October Session: Role Reversal

Buddy is a high school drama teacher who loves to perform. He has worked with a number of amateur theatre companies in Adelaide and has played many over-the-top characters (whilst breaking many bones in the process).

Casmira is an experienced performer and teacher with a great passion for storytelling. Highlights have included performing the role of ‘Violet’ in Davine Productions’ Violet (for which she won the TASA award for Best Female Performance 2017) and 'Fantine' in the G&S Society's production of Les Misérables (for which she was nominated for a Curtain Call: Best Female Performance 2018).

In 2018 she performed in Edges with Irregular Productions for the Adelaide Fringe, ‘Shelby’ in Steel Magnolias with IpSkip,'The Lady of the Lake' in Spamalot with Marie Clark (winner of Best Ensemble Curtain Call 2018), and the ‘Sour Kangaroo’ in Seussical with Northern Light. In 2019 Casmira played nine characters in Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court with Davine Productions (which won Best Ensemble and Best Musical at the 2019 Curtain Call Awards, as well as the TASA for Best Musical) and Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme in Assassins for Hills Musical Company.

Professionally, Casmira has acted and provided voices for several short films and children’s productions. She also spent many years directing and music directing musicals for Adelaide Theatre Academy, including Snow White and Alice in Wonderland for the Festival Centre’s ‘Something on Saturday’ program. Her fondest memories are working with Peter Combe in directing and choreographing his Adelaide Fringe shows from 2013-2015.

Growing up performing in the Scouts’ Gang Show: Comedy Capers, David developed a love for musical theatre from a young age. Trained at the Centre for the Performing Arts; David has enjoyed performing Shakespeare with the State Theatre, Lightning Strike and Chopt Logic Theatre Companies and has toured in the past with Splash Theatre Company. Turning from professional acting to focus his energy on his family and work for the Anglican Church as a priest, David chooses to do shows that he loves.

It was in Marie Clark's production of Paris in the titular role that David hit the Adelaide scene in musical theatre. David has since performed with Marie Clark Musical Theatre in Miss Saigon (John) and as Carl Hanratty in the 2016 production of Catch Me if You Can. He has worked with Northern Light Theatre Company as Frederick in Pirates of Penzance and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors. David also performed at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2015 with Lazy Saturday Productions' Australian premiere of Darkle. 2017 was a big year of theatre for David starting with Pale Ale Tales, a new work by local writer, Jason Hendy in the 2017 Adelaide Fringe, Jekyll and Hyde with Marie Clark and finishing with Les Misérables as Enjolras with G&S Society. Most recently David performed with the Hills Musical Company in Assassins as John Wilkes Booth.

David is thankful to his wife for her love and support, and for letting him play.

Elle Nichelle is a private vocal coach, singer, choir director and songwriter in Adelaide. She graduated the Elder Conservatorium of Music in 2009 with a Diploma in Jazz Voice. Elle has performed as a lead vocalist with Gospo since their first show in the Adelaide Fringe Festival: GospoCentric & GospoTivity (2009), GospoAzz (2010-2011), Gospolicious (2014), Gospolation in both the Adelaide & Melbourne Fringe Festivals (2017) and Jackson vs Jackson (2018 & 2019).

Elle loves being involved in theatre: her roles thus far include being a lead vocalist in Smokey Joe’s Café - Hills Musical Company (2016), Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors - Blackwood Players (2017) & Fortune Teller in Side Show - Hills Musical Company (2018). Most recently, Elle toured Buffy Kills Edward with Emma Knights Productions playing the role of Buffy for the 2018 Melbourne Fringe Festival & again at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2019. Elle has a keen interest in voice therapy and currently studies Speech Pathology at Flinders University.

Em is a 24-year old teacher back down under on a break from Ye Olde Englande. She began performing at age five but didn't enter the magical land of musical theatre until the age of 12. She enjoys reading, history, piña coladas, getting caught in the rain, and obviously, musicals.

She has performed and crewed for many shows. The highlights of her time treading the boards include playing Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun (UHS), Bet in Oliver! (G&S), and possibly her favourite role at the tender age of 12 - the Pirate King (Pelican Productions). Other credits include Les Misérables (G&S), Thoroughly Modern Millie (G&S), Cinderfella the Pantomime (Royal Holloway), Young Frankenstein (MCMT), Calamity Jane (MCMT), Music Theatre Camp 2008 - 2013 (Pelican Productions).

Jared is currently rehearsing the role of The Baker in G&S’s production of Into The Woods. Prior to that his he performed the role of Che in G&S’s Evita (2021), which won him an award nomination for Best Male in a Musical in the Theatre Association of SA’s 2020-21 Theatri-CAL Awards. Also in 2021, Jared played the role of Lt Wessen in Therry’s The Hello Girls (nominated as Best Musical in the same honours). His list of on-stage appearances since 2009 is extensive with roles with G&S, Therry Theatre, The Hills Musical Company, The Met and Davine Productions. Notable roles include Gilbert Chilvers in Betty Blue Eyes, Raoul in Phantom of the Opera, Chris Scott in Miss Saigon, Motel in Fiddler on the Roof, Frederic in Pirates of Penzance, Munkonstrap in CATS, Freddy in My Fair Lady, and Man One in John Bucchino’s It’s Only Life. Professionally, Jared has performed as part of the chorus in State Opera of South Australia’s productions of Madame Butterfly, The Merry Widow, and Carmen. 

Jess has been involved in Adelaide's theatre scene since 2015, from Guys and Dolls to The Addams Family, to (most recently) A New Brain with Davine Productions. Working as a Stage Manager and general backstage all-rounder, for companies such as Adelaide Festival Centre, State Opera, and Slingsby; they still love to perform – though it's mostly in the car on the way to and from work!

Karen has been involved with a number of theatre companies in Adelaide over the last 15 years. Some of her stage highlights include Oliver, Into the Woods, Beauty and the Beast, Avenue Q and Spamalot. Although she had a seven year run off stage in the role of "Mother of two", she recently made the return to the theatre by playing Ursula in Disney's The Little Mermaid, and in the ensemble of Les Misérables with Northern Light Theatre Company and Granny/Cinderella's Mother/Giant in Into the Woods with the G&S Society of South Australia.  You will also be able to see Karen in the upcoming production of Urinetown at the Hills Musical Company in the role of Old Ma Strong.

Kathryn was born in England and has had a rich upbringing in the world of the arts. She has been in various characters such as tweedledum in Alice in wonderland, Betty Rizzo in Grease and is currently playing Erma in JamaeRaws adaptation of Anything Goes. Kathryn has been singing in Soul Factor Gospel Choir for many years and is currently receiving vocal training by David Gauci.

Recently out of uni with a degree in teaching and the arts, Kathryn has been in musical theatre since a young age. She is currently in the Hills production of Aida and also teaches musical theatre, acting and singing at Starlets SA.

Katie has played such roles in Adelaide as Little Buttercup in HMS Pinafore, Lady Thiang in The King & I, Antonia in Man of La Mancha as well as Footnote in Pratchett Pieces for the Adelaide Fringe Festival. After moving to Melbourne in 2005 she played The Narrator in Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Lt. Janice Fury in M*A*S*H, Pamela Lukowski in The Full Monty and received Lyrebird Award nominations for playing Sister Amnesia in Nunsense & Nunsense 2. She also played one of her dream roles, The Witch in Into The Woods as well as the wonderful Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn in The Music Man. Since moving back to Adelaide in 2015, Katie has portrayed Margaret Johnson in The Light In The Piazza for the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival and Jen in John & Jen. She had the opportunity to work with composer John Bucchino on his show It’s Only Life for the 2018 Adelaide Fringe Festival, to be a part of the small ensemble cast of Godspell, and portrayed Judge Jackie Justice in Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court for the 2019 Adelaide Fringe Festival. Most recently she portrayed Alice Tinker in The Vicar of Dibley.

Katie has Musically Directed The Outsiders, All The New Stuff, Kids On Broadway, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Godspell, Little Shop Of Horrors, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, The Wedding Singer, Seussical The Musical, The Wizard Of Oz, Annie, Once Upon A Mattress and most recently Betty Blue Eyes. She also had the opportunity to co-direct for the first time with Avenue Q in 2014.

Michelle has been involved with the performing arts since the age of eight. Some of her favourite shows and roles include Rosie in Mamma Mia!, a Laker Girl in Spamalot, Ellie Greenwich in Leader of the Pack and Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain with NLTC, a rebel in Urinetown, Kate/Chutney in Legally Blonde with the Hills Musical Company, Little Red in Into the Woods, Urleen in Footloose, Marcy Park in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray with Matt Byrne Media, and an Alabama Lamb in Big Fish, and Helen in The Hello Girls with Therry. Michelle has taught Musical Theatre for years and directs youth musicals for companies across Adelaide. Currently she is rehearsal with the Hills Musical Company for their production of Urinetown and feels very lucky to be a part of such an amazing cast and team!

Millicent Sarre (Mim) is a cabaret artist, singer-songwriter, vocal coach, and musical theatre performer, brought up and working on Kaurna Land. She has toured her original cabaret works Australia-wide; her most recent show Millicent Sarre is Opinionated won ‘Best Cabaret’ of the Adelaide Fringe 2023, and the album of the original songs from the show was released in February 2023. Previous musical theatre roles include Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd (ECMT, dir. James Millar), Hildy in On the Town (ECMT, dir. Erin James), Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (ECMT, dir. Joseph Simons), and Ivy in the Australian premiere of Ivy + Bean: The Musical (The Gemini Collective, dir. Sarah Williams). Mim will graduate with a Bachelor of Music Theatre from the Elder Conservatorium in 2023.

Miriam has worked with many Adelaide theatre companies over the last 15 years. While primarily performing in plays, she has also been feeding her love of singing under the tuition of David Gauci. In 2015, she appeared as the balladeer Balthasar in the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild production of Much Ado About Nothing - singing on stage for the first time in nearly a decade. While she claims ignorance when it comes to a lot of musical theatre, she's also very ready to become obsessed by a song, composer, or show, that captures her interest.

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.

Rick is an experienced performer whose career was sadly cut short by his lack of talent. His performance credits include Charley in Where's Charley?, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and John Proctor in The Crucible, all with Pembroke Old Scholars, and he is now waiting for the right opportunity to revive his performance career. He takes pride in the fact that he inspired both his children to become better musicians than he ever was. Within Adelaide theatre circles Rick is known as "the Bravo guy" - if you hear a "bravo" after a performance, you'll know he is there.

Sophie graduated from WAAPA in 2014 where she had the great opportunity and honour to work with such names as Tayna Mitford, Jason Langley, Lisa O'Dea and the head of Performing Arts at WAAPA Andrew Lewis. Throughout her time there she was featured in roles such as Sheila in Hair, Mae Colman in Reefer Madness and Consuela in West Side Story and had the privilege to perform with Hugh Jackman. After moving to Melbourne she took a contract as the lead vocalist on one of Royal Caribbeans newest ships – The Quantum of the Seas. She returns to Australia excited to continue pursuing her dreams of working in musical theatre.

Zak is currently in his third year at the Victorian College of the Arts studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre). He has been passionate about theatre for as long as he can remember, undertaking both on and offstage roles for a variety of productions. He has completed a Certificate IV in Commercial Dance at Gravity Dance, specialising in tap, hip hop, jazz, contemporary, ballroom and ballet.

Zak’s choreography credits include Singin’ in the Rain JR (2017, TB Arts, Fringe Festival), A Peter Combe Extravaganza! (2017, Something on Saturday) and A Night on Broadway (2014, Glenunga High School). Zak made his professional debut with State Opera of South Australia’s production of Hansel and Gretel. Since then, he has played many memorable roles such as Boq in Wicked the Musical (2016, Matt Byrne Media), Mary Sunshine in Chicago (2017, Emma Knights Productions), The Tinman in The Wiz (2013, GIHS), Danny in Grease (2014, GIHS), Bert in Mary Poppins (2014, GIHS) and also appeared as a featured dancer in Thoroughly Modern Millie (2016, G&S Society of SA).

An avid performer, he has entertained at many events around Adelaide, such as the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the Royal Adelaide Show and Adelaide's Clipsal 500, as well as at private functions, weddings and parties. Zak also works as an entertainer for Nickelodeon and Showtime Attractions and has performed in many children’s shows with them.

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.