search of that 'thing' we will never have with any other human, the truest form of love; an inherent, maternal connection. Check out: http://www.kingsxtheatre.com/dead-skin
Thu, March 25, 2021
'House Seat' - Opera Australia Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini
Lyndon Terracini is the Artistic Director of Opera Australia. He has also enjoyed a highly successful, international opera career; and received accolades as an actor, director and writer. He is a renaissance man! Lyndon was appointed Artistic Director and CEO of the Queensland Music Festival in 2000 and directed the 2001, 2003 and 2005 festivals. He was appointed Artistic Director/CEO of Brisbane Festival in 2005 and Artistic Director/CEO of Major Brisbane Festivals in November 2007. He is the recipient of many awards including an Honorary Doctorate in Music Theatre by Central Queensland University, a Fellowship by the Music Fund of the Australia Council for the Arts, an Honorary D. Univ. from Southern Cross University and the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Cultural Leadership Award by the Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF). In 2005 Lyndon Terracini was also appointed Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland. In 2007 he was awarded a D.Univ. from Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Lyndon was also a member of the International Jury for the Venice Biennale for Music and Savonlinna Opera Festival, and delivered the 2011 Peggy Glanville-Hicks address. His service to the performing arts as an opera performer, director and administrator was recognised in 2014 with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours. In 2018 Lyndon was awarded one of the highest civilian honours in Italy, Commander of the Order of the Star of Italy (Commendatore dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia). It is an impressive list of accolades and they make him admirably equipped to steer the cultural flagship of Opera Australia. The 2021 season of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is about to commence with a lavish production of La Traviata. Lyndon elaborates on his introduction of this elaborate staging of opera and how it has grown to become one of the most anticipated on the cultural calendar. He also describes navigating the company through a pandemic and reflects on a sterling career as performer and producer, in this joyous episode of STAGES.
Fri, March 19, 2021
'The Room Where It Happens' - Theatre and Live Entertainment Producer, Michael Cassel
Listening to Michael Cassel's early forays into DIY producing, it is apparent that a career as a major player on stages was his destiny. As an avid letter writer he sought advice and opportunity from anyone prepared to listen to his ambition and passion. At 14 he galvanised a community to support him in his first vision of a live entertainment - the Kiama Carols by Candlelight Christmas Spectacular. The success of the show cemented his hungry pursuit and quest to succeed in a precarious industry. An apprenticeship in a variety of offices and theatres, guided along the way by a masterful faculty of mentors such as Harry M. Miller, James Thane, John Frost, Thomas Schumacher, Michael Eisner and Cameron Macintosh built determination, experience and resilience. Learning on the job provided him with a multitude of creative skills and business acumen. Cassel rightly fits the label of Showman. His enthusiasm for the job is palpable. He surprises with his calm demeanour and extensive knowledge of all aspects of production - personnel and craft. He is respectful of heritage and keen to blaze a way into what live entertainment might be in the future. He formed his company, the Michael Cassel Group, to produce and present the world's greatest musical and theatrical productions, live entertainment experiences, marquee events and concert attractions. It is well on its way! Productions have included the triumphant 19-month Australian and international tour of Les Misérables, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, the 10th Anniversary Tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the Australian premiere of Cyndi Lauper's Kinky Boots and the Australian and Asian tour of Singin' in the Rain. Broadway and West End co-producer credits include DreamWorks' The Prince of Egypt, Pretty Woman: The Musical and The Cher Show. Next week he premieres the Australian production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. Michael provided Stages with access to 'the room where it happens' to discover his remarkable story, his passion for the work and some hint at the future, in this most excellent episode of STAGES.
Sat, March 13, 2021
'Why Haven't I Heard of You?' - Actor, Showman and Entrepreneur, Darryl Lovegrove
A serial entertainment entrepreneur, a dynamic Master of Ceremonies and an accomplished musical theatre performer, Darryl Lovegrove was a member of the original Australian casts of Les Miserables and Chess. He is also known for his celebrated portrayal of Jesus in the Australian and New Zealand tours of Jesus Christ Superstar. He featured with Sarah Brightman in the Australasian tour of The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and received critical acclaim as John Lennon in the New Zealand national tour of Looking Through a Glass Onion. In 1998, Darryl co-created the operatic global phenomenon The Three Waiters which became, and remains to this day, the most-booked corporate entertainment act in the world. The business established offices in Sydney, London and New York, and the act has been seen by more than 3 million people in over 80 countries. In 2009, Darryl formed 'Lovegrove Entertainment' which produced Australasian corporate entertainment favourites The Leading Men and Jersey to Motown. In 2012 Darryl and his then 12 year old daughter, Harmony, known as Darryl & Harmony were awarded the Australian Event Awards 'Entertainer of the Year'. Darryl has recently released a book titled 'Why Haven't I Heard Of You?' The book details his experiences on stages and in the business world. He also examines the creation of new work and generously gives advice to performers. Maintaining a passion and striving for longevity in a precarious industry can present challenges. Darryl speaks with passion and wisdom born from a rewarding ride in the business we call show.
Wed, March 10, 2021
'Perform, Reform, Transform' - Pilates Instructor, Ildiko Campbell
The two tools crucial to a performer are the voice and the body. We tell stories with the spoken and sung word - and communicate through movement - shapes, attitudes and gesture! STAGES has featured episodes where we have discussed vocal care with singers and teachers - today we examine movement - which is so important to creative story-tellers. Indeed effective movement to all of us is important - especially as we get older. A method of movement which has figured prominently is that pioneered by Joseph Pilates. Originally created in the early twentieth century when Joseph Pilates was interned as an 'enemy alien' at the outbreak of war while living in the UK, it was soon developed as a form a of rehabilitation for soldiers returning from war. Later it was embraced by dancers such as Martha Graham and George Balanchine to assist with the aches and pains acquired from the art form and to strengthen dancers' bodies. Today we'll look at why this method of training has supported so many with freer motion and strength. We also consider the work developed by Movement Practitioners, Rudolph Laban and Tadashi Suzuki in their support of performance. My Guest in this episode is a former Drama teacher who operates her own Pilates studio, 'Perform Pilates', in the Sydney suburb of Stanmore. She's very familiar with the practitioners mentioned and is a tremendous advocate for being kind to the body and supporting it with effective movement. Say hello to Ildiko Campbell.
Sat, March 06, 2021
'The Sound of Music' - Entertainment Legend, Barry Crocker Pt2
Welcome back to part 2 of the STAGES' conversation with Entertainment Legend Barry Crocker. Possessed of a magnificent voice it wasn't long before he started to make his way professionally on Australian TV and stages - and enjoyed success in the American and UK markets. Barry describes many of his successes in this companion episode. It's time for some further nostalgia and continued insight to an industry now sadly passed. Regarded as one of the 'greats' of the Australian entertainment industry, Barry Crocker has fostered a respected and impressive career spanning several decades. Born in the suburbs of Geelong, Victoria, as a teenager he was enticed into joining a community Musical theatre company. He was quickly hooked and soon after found himself touring the State in a travelling variety show, providing him a salient apprenticeship in showbiz. In 1966 he starred in a TV musical comedy show called 66 And All That, followed by tremendous accolades with the eponymous The Barry Crocker Show on Channel 10 Sydney. This was followed by the musical variety show Say It With Music, also broadcast on Ten. Barry went on to become the presenter and leading performer on The Sound of Music TV series, taking over from entertainer Bobby Limb, which earned him a Gold Logie in 1970 as Australia's top (male) TV personality. His singing talents eventually earned him over 30 Gold records. He is known for his iconic Australian films during the 1970s The Adventures of Barry McKenzie and the sequel Barry McKenzie Holds His Own; and singing the theme tune to the Australian soap opera Neighbours. Barry has achieved what many aspiring entertainers have only dreamt of accomplishing. With a career encompassing an extensive recording history, countless television appearances in Australia, the UK and America, as well as numerous national and international concert performances, Barry's immense talents as an engaging singer, comic, impressionist and dramatic actor have continuously captivated and wowed audiences across the globe.
Wed, March 03, 2021
'Eagles Belong Where They can Fly' - Entertainment Legend, Barry Crocker Pt1
Regarded as one of the greats of the Australian entertainment industry, Barry Crocker has fostered a respected and impressive career spanning several decades. Born in the suburbs of Geelong, Victoria, as a teenager he was enticed into joining a community Musical theatre company. He was quickly hooked and soon after found himself touring the State in a travelling variety show, providing him a salient apprenticeship in showbiz. In 1966 he starred in a TV musical comedy show called 66 And All That, followed by tremendous accolades with the eponymous The Barry Crocker Show on Channel 10 Sydney. This was followed by the musical variety show Say It With Music, also broadcast on Ten. Barry went on to become the presenter and leading performer on The Sound of Music TV series, taking the reins from entertainer Bobby Limb. The show earned him a Gold Logie in 1970 as Australia's top (male) TV personality. His singing talents have earned him over 30 Gold records. He is known for his iconic Australian films during the 1970s; The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, and the sequel Barry McKenzie Holds His Own. His voice is immediately recognised singing the theme tune to the Australian soap opera Neighbours. Barry has achieved what many aspiring entertainers have only dreamt of accomplishing. With a career encompassing an extensive recording history, countless television appearances in Australia, the UK and America, as well as numerous national and international concert performances, Barry's immense talents as an engaging singer, comic, impressionist and dramatic actor have continuously captivated and wowed audiences across the globe.
Wed, February 24, 2021
STAGES podcast - Season 4 Preview
The podcast that converses with creatives about career, craft and what matters to them.
Wed, December 23, 2020
'We Need A Little Christmas' - Season 3 Festive Finale
We've arrived at Episode 175 - our final episode in season 3 of the Stages podcast. It's been a monumental year and we've been able to navigate through it completing 68 conversations with artists, creatives and many dynamic roles, defining a score of stages and providing terrific insight to the business we call 'show'. It's no wonder we need a little Christmas! So to finish the year we are joined by some of Stages favourites, to shed some merriment and reminiscences of the Festive season - on stages and off. We'll hear some Christmas tunes and celebrate Saint Nick with Kate Fitzpatrick, Rhonda Burchmore, Ron Creager, Brian Castles-Onion and Geraldine Turner. The perfect company to accompany you as you wrap your presents, toast with egg nog and blast the air-conditioner on Christmas Eve. Thanks for your support of Stages through 2020. Have a jolly Christmas and a super New Year. We'll be back in March 2021. Catch you then. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, December 19, 2020
'Curtain Up! Light the Lights!' - Leading Ladies on Stages
In this very special episode of the Stages podcast we revisit conversations with some of Australia's Leading Ladies of Musical Theatre. They have landed 'down stage centre' in a multitude of musicals, thrilling us with their adept skills of song, dance and acting. Some of these women blazed the way for Australian artists, becoming our first stars , while others broadened horizons and conquered the stages of Broadway and the West End. Each have delivered unique and vibrant artistry to our Musical theatre stages. The anecdotes come thick and fast, as well as providing valuable insight into process and the challenges of maintaining a career of longevity. There are laughs aplenty too. This episode is a masterclass for performers. It's a history lesson of our industry. And it's a jolly journey with some of the finest artists to grace Australian stages. Aren't we lucky? "Hats off! Here they come those beautiful girls" ..... Toni Lamond, Jill Perryman, Nancye Hayes, Caroline O'Connor, Maree Johnson, Bunty Turner, Lisa McCune, Maria Mercedes, Rachael Beck, Donna Lee, Rhonda Burchmore and Geraldine Turner. A delightful dozen to cap a year like no other! Full episodes are available in the Stages archive and accessible where you find your podcasts.
Wed, December 16, 2020
'Solid Gold' - Singer, Shauna Jensen
Shauna Jensen is an Australian singer. This year she celebrated her 50th year in 'the business'. She has been a member of multiple bands including Purple Vision and Flake. She was an original cast member of Jesus Christ Superstar, appearing on the Original Australian Cast Recording. Turns in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Betty Blokkbuster followed, Shauna's debut CD, Something Real, was released in 1997. By January 1998 she had won the award for Best Female Vocalist at the inaugural Goulburn Blues Festival; a festival which rivals the Blues Festival at Byron Bay. Shauna has worked as backup vocalist for the leading rock artists in Australia, including Jimmy Barnes, Australia's most beloved rock band Cold Chisel, Richard Clapton, Jon Stevens, Billy Thorpe, Hugh Jackman, Noiseworks, Powderfinger and INXS. For most of the 1980s Shauna was one of the most in-demand studio singers, a career which introduced her to the world of background singing on film, television, radio and in the rock music world, for the next two decades. The new millennium brought with it exciting new projects for Shauna. These include singing background vocals for Carry the Flame by Jon Stevens, the official song for the Sydney 2001 Olympics torch relay. In 2001 Shauna collaborated with legendary Sydney DJ Paul Goodyear and their first single is an uplifting house rework of the Sylvester classic Take Me to Heaven. Stages caught up with Shauna midway of her cabaret season at Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, December 12, 2020
'We all know that something is eternal' - Arts Administrator, Advocate and Author, Howard Sherman
A work of startling originality when it debuted in 1938, Thornton Wilder's Our Town evolved to be seen by some as a vintage slice of early 20th Century Americana, rather than being fully appreciated for its complex and eternal themes and its deceptively simple form. Another day's Begun: Thornton Wilder's Our Town in the Twentieth Century is a new book that shines a light on the play's continued impact in the 21st century and makes a case for the healing powers of Wilder's text to a world confronting multiple crises. In this episode I am joined by the author, Howard Sherman. Howard is an arts administrator, advocate and writer based in New York City. He was executive director of the American Theatre Wing from 2003 to 2011 and during that time, his varied responsibilities included incorporating SpringboardNYC, the Theatre Intern Group and The Jonathan Larson Grants into ATW's programming. Howard also conceived the book The Play That Changed My Life; and served on the Tony Awards Management and Administration Committees. During his tenure at the American Theatre Wing, he was executive producer of the company's long running television program Working in the Theatre, hosting 30 panel conversations among the more than 80 shows he produced, and as creator of the audio program Downstage Centre, he interviewed 325 theatre luminaries in a seven-year span. Howard was the first General Manager of Goodspeed Musicals, working on 24 new and classic musicals, including the U.S. premieres of Alan Ayckbourn's work and Andrew Lloyd Webber's By Jeeves. He has moderated artist conversations for public audiences for more than 30 years, having begun by leading post-performance discussions with such noted figures as Athol Fugard and JoAnne Akalaitis at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia. He currently writes a weekly column on U.S. theatre for The Stage in London and writes monthly for Stage Directions magazine. In January 2021 he releases the book in which he appraises and celebrates Thornton Wilder's classic of American drama; Our Town, through the eyes of the folk 'who have spent time in Grover's Corners'. Howard joined Stages from Manhattan in a fascinating conversation about this classic play, and to ponder the future challenge for the Broadway theatre and stages beyond. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, December 09, 2020
'Suzy Goes See' - Theatre Critic, Blogger and Actor, Suzy Wrong
Suzy Wrong is a theatre critic and blogger for the Sydney main stage and independent scenes, publishing at Suzy Goes See. Suzy is the industry's most prolific critic, providing coverage for approximately 200 productions each year. Since 2013, she has established herself as the most in-demand theatre critic, receiving review requests from virtually every venue in Sydney. Commencing a career in performance in early 1992 with the Singapore Armed Forces Music & Drama Company, Suzy received formal training and intensive stage experience all over Singapore and in neighbouring countries. Her work culminated in a "Best Performance of the Year" Award for the play Purple. Suzy employs a depth of understanding for live performance that allows an appreciation of all components. She moved to Sydney to undertake a Theatre & Film Studies degree at the University of New South Wales. Her focus then switched to studying the artistic ecology of Sydney. A myriad of professional experiences have seen Suzy spend three years in the Blue Mountains region running a gallery; and then a period in the child talent industry. A stint in commercial publishing, allowed her to cut her teeth in the corporate world of audience numbers and advertising revenue. Most recently she inhabited the character of the eccentric and glamorous clairvoyant Roxy, an Asian Trans woman, in the SBS television production of Hungry Ghosts. It is a role she has relished and has given her the opportunity to champion the diversity landscape on Australian screens and stages. Suzy has begun the return to theatres as stories begin to be told once more. She discusses being back in an auditorium and the glamour and eloquence that contributes to being Suzy Wrong The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, December 05, 2020
'There's Tawny and There's Golden Saffron, There's Flaxon and There's Blonde' - Retired Opera Australia's Wig Mistress, Shirley Germain
Shirley Germain was Opera Australia's wig-mistress for 38 years. Her husband, John Germain, was a revered singer with the Company for 40 years, performing many of the great Baritone roles. Commencing her career as a hairdresser, she found that the Opera Company was looking for someone to oversee the preparation and maintenance of the many wigs required in production. It was the second year of its existence. Already associated with the Company, through her husband, the role seemed a perfect fit. The young company made do in various venues around Sydney until 1973 when Opera Australia made the Sydney Opera House its new home. Shirley has been in the unique position of having had a 'front-row seat', observing the company grow and triumph over several decades. She has worked with the greats of the Opera World, and counted many of them as her close friends. Shirley has contributed enormously in her preparation, styling and care of the 'heads' of the characters in Opera. This unique artistry is of paramount importance to the success of a production, contributing to the aesthetics and allowing a singer to take the stage with confidence and character. It is a role Shirley has relished and we are indeed privileged to have access to her experience and anecdote in this delightful episode of Stages. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, December 02, 2020
'Just you wait and see' - Composer, Comedian and Creative, Yve Blake
If you happened last year, to catch the phenomenon that is Fangirls, you are no doubt aware of the brilliance of Yve Blake. The musical, created by Yve, celebrated the cult of fandom in a most exhilarating and engaging story-telling. The show broke box-office records and guaranteed her place as a theatre-maker to watch. Yve is an award winning writer, composer and comedian. She is an alumna of the Royal Court Writers' Programme and has completed residencies with Griffin Theatre, the ATYP National Studio, Old Vic New Voices, the Barbican, the National Theatre and Princeton University. Her debut play SUGAR SUGAR premiered in 2015, and Yve has also created several internationally touring solo shows, including the acclaimed THEN which played to sold out crowds at the Soho Theatre in London. She was the recipient of the 2016 Rebel Wilson Theatre-maker scholarship at ATYP and a member of the 2017 Belvoir Artists' Workshop. Yve was one of just 17 speakers at TEDxSydney 2019, and has also spoken at the Women of the World Festival 2018 at London's Southbank Centre. Yve is currently adapting Fangirls for the screen, co-writing a Screenplay for Aquarius Films, adapting an Aussie kids book into a musical, and developing a podcast musical about Mary Wollstonecraft. So much to talk about, so let's get going in this awesome episode of Stages. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, November 25, 2020
'You're on the right track!' - Boy Actors, George Holahan-Cantwell and Ryan Yeates
Opening at The Lyric Theatre in Sydney next week is the Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz' musical Pippin - the coming-of-age story of a young man searching for his place in the world. Ryan Yeates and George Holahan-Cantwell share the role of Theo. The two young actors have amassed considerable professional engagement in their burgeoning careers. Ryan is 15 and George is 12. Young actors are a regular presence, and often an awe-inspiring addition, to the narratives in much of musical theatre. Contemporary commercial offerings have necessitated a corpse de ballet of dance hopefuls in Billy Elliot or a class of school brats in Matilda - the musical. But it's a tradition that has long been present on stages - we've gaped at the talents demonstrated by the Von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music, the tenacity of the orphans in Annie and the stamina of the workhouse boys in Oliver. Sometimes, the creators have even thrown in an animal or two, to increase the charm factor. Star turns by canine characters have given us Sandy in Annie, Chowsie in Gypsy and Toto in The Wizard Of Oz. Pippin has both of these. A beguiling boy actor to play the role of Theo - and a duck! George enjoys everything involving music and you will often find him singing, playing the piano and producing his own music. A talented performer with a passion for musical theatre, George recently completed the Sydney season of School of Rock playing the role of the keyboardist Lawrence, and before that, the role of Benji in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Ryan returns to the stage after recently playing the lead role of Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the role of Noah in Caroline or Change for the Hayes Theatre Co. He trains in all forms of dance and has won many State and Australian titles in Irish Dancing. A regular performer with The Wiggles on TV and DVD, Ryan features as the Junior Purple Wiggle, in the ABC series Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle; as well performing in the Emma series. Stages is fascinated by the extraordinary talents expressed by young triple threats in the navigation of these narratives. How does one so young achieve such detailed, mature and skilful performance? George and Ryan provide an insight to the work, commitment and drive of these young thespians. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, November 18, 2020
'Climbing the Tree' - Actor, Ditch Davey
Ditch Davey is a charming bloke and a terrific actor. Following study at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts he cut his teeth on a series of commercial and series work with All Saints, Above The Law, Water Rats and the telemovie Do Or Die. It wasn't long before her arrived permanently on our screens in the guise of Constable Evan Jones in the police drama, Blue Heelers. This stint garnered him the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent. Davey went on to host Channel Seven's Police Files - Unlocked before leaving to work on Sea Patrol. He played SAS officer Jim Roth on a semi-regular basis. He portrayed Romeo in the 2012 Australian Science-Fiction Film Crawlspace. He featured in the final season of Spartacus: War of the Damned. Film engagements have followed and a role as Dr Ian Bickman in the US produced series Black Box; a medical drama which screened on the ABC network. Davey starred alongside Terry Kinney and Vanessa Redgrave. Ditch Davey can presently be seen in Home & Away as Summer Bay's new medic, Dr Christian Green. It had been a few years since I last caught up with Ditch. Nothing had changed. He possessed the same charming, funny and contagious spirit that has obviously propelled him into a triumphant career on screens and stage. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Fri, November 13, 2020
'A blank page, stage or canvas. So many possibilities' - Director, Writer, Painter and Teacher, Chris Edmund
Chris Edmund is a director, teacher, writer, and painter. He was Head of the Acting Department at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where he had a significant role in developing the world-renowned acting and directing training over 30 years. Actors who trained under his guidance include Hugh Jackman, Frances O'Connor, and Jai Courtney. He is a published playwright with his work receiving high critical acclaim and as a painter he has had several exhibitions, most recently at the Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne. His play Dirty Laundry which he also directed, was performed at the Smock Alley Theatre Dublin in 2014. Chris commenced his career in London where he directed for the Gate Theatre Notting Hill, the Riverside Studios, the Kings Head and New End Theatres. He also directed for regional companies. In Australia he continues to direct professionally. He recently opened the play The Other Place for the Fremantle Theatre Company in Perth. He also directed his own play Bacon and Eggs at the Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney. He has been both Dramaturg and Director for the Australian National Playwrights Conference. Chris has been Visiting Fellow at the National University of Singapore, directing a new play by Singapore Playwright, Chua Tze Wei, taught a series of Master Classes at the Gaiety School Dublin and directed The Caucasian Chalk Circle for Middlesex University, London. His production of The Pillars of Society was performed at the International Theatre School Festival in Amsterdam. In 2015 he was honoured in New York by Hugh Jackman and Master Card with a scholarship in his name, The Chris Edmund Performing Arts Scholarship. He presented the scholarship in 2015 in a ceremony at WAAPA. In a varied and vivid career he has also completed a stint at The Pronouncer on the highly successful Channel Ten reality show, The Great Australian Spelling Bee. Chris is a super bloke and a consummate artist and teacher. In this conversation he demonstrates exactly why. Enjoy! The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, November 11, 2020
'He's a what? He's a what? He's a Music Man!' - Musical Director and Musician, Michael Tyack
Michael Tyack has been a vital presence in the Australian Musical Theatre industry for several decades. His extraordinary contribution has seen him provide guidance and leadership in a variety of musical roles - audition and rehearsal pianist, pit musician, accompanist, musical arranger, composer and Musical Director. He began working as a professional musician in 1974 for J.C. Williamson's in Melbourne and entered the world of Musicals via their celebrated production of A Little Night Music. He moved to Sydney to conduct the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Chicago then was Musical Director for their productions of The Stripper, Four Lady Bowlers, Jonah, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, Falsettos, Miracle City and Summer Rain, whilst also providing music for several of their plays. He has contributed to the production of many prominent commercial musicals. A vast list includes Cats, Phantom Of The Opera, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Singing In The Rain, The Lion King and Wicked. He has musically directed productions of Side By Side By Sondheim, Chess, The Twenties and All That Jazz, Gershwin, The Wizard of Oz, Jerry's Girls, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, High School Musical, The Boy From Oz, Tivoli, The Witches of Eastwick (for which he was awarded a Green Room Award), Eureka, Spamalot and the Hugh Jackman tour of The Boy From Oz. Further shows at the helm of the orchestra cover The Production Company's Dusty, Brigadoon and The Boy From Oz. He garnered another Green Room Award and a Helpmann Award for the musical direction of the Disney/Cameron Mackintosh production of Mary Poppins. Michael's cabaret and concert credits are extensive too, having worked with Australian and overseas artists including Sutton Foster, Betty Buckley, Trevor Ashley, Toni Lamond, Michael Ball, David Campbell, Geraldine Turner, Caroline O'Connor, Nancye Hayes, Michael Crawford and Judi Connelli; both here and abroad. Michael is passionate about his work and has amassed an extraordinary list of experiences. He has often been on the 'ground floor' of much of the musical theatre product produced and created in Australia; and has enjoyed a front row seat to much extraordinary creation. It is indeed a pleasure to welcome 'MyTy', at last, to Stages.
Sat, November 07, 2020
'The People's Diva' - Operatic Soprano and Prima Artiste, Joan Carden, AO, OBE
Joan Carden was born in Melbourne in 1937 on the anniversary of the great composer Giuseppe Verdi's birth. After understudying June Bronhill as 'The Merry Widow' in 1960, Joan Carden sought tuition in London studying with her major musical influence, London-trained and based, West Australian-born, multi-lingual, expatriate vocal coach, Vida Harford. Joan Carden appeared in opera and concerts in Europe before initially joining The Australian Opera in concerts in 1970. The following year marked her stage debut with the company as 'Liu' in Turandot and 'Marguerite' in Faust. After much acclaim in Australia as 'Gilda' in Rigoletto she was invited to repeat the role at Covent Garden. Engagements ensued throughout the United Kingdom and United States. Joan Carden has sung virtually all the Mozart heroines. Her performance of 'Violetta' in Verdi's La Traviata has been noted for the moving interpretation. Her voice in 'Violetta's' famous aria, is on the sound track of the film Priscilla, Queen of The Desert. She has sung more than 50 major roles from the 18th century through to contemporary works , including: 'Desdemona' (Otello); 'Leonora' in both Il Trovatore and La Forza del Destino; 'Elisabetta' (both Don Carlos and Maria Stuarda); 'Rosalinde' in Die Fledermaus, 'Feldmarschallin' (Der Rosenkavalier) and 'Ellen Orford' (Peter Grimes); 'Tatyana' (Yevgeny Onyegin)- in Russian and English. Other title roles include Alcina, Lakme, and Adriana Lecouvreur. She has embraced Musical Theatre performances as Mother Abbess in the Gordon/ Frost Organisation's The Sound of Music and Ida Strauss in Titanic. In 2003, she took on a last role for Opera Australia - 'Public Opinion' based on controversial political figure, Pauline Hanson, in a satirical new version of Orpheus in the Underworld. Joan Carden is engaging grace and charm. She reflects warmly on a career that has not only brought audiences great joy but also rewarded her, in the ability to gift the art of song. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, November 04, 2020
'Once in a Blue Moon' - Composer, Director and Teacher, Terence Clarke
In any history of the Australian stage, my guest today would figure significantly. Terence Clarke has contributed to a myriad of theatrical fare - as Director, Actor, Composer, Writer and Teacher. Clarke directed the world premieres of John O'Donoghue's A Happy and Holy Occasion and Janis Balodis' Backyard. Together with Nick Enright, he wrote the musicals Variations, The Venetian Twins and Summer Rain - repertoire visited regularly by theatre companies and celebrated by new generations of performers and audience. In this episode he speaks extensively of his writing partnership with Enright and the geneses of their celebrated works; musicals that have become classics in the Australian musicals canon. His appointments have included Associate Director of Perth's National Theatre Company, founding Artistic Director of the Hunter Valley Theatre Company, Artistic Director of the National Playwright's conference and Head of Directing at The National Institute of Dramatic Art. In 2007, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia. Terence is tremendous company and is a fine raconteur. An hour in his company is a valuable history lesson and brilliant instruction. What a joy to sit down with Terence Clarke for this special episode of STAGES. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, October 31, 2020
'All the World's a Stage' - Director and Educator, Aarne Neeme
Aarne Neeme started his professional theatre career in 1962, as a dancer in a Christmas pantomime at Melbourne's Tivoli Theatre. In an extensive career he has contributed as a director and a lecturer in both vocational and academic institutions, throughout Australia and in New Zealand and Singapore. Aarne has directed well over 300 productions covering the whole classical and contemporary repertoire; and specialising in new writing. He has been the Artistic Director of a number of organisations and has worked for most of the major theatre companies. Most notably, he has held the positions of Artistic Director of National Theatre Co. Perth, Hunter Valley Theatre Co., Hole in the Wall Theatre Co. and Head of the Theatre Department at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore. He has also worked in television, directing on drama series such as Blue Heelers, All Saints, MDA, Home and Away, Neighbours and Out of the Blue. He has been the recipient of various awards in Sydney, Perth, Newcastle and Canberra. Most impressively an Order of Australia (AM) for his work as a director and educator in theatre and television. Aarne is a charming gentleman, a man of the theatre and an consummate artist. What a privilege to hear his insights. Enjoy! The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, October 28, 2020
'Want to Buy Some Illusions?' - Cabaret Performer, Kim David Smith
Kim David Smith has been described variously by The Wall Street Journal as 'slyly subversive' and Broadway World as the 'David Bowie of Cabaret'. The New York Times labelled Smith as the 'male Marlene Dietrich'. All are appropriate labels and signal Smith as a cabaret performer of incredible ability, nuance and sensuality. Departing Australia, he headed for New York City and promptly established himself as a cabaret artist of note. He crafted deft performances that celebrated the glitter, doom and decadence of 1920's Berlin in his show Morphium Kabarett. Smith's piano-based program, Morphium Kabarett, provides an intimate evening of German, French, and English repertoire, with many unexpected twists. Smith has toured Morphium Kabarett throughout Australia, earning a 2015 Helpmann Award nomination for "Best Cabaret Performer," while also enjoying performances in the NYC at Joe's Pub, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Café Sabarsky at the Neue Galerie. His cabaret style explores a repertoire of popular tunes and European song in an approach that is inspired by Weimar-era artistry. The fusion provides unique and intoxicating renderings of Minogue, Madonna and Marlene. He is masterful at bringing fresh interpretation to the repertoire of Piaf, Hollaender, and Weill. Kim David Smith's most recent cabaret programs Mostly Marlene and A Wery Weimar Christmas debuted at Club Cumming in New York, while Kim Sings Kylie premiered at Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre in 2018, saluting perennial pop goddess Kylie Minogue in an intimate cabaret fantasia. Kim Sings Kylie has since been performed at the inaugural Sydney Cabaret Festival. Kim starred as Salomé in Oscar Wilde's classic and controversial play at the Provincetown Theatre, and has also portrayed the Emcee in Hunter Foster's production of Cabaret at the Cape Playhouse. He recently released his new album Kim David Smith: Live at Joe's Pub. It is available on digital and streaming platforms and as a physical CD. More information at KimDavidSmith.com Kim joined Stages for a long overdue catch-up. We discuss the album, all things cabaret - and a little bit more. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, October 24, 2020
'Look I Made a Hat' - Properties Master, Bruce Ferguson
Many production elements contribute to the success of a show. Whether that be the orchestra in a musical, the lighting design in a play or the set and costumes - each has a vital role in creating the world that we invest in. But how many of us notice and appreciate a smaller presence equally as important to demonstrate character and support the narrative? The properties, or props, used in a show give us access to character quirks and offer 'sign posts' to assist the story-telling. These items might include a basket for Maria Von Trapp, a parrot-headed umbrella for Mary Poppins, a phonograph that records for Professor Henry Higgins or a broom stick that releases smoke for the Wicked Witch of the West. To enlighten us about this role in the theatre, I am joined by Properties Master, Bruce Ferguson. Bruce has designed and built props for an expanse of shows that include Wicked, The Addams Family, My Fair Lady, 42nd Street, La Cage Aux Folles and Anything Goes. He also details a career that has embraced unique experiences in photography and hospitality; as well as his dreams for a Drag Museum in Sydney. Bruce shares fascinating insight to the journey undertaken in constructing and 'bringing life' to the objects that support the illusion in which we invest, when sitting in an audience. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, October 21, 2020
'They're Playing His Song' - Actor/Musician, John Waters
John Waters is one of Australia's most recognised and favourite actors. His theatre credits span productions in Australia and the United Kingdom. Demonstrating terrific versatility, John has taken lead roles in an array of plays and musicals. He made is debut as Claude in Harry M. Millar's production of Hair. Subsequent performances include Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, They're Playing Our Song, An Ideal Husband, The Woman in Black, A Little Night Music, Talk, The Sound of Music, The Graduate, Oliver!, The Rocky Horror Show, My Fair Lady and The Addams Family. As well as his 20-year involvement with the iconic Australian children's show Play School, his other television credits include City Homicide, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, The Man from Snowy River, Singapore Sling, All The Rivers Run, Rush, All Saints, Underbelly: The Golden Mile and Division 4 for which he was awarded the TV Week Silver Logie for Best New Talent in 1975. More recently John starred as Darcy in five seasons of the hit series Offspring and Travis James in Mystery Road. His impressive list of feature film credits includes Stealth, The Sugar Factory, High Country, Breaker Morant, Eliza Frazer and Pino Amenta's Boulevard of Broken Dreams for which he received the AFI (AACTA) Best Actor Award. For 30 years he has been touring the self-penned Looking Through a Glass Onion - a part monologue, part concert that celebrates the man and phenomenon of John Lennon. The show has played throughout Australia, the U.K. and New York. As an accomplished musician, John has released a number of recorded albums and EPs, adding to his illustrious career. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Mon, October 19, 2020
'The Colors of My Life' - Musical Theatre Leading Lady, Rachael Beck
Rachael Beck was always destined for a career on the stage. As a young person she was regularly performing at eisteddfods and keenly participating in school musicals. So enamoured with the magic of song and dance, she auditioned for the musical Cats at 13. Considered too young for the show, she subsequently scored the show in later years, as Rumpleteazer. Beck has of course gone on to become one of our favourite leading ladies, giving sterling performances in a host of stage shows; Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, Cabaret, Me and My Girl, Singing in the Rain, Next To Normal, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Barnum. She has graced our screens too in Hey Dad!, Home and Away, It Takes Two, Family and Friends, Postcards and Surprise Surprise Gotcha. Rachael's passion and humour are infectious. It was a treat to sit down for this conversation and learn more about her work ethic, her concern for the Arts and her brilliant journey, thus far. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, October 14, 2020
'Do you have Oklahoma?', Theatre Maker and Venue Manager, Bob Peet
Bob Peet is a consummate man of the theatre. He is genial, passionate and accomplished, having navigated many roles and positions over several decades. His professional theatre career commenced in 1959 when he joined the Tintookie Puppet Company as a trainee puppeteer, eventually being appointed Head Puppeteer. Bob toured Australia several times with the company and spent six months touring fourteen countries through South East Asia. He then moved into venue management and opened and managed seven performing arts complexes around the country. These included Ipswich Civic Hall, Orange Civic Theatre, The Araluen Arts and Cultural Centre in Alice Springs and the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. Back in Sydney he became the Manager of the Sydney Lyric Theatre at the Star City Casino. Never one to sit idle, Bob returned to touring and embarked on a world first, touring the musical Cats in a 2000 seat big top! This fourteen month tour covered most of Australia, and led to further tours of Grease and Shout! The Legend of the Wild One. A four year period as Front of House Manager at Riverside Theatres brought Bob's professional career to a close. Bob has been Miranda Musical Society's resident designer for countless years. He has designed and created sets for over 40 of the company's productions. Simultaneously he produced sets for professional companies, community theatre groups and schools. In recent times Bob has directed productions of Les Misérables, Annie, Evita, Shout! The Legend of the Wild One, Beauty and the Beast and The Producers for MMS. Bob is now ready to take a break and recently announced his retirement. He will be missed by many of the folk who have had the pleasure to work alongside him; and by audiences who have appreciated the work conceived and delivered by this quiet and humble theatre-maker. Stages was thrilled to traverse Bob's story and to enjoy him recount a vivid and magical life on and around stages. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, October 10, 2020
'When I Speak It's With My Soul' - Actor, Maria Mercedes
Maria Mercedes is a first generation Australian. She grew up in Carlton, surrounded by other Greek families. English was not her spoken language when she commenced school. She surmounted early obstacles to become one of our favourite stage and screen actors. Early participation in television talent shows, Young Talent Time and New Faces garnered the young Mercedes two significant wins and the attention of an industry keen to celebrate her glorious vocal prowess. Maria Mercedes has become one of Australia's most engaging and enduring performers. She has carved a stellar career as actor, singer and recording artist. Her voice captivates the listener completely. It has the unique ability to reach into an audience and grip them spellbound. It is equal parts power and vulnerability. A succession of theatre roles are the envy of any Music theatre performer. She has been celebrated as Luisa Contini in Nine, Grizabella in Cats, Svetlana in Chess, Mama Morton in Chicago and has electrified audiences in star turns as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard and Maria Callas in Masterclass. Film and television roles complete the resume of this accomplished story-teller. Maria's film credits include Head On, Patrick, Dreams For Life, Evil Awakens and The Taverna. And on the small screen in Bloom, Wentworth, Neighbours, Greeks on the Roof and Prisoner. Maria joined Stages to examine some of those performances and to relish the opportunities she has had in a challenging, surprising but always satisfying career. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, October 07, 2020
'The Art of Making Art' - Playwright and Artistic Director, Wesley Enoch
Wesley Enoch is a man of the theatre. He is in his final term as Artistic Director of the Sydney Festival. It is a role that has been informed by an extensive resume in roles as Playwright, Director and passionate Advocate for the Arts. He is also a leader and creative force in navigating the theatre to frame our vital indigenous stories. The plays he writes and directs explore issues of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the complexities of Australian race relations. Enoch is a proud Noonuccal Nuugi man. He grew up in Brisbane and trained in Drama at the Queensland University of Technology. He has been at the helm of a number of renowned Indigenous theatre productions, including The 7 Stages of Grieving with Deborah Mailman, Black Diggers, presented at Sydney Festival in 2014 and his most recent production, Black Cockatoo, which premiered at the 2020 Sydney Festival. He is Chair of Create NSW's Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board; Chair of the Australia Council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy Panel; a Board member of Annamila and NAISDA; and a member of the AGNSW Aboriginal Advisory Committee. In the lead up to curating his final Sydney Festival, he has been presented with considerable Covid challenges, on top of the considerations that already present to the responsibility of Festival Director. Wesley shares some of those challenges and his great passion for telling stories on the stage. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Sat, October 03, 2020
'A Funny Thing Happened ... ' - Manager of Entertainment Venues Tamworth, Peter Ross
Peter Ross is the Manager of Entertainment Venues in the regional city of Tamworth. He acknowledges that "A strong arts scene is recognised as one of the elements that attracts and keeps people in regional centres". He is responsible for programming and leading the city's live performance and conference venues - the Capitol Theatre Tamworth, Tamworth Town Hall and the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre. Ross has changed the direction of theatre in Tamworth and raised the bar on local theatre. Bringing outstanding artists and increasing audience numbers. In the home of Country Music he has also assumed the role of Executive Producer and Director of the Golden Guitar awards. And celebrated Community Theatre - an opportunity for community to express their artistic leanings and find a valuable social outlet. A self-confessed 'jack of all trades' his theatrical life leading to this position saw him navigate a variety of roles on and off the stage. Each has informed and given terrific insight to frame his work today. Growing up in Newcastle, he initially set forth studying visual arts. An opportunity presented itself for a Stage Manager at The Hunter Valley Theatre Company, which he took up with glee. This lead to onstage roles with the company and with the theatre in education group, Freewheels Theatre Company and the original production of Nick Enright's Property of the Clan. Study at The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts followed, in the Musical Theatre course. Ross developed his performance skills while also writing a musical and finessing his directing ability. He then juggled a series of personas as performer, producer, director and resident director on a series of productions that included Jon English's Buskers and Angels, Summer Rain at The Sydney Theatre Company, Mary Bryant at The Ensemble Theatre and Hugh Jackman's Arena tour of The Boy From Oz. Ross was 'on the ground' and took Producing and Directing roles presenting Musicals with the Kookaburra Musical Theatre Company. It was an exciting venture that promised great theatre experiences but sadly did not survive its rocky beginning. He speaks candidly of that period. Managing theatre venues is an enormous task, especially in this time of Covid-19. The safety of audience, performers and staff is paramount in any attempt to get theatres going again. Peter Ross is determined to make those experiences a reality and describes the measures now in place at venues, while also reflecting on a vibrant life working in the theatre. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, September 30, 2020
'Was I There?' - Stage and Screen Actor, Tony Bonner
Tony Bonner has a striking presence; he exudes abundant energy and maintenance of the matinee idol looks that propelled him onto an international career. His immediate fame came as chopper pilot Jerry King in the iconic television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. The series became universally acclaimed and brought adoration for the cast. But Bonner's extensive resume is more than Skippy. It boasts impressive work that spans several decades across stage, television and film platforms. The son of an actor, Bonner's early forays in the theatre saw him commence work as a dresser for J.C. Williamson productions. It was not long before he was seduced by the stage and the colourful folk who graced it. Musicals with 'The Firm' included The Sentimental Bloke, The Great Waltz and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. As an award winning actor his television credits extend through Australia, the U.K. and USA. These have included Cop Shop, Homicide, Skyways, Hawaii Five-O, Murder She Wrote, The Persuaders, The Box, Matlock Police, Carson's Law, Division 4, The Rockford Files and Neighbours. He has worked alongside and befriended screen legends Tony Curtis, Kirk Douglas, Paul Hogan, Charles Bronson, Tom Selleck and Roger Moore in an impressive list of films that include Soldier of Fortune, The Man From Snowy River, Creatures The World Forgot, Quigley Down Under and The Lighthorsemen. The prospect of Agent 007 may have come his way if not for the dogged demons that persisted in his early years. Tony Bonner is candid in his reflection. He is brutally honest in recalling the triumphs and troughs of a colourful life. And he tells it all with immense charm, humour and survival. The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, Whooshkaa and where all good podcasts are found.
Wed, September 23, 2020
'With Hugh On My Arm' - Entertainer, Hugh Monroe
Hugh Monroe has been delighting audiences since childhood in a range of entertainments. A long resume demonstrates success and exuberant performance across stage, television, drag performance and Audio/Visual production. As a child he appeared in productions of Shakespeare, directed You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and flew 'across the skies' as an impish Peter Pan. You may recall him as a congenial presenter on the highly popular television show, Simon Townsend's Wonder World - a news program produced for a youth audience in the 1980s. At the other extreme you might have been witness to his antics as regular host of the piano bar at the iconic Albury Hotel on Sydney's Oxford Street. Hugh could sing, on his head, on the piano! His skill in drag has also allowed him forays into the musical theatre joy of Pageant and La Cage Aux Folles. The past decade has been spent in Children's theatre, nurturing audiences of the future and informing them via various theatre-in-education projects. Touring the country he introduces the magic of theatre to thousands of young people each year. Hugh loves a chat. And a story. It was much fun to share the microphone with Hugh Monroe, in this naughty but nice, Stages conversation.
Wed, September 16, 2020
'Dance Now, Dan Slater' - DJ and Music Producer, Dan Slater
Dan Slater is an Australian DJ and Producer based in the United States. He commenced his career in performance of another kind; as a dancer in various commercial musical theatre productions touring Australia and Asia. These shows included Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, Shout, Chicago and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - the Musical. Dan's love of music eventually lured him onto the decks, first as a hobby. In 2012 he won the Sydney Mardi Gras Spin Off competition and soon was delivering beats and rhythms to enthusiastic crowds on dance floors around Sydney. Determination, invention and obvious talent propelled him on to sets and residencies at some of the biggest parties around the world. He has been bringing his upbeat, chunky house sound to dance floors across the globe, and his talent for sculpting the energy of a party is in a league of its own. He draws from the progressive sounds of the European club scene, as well as the Latino fire of South America as he moves seamlessly between house, circuit, tech and deep house. Dan's foray into the studio for production has seen him produce remixes for Cher, Alfie Arcuri, Samantha Jade, Carmen Elektra, Zoë Badwi, Tim Campbell, Nat Conway, Britney Spears, Paulini, Ultra Nate and Marcia Hines. His first release, 'Minute Of You' saw him collaborate with JimJam, and featured soul diva Nalaya. He released 'Sold My Soul' and 'Respectable' with Australian singer-songwriter, Zoë Badwi Their next releases are 'I've Been Waiting' and 'Dirty Little Secret'. Dan is charming, passionate and thrives on his work. He is a master at his craft - conjuring a magic that provides an atmosphere and sound, commanding a place on the dance floor. Dan joined Stages from his home in Miami to reflect on a most unique artistry.
Wed, September 09, 2020
'Never Apologise For Talent. Talent is a Gift!' - Actor, Maggie Kirkpatrick
Maggie Kirkpatrick holds a unique place in Australian entertainment. She created one of the most iconic characters in Australian drama television history and simultaneously evolved into one of the most accomplished and admired theatrical leading ladies. Maggie appeared as Madame Morrible in the original Australian production of Wicked, which toured nationally and throughout Asia for seven years. Maggie manifested Madame Morrible for the run of the show. She has worked extensively with Australia's leading theatre companies, including STC (Major Barbara, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Ham Funeral, A Delicate Balance, A Cheery Soul, The Cripple of Inishmaan), MTC (Emerald City), the State Theatre Of South Australia (Farewell Brisbane Ladies, The One Day Of The Year) and Perth Theatre Company (A Passionate Woman). Maggie was directed by Michael Blakemore in Death Trap and has shared the stage with Sir Michael Redgrave (in JC Williamson's Voyage Round My Father), Susannah York (Shoehorn Sonata, London's King's Head Theatre) and Topol (Fiddler on the Roof) among others. Maggie's musical repertoire includes stellar turns in Irene, Anything Goes, Songs from A Side Show Alley, Singin' in the Rain and the West End production of Prisoner: Cell Block H; The Musical, not to mention several highly successful and long running, one-woman cabaret shows, The Screw Is Loose and Maggie Kirkpatrick...Still Here. Her television credits include, All Saints, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, GP, Home and Away, The Pacific and of course, Joan (The Freak) Ferguson in Prisoner. Maggie's feature film roles include Welcome To Woop Woop, Lillian's Story, Billy's Holiday, The Night of the Prowler and The Getting of Wisdom. Maggie has long been actively involved in raising awareness of gay rights receiving a DIVA Award for fund raising for the fight against HIV/Aids. She is a proud member of Actors Equity since 1961. Earlier this year Maggie released her memoir, The Gloves Are Off - The Inside Story from Prisoner to Wicked. It is a terrific read recounting a brilliant career, while also chronicling our vital stage history. Maggie is a treasured guest in this special edition of Stages - episode 150!
Wed, September 02, 2020
'Drama Queen' - Drama Performance Officer at The Arts Unit, Department of Education, Jane Simmons
A young performer's passion is frequently ignited through their engagement with the Arts, at school. Performing Arts teachers recognise and nurture a passion in their students that may one day lead to a professional career in dance, music or drama. A performing arts experience at school also supports the child whose ambition may lie in other industries, providing essential social, personal and analytical skills. The role of the Drama Teacher is immensely fulfilling but equally demanding. It exists beyond the curriculum in co-curricular programs, experiences and productions, generously offered by teachers to foster an appreciation of theatre, culture and the joy of play-making. Jane Simmons has over 25 years teaching experience. She is embraced as a leader in Drama education and is recognised as a generous source of advice, encouragement and practice. In her present role as Performance Officer at The Department of Education Arts Unit, she has produced State drama festivals, camps, ensembles and workshops. Jane has coordinated professional development courses and is an experienced director, administrator and marker. In 2011 she created a social network site, Drama Peeps. The site is a valued resource for the Drama teacher, offering support of pedagogy and nurturing community. Jane also has extensive stage experience. She has performed sold out shows at the Sydney Comedy Festival and is a dynamic presence at Theatresports competitions. For a period she wrote an insightful blog reviewing theatre, called Shit On Your Play. The blog garnered a wide readership from discerning theatre goers and many practitioners from MainStage and Fringe companies. In 2015 Jane received the Australian Council of Teachers leadership award, recognising her excellence and expertise in the arts. Jane joined Stages in a celebratory conversation of the Drama teacher and illuminating reflection on what lead her to a career in arts education.
Wed, August 26, 2020
'Life Upon The Wicked Stage' - Musical Theatre Practitioner and Teacher, Dolores Dunbar
Dolores Dunbar possesses an energy that equals that of her teenage students. In her role as Head of Musical Theatre at the McDonald College of Performing Arts she contributes to the development of the next generation of performers with a knowledge garnered from extensive industry experience in a variety of roles. A first foray into the business came from an extensive tour with Slim Dusty. The 'smell of the greasepaint' ignited her passion and confirmed her ambition to work in the theatre. She made her professional stage debut in the Australian company of Funny Girl for J.C. Williamson's. A stack of shows followed for Dolores, including My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Les Miserables and Shout. Other creative roles have seen her choreograph the immensely successful Australian production of Nunsense, that saw several companies and endless 'nuns' perform and tour the work. She has served in Company Management roles, saved the show with script in hand and directed productions of Eurovision, Copacabana, Sweet Charity and Grease. She is always ready with an amusing and celebratory anecdote, that serves also as a brilliant history lesson. Dolores is a walking encyclopaedia of our musical theatre past and the many characters who have inhabited its stages. She is terrific company and a passionate supporter of young talent. Dolores Dunbar is today's special guest on Stages.
Wed, August 19, 2020
'Hot Glue and Glitter' - Oscar and Tony Award winning Costume Designer, Tim Chappel
When Tim Chappel was 13, he was mesmerised by the beauty and creation bursting from the pages of an edition of Vogue. This awakening steered the young artist away from aspirations of becoming a botanist and pointed him towards the alchemy of a hot glue gun and glitter, fabric and fabulousness; and into the world of costume design. Tim Chappel is one of Australia's leading costume designers and has designed for feature films, TV series, theatre, musicals and music video clips. He was awarded the Academy Award, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award and an Australian Film Institute Award for his costume design of The Adventures of Priscilla , Queen of the Desert. For the stage musical adaptation, Chappel was rewarded again with Broadway's coveted Tony Award for his inspired design and creation. His extensive design credits include the films Miss Congeniality and Today You Die; Television product such as Australia's Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars; the stage productions Gypsy and Funny Girl and Music Videos for Cher, Missy Elliott and Matchbox 20. It is a career that has reached beyond Australian platforms to be showcased in the West End, on Broadway and in the celluloid splendour of Hollywood. Chappel continues to create vivid worlds on various canvases. He relishes too, the opportunity to train a new generation of costume designers, imparting a knowledge built on invention, spectacle and an inimitable style. Stages was thrilled to meet Tim and to garner a unique insight into the art of the costume designer and to reflect on a celebrated career. The Stages podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, August 12, 2020
'Three Cheers and Dammit, C'est la Vie' - Showbiz and Variety Veteran, Lee Young
Lee Young was born James Stevenson Young in Scotland in 1928 His mother was a concert soprano and his father an amateur actor. Lee became stage struck at a very early age, fascinated by his father's make-up box and collection of false beards. An unsuccessful audition for the Entertainment National Service Association (he was too young), brought him to the eye of an auditioning agent who was handling Scottish Variety dates. He booked Lee's dance act to appear at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr. Keen to appear in a West End show, he successfully auditioned for the legendary Windmill Theatre and subsequently commenced a career in London theatres, clubs and revues. He has anecdotes aplenty concerning a galaxy of stars that he has either worked with or been on close terms. These include Frankie Howerd, Richard Burton, Marlene Dietrich, Benny Hill, Terry Thomas, Danny LaRue and Mrs Mills. In 1953, Lee made what may have been the first rock and roll record issued outside the United States when he recorded the song Rock, Rock, Rock. Lee settled in Sydney in 1971 and quickly established himself as a much loved and respected part of the show business fraternity 'down under' in theatre restaurant, revue and as a popular headline cabaret performer on the club circuit. As a theatre performer his credits include Stepping Out, Blithe Spirit, King Lear, Dad's Army - the musical; and Arsenic and Old Lace where he toured with Gwen Plumb and June Bronhill. Lee is a much-lauded member of the distinguished theatrical group The Glugs, who in 2019, awarded him the Rodney Seaborn Lifetime Achievement Award. An hour in his company is a valuable history lesson and contagious inspiration. Ladies and Gentlemen .... Mr Lee Young.
Wed, August 05, 2020
'I'm With You' - Playwright, Jordan Shea
Jordan Shea is a Filipino-Australian writer and teacher working across theatre and screen. After debuting his first play, two days shy of his twenty first birthday, he went on to write plays across the independent sector. He then secured a place at the VCA in Melbourne, to study his master's degree in playwriting. Relocating back to Sydney, he has become a distinguished Asian-Australian voice in the performing arts. His credits as a writer include: Kasama Kita, The House at Boundary Road, Liverpool, CAGE, Barbaric Truth, Last Drinks, Little Differences, Cascadia and many more that have been developed by major companies, and independent collectives. He is currently one of the Philip Parsons Fellows for Belvoir Theatre. Jordan also worked as a producer, in venues such as the Chippen Street Theatre, the King Street Theatre and the Kings Cross Theatre. As a Director, he was responsible for Keating! which opened the Bryan Brown Theatre, Bankstown as part of the Bankstown Arts Festival. His passion for telling stories is palpable, along with an impressive appreciation of theatre history in Australia and abroad. There is no doubting his commitment to the work. And glowing reviews indicate a talent to watch. Jordan has also worked as a producer and director on several projects and today he is our enthusiastic guest on Stages.
Sat, August 01, 2020
'Every Day Another Tune' - Cabaret, Television and Theatre Legend, Rhonda Burchmore OAM - Part 2
In Part 2 of Stages conversation with Rhonda Burchmore, we traverse the extensive career highlights that run parallel to those of the musical theatre. Television variety and cabaret have rewarded her with many triumphs and other modes of artistic expression. Burchmore has forged a lengthy career in one of the toughest and most unforgiving industries; show business. Tenacity, heart and humour have been steadfast qualities that have enabled her to rise to the top and enamour audiences. Her one-woman show Red, Hot and Rhonda opened the Crown Casino in Melbourne. She was honoured with the Cabaret Icon Award at The International Adelaide Cabaret Festival and she continues to work with Mamma Mia alumni Lara Mulcahy in self-devised entertainments Abba-Solutely Fabulous and Partners in Crime. Rhonda was a spirited addition to many television variety shows that included The Don Lane Show, The Mike Walsh Show and Hey, Hey It's Saturday. These shows were screened live, depended on spontaneity and featured big bands. Rhonda is candid, warm and has the best laugh. She shares more of her magnificent story in this companion episode of Stages.
Wed, July 29, 2020
'Warm & Willing' - Cabaret, Television and Theatre Legend, Rhonda Burchmore OAM - Part 1
Rhonda Burchmore has chartered a career spanning 40 years and several genres. She is equally adept at cabaret, television variety and musical theatre, with extensive credits demonstrating consummate skill and audience delight. In 2019 she was very much in the public consciousness as we watched her traverse the many challenges and triumphs navigated in the sixth season of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Rhonda's tremendous tenacity, humour and heart shone through, placing her third and garnering much affection from camp-mates and audience. She has played stages around Australia and the West End, affording her opportunities to work alongside legendary performers such as Eddie Bracken, Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller and Anthony Newley. She has given us star turns in the musicals Sugar Babies, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Mamma Mia, Stop The World I Want To get Off, Mame and The Drowsy Chaperone; and been celebrated as a solo performer with dynamic turns in shows such as Fever, Vinyl Viagra, My Funny Valentines and Everybody Loves Rhonda. Everybody does love Rhonda and she continues to delight on screens and stages. And as the critics attest, she just keeps going from strength to strength.
Wed, July 22, 2020
'A Popular Mechanical' - Actor and Playwright, Tony Taylor
Tony Taylor migrated to Australia from the UK. He has found great personal reward through participation in the performing arts. Commencing his career as a Drama teacher, an invitation to participate in an improvisation workshop lead him to become an original member of the seminal Australian Performing Group at The Pram Factory in Melbourne. This crucible of creative energy would launch some of the country's leading actors and playwrights. At The Pram Factory, Taylor was part of a theatre collective and found acting and creative roles in the premiere of David Williamson's Don's Party and the iconic Hills Family Show; a vaudeville themed entertainment that enjoyed considerable success and a wide tour. The Hills Family Show brought him to the attention of Sydney practitioners and extensive work at the Nimrod Theatre Company followed. As did the original Australian production of The Venetian Twins and a lifelong partnership with a fellow actor. A life in the theatre has also seen Taylor contribute dynamic performances in productions of The Life and Adventure of Nicholas Nickleby, Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Man of La Mancha and The Importance of Being Earnest. His writing accomplishments swim in a range of genres - drama, revue, comedy, cabaret and children's theatre. In this episode he recounts the development of the riotous comic work, The Popular Mechanicals. Needless to say, it is an extensive contribution to theatre in Australia and Tony Taylor shares vast anecdote and history in this candid and illuminating episode of Stages.
Sat, July 18, 2020
'A Show that's so Splendiferous' - Set and Scenic Designer, Brian Thomson - Part2
Brian Thomson is approaching his 50th year as a Set Designer, contributing to a vast number of productions and platforms globally. He is Australia's most prolific designer, creating scenic worlds to tell stories across a range of platforms - theatre, opera, film, musical and concert. In this companion episode of Stages we revisit his work with Barry Humphries and Kylie Minogue, and the staging of Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the musical, in theatres around the world. Along the way he has collected a Tony Award and worked with a host of great talents. He has designed for large canvases and small spaces. Recent work ranges from the intimacy of The Old Fitz theatre with Krapp's Last Tape to La Traviata on Sydney Harbour, which alas succumbed to Covid's tragic interruption. Brian is eloquent, engaging and erudite, providing fascinating insight into the work of the Designer, and also anecdote from vital contributions to the Arts across several decades.
Wed, July 15, 2020
'Don't Dream It, Be It' - Set and Scenic Designer, Brian Thomson - Part1
Brian Thomson made his theatre debut in 1971 when he designed set and costumes for Jim Sharman's celebrated production of As You Like It for the Old Tote Theatre. The tribal musical Hair quickly followed, beginning a succession of iconic productions constructed for impresario Harry M. Miller. Brian designed settings for the original Australian and London productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and The Rocky Horror Show. He also designed the cinematic staple, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a cult classic that continues to charm audiences through generations. In 1996 Brian Thomson was awarded the Tony Award for the Broadway production of The King and I. The production also played The London Palladium having originated in Australia. The Thomson resume is considerable recording a vast repertoire of work for stage, film and live performance. He has worked for many of the Nation's major theatre and opera companies and in 1999 designed Kylie Minogue's Intimate and Live Tour. He was a Supervising Designer for The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games also. A Brian Thomson design guarantees immediate transportation to the world of the play. His aesthetic is informed, unique and seductive. He is a prolific stage designer and it was our pleasure to record this episode of Stages and capture an extraordinary life in the theatre.
Wed, July 08, 2020
'You're Soaking In It' - Dance and Theatre Veteran, Robina Beard
Born in the UK, Robina Beard wanted to be a ballerina and after migrating with her parents to Sydney in 1949, continued training in the Cecchetti method. She has contributed to many art forms and roles over an extensive career in Australia. Robina Beard has graced Australian stages and screens for several decades. She is familiar to generations of Australians as Madge the Manicurist in the iconic Palmolive commercials in which she uttered the familiar catch-phrase - "You're soaking in it." She has carved a fulfilling career as a performer, creative and teacher. She can now add author to the list with the recent publication of her autobiography, My Life: you're Soaking In It. Robina provides us with a first hand account of the Entertainment Industry in Australia from early jobs working as a television weather girl, a score of shows with J.C.Williamson's and at the Phillip Street theatre. She has filled the role of Resident Director and served appointments as a teacher with NAISDA and the Australian Ballet School. In this conversation we draw upon a lifetime of dance, musical theatre, drama, television and Arts education. At 83 she is vibrant, engaging and an endless source of laughter and fascination; having achieved many of her dreams but missing out on others. She describes opportunities and moments rife in a rich life and rewarding career.
Wed, July 01, 2020
'Life is a Cabaret, Old Chum' - Practitioner, Commentator, Historian and Passionate Arts Consumer, Bill Stephens OAM
The Canberra Times identified Bill Stephens as one of 75 people who had shaped the National Capitol. He is one of the region's best known theatrical personalities, and although his career was in Hospital Administration, it has been through his passionate involvement in the performing arts nationally, that he has made his most important contribution. He has carved a lengthy career as a Theatre Director with theatre companies in Griffith and Canberra. For 15 years he was Cabaret Producer and Artistic Director at the Queanbeyan School of Arts cafe. The School of Arts Café became the longest established cabaret venue in Australia, attracting a host of sterling talent and enthusiastic audiences. As a Theatre Critic and Writer he regularly contributes reviews to the Canberra Critics Circle blog, and reviews productions of musical theatre, cabaret and dance for City News, and Australian Arts Review. Bill has also contributed feature articles on theatre to 'Stage Whispers'. Bill has had extensive experience presenting radio programs of interviews, reviews, music and news. Since February, 2019, he has been producing and presenting weekly episodes of the arts program, In The Foyer for Artsound FM. Commencing in 1985, Bill has been an interviewer for the National Library of Australia's Oral History Program, specialising in the performing arts and preserving vital conversations with artists across all disciplines and roles. In 2017 he was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia - for services to the performing arts. Bill has spoken to everyone and now it's my treat to speak with Bill - and learn more about the passion and energy that has sustained him over several decades in a passionate pursuit of the performing arts and its practitioners.
Sat, June 27, 2020
'Science Fiction/Double Feature' - Teacher, Author, Founding and Creative Director at the Actors Centre Australia, Dean Carey
Dean Carey began his professional career in Melbourne, acting in a series of television and stage productions. However it is the pedagogy of Acting that has consumed Dean for over 35 years, teaching the craft and associated performance skills. He has enormous passion and respect for the process of the actor and has subsequently become a stand for powerful and meaningful performance, nurturing actors to fully explore, grow and be their best. Dean has taught in the United Staes, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Russia, Singapore and New Zealand. He is the author of the much acclaimed , The Acting Edge, The Actor's Audition Manual and Masterclass. He has served appointments as Head of Acting at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where he also taught on the staff for several years. Several generations of actors have benefitted from his guidance with Dean also completing teaching stints and/or direction at the Victorian College of the Arts, the Queensland University of Technology and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. In 1987 he created an Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts, (Acting) becoming the Founding and Creative Director of the Actor's Centre Australia. Yesterday, The Actor's Centre celebrated 33 years of operation! In this riveting chat we discuss the training of actors, Dean's penchant for science fiction stories and the birth and growth of ACA. Bravo Dean and Happy Birthday ACA!
Wed, June 24, 2020
'It's Time To Get Moving' - Dancer, Choreographer & Artistic Director, Shaun Parker
Shaun Parker graduated with a science degree but it was dance that became his vocation. He is an award winning choreographer, dancer, actor and counter-tenor whose work has explored a vast range of performance platforms. He is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and a former member of Meryl Tankard's Australian Dance Theatre. In 2010, he founded Shaun Parker & Company, becoming Artistic Director and a dynamic advocate for dance. The company creates critically acclaimed dance productions, which are renowned for their integration of stimulating choreographic forms, arresting musical scores and theatrical invention. Their work has graced national and global stages. Parker's choreographic works include KING, REMOTE, In The Zone, Am I, Happy As Larry and The Yard. He is fêted for his dynamic, youthful work that "is so cutting edge it actually wanders off the edge of any single-word definition". (The Daily Telegraph) Shaun Parker & Company has found various ways to continue working and maintain connections with both its dancers and its audiences during this time of physical distancing. Shaun is this week's guest on Stages. He elaborates on creating a dance experience online and the role he relishes; steering an innovative dance company with a passionate commitment to education and creating work that connects with audiences to deliver strong social impact.
Sat, June 20, 2020
'It's Only a Matter of Time' - Director, Producer & Writer, Neil Gooding
Neil Gooding is an international theatre Director, Producer and Writer. He was the originating Chairman and one of the founding members of the Hayes Theatre Co in Sydney. He is the head of New Musicals Australia and in 2002 established his own company, Neil Gooding Productions (NGP). Directing highlights include the Australian premiere of Stalking The Bogeyman, the World Premiere concert version of Paris, the World Premiere of The Red Tree, Church And State, Passion, the World Premiere of The Hatpin, Truth Beauty And A Picture Of You and High Fidelity; the national tour of Thank You for Being A Friend; as well as Side by Side by Sondheim and Diciasette. As a Producer, Neil's work internationally includes: Back to the Future the Musical at the Manchester Opera House; the New York production of Handle with Care starring Carol Lawrence; The 39 Steps (Union Square Theatre in New York); Alan Cumming's one-man version of Macbeth; Church And State (New World Stages, NYC) and participation in the Broadway productions of It's Only A Play; The Empire Strips Back and The Ferryman. In London's West End, Neil was a producer of the hit Australian play, Holding the Man. Neil is also the author of the musical Back to the 80's which is now produced hundreds of times around the world every year, as well as the newly released Popstars. Next week he directs the Australian premiere of Who's Your Baghdaddy? (Or How I Started The Iraq War). Due to the present Covid-19 restrictions, this stage musical has been reimagined to be performed online. It's a daring new way to reach an audience but necessity is often the mother of invention. Neil Gooding joined us from New York to discuss the show and a trajectory in the theatre that is reaping great rewards. www.baghdaddymusical.com.au
Wed, June 17, 2020
'Golden Jubilee' - Actor, Belinda Giblin
Belinda Giblin recently celebrated 50 years as an actor. Growing up in Tamworth, the daughter of parents who were prolific practitioners in community theatre, early exposure to the arts guaranteed her chosen vocation. Extensive ballet study through her childhood resulted in an offer of scholarship to the Australian Ballet School, but it was a life upon the stage, in another artistic expression that won. She has navigated a career that has allowed her a broad repertoire of performances. With the iconic Crawford Production house, she found roles in the television police dramas Division Four, Homicide and Matlock Police. She has also perfected the art of the soap opera in programs like The Box, The Sullivans and Sons & Daughters; where she gave us the villainous Alison Carr. Giblin continues dips into the genre with her present residency in Home & Away's Summer Bay as Martha Stewart. Her range can also be seen in stage performances that have covered Comedic Farce, American Drama and the Classics. Giblin defines the last decade as probably the most exciting she has experienced as an actor with acclaimed turns in Blonde Poison, Doubt, The Turquoise Elephant, Family Values and John. Belinda Giblin is this week's guest on Stages, reflecting on an craft that is always surprising, sometimes disappointing, frequently erratic but never dull.
Wed, June 10, 2020
'Life's Too Short To Be Anyone But Yourself' - Activist, Actor and Author - Harry Cook
In a relatively young life, Harry Cook has demonstrated a dynamic and charismatic persona, achieving much. He has chartered a successful career as an actor, garnering impressive accolades in a number of feature films. He made his screen debut at 17, playing opposite Hollywood Star, Geena Davis, in the coming-of-age tale; Accidents Happen. Harry is also a passionate activist for LGBTIQ+ rights and visibility. He chronicled his own traumatic coming-out story in the engaging memoir, Pink Ink. The book won acclaim for its honesty and warmth. Further gigs have seen Harry acting alongside Sam Neill and Bryan Brown in ABC TV's Old School and in the cult thriller Caught Inside with Peter Phelps and Ben Oxenbould. Most recently he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the prestigious Film Out, San Diego for his role in the feature film Drown. Ever present on social media, he continues to chart a full and fulfilling life. Harry communicates his staunch support of many issues, his great love of family and his affectionate obsession with a bulldog named Poppy. Next month Harry's new book, Finn, Rye and Fireflies is released. The young-adult fiction book tackles aversion therapy and continues his goal to increase the visibility of LGBTIQ+ characters across all platforms. Harry is a passionate story-teller and is candid about his personal and professional journeys. He provides terrific reflection in this episode of Stages.
Sat, June 06, 2020
'The Great Fermata' - Conductor, Benjamin Northey
Benjamin Northey is the Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the Principal Conductor in Residence of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. He has previously held the posts of Associate Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Resident Guest Conductor of the Australian Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Born and raised in Ballarat, he embraced music as an expression from an early age. Flute, clarinet and saxophone were instruments of choice. An appetite and enthusiasm for further exploration saw him develop skills in arranging; and pursue piano, trumpet and violin to add to his developing skills set. Northey graduated with performance studies in classical saxophone from the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. He followed this promptly with a Master of Music study in Conducting, from the Victorian College of the Arts, and continued study abroad. With a progressive and diverse approach to repertoire he has collaborated with a broad range of artists and he is adept at a terrific range of musical styles. And Benjamin Northey likes nothing more than to lead an audience through a sensory experience of music. He does it with passion, pride and perfection. Benjamin Northey joined me in a passionate discussion that considers the musician's process; and ponders the present performance pause and absence of an audience.
Wed, June 03, 2020
'Renaissance Woman' - Musical Director and Composer, Carmel Dean
Perth seems 'a million miles away' from New York City, but it frames the journey of Carmel Dean; a musical practitioner of intellectual and creative power. She has been applauded extensively in a variety of roles that include Composer, Musical Director, Arranger and Pianist. Early training in classical piano and study at The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, confirmed an ambition harboured by Carmel. She wanted to create, write and perform music, chiefly in the genre of musical theatre. In 2001 she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study in the United States and subsequently graduated from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing program. A dynamic approach to her work and an easy charm saw her triumph in a succession of creative tasks; transcribing, teaching and accompaniment, building collaborative relationships and demonstrating solid instincts. These experiences soon lead to roles in Musical Direction. As Musical Director, she has guided the Broadway productions of If/Then, Hands on a Hardbody, American Idiot and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway credits include Everyday Rapture, Vanities and Elegies - A Song Cycle by William Finn. As Composer, Carmel's first musical, Renascence, was produced Off-Broadway and was named Best New Musical at the 2018 Off-Broadway Alliance Awards. A song-cycle titled Well Behaved Women had its premiere performance in New York at Joe's Pub in January, 2020. Carmel Dean is a remarkable musician and an inspiring woman. She is incredibly eloquent. We connected with Carmel remotely, to traverse her extraordinary career thus far, and obtain a fascinating insight into the construction of a Musical narrative.
Sat, May 30, 2020
'Togetherness' - Playwright, Actor, Director, Barry Creyton - Part 2
Barry Creyton continues to provide fascinating insight and reflection of an extensive career, in this companion episode of the Stages podcast. He examines the craft of writing in regard to the many forms in which he has written - fiction, comedy and farce, film, theatre, revue and radio drama. A period working in London allowed him opportunities as a broadcaster with the BBC World Service and theatre gigs that included productions of David Williamson's Don's Party at The Royal Court and a national tour of Ronald Millar's Abelard and Heloise; a play that restored his confidence as an actor. Recent activity has seem him work with LA Theatreworks and Blackstone Audio adapting and sometimes performing, in a series of audio productions of classic texts. He continues to write and develop screenplays and remains a picture of health (there's a picture in an attic somewhere) through a committed discipline of gym. Creyton serves the roles of actor, director, and writer with tremendous ease, extensive knowledge and immense charm. To be in his company is a joy to be treasured. He is generous, warm, witty and ready with a mountain of anecdotes that delight, inform and endlessly entertain.
Wed, May 27, 2020
'A Talent to Amuse' - Playwright, Actor, Director, Barry Creyton - Part 1
Barry Creyton could quite easily be labelled a 'Renaissance man'. He is indeed a consummate man of the theatre - accomplished in many roles. He is also a pioneer of revue and satirical comedy in Australia as one of the writer/performers of the iconic television series; The Mavis Bramston Show. His career has taken him around the world, working in a variety of guises in Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. He has written screenplays, novels and countless theatre fare; revues, plays and adaptations. Following a motorcycle accident he spent time recovering in hospital and writing a play that would prove to be a triumph with an extensive tour that paired Creyton with his great friend and comic contemporary Noeline Brown. The play, Double Act is still performed today and has been given productions in a host of international cities. Creyton and Brown were among the first to release comic records in Australia. The Front and Back (Flip) Side of Barry Creyton and Noeline Brown and The Not So Wet and Dry Side of Barry Creyton and Noeline Brown, demonstrated a seductive sophistication and stark observation of the culture; and relationships between the sexes. In Australia he is also recognised as the urbane panellist from the subversive gameshow Blankety Blanks, the genius stage director of the musical comedy Nunsense or the hysterical farceur in the riotous Noises Off. A vast repertoire of villains, sophisticates and clowns contributes to audiences' adoration of Creyton in stage and screen roles. Creyton serves the roles of Actor, Director, and Writer with tremendous ease, extensive knowledge and immense charm. To be in his company is a joy to be treasured. He is generous, warm, witty and ready with a mountain of anecdotes that delight, inform and endlessly entertain.
Sat, May 23, 2020
'Absolutely Fastidious & Fabulous!' - Publicist, Di Rolle
In a career that has never disappointed and regularly surprised, Di Rolle has experienced it all. She has been mistaken for Mrs Michael Jackson and she has worked in the golden years of television variety with the Steve Vizard, and Don Lane, Tonight shows. She's mixed with rock stars, movie stars and royalty. Her contact book could be used as a platform to reach the top shelf - she knows everybody! Commencing her career in nursing, she soon moved to roles in the media, working in many facets of television and radio; ultimately crafting a dynamic and hugely successful career in promotion and publicity; specialising in entertainment. Stints with Roadshow Film Distributors, the Nine Network and the Paul Dainty Corporation provided her with terrific skills in diplomacy and connection, ultimately leading to the establishment of her own consultancy firm, Di Rolle Publicity. Di has handled tours and media relations for a vast parade of personnel that include, Willie Nelson, Ruby Wax, Elton John, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Tara Moss. Also music festivals, orchestras and dance companies. She is diplomatic, delightful and reliable in delivering the best communication between client and audience. She keenly defines the role of the Publicist. It was a treat to catch up with Di and discuss her extensive career and to seek a few fascinating anecdotes.
Wed, May 20, 2020
'Getting To Know You' - Stage and Screen Actor, Lisa McCune
Lisa McCune first performed on stage at the age of 15 playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She is synonymous with the character of 'Maggie Doyle' in the popular television drama , Blue Heelers. The role rewarded her with a swag of awards, including four Gold Logies as the most popular personality on Australian TV. McCune is not an actor to be defined by one role however, and has continued to amass a vast repertoire of performances on television and in plays and musical theatre. She trained at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, demonstrating a resilience and ambition, as one of the youngest students to be accepted into the course. Her immense charm and engaging persona have made her the perfect casting in a succession of Rodgers and Hammerstein roles, where she has delighted audiences as Maria in The Sound of Music, Nellie Forebush in South Pacific and Anna Leonowens in The King and I. Her range is vast and she has given a terrific assortment of performances; Nunsense, Guys & Dolls, The Potato Factory, Sea Patrol, 33 Variations, Little Fish, Cabaret, Urinetown and How To Stay Married to list but a few. Adept at musical theatre, comedy and drama she is immediately likeable and accomplished in her navigation of character and story. Lisa was giving her 'Gertrude' in Hamlet with The Bell Shakespeare Company when the pandemic forced the closure of many theatres; effectively forcing the valuable work of the Arts sector to an abrupt stop. It was indeed a pleasure to converse with Lisa (from afar) and contemplate her career, craft and COVID-19.
Sat, May 16, 2020
'Words, Words, Words' - Writer & Arts Commentator, Diana Simmonds
Born in London and spending formative years in Kenya, Diana Simmonds has had a life-long love affair with words. Words spoken and on the page, as a writer, playwright, editor and critic. She has been cited as the most reliable and discerning theatre critic in Sydney. Her online blog stagenoise.com has amassed a large and loyal following of readers; punters and practitioners. She is immensely knowledgable and entertaining with her observations and appreciation of many art forms. Hers is an essential voice in Sydney's cultural life. In London she wrote for various publications including Time Out and City Limits. Upon arrival in Sydney in 1985, she wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin, The Australian and The Sunday Telegraph, where she was the arts editor. Her nurturing of a thriving theatre scene lead her to be a founding critic and adjudicator of the Sydney Theatre Awards; an annual celebration that has earned respect and legitimacy. She has published a number of novels and non-fiction books, including one on Princess Diana and another on Doris Day. She's also had two stage shows produced. Diana Simmonds joined Stages to reflect on the responsibility of the reviewer, the power of the arts and the essential need for us to tell and consume stories.
Wed, May 13, 2020
'And now ... here's Mark!' - Writer, Presenter and Satirist, Mark Humphries
You may have caught Mark Humphries as the imposing presence delivering satire on the 7:30 Report. He serves it with boundless charm and an engaging twinkle of the eye. You might also have found him as the amiable and accomplished host on the local version of the UK quiz success, Pointless. The television platform seems the likely home for Humphries who grew up with an appetite for television variety and who is the son of a former ABC weatherman. Early forays into a television studio ignited an ambition to entertain and amuse. Humphries also hosts a passion for musical theatre. He was recently triumphant in the series of Celebrity Mastermind where his special subject, was The Musicals of Stephen Sondheim. His charm and personality are reminiscent of the television Gods of yesteryear, but with an essential contemporary edge. He is equipped with a smile as broad as a bridge, a mischievous glint that hints at naughty and a masterful way with words - indelible assets for satirical comedy and television variety. He spoke with Stages examining the challenge of writing and delivering comedy in present times, quiz shows and of course, the magic of the musical.
Sat, May 09, 2020
Great Australian Voices - Conductor and Producer, Brian Castles-Onion
Brian Castles-Onion is one of Australia's most beloved and exciting opera conductors. His impish charm and infinite knowledge of the operatic repertoire, historical perspectives and vocal technique make him an engaging authority on our rich operatic past. It is no surprise then, to learn that his lifetime of collecting recordings of vocal artists, now sees him as a passionate preservationist for some of Australia's supreme singers. Brian is the producer of the acclaimed CD series which celebrates our operatic pioneers: Great Australian Voices. The collection is released through Desiree Records. There have been ten volumes produced, each serving delicious excerpts from the careers of singers that include Bob Allman, Nance Grant, Maureen Howard, June Bronhill, Marie Collier, Bob Simmons and Geraldine Turner. The recordings are a treat and offer the listener the opportunity to hear how our musical ancestors sounded; what they sang, how they sang, who they sang with and what they thought about their roles. An insightful historical and pictorial booklet accompanies each volume with much fascinating detail to devour. Brian joined Stages to generously share knowledge of these great singers and the artistic legacy they leave.
Wed, May 06, 2020
'The Show Must Go On' - Journalist, Singer, Publisher and Community Theatre Advocate, David Spicer
David Spicer's enthusiasm for the arts in all its forms is palpable. His participation exists in several identities; producer, publisher, performer and patron. He is a regular at the theatre and relishes nurturing new work. It's a broad portfolio. Spicer is a journalist and worked for the A.B.C. in metropolitan radio and television, delivering news and current affairs. He was acknowledged with the Walkley Award two years running, for Best Radio Current Affairs Story. Equally at home on the stage, he has performed most of the lead tenor repertoire in the Gilbert and Sullivan cannon; in concerts and production. In 2008, he acquired management of Stage Whispers Performing Arts Magazine; an essential guide for the theatre goer and participant, delivering news, reviews and listings. Since 1995, Spicer has been the Communications Officer for The Association of Community Theatre. In this capacity he helped found the ACT's What's On brochure and a bi-annual community theatre conference. He began his foray into representing stage plays and musicals in 1998, when David Spicer Productions licensed 2 musicals. The company now licences more than 200 productions in countries all over the world. David joined Stages to examine his many roles and the vital need for an Arts experience in society - especially in the present, challenging times.
Sat, May 02, 2020
'Whip-Crack-Away!' - Writer, Producer and Director, Richard Carroll
Prior to arriving in Australia, Richard Carroll had only tentatively contemplated a career in the theatre. His showbiz participation had consisted of school productions and writing questions for Quiz programs in the UK. Casting and production experiences in television followed, providing him with essential skills to navigate the creative roles of writer, producer and director. Carroll is one of Australia's leading proponents of the Musical and is a founding member of The Hayes Theatre Company in Sydney; an organisation dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the musical and cabaret forms. His impressive list of credits as Producer or Writer include Everybody Loves Lucy, Julie Madly Deeply, Darlinghurst Nights, High Society and Sweet Charity - the production that alerted the industry that something special was happening at The Hayes. As a Director, his highly successful production of Calamity Jane, starring Virginia Gay, played throughout Australia, delighting audiences with a new look at an old favourite. Other shows seeing Carroll at the helm include Spamalot, Gypsy, An Act of God, Once and Sideshow; an array of product exploring classical Broadway fare and contemporary works. In November he directs the iconic Oklahoma for The Black Swan Theatre Company in Perth. You can also find Richard in a back catalogue of episodes for his podcasts: At The Hayes and Every Musical Ever. Today, you'll find him on Stages, reflecting on his journey to Australia and the theatrical delights he has discovered and made significant contribution.
Wed, April 29, 2020
'What's the buzz?" - Publicist, Ian Phipps
Oscar Wilde once said, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." Though he was advising 'Dorian Gray', Wilde could quite easily have been instructing the pursuit of the Publicist. An essential tool in the promotion and marketing of events and entertainment is the publicity machine; making us aware, engaged and informed. For over 30 years, Ian Phipps has worked in a variety of capacities communicating a product. He has served stints as Publicity Manager at SBS Television, Marketing Manager of Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Publicity and Promotions Manager of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School; and since 2009 navigation of his own promotions and publicity house, IP Publicity. It is a role demanding enormous energy, strategy and an awareness of all platforms and how they might best service the client. Large scale productions and high profile artists benefit from Ian's management of media communications, and creative flair, in guiding the public awareness. Publicity and Promotions are another intriguing facet of our Arts industry. Ian provides great insight to his process and shares some delightful tales from his extensive experience as a Publicist working with creatives, media and the audience.
Sat, April 25, 2020
'Something About Always' - Actor, Producer and Advocate, Simon Burke - Part 2
Simon Burke dislikes waiting in the wings. His immense passion and energy would see him ideally leave the dressing room to arrive directly on stage and into the job of story-telling. It is a routine that can easily be applied to Simon off the stage. He moves with great enthusiasm towards each project and is eager to craft his own projects too; or provide support to colleagues and industry in advocacy roles. A vast array of performances in musical theatre have given us his Marius in the original Australian company of Les Miserables, Billy Flynn in Chicago and Billy Crocker in Anything Goes. Acclaim abroad has seen Burke feature regularly in The West End in productions of La Cage Aux Folles, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera; and The Sound of Music at The London Palladium. His passion for the Arts has also seen him attend to the role of National President of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; a role he served for 10 years working for better conditions and consideration of fellow artists. It continues to be a rewarding and busy time on stage and off for Simon Burke. He has traversed many stages and shares fascinating insight and reflection on a career that has seen him journey from talented child actor to an accomplished and regarded actor, and personality, in theatre and on screen. The Stages podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, April 22, 2020
'Drag and Daddies and Bears, Oh My!' - Actor, Producer and Advocate, Simon Burke - Part 1
Simon Burke was recently cast as Hugo, the drag mentor to the title character in the musical Everybody's Talking About Jaimie. He has entered an age bracket that finds him playing a succession of paternal roles in The Sound of Music, Catch Me If You Can, La Cage Aux Folles and Tommy Murphy's Strangers in Between. And for two decades he worked alongside a couple of the most famous bears in the business; Teds, Big and Little. Oh my! All of these are just some of the highlights of a career that continues to be varied and stellar. At the age of 13, Simon Burke landed the role of Tom Allen in Fred Schepsi's acclaimed feature film The Devil's Playground. His performance would reward him with the AFI award for Best Actor and the accolade of being the youngest recipient honoured with the award. He would return to The Devil's Playground 38 years later, reprising the role of Tom and serving the project as co-creator and executive producer. This television series would receive AACTA and Logie Awards. Identifying the moment he walked into an empty theatre and ventured onto the stage - he immediately recognised that this is where he wanted to be. Burke has been in regular work since his early debut. He completed an apprenticeship 'on-the-job' with most of the country's leading actors; early gigs had him working alongside Peter Carroll, Robyn Nevin and Maggie Dence. He has performed across all platforms; theatre, television, film, cabaret, musical theatre and a host of the iconic Playschool. A vast array of roles in musical theatre have given us his Marius in the original Australian company of Les Miserables, Billy Flynn in Chicago and Billy Crocker in Anything Goes. Acclaim abroad has seen Burke feature regularly in The West End in productions of La Cage Aux Folles, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera; and The Sound of Music at The London Palladium. Life in the theatre has also seen him attend to the role of National President of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; a role he served for 10 years working for better conditions and consideration of fellow artists. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015 for distinguished service to the performing arts as an actor, singer and producer, and through senior advocacy roles for performer's rights and access to development and education programs. It continues to be a rewarding and busy time on stage and off for Simon Burke. We discussed the many stages he has traversed - and a lot more - in this reflective episode of Stages.
Wed, April 15, 2020
'Is This The Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?' - Performer and Producer, Michael Falzon
Michael Falzon is the real deal. He is charm personified and comes with an engaging sense of humour and an infinite industry wisdom born of extensive time as a performer and producer, in the business we call show. Upon any meeting with Falzon I best describe him as possessed of a gentle bonhomie. He is humble and modest but at the same time can be direct, frank and insightful. His early career saw him singing professionally in Brisbane with Vocal Point, an 8-part group specialising in close harmony. So too began his extensive travel nationally and internationally. Early work on the stage provided him with an opportunity to explore classical musical theatre styles and operetta in a succession of shows that included The Pirates of Penzance (with Jon English), HMS Pinafore, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (with David Dixon) and Hello, Dolly! (with Jill Perryman). These experiences would lay valuable foundations that would see him develop terrific versatility as a stage performer, and vocal skill that would extend to rock and popular repertoire. In 2003 he was rewarded with his break-through role in We Will Rock You. Selected by creators Ben Elton and Queen's Roger Taylor and Brian May, his performance as 'Galileo Figaro' earned great acclaim. After a tour nationally, Falzon played the show in Japan and throughout the United Kingdom. We Will Rock You offered him a chance to play huge stadiums in arena performances. This was an experience also provided by his performance as 'the Artilleryman' in Jeff Wayne's musical version of The War of The Worlds. Falzon's extensive on stage work has included Hedwig and The Angry Inch, Ordinary Days, Floyd Collins, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rock of Ages, Chess and an opportunity to craft the role of 'Leo Szilard' in the Australian/USA co-production of Atomic, and early work on the developing rock opera Get Jack. I know you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I enjoyed recording this conversation, with the bouyant Michael Falzon.
Wed, April 08, 2020
'The Business of Creating Memories' - Creative Director and Event Producer, Gill Minervini
For over 30 years Gill Minervini has produced some of Australia's most engaging and successful international events and festivals, creating unforgettable, immersive experiences for diverse audiences. She is one of Australia's creative leaders - from festival , event and theatre director to television and radio presenter, food curator and producer - Gill's experience means successful delivery of outstanding creative ideas, every time. Early creative roles included a position as the inaugural Festival Director for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in the late 1980's; an extraordinary time for the gay community. For 17 years she was Creative Director for the City of Sydney, overseeing annual events that included Chinese New Year and Christmas celebrations. The canvases on which she creates are vast and varied. Her event, festival and theatre accomplishments include The Rugby League World Cup 2017, Art Moves - a Public Art Project, Newtown Festival, Barangaroo Welcome Celebrations, Winter Feast Dark MoFo inTasmania and the Australian Theatre of the Deaf. Such product also allows her a plethora of platforms on which to present such expansive production. A mantra she shares with her teams states they are 'in the business of creating memories'. All of us can recall the first time we shared in the palpable experience of a particular event or festival. An immersion amongst community and the theatre of life. Vital experiences that feed into the human condition. Gill Minervini loves her job and communicating stories. It's obvious in this conversation. She provides insight, reflection and passion for the craft of making Big Art and telling vital stories with a broad palette.
Wed, April 01, 2020
'SUDS and Soap' - Veteran Actor, Lyn Collingwood
Lyn Collingwood is known to a legion of fans as Summer Bay busybody, 'Colleen Smart'; a role she played for 13 years in the iconic Australian soap-opera Home & Away. Playing a character for this length of time is an opportunity rarely afforded to actors. Series television provides ample necessity to guide, craft and inhabit such roles. In this episode, Lyn elaborates on the many rewards and challenges that came with maintaining and delivering the character of 'Colleen'. Commencing her acting career at the Sydney University Drama Society, her contemporaries and fellow practitioners included Arthur Dignam, Richard Wherrett and Germaine Greer. Early work performing Pinter, gave her an appreciation of style and a love of dramatic text. Skills that have supported easy investigation of new plays and television scripts. Her professional acting career commenced later, at the age of 35. Collingwood has worked as a social worker and as a teacher. She has also worked in research and as an editor of The Australian Encyclopaedia. While residing in the Inner West she discovered the New Theatre, based in Newtown. She has directed and performed for the company over several decades. Lyn is also a font of knowledge regarding the history of the company, and shares much fascinating reflection of the 87 year old institution. The New Theatre commenced life as the Sydney Workers Art Club, opening with the slogan, 'Art is a Weapon'. In 2009 she launched 'Players in the Pub', a regular series of play readings, providing audiences and actors with a forum for celebrating theatre and writing. The ensemble presents plays rarely performed and that might provide an engaging curiosity to the theatre historian. It is a life in the arts passionately explored; and it was a delight to enjoy some of the experiences, wisdom and wit of Lyn Collingwood.
Sat, March 28, 2020
'These Things Do Happen' - Broadway's Madame Giry, Maree Johnson
Some 23 years after playing Christine Daee in the Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera, Maree Johnson is back with the show - on Broadway - this time playing the mysterious Madame Giry. It is a show that has great sentimental meaning for Johnson and the experience allows her two very different access points to a story that has thrilled audiences for several decades. The desire to act had been present since childhood. Bargaining with brothers to switch the TV from cricket to a musical proved a regular challenge. Such determination was always going to reward with Johnson ultimately giving Australian audiences tremendous delight in a host of iconic roles - Maria in West Side Story, Eliza in My Fair Lady, Grizabella in Cats and Cosette in Les Miserables, to name a few. A win in the Sydney Cabaret Convention in 1998 took Maree to NYC where a next exciting chapter was to unfold. She quickly established herself with performances around the USA in Zorba, Passion and Adam Guettel's Myths and Hyms. Marriage and family was also found, establishing Maree as very much a local. Maree was back in Australia recently and it was a great treat for Stages to sit down with her for a couple of hours to catch up on her journey over the past few years. Also to gain terrific insight, into what it takes to be a performer on Broadway and part of an iconic musical.
Wed, March 25, 2020
'Good Yarns Make Powerful Theatre' - Retired Artistic Director, Sandra Bates
"The success of a theatre company comes down to providing good yarns that make audiences laugh and cry, and which take them on a journey" - Sandra Bates Sandra Bates retired as Artistic Director of The Ensemble Theatre in Sydney in 2015 after 30 years in the role. This innings makes her the longest serving Artistic Director in Australia. In fact the company has only had 3 A.D.s in its 62 year history. Sandra Bates' term followed that of the company's founder, Hayes Gordon. It was Gordon who was running acting classes that the then pharmacist Bates enrolled in, to pursue her artistic leanings. She had been an avid participant in school drama and was subsequently offered a scholarship for training in England at the end of her secondary education, but cautious parents advised a qualification and tertiary education to be essential. Theatre would be a constant call however. It was Hayes Gordon who advised Sandra that she would be an effective director. She began at The Ensemble as A.D. of the Studio's Rep.Theatre, eventually being appointed Artistic and Governing Director of the theatre in 1986. She introduced a subscription series to the company and continued to navigate a remarkable story of theatrical survival for the company who have only ever existed on box office and donations. They receive no public funding. Her extensive theatrical output includes plays by David Williamson, Emerald City and The Jack Manning Trilogy; Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, Barry Creyton's Double Act, Miller's Death of a Salesman and her final show at the theatre, Neil Simon's The Good Doctor. She has relished making theatre and telling stories; and in doing so, has affected the lives of audience members in immeasurable ways. Sandra is thrilled with retirement. It was a delight to meet this theatrical elder and to be taken on her incredible journey in this episode of Stages.
Thu, March 19, 2020
'I Wanna Be a Producer' - Impresario John Frost, Part 2
In Part 2 of the Stages' conversation with Producer John Frost, he describes the rise of the Gordon Frost Organisation and, after the tragic loss of his co-founder Ashley Gordon; the necessary task of taking the helm as C.E.O. of the company. G.F.O. launches onward and finds success with shows like Big River, South Pacific, Hello Dolly! and Smokey Joe's Cafe. Frost's production of The King And I, rewards with considerable triumph, scooping several Tony Awards after the production transfers to Broadway. The show hadn't been produced in Australia for 20 years. It was a major win for Frost, and opened many doors internationally. A West End production followed, with Elaine Paige playing Anna Leonowens. There have also been the theatrical misfires that confirm the business gamble of producing commercial product. Frost ponders these missteps and responds to the comments that have often questioned his choices of show, his casting decisions and his development of original product. He is loyal to a legion of performers who were on the ground floor of our industry and is enthused by any opportunity to develop a new 'star'. He is happiest when he's making theatre and still gets star-struck when finding himself working with idols like Julie Andrews, who directed his 60th Anniversary production of My Fair Lady. During the early 2000s, Frost partnered with James Erskine and Basil Scaffidi's Sports Entertainment Ltd (SEL) and expanded the notion of entertainment, creating arena spectaculars with Grease and The Main Event featuring Olivia Newton John, Anthony Warlow and John Farnham. Eventually re-forming GFO, he gave us The Sound of Music (starring Lisa McCune), The Wizard of Oz (starring Nikki Webster), Annie (starring Anthony Warlow) and Footloose. The repertoire goes on with productions of Wicked, The Producers, Phantom of the Opera, Dream Lover and Legally Blonde. The list is extensive. In 2020, The Gordon Frost Organisation presents Chicago, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Shrek, The Book of Mormon, Nine to Five and Waitress throughout Australia. In part 2 of this absorbing conversation with impresario John Frost, he relishes the triumphs, analyses the disasters and contemplates the future of Musical Theatre and Entertainment. He is indeed evidence of a boy who had a dream, pursued it, and won.
Wed, March 18, 2020
'The Costumes, the Scenery, the Make-up, the Props' - Impresario John Frost, Part 1
Known affectionately as Frosty the Showman; impresario John Frost has been at the pinnacle of Musical Theatre in Australia for several decades. The Gordon Frost Organisation contributes much of the commercial product that traverses stages around the country. His productions have garnered a swag of local awards as well as two Tony Awards for musicals on the Broadway stage. Frost grew up in Adelaide and harboured dreams of a showbiz life. He'd stage backyard entertainments with his doting Aunt Mary playing Eliza to his Henry Higgins. He's been stage-struck ever since. It was a childhood influenced by a regular diet of television and Hollywood movies. A dalliance with amateur theatre in his teens provided him with the realisation that he was suited more to backstage. He left school at 15 and began his career as a dresser on the J.C. Williamson's production of Mame. Frost had found what he wanted to do and the young apprentice garnered enormous knowledge working his way through a succession of roles - Wardrobe Master, Office Assistant to Kenn Brodziak, Stage Manager, Company Manager and Actors Agent - each experience informing his prized accomplishment as Producer. In 1983 John Frost co-founded the Gordon Frost Organisation with Ashley Gordon. They took a lease on the University of Sydney's Footbridge Theatre and presented a succession of shows that would demonstrate to the pair the precarious nature of 'the business'. Shows emanating from The Footbridge included Women Behind Bars (starring June Bronhill), 'Night Mother (starring Jill Perryman and June Salter), Agnes of God and a 'just sensational ' production of Jerry's Girls. It's a riveting story and John speaks frankly and with great wit, about his journey and what is involved in being Frosty the Showman; producing commercial product, increasing the profile of musical theatre and delivering a magical experience to audiences.
Fri, March 13, 2020
"A Life in the Theatre' - Roland Rocchiccioli
Roland Rocchiccioli is a man of the theatre. His, is a celebrated career of more than 50 years. Comedian Billy Connolly said of him: 'His name is like alphabet soup'. Rocchiccioli spent his childhood watching the unfolding dramas in Gwalia, a town on the north eastern goldfields of Western Australia. He was schooled by nuns and monks in New Norcia. It was a unique childhood recounted in his engaging memoir 'And Be Home Before Dark'. A life in the Arts eventually called and in1966 he served an apprenticeship with a theatre company in Perth, learning much of the craft that would support him in his future roles - stage manager, actor, director, playwright, company manager and broadcaster. He has worked with the impresarios Harry M. Miller and Ken Brodziak on productions of The Rocky Horror Show, Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. He's worked on Broadway and The West End with luminaries like Ingrid Bergman, Debbie Reynolds and Googie Withers. He has written the plays 'Now You Can Eat Father Christmas' and 'Letters From The Heart'. A new play is in the works. As a broadcaster he can be heard regularly on radio sharing his infinite knowledge of all things entertainment. He is wonderful company, erudite and charming.
Wed, March 11, 2020
'Suit the action to the Word, the Word to the Action' - Retired NIDA Artistic Director, John Clark AM
John Clark was born in Tasmania and his first intention was to be an archeologist. However, it was the theatre that called and provided Clark with an illustrious career as a theatre-maker and teacher. His greatest triumph is an indelible turn as Director of the National Institute of Dramatic Art. For 40 years he guided and nurtured generations of practitioners who would become crucial contributors to our Theatre, Film and Television industries. He studied theatre at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre school and at Bristol University, where he designed the set for the first production of Harold Pinter's play - The Room. A series of firsts would decorate his career as a director, delivering productions of Death of a Salesman in Hobart, a premiere production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and a landmark Sydney season of Don's Party. He played pivotal roles with the Old Tote Theatre and the Jane Street Theatre at a time when a new Australian voice was being developed in playwriting and an authentic style for the Australian actor. When the Old Tote Theatre Company ceased operation, Clark together with Elizabeth Butcher, became the Sydney Theatre Company's initial Artistic Director and Administrator, overseeing an interim season in the Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. His contribution to defining 'an Australian theatre' on local and international stages is vast. He is one of our great champions and a man of tremendous charm and infinite story. It was indeed a privilege and a joy to spend some time with John Clark.
Sat, March 07, 2020
'A Waldorf salad. A Berlin ballad!' - Musical Theatre Leading man - Alex Rathgeber
Equipped with a soaring voice, matinee idol looks and bundles of charm; a career on the stage seems to have been destined for Alex Rathgeber. Growing up in rural Victoria, a series of roles in community theatre and school production lead him to study at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and on to a succession of roles that have enthralled audiences. Deft character studies have engaged Rathgeber in productions of The Drowsy Chaperone, An Officer and a Gentleman, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rocky Horror Show and Next To Normal. His performance as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes earned him a Helpmann Award. He reflects on his journey thus far; the triumph and challenge including the unique task of working within The Tin Man for The Wizard of Oz. Along the way he has played Raoul in the 21st Anniversary cast of The Phantom of the Opera in The West End. Passionate, intelligent and insightful, he proved to be the perfect guest in this episode, reflecting on a young career that has achieved much that can never be taken for granted.
Wed, March 04, 2020
"Long Distance Runner' - Arts Administrator: Robert Love
Robert Love is the Director of the City of Parramatta's Riverside Theatres; a role he relishes, overseeing one of the most highly attended venues in the country. In addition to his role in Administration, he might be changing a light-bulb or pitching in with any task essential in the efficient running of an Arts venue. The theatres host a variety of entertainments - drama, art-house cinema, multi-cultural storytelling, dance, stand-up comedy, cultural celebrations and, a resident company - the National Theatre of Parramatta. It is a venue that embraces the diversity of the community it services. Love founded his own theatre company - 'Toe Truck Theatre' in 1976, providing a valuable social and educational role to students in regional and urban schools. Subsequent roles travelled management positions with organisations such as the University of Sydney's Seymour Centre, the State Theatre Company of South Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company, Fox Studios and News limited; eventually taking up the baton at Riverside Theatres in 2000. He has been made a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for 'significant service to the performing arts, particularly in Western Sydney, as an administrator, and as a supporter of Independent artists'. He joined Stages for a riveting conversation, pondering the importance of the Arts in nourishing a population, the dilemma of Arts funding, the future of theatre as an art form; and to reflect on a stellar career as a leader at various Arts organisations.
Sat, February 29, 2020
'Creating New Work' - Theatre Maker, Jeffrey Jay Fowler
Jeffrey Jay Fowler is a playwright, dramaturg, director and actor. He wrote and acted in the award winning shows A History of Drinking and Elephants. He has performed in and co-created Fag/Stag, Bali, The Advisors; and with The Last Great Hunt Company presented All That Glitters and Le Nor (The Rain). His other plays include Minnie & Mona Play Dead, Price Tag, Improvement Club and Hope is the Saddest. He is a founding artist with The Last Great Hunt, a company 'determined to produce quality and relevant new work that is simultaneously artistically rigorous and engages audiences to be moved, inspired and challenged. Within this ethos, the artists have diverse range of aesthetics that results in the creation of an eclectic mix of work'. His post-graduate studies were in Directing at NIDA, soon returning to Perth to embrace the vivid arts scene and continue a collaborative conversation, telling necessary stories, stimulating audiences and making excellent theatre. He has been an Associate Director of Black Swan State Theatre Company in Perth, where he established the emerging writers program and continues the artistic conversation with The Last Great Hunt - the next generation of theatre-makers in WA.
Wed, February 26, 2020
The Australian Musical from the beginning - Peter Wyllie Johnston
The Australian Musical is a peculiar beast - a hybrid of vaudeville, music hall and the influential Broadway form. It traverses authentic and genuine storytelling whilst continually experimenting with style, structure and content; and always with the presence of a larrikin essence. The history of the Australian Musical is vast, from early offerings such as The Bunyip, Chu Chin Chow and Collits' Inn to contemporary product like Bran Nue Dae, Muriel's Wedding and Fangirls. The Australian Musical is a fascinating entertainment and has had a glorious history on local and International stages. It is an entertainment growing from modest beginnings to eventually finding output in The West End and on Broadway; all contributed to from a variety of practitioners exploring a great breadth of subject matter. Preserving and contributing to an Australian Musical Theatre product continues with the recent publication of The Australian Musical: From the Beginning. Co-author, Peter Wyllie Johnston, joins me to examine the rich legacy of Australian Musicals which is celebrated in this glorious new book.
Sat, February 22, 2020
'If My Friends Could See Me Now' - Nancye Hayes - Part 2
Welcome to this companion episode celebrating the magnificent Nancye Hayes. In part 1 we learned of a determination through childhood to emulate the great stars of the MGM musicals who figured prominently in her early cinema attendance. And then onto a career developing her talents in a succession of J.C. Williamson musicals, before eventually landing the leading role of Charity Hope Valentine in Sweet Charity; helping to cement the knowledge that Australian performers certainly had what it took to lead a company and tell stories in imported musicals. The accolades came thick and fast, leading Nancye to great acclaim and on to a career that has seen her conquer all genres and theatrical roles; on and off the stage. She has contributed dynamically to the industry in creative roles as Director, Choreographer and Mentor. Her vast repertoire of plays and musicals has given us dynamic performances in Sweeney Todd, Nine, Showboat, Pippin, The Importance of Being Earnest, Same Time Next Year, Steel Magnolias and Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. Nancye Hayes is one of our great elders and her vast warmth and contribution to the Arts in Australia have made her a much loved Teacher, Leader and Actor.
Wed, February 19, 2020
'Baby, Dream Your Dream' - Nancye Hayes - Part 1
Nancye Hayes started her professional career as a dancer in My Fair Lady. She then progressed through roles in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hello Dolly! and The Boys from Syracuse. She scored tremendous personal success as Charity Hope Valentine in her break-out performance in Sweet Charity, establishing herself as a bright new star. The accolades came thick and fast, leading Nancye to great acclaim and on to a career that has seen her conquer all genres and theatrical roles; on and off the stage. She has contributed dynamically to the industry in creative roles as Director, Choreographer, Mentor and Teacher. Her vast repertoire of leading and character roles has given us memorable performances as Miss Adelaide, Miss Hannigan, Madame Armfeldt, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Potts, Mrs Lovett, Aunt Eller and Lady Hotham. Nancye Hayes is synonymous with Australian show business and her presence in any show guarantees a consummate artist determined to engage us with her vast skill and extensive joy in performance.
Sat, February 15, 2020
'I'm The Greatest Star' - Jill Perryman and Kevan Johnston - Part 2
Meeting in 1953 in J. C. Williamson's Call Me Madam, Jill and Kevan married in 1959. Their two children Todd and Trudy also followed a career in showbusiness. The family 'business' continues with grand-children beginning to make their mark in performance. Between musicals, Jill appeared in a number of Phillip Street Theatre revues, establishing herself as a versatile talent. Musicals continued to be her speciality where she would virtually steal the show, receiving unanimous acclaim from the critics and public alike. Her great break-out performance came in 1966 with Fanny Brice in Funny Girl; a role seemed tailor-made for Perryman's extensive talents. Through her career she has explored other genres, giving us memorable performances in the plays 'Night Mother and Brighton Beach Memoirs, an AFI winning performance in the film Maybe This Time and a moving turn as Kate in the mini-series Changi. Kevan continued to perform in musicals playing Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie and on to Pippin, Evita, Chicago and Annie and plays with Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and The One day of the Year. He extended his talents to choreography and put together a number of revues for the Phillip Street Theatre including A Cuppa Tea, A Bex and a Good Lie Down. Kevan spent 15 months as a choreographer and producer for TVW-7 in Perth and was the production co-ordinator for the first Australasian tour of Disney on Parade. He has been a guest artist with The West Australian Ballet Company and for many years was on the staff of the Musical Theatre course at WAAPA. It is a partnership that has inspired performers and audiences, on and off the stage, for several decades.
Wed, February 12, 2020
'The Music That Makes Me Dance' - Jill Perryman and Kevan Johnston - Part 1
Australia's First Lady of musical comedy, Jill Perryman made her stage debut at the tender age of two when her parents were touring in White Horse Inn. Her first big break came whilst she was in the chorus of Call Me Madam when as understudy to Evie Hayes she was called upon to play the leading role. Jill went from success to success appearing in J.C.Williamson's South Pacific, Paint Your Wagon, The Pajama Game and Can Can. Further triumphs followed with legendary performances through a stellar career; No, No Nanette, Annie, A Little Night Music and The Boy From Oz. Kevan Johnston's hard work, early in life, studying all forms of dance under his mother Peggy Esler's tuition paid off, for when he auditioned for Call Me Madam, he landed the role of principal dancer. He impressed the directors because he was again made principal dancer for several other shows including Paint Your Wagon, Can Can and The Pajama Game, where he became one of Australia's first Fosse dancers alongside Tikki Taylor and Frank Sheldon, in the iconic Steam Heat number. Parallel careers as a choreographer and Television producer have also offered Kevan opportunities to contribute impressively to entertainment in Australia. The pair have managed careers which have offered them several opportunities to work together in productions. These have included Wallflowering, Carnival, The One Day of the Year, Annie and celebrated turns in the GFO national tour of Hello Dolly! - a theatrical gift which saw Jill in the role of Dolly Levi and Kevan leading the waiter's gallop as Rudy, in the famed Harmonia Gardens' sequence. Jill and Kevan are luminaries of the Australian stage; not only in musical theatre, but also with extensive credits in stage drama, television and film, across several decades. It was a super treat to catch up with them and I know you'll be delighted too, hearing them in conversation with recollections of a vast contribution to the Arts in Australia.
Sat, February 08, 2020
'Sparkle Darlings!' - Betty Pounder Remembered with Kevin Coxhead
Kevin Coxhead celebrates the memory of dynamic J.C. Williamson's Showmaker, Betty Pounder, in a facebook group titled 'Sparkle Darlings!'. The phrase, was a famous expression favoured by 'Pounder' to prompt the best from her trusted stable of dancers and leading performers. Betty Pounder died in 1990 but has left a legacy that we continue to benefit from today. She was a unique practitioner - entrusted by 'The Firm' to travel abroad to view scheduled shows and then re-create them in Australia. She became expert in the styles of the great Broadway choreographers, Fosse, Champion, Kidd and Robbins. Her vast repertoire of shows includes The Pajama Game, Funny Girl and Sweet Charity. Her role extended to the maintenance of shows for their commercial seasons and whilst 'on the road'. She acted for 'The Firm' as a Casting Director and suggested to the producers that an all-Australian company for The Pajama Game would prove to be a winning gamble. It was - and altered the reliance for international performers to take roles in local production. The careers of stars like Lamond, Perryman and Hayes quickly followed. A mentor of many performers, she was pivotal in launching careers, defining an ownership of product by local talent and contributing to an excellence and discipline maintained by the country's finest. She also made a notable step in Australian ballet history with her creation of the ballet Jazz Spectrum for the 1965 season. Kevin worked with 'Pounder' in Williamson's production of Gypsy, featuring Gloria Dawn and then Toni Lamond in the role of Rose. The show impressed upon him a great passion for the theatre and an enormous respect for the woman conjuring such magic. He joins Stages to share insight and reflection on the legend that is Betty Pounder.
Wed, February 05, 2020
'Hey There' - Toni Lamond - Episode 100
This is a very special conversation as it marks our 100th episode - that's right, we've hit the century and I couldn't be more thrilled. Helping me celebrate this milestone, as we celebrate her, is Miss Toni Lamond. The legendary Toni Lamond is synonymous with Australian Entertainment having made her mark across all genres; television, film, theatre, cabaret, recording, concert, publications and of course, musical theatre. Showbiz is in her DNA; all family members have contributed significantly to the arts in Australia; and internationally. Lamond was the inaugural guest on Stages in 2018, sharing with us a long life of triumph, challenge and dedication. She returns to mark this 100th episode and share some insights into an illustrious career as one of our first bona-fide stars. At 87 she is still as passionate about 'the business' as when she took her first steps on to a stage, appearing with her parents, Stella Lamond and Joe Lawman. She continues to be an avid supporter of young talent and will embrace any opportunity to share her vast talent and wisdom. It is always a great joy sitting down with Toni - she exudes vast optimism and palpable passion - traits that have been steadfast in a career that has navigated every kind of joy and frustration. She is simply, one of the best!
Sat, December 21, 2019
'Art and Cricket and Classical Music' - Kate Fitzpatrick
Kate Fitzpatrick is one of our great actors. She was born in Perth but grew up in Adelaide. It was in this city that she developed her passion for art and cricket and classical music. Her potential as a visual artist was recognised by Jeffrey Smart, who awarded her a travelling art scholarship to Japan. Her love of cricket lead her to an appointment as the world's first female Cricket commentator. And classical music has sustained her through a vast array of experiences in a career that has rewarded and challenged. At the age of 18 she was accepted into NIDA to study Acting. This instigated her move to Sydney and a career as one of our favourite actors. Her triumphant theatre roles include The Lady of Camellias, Hamlet on Ice, Rooted, Insignificance and Kennedy's Children. She was there at the beginning of a burgeoning Australian theatre working in seminal works at The Jane Street Theatre, The Old Tote Theatre and Nimrod. She created the role of Magenta in the original Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show and began her career alongside iconic Australian directors like John Bell, Rex Cramphorne and Jim Sharman. The great Patrick White spotted her in The Legend of King O'Malley and became an immediate fan which then began a friendship that lasted until his death. Kate played Nola Boyle in White's play The Season at Sarsaparilla. Subsequently he penned his next play Big Toys as a gift for her. She has been a regular face on our film and television screens. And an unmistakeable voice on radio. Kate has made an impression across all mediums. Kate joined me for long lunch and a candid conversation, detailing an extraordinary life in the theatre and some extraordinary experiences with some extraordinary people. She is a great raconteur and an immense wit, all delivered with wonderful detail and a voice as smooth as warm honey. Stages is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, December 18, 2019
Musical Theatre Triumphant! - Hayden Tee
Hayden Tee is the boy from New Zealand who developed a career in Australia and then proceeded to conquer theatres around the world, with star turns in musicals as diverse as Les Miserables and Matilda. Curiously, he gave us seductive and thrilling villains in both - Inspector Javert and Miss Trunchbull. Though he would call them Antagonists. He recently returned to Auckland to share his acclaimed performance as Javert with his homeland. Hayden has carved out an impressive list of credits in musical theatre, theatre, cabaret and also make-up design - an accomplished make-up artist, you may have caught one of his many make-up tutorials online. He is a master of transformation and aesthetic seduction, employing theatrical and cosmetic make-up to contribute to illusion magnificently. Hayden's Australian theatre credits include magnetic performances in Only Heaven Knows, Titanic: The Musical, South Pacific, Little Women: The Musical, The Wizard of Oz and Dead Man Walking. His extensive International work has included Being Earnest, 1776, My Fair Lady, Into The Woods and Kiss Me Kate. His mastery of the form is vast and incisive. He has just released an exciting new recording. The album is called Hayden Tee: Face To Face. It features a full orchestra backing with Hayden delivering musical theatre favourites and also capturing a few of the dynamic performances he has given in a stellar career. Stages has wanted to record a conversation with Hayden since the podcast begun but alas geography was never on our side. It was a treat to finally be able to sit down with Mr Tee on a recent visit to Sydney as he prepared for a concert tour. Stages is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Mon, December 16, 2019
'Suit yourself!' - Peter Keogh and Sacha Mahboub
If you've ever had the pleasure to meet Peter Keogh and Sacha Mahboub, you are immediately struck by the immense love they have for each other. They complete each other. Witty and caustic banter always ensues, finishing each other's sentences and stories, and all fuelled by an intrinsic adoration of showbiz and gossip. They recently tied the knot, having to wait until the marriage equality bill was finally passed. Both gentleman are in their 70's. While clearly infatuated by each other, the journey to the alter has also been travelled on paths of personal pain and trauma for both. The theatre has been a salvation and an oasis. Between the two of them they have covered practically every role they can in the theatre - box office, model, actor, dancer, dresser, host, wardrobe supervisor, author and producers. They have counted the greats amongst their friends and recall with great fondness the Hollywood royalty of Debbie Reynolds. The relationship began when the MGM star responded to a fan later sent by an enthusiastic young boy from Perth. The Movie Star eventually became an employee of the pair - and a treasured friend. It is a wonderful life and these two continue to navigate it with wicked humour, eternal resilience and tremendous love. Be warned - this conversation is peppered with much laughter, saucy humour and heavy lashings of gossip. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sat, December 14, 2019
Producer, Composer and Author - Peter Pinne
At the age of 14, after seeing the musical South Pacific, Peter Pinne decided to be a composer. He enjoyed some success with radio competitions and, while working in his father's butcher shop, wrote for revues. He met his writing partner, Don Battye, at the Arts Theatre in Melbourne in the late 1950s and together they collaborated on a succession of musicals. The writing team of Pinne and Battye have contributed many and significant works to the Australian musical theatre canon. Their product includes A Bunch of Ratbags (1966), It Happened in Tanjablanca (1968) and Caroline (1971), as well as several children's musicals. Peter Pinne also wrote songs for television shows and theatre restaurants; and scripts for several television series. During the 1980's, he worked for the Reg Grundy Organisation and supervised the production of many television drama series, such as Neighbours, Sons and Daughters and Richmond Hill. Working for Pearson Television in the 90s he established television companies and offices in various South American countries. Together with Don Battye he set up the Bayview Recording Company, which records musical theatre performers and re-issues CDs aimed at the show music market. His work preserving and contributing to an Australian Musical Theatre product continues with the recent publication of The Australian Musical: From the Beginning. This glorious historical record and celebration is co-authored with Peter Wyllie Johnston. Peter Pinne joined Stages to reflect on an extensive career in entertainment, and the rich legacy of Australian Musicals that he celebrates in his glorious new book
Wed, December 11, 2019
Theatre Historian - Ivan King
In a boutique space, below His Majesty's Theatre in Perth is a vast collection of arts heritage. It celebrates and recalls the immense cultural past of live performance through Western Australia. The Museum of Performing Arts was founded in 2001 by Perth's living treasure, Mr Ivan King. The seed germinated in the 70's when 'The Maj' closed for refurbishment and Ivan commenced collecting materials. The collection would contribute to an essential story that would inform audiences and practitioners of today. An essential reminder of what had gone before. The Museum of Performing Arts houses more than 40,000 catalogued items of theatre memorabilia and includes costumes, photographs, scripts and scores - the ghostly 'footprints' of artists such as Gladys Moncrieff, Margot Fonteyn, Katherine Hepburn, Anna Pavlova and Dame Nellie Melba echo through the theatre where the museum is home. It takes a unique identity with a keen eye, a huge passion and a broad knowledge of the Arts to gather, curate and maintain such a collection. Ivan King is a most genial host and celebrant. He is a veteran of over 100 plays, musicals and theatre events as actor, writer and director. As the founder of the Museum of Performing Arts he has created to date, 54 exhibitions highlighting the history of entertainment in Perth. Ivan sat down with Stages in Dressing Room Number One at His Majesty's Theatre. The anecdotes flew thick and fast, always demonstrating an enormous passion for the theatre and the people who make it. Stages is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Tue, December 10, 2019
Singing Teacher - Liz Pascoe
Liz Pascoe has been a singer, pianist and teacher for more years than she cares to remember. She practices immense dedication to her work and adopts enormous responsibility in delivering the best tuition possible. Liz originally trained as a secondary English and Music teacher, working for some years in secondary schools, where she honed her skills as a writer, vocal coach and musical director. Since 1990 she has been a part-time lecturer in singing in the Acting and Music theatre Departments at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. The students value the committed guidance from Liz. Her work has contributed to many of them enjoying extensive careers on the Australian and International stage. Liz's performing and creative experience includes opera, theatre restaurant performance, musicals, music direction and composing for youth theatre, accompanying and vocal coaching. She shares with Stages her great knowledge of the voice as an instrument and tool for communication and art. I have certainly benefitted from Liz's guidance and it was a joy catching up with an old friend. Stages is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Mon, December 09, 2019
Arts Educator - Robin Pascoe
Robin Pascoe has recently retired from his role guiding and nurturing young teachers in the discipline of Drama. He recognises that an immersion in arts subjects is a crucial experience to equip a child in a vast skills set that will contribute to their humanity for life. Robin has had an extensive career in arts education with the Education Department of Western Australia where he was the Superintendent for the Arts with responsibility for Arts in schools K-12, Consultant for Performing Arts K-12 and District Manager for Curriculum. Robin is a Past President of Drama Australia and has held positions on the Drama Australia Executive as well as DramaWest. In July 2013 he was elected President of IDEA - the International Drama/Theatre and Education Association. It is a huge and satisfying role that allows him to observe and guide Arts education across a range of cultures. In July 2020, the IDEA 10th World Congress for Drama/Theatre and Education will be conducted in Beijing, China. Robin is a much respected and celebrated member of the Drama Education community. He is never lacking in his support and mentorship of teachers and maintains constant investigation and research into the effectiveness of the arts in the curriculum. This is an essential conversation that will enlighten, affirm and celebrate the work of the Drama teacher. Robin invests his knowledge with passion, statistics and his engaging dry wit. I was delighted to examine the role of the arts in the curriculum with Robin in an absorbing episode of Stages. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sat, December 07, 2019
Artistic Director Yirra Yaakin - Eva Grace Mullaley
The Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company is Australia's leading Aboriginal theatre company, based in Perth, WA, in the heart of the Nyoongar Nation. Formed in 1993, Yirra Yaakin provides the means and environment to assist the nurturing of Aboriginal community cultural development. Yirra Yaakin means 'stand tall' in the Nyoongar language. At the commencement of 2019, Yamaji woman, Eva Grace Mullaley was appointed as Artistic Director. Eva Grace grew up predominantly in the South West of Western Australia and moved to Perth in 2002. She is a graduate of the Aboriginal Theatre course at WAAPA. She soon joined Yirra Yaakin as an actor performing in Whaloo is That You?, and with Black Swan in the production, Tear From a Glass Eye. In 2005 Eva Grace lectured the Aboriginal students at WAAPA on script writing and directed the collaborative piece Black Tracks. She assisted David Milroy during the Windmill Baby creative development for Yirra Yaakin and was Stage Manager during its first public season. She has keenly embraced the extensive roles existing in the theatre. Such work has included roles as a tour manager, producer, event manager, dramaturge, actor and served extensive time in administration - essential experiences that have informed her work as a director. Eva Grace looks forward "to continuing such an inspirational legacy and building on the shoulders of those that came before (her) to lead Yirra Yaakin to a new era." The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Fri, December 06, 2019
Musical Theatre Composer - John Taylor
John Taylor is a composer and lyricist with a life long career in musical theatre. He is the composer of the joyous Charlie Girl, a show that played 2,202 performances in London's West End and enjoyed a celebrated Australian production starring John Farnham, Anna Neagle, Geraldine Morrow and Derek Nimmo. The show was revived in London in 1986 starring Paul Nicholas, Dora Bryan and Cyd Charisse. Drawing from the Cinderella narrative, the class system and the inheritance tax, the musical was one of the most successful theatre shows of the sixties. Further musical compositions by John Taylor include Doddy's Here, Mr & Mrs and The Royalty Follies. For several years he worked for Richard Rodgers, as Musical Supervisor for London and touring productions of The King and I with Yul Brynner and Virginia McKenna, and revivals of The Sound of Music at The Apollo Theatre starring Petula Clark. John possesses an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Musical form and offers marvellous insights into the process of composition, and shares anecdotes from a thrilling career in the theatre. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, December 04, 2019
Theatrical and Concert Producer - Enda Markey
Enda Markey was born in Dublin, Ireland. He trained on a scholarship to Laine Theatre Arts in London, studying musical theatre. Upon graduation he worked as a singer and actor in Ireland and the U.K. He appeared in the Irish premiere of Stephen Sondheim's Follies alongside Lorna Luft, Mary Millar, Dave Willetts and Millicent Martin. Subsequent work included the role of Rick in the cult musical A Slice of Saturday Night in London and Dublin. In 2002, Enda moved to Australia and worked extensively around the country in theatre, television, concerts and cabaret. His first foray into theatre producing arrived in 2011 with a celebrated production of Side By Side By Sondheim. 'Enda Markey Presents' was quickly formed and the company has proceeded to develop and present works on the local and international stages, working with some of the world's leading practitioners of musical theatre. Among the works he has presented are Do You Hear The People Sing? - a celebration of the work of Boublil and Schönberg, Defying Gravity - a concert honouring the extensive work of Stephen Schwartz, the musical Blood Brothers and cabaret and concert performances by stars of musical theatre - Ruthie Henshall, Geraldine Turner and Bobby Fox. Enda Markey joined Stages to discuss both vantage points; working on stage and behind-the-scenes, seemingly pulling together the impossible .... great entertainments featuring enormous talents on vast stages. And to share some exciting news regarding the projects he has heading our way in 2020. Stages is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Mon, December 02, 2019
Composer and Sound Designer - Nate Edmondson
Sound has been used to evoke emotion, reflect mood and underscore action in the arts since time began. The contribution of the Sound Designer in the theatre, provides a further dimension in which to elicit the world of the play. Nate Edmondson is an international, multi-award winning composer, sound designer and occasional musical director. His work crosses all mediums - film, television, radio, advertising and stage. Originally from Western Australia, Nate grew up amongst the remote red dirt and spinifex of the Pilbara region, before moving to Perth. There he trained as both a classical and jazz trombonist, in addition to fronting several local bands as a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter and arranger. Nate is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where he trained under the mentorship of some of Australia's finest musicians and sound designers. He has worked extensively in the theatre and live events industries; his detailed sound designs and music scores can be heard on stages around the world. In 2015, Nate's sound design work made international headlines when a social media campaign petitioning pop star, Taylor Swift, for the use of one of her hits for the Belvoir production of Seventeen, was successful, with Swift personally granting approval via Twitter, in an unprecedented move. He creates designs in intimate spaces and large auditoriums; all with enormous detail providing audiences with a powerful aural hypnosis that transports them directly to the world of the play. He is a passionate advocate for the artistry of sound design and how it extends our theatre experience. He is also incredibly fascinating and eloquent detailing how the youngest of all production disciplines evolved. Nate Edmondson's next sound design can be heard in Kate Gaul's production of HMS Pinafore, playing The Hayes Theatre from November 8th to December 14th. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sun, December 01, 2019
Perth-based Actor - Michael Loney
Michael Loney has accumulated an extensive repertoire of roles having appeared in over 150 stage productions, ranging from the classics to contemporary Australian and international fare. It was at school that a teacher identified emerging talent and encouraged him to pursue acting. He grew up in Perth, and as a young man ventured to the UK to study at the Bristol Old Vic. WAAPA wasn't even a thought yet! Upon graduation, roles in Coronation Street and Howard's Way came Michael's way. He returned to Perth in 1988 and acted in a variety of shows at the Playhouse, Black Swan and the Hole in the Wall Theatre. These included Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Seagull, Heartbreak House, Noel and Gertie, Speaking in Tongues, The Club and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? His film and television work has embraced WA production in the series' Ship to Shore, Minty, Cloudstreet and The Great Mint Swindle. He has relished the experiences of working with Perth Directors Edgar Metcalfe, John Milson and Ray Omedei. Passionate practitioners with individual and informed directing styles, who all contributed to a vital theatre scene in Perth. It is a treat to celebrate them in this episode through shared reminiscence. As an actor Michael is incredibly engaging and intelligent, on-stage and off. He is incredibly charming and eloquent; and in this episode he reflects on considerable experiences in the theatre and the immense contribution, that Perth based actors like himself, have made to the community. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sat, November 30, 2019
Acclaimed Director - Gale Edwards - Part 2
In this companion episode Stages continues the conversation with our preeminent story-teller and acclaimed Director, Gale Edwards. In part 1 she shared with us her early life in Adelaide with an interrupted childhood, her forays into theatre-making with her company Energy Connection, time at NIDA, her early career as a director working with State Theatre Companies and a breadth of repertoire, and the arrival of Les Miserables in Australia. In Part 2, we learn about her extensive international career and the challenges presented to an artist as they navigate a precarious industry. Her American productions include:The White Devil, Don Carlos (Brooklyn Academy of Music); Hamlet, Richard 3, Titus Andronicus, Edward 2 (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Macbeth (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); and Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadway). UK productions include; The Taming of the Shrew, The Duchess of Malfi, Don Carlos, The White Devil (Royal Shakespeare Company); Fortune's Fool, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice (Chichester Festival); The Far Pavillions, Saint Joan (West End), Maria Stuarda (The English National Opera); and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind, Jesus Christ Superstar and Aspects of Love (West End and UK tours). Australian productions include God of Carnage, Arcadia, Coriolanus, Saint Joan (STC); King Lear, The Winter's Tale, The Glass Menagerie (SATC); The Tempest, Uncle Vanya (MTC), Nixon in China (Adelaide Festival) and The Magic Flute and Sweeney Todd (Australian opera). Gale Edwards is frank, astute, intuitive and possesses an infectious sense of humour. It is evident that she adores her role as a story-teller and is most reverential in her respect for the texts to which she gives life. The incredible joy she experiences in being in a rehearsal room is palpable. Hers is a fascinating story and it was a privilege to spend time with Gale as she shared insight, assessment and anecdotes of a celebrated and trailblazing career. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Thu, November 28, 2019
Celebrated Director - Gale Edwards - Part 1
There are very few Australian directors who can lay claim to have conquered the stages of the world. This accolade belongs to the trailblazing Gale Edwards; one of our most acclaimed directors. In a career spanning more than 30 years she has rewarded audiences with visceral and vibrant story-telling. Gale is incredibly charming, candid and passionate. She speaks freely and insightfully about her craft as one of our most celebrated artists. As a preeminent story-teller she is the first Australian to have opened large commercial musicals on Broadway and in the West End. She is the only Australian to have directed at The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon - and the only woman to have directed on their main-stage. Born and raised in Adelaide her early life was impacted by family tragedy and trauma. This galvanised the young Gale to invest in her academic study and due to necessity; surprisingly realise an early training in direction in boundless visits to the cinema; often seeing individual films numerous times. She started her career in 1981 as the founding Artistic Director of the Adelaide-based Theatre company, Energy Connection, an innovative company that created and performed original, devised works with young performers. After graduating from NIDA, she remained on the staff there for four years teaching young actors and directing plays. It was here that she developed her love of the Classics and Shakespeare in particular. Gale has directed all genres of theatre and opera nationally and internationally. She has directed for all Australia's State Theatre Companies, Opera Australia, Victoria State Opera, South Australian Opera Company, New Zealand International Festival of the Arts, English National Opera, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Chichester Festival. Her vast musical theatre output has seen her direct the original production of The Boy From Oz, Jerry Springer the Opera for the Sydney Opera House and a new production of The Rocky Horror Show. Internationally she has worked on musicals for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh. Gale Edwards is frank, astute, intuitive and possesses an infectious sense of humour. It is evident that she adores her role as a story-teller and is most reverential in her respect for the texts to which she gives life. The incredible joy she experiences in being in a rehearsal room is palpable. Hers is a fascinating story and it was a privilege to spend time with Gale as she shared insight, assessment and anecdotes of a celebrated and trailblazing career. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, November 27, 2019
Artistic Director Perth Festival - Iain Grandage
Iain Grandage is a composer, conductor and Festival Director. He has previously been at the helm of the Port Fairy Music Festival and in 2020 will launch his first program as Artistic Director at The Perth Festival. Born and bred in Perth, his excitement at steering the festival is palpable and contagious. He knows his audience and the responsibility of celebrating local and indigenous art forms, whilst also delivering unique and stimulating experiences drawn from an international canvas. Iain was musical director and arranger for the national tour of Jimmy Chi's multi award winning Corrugation Road, and his involvement with indigenous musicians has continued through his collaborations with the Spinifex people of Central Australia, initially on the theatre work Career Highlights of the Mamu, and subsequently with concert works in collaboration with WASO and Topology. Iain's concert works have been performed by the ACO, Brodsky String Quartet, Australian String Quartet, Australian Brass Quintet and choirs and orchestras around Australia. As music director he has won Helpmann and Green Room Awards. He has conducted orchestras for Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan and Tim Minchin, and led the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Guiding young audiences he has conducted and presented the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Education program. His scores have covered a broad range of genres and cover diverse subjects; Opera with The Rabbits and The Riders, Theatre with Cloudstreet and The Secret River, Dance with When Time Stops and Film with Satan Jawa. Iain greeted me armed with a block of chocolate and a peppermint tea, eager to generously share his vision for the 2020 festival and an insight into his incredible instinct and ethos as an artist. The Perth Festival runs February 7th to March 1st, 2020. The program is out now and available from perthfestival.com.au The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sat, November 23, 2019
Film Producer - Tania Chambers
Tania Chambers always loved the arts but never thought she'd have a career in them. She speaks with much enthusiasm and an intellect peppered with engaging humour and incredible insight of the local film industry. As the founder and Managing Director of Feisty Dame Productions Pty Ltd. she has produced the comedy feature A Few Less Men directed by Mark Lamprell and the comedic thriller Kill Me Three Times directed by Kriv Stenders She believes that each of us can strengthen our community and enrich our lives through our experience of the arts. "It is time that we truly valued creativity and the courageous people who inspire, entertain and challenge us. Our culture and economy benefit immensely from the creative industries." Her list of credentials is extensive - chief executive of Screen NSW and ScreenWest, Screen Producers Australia councillor and board member of Perth International Arts Festival, AusFilm and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Impressive accomplishments for someone who almost didn't have a career in the arts! She knows how the screen industry works from the inside, the deals and the deal-makers, and how to get ahead in the screen industry. Tania is well known for her mentoring and generosity with new and emerging filmmakers. She was very generous with Stages, offering her terrific knowledge of the film industry and drawing a vivid portrait of the art, of making art. The Stages podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, November 20, 2019
Arts Philanthropist and Patron - Janet Holmes à Court, AC
Janet Holmes à Court grew up in a household infused with the arts. Her parents instilled in her an enduring love of art, music and theatre. She is charming, astute and informed; recognising the supreme necessity for us all to celebrate and embrace the arts across all genres. She studied chemistry at the University of Western Australia and subsequently worked as a science teacher; relishing her time in the classroom. Long-time patronage across all artistic disciplines has provided her with immense appreciation and respect for all art forms and the practitioners who craft them. Ms Holmes à Court is recognised as a leading philanthropist and a major collector of indigenous art, which contributes to an extensive Art collection, much of which is loaned to public galleries around the world. She has chaired the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and The Black Swan Theatre Company; and currently serves as Chair of the Australian Children's Television Foundation. She is a Board Member of the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG). Hers is a career of vast artistic governance and leadership. Ms Holmes à Court was a founding patron and chairperson of Western Australia's Black Swan Theatre Company, recognising the enormous benefit of a state theatre company to traverse local and indigenous stories, and to champion a repertoire of classic, and international works. She speaks with enormous passion and a keen awareness of the many artistic expressions being celebrated in Western Australia. The Stages podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sat, November 16, 2019
Arts Advocate - Henry Boston
Henry Boston is the inaugural Executive Director of the Chamber of Arts and Culture in Western Australia; a peak advocacy body for immersion, expansion and celebration of such content in the West. The organisation's vision is to develop Western Australia as a leader in arts and culture. Retirement from this position has not dimmed Henry's fervour as a passionate supporter of what the Arts can accomplish. Western Australia has a rich creative output and reach, boasting their own orchestras and galleries; opera, ballet, and theatre companies, in addition to an annual festival that receives world recognition. Henry spent a good deal of his career as a proponent of all that is artistic in various roles at the Festival of Perth, where he graduated from Stage Manager to General Manager. Not bad for a young bloke from the UK, travelling to Australia in search of adventure and along the way embracing the many facets of the theatre - technician, lighting designer, production manager, performer and director. His many skills have been informed by a life-long submergence in the theatre, making and presenting art, while also championing it as an avid audience member. In this episode of Stages, Henry reflects on the essential need for the arts in a community; and the many experiences and personalities that he has encountered, in an extensive career. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, November 13, 2019
'Actor Training' - Nigel Rideout
As an actor, teacher and writer, Nigel Rideout has been involved in professional theatre, film and television for the past 50 years in the UK, USA and Australia. From 1972-80, Nigel was Deputy Principal and Director of Studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). In 1981 he was invited to create the highly successful theatre department of the newly-formed Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). He has been Head of Theatre and Voice at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and Head of Voice at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. Returning to Australia in 2002, Nigel set up the official archives for WAAPA as well as continuing to teach and direct at the Academy, as well as at The National Theatre Drama School in Melbourne. His many successful graduates in the UK include Jane Seymour, Martin Clunes, Nigel Planer, Amy Irving and Dame Harriet Walter. And from WAAPA: Hugh Jackman, Frances O'Connor, Dominic Purcell and Lisa McCune. Amazingly Nigel still receives annual repeat fees for a role in the first series of Dad's Army recorded in 1968. Join us for a riveting conversation where he describes the evolution of Acting training and the emergence of WAAPA; the triumphant training ground for artists, built on the West Coast of Australia. The Stages podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sat, November 09, 2019
Aboriginal Artist and Activist - Dr Richard Walley
Dr. Richard Walley is an artist of many disciplines - a musician, dancer, painter, writer, indigenous activist and educator. He has spent over 40 years educating Australia and the world on Nyoongar culture and identity through the arts. A role model for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike, Richard continues to push boundaries, continually developing personally whilst always focussed on the bigger 'community' picture of the Arts, Culture and Environment. In 1978, Richard formed the Middar Aboriginal Theatre which subsequently has taken Nyoongar culture to 32 countries, celebrating and affirming indigenous culture and narrative. A former Australia Council Board member, he was named a State Living Treasure in 2015 for his lifetime contribution to arts and culture in Western Australia. Richard became involved with Aboriginal politics at an early age, having active involvement in the formation and operation of the Aboriginal Housing Board, the Aboriginal Medical Service, Legal Service and the New Era Aboriginal Fellowship. Through his involvement, Richard first became aware of the potential of Aboriginal culture to give the Nyoongar people a sense of pride and identity. This awareness grew throughout the years, as Richard 'learned' about his own culture, moving into the world of Theatre and the Arts. It was a privilege to sit down with Richard as he shared his proud Nyoongar heritage and the power of arts to transform and teach and extend our humanity. The Stages podcast is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, November 06, 2019
'Securing the Rights!' - Nanette Frew
Commercial and amateur theatre producers who wish to procure the rights to present a musical or play must first apply to the representative of the owners. Whether you're Cameron Mackintosh or the Bullarook Light Opera Company, a licence to perform must be obtained. Intellectual property is then protected and the necessary parties receive their rightful compensation. If you have ever secured a performing licence for a musical or play, chances are you've heard the name Nanette Frew. For almost 20 years Nanette was the Licensing Agent for the organisation Warner Chappell. She protected the many shows they represented and negotiated with many schools, community theatre groups and commercial producers, to ensure that every show licensed was presented as contracted. The properties in her care were extensive; indeed she oversaw the explosive success of Les Miserables on the professional stage and when it was released to non-professional artists. Prior to this she commenced her working life as a copywriter in the world of radio advertising in country Victoria. She has also navigated a significant role contributing to community theatre as a director and actor, working regularly with the Genesian Theatre Company and Pymble Players. Nanette is a delight and shares some fascinating stories of behind-the-scenes, and the tremendous care required in the execution of her role managing many of the shows we have all seen on professional and amateur stages. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa
Sat, November 02, 2019
Playwright and Producer - David Mitchell
In a career spanning several decades, David Mitchell has firmly established himself as Mr Entertainment. His broad range of skills has seen him contribute to the industry as a writer, director and producer across all platforms -stage, radio, television, film and live performance. As a writer, he has provided material for performers and personalities including Barbra Streisand, Bob Hope, Michael Parkinson, Barry Humphries, Clive James, Geraldine Turner, Lorna Luft and Danny LaRue. This has given him vast accolades and a repertoire of riveting anecdotes. For the stage he co-wrote the musical Better Known as Bee, about Sydney eccentric Bee Miles. Collaborating with John-Michael Howson and Melvyn Morrow, the triumvirate of writers created the stage musical Shout! The Legend of the Wild One, which broke box-office records around Australia. Their second collaboration resulted in the hugely successful Dusty: The Original Pop Diva, which took $25 million at the box office during its initial run and won four Helpmann Awards and Melbourne's Green Room Award for Best New Australian production. He is part of the team responsible for the legendary live shows at the venues Capriccio's and Kinselas in Sydney - performances that are still discussed today. David has co-written the Helpmann Awards and for eleven years was Executive Producer of the top-rating series, This Is Your Life. A prolific freelance television producer, David's shows include The Mike Walsh Show, Parkinson in Australia, Saturday Night Clive and The Dame Edna Experience. His Australian Royal Bicentennial Concert in 1988 which starred Olivia Newton John, Peter Allen and Kylie Minogue, amongst many others, was described by international showbiz bible, Variety, as "pure, unremitting, unalloyed, entertainment!" The Stages Podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa
Wed, October 30, 2019
Director, Screenwriter and Playwright - Tommy Murphy
Collaboration is the essential life-force of the theatre. Disparate roles work together to produce an experience that is ephemeral; but if successful, the memory may last a lifetime. The adventure often begins with the Playwright, who drafts a blue-print of words and character and action that is then nurtured by a team and its nurturing wordsmith 'parent'. Tommy Murphy is such a 'parent'. He is one of our eminent story-tellers and collaboration comes easy. It is a process he relishes. Perhaps it's being one of eight children that has fostered the skill. Tommy Murphy is an award-winning playwright with recent productions in New York, San Francisco, Indiana, Los Angeles, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney. He is the only playwright to win the NSW Premier's Award, a prestigious national writing prize, in successive years. Tommy is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (Director's course) and a former writer in residence at Griffin Theatre Company. His plays include an adaptation of Marlowe's Massacre at Paris, Holding The Man, Strangers in Between, Troy's House, Gwen in Purgatory, Saturn's Return, Mark Colvin's Kidney and Precipice. His next play is Packer & Sons - a story that puts four generations of the Packer family on stage; men who loomed large over Sydney for nearly 100 years. It receives its debut season at the Belvoir Street Theatre from November 16th through to December 22nd. Tommy sat down with me to discuss Playwriting, Process and the Packers. Find more information on Packer & Sons at www.belvoir.com.au The Stages Podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa
Sat, October 26, 2019
West Australian Opera's Executive Director - Carolyn Chard
Carolyn Chard has an eclectic taste in music; she is moved equally by the heavy beat of dance music or the gentle and beautiful melodies that speak to the soul. However it is the power of the classics and great composers of Opera that propel her through her work day as the Executive Director of West Australian Opera. The company was formed in 1967 and works in close association with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Ms Chard has steered the company for nearly two decades following various arts management positions around the country. Roles at Opera Australia, and Deckchair Theatre and Barking Gecko in WA, nurtured a great passion for the power of theatre. These positions followed her completion of the Arts Management degree at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Informing her decision to pursue Arts Management was her early producing forays in fashion and the rave scene. Working in the banking industry also provided terrific grounding; eclectic experiences indeed, that help to shape the practitioner and guide the artistic journey. Career paths are always fascinating and the rewards can be most satisfying. Ms Chard talks with great candour about her unique journey to arrive at the helm of WA's triumphant Opera Company. Stages is available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, October 23, 2019
Journalist and Australia's Original 'Eliza Doolittle' - Bunty Turner
"Tis a divided world in which we live. This creed versus that creed; highbrow versus lowbrow and so on, - ad infinitum. A major division at the present time - and one that interests us - is that the world is divided into two sections, those who have seen 'My Fair Lady' and those who haven't". This decree was the opening paragraph in the J.C. Williamson's program heralding the arrival of the musical sensation that had captured the public consciousness around the world - Lerner and Loewe's glorious musical examination of the social transformation of a young woman by a phonetics teacher - My Fair Lady In 1950's Australia the Original Cast Recording of My Fair Lady became a highly sought treasure. Families gathered at homes to 'Get to the Church on time' and 'Dance all Night' dreaming of the arrival of the show to Australian theatres - 'Wouldn't it be Loverley?' The musical was a return to graciousness and elegance on the stage; allied is the fact that it is a Cinderella story - surely theatre's surest standby. And it carries a rich source material in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. Eager to replicate the productions in London and New York, the Australian Impresarios, J.C.Williamsons' imported American creatives and secured a principal cast from the UK. Williamson's had a policy at the time of preferring to cast lead players that they could bill as "direct from the West End" even if unknown. It was felt that an actor with that billing would always attract larger audiences than an Australian. Early days in the commercial theatre; but the seed for an Australian Company of players had been planted a couple of years earlier with The Pajama Game. Leading the Original Australian company of My Fair Lady was Bunty Turner. Born in Northern Ireland she had established herself as a singer of great accomplishment in U.K. productions of Free As Air, The Dancing Years and Hansel & Gretel. The original production of My Fair Lady in this country enjoyed tremendous success; so much so that a second company was launched to tour Australian capitals and New Zealand. Bunty Turner played the role of 'Eliza Doolittle' in productions throughout Australia and South Africa. What happened to Bunty at the conclusion of the show? We discover all, in this enchanting episode of STAGES with the vivacious and thoroughly engaging, Bunty Turner. The Stages podcast is available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Fri, October 18, 2019
Actor - Zoe Terakes
Zoe Terakes exudes a passion for her craft. She is immediately engaging on, or off the stage. She is a young actor set on a path to make the best work possible and with considerable credits assembled in her short career thus far, future prospects on stage and screen look assured, and mark her as an artist to watch. She made her stage debut in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge. Terakes' performance as Catherine earned her a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production. Zoe also received a Helpmann nomination for this performance at the MTC. Her 'Catherine' was seen by audiences at The Old Fitz theatre, the Melbourne Theatre Company and The Ensemble theatre; contrasting spaces offering adjustment and discovery for the actor. Other theatre credits include A Doll's House Part II for MTC and Metamorphoses and The Wolves for The Old Fitz. Zoe made their screen debut in the critically acclaimed Janet King for the ABC opposite Marta Dusseldorp, whilst completing her HSC. She will next be seen in the Foxtel series The End. Most recently, Zoe co-starred in the feature film Ellie & Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), the short film The Craft, which premiered at FlickerFest, and the forthcoming web-series Bondi Slayer. Her enthusiasm for performance is contagious. Exposure to various platforms and working alongside some of the country's leading actors are offering her a unique opportunity to refine her craft and indeed, to make the best work she possibly can. STAGES conversations are available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Thu, October 17, 2019
Bell Shakespeare Associate Director - James Evans
James Evans is Associate Director at Bell Shakespeare. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art and holds a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney. In 2018 he directed the Julius Caesar national tour, previously directing productions of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. He has appeared in Richard 3, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth and Henry 4. His other theatre credits include Paul and Homebody/Kabul for Belvoir; and Private Lives for the Queensland Theatre Company. James co-wrote and presented the acclaimed iPad App Starting Shakespeare and co-directed the ABC online series Shakespeare Unbound. He has been a visiting artist at the University of San Diego, as well as presenting a series of leadership seminars worldwide. In the corporate sector, James has established and facilitated professional development programs for numerous clients. He is currently directing a production of Much Ado About Nothing, opening next week at The Sydney Opera House, following a National tour. There was much ado in this episode of the podcast as we examined the life and times of The Bard of Avon, and brushed up our Shakespeare! Much Ado About Nothing begins its season at The Sydney Opera House on October 22nd. Bell Shakespeare has also recently released its season for 2020 - productions of Hamlet and The Comedy of Errors to look forward to. Further information at bellshakespeare.com.au
Wed, October 16, 2019
Theatre Producer - Sam Levy
Growing up in Sydney, Sam Levy is a Theatre Producer who now resides in New York City. He has produced works on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in the West End. Prior to founding his own company, Trumper Park, Sam was a member of the executive team at ATM Productions, a company that produces theatre in New York and London, and which has received over 80 Tony and 35 Olivier nominations since 1998. Recent productions include Dear Evan Hansen, Les Liaisons Dangerous, An Act of God, The Elephant Man and I'll Eat You Last starring Bette Midler. Until 2009, Sam was Director of Programming at the New York Summer Play Festival, an acclaimed incubator of new plays and musicals at the award-winning Public Theatre in New York City. With an exceptional track record of identifying emerging talent, the Festival's writers and artists have gone on to receive numerous accolades, including awards and nominations for the Oscar, Tony, Olivier, Emmy and Golden Globe, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Sam recently co-produced The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth; a play which was awarded Best New Play at the 2019 Tony Awards. He is part of the producing team bringing the new musical juggernaut, SIX, to Australia in 2020. And he has recently opened the musical Come From Away in Melbourne. It was during a recent visit to the show that we were able to sit down and discuss our favourite topic - The Theatre, and the Business that it is.
Wed, October 09, 2019
Opera Singer - Roger Lemke
Roger Lemke is one of Australia's most successful operatic and concert artists with a career spanning over 30 years performing in Opera, Music Theatre, Film and Concert. His career began in Musical Theatre, leading to the chance encounter with a singing teacher who suggested he might have a voice for Opera. He is the recipient of a number of prestigious vocal competitions and scholarships including both Melbourne and Sydney Sun Arias in the same year, and the Metropolitan Opera award. He also won the Bel Canto Foundation Chicago Scholarship studying with internationally acclaimed singer Carlo Bergonzi in Italy. He has appeared with all the major Australian and New Zealand companies, in a diverse range of principal roles including Papageno in The Magic Flute, Taddeo in The Italian Girl in Algiers, Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, Count Boni in The Gypsy Princess, two seasons as Marcello in the highly acclaimed Baz Luhrmann production of La Boheme and The Engineer in the world premiere of The Eighth Wonder by Alan John. Return visits to the Musical Theatre have provide him opportunities to play Inspector Javert in Les Miserables and Old Deuteronomy in Cats. His extensive knowledge of the industry and repertoire provides the solid platform from which he now mentors, manages and coaches today's young artists embarking on their own careers in vocal performance. See more at www.rogerlemke.com.au STAGES available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, October 02, 2019
Podcaster - Carla Donnelly
Carla Donnelly is the creator and co-host of podcasts Across the Aisle, Club Soderbergh and re:Discovery. She is a judge for the Green Room Awards on the Independent Theatre panel and has written about theatre for Milkbar Magazine and Theatre Alive/Broadsheet. After several years of navigating 'beat style' theatre review for online mediums, she became frustrated with the 24-hour review cycle as it didn't allow time to adequately consider the performances. Across the Aisle was born from a desire for performing arts long-form criticism, with the podcast providing the perfect platform. Donnelly is a queer history buff and was a volunteer and committee member at the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives for many years. During this time she produced and directed two events for ALGA in conjunction with Melbourne Queer Film Festival. She has been the recipient of awards for the Best Arts & Entertainment program (2018) and Best Audiogram (2019) at the Australian Podcast Awards. It was at this year's ceremony that Stages met Across the Aisle, so it only made sense that Peter and Carla should meet up and chat all things podcasting, in this very enlightening episode of Stages. Learn more at www.carladonnelly.com STAGES available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, September 25, 2019
Broadcaster - Tony Delroy
For 26 years Tony Delroy was at the helm of a nightly, nationally broadcast, late show called Nightlife on ABC radio. He fronted the show with barely a sick day offering his listeners an informative entertainment, into the early hours of the morning. Delroy's enormous breadth of interest and knowledge helped to garner his success, along with a passionate understanding of his audience. Nightlife featured a team of experts every week - motoring, literature, movies, American politics, finance, superannuation and travel. He presented engaging variety that supported the delivery of current affairs and the news. Delroy's career began while he was studying for his HSC. He secured a job in the newsroom at 2SM, moving to the newsroom at ABC whilst waiting for university to commence and the study of journalism. Roles as a News Director eventually arrived and so began the deprivation of a sleep-in with early rises a requirement of his job. His positions in radio have appeared to require a Night Owl existence. He has now stepped down from this prominent position and has embraced retirement - for now. STAGES available from iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sun, September 22, 2019
Theatrical Trailblazer - Reg Livermore - Part 2
In this companion episode we continue our conversation with Australian Theatrical Icon, Reg Livermore. In part one he discussed growing up in a conservative 1950's Sydney, his training, his influences and his many forays into Musical Theatre. In part two he reflects on his long career and examines his series of ground-breaking one-man shows, beginning with Betty Blokk Buster and continuing through Wonder Woman and Sacred Cow. Livermore is a theatrical beast, a mischief, a maverick and a larrikin clown - he is a chameleon who has rightly earned the accolade of Legend. He is a composite super-talent informed by burlesque, vaudeville, music hall, weimar cabaret, the ballet, the opera, the classics and Gilbert & Sullivan - all forms have contributed to a most unique and vital talent. It's a career of peaks and troughs, thrills and spills. The performer has not only seized opportunities but created them. Our rich theatre heritage is just that because of his countless contributions, on stage and off. He has offered us a chance to laugh at ourselves, embrace the outrageous and be changed by a reverberant and authentic repertoire of dynamic performances. Available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, September 18, 2019
Theatrical Icon - Reg Livermore - Part 1
Reg Livermore is one of our greatest showmen. A trailblazer whose career has encompassed roles as Playwright, Performer, Presenter and one of the country's finest actors. His artistry is iconic and his pioneer performances in a succession of one-man masterpieces birthed brilliant characters such as Betty Blokk Buster, Vaseline Amilnitrate, Irene, Beryl and Leonard. Such personas perfectly entwined risqué and social sensibilities; and cheekily unsettled, and aroused, an awakening Australian audience. Reg Livermore is a theatrical beast, a mischief, a maverick and a larrikin clown - he is a chameleon who has rightly earned the accolade of Legend. He is a composite super-talent informed by burlesque, vaudeville, music hall, weimar cabaret, the ballet, the opera, the classics and Gilbert & Sullivan - all forms have contributed to a most unique and vital talent. Reviewing the seductive and thrilling content of his 1979 production of Sacred Cow, playwright Dorothy Hewett described Livermore as "everyone's nightmare and everyone's dream". Reviews don't come more thrilling than that. He grew up in conservative 1950s Sydney when boys who danced or acted were 'not like other boys'. His individuality would stand him apart on many stages and celebrate him as one of our best. Livermore revolutionised the Australian theatre industry in a pair of high-heels in the original Rocky Horror Show production; he developed a small cameo in Jesus Christ Superstar, into a 9-minute showstopping star-turn and found profound empathy in the seminal musical Hair. In recent turns on the Musical stage he has given us his P. T. Barnum, The Wizard of Oz, Max Biallystock, Dr Pangloss, Henry Higgins and Alfred P. Doolittle. Livermore has lived a full and fascinating life, bigger than any stage. He's had a restaurant. He's graced our television screens and he's studied at the Ensemble Studios with Hayes Gordon and at the Independent Theatre with Doris Fitton. It's a career of peaks and troughs, thrills and spills. The performer has not only seized opportunities but created them. Our rich theatre heritage is just that, because of his countless contributions on stage and off. He has offered us a chance to laugh at ourselves, embrace the mischievous and be changed by reverberant and authentic performances. Available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Mon, September 16, 2019
NIDA Head of Music and Edna Collaborator - Andrew Ross
Andrew Ross studied Acting at NIDA in 1984. He returned as Head of Music in 2010. Prior to his appointment, Andrew worked as a musical director, singing coach, pianist, actor and writer. He has performed and musically directed productions for most of Australia's state theatre companies and commercial producers; on productions including Miss Saigon, The Venetian Twins, Mary Bryant, The End of the Rainbow, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Master Class and The Wharf Revue. Baz Luhrmann entrusted Andrew with the coaching of the singing on his film Moulin Rouge, a position that has led to frequent collaborations with Nicole Kidman. He has accompanied many artists in Australia and New York including Caroline O'Connor, Geraldine Turner, Hugh Jackman, Judi Connelli, Simon Burke and Toni Lamond. Andrew has had a long association with Barry Humphries, in roles that have included Musical Director and accompanist for the Australian shows Look at Me When I'm Talking to You, Remember You're Out, Back With a Vengeance and Back to My Roots as well as for the Broadway season of Dame Edna: The Royal Tour, which won a Tony award. This year he joins Barry Humphries once again to collaborate on a new outing for the 'Housewife Superstar' - Dame Edna: My Gorgeous Life! After a brief retirement, Edna is returning to the stage to celebrate all that is Australian and to offer her unique and 'caring' insight. Andrew Ross will be supporting the Dame as co-Author, Accompanist, Musical Director and Director. In this episode of Stages, Andrew offers great insight into a varied and eventful career in the arts. He is truly one of the Industry's nice guys! https://www.tegdainty.com/tour/dame-edna-my-gorgeous-life/
Wed, September 11, 2019
Drag Doyen - Craig 'Polly' Petrie
Every Sunday night, for the past 15 years, a weekly Drag celebration has been presented at Sydney's Stonewall Hotel on iconic Oxford Street. Polly's Follies is a Sydney institution having commenced life at the famous Albury Hotel some 28 years ago. Presiding over this has been the doyen of Sydney Drag, Polly Petrie; a tough broad with humour as dry as the Sahara, the glamour of Zsa Zsa Gabor and the steely command of Joan Crawford. Polly Petrie is also Drag Mother to a host of novice drag queens taking their first steps into this colourful world of performance. Polly takes a maternal approach to the rookies; mentoring, guiding and passing on her infinite wisdom. Polly is the creation of Craig Petrie, a ballroom dancer who was initially discovered working behind a bar, by choreographer Ross Coleman. He was thrust into the role of back-up dancer to many celebrated drag queens of the past, who lead the shows at famed Capriccios - a prominent venue on Oxford street with extravagant shows of big casts and glamorous costumes. In a fascinating conversation Polly gives us an insight into the early scene as a performer; one that continues to engage him in the persona of which he is famous around the world. He explains the origin of the follies and the link with the musical The Boyfriend, that gave him his drag name. It is a life rich with fabulous experiences and encounters. We recorded this conversation in his famous 'caravan', a place that accommodates his extensive wardrobe. What a treat to sit down with Miss Polly Petrie.
Wed, September 04, 2019
Arts Administrator and Advocate - Amy Maiden
Amy Maiden seems to have done it all. Entering the entertainment industry as an Actor, she has also embraced the roles of Producer, Podcaster, Publicist, General Manager, Advocate, Cruise Director and Front Singer of The Mabels. As a passionate proponent of the Arts from the age dot, it would seem that Maiden was always going to be a Woman of the Theatre - her challenge would be 'which hat fits best?' Upon graduation from the Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts she worked extensively for the Disney organisation. Add Mouseketeer to the list! Time in London followed and new opportunities in the marketing of musicals. Impressive organisational skills and an enthusiasm to accept any challenge presented, saw her lead a passionate response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires - collaborating with a team of committed Aussies to present a hugely successful concert, staged at The Palace Theatre in the West End. The attention and excellence garnered by the concert, resulted in a visit to The Palace. Administration engagements at home have seen her in leadership roles at the Australian Theatre for Young People and The Sydney Festival, demonstrating further enterprise and accolade. A new chapter is soon to launch with a move to Melbourne and a return to global marketing agency AKA. A theatre foyer would be incomplete without the presence of Amy Maiden. She is a champion of anyone wanting to create stories for the stage. She's traversed many exciting stages and she's ready to make many more stories.
Wed, August 28, 2019
Actor's Agent - Mark Morrissey
Mark Morrissey is one of the elders of the Agent profession in Australia. Now in his 34th year, Morrissey Management represents and guides the careers of many of our finest actors on local and world stages. Morrissey began his career as an actor in television shows like Rafferty's Rules, Sons and Daughters and Prisoner; a perfect vantage point to garner essential experience by observing work behind the camera. The knowledge acquired would inform his ambition and understanding, ultimately propelling him into a position as one of the country's best. As this week's guest, he reflects on how the role of the Agent has changed over past decades and how it prepares for a changing media landscape moving forward. He has a breadth of experience, he is generous with his support of talent and ever keen to create new and exciting work. In creating work, Morrissey has also served as Executive Producer on a number of ventures including the documentaries Molly: The Real Thing and The Road to Freedom Peak, the television mini-series Molly, and the programs Sarah's Channel and Boys in the Trees. A meeting with Mark is met with charm, calm and a keen desire to contribute to an ever evolving industry. Available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, August 21, 2019
Community Theatre Stalwarts - Wendy Holgate, Laurel Johnson and Liz Kolisnyk
Community Theatre experience, performing in plays and musicals, offers an opportunity to develop skills and socialise. It can also provide a safe and nurturing haven to explore burgeoning talents and connect with a broad audience. In this episode we examine the role of community theatre with three performers who have cultivated quite an impressive repertoire of roles, in the work they have done whilst serving their local communities, via their musical societies. Wendy Holgate, Laurel Johnson and Liz Kolisnyk have accumulated 110 years experience between them in their participation with community theatre groups - serving as performers, directors, producers and committee members. Roles that their families continue to do, as generational involvement takes up the baton. These women are old friends and have much to say. They provide another fascinating insight into practitioners who traverse the many stages, of Stages. Available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, August 14, 2019
Geraldine and Gypsy and Giants
STAGES most popular guest in our first season was Geraldine Turner. She delivered fascinating anecdotes and observations from a stellar career in show business, that continues to reward and frustrate. There have been more than a few requests to get her back on STAGES for further reflections and wisdom. The first section of this interview was recorded earlier in the year when Geraldine was about to set forth on delivering a role that had escaped her on four previous occasions. We all hoped that Turner had finally been given the chance to deliver a role, tailor made for her extensive talents, life-experience and accomplished skill in the musical theatre ..... the role of Mama Rose, in the musical Gypsy. Prior to commencing rehearsals, Turner talked to STAGES about preparing such a role, the opportunities to play Rose that had escaped her previously, and the palpable excitement she experienced in the recognition of realising Rose was only months away. Frustratingly, that was not to be. And the cold, hard understanding that Gypsy had escaped her once again, was met with outrage and disappointment by eager fans waiting in anticipation. Turner was just stunned. So what must that feel like? How does a performer maintain belief in their ability within a precarious industry? How can a performer and a role avoid merger five times? What happened? The epilogue to this conversation provides a fascinating insight to a unique experience. However, throughout the episode we also get to discuss some of the great Musical Theatre composers that Geraldine has met and worked with - Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Alan J. Lerner and Lionel Bart - to name but a few. Hers is a rich, illustrious and vital career. So, on with the show - and it seems only right to say ..... Here she is boys, here she is world. Here's Geraldine!
Wed, August 07, 2019
Playwright and Community Theatre Advocate - Carla Moore
Community Theatre provides an opportunity for the amateur practitioner to practice and develop their creative skills in a variety of roles - these include direction, design, front-of-house, marketing and of course, performance. The term amateur defines one who participates in a pursuit without payment but is driven by passion. Community theatre is a platform for passion - it provides for participants, who have a desire to make the arts their profession, their first precious steps into the precarious and wonderful world of the theatre. A great deal of fun is had along the way as participants collaborate with other like-minds in a setting that provides a cherished social interaction and develops valuable skills; whilst also providing audiences, in suburban and regional areas, with perhaps their only access to live performance. Carla Moore is a drama educator and playwright. For the past 17 years she has served as President of the Chester Street Theatre in Epping, Sydney. The company works out of a church hall and programs 3 productions a year. All are eagerly attended by an enthusiastic local and loyal audience. A subscription package is offered but they do not receive any other funding. Companies like Chester Street theatre rely on their box office to function. Carla joined STAGES to discuss the vital necessity of such companies and the essential role they play.
Wed, July 31, 2019
Composer, Orchestrator and Musical Director - Peter Casey
Peter Casey is one of Australia's most versatile Musical Directors, having established a career spanning the genres of musical theatre, arena presentations, symphonic concerts, orchestration, television and recording. Over several decades he has been at the helm for many commercial musical theatre productions; guiding, nurturing and supporting talent as they navigate the storytelling required by this demanding genre. Mr Casey has been Musical Director on a vast array of shows that have covered different styles and the work of many composers. These include Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, The king and I, Evita, The Producers, Chicago, Smokey Joe's Cafe, The Wizard of Oz, Company, Song and Dance, Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, Anything Goes and Annie. He has been an Orchestrator and Arranger for many Australian artists including Anthony Warlow, Debra Byrne, Olivia Newton-John, David Hobson and John Farnham. Peter Casey has worked extensively in South East Asia, co-composing and orchestrating several musical productions, operas and recordings in Singapore and Korea. He was co-composer and Orchestrator for the Korean musical opera The Last Empress, which toured to London, Los Angeles and New York, and the Orchestrator and Conductor for the Korean film, Typhoon. He has been Guest Conductor and Orchestrator for the West Australian Symphony, Adelaide Symphony and Queensland Symphony Orchestras. In 2018 Peter Casey was named on the Queen's Birthday Honours List as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of 40 years of service to the Musical Theatre industry. Stages conversations available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Sun, July 28, 2019
Stand-up Comedian - Doug Chappel
Stand-up comedy is an art form requiring tremendous courage, quick wit and unique charm. Speaking directly to a live audience, the performance can deliver the comic terrific euphoria, or bewildering frustration, as the humour lands perfectly or somehow misses the mark. It is acknowledged as the freest form of comedy writing and regarded as an extension of the person performing, who often draws upon their own lived experience. Doug Chappel is a Melbourne based comedian who draws on such experience, citing that he performs 'routines' rather than 'jokes'. His is a career that has provided many triumphs, much travel and a very occasional silence. He takes this all in his stride and as potential fodder for future material. Chappel has been a professional comedian for over 10 years and delivers his work with engaging energy, a flexible face, amusing observation and buckets of charm. He has toured internationally, been the headline act in every major comedy club in Australia, while also headlining Comedy Clubs all over the UK, Ireland and Scotland. He has performed in the exclusive Jongleurs Comedy Club London and The World Famous London Comedy Store. Doug has also performed in over 15 Melbourne International Comedy Festival shows, alongside some of the country's biggest names & he is a popular choice amongst some of Australia's biggest Football Clubs, Sportsmen Nights, Charity Events and Corporate Functions. He has performed for our troops in Afghanistan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands, played cruise ships, worked with indigenous communities and schools and toured with some big personalities. All contributing to a rich palette of experiences and shaping his comic sensibilities. Chappel is currently in training for a Boxing bout on August 2nd when he takes a different sort of centre-stage. Pretender to Contender gives every-day people the opportunity to take centre stage and test themselves under the bright lights of Victoria's premiere boxing venue, the Melbourne Pavilion. Doug joined Stages to to discuss the joys and bruises of the comedy stage and in the ring. Available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa.
Wed, July 24, 2019
Theatre Director - Rodney Delaney
Rodney Delaney has relished a life in the theatre as a performer and director. The recent period has seen him provide the most essential of roles; that as Dresser for artists and productions at Opera Australia. He is passionate about the Arts and in a conversation one always manages to glean new knowledge, generous compliment, an analysis of a recent theatrical offering and generally some delicious showbiz news. Starting out in Brisbane he was enamoured with the theatre from a young age, having walked past a theatre presenting Call Me Madam, and starring the great Evie Hayes. He sensed something was different about this building and quickly established a rapport with the leading lady. Work in the theatre and revue allowed him an opportunity to learn the structure of a show and to read an audience. A chance meeting landed him in the touring production of The Sound of Music and a quick brush with the character of Rolf. A period working in television working as a Set Dresser gave him more skills before a career in directing for the stage came to the fore. Together with Matthew O'Sullivan, Betty Cheal and Lynne Porteous he established the Actor's Company; the first serious attempt at a professional co-operative theatre in Sydney. The Company staged their productions in various spaces in Kings Cross and Paddington, ultimately finding a home in the Esme Hackett Memorial Hall in Ultimo. A diverse repertoire was presented including Play It Again Sam, A Taste of Honey, Look Back in Anger, The Foursome, The Caretaker and Naked Hamlet. The company lasted over four years but was dismantled in 1979 after a production of The Glass Menagerie. Musical theatre is a passion , along with our great leading ladies. We begin our conversation dissecting the iconic work Gypsy and the many stars who have navigated the role of Rose in the show. He is a font of theatrical knowledge and great company. It is always a treat to hear about the many stages of Rodney Delaney.
Fri, July 19, 2019
Actor - Nicholas Brown
Nicholas Brown is an artist of many dimensions - actor, playwright, singer, songwriter and screenwriter. The Australian-Indian actor has explored many roles, from genial host on Playschool, presenting a multicultural face to a young audience; and a foray into the celebrated Bollywood Film Industry, making his mark in a succession of villainous characters. Direct from secondary education, Brown was one of the youngest actors to be accepted into training at NIDA. Roles in Packed to the rafters, White Collar Blue, Home and Away and The Cooks followed - along with unique experiences performing in theatre at various international festivals. Songwriting and performing has always been a passion - and for several years he hosted SBS Radio's Pop Desi program, broadcasting the biggest Bollywood, Bhangra and Desi pop selection in Australia. A move to Mumbai saw him develop a repertoire of Bollywood films including Love You to Death, Sedition, Prattichayya and the lead role in the highly successful Kites. In 2016 his play Lighten Up (co-authored by Sam McCool) was presented at the Griffin Theatre. The play told "a universal tale of identity, cultural assimilation and bleaching your bits". He sat down with Stages to examine his work in Australia and abroad, and the crucial consideration of diversity on our screens and stages; effectively representing and reflecting an ever-evolving Australian population. Nicholas Brown is currently appearing in the Australian premiere production of Come From Away. The musical opens tonight in Melbourne. It plays the Comedy Theatre, before a tour to other States. Stages episodes available in iTunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa
Wed, July 17, 2019
Stage Door Keeper - John C. Goad
For 22 years the Stage Door at The Lyric Theatre in Sydney has been attended by John C. Goad. He is a charming and generous soul, with a wicked sense of humour and a valiant sense of duty. He has seen the comings and goings of many a theatrical as they have taken up occupancy at the theatre, playing a season and then moving on. The Stage Door is the entrance to the magic and illusion of the theatre. Through this door our storytellers pass. International and local names, jobbing actors, ensembles and company members, enter and depart the building from this artery. Some return with other shows and some provide only fleeting glimpses, but all depend on the efficiency and protection of Stage Door Johnny - a nickname anointed on John from the great Marlene Dietrich, when he was working at stage doors in London. Goad was raised in Papua New Guinea, where he developed his love of performance and story-telling. As a member of various theatre groups he toured the country presenting shows in English and Pidgin. The absence of a pen-friend began his writing to theatre, film, sporting and political identities around the world. This often lead to lengthy correspondence and occasional meetings. In 1979 he landed in London to commence employment as Personal Assistant to the late British actor Patrick Cargill. Goad studied acting with Studio 68 and was a founding member of Stage 80. He has worked as an actor, singer, interpreter, and PA; also front-of-house and at stage door, allowing him unique observations of the business from all angles. Sydney Lyric Theatre has housed almost 100 productions in its life thus far. It's also hosted an array of world names, but one essential commonality for all of the artists is the access they must gain via the stage door. Fair to say, this procession has garnered some fascinating encounters and observations. John C. Goad joined STAGES for an insightful chat about the duty, the discretion and the dedication of the Stage Door Keeper. Discover more at stagedoorjohhny.com
Wed, July 10, 2019
Entertainer and Creative - Nick Hardcastle
Nick Hardcastle is charisma on legs. A vibrant personality, it is no surprise that he has enjoyed success in various fields around the world. He may be immediately recognisable as Summer Bay resident Tim O'Connell in Home and Away or as the genial host of Video Hits. His TV credits extend to extensive work as presenter on a range of shows that have included Saturday Disney and five seasons of the highly popular Creature Features. No stranger to the stage, Nick has scored theatrical credits in Australia, London and Los Angeles. These include the role of Felicia in the musical, Priscilla the Queen of the Desert and Damian in Reuben Guthrie. All this experience lead him to co-found the Australian Theatre Company - a theatrical venture that showcases Australian repertoire and harnesses the array of Australian talent working in the U.S.; fostering a creative and meaningful cultural exchange. He is presently working on a show that celebrates the legendary Hollywood Costume Designer, Orry Kelly. The show, Orry, was recently invited to launch Celebration Theatre's New Works Program in the city of West Hollywood. As actor, presenter, producer, recording artist and with gigs on radio, Nick is essentially an entertainment Renaissance man. Currently based in LA, he was back recently for a brief visit, and as ever, it is always a treat and a chuckle to spend some time with Nick.
Fri, July 05, 2019
Writer, Composer and Cabaret Performer - Phil Scott
Phil Scott has many strings on his long bow - actor, writer, pianist, singer, composer, reviewer and broadcaster. Adept across several mediums he has ensured that anyone who is present in his audience is guaranteed several smiles, much guffaw and rapt awe at his rapier wit and keyboard dexterity. He was a pivotal on-stage member of the annual STC Wharf Revue for 18 years demonstrating how satire deftly allows a community to examine itself.The titles alone conjure the sort of treat to be devoured - Free Petrol, Sunday in Iraq with George, Much Revue About Nothing and Pennies From Kevin. He also wrote and performed for several ABC television series'.These include Good News Week,Three Men and a Baby Grand and The Gillies Report. Extending his writing to the narrative form, he has had four comic novels published in Australia and the U.S. with such fabulous titles as One Dead Diva, It's About Your Friend, Gay Resort Murder Shock and Mardi Gras Murders. He is a cabaret veteran, having first explored the form in 1983 with his solo show, A Legend in His Own Mind. He has appeared at venues around Australia and has been a regular at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Most recently he performed a one-man show about the English songwriter Lionel Bart titled Reviewing the Situation and contributed writing and performance to the biographical work Mario, about the life and music of Mario Lanza. His talents have also been present in the evolution of a significant number of cabaret performances as co-creator - The Twink and the Showgirl, Pop Princess, Newley Discovered, Gentlemen Prefer Blokes, Fat Swan, Little Orphan Trashley, Diamonds are For Trevor and Liza's Back (is broken). Oh! And he's written a couple of Musicals as well. Next up is a season of his new show (with Jonathan Biggins) No Cabaret For Old Men. It will feature as one of the highlights of the 2019 Sydney International Cabaret Festival on now. Phil talks cabaret and much more in this absorbing episode of STAGES.
Thu, July 04, 2019
Sydney International Cabaret Festival Artistic Director - Trevor Ashley
Trevor Ashley has accomplished a number of roles - Director, Writer, Producer, Musician, Actor, Singer, Drag performer and Superstar ... he can now add Impresario to the extensive list of credits populating his CV. Ashley is about to give birth to his very first celebration of international cabaret - as founder and Artistic Director of the Sydney International Cabaret Festival arriving in the city from July 5th to 14th. No stranger to cabaret, Ashley made his performing debut at Sydney's previous dalliance with the art form; an annual festival conducted at the SydneyTown Hall. Since then he has of course given us celebrated performances in shows that have affectionately rendered Liza Minelli, Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner and Susan Boyle. He has also presented personally tailored pantomimes .... crowd pleasers that have included Black Swan,The Bodybag and Little Orphan Trashley. All have content that launches from the stage into an unsuspecting audience, exploding with tremendous energy, wicked storytelling, joyous laughter and an abundance of naughty. It is these traits that have made Ashley a consummate cabaret performer and have guided him in the selection of an exciting program of performance for the inaugural Sydney International Cabaret Festival. It is a program of which he is very proud and excited. And one that we cannot wait to see! Trevor Ashley was a guest of ours in season 1, episode 4 of STAGES. He returns for a second time to discuss his exciting program and the magical, theatrical form of Cabaret.
Wed, July 03, 2019
Director, Choreographer and Drag Queen - Aaron Farley (Minnie Cooper)
For 30 years Aaron Farley and his Drag persona Minnie Cooper have been entertaining audiences from Oxford street to Oxford circus. A happy accident in 2003 saw Farley fall into the art of Drag and a new Diva was born. Miss Minnie Cooper is an enamoured part of the Drag Industry and a recipient of more Drag Industry Variety Awards (DIVAs) than just about anyone, and has been awarded Entertainer of the Year on a record number of four occasions. This new dimension in Farley's career followed an established position in many commercial musical productions throughout Australia including The Witches of Eastwick, Showboat, Crazy For You, Chicago and Singin' in The Rain. It all commenced with a triumphant debut in the dance hit Hot Shoe Shuffle - the phenomenon created by choreographer David Atkins that conquered stages in Australia and the U.K. Successful turns as a choreographer and director have also allowed Farley to flex his creative muscle, teaching a new legion of performers and constructing engaging artistry for audiences. Mr Farley and Miss Cooper join the illustrious line-up for the inaugural Sydney International Cabaret Festival. He hosts the Late Night Cabaret Lounge at The Seymour Centre on the debut evening of the Festival. Aaron Farley joined Stages to discuss his drag persona, his passion for performance and and all that glitters. Available in itunes, Spotify and Whooshkaa
Wed, June 26, 2019
Director/Choreographer - Cameron Mitchell
Born and bred in Adelaide, it would seem today's guest on STAGES was born to dance! Dance classes lead to competitive dance ... work in musical theatre and then to his success as one of the country's most versatile choreographers. Cameron Mitchell has acted as personal choreographer for musical theatre star, Caroline O'Connor; provided the steps to child entertainers Hi5. And he has choreographed for an impressive list that includes Kelly Rowland, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Sony Music, Warner Music and Festival records. With each dance he creates a unique language tailored specifically for the artist in focus. As a performer he has appeared regularly in commercial musical theatre - HOT SHOE SHUFFLE, CHICAGO, OLIVER, WEST SIDE STORY, MY FAIR LADY and SPAMALOT. His passion for musical theatre has seen him extend his role to that of a much in demand choreographer, creating dance to support the storytelling and shape the world of a variety of projects - MACK AND MABEL, CALAMITY JANE, BIG FISH and CRY-BABY are just a few. Cameron has also fostered the training of many young performers, previously serving as Artistic Director of Sydney's Brent Street Studios - guiding young dancers to be versatile and to embrace a range of styles. This year he makes his directorial debut at the Hayes Theatre with the musical CATCH ME IFYOU CAN ....Well .... I caught Cameron and here's our insightful conversation.
Wed, June 19, 2019
Composer and Pianist - Ron Creager
Ron Creager is a fervent believer in saying 'Yes' to all opportunities presented to him. Sometimes prepared, sometimes not, it is this cavalier attitude that has allowed him to wear many hats and travel the world extensively as a solo pianist, accompanist, Musical Director and performer. Creager's talents extend to the composition of several musicals - Careful He Might Hear You, Aimee and When The Bough Breaks to name but a few. His specialty compositions have contributed to shows like Madonna and Child, in which he toured nationally with Tony's Lamond and Sheldon. A chance meeting in Los Angeles with legendary Australian performer Toni Lamond, lead Creager in becoming her regular Musical Director and Accompanist; a role that brought him to Australia. As Arranger and Accompanist he has also worked with an array of mighty talent including Helen Reddy, Tim Draxl, Tina C, Derek Metzger, Simon Burke, Jeannie Little, Paul Capsis and Kerrie Biddell. The role as accompanist is so crucial to the singer that the two performers must merge as one in a relationship where each must navigate the song in synch. It's a role where Creager has been lauded as one of the best. Originally from Kentucky, Creager was raised on church music giving him an extensive knowledge of the Gospel repertoire, and roles as organist and choir director for several churches. Ron was recently back in Australia and we managed a long overdue catch-up. He discusses the role of accompanist and talks us through a few of his compositions, providing us with access to the music and the awesome vocalists that have have performed the material.
Sat, June 15, 2019
Musical Theatre Star - Ruthie Henshall
The BBC described Ruthie Henshall as a mega-watt talent shining in all its dazzling brilliance. Scottish print media, The Scotsman commented, she has the kind of brilliant, high-voltage stage personality that can light up whole cities. Fair to say, Miss Henshall is the definition of a Star. Ruthie Henshall made her West End debut in 1987 in Cats, navigating several of the feline family before assuming the pivotal role of Grizabella. This supremely gifted 19 year old would go on to become a five time Olivier Award nominee for a succession of roles in Crazy For You, Chicago, Peggy Sue Got Married and Marguerite; winning for the role of Amalia in the London revival of She Loves Me. Her list of theatre credits is extensive and in an extraordinary accomplishment, audiences have seen her play the three female principal roles in the musical Chicago; originating the role of Roxie in the West End, giving her Velma on Broadway and returning recently to the London production in the role of Matron Mama Morton. As a recording artist she can be accessed in various cast recordings and several solo albums including The Ruthie Henshall Album, Pilgrim and Love Is Here To Stay - a celebration of Gershwin. She's also an author - So You Want To Be In Musicals, released in 2012, is available from all good booksellers. Audiences cite her as one of their favourite voices; a consummate storyteller who can navigate a lyric with nuance, strength and tremendous vulnerability. She has the gift of being able to affect an audience and elicit a range of emotional responses. She is one of the world's leading music theatre performers, currently in the middle of an Australian tour. Ladies and Gentlemen ... Miss Ruthie Henshall.
Wed, June 12, 2019
WA Dance and Theatre Administrator - Shane Colquhoun
The working life of a dancer is relatively short. Not in all cases of course, but a day often arrives when a dancer can dance no more - so what are the options? How does one create new opportunities and future employment? Shane Colquhoun was a professional dancer for 12 years before detouring into Arts Management, studying at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. It was a change of course that has allowed him a unique opportunity to contribute to various artistic forms and ensure longevity of career. Shane completed his training at The Royal Ballet School in London, before taking contracts to dance with London Festival Ballet and work through Europe and Australia. An engagement as a Guest dancer with WA Ballet brought him back home and re-energised him with a thriving arts scene in the West. He has worked with a range of arts organisations, chiefly in WA. These include Deckchair Theatre, The West Australian Ballet and the Black Swan Theatre Company. He is a champion of young artists - always ready to encourage, support and advise. He serves on ample boards, giving back to a community that encouraged him. And assists in steering Arts organisations to make their mark in WA and abroad. His enthusiasm and passion are contagious. His vision and energy is impressive. I'm thrilled that STAGES had an opportunity to talk with a West Australian creative ... I welcome my old friend, Shane Colquhoun.
Wed, June 05, 2019
Playwright - Barry Dickins
Barry Dickins is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. He is a celebrated playwright whose work astutely portrays the marrow of Australian life, in deft characterisations of our idiosyncratic lifeblood and the telling of tales, tall and true. His talents extend to author, artist, actor, educator and journalist. His work is made up of acute observations and unique interpretation ... given titles that seem to bottle our essence with sublime perfection - THE HORROR OF SUBURBAN NATURE STRIPS, THE BLOODY TERROR OF DENTISTRY, BEDLAM AUTOS and THE BANANA BENDER. There is no doubting the immense contribution he has made to Australia's cultural life. Writing chiefly for the Independent sector, his plays have seen life in iconic venues around Australia such as La Mama, Theatreworks, St Martin's, Nimrod, La Boite and The Pram Factory. His work has also been featured on main stages at the Melbourne Theatre Company & Playbox Theatre. Biographical works riffing on the themes of Frank Thring, Brett Whiteley and Ronald Ryan have also received the Dickins pen. The Ronald Ryan story giving him the 1995 Victorian Premier's Literary Award. He also wrote a novel of Ryan - the last man hanged in Australia. Most recently he has examined the story of Sydney socialite and campaigner Juanita Nielsen. Dickins writes with inimitable wit, humour and lyricism and has the ability to find the ridiculous and jubilant amid pain. He is a true Australian legend. A great character of the theatre - and life - it was a delight to 'chew the fat' with Barry Dickins.
Wed, May 29, 2019
Actor - Fiona Choi
It was whilst enjoying a successful career in the U.S., navigating a series of guest roles in high-profile television shows like Homeland, Law & Order, Blue Bloods and The Newsroom, that Fiona Choi was offered a life-changing casting at home - that of Jenny Law, the passionate matriarch of the Law family in the SBS series, The Family Law. Equals part pathos and comedy, the character has become iconic and enabled Choi a unique position in the Australian television landscape; a middle-aged woman of Chinese heritage balancing the roles of Mother and Wife. It's a universal narrative but the show is a first in its portrayal of the loving but dysfunctional Chinese-Australian family. As can be the want of show business, it seems to have taken a couple of decades for Choi to become 'an overnight sensation'. She became hooked as a performer during her secondary education, going on to become an avid member of her University theatre organisation. As a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, her early career began in the commercial musicals Rent and Mamma Mia. An impressive theatre resume added recent forays at the Melbourne Theatre Company in The Lady in the Van and the August production of Golden Shield. Her present focus is the construction of a one-woman show celebrating Hollywood's first Chinese movie star and international style icon, Anna May Wong. The show, Dragon Lady, features Choi in an intimate performance that travels through Anna May's past and tackles her demons with scandalous reminiscences and sparkling musical numbers. Dragon Lady provokes questions about the struggles of cultural identity and the heavy price of ambition. Dragon Lady will premiere at The Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June, confirming Choi as a talent of great versatility and power. What a treat it was to sit down with Fiona to discuss Dragon Lady, The Family Law, the visibility of our Asian storytellers and Motherhood.
Wed, May 22, 2019
Arts Administrator - Elizabeth Butcher
Elizabeth Butcher is a humble hero of the Performing Arts in Australia. An administrator of considerable brilliance, she has steered many of our Arts organisations to prominence, accolade, survival and celebration; nationally and on the world stage. She was the dynamic General Manager of the National Institute of Dramatic Art for nearly 40 years, and together with its Director, John Clarke, steered the school to become the flagship training ground for Arts practitioners. It was Elizabeth who found the site of the Sydney Theatre Company - an abandoned wharf in Walsh Bay - who upon discovery, knew it would be the perfect home for a theatre company. She was present at the beginnings of the Sydney Theatre Company and managed the move of the Old Tote Theatre Company to the newly built Sydney Opera House, for its finale season of plays. Elizabeth Butcher has served on countless boards including The Australia Council, The Seymour Centre, Playing Australia, and the University of Technology Arts Management Course Advisory Committee. She was Chairman of the Sydney Opera House Trust from 1989 -1995, a role that fills her with great pride. Essential contributions have also been made in positions on the NSW Government Cultural Grants Advisory Council and the Council of the University of New South Wales. It is a most remarkable resume and her achievements in Arts Management are extensive. It is her role at NIDA as nurturer, manager and business executive that has endeared her to many, and ensured that young artists received the best training and launch-pad possible. In 1984 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the Performing Arts. It was my great privilege to celebrate Elizabeth Butcher and her immense contribution to the cultural life of Australia in this episode of STAGES.
Wed, May 15, 2019
Performer and National President of MEAA - Chloe Dallimore
An accident in her youth, could have ended the performance career of Chloe Dallimore. She was not going to let that happen. A determined focus and the discovery of pilates therapy, ensured that she would heal herself to then be available to take on the world - and more. Dallimore is one of our most cherished performers. Roles in The Producers, The Addams Family and Thoroughly Modern Millie have engaged audiences and demonstrated a practitioner of considerable skill, charm and joy. Any meeting with her, on stage or off, will guarantee a smile, a full heart and the precious gift of having met a special human being. She is selfless, generous and also an incredible overachiever. When not gracing our stages, she currently serves as the National President of MEAA (the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance), guiding the organisation through a myriad of challenges from imported artists and saving theatres to establishing diversity, equity and safety in the workplace. It's a role that keeps her very busy - but Dallimore is committed in representing her fellow performers to achieve fairness and reward. She is also an accomplished businesswoman and has continued her great appreciation of the benefits of the pilates technique, with managing her own studios. We should all be so lucky to know a champion like Chloe. I very much enjoyed this catch-up, giggle and passionate discussion with Chloe Dallimore.
Wed, May 08, 2019
Casting Director - Jan Russ
A variety of performance roles in the ranks of JC Williamson produced musicals, Australian television and theatre restaurant, gave Jan Russ a first-hand knowledge of the actor's craft. Her great charm and passion for talent, ultimately lead her to a role in which she was able to guide and nurture many actors as they entered residency in one of Australia's most iconic locations; Ramsay street, Erinsborough. For almost 30 years Jan was the Casting Director of the television juggernaut, Neighbours. Preparation for such a pivotal role was contributed to through a vast array of experiences. Jan sang and danced up a storm in productions of Charlie Girl, Godspell, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof and The Man of La Mancha; all presented by 'The Firm' and guided by one of her mentors, Betty Pounder. Broadway almost beckoned and a stint in New Zealand saw her working on screen and off - leading to an opportunity to become the country's first female Floor Manager. Returning to Australia saw further performance opportunities in the rigorous demands of theatre restaurant, offering an experience of working live with sometimes unpredictable audiences. Casting came calling at Crawford productions - the production house responsible for an extensive repertoire of great Australian content. A move to the Grundy organisation gave her a casting role overseeing the population of Wentworth Detention centre in the iconic series Prisoner. But it wasn't long before she was on the ground floor of a new series, originally titled Living Together, that was to go on to become part of the echelon of Australian Television history and make its mark around the world. Jan possesses an infinite knowledge of the craft of acting on stage and screen. She is a living legend and a fine raconteur who converses with enormous joy and ardour; giving STAGES a fascinating insight to the business of casting and a unique journey in the theatre.
Wed, May 01, 2019
Director - Alexander Berlage
In a very brief time, Alex Berlage has confirmed himself as a practitioner of tremendous skill, imagination and originality. As a highly accomplished and multi- awarded Lighting Designer and Theatre Director, he has navigated an impressive trajectory seeing him shape classical works, new Australian repertoire, self-devised creation and the musical! He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Production, returning three years later to complete his Masters in Direction. Delivering a focused and creative flair since childhood, it would seem that his career was always assured. His production of the musical 'Cry Baby' at the Hayes in 2018, garnered a swag of Sydney Theatre Awards. He returns there shortly, breathing life into the musical version of Brett Easton Ellis's macabre and sardonic tale of a New York investment banker - 'American Psycho'. Berlage's production is bound to captivate, challenge and enthral. He has guided the new Australian works 'Home Invasion', 'The Van De Marr Papers' and 'There Will Be a Climax' to the stage, embracing the collaborative experience and finding the nuance of each. As a Lighting Designer he has worked on stages main and fringe - the next being a production of 'The Lord of the Flies' at The Sydney Theatre Company. His productions command easy engagement and seduce with a vibrant and quirky aesthetic - guaranteeing audiences, delight and reward. He is passionate. He is original. He is an intelligent theatre-maker. He is Alex Berlage.
Wed, April 24, 2019
Opera Singer - Jacqueline Dark
Jacqueline Dark grew up in Ballarat, Victoria - a precinct that fosters participation in the arts and hosts a collection of community theatre companies, choirs and orchestras - all with the intent to practice excellence and provide opportunity and experience to the enthusiastic novice. A youth spent performing in amateur musicals, theatre restaurant and operetta afforded Jacqui an opportunity to play - and discover the power of performance. Standing out as a dynamic talent, it seemed imperative that she would be called to a career in vocal performance and the stage. Roles in musical theatre and opera followed - along with a swag of awards - all confirming Dark as a practitioner of note. After completing a Bachelor of Physics degree, she gave the classroom a brief stint. But the urge to perform professionally propelled her to the Opera Studio at the Victorian College of The Arts, where she graduated with First Class Honours. Her performance experience also encompasses cabaret, and the concert platform - all handled with aplomb and easy calibration. But perhaps her most significant role is that of Mother; a role she pursued in her early 40s. Incidentally, another role as Mother, came along shortly after by way of a revival of The Sound of Music. I've known Jacqui for several decades - there is always a lot to catch up on! It is a great joy to be in her company. She radiates warmth and wisdom. We commenced our chat - in a galaxy not so far away - at the beginning.
Wed, April 17, 2019
Director, Choreographer, Actor - Craig Revel Horwood
Although portrayed as TV's Mr Nasty, Craig Revel Horwood is anything but. He is a wonderful raconteur, a generous spirit and a thoroughly charming bloke. That's not to say that he doesn't enjoy playing the role of Villain - as evidenced by examining his CV - countless pantomimes in the UK playing evil Dames, a lead role in the fourth instalment of the Nativity film series and his return to the West End in a celebrated production of the musical Annie - playing the gin- soaked, top-dog of the orphanage; Miss Hannigan. Horwood is a jack-of-all-trades - and a master of them all. A career beginning in Australian musical theatre in productions of West Side Story, La Cage Aux Folles and Sugar Babies has seen him extend his creative talents into the West End on Crazy For You and Miss Saigon as performer and resident director - eventually claiming the creative positions of Choreographer and Director on productions around the world, in his own right. Gigs at the Lido and the Moulin Rouge in Paris prove his versatility and the range of his talents. But the role that has brought him universal attention, and unwanted celebrity, is that of the acerbic-tongued judge on UK's Strictly Come Dancing and the current season of Dancing With The Stars in Australia. His many Australian friends and family have relished the opportunity to spend time once again with Craig. Horwood is a dynamic and thoroughly engaging personality - his passion for his work is enormous and his consideration for any art form he tackles is reverential. What a delight it was to sit down with Craig Revel Horwood. Dare one say ... it was Fab-U-Lous!
Wed, April 10, 2019
Radio and Musical Theatre Actor - Tony Geappen
Tony Geappen has been a regular presence in commercial musical theatre for 50 years. A reliable character actor, blessed with a strong tenor voice, he has regularly been understudy to our great Musical theatre actors - and gone on 'in the role' many a time. Commencing a career in his youth, he was a child actor who performed on radio and in pantomime. A stint in London furthered performance opportunities and allowed him to work alongside headliner names like Ray Milland, Veronica Lake and Winifred Atwell. Tony was employed regularly because he was - reliable, prepared, professional and passionate about the business, He has appeared in an extraordinary number of musicals. These include FADE OUT FADE IN, SHOW BOAT, ANYTHING GOES, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, SWEENEY TODD, SCROOGE, THE WIZARD OF OZ, ME & MY GIRL, EVITA and APPLAUSE - just to name a few. That's a lot of nights at the theatre and years spent touring - but it's also makes for a lot of fascinating anecdotes. STAGES could not let a chance go by, without talking, to the charming Tony Geappen.
Wed, April 03, 2019
Actor/Artist/Auslan Performer - Andy Dexterity
After a successful period performing in major musicals around the country for a number of years, Andy Dexterity decided it was time to press pause for a bit and re-evaluate what he had to offer creatively - what more was there that he could contribute as a story-teller? The next theatrical phase of his career was to see him fuse his skills in dance, physical theatre, education and sign language into an engaging invention, allowing him to communicate with an audience in a uniquely visceral way. A celebration of this performance style lead him to a series of fabulously engaging video clips on youtube. These brilliant broadcasts on social media lead to choreographic engagements that incorporated Auslan - the physical language of communication. Andy was soon serving a term as the 'Mayor of Wiggletown' - the home of the highly successful children's entertainers - 'The Wiggles'. And whilst exploring and developing his unique brand, he was invited to be a presenter of a highly regarded TED Talk in front of a world-wide audience, leading them in a performance of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. A new chapter is about to emerge with a move to the States where he hopes to follow a path similar to his heroes; Fred Rodgers, Walt Disney and Jim Henson. Anything is possible! So how exactly did all of these opportunities come about? What is the story that has contributed to Andy Dexterity? One can't help but be enthused by Andy's contagious positive energy. We poured the champagne to toast his new adventure and recorded this thoroughly engaging conversation.
Wed, March 27, 2019
Musical Theatre Performer - Todd Jacobsson
In 2012 I was visiting my home town of Ballarat and attended the Ballarat Lyric Theatre's production of HAIRSPRAY. Playing the part of 'Link Larkin' was a dynamic young man who could sing, dance and act with equal aplomb and radiated a quality that allowed him to command the stage and the audience. He was concurrently completing his VCE, and harbouring a desire to become a professional performer. Cut to 2018, and that young man, Todd Jacobsson, has found himself cast in the new Australian production of WEST SIDE STORY as Tony; and given the opportunity to sing some of the best known songs in the musical theatre canon. Along the way he has certainly served an apprenticeship - working with 'The Production Company' in Melbourne, travelling the world whilst working as a ship performer and garnering a hugely sought after role in the Australian production of THE BOOK OF MORMON. He was also a 2018 finalist in the Rob Guest Endowment. STAGES spoke with Todd in the final weeks of the Sydney season of THE BOOK OF MORMON. By now, he is in rehearsal for WEST SIDE STORY - opening in Melbourne on April 9th, prior to an extensive tour that includes international seasons. It is a thoroughly engaging conversation and reminds us all of the joy and excitement of entering the wonderful world of the professional theatre. And that there is no tried and true way of achieving success. We all find our own path and tend to it with hard work, self-belief and incredible passion - all of which Todd Jacobsson possesses in abundance.
Wed, March 20, 2019
Voice Artist and Coach - Penny Larkins
A life's work in performance has seen Penny Larkins depend on the voice. Carving a career as a singer with acapella group The Janes, studying in the Musical Theatre course at WAPPA and long runs in musicals that include MAMMA MIA and THE BOY FROM OZ, has taught Penny why the voice is such a valued and vital instrument for both the singer and actor. But performers are not the only ones to depend on voice .... We all rely on our voice.... as a means of communication, a manifestation of emotion, a tool of survival - the need for vocal expression exists on a myriad of levels. In 2017, Penny entered NIDA to complete a Masters in Voice studies; giving her an intimate and complete appreciation of the workings, maintenance and power of the voice .... Which leads her now to continue a navigation and exploration of the immense potential of our vocal power. Penny provides a fascinating insight to our primal animal expression. We sat and talked, discussed, conversed and sang all things voice.
Wed, March 13, 2019
Producer - John 'Robbo' Robertson
John 'Robbo' Robertson is a true gentleman of the theatre. A showman of great charm and ability, he has been at the forefront of commercial theatre since 1956, when he dropped a career in accountancy to enter the business of Show! Just like the character of Leo Bloom in Mel Brook's THE PRODUCERS, the Accountant turned Producer - but 'Robbo's career trajectory saw him commence first as a Stage Manager on The Tivoli Circuit, building his career in a number of roles and working with key production houses including Rudas Productions, J.C. Williamsons, and Kenn Brodziak. It was at The Adelaide Festival Trust where he truly evolved as one of the country's most successful Impresarios - steering them with extraordinary hits such as EVITA, BARNUM, OKLAHOMA and SONG & DANCE - musicals that captured the audience's imaginations and made theatre-going, an event again. As a Director and Executive Producer with Cameron Mackintosh's Australian Company, he oversaw the arrival of the English juggernauts CATS, LES MISERABLES, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and MISS SAIGON. Musicals which changed the way in which the product was assembled, produced, marketed and presented. Known to everyone as 'Robbo', John has garnered a reputation as a much loved and respected Producer. He continues to be called upon for his sage advice as a consultant and mentor. After all, he's been there; done that ... many times over. In 2003, Live Performance Australia presented John Robertson with its James Cassius Award in recognition of his contribution to excellence in the Performing Arts. The Australian Performing Arts would certainly be the poorer without the instinct, drive and passion of 'Robbo'. I had the best time in conversation with John. Enjoy!
Wed, March 06, 2019
Radio, Television and Stage Star - Maureen Howard
Melbourne born soprano Maureen Howard was beloved by audiences and critics alike. At twelve years of age, she was a regular voice on the weekly 3DB Radio programme Swallows Juniorsand she later won the Vocal Section of television's Swallow's Parade. Though she studied singing from an early age, she wanted to be a hairdresser and, it was serendipitous that one of her 'clients' was associated with the two major theatre entrepreneurs J.C. Williamson and Garnet H. Carroll Management. A simple conversation during a hairdressing appointment gained Maureen a stage audition for J.C.Williamson at Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne . They had just opened their production of My Fair Lady. The following week, the same 'client' arranged an audition for Garnet H. Carroll at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne and she was immediately offered a contract for Chorus - and later 'stand-by' for Marian the Librarian - in The Music Man. As would occur many times during her early career, Maureen went on in the star's role. In April of 1961, she was cast in Lock Up Your Daughters with an additional song especially written for her character by the conductor Dobbs Franks. In August that year, she performed in Loesser's Most Happy Fella with Inia Te Wiata and Ronal Jackson. Later that year, Garnett H. Carroll Management cast her as June Bronhill's 'stand-by' in The Sound of Music and, again, Maureen was frequently seen in the role of Maria. In 1962, Maureen Howard won First Prize in the celebrated Sun Aria and left her contract for The Sound of Music. She was a frequent face and voice on television especially on the popular Sunny Side Up in 1963. After study, a year in Italy and then London - with the noted teacher Vera Rózsa - her operatic career started with Puccini's Tosca in 1967 - starting her career at the top - with the Elizabethan Trust Opera. The production opened at the Perth Festival on February 11th and featured Reginald Byers and the Hungarian baritone Alexander Major as Cavaradossi and Scarpia along with the twenty-seven years old Maureen Howard. Her operatic debut was a success, with one critic writing "She may not be as imperious as some Toscas, but she certainly is more vocally secure than many ... A powerful voice which is always beautifully controlled, and dominated the stage." The same year, she performed Zerlina in Don Giovanni with a stellar cast featuring Neil Warren-Smith, Marcella Reale, Rosemary Gordon, Robert Gard, Ronald Maconaghie and John Germain. It was a controversial production directed by the young Jim Sharman. A production of Die Fledermaus as Rosalinda (and June Bronhill as the maid, Adele) was a hit with audiences. Next came performances of Venus in Tannhäuser, Tebaldo in Don Carlo, Liù in Turandot, Micaela in Carmen and the cover of Minnie in the Australian premiere of Puccini's La fanciulla del West. Her career reached a new high with her assumption of Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly in 1969 with a new production mounted especially for
Wed, February 27, 2019
Drama Educator - John Nicholas Saunders
Commencing his working life with a passion for teaching, John Nicholas Saunders is presently established as the dynamic Director of Education and Community Partnerships at The Sydney Theatre Company - a role that sees him guide the educational experiences for young audience members who attend the plays in their current season. It is a role that also takes him into schools, guiding teachers and students; and travel, around the world, presenting keynote addresses and attending conferences and meetings. No slouch, he is always on the go and has served time on the committees and as president of Drama QLD and Drama NSW. He currently serves as The President of Drama Australia. John has also co-written THE SCHOOL DRAMA book developed by the STC - as an approach to teaching literacy through drama. He has conducted countless workshops and when pushed - has managed to get in some shopping and bag the odd bargain - all of this while completing his Doctorate in Drama Education. John is great company and STAGES talked with him about the importance of Arts subjects in the curriculum and why he sees Drama and the Theatre, as significant sources for learning.
Wed, February 20, 2019
Actor/Director/Playwright/Satirist - Jonathan Biggins
Jonathan Biggins loathes all forms of social media. When I invited him onto STAGES, he told me he'd never listened to a podcast! I was thrilled to introduce him to the format. As one of Australia's preeminent writers, actors, directors and speakers, he comes with quite an intimidating pedigree. I tread carefully, only to be met with his immense charm and insightful opinions. Mr Biggins is thoroughly engaging and armed with the wit we know and crave. He is perhaps best known as one of the creators and performers of the Sydney Theatre Company's WHARF REVUE - a popular date on the Sydney calendar for the past 20 Years! In our discussion we analyse the workings of comedy and how we've perhaps lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. Jonathan was born in Newcastle; his parents meeting at university doing amateur drama. No wonder then that he has embraced a broad career in the arts ... achieving excellence in whatever role, form or medium he has turned his hand to. Soon he commences a tour of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL - a biographical account of our great visionary and reformer, Paul Keating. And at year's end another joyous offering from the WHARF REVUE. He is responsible for some of the biggest laughs I have ever had in the theatre - so it was with great joy - and considerable curiosity, that I sat down with Jonathan Biggins.
Wed, February 13, 2019
Publicist - Bruce Pollack
With over four decades, promoting and guiding major projects across Australia, Bruce Pollack is a veteran of the Entertainment Industry. He is one of our top Publicists and has been present at the launch of countless musicals, handled some of the world's biggest stars and sweet-talked the Media whilst juggling behind-the-scenes dramas and serving his clients effectively - getting the word out and celebrating the entertainment. In 1956, a chance encounter with the legendary actor Hayes Gordon, allowed the eight-year old Bruce an opportunity to stand in the wings of The Princess Theatre, Melbourne, during a Saturday matinee of KISMET. It was then that his fate was sealed and he then became determined that the theatre was where he was meant to be. In 2016 Bruce was appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community in the areas of social welfare and public health. He has been acclaimed by the mainstream media and the gay and lesbian community as having been at the forefront of representing the gay and lesbian community through the national media since the early eighties. 'Bruce Pollack Publicity' was established in late 1982. From his many years of involvement in Arts administration and entertainment marketing, he gained all the necessary skills and expertise to establish a successful Public Relations Company that specialised in Media Relations for the Entertainment Industry. Over the next twenty years 'Bruce Pollack Publicity' grew to be one of the largest publicity organisations in Australia. In 2002 he created Pollack Consulting and now works as a Sole Consultant providing strategic media advice to a range of clients. Bruce Pollack is very much a Guru. A Master of Publicity. He comes equipped with a thousand anecdotes and an enthusiasm that never wanes.
Wed, February 06, 2019
Stage Manager - Luke Woodham
On any successful theatre production, you'll find the key position is that of the Stage Manager. The role is a unique function because it serves as a key support to the director and production staff during the rehearsal period, and then becomes the figure in charge of the production during the actual performance. The running of the show rests on their shoulders. It's a vital role covering many facets - management of time and staff, delivery of a quality product and harmony in the enormous machinery of a big show. At the helm of many of our big commercial musicals and plays has been Luke Woodham - Luke has overseen the life of many productions throughout Australia - these have included 'The Book of Mormon', 'Strictly Ballroom', 'Matilda the musical' ...... and the theatrical juggernaut, 'War Horse'. A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Luke is a native Tasmanian, who hasn't stopped working, in a variety of projects from corporate to festivals to concert to theatre, since graduation. Live performance can be a pressured environment and it pays to keep a cool head and a methodical approach - all of which Luke has in spades. It was an insightful conversation delving in to the world of Stage Management ... all called by the man on cans ... Luke Woodham.
Wed, January 30, 2019
Dance Reviewer and Arts Journalist - Jill Sykes
Born in Adelaide it seemed destined that Jill Sykes would pursue a career in journalism. The family business was in Newspapers. Working at THE ADVERTISER (not yet owned by Rupert!), Jill completed a 4-year cadetship and immediately headed to London. She arrived in the middle of the 60s - a decade of experimentation, creativity, invention and a vibrant arts existence. Securing 'the longest holiday job' in history she wrote a column for The Evening News, covering swinging London and the Arts. Working along the paper's Dance reviewer, who discovered she had been paying to see dance, she was offered an opportunity to try her hand at reviewing - and so it began! In her role as Reviewer in Australia she has seen an extraordinary amount of production and the work of significant contributors like Graeme Murphy and Bangarra Dance Theatre - following them as they evolved and made their salient mark. Jill has been a freelance Arts Journalist most of her career. In addition to Dance she writes about theatre, music and the visual arts. She also contributes writings on dance to specialist publications throughout Australia and overseas. Jill has been awarded an AM for her services to Dance in Australia. Her knowledge is extensive. Her passion is palpable. She is a font of knowledge. Jill engages with tremendous warmth and a great passion for the Arts.
Wed, January 23, 2019
Musical Theatre Star - Caroline O'Connor
Caroline O'Connor is considered to be one of the foremost interpreters of musical theatre in the world. Projects have taken her from Sydney to Paris to London and the bright lights of Broadway in a vast array of leading roles, that are coveted by musical theatre performers at their peak. At 17 she won a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Ballet School in London. The discipline and routine of such classes instilled in her a fierce work ethic that allows her characterisations to be delivered with boundless energy, masterful timing, consummate skill and infinite joy. Her range is impressive as seen by the varied and insightful performances she has given in an extensive career - Velma Kelly, Mrs Lovett, Fanny Brice, Mabel Normand and Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch, just to name a few. She's interpreted the works of Sondheim, Bernstein, Jerry Herman, Kander & Ebb, Jule Styne and Aherns & Flattery - indicating a versatility that demands an appreciation of style and technical dexterity. The mediums of theatre and film have also been embraced - in projects like Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge and the Cole Porter bio-pic De-Lovely ..... she has also had two plays written just for her - BOMBSHELLS by Joanna Murray-Smith and SCARLETT O'HARA AT THE CRIMSON PARROT by David Williamson. The New Year brings many more exciting projects for Caroline O'Connor. STAGES was thrilled to spend some time with her, touching on these - and a career that continues to rewards her with great stories, mesmerising performances and a loyal audience. Ladies and Gentlemen, the one, the only - Caroline O'Connor.
Wed, January 16, 2019
Musical Director - Lucy Bermingham
The role responsible for the most important component of any Musical, is the Musical Director. From finding the best vocal talents, collaborating with a Director, sourcing and guiding musicians, interpreting scores and leading the show at each performance - it is a role that requires great communication, organisation and tremendous responsibility. Making her mark in this role is Lucy Bermingham. Born and Bred in our Nation's capital, Bermingham was raised in a large musical family. As soon as she could walk and talk she embraced her musicality and the instruments of voice and piano. Growing up she became the official accompanist for a choir, worked as a repetiteur in Amateur musical theatre, eventually conducting a succession of musical theatre pieces. Lucy joined the Australian Regular Army in 1996 and was a member of the Band of the Royal Military College and The Australian Army Band, Sydney - both with whom she travelled on several tours of duty to East Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands. She quickly rose to the rank of Lieutenant in 2005 and became Captain in 2007. Leaving the Army she joined the staff of the Canberra Theatre Centre. Accompanying her brother at a professional audition, she caught the eye of a staff member who was impressed with her skill as a pianist. This instilled in her a confidence to pursue her dream to work in the Musical theatre. Moving to Sydney she quickly became a sought after Musician, taking the musical helm for dynamic and demanding scores of musicals such as 'Violet', 'Spring Awakening' and 'In The Heights' - winning Lucy great accolades for her perceptive and passionate work on these productions. 'In The Heights' opens this week in a return season at The Sydney Opera House. Lucy is once again leading the musical side of the production. STAGES spoke to her about the role of the Musical Director and the fascinating path that has lead her to her work today.
Wed, January 09, 2019
Theatre Impresario - Martin McCallum
Martin McCallum's career trajectory has taken him from actor to stage manager to production manager to the Managing Director of the Cameron Mackintosh Organisation, overseeing the worldwide production of the English musical juggernauts, CATS, LES MISERABLES, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and MISS SAIGON. As a producer in his own right he has fostered the development of musicals that include THE FIX, THE GIRLS, SPIDERMAN: TURN OFF THE DARK and co-produced EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, the ballet, with choreographer Mathew Bourne. His working life has also seen a time at The National Theatre of Great Britain, working with Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir Peter Hall; artistic directors with differing management styles and extraordinary vision. Martin has worked on over 500 shows and in an absorbing chat with STAGES, he shares his experiences on just a few of them and details an extraordinary life in the theatre.
Wed, November 28, 2018
'Tony' nominated Actor - Tony Sheldon
STAGES very first guest, launching the podcast, was the legendary Toni Lamond - a woman of abundant talent and huge heart. It is a delight that we are going to bookend this very first season with her son, Tony Sheldon; our final guest for 2018. Born into a family dynasty of performers it would appear that Tony Sheldon's destiny was pre-ordained. Recognition as a talented youth saw him perform on IN MELBOURNE TONIGHT with Graham Kennedy and join the workhouse in the Sydney season of the musical OLIVER. As a young man his career as an actor in plays saw him embrace a fast growing repertoire in roles as a sensitive young man - EQUUS, THE GLASS MENAGERIE and Peter Kenna's seminal Australian work, A HARD GOD. His break-out performance as Arnold Becker in TORCH SONG TRILOGY quickly followed. It wasn't long before he extended his playing into the Musical Theatre; a form that has been a life-long passion. Sheldon's engaging style, colossal charm and extensive appreciation of the form have provided us with perfect portrayals in shows that include THE VENETIAN TWINS, INTO THE WOODS, THE PRODUCERS, DAMES AT SEA and DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. Most significantly, one role has taken him around the world, rewarding him with 'Olivier' and 'Tony' award nominations - that of transsexual Bernadette, the glamorous and resilient survivor, in PRISCILLA - QUEEN OF THE DESERT - The Musical. But not "everything has come up roses" for Sheldon ... long bouts of depression and personal upsets along the way have provided their challenges. He is frank, warm and always inspiring in detailing these. He is a true gentleman of the theatre; a captivating raconteur and a thoroughly nice man - it was an absolute delight to spend some time with Tony Sheldon.
Wed, November 21, 2018
Singer/Actor - Rod Dunbar
Rod Dunbar has relished a life in the theatre. As a boy from Rockhampton he ventured south to Sydney and quickly established himself as an in-demand vocalist. He became a regular on channel 7's SING SING SING, hosted by Johnny O'Keefe. Rod toured the country, doing gigs with other high profile entertainers and attracted attention everywhere, due to national exposure through the new medium of television. Looking to expand the possibilities of his career, Rod was soon spotted by J.C. Williamson's Betty Pounder - and encouraged to pursue a career in musical theatre. Early work consisted of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE and OLIVER; growing into an extensive career performing in productions of CHICAGO, COMPANY and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG for the Sydney Theatre Company, tours of ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT, SOUTH PACIFIC, BIG RIVER and SHOUT - his most recent performance being DIRTY DANCING. Along the way he experienced personal triumphs in the Original Australian productions of a YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN and GODSPELL. I spent a delightful Sunday afternoon with Rod as he reflected on an extensive career and offered advice on the longevity behind it. And reflected on the disappointment, when an industry you love, retires you. He is a font of knowledge and an engaging raconteur. Ladies and gentlemen - Mr Rod Dunbar
Wed, November 14, 2018
Actor - Maggie Blinco
Maggie Blinco is an octogenerian who carries with her a life-time of experiences to fuel each character she plays. As an actor, she claims to be in a category 'all of her own' as far as roles go; especially when there doesn't seem to be many roles for actors in her age bracket. She didn't come to acting until late. Having done theatre at university, it wasn't until her late 30s that she turned professional. So how has she managed longevity in what can be a pretty tough industry? And what are the work opportunities like when you're in your 80s? Embracing all mediums; she has done it all - television, film and made her mark creating many wonderful characters in the theatre, from classical to contemporary repertoire. Maggie is also a fine cook! And a great raconteur! She is the inventor of 'dinch' - a Sunday afternoon gathering, between lunch and dinner, where she gathers a cast of impressive characters to 'chew the fat' and 'wax lyrical' over a tremendous banquet prepared by the perfect hostess - Maggie Blinco!
Wed, November 07, 2018
Regional Television Variety Compere - Fred Fargher
Long before the availability of 24 hour News cycles, Netflix, Cable networks and Reality TV ..... companion stations to the urban networks existed all over regional Australia. BTV6 in Ballarat was one such station, providing reach to the communities of Ballarat and Western Victoria. It provided local content to service the population - news, commercials and variety. Following in the mould of offerings in the major cities - IN MELBOURNE TONIGHT with Graeme Kennedy, THE DON LANE SHOW, and THE MIKE WALSH SHOW ... BTV6 came up with its own offering - SIX TONIGHT! Fronting the show was an unassuming chap who was thrust into the role, based largely on his experiences in the theatre and behind-the-camera work, at the station. He was very much learning an unfamiliar medium, on the job. The host of SIX TONIGHT was Fred Fargher ... and he quickly established himself as a Master of the form, and through this regional offering of television variety, was readily accepted into living rooms around Victoria. Fred sat down with STAGES to discuss his unique experience - the challenges of mounting a weekly variety show that went live to air - and also the rewards that it brought.
Wed, October 31, 2018
Performing Arts Historian/Custodian - Frank Van Straten
Frank Van Straten is a performing arts historian, author and a former director of the Performing Arts Museum in Melbourne. You've probably read one of his insightful commentaries on the history of a musical or play, in a program you purchased whilst visiting a theatre. Van Straten was the first archivist of the Performing Arts Museum (now the Performing Arts Collection), at the Victorian Arts Centre, and was the director from 1984 until 1993. For many years he researched and presented ABC Local radio's Nostalgia segment, broadcast on Melbourne's 774 and the ABC Victorian Regional Network. He has acted as the Historical Consultant for Graeme Murphy's dance musical TIVOLI, and given his vast knowledge, has accepted invitations to contribute information to considerable books, speeches, biographies, performances and exhibitions. In recognition of his services to the performing arts in Australia Van Straten was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1999. Frank's passion for our performing heritage is palpable and his knowledge is supreme ... with an ability to talk at length on any subject to do with the performing arts in Australia he is the ideal guest on STAGES.
Wed, October 24, 2018
Acting Teacher - Lisle Jones
I once heard Lisle Jones remark "I am married to the Theatre, but the Ballet is my mistress!" He is a man who relishes any discipline as long as it can produce a good story with clarity, passion and skill. An accomplished actor and director, he is from a school where you served an apprenticeship, learning how to craft your work on the job. By watching senior actors and devouring any experience that came your way. His was a time when an Australian actor would be obliged to travel to England to carve a career and further opportunities. After a time in London, in various roles, he was drawn back to Australia with a unique proposition - the opportunity to head an actor-training course in Western Australia. For 12 years Lisle Jones oversaw the Acting faculty at The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the training of countless successful graduates. His students included Marcus Graham, Frances O'Connor, William McInnes, Robert Taylor and Hugh Jackman. At age 88, he continues to teach acting ... a craft in which, he says, "you can never stop learning" ...... he is driven by his passion, an immense curiosity and a desire to make the actor the best they can be. Lisle has immense knowledge, an opinion on everything and many wonderful anecdotes. For those who know Lisle, you will find this conversation enlightening, great nostalgia and re-affirming - if you are about to meet the man - sit back and enjoy. You are in for a treat!
Wed, October 17, 2018
Singer/Actor - Maureen Elkner
Maureen Elkner has been singing since the sixties. Carving out a career as a rock/pop vocalist, she began her professional career in a trio called The Chiffons. After singing back-up for John Farnham and providing vocals on Russell Morris's classic 'The Real Thing', Maureen found her great success with the chart climber 'Rak Off Normie' - the follow up single to Bob Hudson's novelty hit 'The Newcastle Song'. Maureen released 7 singles and two albums through the 70s and also found success as an actress and comedienne in the original Australian productions of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. A short-lived season (2 performances) of the musical OH CALCUTTA!, saw her arrested along with the entire company. Maureen also entertained the troops during the Vietnam war; venturing into enemy territory to relieve the soldiers of the horrors they were navigating. It's a fascinating story and STAGES was delighted to sit down with the inspiring Maureen Elkner.
Wed, October 03, 2018
Biographer - Peter Fitzpatrick
Peter Fitzpatrick has managed to complete the impossible - a double biography of a father and son who were adept at leaving very little personal information. Peter has managed to garner copious information however, through the detective-like approach of the curious biographer. Using these discoveries, he has recorded perfect portraits and also extended our insight, by installing creative but inspired accounts of what it was to be these men, at crucial stages of their brilliant lives. He couldn't have picked a more disparate and fascinating familial duo 'The Two Thrings' is Peter's biography of both Frank Thring Senior and Frank Thring Junior. These two men had considerable influence in the evolution of an Australian entertainment industry. Frank Senior was a sideshow conjurer turned film impresario, who gave the nation its first foray into celluloid storytelling. Frank Junior, the son, was a flamboyant and outrageous actor of distinctive voice and girth who made his dent in Hollywood and returned to Australia to chart idiosyncratic roles in the theatre; eventually succumbing to self-parody and sorrow. They are a father and son, who never really knew each other but who forged similar careers in story-telling; sharing a considerable likeness in physicality and in their protection of self. Peter Fitzpatrick is a former adjunct professor of Performing Arts at Monash University, a writer, and a director of theatre - he was awarded a National Biography award for his account of the two men - THE TWO THRINGS. He joined STAGES to expand on our knowledge of this showbiz dynasty and to ponder the process of writing, and the craft of biography.
Wed, September 19, 2018
Actor - Tom Campbell
A facebook post from actor Tom Campbell recently gathered much traction. He cited that the entertainment industry was making much-needed advances in embracing racial, gender and sexual diversity in its casting decisions but was failing in its representation of actors he described as having "non-normative bodies". You see, Tom was born without a hand. Not that this has ever been a concern for him in life, or his pursuit of an acting career. It has posed some interesting obstacles along the way however, from parties attempting to define their understanding of 'the norm'. Tom has always tackled this with his perfect charm and engaging sense of humour. After graduating from NIDA he has constructed a broad career which boasts a lengthy CV and two Sydney Theatre awards. He has played classical repertoire, one-man shows, television, stand-up comedy and he recently embraced his first musical - more of which he hopes will follow. Always philosophical, witty and frank - he is the perfect guest - and it was a treat for STAGES to sit down and converse with Tom Campbell..
Wed, September 05, 2018
Musical Theatre Educator - Denis Follington
In 1983, something was happening in the Western states - the birth of a training course focused entirely on the Musical Theatre. There was no music theatre education in the country, and after starting the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Dr Geoff Gibbs made the creation of the course his next goal. For nearly 20 years, Denis Follington was on the staff of this much sought Musical Theatre BA at WAAPA. The course has graduated students including Meow Meow, Eddie Perfect, Lisa McCune, Dean Bryant, Lucy Durack, Rodney Dobson, Carmel Dean and Simon Gleeson. In 1997, he took the helm and steered the course for another 3 years as Head of the department. The course garnered a national reputation for producing graduates who were prepared, focused, knowledgable and dependable. WAAPA graduates walked into the country's commercial musicals - and proved themselves adept at television and plays too. Impressed with the success of the course at WAAPA, he was lured by Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore to build a Music Theatre course of their own, attracting students from around the world. STAGES spoke to Denis about the essentials of such an education, the history of the course at WAAPA and his first cast recording of a Broadway show.
Wed, August 22, 2018
Director and AD Siren Theatre Company - Kate Gaul
Kate Gaul has been a considerable force in playmaking in Australia over the past 25 years. Directing premiere productions and new Australian works, her directing folio has covered a broad repertoire of stories - The Laramie Project, The Trouble with Harry, Svetlana in Slingbacks, The Ham Funeral and Richard the Third to touch on a few. She has worked with our leading theatre companies and taught at training institutions, including NIDA and WAAPA. A champion of the work of Irish playwright Enda Walsh, she has directed productions of his plays Penelope, The New Electric Ballroom and Misterman - this last play receiving extensive glowing accolades and huge success at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival. Kate is a vital artist and one whose productions never fail to impress, to engage and to prompt discussion.
Wed, August 08, 2018
Theatre Archivist and Front-of-House fixture - Stuart Greene
When we enter a theatre building, the first point of contact before entering the world of the play - is the front-of-house staff. Those folk who welcome us in, guide us to our seat, or pour us a drink as we give in to the magic of the night. A popular personality behind the bar of Sydney theatres for many years has been Stuart Greene - a devotee of all things theatre, he is a walking encyclopaedia of our theatre heritage, from the buildings to what has graced the stages and screens. A chance conversation with the owner of his local record store, meant that he could secure an evening job to supplement his day work. His first shift was on the Opening Night of A Little Night Music starring Bruce Barry, Geraldine Turner, Doris Fitton and Tanya Elg. Working in theatres and cinemas is now a labour of great passion. He is a familiar figure at The Cremorne Orpheum, The Theatre Royal, and The State Theatre, where he also plays a role as archivist and gives a very memorable tour of the building. You might know him from the now absent Her Majesty's Theatre where he was always a cheerful presence behind the downstairs bar. Stuart enjoys a chat .... and in our conversation he laments the passing of Her Maj (which he considers a great theatre built by The Firm of J.C. Williamson) and bemoans the absence of the dozens of theatres which were once a mainstay of entertainment in Sydney.
Wed, July 25, 2018
Actor - Andrew McFarlane
Many of our favourite television series, have featured today's guest. Iconic shows that were part of our nightly viewing - defining our identity and celebrating the culture. His performances captured us through an array of quintessentially Australian characters; telling stories of WW2 in The Sullivans, Outback Australia in The Flying Doctors and protecting our boarders in Patrol Boat. Fronting them all was charismatic and handsome Andrew McFarlane. In a career that has encompassed television, stage and film, he continues to work in all platforms - citing a delight in a new 'career' playing 'arseholes'. This only proves what a dependable and accomplished actor he is.
Wed, July 11, 2018
Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher - Jane Beckett
'Dance is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire' (Martha Graham)- so reads the quote atop Jane Beckett's extensive CV. A dancer who trained in the classical form, her experiences in Europe showed her the many expressions possible through contemporary dance. A career in Musical theatre and regular employment dancing on television and supporting big names in cabaret - evolved into a career as a choreographer and teacher. Jane talks to us about life as a dancer and the influences that have shaped her work to allow the creation of the engaging works she crafts every day.
Wed, June 27, 2018
Acting Teacher and Blogger - Kevin Jackson
Kevin Jackson is regarded to be one of Australia's most foremost acting teachers. Having completed extensive periods managing the former NIDA Acting course and teaching at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, his knowledge and passion for the craft of acting is extensive. He has guided many of Australia's best and noted actors, with insights and an approach which is direct, firm and fosters discovery. In recent years his passion has extended to the development of an online blog that reviews live performance - The KJ Theatre Diary. These writings not only provide us with an assessment of production and performance, but also provide a valued lesson in the history of the play and an extensive reflection on the creatives involved in the original work. To read a KJ review provides one with an idea of his reaction, but also extends our knowledge of this most vital art form.
Wed, June 13, 2018
Cabaret and Music Theatre performer - Donna Lee
Donna Lee comes from a long line of performers. Showbusiness is indeed the family business; with Donna being the fifth generation in her family, to embrace performance as a career. As a child she travelled the country and performed with her parents: her father Frank Cleary, a juggler and variety performer; and her mother Gloria Dawn, one of Australia's foremost actors in music theatre and drama. She has been acknowledged with a Green Room Award for her role as Ado Annie in Oklahoma and garnered several Mo Awards for her cabaret work. Extensive work in musical theatre has seen Donna feature in shows such as Les Miserables, Summer Rain, Fiddler on the Roof and Dames at Sea. Television work has seen her reside in Summer Bay, Ramsay Street and Wandin Valley. Donna is a font of knowledge and an exuberant guest.
Wed, May 30, 2018
Drag Performer - Graeme Browning (aka Mitzi Macintosh)
Mitzi Macintosh is a much loved drag identity who worked in all the major Sydney venues over some two decades. Outrageous, subversive, a heart of gold and possessed with immaculate comic timing, she is the drag persona of performer Graeme Browning. Now residing in the UK, Graeme (and Mitzi) were back recently for his first one-woman show - Mitzi Macintosh - My Life in Lipstick - presented as part of the 40th Anniversary Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. His knowledge of drag as an art form and of a Sydney now past, is extensive. He is very much one of the custodians of the vibrant drag scene that existed through the 80s and 90s. He sat down with STAGES, 3 days after the Mardi Gras parade and party, to discuss his show, his process, and the art of the drag performer.
Wed, May 16, 2018
Dance Custodian - Paul Saliba
Paul Saliba was once described as a man of fire. His dance and choreographic work possesses a sense of energy, light and warmth. The man himself is excitable, committed and vital. A conversation with Paul is enlightening and re-affirming. He talks to STAGES about his time with The Australian Ballet, the car accident that could have put an end to his career, his work with The Sydney Dance Company and studying in New York with the iconic Martha Graham. His work is fed by a fascination with world cultures and their employment of dance as personal expression, as storytelling, and as history. Paul is one of our great custodians of dance in Australia. All who have worked with him recognise his brilliance and passion. So it was a great delight to talk dance with Paul Saliba.
Wed, May 02, 2018
Director/Playwright - Grace Barnes
In a career encompassing playwrighting, teaching, academia and directing, Grace Barnes has championed the female voice in storytelling. And ... working as an associate or resident director on original productions of SUNSET BOULEVARD, MARTIN GUERRE & THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, she has had a seat at the birth of seminal works of musical theatre and observed the creatives that made them. She was even present in the initial weeks of MISS SAIGON on Broadway. So how did a theatre obsessed kid from Scotland, escape the bleak countryside of Shetland and soon find herself amongst the bright lights of Broadway? Barnes has recently completed her PHD and has commenced her second book, a biography of Mina Wylie - the Olympic swimmer from Coogee who was a trailblazer of women's sport in Australia. Her first book is a reflection on the role of women in musical theatre. "If musical theatre reflects prevailing societal attitudes, what does the modern musical tell us about the place of women in contemporary America, the UK and Australia?" A fascinating read, posing much for consideration, is HER TURN ON STAGE by Grace Barnes.
Tue, April 17, 2018
Musical Theatre Leading Lady - Geraldine Turner
Geraldine Turner has chartered a career spanning 4 decades and established herself as one of few bona-fide leading ladies of the Musical Theatre. A repertoire of high octane roles has seen her lead companies of OLIVER, ANYTHING GOES, CHICAGO, SWEENEY TODD and INTO THE WOODS; but there is one role, that has escaped her ... she ponders why that may be. An artist at ease in any form, she has mastered cabaret, plays, television and film - and has recently extended her accomplishments as a playwright and director. Always frank and armed with great warmth, Turner is the ideal guest and it was a great treat for STAGES to sit down with her.
Tue, April 17, 2018
Actor Producer - Trevor Ashley
Trevor Ashley follows in a long line of Australian stage larrikans that include Roy Rene, Barry Humphries and Reg Livermore - talents who created unique performance personas and gave us Mo McCacky, Dame Edna Everage and Betty Blockbuster. They all celebrated the outrageous and the particular of our culture, Ashley continues the biting and hysterical piss-take, serving it up to us in flamboyant and finely realised entertainments such as 'Fat Swan', 'Little Orphan Trashley' and 'Bodybag'. In addition, Ashley has also enjoyed worldwide success with his one-man shows LIZA ON AN E, LIZA'S BACK IS BROKEN and DIAMONDS ARE FOR TREVOR. He's also proved himself on the musical theatre stage with acclaimed performances in PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, HAIRSPRAY and LES MISERABLES. Intent on embracing many roles, Ashley also wears the titles of producer, director, writer and musician. STAGES sat down with Trevor shortly after his recent hit for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian 40th Anniversary Mardi Gras - a variety show at the Opera House titled 'Trevor Ashley's Mardi Galah'.
Tue, April 17, 2018
Opera Conductor - Brian Castles-Onion
Brian Castles-Onion has been described as 'Exceptionally Brilliant', 'Dynamic' and 'Fabulous'. He has been awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship to study conducting in Europe and has worked at The Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Rossini Festival in Italy. A longtime association with Opera Australia, 2018 sees him conduct his seventh Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour - Puccini's 'La Boheme'. He discusses growing up in Cessnock, the art of the Conductor and his production of The Great Australian Voices series of recordings - preserving our great vocal heritage.
Tue, April 17, 2018
Company Management - Michael Norman
In this episode of STAGES, we speak with Michael Norman - upon meeting Michael, you can be nothing but engaged. His exuberant personality leaps at you large, and his passion for showbiz is palpable. The son of performers, he entered the business working in television props and along the way served a stint as a model in the UK, ultimately returning to Australia to assume a career as a Company Manager - on the big commercial shows that tour the country and abroad. He's been called 'old school' and 'adored by all who have worked with him'. Company Management is a job for a people person. Someone who can represent the Producer's interest while attending to the day to day personnel matters of all on board a big show ... Michael does both with ease - ensuring that if you know Michael's managing the show - you're in good hands!
Tue, April 17, 2018
Australian Showbiz Legend - Toni Lamond
The term Showbiz Royalty is often used to describe performers of considerable success and longevity in the business. My guest today is the real thing. She's experienced great success across a range of mediums in a career that has spanned eight decades. She is the daughter of vaudevillians Joe Lawman and Stella Lamond, the sister of songstress Helen Reddy and the mother of actor, Tony Sheldon - she is of course Miss Toni Lamond. Toni is a woman of firsts. In a time when overseas stars were brought to Australia to lead local productions of Broadway musicals, Toni was first to be given the opportunity to lead an Australian cast in The Pajama Game. With husband, Frank Sheldon, she was the opening night act on Australian television going on to be the first woman in the world to host a tonight show, when filling in for the legendary Graham Kennedy. So, I am delighted that she completes another first today - the very first guest on STAGES.

STAGES with Peter Eyers

STAGES Episode 559: GARRY MCQUINN

STAGES Episode 558: TIM JONES

STAGES Episode 555: MATT WEST

STAGES Episode 556: JOHN O’MAY

STAGES Episode 555: LUKE HURA

STAGES Episode 560: ANNE-LOUISE SARKS

STAGES Episode 554: DEBRA BYRNE Pt2

STAGES Episode 553: DEBRA BYRNE Pt1

STAGES Episode 552: CARLY FISHER

STAGES Episode 551: GRAEME EWER Pt2

STAGES Episode 550: GRAEME EWER Pt1

STAGES Episode 549: LUKE DI SOMMA

STAGES Episode 548: NICK EYNAUD

STAGES Episode 547: JOHN GADEN

STAGES VALE EPISODE - Nicholas Eadie (1958 - 22nd January, 2025)

STAGES Episode 545: GRAEME KEARNS

STAGES Episode 544: TOM BURLINSON

STAGES Episode 543: THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE - 41st ANNIVERSARY

STAGES S8 PREVIEW: We’re Back!

STAGES Episode 542: S7 FINALE/CHRISTMAS 2024

STAGES Episode 541: EMMA MATTHEWS

STAGES Episode 540: PAMELA RABE

STAGES Episode 539: GUY NOBLE

STAGES Episode 538: - BROADWAY ROUND-UP - SIMON PARRIS & IAN PHIPPS

STAGES Episode 537: ROGER HODGMAN

STAGES Episode 536: - SUZANNE JONES

STAGES Episode 535: EMMA RICE

STAGES Episode 534: STUART MAUNDER

STAGES Episode 533: GRANT PIRO

STAGES Episode 529: EVELYN KRAPE

STAGES Episode 532: ASHLEIGH RUBENACH

STAGES Episode 531: THE END OF THE WHARF REVUE

STAGES Episode 530: BERT LABONTÉ

STAGES Episode 528: EMMA POWELL

STAGES Episode 527: STUART GREENE - A History of Sydney Theatres

STAGES Episode 526: ARAX MANSOURIAN

STAGES Episode 525: WENDY-LEE PURDY

STAGES Episode 524: BRUCE SPENCE - PT2

STAGES Episode 523: BRUCE SPENCE - PT1

STAGES Episode 522: JULIAN LOUIS

STAGES Episode 521: NATALIE GAMSU

STAGES Episode 520 - CARMEL DEAN (SPOTLIGHT EPISODE)

STAGES Episode 519: RUPERT NOFFS & MARK TREVORROW

STAGES Episode 518: GREGG ARTHUR

STAGES Episode 517: WEST END REPORT - SIMON PARRIS & IAN PHIPPS

STAGES Episode 516: SILVIE PALADINO

STAGES Episode 515: ANTON BEREZIN

STAGES Episode 514: BENJAMIN OSBORNE

STAGES Episode 513: EWAN CAMPBELL

STAGES Episode 511: RODNEY FISHER - Part 2

STAGES Episode 510: RODNEY FISHER - Part 1

STAGES Episode 510: VALE John Newman (30/8/1930-28/7/2024)

STAGES Episode 509: JOHN BELL

STAGES Episode 508: ANGELA PUNCH MCGREGOR

‘It’s Opening Night!’ - Playwright; James Elazzi

‘Stairway to Paradise’ - Remembering Theatre Architect Vivian Fraser; Sharon Fraser

‘New Ways to Dream’ - Choreographer; Fabian Aloise

‘Liz, Margaret, Molly, Marion and Mel’ - Playwright; Melanie Tait

‘Make ‘em Laugh!’ - Actor, Producer, Presenter; Shane Jacobson

‘It’s Not Where You Start But Where You Finish’ - Highlights from 500 Episodes of The STAGES Podcast

‘Hey Look Me Over’ - Episode No:1 Revisited; The Legendary Toni Lamond

‘Together Again For The First Time’ - Mark Humphries chats to STAGES Producer/Host; Peter Eyers

‘Infinite Joy’ - Actor; Nadine Garner

‘Stories on a Grand Scale’ - Opera Singer; Warwick Fyfe

‘I Lived for Art; I Lived for Love’ - Opera Director; Edward Dick

‘Look What Happened to Mabel!’ - Stage Legend; Caroline O’Connor

‘Stories that Sing’ - Renowned Director; Neil Armfield

‘Satin on my Shoulder and a Smile on my Lips’ - Stage and Screen Favourite; Genevieve Lemon Pt2

‘Luck Be a Lady’ - Stage and Screen Favourite; Genevieve Lemon Pt1

‘Fascinating Rhythm’ - Cabaret Icon; Dillie Keane

‘The Soldier Tir'd of War's Alarms’ - Veteran Actor; Robert van Mackelenberg

‘If They Could See Me Now’ - STAGES 5-Year Catch-Up; Alexander Berlage & Todd Jacobsson

Vale Keith Robinson (1958-2024)

‘This is My Life!’ - Drag Legend; Doug Lucas

‘Play Time!’ - Director, Dramaturge, Teacher; Iain Sinclair

‘The Perfect Year’ - Stage and Screen Actor; Tim Draxl

‘A Wild and an Untamed Thing’ - The Original Australian ROCKY HORROR SHOW turns 50!

‘Come With Me, And You’ll Be In A World of Pure Imagination’ - VIVID Sydney Artistic Director; Gill Minervini

Vale Frank van Straten (1936-2024)