September Session: Performer’s Choice

Abi has been dancing since she was two but her first taste of musical theatre was in 2017 with NLTC in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Abi has been a regular in Adelaide's youth theatre scene with various roles including Fiona in Xavier Secondary College's Shrek, Ariel in The Parks Youth Theatre production of Little Mermaid Jr and most recently Anna in Pelican Youth Theatre's production of Frozen Jr She is currently studying at a part-time dance program while completing secondary school and hopes to pursue a career in performing arts.

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.

A former Theatre Bugs kid, Eloise is thrilled to return to Broadway Sessions. Eloise's recent foray in Adelaide theatre includes shows with Northern Light Theatre Company in Catch Me if You Can (2023), Les Misérables (2022), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2018) and Annie (2017). Eloise has vocal experience within the Va Utopia Liturgical Ensemble, Musical Moments (Promise Adelaide) and of course, on long drives to work. Offstage, Eloise works in politics.

Originally from Auckland, NZ, Heim got involved with the local arts, music and theatre scene as a teenager. There he learned how to play musical instruments, sing RnB, scratch vinyl, and do a bit of acting. He enjoys all genres. Some of his favourite artists include Prince, Bob Marley, and RATM. His favourite actor is Shemar Moore. His favourite musical is West Side Story. Heim received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland before heading overseas to work, perform and travel, finally ending up in Adelaide. Other interests include Surfing, Rugby, the Gym, and the Financial Market.

Imogen is 14 years old, and her love of singing has led her to the theatre. Imogen’s first amateur production was with Northern Light Theatre Company’s Seussical in 2018. Imogen danced for three years with TK Studios and participated in musical theatre classes with Adelaide Theatre Academy for 8 years. Currently, she continues to have private vocal coaching, dance lessons at Ratbag Productions and pre-professional acting lessons at Actor’s Ink. In 2020, Imogen was cast in her first lead role for Seussical Jnr as Mayzie La Bird in her third show with Shane Davison Presents. Since then, Imogen has received roles such as Scar in The Lion King Jnr, The Witch in Into the Woods Jnr, Margot in Legally Blonde Jnr and Queen Iduna in the South Australian Premiere of Frozen Jnr.

Imogen is currently in Year 9 at Gleeson College. Her strong singing vocals have provided her with numerous opportunities to share her talents at school in solo, choir, and band performances. Imogen performed in Gleeson's 2021 school musical Popstars: The 90's Musical in a few minor roles. Imogen will also be playing Mike Teavee in Gleeson’s 2023 production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory later this year. Imogen is beyond excited to share her talents and perform with energy and passion here at Broadway Sessions.

Jamie studied at the Elder Conservatorium of Music from 2007-2009 under Robert Dawe & Ros Martin. In 2009 they left university to work for Co-Opera & for 8 years were involved in Co-Opera’s major national & international tours including an appearance at the Maifestpeile in Wiesbaden, Germany.

In 2010 Jamie began in the chorus of the State Opera of South Australia. In 2019 they made their principal debut with SOSA in the role of The Mad Hatter in Boojum!.

In 2013 Jamie began work with The Australian Voices, performing in the premières of Gordon Hamilton’s choral symphonies, as one of 6 guests of invitation in the ‘La Voix Du Sud’ festival in Noumea, New Caledonia; the New York Off Broadway première of the choral theatre work Boombox; & the national tour of the choral theatre work MOON. In 2020 they were commissioned by The Australian Voices as a composer for the Far and Near project, creating the work The Hour and the Clime.

In 2017 Jamie founded Elephant in the Room productions with notable productions including Bizet’s Carmen, Midnight Sun, and the recent sell-out season of Into The Woods in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens in which they played the Baker.

Jamie also works as a freelance singing instructor, a conductor for choirs, a cabaret artist, a regular in the Adelaide Fringe Festival, & as a freelance singer for corporate & private entertainment. In 2020 Jamie was in the Adelaide Festival’s production of Romeo Castellucci’s staging of Mozart’s Requiem.

Jay has been performing since childhood, on stage in musical theatre and as a solo artist. He has performed in Grease, played the lead in Marie Clark’s The Music Man, the ‘club owner’ in The Met's production of Miss Saigon, “Professor Callahan” in Met's Legally Blonde, “Ian” in HMC’s High Fidelity, and is playing Shrek in the upcoming HMC production of Shrek.

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!!!

Jethro has been in and around theatre for over 25 years. He is a passionate High School Drama teacher and training to become a certified Fight Director. Recently, he has Directed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare abridged with the Stirling Players.

Kristian is 19 years old and has worked in various feature films, commercials and television shows. He’s been involved in acting since 2009, graduating in 2019 from the SA Casting (Ann Peters) three-year course. Kristian has performed in various theatre roles including, Seymour- Little Shop of Horrors (2018 Fringe), Horton- Seussical (2020), Bud Frump- How To Succeed (2020), Kenickie- Grease (2020), Javert- Les Misérables (2021) and Leo Bloom- The Producers (2021). He’s also Assistant Directed two shows in 2019, Barnum! (Fringe) and Into the Woods. Kristian currently studies singing with David Gauci but has been taking lessons since 2009 with various teachers.

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.

Lily has moved to the great Festival State from Melbourne, to study the Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. In April this year, she will be performing as Jo March in ECMT's production of Little Women (dir. Erin James). Previous ECMT credits include Fairy Godmother/Ensemble in Shrek the Musical (dir. Erin James) and Songs and Scenes: Magic, Myths and Monsters (dir. Joseph Simons). Prior to her move, Lily completed a Diploma of Musical Theatre at APO Arts Academy in Melbourne, graduating with the 2019 Achievement Award and the 2018 Showmanship Award. Lily is very excited to be joining this month's Broadway Sessions line-up!

Lucas Sly is a young musician, songwriter and educator from Adelaide. Primarily a guitarist, Lucas took the plunge in to musical theatre by performing in the 2018 production of If/Then by Segue Productions as an ensemble cast member. Since the production Lucas has started his own band Diamond Skies and has performed in other local Adelaide bands Lost Woods and Hey Harriett. Lucas is a seasoned performer on many Adelaide stages, but the thought of the microphone without a guitar around his shoulders is a daunting one. Please be kind as Lucas introduces himself to the Broadway Sessions stage.

Michael is a stalwart performer who has worked in film & theatre across Australia. He is also an avid crooner, with his cabaret show The Rad Pack performed alongside a great local cast who pay homage to the great crooners Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & more from the Rat Pack era. Michael’s favourite musical role was as Gomez in Matt Byrne Media’s premiere of The Addams Family Musical & very much looking forward to performing in Northern Light Theatre Company’s premiere of Jersey Boys, as Bob Gaudio.

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!

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.

This is Sam's first time singing solo at Broadway Sessions, after performing promos for Jersey Boys and The Producers over the last couple of years. Sam most recently performed as Nick Massi in Jersey Boys with NLTC last year, as well as Max Bialystock in The Producers with MCMT. Other roles include: Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar, Papa Ogre/Papa Bear (Shrek The Musical), The Witch’s Father (Wicked), Sketch (Hairspray), Newcomer & Ricky (Avenue Q), Skip Snip (Little Shop of Horrors) and Lou Adler (FlowerChildren).

Ensemble roles include: Legally Blonde the Musical, Monty Python's Spamalot, Les Misérables and a variety of Gilbert & Sullivan productions such as Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore. Recently Sam has enjoyed being “behind the curtain”, providing video and projections for Catch Me If You Can earlier this year, and the upcoming Singin' In The Rain for NLTC, as well as stage managing a number of youth theatre shows directed by his wife Michelle.

Sarah graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre. Whilst studying at QCGU, Sarah performed as Maureen in RENT, Doatsy Mae in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Martha in The Secret Garden. In her final year, Sarah had the opportunity to perform in the ensemble of Opera Queensland’s Kiss Me, Kate!. Since graduating Sarah has played Bebe Benzenheimer in the QLD Coastal Tour of A Chorus Line, Nadia in Understudy Production's Bare, Tweedle Dee in the national tour of Alice in Wonderland LIVE, and performed to numerous schools across the nation with Meerkat Productions. Since moving to Adelaide, Sarah has appeared as Marcy in Dogfight (St Jude’s Players) Princess Fiona in Shrek (HMC), Ensemble in Kiss me, Kate! (HMC) and most recently appeared as Chris Hargensen in Carrie (HMC).

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.

Sean Weatherly graduated from the Flinders University Drama Centre in 2002 with Honours. He has performed at several Adelaide Cabaret Festival's in Sing Your Own Musical with Michael Morley. In Melbourne he performed alongside Eddie Perfect and Matthew Robinson in Magnormos' first ever production of Stephen Sondheim's Saturday Night. Sean produced Tomfoolery for the Adelaide Fringe in 2008 performing with Catherine Campbell and Hew Parham to sell out shows. He is also the composer and co-lyricist for the world's first post-covid musical Price Check - The Supermarket Musical which had a 2 week season at the Bakehouse Theatre in 2016. Price Check - The Supermarket Musical was published last year and is currently available for hire for schools and theatre groups through David Spicer Productions. Sean also performs regularly as Noodles The Clown entertaining kids with magic shows and crazy balloon designs.

Sean’s first experience with musical theatre was performing in Woodcroft College’s production of Seussical at age 10 (2010). From there, Sean continued to participate in many more productions such as; Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2011, Woodcroft College), All Shook Up (2012, Woodcroft College), and The Addams Family (2014, Woodcroft College).

Sean’s first named ensemble role was Fender in Hairspray (2015, Woodcroft College). Sean would also go on to play Carlos in Legally Blonde (2016, Woodcroft College), and Graffiti Pete in In The Heights (2017, Woodcroft College).

Sean achieved his first solo roll as Roger in Grease (2017, The Parks Theatre). This continued as he played Willard in Footloose (2017, The Parks Theatre) and Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (2018, Woodcroft College).

Recently, Sean has performed as Rock/Metal Star Wannabe in Heathers (2019, Segue Productions) as well as Robert Oppenheimer in Atomic (2020, Platform Academy and Productions), Mohawk Guy in High Fidelity (2021, The Hills Musical Company), Ensemble in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2022, The Hills Musical Company) and Fector in Dogfight (2022, St Judes Players).

Donkey in Shrek the Musical will be Sean’s first leading role in a non-youth theatre production.

Sophie is a recent graduate of a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) at the Victorian College of the Arts. Before moving to Melbourne, Sophie was heavily involved in the Adelaide theatre scene. She began dancing at the age of 6 which naturally progressed to discovering the allure of music theatre. She has been involved in a variety of cabarets, competitions and musicals including Rent (MCMT), The Little Mermaid as Ariel (AYT), Beauty and the Beast as Belle/Babette (AYT) and The Wizard of Oz as Dorothy (AYT and Gleeson College).

Tegan has appeared in amateur and professional shows since the age of nine, her favourite roles include Lois/Bianca in Kiss Me Kate (MCMT- 2006 and Co Opera SA - 2007), Ariel in Footloose (Matt Byrne Media – 2006), Lucy T Slut in Avenue Q (Matt Byrne Media – 2011), Rizzo in Grease (The Met – 2013), Calamity Jane in Calamity Jane (MCMT- 2014), Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Hills Musical Company – 2014) and Julia in The Wedding Singer (MCMT- 2015).

For five years Tegan worked at the Night Train as a lead performer in their Adult, Kids and touring show, The Rockaholics, and has been the lead singer for Adelaide corporate and Party Band Jungle Jooce for the past 16 years. She also co-wrote, choreographed and performed in the sold out season of Villain-Ville: A Musical Exploration of Villainy and Evil in the 2015 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

More recently Tegan played Princess Fiona in AYT's Shrek, Tracy Samantha Lord in the METs High Society, Mayzie La Bird in NLTC’s Seussical in 2018 and Eva Peron in G&S' production of Evita in 2021. In April this year, Tegan will be playing Holly in Northern Light Theatre CO’s production of The Wedding Singer.

Van has been performing for family and small community events on and off since the age of four, and enjoyed participating in amateur musical theatre and dancing performances throughout high school and university. She joined her church youth group choir when she was six, and has been its director/co-director since 2014.

Originally from the US, Zarek finds himself in Australia via his New Zealand citizenship. He is currently in his final year of the Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, where he was recently in Les Misérables (dir. Erin James). Other ECMT projects include the Australian debut of In Pieces: A New Musical (dir. George Torbay), Urinetown (dir. George Torbay), Songs for a New World (dir. Mitre Khammash) and Prison Blues (dir. George Torbay). Zarek was also a member of the onstage choir for Chess: The Musical (StoreyBoard Entertainment, dir. Tyran Parke) for the Adelaide leg of its 2021 Australian tour, Antithesis at Adelaide Fringe (ECMTA) and Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company 2017, dir. Timothy Walker) at Shakespeare’s Globe, London.

You can see Zarek in his graduating musical Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Scott Theatre, University of Adelaide, Sept 29 - Oct 2, directed by Broadway's Nikki Snelson.

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.