March Session: May the Schwartz Be With You

Anastasia has been singing and dancing from a young age and was thrilled to discover at the end of primary school that the two could be combined! She has taken part in various school musicals and been involved in Pelican Productions since 2010. Anastasia is now studying Education at Flinders University, where she helped set up Flinders Uni Performing Arts Society to meet more theatre-minded people; FUPAS also recently produced their first play to great success. In her free time, Anastasia enjoys singing with Young Adelaide Voices and jamming out with her friends.

Annabel is originally from the UK, where she studied singing, dancing and acting alongside her academic studies while in high school and university. Notably she was a Choral Scholar at Cambridge University, and shortly after graduating, released her self-written debut pop album "you.me.love.dreams" with a UK indie record label . While she continues to pursue a career in songwriting, musical theatre has always been one of her passions and so she is thrilled to perform at Broadway Sessions.

Participating in the Australian Girls Choir for eight years, Arianne has gone on to take part in many different music and performing events inside and outside school and most recently Adelaide Cabaret Festival's 2015 Class of Cabaret program and dancing at the Twenty20 Big Bash League New Years Eve concert. Although she's always had a passion for singing, dancing, acting and music and has being seeing musicals since a young age, it was not until recently she discovered that she would like to hopefully one day pursue a career in musical theatre and looks forward to starting rehearsals for the Hairspray Arena Tour. One of her favourite events so far has been competing at Generations in Jazz (2013-15) at Mount Gambier with the school jazz choir and is looking forward to going back and competing for her final year at school.

Currently studying at Paul McCartney's The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in the UK, Benji Riggs has a passion for songwriting and composition. He had the privileged upbringing as a performer, which has led him to audiences around the world – previously performing at the Royal Albert Hall, The Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the 50th year anniversary celebration of Uganda’s independence.

His first lead role was as Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat with Shane Davidson Presents age 10. Since then, he has performed with many local theatre companies, including Swell Productions, Adelaide Youth Theatre, Scotch College and Independent Theatre, as well as professionally for Heaps Good Productions, and SINGular Productions. Adding to his credits are performances with the State Opera of South Australia, Windmill and the Australian Ballet Company.

Riggs has more recently found himself in the world of theatrical composition, having worked on Tony Harrison’s The Mysteries Part III: Doomsday (dir. Nick Bagnall), Blackbird by David Harrower (dir. Nick Bagnall) and with UK-based touring company Peepolykus.

However, beneath all the romance of adventure, Riggs is an Adelaide boy with a gentle heart, a warm spirit and a desperate need to create.

Cory has always been passionate about the arts, dancing and singing from the age of 5. Some of their stage highlights include Jenny Lind in Barnum (2019, March Productions), Cosette in Les Miserables (2020, Now Productions) and Teen Fiona in Shrek The Musical (2022, Hills Musical Company). After falling in love with theatre, they branched out into working backstage and behind the scenes with companies such as Pelican Productions, Northern Lights Theatre Company, Broadway Sessions, and most recently Davine Productions sell out seasons of Beautiful. These backstage experiences led Cory to study sound production, and then a degree in Film and TV at MAPS film school in 2019. Cory currently works as a barista, and is moving to Melbourne in April.

David Gauci, proudly from Adelaide’s western suburbs, wouldn’t stop singing from an early age – so much so that the Sisters of St Joseph at primary school wished he’d just shut up and do maths.

At Woodville High, teachers and parents suggested – after David showed interest in acting or journalism – a career in accounting. He did study accountancy but also theology and music (Elder Conservatorium). David was introduced to opera and classical singing but went down the dark path of corporate functions, cabaret and music theatre. He worked in piano bars for 20 years in Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney and Townsville.

David wrote cabaret shows New York According to Bernstein, The Sinatra Show and The Broadway Show, performed with co-writer and accompanist Matthew Carey in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Townsville and Darwin.

He performed at the inaugural Adelaide Cabaret Festival and again in 2016 when he returned with the award-winning It was Worth the Weight. David also wrote and performed in The Big Book of Broadway, Cole’s Girls, Leading Men I’ll Never Play and Wireless.

He was equal winner in the 2015 Australian Cabaret Competition Adelaide final and most recently performed in the Australian Touring production of Hairspray as understudy to the role of Edna Turnblad – adding to professional stage roles in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney

David’s also appeared in TV commercials and films, e.g. The Brush Off, directed by Sam Neill.

This led to forming his own Davine Interventionz Productions in 2013 with a string of shows he’s produced, directed and/or designed to glowing reviews and a welter of awards. And David’s still singing!

Denise Gascon is an 18-year old lass who loves to sing and perform. She was born in the Philippines and went with her family to Australia when she was 15 years old. Her father is currently in his final year of studying Doctorate Degree at Flinders University. She grew up in a family of musician. At 15, Denise performed at the Marion Council Christmas Party in 2013. A year after, she presented a number of songs at the opening of the Southern Expressway Bridge, performed during the opening of Flinders University and took part in promoting Seaview High School by performing in 8 different local primary schools around the City of Marion.

She was part of the Class of Cabaret in 2014 where she was able to work with Artistic Director Kate Ceberano and a few other well-known international and local cabaret stars and performed in The Mowtown Night at Seaview High School.

Denise is the present vocalist of AH HUM BAND which performed at the Garden of Unearthly Delights at the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Eloise Quinn-Valentine loves to tell stories on stage, and has performed in a variety of musicals, plays, cabarets, and choirs from a young age. Recent highlights include Othello and Seagull (Independent Theatre, 2022), The Hello Girls (Therry Theatre, 2021), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Davine Productions, 2020), Jerusalem (University of Adelaide Theatre Guild, 2019), It’s Only Life (Davine Productions, 2018), Violet: a musical (Davine Productions, 2017), and The Crucible (Royal Holloway University of London Drama Society, 2017). Eloise works and volunteers as an educator across a variety of disciplines and contexts, and particularly loves teaching others about faith, storytelling, compassion, and justice.

Emily has been performing since the age of three, taking part in dancing, singing and acting classes. After many years of dance competitions she started musical theatre when she was seven and that's where her love began. Emily has been involved with theatre companies Pelican Productions, Adelaide Youth Theatre, Swell Productions and Northern Light Theatre Company. Some of her favourite roles include Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Sandy in Grease, Penny in Hairspray and the Baroness in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In 2014 Emily travelled to Europe on a school music tour, and later that year travelled to Penang in Malaysia to perform Christmas shows as shopping centre entertainment. She graduated from high school in 2015, and is taking a gap year to further her training in musical theatre and pursuing any opportunities she can.

Originally from Port Augusta, Imala is in her third year of classical voice at the Elder Conservatorium. She was awarded the Rae Cocking Memorial Prize in 2017, the Guli Magery Prize in 2016, and the SA Country Choral Association Scholarship in 2015/2016. Imala's real passion is musical theatre, and despite limited theatre opportunities growing up (no musical theatre companies in her whole town!), she has played roles such as Christine in Phantom of the Opera (Whyalla Players' in association with State Opera), and Ariel in The Little Mermaid (AYT). She worked with State Opera further last year by understudying Adele in the Con/SOSA collaborative production of Die Fledermaus. Imala has also done a number of solo recitals at various churches, and Fringe shows including Life at the Piano, Into the Woods (AYT), and Musical Moments. She enjoys busking in Rundle Mall and hopes to sing at more weddings and functions.

Kate is an established performer and a regular with NLTC having played roles such as Liesl in The Sound of Music, The title role in Cinderella, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and most recently Fantine in this year's production of Les Miserables to name a few. Kate loves the Adelaide theatre community and has performed with a number of other companies across SA including MBM, The MET, Marie Clarke, Therry, The Hills Musical Theatre Company and G&S Society. Highlights for Kate include playing the puppet Kate Monster for The Hills Musical Theatre Company's production of Avenue Q in 2018 and the roller-skating Goddess Kira/Clio in Davine Interventionz' production of Xanadu in 2014.

Kate was first nominated for an Adelaide Theatre Guide Awards for "Best Female Performance" at 15 for her role as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz with NLTC. Ten years later Kate was nominated again and won ATG's "Best Female Performance"  for her role in or Kira/Clio in Xanadu. In the real world Kate is a Speech Pathologist, Voice Therapist, Vocal Coach and Mum to two young children.

Kristin is a music teacher, musician, and performer based in the Adelaide Hills. Favourite musical theatre roles include: Muriel (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Hills Musical Company 2022); Laura (High Fidelity - Hills Musical Company 2021); Vivienne (Legally Blonde - The MET 2021); Simone (Shane Warne The Musical - Segue Productions 2020); Elizabeth (If/Then - Segue Productions 2018); Cathy (The Last Five Years - Segue Productions 2017); Clara (The Light In The Piazza - Davine Productions 2016); Inga (Young Frankenstein - Marie Clark Musical Theatre 2014); Smitty (How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying - Marie Clark Musical Theatre 2013); and Ensemble/Lady of The Lake Understudy (Spamalot - Marie Clark Musical Theatre 2018). Kristin will be playing Ms Gardner/Female Authority Voice in Carrie The Musical with Hills Musical Company in November 2023.

Kristin holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the Elder Conservatorium, majoring in Classical Piano, and has extensive accompanying and pit experience. Music Direction credits include: Heathers: The Musical (Segue Productions 2019); Calamity Jane (Marie Clark Musical Theatre 2014); Poor Expectations (Investigator College 2014); Mulan Jr (Investigator College 2013); and Honk! (Investigator College 2011).

Kristin teaches piano, voice, violin and music theory, and loves seeing students grow in confidence as they develop their skills in music.

Lindsay has performed over the past decade in both musical theatre and cabaret, having enjoyed success in various genres: classical roles such as John Brooke in Little Women (The Musical) (Therry Dramatic Society 2013) and Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods (Northern Light Theatre Company 2012); to contemporary roles such as Abraham in the Adelaide premiere of Altar Boyz (Davine Interventionz 2013), Sonny Malone in Xanadu (The Musical) (Davine Interventionz 2014), George in The Drowsy Chaperone (Hills Musical Company 2013), Kyle the UPS Delivery guy in Legally Blonde (HMC 2014) and most recently Elliott Garfield in The Goodbye Girl (Therry 2015). Lindsay has also appeared in countless other shows, favourites including Urinetown, 42nd Street, Crazy for You & Les Misérables. Most recently he premiered in Adelaide the role of Fabrizio for Davine Interventionz's 2016 Adelaide Fringe Show, The Light In The Piazza.

Aside from musical theatre, Lindsay has a keen passion for cabaret, having written, co-produced and performed at numerous cabaret events over the years. Stepping out side his usual genre, Lindsay played the role of Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby (old sport), produced by Independent Theatre.

Mark is an award winning South Australian performer whose credits include the Adelaide and Brisbane Festivals, State Opera South Australia, SINGular Productions, Co Opera, Various People, Aerial Artists Australia, and MOatesArt Productions.

In 2022 Mark was nominated for an Adelaide Critic's Circle Award for his body of work. He premiered the dual roles of Ian Duncan and Don Dunstan in Neil Armfield's Ruby Award-winning Watershed: The Death Of Dr Duncan for the Adelaide Festival – while for State Opera South Australia he performed Lt Tom in Voss and Gastone in La Traviata, as well as embarking on a national tour of Love Burns, completing the first orchestration workshop of When The Rain Stops Falling and appearing in Bright Lights, Big Dreams.

Previous Adelaide Festival appearances are Mozart Requiem (2020), Bernstein Mass – featured Street Singer (2012) and Le Grande Macabre - Ruffiak (2010).

In State Opera of South Australia's 2023 season Mark will be appearing as the Defendant in Trial by Jury and in Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore, as well as hosting the Tra La La Bar for the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, with further exciting projects to be announced. In 2021, Mark appeared as Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd and Jack in Love Burns, and opened the year in Carousel. Further highlights with the company include Njegus in The Merry Widow, Arjuna in Satyagraha, John Styx in Orpheus in the Underworld, The Cantor in Maria de Buenos Aires (co production with Leigh Warren Dancers – Adelaide Festival Centre Playhouse and Brisbane Festival). Mark is a proud and long-standing State Opera South Australia artist, both as a chorister and a principal performer.

Well known and regarded on the concert stage, Mark also mentors Class of Cabaret for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, works extensively with Primary Schools Music Festival and regularly tours with Aerial Artists Australia in Le Aerial, including Perth Fringeworld, Adelaide Fringe, Auckland Fringe, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Arts Centre and Port Douglas. Mark is Associate Producer and regular host of Broadway Sessions, Adelaide's long running monthly music theatre focussed, curated open mic night.

Nathan has been performing onstage since the age of six starting as a tiny, little magician alongside his mother. Since then he has worked his way up the ranks of Scout Shouts Youth Theatre as performer and Young Director for several years (2007-2014). Pirates of Penzance (Ensemble/2012) marked his amateur theatre debut and he has since appeared in Little Shop of Horrors (Ensemble/2013), Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision (Russia, Estonia, Italy/2013), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Frank Pontipee/2014), White Christmas (Broadway Chorus/2014), Happy Days (Richie Cunningham/2015), all with the Northern Light Theatre Company, Mary Poppins (Bear, Tap Ensemble/2015) with Matt Byrne Media, and Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie/2015) with the G&S Society of SA. He now serves on the Northern Light committee as Publicity Officer. Nathan has enjoyed singing in fundraising cabarets for NLTC, ADSSA and Riding for the Disabled, his ability in which has grown through singing tuition over the past four years.

Nina is better known in Adelaide for her choreographic work, Hairspray (Adelaide Youth Theatre), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Pelican Productions), Music Theatre Camp 2015 and 2016 (Pelican Productions), Legally Blonde Jr (Shane Davidson Presents) among others. However, Nina is an accomplished musical theatre performer. Nina has performed in London and Liverpool in the UK but since moving to Australia in 2007 she has focused on her teaching and choreographic works. Nina is thrilled to have this long over due opportunity to indulge in her first passion, Musical Theatre.

Paul is a co-founder of Six Foot Something Productions, producing and performing in Picture Perfect (Adelaide Cabaret Festival), playing Dan in Next to Normal (nominated for an Adelaide Theatre Guide award as best professional performance, Male) as one of the five performers in Elegies: Song Cycle and as Jamie in The Last Five Years. He is a regular performer with the State Opera Chorus (most recently appearing as God in Faust) and has appeared as a soloist at a number of corporate events.

With Swamp Fairy Paul appeared in a touring production of Loving Lloyd Weber and sang for the Cancer Council (opening for Rhonda Burchmore at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre). He performed as part of Fright Night for CanDo4Kids and sung the national anthem from a diving board for the National Junior Diving Championships. He has also sung with the Adelaide Chamber Singers and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, including the first performance of Peter Sculthorpe’s Requiem (Adelaide Fringe Festival). Paul was nominated for an Adelaide Critic’s Circle award for his performance as Grosvenor in Patience (opposite Denis Olsen). He has performed many lead roles in amateur theatre, including both plays and musicals. Favourite roles include Bill Sikes (Oliver), Jack (Into the Woods) and Enjolras (Les Misérables).

Ruby’s passion for musical theatre began at a young age, receiving voice and acting training from industry professionals. Recently, Ruby played Rose in Dogfight with St Jude’s Players, Nicola in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society's 2019 production of Kinky Boots and was the ‘Turn Back, O Man’ soloist in Godspell, produced by Irregular Productions and Lydian Productions. She also performed as Hodel in the Therry Dramatic Society's production of Fiddler on the Roof, and understudied the title role and performed in the ensemble for Davine Productions’ Violet. Her performing credits also include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical witih Davine Productions, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Les Misérables produced by The Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and in 2023 Kiss Me Kate with Hills Musical Company.

Sarah is a highly trained professional vocalist and musician. She holds a Bachelor of Music and a Masters in Teaching. She is both a practitioner and a fan of the Estill Voice Model and Kodaly pedagogical approach. She founded the Sarah Jane Voice Studio in 2015 and coaches voice users of all ages and abilities.

Sarah performs in both private and corporate settings around Adelaide as well as musical theatre. Theatre and cabaret credits include Rent (MCMT), Evita (The Met), Sugar (The Met), Smokey Joes Café (Hills), The Channel 9 Easter Special, The Blues Brothers (Ad Fringe), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Music Director; MCMT), Sex and the Musical (Ad. Fringe, EK Pro), Heathers the Musical (Segue Pro), Shane Warne the Musical (Segue Pro) and her own show depicting the life of the irreplaceable Bette Midler; From A Distance, the Glory of Bette (Ad Fringe). 

She is also a lover of scrapbooking and is obsessed with curious minds magazines!

Scott has always had a love of the theatre, but his real obsession began in high school, with performances as the Foreman, Pimp and a Student in Les Misérables, Priam in Paris and Action in West Side Story. Since completing high school he performed non-stop for a number of years, starting with Gerald Bolingbroke in Me and My Girl, an Apostle in Jesus Christ Superstar and Ugly in Honk! (Marie Clark Musical Theatre). After playing Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! and Asher and the Butler in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company of SA), Scott joined Northern Light Theatre Company’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as Monsieur D’Arque to round out 2011. The following year started with an incredible experience: Scott won the role of Henry in Six Foot Something’s pro-am Production of Next to Normal. After a mild performance hiatus in more recent times, Scott starred as Hunter in Irregular Productions sell out 2015 Adelaide Fringe season of [title of show].

If there’s one thing he regrets, it’s not starting singing and performing (publicly of course) at an earlier age. Off-stage (but in the theatre) Scott enjoys both sound and lighting design, and the challenges each of these areas brings to his knowledge of design in the digital world. Broadway Sessions is certainly the start of a new chapter, bringing together many ongoing stories and plot lines, but allowing the love of theatre (musical theatre in particular) to continue in new and exciting ways.

When not strutting his stuff on stage, or manically helping out backstage or in the roof of a theatre, Scott is a web designer & developer, creating sites like this one! You can see more of his work at www.scottreynolds.com.au.

Serena began performing with the Adelaide Youth Theatre in 2011 and since, has played many roles for the youth theatre such as Tracy in Hairspray, Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Dragon in Shrek the Musical and most recently as Elphaba in their production of Wicked. Serena has also performed in many shows for Emma Knights Productions, including as Ado Annie in Oklahoma: On a Farm!, Buffy in Buffy Kills Edward and as New York Woman in I Love You Because.

Recently, Serena performed the role of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera for the G&S Society of SA, and has played Elphaba in Wicked and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance. Serena has also performed many roles professionally for companies such as The Entertainment Store and Heaps Good Productions, most recently in the successful season of Snowmageddon at the South Australian Maritime Museum. In addition to musical theatre, Serena performs regularly with The Three Little Sisters, an Andrews Sisters tribute show, and performs in and directs The Honey-Bees, a 60s-tribute show.

Tayla is 17 years old and in year 12 at Scotch College where she is heavily involved in the performing arts program. Tayla has been performing since she was just two years old, first at dance competitions and then in musicals and eisteddfods. She is a true triple threat with numerous awards in both dance and voice including Australian Solo Jazz Champion in national dance competitions on Gold Coast where she participated with her dance school TIDC, and overall Musical Theatre champion at Balaclava Eisteddfod, and she remains the youngest person to achieve this award.

With numerous lead roles in many musicals over the past 10 years, Tayla's credits include "Belle" in Beauty and the Beast, "Herod" in Jesus Christ Superstar, "Iris" in Fame and Mabel in Pirates of Penzance to name a few. Tayla has also been lucky enough to perform internationally with the Adelaide Youth Theatre, singing and dancing at Disneyland in California, Hong Kong and Paris and Universal studios in LA. Tayla will next appear as Peggy in Scotch College's 2016 musical 42nd Street and at the end of this year will again take the Disney stage, this time in Florida followed by a trip to New York to participate in various workshops.

Peter is a music director, accompanist, repertoire coach, and the founder of Irregular Productions - one half of the brains behind Broadway Sessions.

He has been a theatre music director since 2005, with a number of his shows winning local awards. Theatre Credits include: (as Music Director) Beautiful, Mamma Mia, Les Misérables, Next to Normal, Violet, The Story Of My Life, Songs For A New World, The Light In The Piazza, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Into the Woods, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, [title of show], Edges, Avenue Q, Bring It On, Singing In The Rain, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver!, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Chicago, Sweeney Todd, The Sound of Music, Urinetown the Musical, Scrooge, The Witches of Eastwick, Little Shop of Horrors, Seussical the Musical, Grease, Once Upon a Mattress; (as Associate Music Director) Kinky Boots; (as Conductor) City of Angels, The Addams Family; (as Associate Conductor) Rent; (as Assistant Music Director) Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, South Pacific, Copacabana; as well as playing keyboard in over 25 other productions.

Besides co-producing Broadway Sessions, Irregular Productions has also staged the South Australian premieres of Songs for a New World, [title of show] and Edges, as well as a new production of Godspell (with Lydian Productions).

Peter is also the music director for Civic Park Carols, Australia's second-largest candlelight carols event, working with some of Adelaide’s finest musician’s and performers, as well as artists such as Justine Clarke, Guy Sebastian, Rachel Beck, and Jimmy Giggle.

Louis has been playing both double bass and bass guitar as long as he can remember. Beginning with lessons at the age of 7, he quickly developed his skills and decided that music was the career for him. Louis began playing for Musical Theatre shows in 2011, with the Northern Lights Theatre Company’s production of Beauty and the Beast, which coincidentally, was the beginning of a long-standing working relationship with Musical Director, Peter Johns! Since, Louis has played for many theatre companies around Adelaide, including Adelaide Youth Theatre, Lydian Productions, Pelican Productions, Davine Productions, Irregular Productions, Marie Clarke Musical Theatre, The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of South Australia, and Hills Musical Company. Some of his favourite shows to play for have been In the Heights, for Pelican Productions in 2019, and Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, for Davine Productions in 2020. In 2018, Louis had the privilege of playing in the pit for the Gordon Frost Organisation’s touring production of The Wizard of Oz. Louis graduated from the Elder Conservatorium of Music in 2016, with a Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance.) That same year, he began performing as a casual member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra - some of his favourite performances include Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, and Last Night of the Proms at the Adelaide Festival Centre.