The Creative Pod

Christine Pearsall, Marcus Galic, Johanna Chan, and Katie Kremin are all Melbourne-based performers and cast members of upcoming stage show ‘Murder at the Theatre’, where retro Bollywood meets Broadway in a musical-theatre-turned-real-life-mystery show. For this episode, they joined me in the studio for a group chat about the importance of diversity and representation in performing arts; the chall...

Hannah McKinlay is a New Zealand-born Melbourne-based artist and secondary art teacher. Primarily a painter, her works are often of local street scenes, with a focus on particular buildings that have significance to her, or have a distinctive look about them, such as cafes, street corners, pubs, and other old buildings. Hannah’s paintings often have pink or bright undertones with transparent washe...

This episode is the first instalment of some casual creative chats, where we take turns answering questions about various aspects of creativity and life. In this chat, Liz and I ponder what makes us feel most inspired, reminisce about our first musical experiences, relive some creative projects, and share many laughs along the way. Join us!

Leo Sayer is an internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, whose success has spanned the past 6 decades, as a recording artist as well as a captivating live performer. He is best known for his 1978 hit “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing”, which earned him a Grammy Award for R&B Song of the Year. His songs have been sung by other notable artists, including Cliff Richard, Roger Daltrey, and Three...

Jamie is a multi-hyphenate artist of many skills, many accents, and many passports. They began their career performing in children’s theatre across Australia, before performing, teaching, and writing with American regional theatres, then training and working in London as a writer, performer, and voiceover artist. Their directorial debut ‘Pieces of Us’ (EdFringe) was Offie-nominated, and they served...

Hayley is a Melbourne-based creative whose creative juices flow mainly in the area of poetry and theatre. She has experience in the performing arts industry in Australia and the UK, as a writer, director, performer, stage manager, and production manager. Hayley is also an established poet, who has been a slam finalist in London and Melbourne, and was recently part of the Melbourne Slamalamadingdon...

Hara is a dance artist and creative working in the Victorian entertainment industry, with experiences ranging from working with commercial brands to contributing creatively to large-scale live events, including the AFL Grand Final pre-game entertainment. Hara also works as a dance educator and as the Associate Dance Director for the Victorian State Schools Spectacular, where she has choreographed...

Mathew Frank is an award-winning composer, sound designer, and music director who has 20+ years of experience and achievements in the Australian music theatre scene and beyond. This of course includes the recent success of My Brilliant Career, adapted into a stage musical from the Miles Franklin classic novel, with co-writers Dean Bryant and Sheridan Harbridge, and earning 5 Green Room Awards. Mat...

Jude Perl is an award-winning singer, songwriter, comedian, piano player, teacher, and arts therapist in training. Jude has written and performed several solo comedy shows, wrote and starred in Share House the Musical, and has won numerous Green Room Awards along the way. Jude’s TV credits include The Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala, Spicks and Specks, Aunty Donna’s Coffee Cafe, and Grouse House’s...

Adrian Violi is a highly accomplished musician, educator, and all round legend. Predominantly a drummer, he can sometimes also be found on guitar, the MC microphone, or waving the baton for school bands and musicals. He is a member of corporate band Connotations; tribute band DaftWeeknd, contemporary country star Sammi Palinkas; and is currently on tour with Leo Sayer. In this episode, he chats to...

Caitlyn Burt and Amir Shoenfeld are a pair of musical theatre creators based in London. Caitlyn is a Melbourne-born musical theatre Librettist, Lyricist and Dramaturg; Amir is an Israeli-born composer, songwriter, and music producer, with experience in musical theatre, contemporary dance, and pop music. Together, Caitlyn and Amir have created numerous musicals and songs, including punk/rock musica...

Liz Violi is vocalist, teacher and performer, who describes herself as a “rich tapestry of loose threads!” She is the singer and front woman in corporate band Connotations, can often be found belting tunes at the Paris Cat, is currently on tour as backing vocalist to Leo Sayer, and teaches vocals and music in secondary school. In this episode, we chat about taking singing seriously, about the good...

Nick Murray is a folk-blues musician based in Melbourne. When not working on his own creativity or singer-songwriter catalogue, he also works has a music therapist, supporting children, adolescents, families, and people living with dementia. In this episode, Nick speaks with me about the magical feelings that music can bring, his creative inspirations, some of the challenges in life as a working m...

Mitch Cairns is an award-winning producer, bass player and songwriter. He has has received several ARIA nominations and wins for his work as a producer, including for Russell Morris’ platinum selling album ‘Sharkmouth’. Mitch has written songs for numerous highly acclaimed musicians, and is often found touring with pop legend Leo Sayer, country stars Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley, The Black...

Luke is a Naarm/Melbourne based performer, educator, and all-round arts enjoyer, who is passionate about sharing in the traditions of storytelling via the stage. He is a trained actor with various theatre credits, and also works as a casual relief teacher when he’s not working on something for the stage. In this episode, Luke joins me to talk about the hard work and persistence of pursuing acting;...

Sierra Verity-Beasley is a registered music therapist and the creator of Resound Music Therapy, based in Melbourne. Sierra specialises in delivering services to children and families, supporting them to use music intentionally for their child’s development, and to live happier and healthier lives. In this episode, Sierra joins me to chat about the significant difference between music education and...

Liam Bell is a talented multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the singer, front man, and creative force behind the Aussie-bogan-funk band, Playlunch. He is a powerhouse of talent, working as their CEO, writer, producer, designer - he can do it all! In this episode, Liam joins me to chat about the hard work and reality behind the scenes of being a musician, how creativity and joy have been a d...

Lucinda Cowden is an actor, improvisor, and educator, among many things, and may be most recognisable from her role as ‘Melanie Pearson’ in Neighbours. In this episode, she joins me to talk about the varying work-life of an actor, the importance of arts and soap operas in creating empathy and connection in our lives, and the consequences for our world when we undervalue the arts. She also tells us...