STAGES with Peter Eyers

A young performer's passion is frequently ignited through their engagement with the Arts, at school. Performing Arts teachers recognise and nurture a passion in their students that may one day lead to a professional career in dance, music or drama. A performing arts experience at school also supports the child whose ambition may lie in other industries, providing essential social, personal and ana...

When Tim Chappel was 13, he was mesmerised by the beauty and creation bursting from the pages of an edition of Vogue. This awakening steered the young artist away from aspirations of becoming a botanist and pointed him towards the alchemy of a hot glue gun and glitter, fabric and fabulousness; and into the world of costume design. Tim Chappel is one of Australia's leading costume designers and has...

Lee Young was born James Stevenson Young in Scotland in 1928 His mother was a concert soprano and his father an amateur actor. Lee became stage struck at a very early age, fascinated by his father's make-up box and collection of false beards. An unsuccessful audition for the Entertainment National Service Association (he was too young), brought him to the eye of an auditioning agent who was handli...

Jordan Shea is a Filipino-Australian writer and teacher working across theatre and screen. After debuting his first play, two days shy of his twenty first birthday, he went on to write plays across the independent sector. He then secured a place at the VCA in Melbourne, to study his master's degree in playwriting. Relocating back to Sydney, he has become a distinguished Asian-Australian voice in t...

Rhonda Burchmore has chartered a career spanning 40 years and several genres. She is equally adept at cabaret, television variety and musical theatre, with extensive credits demonstrating consummate skill and audience delight. In 2019 she was very much in the public consciousness as we watched her traverse the many challenges and triumphs navigated in the sixth season of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out...

Tony Taylor migrated to Australia from the UK. He has found great personal reward through participation in the performing arts. Commencing his career as a Drama teacher, an invitation to participate in an improvisation workshop lead him to become an original member of the seminal Australian Performing Group at The Pram Factory in Melbourne. This crucible of creative energy would launch some of the...

Brian Thomson is approaching his 50th year as a Set Designer, contributing to a vast number of productions and platforms globally. He is Australia's most prolific designer, creating scenic worlds to tell stories across a range of platforms - theatre, opera, film, musical and concert. In this companion episode of Stages we revisit his work with Barry Humphries and Kylie Minogue, and the staging of...

Brian Thomson made his theatre debut in 1971 when he designed set and costumes for Jim Sharman's celebrated production of As You Like It for the Old Tote Theatre. The tribal musical Hair quickly followed, beginning a succession of iconic productions constructed for impresario Harry M. Miller. Brian designed settings for the original Australian and London productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and T...

Born in the UK, Robina Beard wanted to be a ballerina and after migrating with her parents to Sydney in 1949, continued training in the Cecchetti method. She has contributed to many art forms and roles over an extensive career in Australia. Robina Beard has graced Australian stages and screens for several decades. She is familiar to generations of Australians as Madge the Manicurist in the iconic...

The Canberra Times identified Bill Stephens as one of 75 people who had shaped the National Capitol. He is one of the region's best known theatrical personalities, and although his career was in Hospital Administration, it has been through his passionate involvement in the performing arts nationally, that he has made his most important contribution. He has carved a lengthy career as a Theatre Dire...

Dean Carey began his professional career in Melbourne, acting in a series of television and stage productions. However it is the pedagogy of Acting that has consumed Dean for over 35 years, teaching the craft and associated performance skills. He has enormous passion and respect for the process of the actor and has subsequently become a stand for powerful and meaningful performance, nurturing acto...

Shaun Parker graduated with a science degree but it was dance that became his vocation. He is an award winning choreographer, dancer, actor and counter-tenor whose work has explored a vast range of performance platforms. He is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and a former member of Meryl Tankard's Australian Dance Theatre. In 2010, he founded Shaun Parker & Company, becoming Artisti...

Neil Gooding is an international theatre Director, Producer and Writer. He was the originating Chairman and one of the founding members of the Hayes Theatre Co in Sydney. He is the head of New Musicals Australia and in 2002 established his own company, Neil Gooding Productions (NGP). Directing highlights include the Australian premiere of Stalking The Bogeyman, the World Premiere concert version o...

Belinda Giblin recently celebrated 50 years as an actor. Growing up in Tamworth, the daughter of parents who were prolific practitioners in community theatre, early exposure to the arts guaranteed her chosen vocation. Extensive ballet study through her childhood resulted in an offer of scholarship to the Australian Ballet School, but it was a life upon the stage, in another artistic expression tha...

In a relatively young life, Harry Cook has demonstrated a dynamic and charismatic persona, achieving much. He has chartered a successful career as an actor, garnering impressive accolades in a number of feature films. He made his screen debut at 17, playing opposite Hollywood Star, Geena Davis, in the coming-of-age tale; Accidents Happen. Harry is also a passionate activist for LGBTIQ+ rights and...

Benjamin Northey is the Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the Principal Conductor in Residence of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. He has previously held the posts of Associate Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Resident Guest Conductor of the Australian Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Born and raise...

Perth seems 'a million miles away' from New York City, but it frames the journey of Carmel Dean; a musical practitioner of intellectual and creative power. She has been applauded extensively in a variety of roles that include Composer, Musical Director, Arranger and Pianist. Early training in classical piano and study at The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, confirmed an ambition harbour...

Barry Creyton continues to provide fascinating insight and reflection of an extensive career, in this companion episode of the Stages podcast. He examines the craft of writing in regard to the many forms in which he has written - fiction, comedy and farce, film, theatre, revue and radio drama. A period working in London allowed him opportunities as a broadcaster with the BBC World Service and thea...

Barry Creyton could quite easily be labelled a 'Renaissance man'. He is indeed a consummate man of the theatre - accomplished in many roles. He is also a pioneer of revue and satirical comedy in Australia as one of the writer/performers of the iconic television series; The Mavis Bramston Show. His career has taken him around the world, working in a variety of guises in Australia, the United Kingdo...

In a career that has never disappointed and regularly surprised, Di Rolle has experienced it all. She has been mistaken for Mrs Michael Jackson and she has worked in the golden years of television variety with the Steve Vizard, and Don Lane, Tonight shows. She's mixed with rock stars, movie stars and royalty. Her contact book could be used as a platform to reach the top shelf - she knows everybody...

Lisa McCune first performed on stage at the age of 15 playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She is synonymous with the character of 'Maggie Doyle' in the popular television drama , Blue Heelers. The role rewarded her with a swag of awards, including four Gold Logies as the most popular personality on Australian TV. McCune is not an actor to be defined by one role however, and has continued to amass...

Born in London and spending formative years in Kenya, Diana Simmonds has had a life-long love affair with words. Words spoken and on the page, as a writer, playwright, editor and critic. She has been cited as the most reliable and discerning theatre critic in Sydney. Her online blog stagenoise.com has amassed a large and loyal following of readers; punters and practitioners. She is immensely knowl...

You may have caught Mark Humphries as the imposing presence delivering satire on the 7:30 Report. He serves it with boundless charm and an engaging twinkle of the eye. You might also have found him as the amiable and accomplished host on the local version of the UK quiz success, Pointless. The television platform seems the likely home for Humphries who grew up with an appetite for television varie...

David Spicer's enthusiasm for the arts in all its forms is palpable. His participation exists in several identities; producer, publisher, performer and patron. He is a regular at the theatre and relishes nurturing new work. It's a broad portfolio. Spicer is a journalist and worked for the A.B.C. in metropolitan radio and television, delivering news and current affairs. He was acknowledged with the...

Oscar Wilde once said, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." Though he was advising 'Dorian Gray', Wilde could quite easily have been instructing the pursuit of the Publicist. An essential tool in the promotion and marketing of events and entertainment is the publicity machine; making us aware, engaged and informed. For over 30 ye...