February Session: Broadway Sessions Does Disney (Again)

AJ Patel is ecstatic to be performing at Broadway Sessions once again! AJ was born and raised in Maryland, USA, where he performed in several musicals since the age of 8. When he's not in class studying musical theatre at The University of Adelaide, he likes to spend his time eating. AJ would like to thank his friends and family back home who helped have him throughout his journey in the theatre.

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.

Amy Neumann returns for her Broadway Sessions swan song before returning to her home in America in August. She recently closed a successful run as Olive in The Odd Couple – Female Version for Blackwood Players. Before moving to Australia, Amy worked across the US as a performer and director. She has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Ford's Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Round House Theatre, and the American Century Theatre, as well touring the US and Canada in both The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Becky Thatcher) and Annie (July). Favorite roles include Alice Nutting/Edwin Drood in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods, and Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest.

Amy spent 17 years as a company member of Now This, Washinton DC's only totally improvised musical comedy troupe. She currently teaches for ArtStream, Inc., where she specializes in teaching actors with disabilities. Ms. Neumann holds a BFA in acting from Syracuse University and a Masters of Social Work from the Catholic University of America. Her favorite role is being wife to Jonathan and mum to Micah, 7, and Becca, 5.

Amy has always had a passion for performing and, having spent most of her teenage years on the stage, is not one to shy away from the spotlight. She has played 'Sandy' in Grease, 'The Narrator' in Joseph and The Technicolour Dreamcoat and 'Fantine' in Les Misérables, to name a few. She was incredibly lucky to be given the opportunity to perform at Her Majesty's Theatre in London's West End at just 14 years of age. Late last year she achieved a very special role as ‘Squisher’ in the regional tour of Squisher and Squasher: The Great Bug Hunt. This professional tour travelled throughout WA and allowed Amy to do what she loves; perform to children.

Her company Glass Slipper Entertainment was setup 3 years ago and has seen Amy perform at over 400 parties/events; the reaction that she gets as the children open the door to see that character in front of them will always remain her favourite part of being a ‘real princess’.

Anjana is a recent Year 12 graduate with a love for everything music. Anjana has performed in numerous showcases from 5 years of age, performing Les Miserablés' Castle on a Cloud and Aladdin's A Whole New World at her first concerts. Having sparked her passion for musical theatre in 2014, Anjana starred as the Narrator in her school's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. In the next year, Anjana not only viewed The Lion King in Melbourne, but she was Rafiki in The Lion King, for which Buyi Zama (role of Rafiki in Australian cast) provided priceless advice to Anjana after her dogged persistence to meet her at the backstage door!

In addition, Anjana is the lead singer in her school's first student-led Funk Band, who perform arrangements and choreography of artists for example, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire. Anjana's major solo performance of I Was Here from The Colour Purple at her school’s Cabaret night was one to remember. She hopes to pursue more music theatre and songwriting in the upcoming year.

Carly started choral singing at a young age in the Adelaide Girls Choir. She performed with "Voiceworks Adelaide" during her tertiary studies and more recently has sung in the Adelaide Symphony Chorale. Her love of singing initially stemmed from performing with choirs, whilst her passion for performing in musicals started in 2005, when she was part of the MS Society's production of Les Misérables.

Since then, Carly has performed in Gilbert and Sullivan's productions of Les Misérables, Jesus Christ Superstar and Oliver. She has also performed in Davine Productions' Violet, It's Only Life, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, Summer of 69 and A New Brain.

Carly is a High School Music Teacher by trade and is currently the arts coordinator of Gleeson College. Her favourite part of her job is allowing her students to have the experience of performing in musicals. Some of her students from Gleeson are still heavily involved in the Adelaide music theatre scene and some have sung in Broadway Sessions here. She loves the thought that her past students are continuing on with their love of music and musicals.

Performing and choreographing for the upcoming Adelaide Fringe show ‘An Evening on Broadway,’ Claudia is currently Head of Performing Arts and Director of Choreography at VIVA Perfoming Arts.

Cooper is a singer, dancer, actor, musical theatre nerd, studying music theatre at VCA in 2024. He was part of the 2022 Class of Cabaret program. Cooper receives his vocal coaching from the fabulous Carolyn Ferrie and dances at Barbara Jayne Dance Centre. If he’s not at the piano playing and writing music, you will find him busking on Jetty Road Glenelg or playing vinyl.

Danielle started performing at age 5 within her school and also in the Australian Girls Choir. She landed her first lead role in a musical at age 6 starring as Henny Penny in the year 1 & 2 production of The Sky is Falling, where she was seen pulling actors into their correct spots and mouthing everyone's lines. Nothing much has changed... You may have seen Danielle recently, since returning to theatre after havinga child, in Northern Lights Les Misérables playing a crazy lady of the night who quite partial to a porcelan doll, asleep throughout G&S's Into the Woods as Sleeping Beauty, or in Northern Lights Catch Me If You Can in the Ensemble. You will next be able to see her belting out some pop bangers as a Diva in G&S's Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in September 2023.

Duncan has been working semi- professionally in theatre and performance since graduating high school in 2014. Soon after, he began his tertiary studies at the University of New England studying a Bachelor of Theatre and Performance. In 2018 he received a Diploma in Arts and in 2019 Duncan was accepted into the Bachelor of Music Theatre program through the Elder Conservatorium at The University of Adelaide, where he played the role of Moritz in the inaugural production of Spring Awakening in the same year.

In addition, he has performed for Little Fish Entertainment in Spring Awakening (2020), and Chicago (2018).

24-year-old Dylan Rufus has been part of the South Australian theatre community since 2011, assuming various roles onstage, offstage, and within production teams. Dylan’s onstage work has seen him in productions of Grease, West Side Story, Oklahoma, Jesus Christ Superstar, Sweeney Todd, and Spring Awakening, amongst other plays and pantomimes. Previous personal standout roles include Orin Scrivello D.D.S. in Little Shop of Horrors (2018, Adelaide Theatre Academy), Principal Gowan/Veronica’s Dad/Kurt’s Dad in Heathers (2019, Segue Productions), and John Hinkley, Jr. in Assassins (2019, Hills Musical Company). Lately, Dylan has been contributing to the musician side of musical theatre, playing guitar for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (2020/2021, Davine Productions) and Mamma Mia! (2021, Northern Light Theatre Company).

Outside of theatre, Dylan has recently completed his Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in English (University of Adelaide), as well as a Masters in Teaching (Secondary) (University of South Australia).

12 year old Emma Good has had a busy 2021 doing shows with Peter Combe at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Marion Cultural Centre and Capri Theatre as well as various performances with the South Australian Public Primary Schools (SAPPS) Choir. She is excited to be playing Maddison in School of Rock with Pelican Productions in August and Gertie Blossom in Dr Dolittle Jr with Adelaide Theatre Academy in October.

Jaxon is an avid 19 year old musical theatre performer and fan in Adelaide. Since he began performing regularly in 2017, Jaxon has explored various outlets of Adelaide theatre, performing in major shows, original musicals, and even his own cabaret. Jaxon’s love of Music Theatre has only grown since finding his niche, a challenge for him as a performer on the spectrum. Some notable roles include Captain Hook in Adelaide Theatre Academy’s Peter Pan (2020), Grantaire and Courfreyac in two productions of Les Misérables; the first with Adelaide Youth Theatre (2021), the latter with Northern Light Theatre Company (2022), and Joe Pesci in Northern Light Theatre Company’s Jersey Boys (2022). Jaxon is also keen within the background of theatre as the youngest MD in the history of Scouts SA's Performing Arts Branch for Adelaide Gang Show, where he initiated the return of a full youth band. Jaxon is also a keen Theatre Technician, working casually in a northern adelaide theatre. Jaxon is currently studying the Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium, with an aim to finish at the end of 2025.

Most recently, Jaxon performed in the Fringe-award winning Show Fountain Lakes: A Very Foxy Parody Musical, where he played the role of Kel Knight.

Jemma is chuffed that Broadway Sessions is finally back!! She is here for a good time and can't wait to jam with the band and see all of her lovely theatre friends again!! Yay!!!

Since the tender age of 7, Justine has known the stage has been for her. Justine has had several years of singing tuition from Katrina Caton of Action Voice and from Jennifer McDonald from the Jennifer McDonald School of Singing. She has also had the pleasure of performing with groups such as the Mighty Good Talent School and Theatrebugs, Pelican Productions, The Southern Youth Theatre Ensemble and most currently SA Light Opera. Her favorite (and only roles to date) have been Azuri in The Desert Song, Lady Saphir in Patience as well as an emergency understudy in SA Light Opera's 2019 season of Princess Ida as Sacharissa. However most recently Justine has had fun stretching herself by making her directing debut with a show she also wrote called The Menagerie Of Madness with new company Phoenix Variety and Music Group as well as playing the mysterious cave-woman Chorn in aforementioned PVMG's 80% sold out season of StarKid's Firebringer.  And last year in 2023 Justine completed one of her lifelong musical dreams by directing Little Shop of Horrors for Marie Clark Musical Theatre.
Justine has always welcomed new experiences and performing in Broadway Sessions is something that she has always enjoys doing; she would also like to thank all the people that have helped her make her dream a reality and she looks forward to performing for many more years yet to come.

Justine would finally like to add she is thrilled that she will be directing again for Phoenix Variety and Music Group 1st show of 2024 in August this being Agatha Christie's famed murder mystery And Then There Were None. She hopes you'll come and check it out!

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.

Kristin is a music teacher, musician, and performer based in the Adelaide Hills. Favourite musical theatre roles include: Ms Gardner/Female Authority Voice (Carrie The Musical - Hills Musical Company 2023); 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 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.

Maya’s love of musical theatre began at an early age, with her journey in performance beginning with Pelican Productions. Since then, Maya’s theatre credits include The Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s Thoroughly Modern Millie (2016) and Les Misérables (2017), Lydian Productions and Irregular Productions’ Godspell (2018) as the ‘By My Side’ soloist, Marie Clark Musical Theatre’s Anything Goes (2019) as Hope Harcourt, Segue Productions’ Heathers (2019) as Heather McNamara, and most recently Davine Productions' Beautiful: The Carole King Musical as Cynthia Weil (2020). Maya is a primary school Dance/Drama teacher, and she finds so much joy in being able to share her love of musical theatre with her students.

Since diving into his passion for drama and musical theatre in high school, Nick hasn't stopped! He's performed in a number of plays and through he enjoys traditional theatre, his heart rests with singing. He will never forget his first musical Legally Blonde and has since performed twice at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. He never lets his studies get in the way of strengthening his skills and he enjoys pushing his limits. His 2019 highlights include a radio play of It's a Wonderful Life with Wings2Fly Theatre where he performed several roles, and Heathers The Musical with Segue Productions in the ensemble role of Preppy Stud.

Paige is 19 years old. She has performed in many musical theatre productions with Adelaide Youth Theatre over many years, most recently performing in the role of Audrey with Adelaide Theatre Academy's production of Little Shop of Horrors. Paige has also travelled overseas with the Australian Youth Performing Arts team, performing in Hong Kong, USA, London and Paris. She has been undertaking vocal tuition with Kirsty Roberts and Amelie Peters over the past 6 years. Recently graduating Year 12 in 2017 Paige travelled to the USA in 2018 to work at Summer Camp and is now back returning to pursue her love of singing and performing.

Robyn has been performing and teaching for over 20 years in various guises. After completing her Bachelor of Music, the stage wooed her and she has since performed with the Hills Musical Company, Northern Light Theatre and Matt Byrne Media. Her favourite performances have included; Rita in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with Matt Byrne Media; Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers and Vera in Stepping Out, for the Hills Musical Company; Sukie in The Witches of Eastwick and Kathy in Singing in the Rain with Northern Light theatre company. Robyn also won the Best Female Performance for her role as Dusty in Northern Light Theatre's Dusty: The Original Pop Diva.

Over the past three years, she has been the lead vocalist for the 60’s band, The Highlights, performed in the 60s Down Under matinee series, and worked as a backing vocalist for the 2017 Adelaide Fringe show, A Tribute to George Harrison. With a background in jazz music, she was also given the opportunity to sing with the Lindy Hip Big Band for two years, and features on their CD.

Robyn has just performed in Northern Light Theatre's season of Mamma Mia, playing the lead role of Donna.

Ruby’s passion for musical theatre began at a young age, receiving voice and acting training from industry professionals. Ruby is currently directing Urinetown with Hills Musical Company. Recently, Ruby played Sue in Carrie the Musical with Hills Musical Company, and Rose in Dogfight with St Jude’s Players. She also played Nicola in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society's production of Kinky Boots and was the ‘Turn Back, O Man’ soloist in Godspell, produced by Irregular Productions and Lydian Productions. She  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!

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.

As a child, you could always find BJ screaming into his SingStar microphone and dancing to High School Musical. These habits evolved into BJ's love for singing and dancing.

BJ Has been floating around the Adelaide Theatre scene for a short while now, but in his short career he has had the opportunity to participate in several shows and portray a variety of characters such as Angry Man #1, Rich Man, And Scared Man #2 in Jekyll and Hyde, Male Ensemble Member in Hello Dolly!, Reverend Henry T Dobson in Anything Goes, and Prince Dauntless the Drab in Once Upon A Mattress.

In 2021 BJ completed his Bachelors of Music Education and Pedagogy at the Adelaide Conservatorium, and is currently putting his skills to use as Assistant Music Director for Marie Clarke Music Theatres upcoming show I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. 

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.