February Session: You’re Menken Me Crazy

Aiden never considered getting into musical theatre, until two years ago when he performed Someone in a Tree, with his peers, and Giants In The Sky for an assessment. His curiosity about this medium lead to one of his tutors suggesting he audition for MT at the Elder Con. In 2019, he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing at UniSA. And in 2020, he was accepted into the Bachelor of Music Theatre program through the Elder Conservatorium at the University of Adelaide.

While at the Elder Conservatorium, he has appeared in Spring Awakening (dir. George Torbay), as Emcee in Cabaret (dir. Erin James) and ensemble in Mamma Mia! (dir. Zoe Komazec). He was also a semi-finalist for the Artist of Colour Initiative (found. Tarik Frimpong).

Amber Fibrosi is an Adelaide performer and musician who performs regularly in gigs. Over the years she has been involved in several performances, most recently performing as a pianist and back-up vocalist for Jennifer Trijo’s Adelaide Fringe Festival Cabaret show Someday. Amber has performed as a soloist for Trevor Jones Piano Bar in the Cabaret Festival. Amber also played Radio Voice, a Greasette and understudied Sandy in AYT's production of Grease. She played the role of ‘Wendy’ in Adelaide Theatre Academy’s Fringe show of Peter Pan , along with being a soloist in another fringe show Musical Moments. Amber has also been a featured ‘Defying Gravity’ soloist in the Catholic Schools Music Festival in 2019 and since graduating from school has been gaining further experience in the music industry. She enjoys writing her own music as an outlet of self expression. Amber is currently studying a Bachelor of Music Theatre at Adelaide University.

Ava is 16 years old and has been singing and acting since the age of seven. She has performed in over 25 musicals with various Adelaide theatre companies and in 2022 landed one of her favorite roles, Little Red, from Into The Woods with AYT. This year see's a big year for Ava being the 2023 recipient of the Clara Serena Memorial Scholarship. Ava currently takes vocal and acting lessons as well as dance classes. On top of this she also plays the piano and has tried her hand at the drums. She is literally an all rounder. Ava is currently studying for her Grade 7 AMEB Musical Theatre Exam which will take place early this year, and hopes to pursue a career in the musical theatre world as well teaching vocals to others.

Bronwyn recently returned from Paris training for two years at the Physical Theatre School of Jacques Lecoq. She recently performed in Chameleon (Frank Theatre), Madame Butterfly (State Opera of South Australia) and directed the world premier of Daphne (Co-Opera).

She devised and performed her Cabaret My Breasts and Me which was well received in the 2014-15 Adelaide Fringe. Other roles she has performed included Baroness Schrader in The Sound of Music (G&S Society), Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Cassie in The Effect (both for Adelaide University Theatre Guild). She is also a graduate of the Elder Conservatorium majoring in Jazz Voice.

Cassidy is an accomplished singer/songwriter, having split her time between Australia and the USA for the past 4 years. She released her debut EP in 2017 that shot to Number 1 on the iTunes country chart! Cassidy has also trained professionally at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney graduating with a Bachelor of Music (Music Theatre). While in Sydney she was fortunate enough to perform in many theatre productions, some of her favourites include Mary Lane/ Reefer Madness, Elle Woods/ Legally Blonde, Gabriella Montez/ High School Musical and Hermia/ A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most recently Cassidy appeared in her dream role of Sophie Sheridan in Mamma Mia! with the Met!

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.

Grace Carter is an upcoming musical theatre performer based in Adelaide. She is a high school graduate from the class of 2019, and throughout her time at school, she studied both music and drama. Her love of musical theatre began in year 12 while playing Nessarose in her school's production of Wicked. Her other experiences include playing the Rose Seller in Oliver! (St Aloysius College, 2017) and Rapunzel in Into the Woods (Elephant in the Room Productions, 2020).

Grace has, so far, had a busy 2021. She performed at the February session of Broadway Sessions: You're Menken me Crazy. Her most recent musical theatre role was as Peron's Mistress in the G&S Society of SA's highly reviewed production of Evita. Grace has just come off the success of her debut (and, regretfully, self produced) cabaret show NeverAfter - A Cautionary Tale of Marriage (as told by a child of divorce). She hopes to bring this show to the 2022 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

John is a graduate of the Bachelor of Musical Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium, and has previously completed a BA in Classical Voice at the University of Western Australia, the Certificate course at WAAPA in Musical Theatre, and the Music Theatre Intensive at the Stella Adler Studio NYC. John is also executive producer and co-founder of the theatrical collective EXEUNT (Pursued By A Bear) Productions which most recently performed Rodgers & Hammerstein's: A Grand Night for Singing at the Adelaide Fringe.

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: 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.

Liliana Franco is a graduate of the Elder Conservatorium's Bachelor of Music Theatre degree where she performed in Spring Awakening (2019), Cabaret (2021), and Mamma Mia! (2021). She recently performed in the Adelaide tour of Story Quest and is excited to continue pursuing her musical theatre career in Sydney.

Lisa has been involved with Adelaide theatre for a long time – over 10 years, having recently taken a break to grow a tiny human who is due in April this year. Whilst her day job involves delivering babies as a midwife, Lisa loves being part of the Adelaide theatre community in her "spare" time.

After a busy 2023, Maddy is excited to be back on stage performing at Broadway Sessions. She has performed with Pelican Productions in their annual musical theatre camps for the past five years where she has had some wonderful roles including Mal from Descendants. In 2021 she played the role of Summer in School of Rock (Pelican Productions) alongside her wonderful vocal coach and mentor, Mim Sarre. Maddy has more recently played the role of Matilda in her schools production of Matilda, the loveable seagull Scuttle in the The Little Mermaid Jr (Shane Davidson Presents) and was fortunate to be selected as a soloist in the Public Primary Schools Festival of Music in September, 2022.

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.

Nicholas has been an active member of the Adelaide theatre community for over a decade and has amassed a diverse catalogue of performances across a variety of media, ranging from opera to improvised comedy. Notable roles include Marius in Les Misérables, Major-General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance, George Grossmith in Tarantara! Tarantara!, Benny in RENT!, Jack in Into the Woods, and Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest.

In addition to theatre, Nicholas is also a current board member of the of the Festival Statesmen Chorus, a local award winning a capella association. With that group, he has enjoyed success in the Adelaide Fringe Festival as the writer and co-director of Tough Boys (2020) and Choir Boys (2019), with the latter receiving a Weekly Award. Other Adelaide Fringe appearances include five seasons of the popular improvised musical show Vicarious Cabaret with the troupe ‘Spoonerise This!’, of which he is a founding member.

Nicholas studied a diploma in classical voice at the Elder Conservatorium and was the recipient of the Clement Q Williams Prize while a student there. He also holds double degrees in Law and Science (Environmental Biology) from the University of Adelaide and by day works as a solicitor specialising in Environment and Planning Law.

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.

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.

Trevor hasn't been particularly active in the theatre community of late, having only performed in Pretty Boys in the 2017 Adelaide Fringe Festival since returning from interstate a few years ago. In the meantime, he has been busying himself with the Festival Statesmen Chorus, performing a variety of a cappella music. Highlights have included singing back-up for Adele, performing with Rob Mills and headlining the National Choral Festival in the past 12 months.

Trevor's theatre credits include Avenue Q (Matt Byrne Media), Curtains and Anything Goes (Therry), Orpheus in the Underworld and HMS Pinnafore (G&S SA), and Gypsy and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (MS Society). Trevor's most recent theatre engagement was working on Promise Adelaide's 2017 production of All Is Calm which will be his musical directing debut; where he is excited to be combining his love of musical theatre and acapella together.

Victoria is a musical theatre tragic whose experience in musical theatre largely extend to one fateful middle school musical where she sang Miley Cyrus’ late noughties hit, ‘Breakout’. With that being her peak, she is hoping to surpass it now over a decade later. Early experiences with school choir and singing opportunities fostered a love for the ol’ razzle dazzle, a love which was supplemented by a penchant for being the centre of attention and an adoration for the heavy exposition only musical theatre can provide. Being an alto in a soprano world (by SA’s Festival of Music standards, anyway) found her developing a niche playing male roles – or, at the very least, taking the male parts in duets in her best friend’s car.

By day, Victoria is a PhD student at the University of South Australia, but by night, she aspires to moonlight as an almost-in-tune, maybe-a-little-funny performer.

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.