INTO THE WOODS

Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday In The Park With George (1984), Into The Woods (1987), Assassins (1991), Passion (1994) and Road Show (2008) as well as lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959) and Do I Hear A Waltz? (1965) and additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Anthologies of his work include Side By Side By Sondheim (1976), Marry Me A Little (1981), You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983), Putting It Together (1993/99) and Sondheim On Sondheim (2010). He composed the scores of the films “Stavisky” (1974) and “Reds” (1981) and songs for “Dick Tracy” (1990) and the television production “Evening Primrose” (1966). His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: “Finishing the Hat” (2010) and “Look, I Made A Hat” (2011). In 2010 Broadway’s Henry Miller’s Theatre was renamed The Stephen Sondheim Theatre in his honour; in 2019, London’s Queens Theatre was also renamed the Sondheim.

James Lapine

James Lapine is a playwright and director. On Broadway he has worked with Stephen Sondheim on Sunday in the Park with George; Into the Woods; and Passion. He also conceived and directed the musical review Sondheim on Sondheim. With William Finn he created Falsettos recently revived by Lincoln Center Theater; Little Miss Sunshine; Muscle; and directed Finn’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Other Broadway credits include his play based on Moss Hart’s memoir Act One (also LCT), Amour, The Diary of Anne Frank, Golden Child, and Dirty Blonde. He has written the plays Table Settings, Twelve Dreams, The Moment When, Fran’s Bed and Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing. Lapine has been nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning on three occasions. He has also been the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, SDC’s Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater, and inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Eamon Flack

Eamon Flack is the Artistic Director of Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney. He is a director, writer, dramaturg and script developer for stage and screen.

 Eamon was born in Singapore and grew up in Singapore, Darwin, Cootamundra and Brisbane. He has a BA (English and History) from the University of Queensland, and trained as an actor at WAAPA from 2001 to 2003. He has worked around Australia and internationally, from the Tiwi Islands to Sri Lanka and the UK. He has led Belvoir’s new work development in various guises since 2006, and has commissioned and developed many of the company’s most acclaimed new works over the last 15 years.

His productions of The Glass Menagerie, Angels in America and Counting and Cracking won the Helpmann Awards for Best Play in 2015, 2016, and 2019. 

His key directing credits include: Counting and Cracking (with Associate Director S. Shakthidharan, winner of the Helpmann Award for Best Direction of a Play and nominated for the Sydney Theatre Award Best Direction of the Mainstage Production), The Jungle and the Sea (co-directed with S. Shakthidharan, winner of Best New Work and Best Production at the Sydney Theatre Awards), Angels in America, The Glass Menagerie, Into the Woods, Tommy Murphy’s Packer & Sons, Rita Kalnejais’s Babyteeth, Alana Valentine’s Wayside Bride (co-directed with Hannah Goodwin), Tom Wright’s adaptation of Brecht’s Life of Galileo, Eamon’s own adaptations of Hendrik Ibsen’s Ghosts and Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Ivanov (Sydney Theatre Awards Best Production and Best Director), as well as The Rover, The Blind Giant is Dancing, As You Like It, and Beckett’s The End. His other directing credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bob Presents/B Sharp) and Wulamanayuwi and the Seven Pamanui by Jason de Santis (Darwin Festival).

His writing and adaptation credits include: Associate Writer of S. Shakthidharan’s Counting and Cracking (winner of the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, the Victorian Literary Prize and the Victorian Premier’s Award for Drama, Helpmann for Best New Work), co-writer with S. Shakthidharan of The Jungle and the Sea (Winner, Best New Work, Sydney Theatre Awards 2022); a stage adaptation of Christina Stead’s The Man Who Loved Children; Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Ivanov, Gorky’s Summerfolk, Sophocles’ Antigone and Ibsen’s Ghosts; co-adapter with Leah Purcell of Ruby Langford Ginibi’s memoir Don’t Take Your Love To Town; and co-deviser of Beautiful One Day with artists from ILBIJERRI, version 1.0, and the community of Palm Island.

For orchestral concert he has adapted and directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream alongside Mendelssohn’s score for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Belvoir St Theatre conducted by Simone Young, and directed and co-created Beethoven and Bridgetower with Anna Goldsworthy, Rita Dove and Richard Tognetti for the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

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 and Orchestrator of a new production of Into The Woods at Belvoir St Theatre and is preparing for this year’s musical (to be announced soon) at Opera Australia.

Last year he conducted The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour and was Musical Supervisor of the show at the Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne. He was also Musical Supervisor of Cinderella – all for Opera Australia. He was also Musical Director of Anna O’Byrne’s solo show Becoming Eliza and conducted Do You Hear the People Sing – a concert of the music of Claude Michel Schonberg in the newly opened Opera House Concert Hall.

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 the harbour).

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.

Other international productions include Cats (Australia, New Zealand), Chicago (Australia, Hong Kong) and We Will Rock You – the QUEEN musical (Australia, Japan).

Other productions in Australia – 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 (starring Geoffrey Rush), 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 2 cast recordings of The Phantom of the Opera in Korea.

Marty Alix

Marty Alix trained at the Victorian College of the Arts, graduating with a BFA in Music Theatre. They made their professional stage debut at the Hayes Theatre Company in 2018 for their production of In The Heights (Blue Saint Productions), going on to perform in other productions across the country including; Bring It On (David Venn Enterprises), Rent (James Terry Collective), and Spamalot (One Eyed Man Productions). Marty was most recently seen in the original Australian company of Hamilton (Michael Cassel Group). 

Marty made their television debut in season 2 of the Stan original series Bump, and in 2022 appeared on the SBS program The Feed for their musical comedy Time To Buy.

In 2019, Marty was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for their work in In The Heights. Marty won the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical in 2021 for their work in Hamilton. 

Stefanie Caccamo

Stefanie graduated in 2016 from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor of Music Theatre. Stefanie made her Belvoir Debut as Rapunzel in Into The Woods. Theatre credits include: Black Swan State Theatre Company: Oklahoma!, Once the Musical. Michael Cassel Group: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Darlinghurst Theatre Company: Once the Musical. Sydney Opera House/Peace Productions: Hair the Musical 50^th Anniversary Tour. Hayes Theatre Company: Godspell, Lizzie the Musical, Well Behaved Women, Irene, Applause, Meet Me in St Louis. The Little Red Co: Christmas Actually, From Johnny to Jack. Film: Three Summers. TV: The Twelve S2, Home and Away, Woolworths Carols in The Domain 2021, Fighting Season, Making Muriel. Awards: 2014 Effie Crump Award, 2016 Leslie Anderson Showcase Award, 2017 Rob Guest Endowment Melbourne East End Theatre District Award.   

Peter Carroll

Peter’s distinguished career has spanned over 90 productions. He continues to work in musical theatre, new Australian texts and the classics. For Belvoir, Peter has appeared in The Cherry Orchard, Life of Galileo, An Enemy of The People, Mark Colvin’s Kidney, Twelfth Night, The Great Fire, Seventeen, A Christmas Carol, Oedipus Rex, Old Man, The Book of Everything, Happy Days, Hamlet, The Blind Giant is Dancing, The Tempest, The Chairs and Stuff Happens. His other theatre credits include The Tempest, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Mary Stuart, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Sydney Theatre Company); Krapp’s Last Tape (State Theatre Company of South Australia/MONA FOMO tour); Girl from the North Country (GWB Entertainment), Last Man Standing, Into The Woods, Sweeney Todd (Melbourne Theatre Company), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (TML Enterprises); Night on Bald Mountain (Malthouse Theatre); and No Man’s Land (Queensland Theatre Company/Sydney Theatre Company). Peter’s film credits include The Power of Dog, Sleeping Beauty, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Crazy Rich Asians, Happy Feet, Black and White. His various television credits includeThe Moth Effect, Aftertaste, The Letdown, Bloom, Rake, Grass Roots, Diamond of Jeru, Changi, The Farm, Farscape. Peter has won many awards including Green Room Awards, a Helpmann Award, a Sydney Theatre Critics’ Circle Award, an Honorary Doctorate of Creative Arts and a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Performer in a Supporting Role (2022). Peter is the recipient of the Media Arts & Entertainment Alliance’s Lifetime Achievement Award; and he continues to be a proud supporter of the union.

Tamsin Carroll

Tamsin Carroll is a prolific Australian theatre actor. Tamsin’s Belvoir theatre credits include INTO THE WOODS, and THREE PENNY OPERA. Other theatre credits include THE LISTMAKER and MEASURE FOR MEASURE (Bell Shakespeare), INTO THE WOODS, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, TWELFTH NIGHT (Melbourne Theatre Company), HAIR, BYE BYE BIRDIE, HIGH SOCIETY (The Production Company), SHOUT directed by Richard Wherrett, GREASE – THE ARENA SPECTACULAR (SEL/GFO) and COMPANY, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (New Theatricals).

Tamsin has worked extensively internationally. Credits include RAGTIME and A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM (Regents Park Open Air theatre); CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (West Yorkshire Playhouse), STRICTLY BALLROOM (Global Creatures); the original cast of EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE (The Crucible Theatre), CASA VALENTINA (Southwark Playhouse). For the National Theatre; original cast of PETER GYNT by David Hare, THE MAGISTRATE and HEX, and 2:22 A GHOST STORY (Criterion Theatre), ROCK FOLLIES (Chichester Festival Theatre), BARNUM (Chichester Festival Theatre), OLIVER! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and MISS SAIGON (The Prince Edward Theatre).

Tamsin’s film credits include GODDESS, and HOLY SMOKE directed by Jane Campion. Her television credits include EASTENDERS, A DIFFIFCULT WOMAN, ALL SAINTS, HEARTBREAK HIGH, ABOVE THE LAW and THE GOODSHIP: MURDER.

Tamsin has won several awards including a Helpmann for Best Actress in OLIVER and another for Best Actress as ‘Dusty’ in DUSTY, THE ORIGINAL POP DIVA.

Andrew Coshan

NZ born Andrew Coshan graduated from the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2018, and has since worked professionally on both sides of the Tasman.

His theatre credits include A View From The Bridge (MTC); Hamlet (Australian Shakespeare Company); Punk Rock (Fortune Theatre).

For Musical Theatre A Christmas Carol (GWB Entertainment); The Phantom Of The Opera (Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour); Anyone Can Whistle, Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes Theatre); Jersey Boys (G&T Productions); My Brilliant Career (Monash University); Thoroughly Modern Mille (The Production Company). Television credits include Neighbours.

In 2019, Andrew received a Green Room Award Nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role – A View From The Bridge.

Lena Cruz

Lena was previously in Belvoir St Theatre’s production of Mother Courage and Her Children. Other Theatre credits include Playing Beatie Bow, The Wharf Revue (Sydney Theatre Company); Singin’ in the Rain (Prospero Arts and QPAC); Noli Me Tangere (Riverside Theatres); Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical (Michael Cassel Group); Macbeth (Bell Shakespeare); Thai-Riffic (Theatre Division); Monkey (Theatre of Image); Menopause: The Musical – Women on Fire (Lascorp Entertainment); An Officer and a Gentleman (Gordon Frost Organisation); The Singer’s Guide to the Universe (The Producers); Hair: The Musical (The Production Company); The Threepenny Opera (West Australia Opera); Fame (Jacobsen Entertainment). Television credits include Love Me, Limbo, Wellmania, Bump, The Unusual Suspects, The Let Down, Deadly Women, Kiki & Kitty, The Very Trevor Ashley Show, All Saints, Dirt Game, Comedy INC., Small Claims, Shortland Street. And film credits include Here Out West, I Am Woman, The Great Raid, The Night We Called It A Day, The Wannabes.

Tim Draxl

Tim Draxl is an actor and singer with a career spanning over two decades.

Tim has previously performed on the Belvoir stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Benedict Andrews. More recently Tim was seen in the role of Steve Healy in the first overseas tour of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. 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), The Sound Of Music (GFO) and She Loves Me (The Production Company).

Tim’s film work includes action film Blacklight alongside Liam Neeson, Guardians of the Tomb, directed by Kimble Rendall, A Few Best Men directed by Stephan Elliot, Undocumented, Ivory, In My Sleep, Red Canyon, Right Here Right Now, Travelling Light, Swimming Upstream, and Dirty Deeds.

His most recent television credits include the lead role in ABC’s four part musical drama In Our Blood, anthology series Summer Love and critically acclaimed The Newsreader also for the ABC. Other television credits include hit series A Place to Call Home as series regular Henry Fox (FOXTEL), the Molly Meldrum telemovie Molly, the critically acclaimed series Serangoon Road, Mrs Biggs, Home & Away, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Crownies, Day One, Tangle, Headland, Supernova, Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure, The Shark Net and Reef Break.

Tim received an ASTRA Award Nomination for Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor for Supernova (2006) and a TV WEEK Logie Award Nomination for Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for The Shark Net (2005).

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 Ambition Entertainment/EMI which reached number 1 on the iTunes jazz charts.

Esther Hannaford

Esther’s recent theatre credits include Mr. Burns (Belvoir); 50th Anniversary Tour of Tapestry (Live Nation); Cosi (Melbourne & Sydney Theatre Company); Twelfth Night (Melbourne Theatre Company) Beautiful: Carole King the Musical (Michael Cassel Group); Little Shop of Horrors (Tinderbox Productions); The Last Man Standing (Melbourne Theatre Company); Miracle City (Hayes); King Kong (Global Creatures); Hairspray (Dainty).

Esther played Sophie in ABC’s highly acclaimed ‘Retrograde’ TV show which was developed, filmed and edited under lockdown regulations.

Selected awards for theatre include a Helpmann Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical (Beautiful), Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Hairspray), Sydney Theatre Critic Award for Best Leading Role in a Musical (Little Shop of Horrors), Greenroom Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (King Kong, Beautiful & Once We Lived Here) Greenroom Award for Best Supporting Role (Hairspray)

Simon Holt

Simon is one of Australia’s most renowned Musical Directors with a wealth of international experience within the Musical Theatre Industry. Recent credits include Musical Director for Into The Woods with Belvoir St Theatre, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella with Opera Australia and the China Tour of Evita. Simon also held the title of Associate Musical Director for the hugely successful Australian tour of Evita which starred Tina Arena in the title role of “Eva Peron”.

Additional credits include Musical Director of the new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White and Just Another Love Story showcasing the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim. He also was Musical Director of the UK Premiere of Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical, Musical Director of Tim Rice’s revamped production of Blondel at the Union Theatre, Musical Supervisor/Arranger for the West End production of Judy!, Assistant Musical Director on the UK/European Tour of Cats and Musical Director of the BWW:UK Award-winning London Premiere of The Spitfire Grill at the Union Theatre. Simon was Associate Musical Director of the World Tour of The Phantom of the Opera (2013 – 2015), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum starring Geoffrey Rush, and the acclaimed Australian production of Love Never Dies.

Other Musical Direction credits include The Last Five Years, Into the Woods, Rent, Hair and The Marriage of Figaro with his own theatre company, yellow glass theatre. Simon has also played for Les Miserables, Irene (with Debbie Reynolds), Miss Saigon and Wicked in Australia.

Shubshri Kandiah

Shubshri is excited to once again be working with Belvoir, having previously done so playing the role of Brianna in Belvoir’s national tour of Fangirls.

Having launched her professional career with the role of Princess Jasmine in the national and international tour of Disney’s Aladdin, Shubshri’s most recent theatrical credits include Ella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella The Musical (Opera Australia) and Maryam in Why? The Musical for Expo 2020 in Dubai, created and directed by award-winning filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, with music composed by Academy Award-winning film composer A.R. Rahman. Staged in late 2021/early 2022, the production featured more than 100 performers and animated visuals projected on Al Wasl Dome, the world’s largest 360-degree projection screen. In 2020, she was cast in the role of Pritti Pasha in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie; unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the production was not staged. In 2019, she performed the role of Ismene in Antigone with Queensland Theatre.

Shubshri is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, holding a Bachelor of Musical Theatre. While completing her final year of study, she performed The Pearlfishers with Opera Queensland.

As a Brisbane based performer, she has appeared many times as a featured artist: with the Queensland Pops Orchestra, notably the 2019 NYE Variety Gala; in Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s 2017 Spirit of Christmas and An Evening with Liz Callaway, performing a duet with Liz herself.

In 2021, Shubshri was given the opportunity to sing the national anthem at the NRL State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, reaching millions of viewers in Australia and internationally. 

Later this year, Shubshri will also be playing Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Mo Lovegrove

Sydney based performer Mo first watched Into the Woods at 4 years old and has loved the show and the character of Little Red ever since. In 2022 they made their professional debut playing Jo in Jagged Little Pill (GWB Productions), taking over the role during the end of the show’s run. Mo was invited to perform the role of Maddie in the professional workshop of Faust by Joe Kelly and Steve Cosgrove and directed by Peter Adams. They have appeared in TV campaigns for Optus and Woolworths and web campaigns for The Smith Family and Country Road. In 2020 and 2022, Mo performed at Claire’s Pop-Up Petit Cabaret at Claire’s Kitchen Darlinghurst, accompanied by Bev Kennedy and Lindsey Partridge. In 2019, they proudly performed alongside other LGBTQIA+ artists in Trevor Ashley’s ‘Concert for Orlando’ at Sydney Town Hall. A graduate of the NSW Talent Development Project, Mo performed as a soloist in seven consecutive Schools Spectacular concerts at the Entertainment Centre and Qudos Bank Arena. Mo has performed on Channel 7’s Sunrise and Channel 9’s Today and Mornings. A semi-finalist on Channel 10’s Young Talent Time and Channel 9’s The Voice Kids (where they were a member of Team Delta), Mo also performed with The Voice Kids at Slimefest. In 2012 they were the recipient of the Entertainer of the Year Award at the Australian Event Awards. Their community theatre credits include the Narrator in Joseph the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and Grizabella in Cats, both for Packemin Youth Productions at The Concourse Theatre, and the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins for Stage Artz Theatre Company. Mo is ecstatic to be performing one of their dream roles with the Belvoir company, and would like to thank their family, their agent, and the Belvoir team.

Ava Madon

Ava is a graduate of Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. She was most recently seen playing Kate Mullins in Titanic the Musical: In Concert. Her other recent stage credits include Macbeth and Othello (Sport for Jove), Bells Are Ringing (Neglected Musicals), Cinderella in Into the Woods (Watch This), and KT/Meg in Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes Theatre Co). After working on the show’s development in 2021, Ava will be joining the cast of The Lucky Country at Hayes Theatre Co later this year.

Ava is also a television actor and presenter known for her work on shows including Definitely Not News (ABC), The Pack Down (ABC), Junior Eurovision, Code of Law (Weiyu Films), Stacked! including mini-series Ava’s Kitchen (ABC) and Mikki vs. the World (ABC).

In 2022 Ava was nominated for a Green Room Award for her performance as Cinderella in Into the Woods (Watch This). Ava is thrilled to return to the woods this year with Belvoir.

Anne-Maree McDonald

Anne-Maree McDonald’s career began when, as a teenager singer songwriter, she performed at the piano on numerous variety television shows – Don Lane, Ernie Sigley, Mike Walsh, Ted Hamilton, Ray Martin.

Anne-Maree left the pop world and went to Victorian College Of The Arts to study opera, before joining The Australian Operain 1980,as a very young principal soprano.

She sang leading roles in The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Mikado, Trial by Jury, La Cenerentola, Fiddler on the Roof, La Buona Figliuola, Countess Maritza, Gianni Schicchi, The Magic Flute, Boris Godunovand the world premiere of Richard Meale’s Voss.

With Dame Joan Sutherlandand Richard Bonynge, Anne-Maree appeared in The Merry Widow, Dialogues of the Carmelites, Alcina, Les Huguenotsand she was honoured to sing at Dame Joan’s 70th Birthday Gala, Australia House, London.

In musical theatre she has performed Eliza Doolittle – My Fair Lady (with Dennis Olsen) Kaye Swift – Gershwin the Musical, The Seven Deadly Sinsand performed in many concerts in Australia, UK and China.

As Musical Director Anne-Maree has led Shout! – The Legend of the Wild One(Johnny O’Keefe), Bring It On! (Australian premiere), Jekyll & Hyde (Taiwan tour) Tell Me On A Sunday(Kookaburra), Floyd Collins(City Recital Hall, Sydney), and Mario Lanza – The Final Serenade (UK tour).

She conducted a 25-piece orchestra for three of Sydney’s Mardi Gras iconic concert series Hats Off!(2011, 2012, 2016) and has MD’d performances for many solo artists including Tony Sheldon, Amanda Muggleton and Peter Cousens. She recently performed her own one woman show at the piano at Claire’s Kitchen, Sydney.

Anne-Maree has accompanied Philip Quastin his solo showatAdelaide Cabaret Festival, Sydney Festival, Morning Melodies – Melbourne, Tamworth Capitol Theatre, Launceston Musical Theatre Festival and most recently QPAC Concert Hall Brisbane. Future engagements include Ensemble Theatre in March 2023 and London.

Anne-Maree’s passion for teaching has taken her to WAAPA, Brent Street, AIM and Communication University of China, Beijing. She is proud to be a core singing tutor and musical director at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).

Marney McQueen

Marney McQueen has created a name for herself as one of Australia’s most versatile performers. A graduate of NIDA’s three year acting degree, she has applied her chameleon like abilities in many dramatic and comedic roles on film; The Mule, Last Man Standing, Neighbours and the stages of STC and MTC.

As her comedic cabaret character Rosa Waxoffski the Celebrity Bikini Waxer, Marney has toured the world and received critical acclaim from Edinburgh to New York, with Barry Humphries stating “She has the goods.”

In musical theatre, Marney debuted as Marion in the Australian premiere of Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical, starred as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray, she played Nina in Dream Lover the Musical and the role of Sir John Kerr in The Dismissal.

Marney is also a regular voice artist having voiced the evil Duchess in the film Maya the Bee 2 as well as numerous TV Commercials. 

Pamela Rabe

Pamela’s most recent Belvoir credits include THE CHERRY ORCHARD, DANCE OF DEATH, GHOSTS and THE GLASS MENAGERIE. From over 100 productions, other theatre highlights include THE CHILDREN, LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, GREY GARDENS, THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, PRIVATE LIVES, A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, THE WIZARD OF OZ and, while a founding member of the Sydney Theatre Company’s Actors’ Ensemble, several acclaimed productions including MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN, Benedict Andrews’ THE WAR OF THE ROSES, THE SEASON AT SARSAPARILLA, and Barry Kosky’s THE LOST ECHO. She has recently returned from
performing in the National Theatre UK/Alexander Zeldin Company’s production of THE CONFESSIONS in London and throughout Europe. Pamela has also directed plays for the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company and the Malthouse Theatre.

Her work in television includes THE SECRET LIFE OF US, FUCKING ADELAIDE, ROSEHAVEN, DEADLOCH, BAY OF FIRES and WENTWORTH. She has appeared in several feature films including SIRENS, PARADISE ROAD, VACANT POSSESSION, COSI, and THE WELL.

Pamela has received many accolades for her theatre, film and television work, including Helpmann, Green Room, Logie, Variety Club, Stockholm Film Festival and AFI/AACTRA awards and she was recently recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her distinguished services to the Arts.

Justin Smith

Justin has starred in numerous stage productions. Most recently Dubbo Championship Wrestling at Hayes Theatre, 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 Superstar 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.

Justin 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 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 is a proud member of equity. He dedicates this performance to his dearly departed sister-in-law Georgie.

William Zappa

William Zappa has built a solid reputation as an outstanding actor, last appearing for Belvoir in The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? also for the State Theatre Company of South Australia. Other theatre credits include Why? The Musical (Artists in Motion for Dubai Expo); Saint Joan, Arms and the Man, Loot, Honour, Travesties, Old Times, Soul Mates, The White Devil and A Month in the Country (STC); Honor, Skylight and Rock and Roll (MTC); The Children (STC/MTC); Richard lll, Death of a Salesman (STCSA); Dance of Death, Antony and Cleopatra, Government Inspector (Bell); Warning: Explicit Material, Seminar, Let the Sunshine (Ensemble) and Antigone (Sport For Jove) among many others.

Williams’ nine-hour adaptation of Homer’s Iliad, The Iliad – Out Loud was presented as part of Sydney Festival 2019 at Belvoir Street Theatre, as well as the Adelaide Festival 2020 and the Four Winds Festival 2021.

William has an impressive list of feature film credits including The Dry, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears, Dead Europe, Mad Max 2, A Heartbeat Away, The Phantom, Quigley Down Under, Men’s Group, and Crush. Television work includes The Tourist, Mr Inbetween S3, Operation Buffalo, Doctor Doctor S4, A Place to Call Home, Paper Giants: Magazine Wars, Devil’s Dust, Rake.

He has been nominated for and won numerous awards including two awards for his portrayal of ‘Thenardier’ in Les Miserables and a Sydney Theatre Award for ‘Creon’ in Antigone.

Stefanie Caccamo

Stefanie graduated in 2016 from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor of Music Theatre. Stefanie made her Belvoir Debut as Rapunzel in Into The Woods. Theatre credits include: Black Swan State Theatre Company: Oklahoma!, Once the Musical. Michael Cassel Group: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Darlinghurst Theatre Company: Once the Musical. Sydney Opera House/Peace Productions: Hair the Musical 50^th Anniversary Tour. Hayes Theatre Company: Godspell, Lizzie the Musical, Well Behaved Women, Irene, Applause, Meet Me in St Louis. The Little Red Co: Christmas Actually, From Johnny to Jack. Film: Three Summers. TV: The Twelve S2, Home and Away, Woolworths Carols in The Domain 2021, Fighting Season, Making Muriel. Awards: 2014 Effie Crump Award, 2016 Leslie Anderson Showcase Award, 2017 Rob Guest Endowment Melbourne East End Theatre District Award.   

Andrew Coshan

NZ born Andrew Coshan graduated from the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2018, and has since worked professionally on both sides of the Tasman.

His theatre credits include A View From The Bridge (MTC); Hamlet (Australian Shakespeare Company); Punk Rock (Fortune Theatre).

For Musical Theatre A Christmas Carol (GWB Entertainment); The Phantom Of The Opera (Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour); Anyone Can Whistle, Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes Theatre); Jersey Boys (G&T Productions); My Brilliant Career (Monash University); Thoroughly Modern Mille (The Production Company). Television credits include Neighbours.

In 2019, Andrew received a Green Room Award Nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role – A View From The Bridge.

David Gardos

Originally from Sydney, David worked as a music director and pianist in New York for 15 years. He originated five Broadway musicals: Chaplin, Big Fish, Side Show (Revival), Finding Neverland, and Falsettos (Revival), featuring on all five Broadway cast recordings. David was a substitute musician and/or conductor on numerous other Broadway and off-Broadway shows including Hamilton, In the Heights, Matilda, and Peter and the Starcatcher.
David has been involved in the development of many new musicals. US Production highlights include Ever After (Papermill Playhouse), My Paris (Goodspeed Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre), Darling Grenadine (Goodspeed Theatre, Roundabout Underground), Kiss My Aztec (Berkeley Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Hartford Stage).
Since returning to Sydney, David has taking up teaching positions in musical theatre programs at NIDA and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He is also active in the Sydney theatre industry working as a musician on many of the major musicals and recently as music director for A Little Night Music and Tell Me on a Sunday at the Hayes Theatre Co.
David has a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and a Master of Music (Orchestral Conducting) from the University of Cincinnati.

Marney McQueen

Marney McQueen has created a name for herself as one of Australia’s most versatile performers. A graduate of NIDA’s three year acting degree, she has applied her chameleon like abilities in many dramatic and comedic roles on film; The Mule, Last Man Standing, Neighbours and the stages of STC and MTC.

As her comedic cabaret character Rosa Waxoffski the Celebrity Bikini Waxer, Marney has toured the world and received critical acclaim from Edinburgh to New York, with Barry Humphries stating “She has the goods.”

In musical theatre, Marney debuted as Marion in the Australian premiere of Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical, starred as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray, she played Nina in Dream Lover the Musical and the role of Sir John Kerr in The Dismissal.

Marney is also a regular voice artist having voiced the evil Duchess in the film Maya the Bee 2 as well as numerous TV Commercials. 

Damon Wade

Damon is an accomplished singer, actor, multi-instrumentalist and Musical Director. He holds an A.Mus.A. in Piano, Bachelor of Music (Music Theatre), and a Master of Teaching (Secondary) in Music Education.

Most recently, Damon was received a Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Best Musical Direction for Nice Work If You Can Get It at the Hayes Theatre in 2022. His recent MD projects Anyone Can Whistle (Neglected Musicals), A Chorus Line (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), The Sentimental Bloke, Mame, Meet Me in St Louis (Neglected Musicals), Spring Awakening and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Brent Street Performing Arts), and Gypsy as Associate Musical Director (Luckiest Productions).

His singer and actor credits include Andrej/Swing in Once (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Danny Zuko in Grease: The Arena Experience, Warner in Legally Blonde: The Musical in both New Zealand and Canberra, Claude in Hair (Exclaim Theatre Co.), and toured nationally in Boys in the Band (SMA Productions).

Ava Madon

Ava is a graduate of Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. She was most recently seen playing Kate Mullins in Titanic the Musical: In Concert. Her other recent stage credits include Macbeth and Othello (Sport for Jove), Bells Are Ringing (Neglected Musicals), Cinderella in Into the Woods (Watch This), and KT/Meg in Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes Theatre Co). After working on the show’s development in 2021, Ava will be joining the cast of The Lucky Country at Hayes Theatre Co later this year.

Ava is also a television actor and presenter known for her work on shows including Definitely Not News (ABC), The Pack Down (ABC), Junior Eurovision, Code of Law (Weiyu Films), Stacked! including mini-series Ava’s Kitchen (ABC) and Mikki vs. the World (ABC).

In 2022 Ava was nominated for a Green Room Award for her performance as Cinderella in Into the Woods (Watch This). Ava is thrilled to return to the woods this year with Belvoir.

Rob Mallett

Tasmanian born Rob Mallett graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2012 with a BA in Music Theatre. During his last year at WAAPA Rob appeared in a docudrama for the BBC, Desert Rats and a telemovie for ABC 1, The Accidental Soldier. 

On graduating, Rob appeared in a guest role on the TV series House Husbands for the Nine Network, before heading back to the stage in the role of Buck, for the national tour of Hot Shoe Shuffle, directed by David Atkins. In the same year Rob was named a top 6 finalist in the Rob Guest Endowment.

Rob’s other theatre credits include the national two year tour of Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Misérables covering the role of Marius; the national tour of Dainty Group’s Singin In The Rain as part of the Ensemble/Don cover and Disney’s critically acclaimed musical Aladdin in the role of Kassim.  He reprised the role of Brad Majors in the 2021 production of The Rocky Horror Show having previously toured nationally with The Rocky Horror Show for GFO. Last year Rob played the leading role of Jimmy Winter in Nice Work If You Can Get It at Hayes Theatre.

Rob has also performed in A Cole Porter Celebration for Sydney Philharmonic Choirs as a lead vocalist. 

Rob’s credits include guest roles on the series Winners & Losers for the Seven Network, Wakefield for BBC Studios and the Showtime Network. Most recently he could be seen playing semi-recurring role Bob Forsyth on the long running series Home & Away for the Seven Network

Simon Holt

Simon is one of Australia’s most renowned Musical Directors with a wealth of international experience within the Musical Theatre Industry. Recent credits include Musical Director for Into The Woods with Belvoir St Theatre, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella with Opera Australia and the China Tour of Evita. Simon also held the title of Associate Musical Director for the hugely successful Australian tour of Evita which starred Tina Arena in the title role of “Eva Peron”.

Additional credits include Musical Director of the new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White and Just Another Love Story showcasing the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim. He also was Musical Director of the UK Premiere of Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical, Musical Director of Tim Rice’s revamped production of Blondel at the Union Theatre, Musical Supervisor/Arranger for the West End production of Judy!, Assistant Musical Director on the UK/European Tour of Cats and Musical Director of the BWW:UK Award-winning London Premiere of The Spitfire Grill at the Union Theatre. Simon was Associate Musical Director of the World Tour of The Phantom of the Opera (2013 – 2015), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum starring Geoffrey Rush, and the acclaimed Australian production of Love Never Dies.

Other Musical Direction credits include The Last Five Years, Into the Woods, Rent, Hair and The Marriage of Figaro with his own theatre company, yellow glass theatre. Simon has also played for Les Miserables, Irene (with Debbie Reynolds), Miss Saigon and Wicked in Australia.

Sally Dashwood

Sally Dashwood is a choreographer, performer, director of Australian tap dance company Girls On Tap, stupidly proud mum of Ivy and Sia and co-director of Well Done Creative alongside her husband Tim.

Sally’s recent choreography includes Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Godspell for Hayes Theatre Co., Sydney Theatre Company’s Hubris and Humiliation, Sydney Theatre Award winning The Deb at ATYP (Best Production for Young People and a nomination for Best Choreography), Neglected Musical’s Brigadoon, The Things I Could Never Tell Steven and Zombie Thoughts at NTofP, School of Rock at Qudos Bank Arena and episode 7 of Celeste Barber’s new series Wellmania.

In 2019, Sally took Girls On Tap to Rave Theater Festival in NYC where she won the award for ‘Best Choreography’. The ‘femme fatales of tap, rhythm and song’ are responsible for the fastest selling show at Glen Street Theatre and have recently performed an acclaimed tour of NSW produced by Well Done Creative and Kym Halpin. Sally’s work in the Australian entertainment industry has been recognised in Light The Way: Inspiring Stories from Australian Dancers.

Sally was Revival Director of Opera Australia’s Two Weddings, One Bride, Associate Director/Choreographer of Darlinghurst Theatre Co.’s A Chorus Line, Assistant Director of La Boheme on Sydney Harbour, Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain of Carmen on Sydney Harbour and Rehearsal Choreographer of Opera Australia’s Il Turco in Italia and Lucia di Lammermoor. Other creative credits include Assistant Choreographer on The Masked Singer, Assistant to the Creative Directors on The X Factor, Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain of OzPanto’s Snow White and Aladdin and his Wondrous Lamp.

Sally’s performing credits include Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newtown-John, Delta Goodrem, Timomatic, Meghan Trainer, Top 20 of So You Think You Can Dance, Untapped! on Broadway and Adelaide Fringe Festival, ensemble/understudy Lambchops in Fame the Musical, ensemble/Phyllis in Mack and Mabel at Hayes Theatre Co., Candy Man, Junkyard Beats, motion capture cast member of Happy Feet 2 and featured dancer in Aussie movie musical Goddess.

Michael Hankin

Michael is a NIDA trained Set and Costume Designer for theatre, dance, opera and film. His credits for Belvoir include Hir, Ghosts, Mark Colvin’s Kidney, The Sugar House, Jasper Jones, My Urrwai, The Great Fire, Ivanov and The Glass Menagerie, Twelfth Night, The Dark Room, A Christmas Carol, Angels in America, The Boomkak Panto and Rep Season. 

Michael’s other theatre credits include designs for Ireland’s entry to Eurovison; Bourgeois and Maurice’s musical Insane Animals (Manchester’s Home Theatre, UK);  Memorial (Barbican Centre/Adelaide Festival/Brisbane Festival/Brink productions);  The Aspirations of Daise Morrow (Adelaide, Edinburgh Festival, Brink Productions); Three Little Words (Melbourne Theatre Company), Jumpy (Melbourne Theatre Company/Sydney Theatre Company); The Merchant of Venice, Othello  and As You Like It (Bell Shakespeare); Ich Nibber Dibber (Sydney Festival/Campbelltown Arts Centre); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Theatre Royal); 247 Days (Chunky Move/Malthouse /Netherlands tour); Tartuffe (State Theatre Company South Australia); Golden Blood (Griffin);  Ugly Mugs (Malthouse/Griffin); Songs for the Fallen (Sydney Festival/New York Music Theatre Festival); Lake Disappointment (Carriageworks); You Animal You and Flock (Force Majeure); Fool for Love (Company B); Miracle City (Hayes Theatre); The Boat People (TRS/The Hayloft Project); The Lighthouse, In The Penal Colony (Sydney Chamber Opera); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf, Liberty Equality Fraternity, Great Falls (Ensemble); The Hypochondriac, Deathtrap, Miss Julie, The Paris Letter, Macbeth (Darlinghurst Theatre); The Peasant Prince (Monkey Baa); Rust and Bone, The Ugly One (Griffin). Film projects include Weapons Designer and Co-Ordinator for Three Thousand Years of Longing, Production Designer for National Geographic’s Limitless,  ChallengeDesigner for Survivor Australia (S6), Production/Costume Designer for short films Julian and The Amber Amulet (both winners of the Crystal Bear, Berlin International Film Festival). Michael has been nominated for a number of Sydney Theatre Awards, winning Best Stage Design for Hir in 2018,  BestIndependent Stage Design for Of Mice and Men (Sport For Jove) in 2015 and Truckstop (Q theatre/Seymour Centre) in 2012.  He was the recipient of the 2018 Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship for Design in the Performing Arts and has worked as an Associate Lecturer of Design at NIDA. 

Micka Agosta

Micka is a NIDA trained Set and Costume Designer for stage, film and TV based in London. 

His Belvoir credits include Costume Designer for Tommy Murphy’s Holding The Man and set and costume designer for Kate Mulvany’s The Seed (for both B Sharp and Belvoir’s mainstage production).

Other Threatre credits include The Man With the September Face (Arts Centre, Melbourne), Holding The Man (Griffin theatre) and its UK premier for Trafalgar studios, London.

His recent film and TV credits include Assistant Costume Designer for Loki (Season 2, Disney Marvel 2023), The Flash (Warner Brothers/ DC 2023), The Nevers (HBO, 2020) and My Dinner With Herve (HBO, 2018). 

Micka was the recipient of the 2010 Mike Walsh scholarship.

Damien Cooper

Damien Cooper is a lighting designer for Dance, Theatre, Opera and Film.

Belvoir designs include The Weekend, Into the Woods, Light Shining In Buckinghamshire, Wayside Bride, Things I Know To Be True, Mark Colvin’s Kidney, The Dog/The Cat, Radiance, The Glass Menagerie, Miss Julie, Stories I Want to Tell You in Person, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Peter Pan, Strange Interlude, Neighbourhood Watch, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, The Seagull, Gethsemane, Keating!, Toy Symphony, Peribanez, Stuff Happens, The Chairs, The Spook, In Our Name, The Underpants, The Sugar House, A Taste of Honey, The Ham Funeral, Exit the King.

STC designs include On the Beach, White Pearl, Top Girls, Dinner, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Disgraced, Arcadia, Orlando, The Golden Age, Suddenly Last Summer, The Women of Troy, The Lost Echo, Riflemind, Tot Mom, The Shape of Things, Far Away, Bed, Julius Caesar, Summer Rain, Boy Gets Girl, The Metamorphosis, The Cherry Orchard, A Walk With the Goons, The Art of War, The Great, Honour, Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats of Loneliness, Blood Wedding, Bloodland, Under Milk Wood, The Splinter, Storm Boy, The Long Way Home, Children of the Sun, Cyrano de Bergerac.

Damien has been awarded Three Sydney Theatre Awards – Best Lighting; Three Green Room Awards – Best Lighting; Two Australian Production Designers Guild Awards – Award for Best Lighting Design Der Ring des Nibelungen; Award for Best Lighting Design The Glass Menagerie.

Based in: Sydney, Australia

David Bergman

David is a video, music and sound designer for theatre, dance, opera, installation, and film.

Theatre credits include: composer and sound designer for Scenes from the Climate Era, sound designer for Into the Woods, video designer for Blue, co-sound designer for Packer and Sons (Belvoir); video designer for Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde and The Picture of Dorian Gray, sound designer for Playing Beatie Bow, video and sound designer for A Cheery Soul and The Wharf Revue from 2009-2018 and video designer for Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical, The Hanging, The Effect, and The Long Way Home (Sydney Theatre Company); video and sound designer for The Gospel According to Paul (STCSA/Soft Tread); sound designer for The Lovers (Bell Shakespeare); video designer for Sandsong, Knowledge Ground and Spirited (Bangarra Dance Theatre); video designer for Breaking Glass (Sydney Chamber Opera); composer and sound designer for Superheroes, composer, video and sound designer for First Love is the Revolution and sound designer for Green Park (Griffin Theatre Company); sound designer for RENT (Sydney Opera House), sound designer for Dubbo Championship Wrestling, The Rise and Disguise Of Elizabeth R., Catch Me If You Can, and sound and video designer for Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes Theatre Co); video designer for Possum Magic and The Peasant Prince, and sound designer for Josephine Wants to Dance (Monkey Baa Theatre Company); composition, sound and video designer for Museum of Modern Love and Made To Measure (Seymour Centre); and sound designer for Spring Awakening (ATYP). 

David is a National Institute of Dramatic Art graduate and teaches at NIDA.  

Laura Farrell

Laura Farrell (she/her) is a Voice and Dialect Coach living and working on Gadigal land. She holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Voice from NIDA; a Post Graduate Diploma in Voice from the Victorian College of the Arts; and a Bachelor of Music Theatre from the Victorian College of the Arts. A current lecturer for NIDA’s BFA, Laura has also taught on multiple Sydney actor training programs, including NIDA’s Diploma of Stage and Screen and Diploma of Music Theatre, Actors Pulse, Sydney Acting Studio, Actors Centre Australia and The University of Wollongong.

For Belvoir, Laura’s coaching credits include Into The Woods, directed by Eamon Flack (2023), Blue, directed by Deborah Brown (2023), Jungle And The Sea, directed by Eamon Flack (2022), Tell Me I’m Here, directed by Leticia Caceres (2022), Fangirls, directed by Paige Rattray (2022) and Counting And Cracking, directed by Eamon Flack (2022).  

Other credits include Pear Shaped, directed by Miranda Middleton (Rogue Projects, 2023), F*** It Bucket, directed by Alyssa McClelland (LeftBank Productions UK, 2022),  Reluctant Sea Shanty for UNHCR, directed by Kyra Bartley (FINCH, 2022), Picnic At Hanging Rock, directed by Claudia Osbourne (NIDA, 2022), Paper Stars, directed by Miranda Middleton (Salty Theatre, 2021) and Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., directed by Heather Fairbairn (NIDA, Sydney 2021). 

Nigel Poulton

Nigel is an award-winning movement director, fight and intimacy coordinator, SAG-AFTRA/MEAA stunt performer and actor, with over 25 years of professional experience. Selected theatre credits include: for Belvoir St Theatre, Holding the Man, The Master and Margarita, Miss Peony, Packer and Sons, Things I Know To Be True, Stop Girl, Blessed Union, At What Cost?, The Jungle and the Sea; for Sydney Theatre Company, Oil, On The Beach, Do Not Go Gentle, Fences; for Bell Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth; for Melbourne Theatre Company, Bernhardt/Hamlet; for Ensemble Theatre, Memory of Water, Mr Bailey’s Minder, Suddenly Last Summer. Nigel’s film and television work includes: Deadloch, Nautilus, Poker Face, Thor: Love and Thunder, Spiderhead, Ding Dong I’m Gay, Occupation 2, Pirates of the Caribbean V, Deadline Gallipoli, The Water Diviner, The Bourne Legacy, Vikingdom and Winter’s Tale.

In 2021, Nigel was awarded the status of Fight Master with the Society of American Fight Directors, as one of only two recipients outside the US with this accolade. He has also won a Green Room Award for outstanding contribution to the stage.

Tim Dashwood

Belvoir: The Life of Galileo. Other Theatre: Sydney Theatre Company:Julius Caesar, Death of a Salesman, No Pay? No Way!, Lord of the Flies. Opera Australia: Whiteley, West Side Story on Sydney Harbour, Krol Roger, Faust. shake & stir theatre co.: Fantastic Mr Fox, Jane Eyre, George’s Marvellous Medicine. New Theatre: The Removalists. Outhouse Theatre Co: Ulster American. Empress Theatre: Cyprus Avenue. Packemin Productions: Les Miserables. Sport for Jove: Rose Riot, Servant of Two Masters, Measure for Measure, Fallen. ATYP: Intersections: Arrival, War Crimes. NSW Public Schools: Macbeth. Red Line Productions: Fierce. As Actor: Kay & McLean Productions: The Graduate. Bell Shakespeare: Richard III. shake & stir theatre co.: Fantastic Mr Fox, Animal Farm, Dracula, Wuthering Heights, George’s Marvellous Medicine. Darlinghurst Theatre Company: A Chorus Line (understudy), Deathtrap. Gordon Frost Organisation: Fame: the Musical. Queensland Theatre Company: Managing Carmen, The Odd Couple, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Rabbithole, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Exception and the Rule. The Escapists: Packed. La Boite Theatre Company: The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay. Other: President of the Society of Australian Fight Directors incorporated. Training: Bachelor of Theatre Arts: university of Southern Queensland, Certified by the Society of Australian Fight Directors incorporated.

Jasmine Rizk

Jasmine is an accomplished Sydney-based theatrical lighting designer and programmer, working with both the professional and independent theatre community. Jasmine is part of Belvoir’s ongoing Co Curious associates program.

As Lighting Designer: ATYP – Mrock; Concertworks – Jekyll and Hyde 25th Anniversary Concerts; Kings of the Keys Tour; So Popera Production -Priscilla, Chicago, Jersey Boys; The Mitchell Old Company – Heathers; Belvoir St Theatre -The Boomkak Panto; NTofP – Zombie Thoughts; The Roxy Theatre – Henry V; Hayes Theatre Company – Well Behaved Women, Catch Me If You Can; Darlinghurst Theatre – Small Mouth Sounds; Merrigong Theatre CompanyLost Boys, Letters to Lindy (Remount) National Tour.

As Associate Lighting Designer: MonkeyBaa -Edward the Emu; Sydney Theatre Company and Black Swan State Theatre Co. – City of Gold; Belvoir St Theatre – Opening Night; Terrapin Productions – Scaredy Cat.

Nominations: APDG 2022 – creative crunchers for Zombie Thoughts

Awards: Sparrow Mentorship program for lighting design with Trudy Dalgleish

Carissa Licciardello

Carissa Licciardello is a Resident Director at Belvoir. She was previously an Artistic Associate for the company and its inaugural Andrew Cameron Fellow. She graduated from NIDA’s Directing course in 2017.

Her credits include: for Belvoir – as Director/Co-Adaptor, A Room of One’s Own; as Associate Director, Fangirls 2019; as Assistant Director, Counting & Cracking; Ghosts. For Sydney Theatre Company, as Assistant Director, Rules for Living. For 25A Downstairs Belvoir: Extinction of the Learned Response; The Maids.

Carissa is also a recipient of the 2020 Glorias Fellowship.

Stevie Bryant

Stevie Bryant is a director, writer, arts educator and the Education Manager at Belvoir. She is passionate about accessible art for young people, particularly in connecting Western Sydney youth to professional theatre and theatre-making practices. They are especially interested in contemporary musical theatre and musicals which speak to inclusivity and social-change. Her credits include: Smile, Darling (Devised with Womens+ Company, Arcola Theatre, London), Transmission (The Space, London), Collisions (City Theatre), Spring Awakening 2013 (Lighthouse Theatre), Alice, a new musical (Director and co-writer, Lighthouse Theatre).

Sally Withnell

Sally is a Dublin-based Production and Events Manager. She has worked under her own Production Management company Withnell & I and has previously been Production Manager for Carriageworks, Sydney Theatre Company, The Abbey Theatre (Ireland’s national theatre) and is a former Head of Production for Belvoir. Sally has toured productions to the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland as well as throughout Australia.

Selected credits include Earth Rising for the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Come From Away (The Abbey Theatre Co-Production with Junkyard Dog Productions and Smith & Brant Theatricals), iGirl, Two Pints, CitySong and Jimmy’s Hall for The Abbey Theatre and the 2016-2018 season for Belvoir.

Sally is a mentor and seasonal Lecturer in Production Management at the Lir Academy (Trinity College Dublin) and the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney.

Sally holds a Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) from the Australian National University, a Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Production) from the National Institute of Dramatic Art and in 2022 was awarded a scholarship to complete the Executive Program in Arts & Culture Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ella Griffin

Ella is a Sydney-based Stage Manager and graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Technical Theatre & Stage Management) at NIDA. As Stage Manager, her credits include: for Belvoir: FANGIRLS (Sydney Opera House season), for Performance Space: Set Piece (Sydney Festival & RISING 2022), for Darklab: Winter Feast (Dark Mofo 2022), for Griffin Theatre Company: Dogged, for Force Majeure: Lak Malual Paru (2021 Developments), for Legs On The Wall: Trestle (2020 Development). As Assistant Stage Manager, her credits include: for Opera Australia: The Phantom Of The Opera (HOSH 2022), for Bangarra Dance Theatre: Spirit (2021 Regional Tour), for RGM Productions: Jean Paul Gaultier: Fashion Freak Show (2020 Russia Tour), for Sydney Theatre Company: Mary Stuart, The Picture of Dorian Gray (Swing), Wonnangatta (Swing), for Belvoir: Winyanboga Yurringa, for Griffin Theatre Company: City of Gold. Ella is delighted to be joining Belvoir once again as Stage Manager and show caller of Into The Woods.

Nathan Sandy

Sandy’s love for theatre began at an early age when he experienced his first musical and watched the Sydney 2000 Opening Ceremony.

It was these two experiences that changed his life. His passion and interest to explore the world behind the curtain started to grow. Wanting to learn more, he studied a Bachelor of fine arts specialising in Technical Theatre and Stage Management at NIDA.  

Sandy has recently worked on: Moulin Rouge, Jekyll & Hyde the Musical, Dubbo Championship Wrestling the Musical, Blithe Spirit & Young Frankenstein the Musical.

Claire Miller

Belvoir Credits: Assistant Stage Manager/Props “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Simone Young, Stage Management Support Swing “FANGIRLS” 2022 Sydney Opera House season. 

Other Recent Theatre Credits: Production Assistant and Dresser “Disney 100: The Concert” with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (MMCreative), Dresser/Swing and Rehearsal COVID-19 Safety Officer “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” Australian Tour: Melbourne and Sydney (Global Creatures), Dresser “Cruel Intentions” (DVE), Deputy Head of Props “Jagged Little Pill” (GWB Entertainment), Head of Wardrobe “The Little Prince” (Broadway Entertainment Group), Stage Manager “Gold” Workshop (Hayes Creative Development), Rehearsal ASM “Young Frankenstein” (Hayes Theatre Co.), ASM Intern “The Odd Couple” (Ensemble Theatre). Film and TV: Talent Assistant “Carols In The Domain” 2022 and 2020, Wardrobe Assist “Ultimate Tag“, COVID-19 Safety “Ruby’s Choice” Feature Film. 

India Lively

India (she/her) is excited to be back at Belvoir after completing a Stage Management placement on Into the Woods last year. She has just finished her final year at NIDA completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Theatre and Stage Management. Some of her credits while studying include The Coronation of Poppea directed by David Berthold, and Perfect Stranger directed by Kate Champion. India’s placements while studying include Production Management for Disney’s Newsies (Runaway Entertainment) and Stage Management for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (TEG Dainty). Recently, she was also the Assistant Stage Manager for the Australian Premier of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Darlinghurst Theatre Company).

Lisa Campbell

Michelle Guthrie

Michelle Guthrie has worked across many aspects of the entertainment industry for over 35 years.  Originally as a performer, Michelle went on to become an agent, manager, publicist, marketing consultant and theatre producer.

In 2021 Michelle Guthrie Presents launched and produced Well Behaved Women by Carmel Dean at Hayes Theatre Co to critical acclaim.  In 2022 Michelle Guthrie Presents produced Nice Work If You Can Get It at Hayes Theatre Co, again to sell-out audiences, and went on to be nominated for six Sydney Theatre Awards, winning two.

Having created Neglected Musicals in 2010, Michelle has presented 28 musicals over the past 14 years.  Associate Producer credits include the critically acclaimed and award winning Calamity Jane starring Virginia Gay, which toured Australia and originated as a Neglected Musicals presentation, Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, and At The Crossroads with Dale Burridge.  Executive Producer credits include Razorhust and Dubbo Championship Wrestling for Hayes Theatre Co and Consulting Producer Into The Woods for Belvoir/Hayes.   In 2024 the acclaimed Tell Me On A Sunday staring Erin Clare played at Hayes Theatre Co

Michelle has produced the Coogee Carols for Randwick City Council for 24 years and each year provides Christmas Entertainment events across Sydney. Michelle Guthrie was a producer with New Musicals Australia and is one of the founders of Hayes Theatre Co.

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, National Publicist with Mollison Consulting and The Really Useful Company, prior to founding the MGM Publicity & Promotions team in 2002.  In 2020 Michelle Guthrie Consulting & Communications was launched with clients across Australia.

Emily David

Zainab Syed

Zainab Syed is the Director of International at Creative Australia, leading the organizations’
international engagement strategy for the arts.

Originally from Pakistan, Zainab has lived, studied and worked across Romania, Yemen,
England, Wales, US and Australia. Her practice sits at the intersection of social justice and live
performance. After graduating from Brown University, USA, she toured across the world as a
performance poet working with incarcerated women, trauma victims and refugees in prisons and
detention centres.

From 2014-2017 Zainab worked as a researcher with the Centre for Muslim States and Societies
in Perth, WA and New York University, USA. Between 2017-2023 Zainab worked at Performing
Lines WA in Perth and Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney as a Senior Producer spearheading
ambitious works of scale with artists across dance and theatre. Her work has focused on
facilitating intercultural collaborations, developing inclusive frameworks for creating new work
and pathways for culturally diverse artists; as well touring Australian works regionally, nationally
and internationally alongside advocacy work enabling systemic change within small to medium
and mainstage institutions in Australia.

Zainab has served on the board of the Blue Room Theatre board and Theatre Network Australia
board. She is also a founder of Pakistan Poetry Slam, co-founder of HME-WRK: a diverse arts
collective, a Humanitarian Observer with the Australian Red Cross Immigration Detention
Program and a 2020 Churchill Fellow.

Keerthi Subramanyam

Keerthi is a Sydney based set and costume designer for live performance and film. Keerthi is a National Institute of Dramatic Art, BFA (Design for Performance, 2019) graduate, and a member of the Australian Production Design Guild.

Keerthi has designed set and costumes for Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner, Chewing Gum Dreams at the Old Fitz, Chop Chef at Riverside Theatres, and designed the costumes and was a set realiser on Belvoir’s At What Cost.

Keerthi has been an associate designer on a wide range of theatre shows including Sydney Theatre Company’s Grand Horizons, Belvoir’s Jungle and the Sea, Wayside Bride, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Boomkak Panto, Cursed!, and Hayes Theatre Co’s Young Frankenstein. 

Keerthi has also worked as a props supervisor on Belvoir’s Into the Woods and Blessed Union. 

Keerthi’s film credits include working as a design assistant on Operation Buffalo, as production & costume designer on various short films and music videos and most recently as an art director on SBS’s mini series Appetite.  Keerthi is one of Belvoir’s Artistic Associates. She is currently working across theatre and art installation. 

Belinda Crawford

Gayda de Mesa

Gayda de Mesa graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) with a

Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Production). She has spent her career in technical production working in theatre and live events.

She is currently the Senior Venue Technician for Belvoir St. Theatre. Her recent productions as Sound Engineer include She Loves Me (Hayes Theatre Co), Cry-Baby (LPD Productions), Gypsy (Luckiest Productions), Melba (Hayes Theatre Co), Cabaret (David M. Hawkins Productions), Big Fish (Hayes Theatre Co/RPG Productions) and Rent (Highway Run Productions).

Her Stage Management credits also include Once (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Monty Python’s Spamalot (One Eyed man Productions/Hayes Theatre Company), Cry-Baby (LPD Productions), The Sound of Waiting (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), An Act of God (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Sunset Strip (Griffin Theatre Company), The Guru of Chai (Indian Ink/Belvoir St Theatre), the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and the Lord Mayor’s Picnic for Sydney New Year’s Eve.

Joel Trotter

Matthew James

Matty James is a Sydney based sound designer, engineer and composer practicing and creating on Gadigal land. Matty is an Alumni from the Australian Institute of Music, a trained recording engineer and lover of heavy vintage synths. A familiar face in the Belvoir family, Matty has mixed a range of shows for the company and brings a wealth of technical and creative expertise to any production. 

Matty’s Belvoir credits include The Master and Margarita (FOH Mix Engineer), Robyn Archer: An Australian Songbook (Technical Sound Designer), Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (FOH Mix Engineer), The Weekend (FOH Audio Engineer), Miss Peony (FOH Audio Operator), Into The Woods (Microphone Tech).

Other Theatre credits include INdance – Audio Programmer (Sydney Dance Company); Lohengrin – Sound Designer, Aida – Sound Engineer, Madame Butterfly -Sound Engineer, Le Juive – Sound Engineer, La Traviata – Sound Engineer, Marriage of Figaro – Sound Engineer, La Boheme – Sound Engineer, Turandot – Sound Engineer, Attila – Sound Engineer, Aida – Sound Engineer (Opera Australia).

Production Thanks

SALLY WITHNELL
Production Manager

ELLA GRIFFIN
Stage Manager

NATHAN SANDY
Assistant Stage Manager

CLAIRE MILLER
Assistant Stage Manager

BROOKE KISS
Stage Management Support

BELINDA CRAWFORD
Costume Supervisor

HARRY CLEGG
Head Electrician

GAYDA DE MESA
Front of House Engineer

MATTY JAMES
Radio Mic Technician

NICK EYNAUD
Wig, Hair and Makeup Design

VALERIE MOTELB
Costume Maintenance

GARNETT BROWNBILL
Production Rigger

GAVIN SMITH
Rope Maker
^{AERO MOTION AUSTRALIA}

SUI SUI WORKSHOP
Rope Maker

ANDREW HASLER
Rope Maker

NIGEL POULTON
Fight Choreographer

TOM HOUGHTON
Technical Production Support

SIMPLE MOTION
Automation

OPERA AUSTRALIA
Scenic Art

REVEAL STUDIOS, MELBOURNE
Curtain Maker

KEERTHI SUBRAMANYAM
Props Supervisor

STEVIE ANSWERTH
Props Buyer and Production Runner

ALEX STUART
Prop Maker

INDI REDDING
Prop Maker

GUSTAVO BALBOA
Prop Maker

ISABELL DE LAURENTIS
Prop Maker

HAMISH ELLIOT
Prop Maker

MEG ANDERSON
Prop Maker

HAILLEY HUNT
Prop Maker

REN KENWARD
Prop Maker

CHRISTOPHER BALDWIN
Tiny Houses Draughtsperson

HANNAH TAYLER
Props Assistant

RITA NAIDU
Props Assistant

MAREA FOWLER
Costume Prop Maker

JOANNA GRENKE
Costume Prop Maker

MONICA SMITH
Costume Maker

LISA MIMMOCCHI
Costume Maker

SUZANNAH MCRAE
Costume Maker

RACHEL ADAMS
Costume Assistant

ROSIE BOYLAN
Milliner

MARGARET GILL
Milliner

JOEL TROTTER
SFX Technician

TOM HOUGHTON
SFX Technician

SEAN PETER
Music Technology

KAWAI AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Piano Supplier

CHAMELION TOURING SYSTEMS
Production Supplier

AUDIO VISUAL EVENTS
Production Supplier

NORWEST PRODUCTIONS
Production Supplier

CULLACHANGE
Production Supplier

PERMANENT BELVOIR STAFF

RICHARD WHITEHOUSE
Head of Production

REN KENWARD
Production Manager

BELINDA CRAWFORD
Costume Supervisor

LUKE MCGETTIGAN
Resident Stage Manager

ANDREW HASLER
Technical Manager

GAYDA DE MESA
Senior Venue Technician

DARRAN WHATLEY
Workshop Manager

CALUM ROSS
Head Mechanist

STEVIE ANSWERTH
Production Administrator

JOEL TROTTER
Technical Coordinator

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