April Session: Performer’s Choice

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.

Amelia is currently in her 2nd studying Acting at AC Arts, despite already completing a bachelor of Classical Voice at the Elder Conservatorium. She just can’t get enough! She has been a soprano scholar at Christ Church North Adelaide for the last 10 years and recently performed in the 2022 Adelaide Festival as a chorus member in Watershed.

Born and raised in Adelaide, Angélique made her professional debut in La Bohème (State Opera South Australia, dir. Gale Edwards) at the age of 10. Continuing in the world of opera, she also featured in Ode To Nonsense (Slingsby Productions, dir. Andy Packer). She is currently rehearsing to play Johanna in ECMT’s upcoming production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with direction by James Millar. Most recently, she played the role of Claire De Loone in On The Town: in Concert with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra (ECMT, dir. Erin James), Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (ECMT, dir. Joseph Simons), was a Featured Artist in Death, Divorce, and other Happy Endings (ECMT, dir. George Torbay) and a Chorister in Chess: The Musical (StoreyBoard Entertainment, dir. Tyran Parke).

She will be in the Graduating Class of 2023 at ECMT and then hopes to continue her career in Music Theatre.

Bennett is a passionate performer who has had a love for singing since as long as they can remember, they started taking singing lessons at age eight and their love only grew from there. They started acting/singing/dancing lessons at Theatre Bugs at age ten and began to fall in love with musical theatre from there. With an extensive resume, Bennett has performed in many shows such as The Little Mermaid Jr (Pelican Productions), Peter Pan (Adelaide Theatre Academy), Moana Jr (Adelaide Theatre Academy), Beauty And The Beast Jr (Adelaide Youth Theatre), Mary Poppins (Adelaide Theatre Academy), 13: The Musical (Adelaide Youth Theatre), Chicago: High School Edition (Pelican Productions) and earned their first title role in the recent production of Dr Dolittle Jr (Adelaide Theatre Academy) to name a few.

Bennett has also performed in many cabarets, the 2020 Junior Theatre Festival and was chosen from there to be part of OzTheatrics’ pilot program for Finding Nemo Kids and also recently got selected to travel with OzTheatrics to America for their 2023 Aussie All-Stars group. Bennett one day hopes to perform professionally all over the world and to inspire other young performers to work hard and follow their dreams.

Callum is a performer born and raised in Sydney. In 2019, Callum studied a Diploma of Musical Theatre at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). While studying in Adelaide Callum has performed in the choir for Chess: The Musical (StoreyBoard Entertainment, dir. Tyran Parke) and as Caldwell B. Cladwell in Urinetown: The Musical (ECMT, dir. George Torbay). Other ECMT projects include In Pieces (ECMT, dir. George Torbay), Prison Blues (ECMT, dir. George Torbay) and Songs for a New World (ECMT, dir. Mitre Khammash).

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!

Chad has been on the boards since 2000 when he appeared in the choir for a production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. From there it has never stopped with such highlights as Lord Farquadd in Shrek the musical, Grantaire in Northern Light's acclaimed 2022 production of Les Misérables and three productions as Nicely Nicely in Guys and Dolls.

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!

Deon began performing at the age of 13 when he performed in Disney’s The Little Mermaid with the Adelaide Youth Theatre (AYT). He has since played many roles for AYT including Fiyero in Wicked, Roger in Grease, and Horton the Elephant in Seussical the Musical. Deon has also performed for other companies around Adelaide including as J. Pierrepont Finch in March Production’s How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Ensemble in The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of SA’s Kinky Boots, and as a Private Dempsey in Therry’s Hello Girls earlier in 2021. Deon is happy to have come full circle and be performing The Little Mermaid once again, as one of his dream roles, Prince Eric.

Enzo's love of singing started at age 13 after taking voice lessons to prepare for an unexpected role as Horton the Elephant in Seussical the Musical Jr. He has since performed as Mufasa in The Lion King Jr, and Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid Jr.

Erin is currently in her final year of her university studies after graduating from Glenunga International High School in 2017. Throughout her school years, she was involved in numerous Musical Theatre productions - from The Wizard of Oz to The Little Mermaid. She has played the roles of Evillene (The Wicked Witch of the West) (The Wiz), Elphaba (Wicked), The Sour Kangaroo (Seussical The Musical), Rafiki (The Lion King), and Ursula (The Little Mermaid). She was also involved in the Young Adelaide Voices choir, and was a member of the Rising Star Academy whilst growing up in South Africa. Erin has been doing weekly singing lessons for the past couple of years, and is excited to see how her vocal and performance skills will continue to develop going forward. She has performed at a number of open mic nights in recent years and is looking forward to performing more often.

Georgie Raft is an accomplished singer/songwriter, having recently been accepted on scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music to study a Bachelor of Music (Songwriting). While Georgie predominately focusses on her songwriting now, she has had experience in the musical theatre world throughout middle/high school. Her roles include: Rosemary in How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (March Productions), Fantine in Les Misérables (Scotch College), Vivian in Legally Blonde (Scotch College) and Jenny Lind in Barnum (March Productions).

Kirsty grew up in Mount Gambier where they were involved in multiple community choirs and theatre productions, including Little Shop of Horrors as Chiffon and Rizzo in Grease. After moving to Adelaide they played Martha in Segue Productions Heathers in 2019 as well as being involved in choral groups. They took a few years off before returning to the stage again in 2022 with HMC’s Shrek, playing the all so loveable ‘Egg’.

Lucas discovered his love for theatre and the performing arts at the ripe old age of 21, when he began taking singing lessons and auditioned for several roles in plays with the Flinders University Performing Arts Club. Since then he has continued to hone his skills and undertake new performing challenges including joining an acapella club at Flinders University. He has performed once at Broadway Sessions in a duet, and is excited for his solo debut!

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.

Maggie, 12, attends Pulteney grammar school in year 7. She is a singer-songwriter with Cate Dyer at the studio and star factory. She has been in numerous theatrical productions with Adelaide youth theatre and more recently with Shane Davidson. Maggie is excited about her first Broadway Sessions and hopes you all enjoy her performance.

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.

Oscar, 17 years old, has been performing since he was 7. He's performed in over 25 musical theatre productions, including the London Palladium's national tour of The Sound of Music, as Kurt at 10. Oscar's most recent musicals include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as Wonka, Matilda as Miss Trunchbull and Mamma Mia as Sam. He also just performed as 'Jesus' in Jesus Christ Superstar with Pulteney Grammar School. Oscar sings at the Studio and Star Factory with Kirsty Roberts. Oscar has just been cast in the Australian national tour of Grease the Musical in the Ensemble and cover Roger, starting later this year. Oscar is looking forward to performing once more at Broadway Sessions.

Music has always been part of Ron’s life. As part of Novo Concertante Manila, an international award-winning chamber choir in the Philippines, Ron travelled to Europe and Asia performing a wide range of A Cappella music of various genres in competitions and concerts. Since moving to Adelaide in 2010, he found his passion for music theatre in both amateur and professional productions. Ron has done shows including Miss Saigon (MCMT 2011 & MMTC 2019), Bernstein Mass & Ennio Morriconne Live (ASO 2012), Forbidden Broadway (MCMT 2012), The Cross (ACTS 2013 & 2014), Chorus for Andrea Bocelli (ASO 2014), Rent (MCMT 2016), Godspell (IP & LP 2018).

Ron had a fabulous time with G&S' Kinky Boots in his first lead role as Lola in September 2019. Weeks after KB, Ron is covered up from head to toe as Sr Mary Amnesia in MBM’s production of Nunsense A-Men! Ron secretly wishes that like Hamilton, more shows and production outfits will now start to be inclusive and recognise talent over race and culture, to play roles not usually given to people of colour. In February 2016, Ron first took part in Broadway Sessions and is again thrilled to take part in this month's session.

Rosie’s passion for musical theatre grew from an early age. Her journey in performance began at the age of 10 when she placed in her school’s talent show singing This is Me (2017), thus inspiring a love of performing. This was strengthened further with several solo parts in school choir performances and she was invited to sing with her school’s Concert Band in the 2017 Arts Showcase. Today Rosie is a valued contributor to Vocal Ensemble and Concert Band groups with a singing range from Alto 2 to Soprano 2. She continues to be actively involved in performing.

Rosie landed her first lead role in a musical during her primary years, starring as one of the wise men in the Year 5 nativity production (2017). In Middle School Rosie has played a range of roles across multiple school musicals, including Mamma Mia (2022), Tommy from Matilda (2021), Wicked (2020) and We Will Rock You (2019). She will also be appearing in this year’s musical Chicago.

Additionally, Rosie has appeared in Brand New Day - Spotlight (Pelican Productions, 2020), performing songs from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, Disney's Zombies and The Adam’s Family, to name a few. She is looking forward to touring and performing in the US in December.

Shalee started performing at a young age and starred in numerous school plays. This ignited her love for theatre which eventually led to a professional career in the Philippines. She joined Repertory Philippines in 2010 for which she was cast in a number of productions such as Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and Camp Rock the Musical, among others. She was also a resident actor of 9 Works Theatrical. Her most recent performances were in Menken & Ahren's A Christmas Carol and American Idiot. She recently moved to Adelaide and hopes to continue sharing her passion for musical theatre.

Music has always been a large part of Simone Brock's life, singing from an early age and learning piano from the age of six, which she now teaches. Simone was a part of the Special Interest Music Program at Brighton Secondary School, where she had the experience of singing at Generations in Jazz with the school’s Concert Choir, and also had the wonderful opportunity to perform a duet with Kate Ceberano in year twelve. Simone is also involved with the Flinders University Performing Arts Society and the Flinders Acapella group. Simone has just completed her Bachelor of Arts/Master of Teaching (Secondary) degree at Flinders University and now teaches high school music and drama.

Tayla Alexander is a passionate 19 year old South African performer who is commencing her Music theatre dreams at the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide in 2022.

While at Redhill High School in Johannesburg, Tayla landed the lead roles of Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, as well as the supporting role of Rusty in Footloose.

She also took part in professional Cabaret productions, such as Love Stage, and was awarded with Trinity College of London’s Exhibition award for her Grade 8 Musical Theatre examination, as she achieved the highest mark in the country of 97% in 2019. She was awarded her South African Colours and was selected to represent South Africa at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles in 2018.

Her dream is to pursue a career in Music theatre and she is excited to explore her new home of Adelaide and the opportunities it may hold.

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.