April Session

Alisa has been performing in musicals in Adelaide for over 10 years. Alisa's favourite roles include Gary Coleman in Avenue Q (MBM, 2011), Reno in Dusty (The Met, 2011) and Enid in Legally Blonde the Musical (Hills, 2014). Most recently Alisa performed in Violet (Davine Interventionz) for the Adelaide Fringe. Currently Alisa is rehearsing for Aida with the Hills Musical Company. Alisa has trained in jazz, tap, contemporary and hip hop dance and has vocal tuition with Kirsty Roberts.

Volleyball player turned actor Andrew Smith was a member of the inaugural graduating cohort of the Elder Conservatorium’s Music Theatre Program. During the course he played the Male Adults in Spring Awakening (dir. George Torbay 2019), Herr Schultz in Cabaret (dir. Erin James 2021), and Father Alexandrios in Mamma Mia! (dir. Zoe Komazec 2021). After graduating he, alongside 3 other graduates, co-founded EXEUNT (Pursued By A Bear) Productions and performed in their inaugural show: Rodgers and Hammerstein's A Grand Night For Singing (dir. Erin James 2022) in the Adelaide Fringe earlier this year. Other credits include Peach Cobbler (dir. Laura Desmond 2020) and Shakespeare in the Bar (dir. Tony Knight 2021). He has also appeared on the game show Challenge Accepted (dir. Brayden Green 2019/20) on Channel 44.

Ashley has been fortunate enough to perform in Calamity Jane in 2014 and Catch Me If You Can in 2016, both with Marie Mark Musical Theatre. Prior to getting involved with theatre, she worked as a singing teacher at Leanne Hoad Singing Studio for two years. She is currently working on the musical Jekyll and Hyde and feels very privileged to be able to work with some very wonderfully talented people.

With a professional career spanning three decades and diverse music genres, Carolyn has been honoured to share the stage with many greats, including Anthony Warlow, Lou Diamond Philips, Bert Newton, Ruth Cracknel and Jubilant Sykes.

Carolyn has been in the original casts of shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, The Secret Garden and The Sound of Music. Other roles include Jelly/Griddlebone in CATS in Hamburg, Johanna in Sweeney Todd for Queensland Opera, Chava in Fiddler on the Roof and Flora in Turn of the Screw for Opera Australia.

Carolyn has performed in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival with Broadway legends Maltby and Shire in Closer than Ever and Take Flight, and in The Adelaide Festival’s production of Bernstein’s Mass.

Concert highlights include Shakespeare on Broadway with Margaret Urlich, “duetting” with Marina Prior and singing the National Anthem at the Opening Ceremony of The Ashes in Adelaide. Television credits include Here’s Humphrey, The Kingdom of Paramithi, Neighbours and Wiggle TV and for many years she was the original voice of Dorothy the Dinosaur. Carolyn has also taught performance in schools, workshops and privately and has coached many students towards successful auditions.

Recently Carolyn played the role of Rose Pickles in Gale Edward’s workshop performance of Cloudstreet with State Opera of SA and then toured Australia as the alternate Mrs. Anna in Opera Australia’s The King and I, performing the role opposite Lou Diamond Phillips and Teddy Tahu Rhodes.

Casey Brown is a 15 year old Year 10 student at Willunga High School. She has been involved in theatre and acting since she was 11. Casey was involved in Kapunda Musical Society's productions of: The Snow Queen, Cinderella and Her 7 Ugly Step Sisters, Oz, Harry's Hotter at Twilight and The Story of Kapunda. She was also involved in JamaeRaw's performance of Anything Goes in 2016.

Casey has previously done dance lessons with Dance SA in 2015 and further joined JamaeRaw for Tap and Jazz classes in 2016. She is also currently doing singing lessons with Kathryn Driver at Sparrows Singing Lessons.

At just 24 years old, Chelsea is already making waves in the professional music industry, working as a songwriter, specialist vocal coach and speech pathologist. Chelsea graduated from the Elder Conservatorium Jazz degree in 2019 with some the highest marks in her cohort, having been selected by James Morrison as a Vocal Jazz Scholarship finalist in 2018 & 2019. Chelsea has since completed a Master of Speech Pathology, recently travelling to Sydney to present her research on perfectionism in the professional performer at the Australian Voice Association National Conference. In 2022, she also travelled to Los Angeles to attend an Artist Development Program, meeting some of the music industry's leading songwriters and industry experts, including those that work with the likes of Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Tori Kelly and more. Chelsea is passionate about empowering performers through holistic and evidence-based voice science and hopes continue travelling around the world engaging in leading research and working with professional performers. With a strong background in Music Theatre and after a long hiatus from Broadway sessions, Chelsea is grateful to be sharing the stage with some of the best!

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.

Ella Leopardi is currently studying at The University of Adelaide's Elder Conservatorium of Music, doing a Bachelor of Music - Jazz Performance and separately a Diploma of Languages - Italian. Ella's music inspiration are those talented musicians around her, living in Adelaide, as she feels that one day she too could be as talented as them. Ella loves music theatre as it incorporates her desire for acting and her absolute love of singing. After she completes her current degrees she will start a Masters of Teaching so one day she can share her passion for music, especially musical theatre, with her wonderful future students.

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 Glew has been passionate about the performing arts all of her life and began training in voice and dance at age 11. She has trained with artists including Michaela Burger and David Gauci, and is trained in classical, contemporary, jazz and tap dance. Beginning participating in musical theatre at age 13, she has been part in many musical theatre productions including most recently, Violet with Davine Interventionz, and taking the role of Shprintze in the Therry Dramatical Society’s production of Fiddler on the Roof.

Standout roles for Emily also include Jellylorum in Cats, and Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins, both with Loreto College. Additionally, Emily has been studying music since the age of 6, and has played in numerous instrumental ensembles on the piano, guitar, and clarinet. Emily’s love for music has led to her teaching and musically directing multiple musicals in the past. Emily is happy to bring her enthusiasm for the dance and musicality of Sideshow to the stage.

Emily-Jo has loved doing theatre from a very young age. She has performed in a variety of musicals such as Pippin, The Producers, Jekyll and Hyde, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and more. Including this she has currently finished the season for Heathers the musical with Segue Productions. Emily-Jo is currently studying primary education/arts at Flinders University, along with already progressing her skills by coaching drama at Flinders university and acting/modelling agency, Mostly Kids. She loves to make people laugh, enjoy life and spread the joy of musical theatre.

Fahad has been performing for 24 years in concerts, and musical theatre and drama productions. His most recent theatre production was an original Australian musical called Pricecheck, where he played the a cooky supermarket worker who had a fetish for fruit and vegetables. Prior to that he was in a production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown musically directed by Peter Johns, where he played the role of Snoopy. Amongst some of Fahad's favourites roles in theatre are Tobias in Sweeny Todd and Dr Aziz in a Passage to India. Later in 2017 he will be performing in the Red Phoenix political drama Two Hands at the Holden Street Theatre.

Fahad is also a singer of Indian and Pakistani music, and has been performing in this style since the age of 15. He has travelled to India and undertaken vocal training in semi-classical Hindustani music. He has given a number of concerts, and in 2014 performed as part of Floating Melodies for the world renowned Ozasia festival on the Popeye boat, where he was accompanied by his band.

Fahad most recently was involved in the production of Violet, where he played the role of Flick for the Davine Interventionz production staged during the 2017 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Grace is 15 years old and a year 10 student at Immanuel College where she is part of the music program. Grace is a vocal student of Teresa La Rocca and enjoys singing in the Immanuel College Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Senior Vocal Ensemble and the Rock Band. As well as enjoying a diversity of singing experiences Grace plays the Cello and Tenor Saxophone and participates in a range of classical and jazz ensembles. Grace was awarded AMEB Singing First Grade Honours and Second grade credit with merit and won first and second places in the 2015 Adelaide Eisteddfod. In the future Grace would love to broaden her singing performance experiences and further explore musical theatre and cabaret.

Singing isn't just a hobby or a passion for Grace Sawtell... it's a necessity! From infancy Grace has used song to soothe, celebrate and express herself. This love has lead rise to following her dream to become a performer through vocal coaching from the age of 5 years. Grace has participated in musical theatre,  group and solo performance and classes in song and dance since 2014. Grace is currently studying at Starlets SA under the direction of Kathryn Driver. Watch this space because magic happens and dreams really do come true...!

Harry Nguyen is usually known as the ‘Krispy Kreme’ guy, mainly because he brings donuts to any shows that he is apart of. Falling in love with theatre from his first show in 2013 (High School Musical, AYT), Harry has immersed himself in shows including Hairspray (AYT), Fame (Marie Clark), Into the Woods (AYT), Rent (Marie Clark), and Thoroughly Modern Millie (G&S). Harry is currently working towards getting into theatre schools, but in the meantime you can catch him working at Krispy Kreme and giving free glazed donuts to anyone he knows.

Working in Real Estate during the day, theatre has become a major escape from work life for James since 2000. Majority of the first decade of involvement was spent backstage and only venturing into the stage lights in 2008 after gaining some vocal training with Merrilyn Air. Currently in his 3rd year as president of Blackwood Players Inc, James has been actively involved in the company since 2003, filling in all roles from Stage Manager, Production Manager, Lighting & Sound operator and Director.

In 2015, James played numerous roles in Forbidden Broadway with his favourite song being 'I Enjoy Being a Cat' ( based off "I Enjoy Being a Girl", Rodgers-Hammerstein and "Memory", Lloyd Webber-Eliot). James has played many other on stage roles, but notably the role of Rene in 'Allo 'Allo for Blackwood Players Inc and Noarlunga Theatre Company within the last 5 years. James will soon be in his first lead role in a Broadway musical, and is excited to perform with so many other talented actors.

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. 

Karina began her performing career as a dancer, training in jazz, tap, and ballet; this lead her to musical theatre. She now works as a teacher, teaching secondary English and Drama. Karina has been in several productions in Adelaide including Forbidden Broadway, Call of Guadalupe, and Georges Farquhar's period comedy, The Recruiting Officer. Last year Karina played Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense for Blackwood Players. She is now currently playing Audrey in Blackwood Players' new production of Little Shop of Horrors.

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.

Lucy has loved performing ever since she can remember and is very excited to be back for her second time tonight at Broadway Sessions. She is currently rehearsing with The Met as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical and after having to postpone the show in 2021, is very excited to finally perform with such a talented and supportive cast and production team in May!

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!

Nanami Ogushi is a 17 year old who took part in the Pelican Productions Musical Theatre Camp this year and absolutely loved it. Nanami has always loved singing and has been going to singing lessons for a few years now – but officially found her passion and confidence for performing after participating in Pelican Productions. She played the lead of Mrs Potts in the show Beauty and Beast for Pelican Productions.

Rebecca comes from a rich musical heritage and has been performing for most of her life. Versatile in her style she enjoys performing in all musical genres which has led to her performing as a soloist with many different groups and for varying audiences. She has been a leading soloist with Adelaide’s Soul Factor Gospel Choir for the past 16 years, performs regularly with her Sisters, The Raymond Sisters and for five years was the vocal soloist with the Melbourne Staff Band with whom she toured Australia, Korea and the UK where she had the privilege of singing in the Royal Albert Hall, London.

Rebecca performs corporately as a Singer and Actor. Appearing as a soloist at varying events in Adelaide and Nationally and in Theatre. Memorable roles include the role of Violet Hilton in SideShow (2018) and Aida in Aida (2017) with Hills Musical Company, Sandra Bloom in Big Fish with Therry Dramatic Society (2016), Laurey in Oklahoma! The immersive farm experience with Emma Knights Productions (2016 & 2017), and Cosette in Les Misérables with the G&S Society (2008 & 2009).

When not performing Rebecca teaches singing, has her own Mary Kay Cosmetic business and is a makeup artist. She also teaches Skincare & Self Esteem classes in schools and groups in the community.

Roxie began singing at age seven, performing in numerous concerts with Voicestyle Studios. Since 2006, she has embarked on solo performances, performing at such venues as: The Intercontinental Hotel, The Governor Hindmarsh and Adelaide Festival Centre.

Some of her theatre credits include: The Sour Kangaroo (Seussical – Shane Davidson Presents), Brenda (Hairspray – Matt Byrne Media), Erato (Xanadu – Davine Interventionz), Flight by Night Addams (The Addams Family – Matt Byrne Media), Hot Box Dancer (Guys and Dolls – G&S Society) and ensemble for Catch Me If You Can with Marie Clark Theatre Company.

Roxie is also a graduate of AC Arts, where she studied a Diploma of Costume for Performance.

At 23, Scarlett has been passionate about performing since she was young. She began dancing at Barbara Jayne Dance Centre when she was 3 years old where she developed her singing and dancing skills for 13 years and has now begun focusing on her passion for musical theatre. Scarlett graduated Concordia College in 2017 as the Dux of Solo Vocal Performance where she was and will continue to be taught by her singing teacher Rosie Hosking.

With 18 years of combined performing experience, Scarlett's love for the stage has never ceased, with her previous roles including Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray, and Campbell Davis in Pelican Production's production of Bring It On the Musical's first season and its 2018 return season - for which she received a TASA nomination for 'Best Youth Female Actor'. Her most recent musical accreditation included a performance season of Godspell with Lydian Productions and Irregular Productions. In addition to this, she was also selected to perform as a featured soloist at the nationally televised 2018 Elder Park Carols By Candlelight. Her professional accolades in Adelaide have also included working with Ding Productions and Shane International each year for varying statewide productions. She has also been contracted with Royal Caribbean International (Miami) as a featured lead vocalist since January 2019 and has recently returned from a 10 month LA season with them. She’s set to resume her overseas work with them for another year, beginning in October 2022.

Stefanie Rossi is a professional performer (actor/singer/dancer) from Adelaide who completed her Advanced Diploma of Arts in Acting at the end of 2012 and who has worked professionally in the industry since with. She has performed with companies like Patch Theatre Company (Mr McGee and the Biting Flea national tour), Splash Theatre Company (Read Across the Universe), Foul Play (experimental production of Macbeth), Perform! Educational Musicals (World’s Apart), The Hills Musical Company (Company), Matt Byrne Media (Fringe shows The Luv Boat and My Kitchen Fools) and Mystique/Tony Knights Productions (Extremities at the Festival Centre).

From 2015 until August 2016 Stefanie worked as the Primary School Program Coordinator and Puppeteer for Camp Quality here in Adelaide. In 2016 Stefanie took on lead roles in locally written and produced web series Freemales, Kessel Run Production’s short film Cheaters, the Port Film Co-op’s latest feature film Youth On The March and South Australian Film Corporation funded ABC iView series, Almost Midnight. Earlier in 2016, Stefanie started up her own media/production company with a fellow colleague and has a few short films in pre-production as well as a rock opera that is in the final stages of being written and a web series that is in pre-production. She has also just been offered a position with the Paediatric Mental Health Training Unit at Adelaide University working as part of the improvisational simulated scenario training that is conducted for the students there.

Stefanie will be playing Velma Kelly in Emma Knights' upcoming production of Chicago.

Tielah is a full-time History Honours student at the University of Adelaide who is working towards a Post-Grad degree and also pursues her passion for performing to keep her sane. Her deep-rooted passion for musical theatre has led to roles through many youth theatre productions, and several shows in more recent years. Tielah has featured as an ensemble member for shows such as Sweeney Todd, Cinderella and the Pirates (both 2017, South Coast Coral and Arts Society) and most recently, Assassins (2019, Hills Musical Company). She is currently in rehearsals for High Fidelity with Hills Musical company. Tielah is also involved in many different areas of Hills Musical Company, serving on the committee since 2019 and acting as Front of House Manager on multiple occasions.

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.