Stages With Peter Eyers

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 Comp

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 artis

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

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 i

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.  

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 a

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 sub

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

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 crea

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 D

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 (i

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 incl

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 incl

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

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

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 theatre 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 opposit

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 screenpla

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 f

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 &a

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