June Session: More Keys, Please!

Alison has adored musical theatre ever since her gran took her to see Julie Andrews twirl on a Swiss mountain in The Sound of Music as a very young girl.

She has performed in musicals such as Salad Days and The Boyfriend with companies including the Northern Light Theatre Company.

More recently Alison renewed her love of performing through cabaret. She wrote and performed several solo cabaret shows Musical Skeletons in My Closet, Loveaholic a light-hearted look at her love life and most recently a show called Sixty Sassy and Celebrating. Her shows were self-penned and autobiographical and were accompanied by popular music and gems from musical theatre.

Alison is thrilled to be able to perform for you along with other lovers of musical theatre at Broadway Sessions.

Amelie Peters is an award winning, classically trained vocalist, international performer, songwriter and BAST accredited vocal coach.

Amelie holds a Bachelor of Music in Classical Voice (Performance and Pedagogy) from the Elder Conservatorium of Adelaide. Her professional performance work includes Carmen (2019) and Carmina Burana (2020) with the State Opera of South Australia as well as successful tours in Australia and the US, where Amelie was invited to sing at the Soho Playhouse in New York City. Her credits as a vocal director for youth theatre include High School Musical 2 (2016), Hairspray the Musical (2018) and Mary Poppins the Musical (2019.) Amelie has also produced and performed original music in Cabernet the Cabaret (2019) and Cabernet Refined (2020) at the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

While she specialises in classical voice, Amelie also has a strong background in musical theatre, jazz and contemporary music. She has worked with renowned opera singers, musical theatre composers and Broadway stars from around the world.

Amelie’s ability to inspire, guide and nurture talent has led to consistently outstanding results for her private students and vocal ensembles, making Amelie one of the most sought after young vocal coaches in Adelaide.

Arianne studied a Bachelor of Music (Music Theatre) at the Australian Institute of Music in Melbourne. Recently she performed her original show Confessions of a Crazy Cat Lady at the Adelaide Fringe and Madness, Mayhem and Mischief at Club Voltaire. Arianne has performed twice at Chapel Off Chapel with the Cabaret Showcases and was part of Be You Inc.'s inaugural Maybe This Time. She has performed at various events including the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, the Twenty20 Big Bash and was part of the State Opera of South Australia's Winter School and their production of Boojum. When Arianne isn't singing or tap dancing, she can be found annoying her cats or learning another new instrument.

Bethany trained in musical theatre at Associated Studios London in 2020, Gertrude Opera (now Australian Contemporary Opera Co.) and the Elder Conservatorium of Music in classical voice performance. She was a guest artist for Cunard Cruise Line on the Queen Elizabeth World Voyage. Her opera credits include Suor Angelica (Cordelia's Potted Opera), La Voix Humaine (BK Opera) and La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi (Co-Opera). In 2022, Bethany performed her comedy cabaret, Broadway Baby, at both the Adelaide Fringe and Adelaide Cabaret Fringe. She has now debuted her cabaret, JUDY & LIZA, and featured her favourite Liza Minnelli numbers at CabLive and with Dr. Trevor Jones at the Piano Bar for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

Billy is new(ish) to Adelaide, having recently returned to Australia from over a decade in Zimbabwe where he worked as a music teacher. Through his music teaching career, Billy has found great pleasure and satisfaction in music directing and playing keyboard for several high school musical productions. To challenge himself, Billy bravely took to the musical theatre stage and auditioned for his first show last year. Earlier this year, he played Enjolras in the Northern Light production of Les Misérables, having previously been in the ensembles Legally Blonde (The Met 2021) and Evita (G&S 2021). Being on stage is a new and thrilling experience he relishes, but as an enthusiastic pianist and conductor, he is also keen to spread his wings as musical director and looks forward to the opportunity to be assistant MD in the upcoming G&S production of Into The Woods.

Cais is a musician, Scout Leader, swimming teacher and audio-visual technician who has been involved in the creative arts for many years. In 2023, Cais was the Musical Director for Big Fish by Tatachilla Lutheran College at the start of May 2023, which has been their absolute favourite show to have done to date. Cais was studying a Bachelor of Music, however has recently swapped into a Cert IV in Live Production and Technical Services (Tech/Stage Management) at TAFE SA, and will pursue theatre fulltime. They are the Stage Manager for Trail's End for Adelaide Fringe 2024, and And Then There Were None for Phoenix Music and Variety Group in 2024. In 2023, they were also the Lighting Operator for Finding Nemo Jr for Adelaide Youth Theatre, as well as the Graduation Dance Show for TAFE SA's third year Bachelor of Creative Arts - Dance Students.

Some of Cais' other theatre credits include playing violin for Marie Clark's seasons of The Producers, and violin/clarinet for SALO's The Gondoliers. They also worked backstage/mic tech for Now Productions Oliver Jr (2021) and The Addams Family (2023), played in the pit for Comedy Capers Gang Show, clarinet in My Fair Lady and violin in the Australian Premiere of Betty Blue Eyes. Cais was also the Musical Director for Scouts Shouts Youth Theatre 2021-2022 and worked backstage with Comedy Capers Gang Show in 2023, alongside other festivals and events and shows. Cais' favourite festival to have worked for was the Illuminate Adelaide Festival in 2023.

Overall, Cais loves working and studying as an audio-visual technician, with Lighting being their favourite department. Cais is also a volunteer crew member for the South Australian State Emergency Service (The ones in orange!).

Claire is proud to have been a part of Adelaide's musical theatre and cabaret scene for almost 20 years. She's had the chance to play some fantastic roles in shows such as Kiss Me, Kate, The Sound of Music, [title of show], The Wedding Singer, and Homemade Fusion. Over the years Claire has been a part of a number of Adelaide Fringe and Cabaret Fringe festival shows, and has also tapped into the local theatre scene in London and Rotterdam during her time living overseas.

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.

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.

Eilish Webb is an emerging Australian classical soprano and actress who is currently studying their Bachelor of Music Performance (Classical Voice) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Eilish has a passion for classical musical theatre, operetta and pantomime. They love to perform in a diverse range of roles. Eilish has performed in lead roles such as: Sarah Brown (Guys and Dolls), Wendy Darling (Peter Pan), Little Red Riding Hood (Into the Woods), and Miss Hannigan (Annie) to name a few. They made their directorial debut in 2019 when they directed and stage-managed their own production of The Pajama Game. Alongside their theatrical performing, Eilish maintains their experience for their other passion makeup artistry. They completed their Diploma in Screen and Media Makeup in 2020. Upon completion of their Bachelor, they would love to build their career as a performer and perform in classical or Golden Age musicals and operas in London and New York.

Gus has been performing theatre in Adelaide with several companies continually since 2003, but did his first show in 2001. That one took him two years to recover !!! During these crazy current Covid times we have been so fortunate to have Broadway Sessions for both performers & audience alike. Whilst he loves performing onstage, cabaret performance is not as common for him so performing at Broadway Sessions will be an enjoyable experience...hopefully for everyone 😉

Jen has been in a few theatre shows, her last gig in the ensemble of Dusty the Musical. Her fave music is soul, funk and jazz. Jen is usually an active audience appreciation member at Broadway Sessions but occasionally gets up in front of the mic!

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.

Melanie Cowmeadow made her musical theatre debut as ‘Mrs Teavee’ in AYT’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2021. Since then she has played her first leading role as ‘Ariel’ in Northern Light Theatre Company’s The Little Mermaid and most recently appeared on the 11th Season of The Voice Australia where she made it to the top 24.

Tasmin McGill grew up in Townsville QLD, where she developed her love of musical theatre at a young age thanks to her Grandma. Over the past 10 years she has performed in The Sound of Music (2013), Pirates of Penzance (2014), Mary Poppins (2015), Annie (2016), Grease (2017) and Wicked (2017) with the Townsville Choral Society. Oliver (2015) and backstage for Rock of Ages (2016) with North Queensland Opera and Musical Theatre company. The Barber of Seville (2016) with Queensland Opera and Widow Grumble in Cinderella (2015) in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music.

In 2018, Tasmin moved to Adelaide for work and has found her Adelaide Musical Theatre family after recently playing Cosette in Les Misérables (2022) with Northern Light Theatre Company.

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.

In a past life, Daniel Brunner worked with Northern Light Theatre Company and the G&S Society as an accompanist, pit musician, and one-time musical director. He also accompanied cabarets, arranged and performed a suite of big (well, pretty big) band tunes with Mark Oates, and played keys in a band called Frogdog And The Mushroom Detectives - go figure ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Nowadays he's a tech lead and software engineer at PlayHQ, an all-in-one sports administration platform for community level sport. He does not know how to kick a footy, but nobody has found out so far so shhh.

Recently while working on an arcane piece of code at midnight on Friday 13th, he accidentally summoned his former musical self, and now he's back, baby! Bigger and better than ever! Hopefully no worse than ever!