About this Session
Woah! Where did the year go?! It’s November and we are providing the goods with another Performer’s Choice session to round out the year. Grab your friends, prep those tunes, and come down to Norwood Live to celebrate the wonderful performers and audience members who make up the Adelaide musical theatre community. We think you’re pretty great.
Session Setlist
Session Hosts
Casmira Lorien (she/her)
Casmira is an experienced performer and teacher with a great passion for storytelling. Highlights have included performing the role of ‘Violet’ in Davine Productions’ Violet (for which she won the TASA award for Best Female Performance 2017) and 'Fantine' in the G&S Society's production of Les Misérables (for which she was nominated for a Curtain Call: Best Female Performance 2018).
Other shows she has done include Edges, Steel Magnolias, Spamalot, Seussical, Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court, Assassins, Jesus Christ Superstar, Into the Woods, Sing on Through Tomorrow, and most recently she played Harper Pitt in Angels in America.
Casmira is most proud of writing, producing and performing her own Fringe show this year, Distopia (misspelling intentional), with her writing partner and collaborator David Salter.
Lindsay Prodea (he/him)
Lindsay has performed over the past decade in both musical theatre and cabaret, having enjoyed success in various genres: classical roles such as John Brooke in Little Women (The Musical) (Therry Dramatic Society 2013) and Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods (Northern Light Theatre Company 2012); to contemporary roles such as Abraham in the Adelaide premiere of Altar Boyz (Davine Interventionz 2013), Sonny Malone in Xanadu (The Musical) (Davine Interventionz 2014), George in The Drowsy Chaperone (Hills Musical Company 2013), Kyle the UPS Delivery guy in Legally Blonde (HMC 2014) and most recently Elliott Garfield in The Goodbye Girl (Therry 2015). Lindsay has also appeared in countless other shows, favourites including Urinetown, 42nd Street, Crazy for You & Les Misérables. Most recently he premiered in Adelaide the role of Fabrizio for Davine Interventionz's 2016 Adelaide Fringe Show, The Light In The Piazza.
Aside from musical theatre, Lindsay has a keen passion for cabaret, having written, co-produced and performed at numerous cabaret events over the years. Stepping out side his usual genre, Lindsay played the role of Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby (old sport), produced by Independent Theatre.
Mark Oates (he/him)
Mark is an award winning South Australian performer whose credits include the Adelaide and Brisbane Festivals, State Opera South Australia, SINGular Productions, Co Opera, Various People, Aerial Artists Australia, and MOatesArt Productions.
In 2022 Mark was nominated for an Adelaide Critic's Circle Award for his body of work. He premiered the dual roles of Ian Duncan and Don Dunstan in Neil Armfield's Ruby Award-winning Watershed: The Death Of Dr Duncan for the Adelaide Festival – while for State Opera South Australia he performed Lt Tom in Voss and Gastone in La Traviata, as well as embarking on a national tour of Love Burns, completing the first orchestration workshop of When The Rain Stops Falling and appearing in Bright Lights, Big Dreams.
Previous Adelaide Festival appearances are Mozart Requiem (2020), Bernstein Mass – featured Street Singer (2012) and Le Grande Macabre - Ruffiak (2010).
In State Opera of South Australia's 2023 season Mark will be appearing as the Defendant in Trial by Jury and in Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore, as well as hosting the Tra La La Bar for the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, with further exciting projects to be announced. In 2021, Mark appeared as Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd and Jack in Love Burns, and opened the year in Carousel. Further highlights with the company include Njegus in The Merry Widow, Arjuna in Satyagraha, John Styx in Orpheus in the Underworld, The Cantor in Maria de Buenos Aires (co production with Leigh Warren Dancers – Adelaide Festival Centre Playhouse and Brisbane Festival). Mark is a proud and long-standing State Opera South Australia artist, both as a chorister and a principal performer.
Well known and regarded on the concert stage, Mark also mentors Class of Cabaret for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, works extensively with Primary Schools Music Festival and regularly tours with Aerial Artists Australia in Le Aerial, including Perth Fringeworld, Adelaide Fringe, Auckland Fringe, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Arts Centre and Port Douglas. Mark is Associate Producer and regular host of Broadway Sessions, Adelaide's long running monthly music theatre focussed, curated open mic night.
Session Performers
Abi Sharp (she/her)
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.
Alyssa Roberts
Alyssa has grown up in the dance scene and decided to focus on singing once she returned from Patrick School of the Arts due to an injury. This is her second time performing at Broadway Sessions and she is so excited to spend the night celebrating our beautiful theatre community!
Ange-Bella (she/her)
Ange is an amateur performer who loves to express herself through music and dance. Although she has never performed in a musical, she had the opportunity to play the role of Motormouth Maybelle, a charismatic and influential R&B record producer, at the end of year Christmas concert in year 7. She also has some experience with playing the trombone, which she learned in high school as a way to keep herself busy and avoid loitering. Her musical inspiration is Ella Fitzgerald, the legendary jazz singer who is known for her pure tone, impeccable diction, and scat singing.
Annabelle Fleming (she/her)
Annabelle is 15 and is a emerging singer songwriter. She loves music theatre and has performed in many roles in both youth and professional productions and is an active member of her school's music department, and performs at ABODA and Generations In Jazz in the school's specialist choir and playing French Horn and Trombone. Annabelle is a two time Grand Champion of the Vocal Division at the Balaklava Eisteddfod, and also placed first this year in her age category for Music Theatre singing 'With You' from Ghost the Musical. She is also a two time Grand Champion of the Vocal Ensemble 2-3 Voices' Category singing with her brother William.
Ava Hughes
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.
Carolyn Crisp (she/her)
Carolyn has just finished her Bachelor of Music Theatre at Adelaide's own Elder Conservatorium and also hold a Diploma of Music Theatre from WAAPA. While at ECMT, Carolyn has performed as Lori in A Chorus Line, Ensemble in Sweeney Todd and On The Town, and as Mrs Ostrovsky in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. She was also Dance Captain on A Chorus Line and Spelling Bee and an Onstage Swing in Songs and Scenes: Death, Divorce and Other Happy Endings.
Catherine Campbell (she/they)
Catherine is an actor, singer, director and educator. Their credits include performances in Australia and New York in cabaret as well as nationally and internationally in musical theatre, opera, comedy, show bands, theatre, with Adelaide Chamber Singers and as an MC/host.
Cabaret includes: various Cabaret Festivals: solo show My Blue Angel (created & co-written with Frank Ford & toured to New York); trio Gentlemen Prefer Curves; Secret Love; various shows with visiting artists, including Jason Robert-Brown (Songs For A New World), Maltby & Shire (Take Flight), and Andrew Lippa. Other cabaret: Award-winning Berlin Cabaret (created the role of Greta); various solo shows including Baby! It’s Cabaret (at 9 months pregnant) and Around The World In 80 Bars. Music Theatre includes: The Witch in Sondheim’s Into The Woods (SA Premiere, Space Theatre); Mrs Mullins, Carousel (State Opera SA); Mimi Schwinn, A New Brain (Davine Productions). Opera: State Opera SA (chorus member since 1997; various minor principal roles); roles with Co*Opera and Various People.
Teaching: UniSA Performing Arts (SA’s only non-auditioned experiential performing arts course); Elder Conservatorium; Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts; lead vocal tutor in Adelaide Festival Centre’s OnStage Performing Arts program. Catherine once sang backing vocals for Split Enz and has never quite gotten over it.
Ellie McMahon (she/her)
Ellie Esdene McMahon is a Queensland-based performer who is currently studying a Bachelor of Musical Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide. She recently completed her Diploma of Musical theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Whilst training at WAAPA she played the role of the Drowsy Chaperone in their production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Ellie also achieved her Certificate III in dance in 2021 whilst studying at Launch Performing Arts Centre where she trained in Tap, Commercial Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Broadway Jazz, and Ballet, and was lucky enough to be trained by Mr Mark Wilson in various styles of ballroom throughout 2019.
In 2020, Ellie landed a lead Voice-Acting role in the upcoming game Project Haven produced by Code 351 Games and has since landed many more roles in games and audio dramas. Her other credits include Half-time Dancer for the AFL Grand Final (Nathan Mark Wright), Ensemble in Matt Ward Entertainment’s production of Fame, Sarah in Hellion: A Horror Anthology produced by Drive By Night productions, an extra in the Inbetweeners 2 produced by Film4 Productions and Bwark Productions, and an extra in Ticket to Paradise. Her amateur credits include Polly in Crazy For You (Michelle Hopper-Doyle), Mrs Lyons in Blood Brothers, Pam Short in Strictly Ballroom, Astrid Pollard in Spontaneous Human Combustion and Jane Banks in Mary Poppins. For her role in Spontaneous Human Combustion she won the Outstanding Actress Award presented by the Gold Coast Drama Festival.
Gracie Rowland (she/her)
Gracie has recently just graduated from Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Music Theatre and is so excited to be entering the industry! Gracies favourite role she’s recently played was Val Clark in ECMT’s graduating show A Chorus Line. This is Gracie’s last opportunity to perform in Broadway sessions before moving to Sydney.
Jessica Wolfendale (she/they)
Jess has been involved in Adelaide's theatre scene since 2015, from Guys and Dolls to The Addams Family, to (most recently) A New Brain with Davine Productions. Working as a Stage Manager and general backstage all-rounder, for companies such as Adelaide Festival Centre, State Opera, and Slingsby; they still love to perform – though it's mostly in the car on the way to and from work!
Josie Stanger-Jones (she/her)
Josie grew up in Dubbo in regional New South Wales where she danced at Dubbo Ballet Studio. After completing her Diploma of Music Theatre at WAAPA in 2020, she moved to Adelaide to study a Bachelor of Music Theatre at Elder Conservatorium, where she has just graduated. She most recently played the role of Judy in her graduating show A Chorus Line directed by Matthew Hyde. This is Josie’s final Broadway Sessions as she is moving to Sydney in less than a month!
Lara Wilson (she/her)
In 2021 Lara embarked on the Australian national tour of Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show (dir. Rose Myers) as a puppeteer for the role of Bingo. She then completed her Diploma of Musical Theatre in 2022 at the Queensland College of Dance. Earlier this year she was fortunate enough to perform in the United States tour of Bluey’s Big Play before joining the ECMT family for her first year at the Elder Conservatorium.
Lily Cotton (she/her)
Lily, aged 19 is a dedicated young performer, who’s passion for the stage is evident in her diverse array of roles, some including Alice Beineke in The Addams Family, the fearless Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, and Mrs. Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Lily's commitment to the theatre extends beyond the spotlight. With a keen interest in the behind-the-scenes magic, she has helped to work through the production process, from helping with hair and makeup, to stage management and directing!
Lily Walker (she/her)
Lily moved to the great Festival State from Melbourne, to study the Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Her ECMT credits include Jo March in ECMT's production of Little Women (dir. Erin James), 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!
Mat Monti (they/them)
Mat Monti is a proudly pansexual, non-binary artist with a passion for theatre and activism. With training in musical theatre, cabaret, comedy and jazz, Monti is a performer with a diverse skill set; having performed in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Fringe Festival, and was part of the Australian Premiere of Considering Matthew Shepard as part of Feast Festival in 2019. Monti took every opportunity thrown their way at the Elder Conservatorium, having played Chip Tolentino and U/S Mitch Mahoney in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Judge Pitkin in On The Town: In Concert and Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd.
Mia Ferraretto (she/her)
A highlight of Mia's performing journey would be attending Kristin Chenoweth's Broadway Bootcamp in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in 2023 and just recently in 2024. She worked with so many incredible mentors, some of which include Kristin Chenoweth, Erin Dilly, Kenny Ortega, Kevin Chamberlin, Christopher Sieber, Lara Teeter, and Elizabeth Teeter. Mia was also a part of the 2022 Class of Cabaret Program as a part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and is currently studying a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) at the Elder Conservatorium.
Noah Byrne
Noah Byrne is a tenor singer and composer who is currently undertaking music studies at Marryatville High School. From an early age Noah has had a love of music, making his opera debut at age twelve with the solo part of Frantik in Leoš Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen with State Opera SA for which he was also in the children’s chorus. Noah has been a regular vocal soloist at the South Australian Primary School Festival of Music, first performing a solo in 2018 and again in 2019 and was a guest artist in 2021 and 2022.
In March 2021, Noah took to the stage in the children’s chorus in the Adelaide Festival production of Neil Armfield’s adaptation of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Adelaide Festival Theatre, with the ASO and the following year performed in The Armed Man. He has been fortunate enough to travel to Tasmania to be a part of The Festival of Voices and to Mt Gambier for Generations in Jazz. He has just returned from The Junior Theatre Festival in Newcastle where he played Evan Goldman in 13 Jr, Davey in Newsies Jr and Hiccup in How to Train your Dragon Jr. He has performed in Les Misérables with AYT, Kristoff in Pelican’s Frozen Jr. and has recently been selected to participate in the 2024 Class of Cabaret.
Noah was previously a performer in Young Adelaide Voices Concert Choir and is currently the youngest performer in the Festival Statesman Chorus. His dedication to his studies has also rewarded him as winner of the Lobethal Harmony Club’s, Clara Serena Memorial Scholarship in 2022 and more recently is the 2023 June Genders Award recipient through the Male Metropolitan Choir of SA.
Sally Harrop (she/her)
After completing her Diploma of Musical Theatre at WAAPA, Sally is now studying a Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Most recently, she performed the role of The Tooth Fairy in ECMT's production of Shrek the Musical. Her other credits include Janet Van de Graaff in The Drowsy Chaperone (WAAPA, dir. Tyler Jacob Jones), a touring production of Seussical with SSA (Malthouse Theatre & Adelaide Fringe, dir. Robert Coates) and Guys and Dolls (National Theatre, dir. Robert Coates). Since moving to Adelaide, Sally has performed in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival as well as ECMTA's Musical Mania hosted by the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Sally is delighted to be performing at Broadway Sessions again!
Sophie Stokes
Sophie graduated from WAAPA in 2014 where she had the great opportunity and honour to work with such names as Tayna Mitford, Jason Langley, Lisa O'Dea and the head of Performing Arts at WAAPA Andrew Lewis. Throughout her time there she was featured in roles such as Sheila in Hair, Mae Colman in Reefer Madness and Consuela in West Side Story and had the privilege to perform with Hugh Jackman. After moving to Melbourne she took a contract as the lead vocalist on one of Royal Caribbeans newest ships – The Quantum of the Seas. She returns to Australia excited to continue pursuing her dreams of working in musical theatre.
William Heuzenroeder (he/him)
William has been performing in musical theatre productions since the age of nine. He has been Shrek, in Shrek Jr, Oliver Warbucks in Annie Jr, Scar in The Lion King Jr, and Prince Hans in Frozen Jr with Riverland Musical Society productions. He has appeared as Troy in High School Musical and Judas in Godspell with Loxton High School, where he is currently in Year 10. William studies voice with David Gauci through the Open Music Academy and is a keen performer within his Riverland community, singing at many local events, often with his guitar in hand. He couldn’t pick a favourite musical but would love any of the roles from Les Miserables. One of his highlights to date has been appearing as Elder Price in a local performance of Hello from Book of Mormon.
Session Band
Paul Sinkinson (Piano/Musical Director)
Paul specialises as a repertoire coach, accompanist and music director. He has worked as a pit musician, accompanist, choir leader and music director in musical theatre and cabaret shows throughout South Australia. He is currently a resident Music Director and Repertoire Coach for the Elder Conservatorium Bachelor of Music Theatre at the University of Adelaide. Paul is also the Choir Director for the ACH Group Sing for Joy Choirs, a social program for older people in the community.
Previous show credits include Music Director for ‘This Girl’ Cabaret - SA Regional Tour (Rachael Beck), Songs for a New World and Spring Awakening (ECMT), Kinky Boots (The G&S Society of SA), Avenue Q (Hills Musical Company), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Northern Light Theatre Company), Bye Bye Birdie (The MET), Wicked (Matt Byrne Media) and Mary Poppins (Whyalla Players). Paul has worked as eyboard Deputy on touring productions of The Sound of Music, Singin’ In The Rain and Mamma Mia and played in numerous Adelaide based productions.
Louis Cann (Bass)
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.
Max Ziliotto (Drums/Percussion)
Max Ziliotto has been performing since 2004, from concert bands, drumline and big band, to orchestral works and musical theatre. Prior to his acceptance as a Casual Percussionist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, he completed his Bachelor of Music in 2013 at the University of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music under the tutelage of Amanda Grigg.
Born in Adelaide, Max began his musical journey under the guidance of Peter Matzick. Attending Marryatville High School, Max gained a wealth of performance opportunities including the Generations in Jazz festival in Mount Gambier. During his Undergraduate studies, Max won first place in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Snare Drum Award in 2011.
Max has been performing with the Elder Conservatorium's Music Theatre students' productions since 2021, most notably playing the drum score for Legally Blonde, directed by Broadway's Nikki Snelson in 2022.
Max was also an active member of the Raiders Drum Corps from 2006-2019, performing numerous times in the city's Christmas Pageant, and on stage with them at Australian Ultimate Drummers Weekend in Melbourne 2015. He has tutored at South Australian Music Camp multiple times, and has been in the house band of Broadway Sessions since its inception in 2015.