Zephya Amelie she/her

Raised on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Zephya is an authentic and energetic performer with a particular love for Shakespeare and Australian theatre. During her time at the Arts Academy, Zephya has performed in Shakespeare’s As You Like It (Celia) and Cymbeline: A Romance (Innogen), as well as Cyprinidae – short stories by Anton Chekhov and After Joan. Zephya is a performer at Kryal Castle, where she adores playing various princesses, pirates and thieves. Zephya has recently founded an independent theatre company, The Wanderers Theatre, with fellow Arts Academy graduates, and she looks forward to portraying Helena in their upcoming production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Pruella Anderson she/her

Pruella is a dynamic performer from Darwin. Her training began when she was immersed in several styles of theatre and dance, creating a yearning to entertain. She moved across the country to pursue her passion. At the Arts Academy, her credits include: A Girls’ Guide to World War (Narrator) music direction by Shanon D. Whitelock; The Spirit Level (Gloria) music direction by Rick Chew, directed by Angela Campbell; After Joan, written by Emma Hall and Company 2024; and Crush: The Musical (Diana, Miss Givings) directed by Beng Oh, music direction by Daniel Tusjak. Pruella looks forward to engaging with honesty and openess in future musical and educational theatre endeavours.

Millana Anello she/her

Millana is an eager performer originally from country Victoria. She entered the performing world at a young age through Grace Acting Studios, where her love for the arts blossomed through screen acting. Over the years she took a special interest in music, particularly enjoying playing the piano and singing. While training at the Arts Academy, she expanded her experience, performing in productions including As You Like It (Jaques), Cyprinidae (Teacher, Yekaterina), and Crush: The Musical (Annabel). She recently took part in the student-devised production After Joan, in which she performed her original song, marking the beginning of her writing and composing journey.

Azriel she/her

Originally from the Latrobe Valley, Azriel has been in love with performing from a young age. At the Arts Academy Azriel has performed in Crush: The Musical (Dame Dorothea Dosserdale). While studying she has been a part of The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Singer/Mother)for which she was one of the main composers of the music in the show. She also performed in her first opera: The Spirit Level (Mary Bladford/Horse Lunatic). Azriel was part of Company 24’s self-devised work After Joan. 2024 also brought the chance to work overseas in New York in the choir of Manhattan Concert Productions performance of Children of Eden directed by Tony Yazbeck.

Jenna Barton she/her

Originally from Wodonga, Victoria, Jenna has been performing since she was five years old. Beginning with dance, she developed her love for singing and acting along the way. Throughout her training at the Arts Academy, she has ardently enjoyed exploration and play - showcasing her work in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Governor’s Wife, Singer) and The Spirit Level (Ms Thomas, Harriet the Lunatic). Jenna has an affection for dance performance and choreography, having been a collaborative creative for After Joan and dance captain for Crush: The Musical (Lavinia ‘The Debutante’). Now based in Melbourne, Jenna is eager to extend her skills with works for stage and screen.

Brady Bourke he/him

Born and raised in the north-eastern alpine region of Victoria, Brady discovered his love of singing and acting at a very young age and began his professional acting training at the Arts Academy. Brady performed in four very varied shows while at the Arts Academy, including The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Jessup), The Spirit Level or The Strange Case of Agatha Banks (Reverend Joshua Grippe), After Joan (King Charles), and Cymbeline: A Romance (Cloten). Brady is interested in more closely exploring the physical side of acting, such as stage combat and Suzuki training, as well as his newly discovered love of screen acting.

Samuel John Darge he/him

Born in Sydney and raised in Inverness, Scotland, Samuel is a Melbourne-based actor and writer who has a passion for physical theatre and movement, telling stories through motion and shape. He has always found joy in the creation of immersive worlds and complex characters, building histories, fantasies, and speculations through a constant absorption of information. During his time at the Arts Academy, he has performed in productions such as The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Azdak) directed by James Wardlaw, Cyprinidae (The Artist) directed by Ross Hall, After Joan (Soldier) directed by Angela Campbell, and Cymbeline: A Romance (Iachimo) directed by Kim Durban.

Jessica David she/her

Jessica is a Sri Lankan performer raised in Melbourne. From a young age, Jessica was involved in dance training, drama classes and school musicals that inspired her to pursue her passions professionally. While studying for her Bachelor of Performing Arts, Jessica performed in the Australian musical A Girls’ Guide to World War directed by Chris Koch, music direction by Shanon D. Whitelock, and The Spirit Level, an opera written by Richard Chew and Rufus Norris. Jessica took on a collaborative role devising music and movement for After Joan - written by Emma Hall and Company 2024. Most recently, she performed in Crush: The Musical directed by Beng Oh with music direction by Daniel Tusjak.

Ebony Eastman she/her

Ebony was born in Western Australia where her love for arts and creating first developed. In 2018, Ebony was one of the three students nationwide to win the John Bell scholarship where she spent a week in Sydney with Bell Shakespeare. After travelling in Canada and within Australia, Ebony finally landed in Ballarat where she started her studies in performing arts. While at Federation University, Ebony has played the lead, Grusha Vashnadze, in The Caucasian Chalk Circle, as well as playing Mother/Cook in Cyprinidae, and Belaruis/Jupiter in Cymbeline. After studying, Ebony plans on putting on her own works, such as her new play Unicorns.

Amelia Elliott she/her

Amelia, of Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa, has been immersed in performing arts since her early years. Following her graduation from Saint Kentigern College in 2019, she embarked on her journey into the professional realm in the TVNZ and Warner-Bros mini-series, Black Hands (Laniet Bain) in 2020. Seeking to deepen her craft, she began her formal education at the Arts Academy in 2022. During this time her credits included, The Spirit Level (Agatha Banks) and A Girls’ Guide to World War (Elsie Corbett) music by Katy Forde, book by Alethea Monsour. In her final year, her highlight was performing in the high-spirited show, Crush: The Musical (Miss Bleacher) directed by Beng Oh.

Lizzy Faulkner she/her

After growing up in the Mornington Peninsula, travelling around the world and discovering her own artistry at the Arts Academy, Lizzy is an energetic and compassionate performer. From her professional training at the Arts Academy, her recent credits include: A Girls’ Guide to World War (Kathleen Dillon) directed by Chris Koch; The Spirit Level or the Strange Case of Agatha Banks (Virginia and The Amnesiac) directed by Angela Campbell with musical direction by Rick Chew; a collaborative group-devised piece, After Joan, written by Emma Hall and directed by Angela Campbell; and Crush: The Musical (Susan Smart), directed by Beng Oh with musical direction by Daniel Tusjak.

Brooke Hocking she/her

Born and raised in Melbourne, Brooke is driven to use her European/Arabic heritage to liberate and inspire her work. She started performing as a little girl who liked to dance, moving on to being an edgy teenager in a band, then finding her passion for acting. At the Arts Academy, Brooke performed in As You Like It (LeBeau/Silvius) directed by Melanie Beddie; Cyprinidae (Madame Lunansky/Madame Svetlana/The Aunt/ensemble), directed by Ross Hall; After Joan written by Emma Hall and the company, directed by Angela Campbell; and Cymbeline: A Romance (Philaria/Guiderius), directed by Kim Durban. Brooke looks forward to acting on screen so that she can tell stories and portray diverse humans.

Lily Infantino she/her

Lily is a Melbourne-based performer. Having a passion for music from a young age, Lily unsurprisingly fell in love with the world of theatre. Whilst at the Arts Academy, Lily has had the pleasure of performing in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Grusha) directed by James Wardlaw; The Spirit Level or the Strange Case of Agatha Banks (Xanthe) directed by Angela Campbell with musical direction by Rick Chew; and most recently in Crush: The Musical (Daimler Jones/Desiree) directed by Beng Oh with musical direction by Daniel Tusjak. She was also a part of After Joan, a collaborative group-devised work directed by Angela Campbell and written by Emma Hall.

Emma Jackson she/her

Born in Melbourne and growing up in regional Victoria, Emma has had a passion for all aspects of performing arts, beginning with dance, from a young age. With a natural love for storytelling, she found her voice in musical theatre. During her time at the Arts Academy, her performance credits included The Spirit Level (Matron) with musical direction by Rick Chew, and William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline – A Romance (Queen) directed by Kim Durban. Outside of performing, she is a teacher and aspiring writer, with a focus on poetry and working to make theatre an inclusive and safe space for all.

Danny Manchester he/him

Danny is a neurodiverse emerging actor from Melbourne. He has been doing theatre since he was sixteen years old and has enjoyed it ever since. Danny’s productions at the Arts Academy include: The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht (Fat Prince, Old Man, Soldier 1); Cyprinadae - short storiesby Anton Chekhov(Andrey, Alexei and ensemble), After Joan written by Emma Hall and Company (M.C, Interrogator and ensemble) Cymbeline: A Romance by William Shakespeare (Cymbeline and Second Brother). Danny has an endless hunger for knowledge in the humanities. He likes doing ballet and playing the piano and hopes to do more travelling in the future.

Caitlin McCallig she/her

Caitlin is an intelligent and bold performer with a love for the creative arts, whether performing or visual. In 2022, she was a Resident Artist with Be You’s Broadway Unplugged. Recently, she appeared in Cymbeline: A Romance (Arviragus), The Spirit Level (Matron 2), A Girls’ Guide to World War (Mrs Harley) and devised songs for After Joan. She is on the performance team at Kryal Castle, performing children’s pantomimes and interactive night shows. Her passion for Australian work drives her to develop her own writing. She is a founder of The Wanderers Theatre and is thrilled to be playing Puck in their upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Erin Miller they/them

Originally born and raised in Wagga Wagga, NSW, Erin moved to Melbourne in 2016 to continue pursuing their passion of performing. Their favourite stories to bring to life are ones that contain odd and eccentric characters (much like themselves!). Most recently at the Arts Academy, Erin has performed as Orlando in As You Like It, Bradwell in The Spirit Level, Joan and ensemble in After Joan, and a member of the Upper Sixth in Crush: The Musical. After graduating, Erin hopes to continue working with Rick Chew on his project, Ariel Songs, which premiered with the Word of Mouth ensemble at Ballarat’s first Festival of Queer Theatre.

Hamish Nelson he/him

Originally from the Goulburn Valley region, Hamish has always had a passion for the performing arts industry after discovering it through his love of film and music. During his time at the Arts Academy, Hamish has appeared in numerous productions, most recently playing the role of Posthumus Leonatus in William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline: A Romance, directed by Kim Durban. Other credits include The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Governor/Azdak) by Bertolt Brecht, directed by James Wardlaw, The Spirit Level (William Banks) with music by Rick Chew, and libretto by Rufus Norris, and as well as a group-devised show After Joan directed by Angela Campbell and written by Emma Hall and The Company.

Maddie Ormiston she/her

Maddie is a passionate Melbourne-based actor and writer. She has always loved the arts, having done numerous shows with Adlib Entertainment, competing in the 2017 and 2018 One Act Play Circuit. Maddie obtained her Diploma of Theatre Arts from Melbourne Polytechnic, writing and showcasing her first short play Chess Pieces. At the Arts Academy, Maddie had the pleasure of performing in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Cook) by Bertolt Brecht, directed by James Wardlaw; The Spirit Level (Felicity) music by Rick Chew, libretto by Rufus Norris, directed by Angela Campbell; the group-devised show After Joan directed by Angela Campbell; and Cymbeline: A Romance by William Shakespeare, directed by Kim Durban.

Jessica Parcell she/her

Jessica is a bubbly and versatile emerging performer and theatre-maker from Brisbane who made her screen debut in Channel 10 Peach’s Gamify. She completed a Diploma of Musical Theatre in 2021 at Queensland College of Dance. At the Arts Academy, Jessica performed in A Girls’ Guide to World War (Josephine Bedford); Cyprinidae (Madam Murashkin/movement team); and Crush: The Musical (Judith/dance captain) directed by Beng Oh with musical direction by Daniel Tusjak. The collaborative production of After Joan ignited her interest in composing and choreography. Jessica’s passion for theatre has led her to observe stage management and production departments with Crossroads Live, Melbourne Theatre Company and Queensland Theatre Company.

Amelia Pawsey she/her

Amelia is a passionate performer and theatre-maker from Melbourne. Whilst completing her Bachelor of Performing Arts at the Arts Academy, her credits include As You Like (Rosalind), The Spirit Level (Hillary/Dance Captain), After Joan (ensemble) and Crush: The Musical (Camilla Faraday). Offstage Amelia is an avid theatre-maker and writer. Her original poem ‘Not Your Darling’featured in the Emilia: Stories in The Wall Installation at the Arts Centre Melbourne (2022). She is currently co-writing a new Australian musical, Knowing How to Love, which will be developed in 2025. Amelia looks forward to her next project, A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Wanderers Theatre Company in January.

Matthew Poggi he/him

Matthew is a passionate Melbourne-based performer who has been engulfed by the world of music theatre from a young age. He has found a love of storytelling through song, dance and music. During his time at the Arts Academy, his credits include A Girls’ Guide to World War (Colonel Sondermeyer) directed by Chris Koch and Cyprinidae: Stories from Russia adapted and directed by Ross Hall. Notably, he recently appeared in the role of Dorian Dosserdale in Crush: The Musical directed by Beng Oh. Matthew is an emerging Australian writer and composer having co-written Knowing How to Love, a new Australian musical which is in active development.

Madeleine Potter she/her

Madeleine is a dedicated interdisciplinary performing artist and has been involved in productions throughout New Zealand and Australia over the past fifteen years. Upon commencing her studies at the Arts Academy in 2022, she released her first single ‘Fantasize’ and appeared in the mini-series, Kudos The Series (Grace). Madeleine was also part of the production crew of the NBC Universal series One of Us Is Lying. Her most recent performing credits include the lead in the award-winning original Australian musical A Girls’ Guide to World War (Agnes Bennett), The Spirit Level (Matron), After Joan (Joan), and Cymbeline: a Romance (Pisania) by William Shakespeare, directed by Kim Durban.

Kai Ridler he/him

Kai Ridler is an emerging artist born in South Australia. Thanks to his mother, Kai's early life was filled with acting and singing. Kai found his love for performance at the age of 22, after working as a beekeeper, oyster farmer, and trail builder. Kai has performed in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Simon), directed by James Wardlaw; Cyprinidae directed by Ross Hall; and Crush: The Musical (Dorian/Mr Smart/Marlene), directed by Beng Oh. He was also part of After Joan, a group-devised work directed by Angela Campbell and written by Emma Hall. Kai had the honour of collaborating lyrically and performatively with Richard Chew in his original composition of Ariel Songs.

Alla Rowley she/her

Alla is a lively neurodivergent actor, based in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Alla grew up surrounded by performing arts and her love of performing was solidified through her completion of a Certificate III in Music Industry. Her time at the Arts Academy allowed her to perform in a range of productions including A Girls’ Guide to World War (Narrator) by Katy Forde and Aleathea Monsour, The Spirit Level (Alice Mutton) by Rick Chew and Crush: The Musical (Upper Sixth) by Kath Gotts. Alla hopes to create a neurodiverse space within the Arts industry and make performing more accessible to young neurodivergent actors.

Olivia Sultmann she/her

Raised in Brisbane and Geelong, Olivia indulged in her love for the arts, visual into performing. She discovered her appreciation for the physical, psychological, collaborative nature of performance while studying at the Arts Academy. Olivia appeared in Cymbeline: A Romance (Innogen) directed by Kim Durban; Cyprinidae, short stories by Chekhov (Mashutka) directed by Ross Hall; As You Like it (Touchstone) directed by Melanie Beddie; and devised scenes and choreography in After Joan, directed by Angela Campbell, written by Emma Hall and The Company. Currently based in Melbourne, Olivia is eager to start her next project, the Wanderers Theatre Company’s A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Kirilee Taylor she/her

Kirilee is a Perth-born artist, passionate about music and human psychology, using these to inform her writing and performance. Whilst in Perth, she studied classical voice at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. During her time at the Arts Academy, Kirilee has performed in As You Like It (Oliver, Amiens and music director) directed by Melanie Beddie; Cyprinidae - short stories by Anton Chekov, directed by Ross Hall; After Joan (group-devised); and Crush: The Musical (Miss Austin) directed by Beng Oh with music direction by Daniel Tusjak. She is currently directing a new musical titled Knowing How to Love, which is in active development and set to debut next year.

Esther B Younge she/her

Esther B Younge is a Lebanese-Guyanese-Australian performer from Melbourne. She is deeply passionate and dedicated to the art of storytelling with a strong interest in contemporary plays, as well as film and television. During her time at the Arts Academy, she performed in As You Like It by William Shakespeare (Corin) directed by Melanie Beddie; Cyprinidae Stories from Russia by Anton Chekhov, directed by Ross Hall; a collaborative group-devised work After Joan written by Emma Hall and the Company, directed by Angela Campbell; and most recently Crush: The Musical (Upper Sixth) book by Maureen Chadwick, music and lyrics by Kath Gotts, directed by Beng Oh.