Podcast appearances and mentions of Bell Shakespeare

Our series began with comedy and it ends with tragedy. In this episode, we interpret the bitter ends met by some of Shakespeare's most famous characters and ask why tragedies still exercise such force over our imaginations.Wherefore, Shakespeare? is a series that explores the dilemmas, conflicts, and controversies in Shakespeare's major plays.In our sixth and final episode, we're joined by Professor David McInnis who teaches Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama at the University of Melbourne, Professor Jane Montgomery Griffiths, an acclaimed actor and the head of the School of Performing Arts at Collarts, and Peter Evans, artistic director of Bell Shakespeare.

The work of William Shakespeare has helped to define — and problematise — notions of English identity. It has also had an impact on the English language itself.Wherefore, Shakespeare? is a series that explores the dilemmas, conflicts, and controversies in Shakespeare's major plays.In our fifth episode, we look at the intersections of Shakespeare and nationalism. We're joined by Professor Jane Montgomery Griffiths, an acclaimed actor and the head of the School of Performing Arts at Collarts, Professor David McInnis who teaches Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama at the University of Melbourne, and Peter Evans, artistic director of Bell Shakespeare.

On this episode of Do It Again But Better, Jess chats to actor, writer, theatre maker, audiobook narrator and Shakespearean star, Elizabeth Brennan, as they recall their early days at Monash University, a shared audition experience involving a whole lot of making out, their mutual love of Blue Heelers, and Lizzie's various transport-related auditions that ended in disaster. There's a whole bunch of Steiner School myth-busting, and the only personality quiz you'll ever need: are you an Abigail, an Elizabeth, or a textbook Mary Warren?Elizabeth is a Green Room Award winning theater maker, writer and actor. Aside from stumbling her way into Disney+ series The Clearing, she has collaborated extensively with Bloomshed on such productions as Paradise Lost, Bad News, The Nose, Animal Farm and A Dodgeball Named Desire. She has played multiple characters over the last seven years for The Australian Shakespeare Company's summer program, in between narrating a multitude of romantically inclined audiobooks and working with such company's as Bell Shakespeare, The Rabble and Cultural Infusion. Further credits include the solo cabaret Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Ham, The Anzac Centenary Roadshow, The Crucible and several murder mystery themed corporate events.Lizzie will be performing once more with Bloomshed in The Importance of Being Earnest at fortyfivedownstairs from August 1-11th 2024.You can find Lizzie on Instagram at @lizziebrennnnnnYou can find your host, Jess Stanley, on Instagram at @jstanny or at www.jessicastanleyactor.comYou can check out Jess's theatre company, Spinning Plates Co. at @spinningplatesco or at www.spinningplatesco.comYou can follow the Do It Again But Better podcast at @doitagainbutbetterThis podcast was created, recorded and edited on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. Always was, always will be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lizzie joins Regina Botros to talk about Shakespeare and in particular King Lear a Bell Shakespeare production. She plays Goneril and has been performing and directing the bard's work since graduating from WAAPA. Lizzie Schebesta has worked extensively in Film, Television and Theatre as an actor, director, choreographer.   

While some critics believe that plays like Othello and The Merchant of Venice are inherently racist, others argue that they simply portray, perhaps even criticise, the racist attitudes of the time.Wherefore, Shakespeare? is a series that explores the dilemmas, conflicts, and controversies in Shakespeare's major plays.In our fourth instalment, we interrogate Shakespeare's portrayal of race. We also explore the surprising racial dimensions of one of Shakespeare's final plays: The Tempest. We're joined by Wesley Enoch, a Quandamooka man and an award-winning playwright and theatre director, Professor David McInnis who teaches Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama the University of Melbourne, and Professor Jane Montgomery Griffiths, an acclaimed actor and the head of the School of Performing Arts at Collarts.

William Shakespeare's plays feature witchcraft, murder, ghosts and bloody revenge. Are his displays of blood and gore simply meant to entertain us or do they have more to say about the human condition?Wherefore, Shakespeare? is a series that explores the dilemmas, conflicts, and controversies in Shakespeare's major plays.In our third instalment, we enter Shakespeare's house of horror. We're joined by Professor David McInnis, who teaches Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama at the University of Melbourne, Professor Jane Montgomery Griffiths, an acclaimed actor and the head of the School of Performing Arts at Collarts, and Peter Evans, artistic director of Bell Shakespeare.

What does it mean to defy the conventions and test the boundaries of gender? These are questions posed by some of Shakespeare's most famous characters.Wherefore, Shakespeare? is a series that explores the dilemmas, conflicts, and controversies in Shakespeare's major plays.In our second instalment, we place gender in the spotlight. We're joined by Professor Jane Montgomery Griffiths, an acclaimed actor and the head of the School of Performing Arts at Collarts, Professor David McInnis, who teaches Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama at the University of Melbourne, and Peter Evans, artistic director of Bell Shakespeare.

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).

Wherefore, Shakespeare? is a new series that explores the dilemmas, conflicts, and controversies in Shakespeare's major plays. In our first instalment, we tackle Shakespeare's comedies. Are they funny? And if they are, how is our sense of humour different from what tickled the fancies of the Elizabethan audience?We're joined by Peter Evans, artistic director of Bell Shakespeare, Professor Jane Montgomery Griffiths, an acclaimed actor and the head of the School of Performing Arts at Collarts, and Professor David McInnes who teaches Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama at the University of Melbourne.  

Heather Mitchell's mainstage debut was more than 40 years ago and she continues to delight audiences, last year performing to full houses at the Sydney Theatre Company in the one-woman show RBG: Of Many, One. This year, Heather published a memoir called Everything and Nothing.Also, imagine a world with no Macbeth, no Tempest and no Twelfth Night. Without the First Folio, published 400 years ago this year, those plays may have been lost to history. To celebrate the anniversary, Bell Shakespeare presented three plays from the First Folio in their 2023 season.

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

An actor for over 25 years, Jamie Oxenbould has performed at the full spectrum of Sydney theatres, whether it's the Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, Griffin or the Ensemble. He's worked in film and television, and his voice is familiar to us on animations and TV ads. He's back at the Ensemble Theatre to star in Midnight Murder at Hamlington Hall, a new play that he's co-written with the Ensemble's artistic director Mark Kilmurry. Jamie talks about the inspiration for and the creation of this new play, and we get some insights into the secrets and mysteries of creating a successful comedy. We hear about the art of voice acting and Jamie also introduces a diverse selection of music which has inspired him over the years. Midnight Murder at Hamlington Hall plays at the Ensemble from December 1 through to January 14.

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

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

Jane joins Regina to talk Malvolia (yes a twist on the role) in Twelfth Night for Bell Shakespeare. Jane Montgomery Griffiths is an actor, writer and academic. Currently Director of Monash University's Centre for Theatre and Performance, Jane is an expert on Greek drama and theories of performance, and has taught at Cambridge, Leeds, Melbourne, and La Trobe universities. Twelfth Night opens at Sydney Opera House 26th October 2023 until 19 November.  

Season 3 episode 2 featuring Julia Billington. We chat about acting of course, but also religion, experience as a student and they share their love of yoga, of community, their dog (who you might hear chatting with my cat in the background!) and all the ways they are contributing to the world as a wonderful creative artist. I was also (as I often am) very much fan girling - Julia is an incredible actor- whom you may have seen in recent Bell Shakespeare productions. SO thrilled to have them on the pod!This episode is sponsored by Actors Centre Australia. Support the show

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 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.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

Chatting With Sherri welcomes actor, singer, director, writer and artistic director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia; Mitchell Butel! Mitchell holds four Helpmann Awards, four Sydney Theatre Awards and two Victorian Green Room Awards for his work as a director, actor and writer in Australian theatre over three decades. He has also worked in New York, London, Hong Kong and New Zealand. He has worked extensively for Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, State Theatre Company South Australia, Belvoir, Bell Shakespeare, Griffin, Malthouse, Opera Australia, Sydney Chamber Opera, Pinchgut Opera,  Most recently, Mitchell directed Giovanni Busenello's The Loves of Apollo and Dafne for Pinchgut Opera and the sold-out season of Dennis Kelly's Girls & Boys for State Theatre Company South Australia during the Adelaide Festival (and its tour to Sydney Festival and Theatre Royal, Hobart). For the Company, Mitchell has also directed Edward Albee's The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?, David Lindsay-Abaire's Ripcord,  His performing highlights in theatre, music theatre and opera include A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, The Merchant of Venice (as Shylock for which he won the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actor), Mr Burns (Helpmann Award Best Supporting Actor), South Pacific,Angels in America. His film and TV highlights include A Sunburnt Christmas, Stateless, Dance Academy, Holding the Man, Gettin' Square (AFI nomination), The Bank, Strange Fits of Passion (AFI nomination),

Tiffany Lyndall-Knight, Vice President of Actor's Equity for the MEAA breaks down the US writers and actors strike, uncovering how streaming and AI technologies have threatened livelihoods in film and the potential impacts of this on Australian art; Leading actors Jacob Warner and Rose Riley on how their ages and close friendship have informed a deeper exploration of love in their portrayals of Romeo and Juliet in the latest production by Bell Shakespeare; Curator Catlin Langford and artist Buzz Gardiner on their photography exhibition ‘Walking Through The Darkness',  at the Centre of Contemporary Photography, celebrating photography's ability to capture the darkness of stories with light.

  James joins Regina to talk about Bell Shakespeare's lates production Romeo & Juliet in the new space and his role as Juliet's father. 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. He has directed a production of Much Ado About Nothing, the Julius Caesar national tour, previously directing productions of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. He has performed on many stages around town and is Capulet in Romeo and Juliet at Bell Shakespeare's new home Pier 2/3.   Photo: Rose Riley, James Evans and Monica Sayers in BellShakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Photo Brett Boardman

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 Doctorate of Creative Arts. He is the inaugural recipient of the Media Arts & Entertainment Alliance's Lifetime Achievement Award; and he continues to be a proud supporter of the union and was awarded an AM for services to the theatre in 2021. 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

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 Doctorate of Creative Arts. He is the inaugural recipient of the Media Arts & Entertainment Alliance's Lifetime Achievement Award; and he continues to be a proud supporter of the union and was awarded an AM for services to the theatre in 2021. 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

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.liveIn 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

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

In today's Metamorphosis Chat Jacobie introduces the sperm donor for her IVF process, long time friend, and professional actor Steve Rooke. Together they discuss how the universe conspired for them to be in the right place at the right time to make this decision, Steve's donation process, their open line of communication around how everything is going to work, and what it'll be like for them if the IVF fails. Steve is an actor and acting coach with over twenty years in the industry. In that time he's worked for many major Australian theatre companies, including Queensland Theatre, La Boite, shake & stir, Sydney Theatre Company and Bell Shakespeare. He has also worked on numerous film and television projects - recently Forever First Love, written and directed by Luke Mayze, available on streaming services around the world and an upcoming, currently unnamed sci fi, filmed in the beautiful Blue Mountains for Taylor Films. His interest in exercise, meditation and breathwork stems from the desire to create fully realized and integrated characters, while maintaining a strong sense of self. His search for truth in all things drives his curiosity. Chakra Meditations: https://urbanascension.co/chakras/ Episode Shownotes: https://urbanascension.co/podcast-main-page/thea-annya-nathan/ The Healing Cocoon: www.thehealingcocoon.co https://www.instagram.com/thehealingcocoonpodcast/ Urban Ascension: https://urbanascension.co https://www.instagram.com/urbanascension/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehealingcocoon/support

Imagine a world with no Macbeth, no Tempest and no Twelfth Night. Without the First Folio, published 400 years ago this year, those plays may have been lost to history. To mark its anniversary, Bell Shakespeare is presenting three plays from the First Folio in their 2023 season, starting with a new production of Macbeth directed by the company's artistic director, Peter Evans. For further insight into the publication and importance of the First Folio, we're joined by Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Oxford. She's the author of Shakespeare's First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book.

Imagine a world with no Macbeth, no Tempest and no Twelfth Night. Without the First Folio, published 400 years ago this year, those plays may have been lost to history. To mark its anniversary, Bell Shakespeare is presenting three plays from the First Folio in their 2023 season, starting with a new production of Macbeth directed by the company's artistic director, Peter Evans.  For further insight into the publication and importance of the First Folio, we're joined by Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Oxford. She's the author of Shakespeare's First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book.

On this week's episode, get ready to do the Time Warp again as I venture out of the studio and down to Sydney's Theatre Royal to talk with Ellis Dolan and Stellar Perry about the cult-smash hit musical, Rocky Horror Picture Show! Ellis plays Eddie/Dr. Scott and Stellar plays Magenta/The Usherette in the 50th Anniversary tour of the production which will also be filmed live across Australia starring Jason Donovan in the role of Frank 'N' Furter.  In true Rocky Horror fashion, this is the sauciest and most raunchy podcast episode so far. So if you're not ready to discuss sexual awakenings, first times and controversial theatre scenes, then go and watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show film and come back to us! Tickets for Rocky Horror Picture Show can be found in the link here. The production is being filmed live  into cinemas across the country for ONE NIGHT ONLY on Thursday 30 March. Get the full video of the podcast by signing up to our PATREON! Don't forget you can find all our episode information on our dedicated podcast site. Follow the link in this episode's description or follow us on the Official Podcast Instagram @ttpod_official. About Ellis Dolan Ellis Dolan (he/him) is an actor/writer originally from Scotland. He's thrilled to be portraying Eddie/Dr. Scott in the upcoming 50th Anniversary Tour of ‘The Rocky Horror Show' (Crossroad Live Aus). Previous roles include Dewey Finn (1st Cover) in the Australasian tour of ‘School of Rock' (GWB) and Professor Al in ‘Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody' (Salty Theatre). He is also a member of musical improvisation group, Impromptunes, with podcast appearances including ‘Soap Suds, No Buds' and ‘Frayed Knot'. Ellis would like to dedicate his every artistic endeavour to the memory of his dad, Kenn. Bring the funnies. About Stellar Perry Stellar Perry started performing at a young age, penning her own songs at 8, learning piano by 12, touring Germany, England, Austria and Japan at 14, and starting her first band in High School at 15. At 16, she successfully entered the national TV singing competition ‘Start Struck', and then in 2008 Stellar auditioned for ‘Australian Idol' and made it to the top 14, which she subsequently bettered with ‘X Factor' making it to the top 9. In 2020, Stellar decided it was time to really put herself out there once more. She auditioned for The Voice and true to form, brought her honesty, heart and individuality and formed a very obvious bond with her coach Delta Goodrem. Stellar made it to the grand finale and won a new legion of fans. 2022 marked a change in direction for Stellar successfully auditioning for the role of Oberon in The Lovers, directed by Shaun Rennie and produced by Bell Shakespeare at The Sydney Opera House. Show Timings 4.20: First Times & Sexual Awakenings 8:40 - Jason Donovan as Frank 13:15 - Is Rocky Horror timeless? 15:46 - Interacting with the show 22:06 - "1 Minute" Theatre Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, I sit down with fellow podcaster Emily McKnight to discuss her podcast An Actor Survives. Emily and I are swap stories on where our podcast came from and what makes our passions continue amidst possible burnout. Emily shares stories of her alter ego Emily Who, speaking to Bell Shakespeare creator John Bell on the podcast, her career in theatre, and winning an actual trophy! You can listen to Emily speak to an array of artists on An Actor Survives wherever you get your podcasts, or through the links below. An Actor Survives - Spotify An Actor Survives - Apple Podcasts Support the podcast by signing up to our PATREON as we prepare to release exlusive member only access to the content in 2023! Don't forget you can find all our episode information on our dedicated podcast site. Follow the link in this episode's description or follow us on the Official Podcast Instagram @ttpod_official. About Emily Emily McKnight is a Sydney based actor, musician and children's entertainer. After completing a Bachelor of Creative Arts and English at Macquarie University, she studied acting at the Actors Centre Australia, which she completed in 2015. During her studies she performed in numerous plays in theatres around Sydney. Emily regularly appears in the children's television show Jay's Jungle on channel 7Two. She writes and presents the annual Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra's Kids Proms concerts and educational shows for the Acacia Quartet. In 2017 she toured with Poetry In Action, travelling to schools across Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, performing works based around poetry and speeches. As a musician, she plays and teaches the flute, and loves learning singing and guitar. She writes and performs her own children's songs, under the name 'Emily Who.' Episode Timings 2:00 - Welcome Emily McKnight! 5:20 - Where did your podcast start? 10:00 - Guests on the Podcast 12:23 - Where did you career start? 15:35 - Emily Who? 18:00 - Avoiding Burnout 24:30 - Sydney WebFest 27:40 - 1 Minute Theatre Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Roald Dahl's beloved novel Matilda was brought to glorious life as a stage musical in 2010 and now it is on screen, once again buoyed by the clever, funny, moving songs by Tim Minchin.Also, we revisit our conversation with another talented West Australian: the writer and actor Kate Mulvany. Kate will soon star in the Melbourne Theatre Company production of Bernhardt/Hamlet.

Roald Dahl's beloved novel Matilda was brought to glorious life as a stage musical in 2010 and now it is on screen, once again buoyed by the clever, funny, moving songs by Tim Minchin. Also, we revisit our conversation with another talented West Australian: the writer and actor Kate Mulvany. Kate will soon star in the Melbourne Theatre Company production of Bernhardt/Hamlet.

From the 2022 Sydney Theatre Awards, I speak to Laura Murphy (actor, singer, writer, lyricist and composer). Her debut musical, 'The Lovers' (book, lyrics, music), produced by Bell Shakespeare was nominated for two awards. In August this year, she will debut another new Australian musical, 'The Dismissal' (lyrics, music) by Squabalogic. We chat about her career, her writing process and more learn more about both of these new musicals. Including, the special performance of 'Crash Through, or Crash' from The Dismissal, performed at the awards. Tickets: https://www.thedismissal.com Watch performances ~ 'I'm A Fairy' Laura Murphy starring as Sparkles The Fairy, from 'William and Sparkles Magical Tales' television show ~ About the Dismissal musical and Gough Whitlam's legacy filmed podcast ~ 'Crash Through Or Crash' introduced by Laura Murphy (music/lyrics) from the Sydney Theatre Awards ~ 'Crash Through Or Crash' (full performance), from 'The Dismissal' musical, performed by Brittanie Shipway at the Sydney Theatre Awards ~ 'The Lovers' musical Follow: Laura Murphy Let Me Entertain You @LMEYpodcast - Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | TikTok | Youtube

An award-winning director who is taking the Sydney arts scene by storm, Shaun Rennie has received three Sydney Theatre Award nominations for Best Director, and won the Broadway World Award for Best Direction for both his productions of Rent at the Hayes, and Baby Doll at the Ensemble. Most recently, he directed the highly acclaimed The Lovers, a musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, produced by Bell Shakespeare, which played to sold-out houses at the Sydney Opera House's Playhouse late last year. He's currently the revival director for Opera Australia's La Bohème which is running until 11 March in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. In this conversation, Shaun talks about his pathway to becoming a theatre director, sharing stories from his earlier years as a performer, through the tragic loss of his brother to leukemia which inspired him to co-create the annual Light the Night fundraising concert, to his highly successful productions of Rent and The Lovers.

This week, for our final episode of Season 3 of Speak The Speech, we are joined by one of Australia's most popular and successful screen and theatre actors, Lisa McCune. Lisa performs Desdemona's speech from Act 4, Scene 2 of Othello and delves into the language of the piece. She also talks about playing Gertrude in Bell Shakespeare's 2020 production of Hamlet, the difference between performing on stage and screen, and what she's learned across her acclaimed career.    Lisa McCune has earned an impressive collection of awards as an actor, including four Gold Logies for Most Popular Personality on Australian television. She recently starred in Girl from the North Country, as well as the Network Ten comedy series How To Stay Married and Bell Shakespeare's production of Hamlet.    After graduating from the WA Academy of Performing Arts, she landed the role of Maggie Doyle in the police drama Blue Heelers, which went on to become one of the most popular and enduring programs on Australian television, making her a household name. Her other screen credits include The Potato Factory, Ex PM, It's A Date, Sea Patrol, Rake, MDA, and Hell Has Harbour Views.    On stage, she's starred as Maria in The Sound of Music, which she followed with her Green Room Award-winning performance as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. She earned a Helpmann nomination for her performance in The King and I, and has also appeared in Shane Warne The Musical, South Pacific, Into The Woods, and Guys and Dolls. 

"This is the type of show that could be seen anywhere and could speak to anyone, or at least that's what my hope, that's my dream.”  This week on Speak The Speech, we are joined by performer, writer and composer Laura Murphy. Laura shares how she came to discover Shakespeare and her journey dissecting and adapting A Midsummer Night's Dream into the new Australian pop musical THE LOVERS. She talks about finding those “musical moments”, developing the characters and the creative process in writing a new musical.   Laura Murphy is a performer, writer and composer whose latest project, The Lovers, will premiere at the Sydney Opera House in October 2022, produced by Bell Shakespeare. She was lyricist and composer for the critically acclaimed Australian musical The Dismissal and the “fierce and fabulous” immersive dance musical Qween Lear.  She began writing and composing in 2009, creating the music and lyrics for the Channel Nine TV series William and Sparkle's Magical Tales, in which she also starred as Sparkles the Fairy. She went on to write and compose for several TV programs including Magical Tales: Surprises, Imagination Train and I Am Me. Laura's latest original work, Zombie! The Musical will be presented as part of Hayes Theatre Co's 2023 season.  Laura's performance credits include the Australian Tour and World Premiere production of Muriel's Wedding The Musical; Cry Baby with LPD Productions; the Australasian tour of Grease and Hayes Theatre Co's You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown for which Laura received a Sydney Theatre Award.  THE LOVERS is playing at Sydney Opera House until 20 November 2022. Get your tickets: www.bellshakespeare.com.au/the-lovers

“As much as I struggled with the works themselves in terms of these broader themes, and I guess what was important to me; I do love the art. The craft of getting your mouth around Shakespeare. I love the language.” This week on Speak The Speech, we are joined by award-wining actor, director, and dramaturg Rachael Maza. Rachel talks to us about working with John Bell and Jim Sharman on The Tempest for Bell Shakespeare in 1997, her work as Artistic Director of ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and taking First Nations works overseas, and how she feels Shakespeare sits alongside First Nations theatre and the reclaiming of language. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised that this podcast episode contains the names of people who have died. Rachael Maza is Yidinji, Meriam and Dutch. She is an award-winning actor, director and dramaturg, and has been Artistic Director of ILBIJERRI Theatre Company since 2008. A Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts graduate, her outstanding performances have been acknowledged with a Green Room Award and a Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Award. She's worked as a presenter for ABC's Message Stick program, and has appeared in major Australian productions such as the feature film Radiance and the stage production of The Sapphires. Her directing credits include Stolen, Jack Charles V The Crown, Foley, Which Way Home and Heart is a Wasteland. She currently sits on the board of Force Majeure and on the ACMI Indigenous Advisory Group.  She is a Member of the Order of Australia and has also received a Touring Legend Drover Award, an Australia Council of the Arts Award for Theatre, and an Honorary Doctorate from Edith Cowan University.

Ep. 86    Ilana Atlas AOIlana Atlas is an exceptionally successful business woman....who still suffers from imposter syndrome. But she knows how to deal with it and she shares that secret with us. In fact Ilana shares a lot of her wisdom and advice on how to not only cope, but succeed in a constantly evolving work place.  And there's very few better qualified to give that wisdom and advice.We cover a lot of things. For example, the courage it takes and the benefits of taking unexpected opportunities. The importance of learning by watching and listening as well as being well prepared yourself so others will take you very seriously. The aforementioned imposter syndrome and how Ilana has tamed that beast. The different styles of leadership.  The enormous benefits of getting involved in not for profit organisations (see below for reference to Jarwun). The importance of compassion and empathy in business. I was also fascinated in what she's learnt from leaders such as David Gonski (who she succeeded as Chair of Coca Cola Amatil), Frank Lowy (with whom she sat on the board of Westfield) and John Bell (founder of Bell Shakespeare, the Board of which Ilana Chaired).Ilana has seen a huge change in corporate culture (which she acknowledges still needs a fair way to go). In fact, I'd venture to say she's been an integral part of that change in her 40 years of working life, the vast majority of which has been in senior and executive roles. Her advice on how we can achieve gender balance and level the playing field, will benefit everyone. Ilana refers to her work with Jawun - a place where corporate, government and philanthropic organisations come together with Indigenous people to affect real change. Have a look at their website. Fascinating reading. www.jawun.org.au

This week on Speak The Speech, we are joined by Australian singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer Sarah Blasko. Recorded live in Sydney in June 2022, in this episode Sarah gives us a sneak peek into her work composing for our 2023 production of Twelfth Night, discusses how her upbringing influenced her artistry, the process of collaborating and writing music for stage, and even performs some songs! Sarah Blasko has released six studio albums as a solo artist, including What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have, As Day Follows Night, and I Awake, all of which reached the top 10 in the ARIA album charts. She is a three-time ARIA Award winner – for Best Pop Release, Best Female Artist and Best Adult Alternative. As Day Follows Night also won Triple J's Album of the Year and is listed at No. 19 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums. In 2008 she wrote the music for Bell Shakespeare's production of Hamlet directed by Marion Potts. In 2023, she will write the music for Bell Shakespeare's 2023 production of Twelfth Night, directed by Heather Fairbairn.   

Danny Ball is an actor, director and playwright who graduated in 2016 from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). Danny has been involved in multiple theatre works over the years including 'Love Me' (Old 505), 'The Players Tour' (Bell Shakespeare), 'The Serpent's Teeth' (KXT), 'Mercury Fur' (KXT) and 'Much Ado About Nothing' (Bell Shakespeare). Danny is currently directing 'Tom at the Farm' at KXT and his play 'The Italians' will be performed at Belvoir's 25a theatre later in the year.  Tom at the Farm: www.kingsxtheatre.com/tom The Italians: belvoir.com.au/productions/the-italians/ Podcast instagram: @dbsdpodcast Email: info@asmanagement.com.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The Comedy of Errors – the received perception of it is lightweight, thin, a bit of fluff, a diversion; actually it is quite the opposite... it is a play about people trying to find themselves, and connect to love. “  This week on Speak The Speech, we are joined by award-winning actor and director Janine Watson.  In this episode, Janine discusses directing and discovering the complexities, nuances and physicality of The Comedy of Errors. She shares the process of transitioning into directing from acting, how a cast recreates a performance night after night on tour and the balance between collaboration and leadership in the rehearsal room.  Janine is a graduate of the National Theatre Drama School in Melbourne and has trained with the SITI Company in New York and Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre. For Bell Shakespeare she's appeared in Antony and Cleopatra and The Dream, and directed a production of Romeo and Juliet for young audiences. This year she directed Bell Shakespeare's national tour of The Comedy of Errors. In 2016 she won the inaugural Sandra Bates Directing Award at the Ensemble Theatre and went on to direct Unqualified, Nearer the Gods and Unqualified 2 for the company. In 2018 she won a GLUG Award for Best Supporting Actress for Red Line's A View from the Bridge, and was also nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award. In 2020, she won the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Female Performer in an Independent Production for The Happy Prince, produced by Little Ones Theatre.   

This week on Speak The Speech, we are joined by one of Western Australia's premier Indigenous contemporary theatre artists, Maitland Schnaars. In this episode, Maitland discusses his role in the 2022 touring production of The Comedy of Errors and the physicality of Shakespeare's works. He also shares his experience of working in contemporary and traditional Noongar dance, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company's production of Hecate, and what it would be like to tour Noongar language works out of Country. Maitland Schnaars co-founded the international theatre company Corazon de Vaca and has performed and co-created a number of their productions, both in Spain and in Perth, Australia. He has recently performed in productions for Black Swan Theatre Company, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, a co-production for Queensland Theatre Company and Griffin Theatre Company, a national tour for Tasmania Performs and assistant directed and performed for WAYTCO (Western Australian Youth Theatre Company).   He has worked with many independent theatre companies in Perth and continues to work with artists from various backgrounds such as dance, multimedia and music. In 2016, he won Performing Arts WA Best Actor award. He is also a member of Wadumbah Noongah Dance Group.   Find out more about Bell Shakespeare online: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/ and follow us on socials @bellshakespeare 

Welcome to season three of Bell Shakespeare's podcast Speak The Speech! In this episode, Andy Griffiths talks to host James Evans about writing his Shakespeare adaptions Just Macbeth! and Just Romeo & Juliet!, how he inserts himself into his work, workshopping his plays and watching them come to life, the parallels between Macbeth and Hamlet, and his crucial collaborative relationships. Recorded live from Melbourne in May 2022. Andy Griffiths is one of Australia's most popular children's authors. His writing credits include The Day My Bum Went Psycho and the following trilogy; his extensive collaborations with illustrator Terry Denton including the Just series and the Treehouse series have sold over 10 million copies worldwide, won 80 children's choice awards and 10 Australian Book Industry Awards—including Book of the Year for The 52-Storey Treehouse in 2015. Five of his books have been adapted for the stage and have all had sell-out seasons at Sydney Opera House, as well as highly successful tours through the Netherlands, New Zealand, and America. He is a passionate advocate for literacy and in 2015 was awarded the Dromkeen Medal to honour his outstanding contribution to Australian children's literature. He is also an ambassador for both The Indigenous Literacy Foundation and the Pyjama Foundation. Find out more about Bell Shakespeare online: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/ and follow us on socials @bellshakespeare

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

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

"Suit the action to the word, the word to the action." So says Hamlet, to the troupe of players he has brought together for a show. For more than three decades, Bell Shakespeare have suited the bard's words to the action on stages across Australia. In the Drawing Room, the company's artistic director, Peter Evans, talks about his path to theatre, the company's new home and the nostalgia at the heart of Hamlet.

Red Stitch Actors' Theatre has just 80 seats, but the company is acclaimed for their bold programming of the buzziest new work from abroad and for developing new Australian plays. Now in its 21st year, we meet their artistic director Ella Caldwell. Also, Kaitlin Tinker summons the strength of Alien heroine Ellen Ripley in her play about pregnancy and childbirth, Earthside, at the Blue Room, and we take a closer look at Hamlet with two high school students and members of the current Bell Shakespeare production.

"Suit the action to the word, the word to the action." So says Hamlet, to the troupe of players he has brought together for a show. For more than three decades, Bell Shakespeare have suited the bard's words to the action on stages across Australia. In the Drawing Room, the company's artistic director, Peter Evans, talks about his path to theatre, the company's new home and the nostalgia at the heart of Hamlet.

Career Q&A with Joel Edgerton. Moderated by Jenelle Riley, Variety. Joel Edgerton currently stars as John Connolly in BLACK MASS alongside Johnny Depp. He was honored for his performance as Tom Buchanan in “The Great Gatsby,” Baz Luhrmann's 2013 screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel. Edgerton won Australian Film Institute (AFI) and Film Critics Circle of Australia (FCCA) Awards and was nominated for an Australian Film Critics Association Award, all in the category of Best Supporting Actor. Edgerton more recently directed, wrote, produced and starred in the psychological thriller “The Gift,” also starring Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall. The independent film delivered tremendously, with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score and an opening weekend of $12 million. He also starred opposite Christian Bale in Ridley Scott's biblical epic “Exodus: Gods and Kings.” Edgerton's upcoming credits include starring roles in Jeff Nichols' sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special,” and Gavin O'Connor's Western “Jane Got a Gun,” with Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor. He is currently reunited with Nichols on the fact-based drama “Loving,” about the couple whose challenge to Virginia's interracial marriage ban led to a landmark Supreme Court case. In 2012, Edgerton gained international attention with his role in Kathryn Bigelow's award winning true-life drama “Zero Dark Thirty.” That same year, he starred opposite Jennifer Garner in Peter Hedges' “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” and in “Wish You Were Here,” winning an FCCA Award for Best Actor. His other recent film credits include the drama “Felony,” which he also wrote and produced and which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival; Gavin O'Connor's drama “Warrior,” with Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte; the horror thriller “The Thing,” the prequel to John Carpenter's cult classic; and David Michôd's “Animal Kingdom,” for which he won AFI and FCCA Awards for Best Supporting Actor. Edgerton had earlier starred in such films as “The Square,” directed by his brother Nash Edgerton; the Australian feature “Acolytes”; “Whisper,” with Josh Holloway”; the crime thriller “Smokin' Aces”; the drag comedy “Kinky Boots”; and George Lucas's blockbusters “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” and “Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,” playing the young Owen Lars, who would become Uncle Owen to Luke Skywalker. He also lent his voice to Zack Snyder's animated feature “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole” and the Oscar nominated animated short “The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello,” performing the title role. Born in New South Wales, Australia, Edgerton attended the Nepean Drama School in western Sydney. He went on to appear in various stage productions, most notably with the Sydney Theatre Company in “Blackrock,” “Third World Blues” and “Love for Love”; and the Bell Shakespeare, where he appeared in “Henry IV.” In 2009, he returned to the stage to star as Stanley Kowalski, alongside Cate Blanchett's Blanche DuBois, in the Sydney Theatre Company's acclaimed production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” The pair also performed the play to sold-out audiences at the Kennedy Center in November of that year, followed by a run at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in December. On Australian television, he is known for playing the role of Will in the long-running series “The Secret Life of Us,” for which he was nominated for an AFI Award.

Season 2 here we go!! To kick things off this year, we are so excited to be sharing with you our three way chat with actors Sara Reed, Stefanie Caccamo and Emily Havea! Perth was lucky enough to have it's theatre doors open in 2020, with Black Swan Theatre Company rounding out the year with a wonderfully joyous and thought provoking reimagining of Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma (Directed by Richard Carroll), with these three badass ladies at the helm. A little bit about these women: Hailing originally from Eagle Lake, Texas, Sara is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a BA in Music Theatre. Her credits include City Homicide (Seven Network), Knowing, (with Nicholas Cage), the Australian tour of Little Britain Live, Billy Elliot, Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, and prior to attending WAAPA, Sara played Bielke in Fiddler on the Roof, opposite Anthony Warlow. In 2019, Sara played the roles of Marta in Company and dance soloist Frug Girl in Sweet Charity. Sara has most recently been part of Oklahoma! For Black Swan Theatre Company. Emily is a Sydney based actor, singer and dancer. A 2014 NIDA acting grad, Emily has worked across theatre, music, film and TV. Theatre credits include 'Julius Caesar' (Calphurnia/Octavius) Bell Shakespeare Co; 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (Hermia), Bell Shakespeare; 'BU21' (Thalissa) Old 505, Outhouse Theatre Co; 'Dogfght', Hayes Theatre; 'Sing To Me', Apocalypse Theatre and 'Brown Skin Girl' with Blackbirds for Griffin Theatre Batch Festival and the WITS Festival Fatale. Emily trained full time with Danceworld Studios in 2011 and teaches and performs regularly with Retrosweat, the 80ties aerobic workout. Her TV credits include season 6 'Wentworth' (Mon Alston) Fremantle Media/Showcase and 'Growing Up Gracefully', ABC. Film credits include 'Stem' (Nurse Henderson) with Goalpost Pictures and web series; 'Resting Pitch Face' (Olivia), Google/ Grumpy Sailor Productions. In 2020 Emily was cast as the world first female Curly in Okalhoma! At Black Swan Theatre. Stefanie Caccamo is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts (WAAPA) and her credits include Dead Man Walking the Opera, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Applause, Once, HAIR: The Musical 50th Anniversary Tour, Irene, and most recently, Laurie in Oklahoma! In this episode we talk about all things Oklahoma, self esteem and body image, creative boundaries, and the impact of telling your truth as an artist. If you would like to find out more about these woman, you can follow them each on instagram @texas_gold, @thetheatrejew and @stefcaccamo. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode and open up discussion with you on our instagram @companypod, and our facebook Company Podcast. Please leave us a rate and review, and let us know what you'd love to hear in our upcoming episodes at companymediaoz@gmail.com Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano Edited and Produced by David Duketis Music by David Duketis Graphic Design by David Duketis

Throughout his childhood, Eamon felt like there was something "different" about him, something that he felt couldn't fully be explored or talked about. But once Eamon witnessed Bille Brown's rendition of Oscar Wilde in 'The Judas Kiss', his interest in the creative industry opened up a realm of possibility for him. Eamon has since worked as a director, actor, writer and dramaturg for Belvoir, Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Bell Shakespeare's Mind's Eye, Perth International Arts Festival, Darwin Festival, Playwriting Australia and various other companies. His production of 'Counting & Cracking' won seven Helpmann Awards in 2019, including Best New Australian Work, Best Production of a Play and Best Direction of a Play. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.