STAGES with Peter Eyers Podcast
STAGES is the podcast that accesses a variety of professional life connecting with an audience. A host of creative artists reflect on their career, their process and what matters – to them. Some have made the arts a lifetime pursuit, some explain how their career became a happy accident … but all describe the challenges and demands – and ultimately celebrate why there’s no business like show business! STAGES talks to talent from front of house and backstage - directors, designers, drag artists and doormen … performers, producers and publicists ... teachers, technicians and talent! Whatever stages it takes to engage and affect an audience – or whatever it takes to carve out a career in the arts – we’ll examine it in STAGES. STAGES is the recipient of the Best New Podcaster Award at The Australian Podcast Awards in 2019.
STAGES Episode 646: SIMON PARRIS & IAN PHIPPS - GLOBAL THEATRE ROUNDUP
Reviewer and devoted theatre enthusiast Simon Parris — better known to many as Man in Chair — and uber publicist and theatre aficionado Ian Phipps return to the podcast to give us an insight into the shows currently playing in global theatres.They’ve each recently undertaken their annual theatrical pilgrimages to London and New York, where they’ve been filling their days — and presumably their notebooks, phones and heads — with the sights, sounds and sensations of what’s currently playing on some of the world’s great stages.And there’s plenty to talk about: the productions that dazzled, surprised and perhaps disappointed; the performers and creative teams making waves; the shows generating conversation; and the trends and theatrical ideas that are travelling across the globe.But this isn’t simply a travelogue of Broadway and the West End. Simon and Ian are also turning their attention homeward — looking at what these international theatre seasons might tell us about the future, and what Australian audiences can anticipate when our stages come alive in 2027.So, prepare for opinions, observations, discoveries and, no doubt, a healthy dose of theatrical gossip and enthusiasm.It’s wonderful to have them both back on STAGES……. Man in Chair Simon Parris and publicist extraordinaire Ian Phipps!The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 645: EDDIE PERFECT RETURNS
STAGES welcomes back the enormously talented Eddie Perfect — composer, lyricist, performer, actor and one of Australia’s most distinctive theatrical voices. Eddie is the Tony-nominated creator of Beetlejuice The Musical, and in 2025 he also donned the iconic stripy suit himself, starring as the mischievous, macabre and thoroughly irresistible Beetlejuice in the Melbourne season at the Regent Theatre.Now that extraordinary Australian production is being preserved for posterity — and for your headphones — with the release of Beetlejuice The Musical Live at the Regent Theatre Melbourne, arriving this Halloween, October 31st.The album captures the energy of the live production, with Eddie joined by a stellar Australian cast including Karis Oka, Rob Johnson, Erin Claire, Elise McCann, Tom Wren, Angelique Cassimatis, Rebecca Ordiz, Noni McCallum and Adam Lyon.But this recording represents something even bigger. It marks the launch of Excited Animal Records, a new label founded by Eddie with a very clear mission: to record, release and champion Australian music theatre and the extraordinary artists who create it.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 644: JONATHAN BIGGINS RETURNS
Jonathan Biggins is one of Australia’s most versatile and distinctive theatre practitioners, with an accomplished career spanning acting, directing and writing. He is also a sought-after corporate speaker, MC and entertainer, bringing the same intelligence, wit and theatrical flair to every aspect of his work.As an actor, Jonathan is renowned for his versatility and finely observed character work. He has performed with all of Australia’s major state theatre companies, with notable Sydney Theatre Company appearances including Peter Sellers in Ying Tong and Henry Carr in Tom Stoppard’s Travesties. His work with Opera Australia includes the role of Ko-Ko in The Mikado, while his performance career has also extended to musical comedy and touring, including Three Men and a Baby Grand. On screen, his credits include the films Thank God He Met Lizzie and A Few Best Men, among numerous television appearances.Jonathan’s talents as a director are equally impressive. Since 2000, he was a co-director of the Sydney Theatre Company’s much-loved Wharf Revue, helping shape its distinctive blend of satire, music, comedy and political observation across more than two decades. His other directing credits include Opera Australia’s Orpheus in the Underworld, as well as The Republic of Myopia, Noises Off and Talk for the Sydney Theatre Company. He also directed the Australian touring production of the Broadway musical Avenue Q in 2009–10. His work for younger audiences includes directing the award-winning productions Pete the Sheep, Josephine Wants to Dance and Mr Stink.As a writer, Jonathan has demonstrated an equally sharp ear for comedy and an astute understanding of Australian life and politics. His fortnightly column for Good Weekend ran for seven years, while his journalism and commentary have appeared in publications including The Age, Australian Traveller and Wine Selector Magazine.His extensive theatre writing includes collaborations on sixteen editions of The Wharf Revue, among them Pennies from Kevin, Sunday in Iraq with George and Waiting for Garnaut. For Opera Australia, he created a new libretto adaptation of Orpheus in the Underworld, while his musical theatre credits include Living in the 70s and The Republic of Myopia. His first full-length play, Australia Day, premiered in 2012, followed by Talk for the Sydney Theatre Company in 2017 and the acclaimed one-man show The Gospel According to Paul in 2019.Jonathan is also the author of four books: As It Were, The 700 Habits of Highly Ineffective People, The 700 Habits of Highly Ineffective Parents and The Gospel According to Paul.He is presently touring in his acclaimed one-man show, The Gospel According to Paul, and later this month releases a new book tiled Near Death in Venice.Across the stage, page and screen, Jonathan Biggins has built a career defined by versatility, comic precision and an enduring ability to find the humour, humanity and absurdity in contemporary Australian life.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 641: MARNEY MCQUEEN
Marney McQueen is one of Australia’s most versatile performers, weaving together a formidable talent for musical theatre, comedy, cabaret and character performance. A graduate of NIDA, Marney has built a career distinguished by its energy, comic intelligence and extraordinary vocal ability.McQueen made her professional theatre debut as Marion in the original Australian production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical, before going on to play the deliciously devious Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray. She subsequently appeared as Nina in Dream Lover – The Bobby Darin Musical alongside David Campbell, and as Princess Zeena in Moonshadow. Her theatre credits also include Into the Woods, The Dismissal, Scarlett O’Hara at the Crimson Parrot and The Give & Take.Comedy and cabaret have been equally important to McQueen’s career. She created the outrageous Rosa Waxoffski, a Russian beautician whose adventures have taken her to comedy festivals and stages in Australia and internationally. The character began during her NIDA training and developed into a celebrated cabaret creation, demonstrating McQueen’s particular gift for impersonation, character comedy and audience interaction.On screen, her credits include Neighbours, Home and Away, Bogan Pride, The Wedge, The Chinaboy Show, The Mule, Matching Jack and Maya the Bee: The Honey Games. She has also worked extensively as a presenter, MC and cabaret artist.More recently, Marney took centre stage as Céline Dion in the Australian production of Titanique, a role that showcased both her powerhouse vocals and impeccable comic timing.She returns to musical theatre as The Lady of the Lake, in Monty Python’s Spamalot, bringing her abundant gifts to this gloriously comic musical.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 643: SHARON MILLERCHIP
Sharon Millerchip is one of the busiest actor/creatives on the Australian stage with three prestigious Helpmann Awards to her name.Sharon most recently played Ingrid Treloar in BORN ON A THURSDAY By Jack Kearney at the Old Fitz Theatre for which she was nominated for the 2026 Sydney Theatre Award for Leading Actor in an Independent Play. Sharon was Creative Producer for PUTTING IT TOGETHER at the Foundation Theatre and is set to resume her role as the Associate Director for SIX THE MUSICAL in Australia which begins it’s fourth national tour in July 2026For the Sydney Theatre Company, Sharon was Assistant Director to Priscilla Jackman in Suzie Miller’s smash hit RBG; OF MANY ONE starring Heather Mitchell and directed the one woman show BECOMING ELIZA starring Anna O’Byrne at the Sydney Opera House. Sharon played Caroline in the original company of Yve Blake’s FANGIRLS for Belvoir and QTC and was the Associate Choreographer for it’s return season at the Sydney Opera HouseOther recent performances include The Queen Mother in THE QUEENS NANNY, Louise Daley in A BROADCAST COUP, Penny in Melanie Tait’s smash hit THE APPLETON LADIES POTATO RACE all for Ensemble, Simon Phillips’ NORTH BY NORTHWEST, Joan in SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS for Darlinghurst Theatre and acclaimed performances as the eponymous heroine SHIRLEY VALENTINE and Johanna Murray-Smith’s iconic BOMBSHELLS which earned her Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Leading Actress in a Play. Sharon is part of an elite group of women worldwide who have played both Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart in CHICAGO. Sharon received Helpmann Awards for both roles as well as the Sydney Theatre Award for Roxie Hart. Sharon played Meg Giry in the Australian premier of Andrew Lloyd Webber's LOVE NEVER DIES (Sydney Theatre Award nom) the spectacular sequel to THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in which Sharon also played Meg Giry in the original Australian production. Her other leading roles include Belle in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Mo Award), Columbia in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (Helpmann Award) Anita in WEST SIDE STORY, Demeter in CATS, Catherine in PIPPIN (Helpmann nomination), May in Lippa’s THE WILD PARTY, Sofia in SATANGO (Australian Dance Award), Sonia Walsk in THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG, Charity Hope Valentine in SWEET CHARITY (Helpmann Award nomination) For the Sydney Theatre Company Sharon played Cordelia in FALSETTOS and Little Red Riding Hood in INTO THE WOODS for which she received the Mo Award and Sydney Theatre Award for best Supporting Actress. Away from the stage Sharon was Resident Director and Resident Choreographer on the Disney Theatricals blockbuster ALADDIN at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney and Resident Director on Baz Luhrmann's extravagant production of STRICTLY BALLROOM at The Lyric Sydney and Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne. Sharon comprised one third of the popular cabaret trio COMBO FIASCO who performed extensively throughout Australia and the USA where they received a MAC Award nomination for Best New York Vocal Comedy Act and recorded their live album, HERE. Her television credits include Daliance for Roadshow, Home and Away, Spicks and Specks, Cops LAC, The Circle, Willing and Able. Her feature film credits include Gretel Kileen's JIMMY AND GRET DON'T DO SEX and as Wendy Patterson in the Kath and Kim Filum KATH AND KIMDERELLA.Other recent theatre performances include AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS for Ellis Productions, A PICASSO and LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS at the Ensemble Theatre, and Nora Ephron's LOVE LOSS AND WHAT I WORE and MY FIRST TIME, both for Liza McLean at The Sydney Opera House.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 642: NATALIE JONES & ANTOINETTE HALLORAN
Two of Australia’s most accomplished and celebrated operatic performers, soprano Natalie Jones and mezzo-soprano Antoinette Halloran, come together for the highly anticipated world premiere of Jane Hammond and Therésa Borg’s The Spare Room - a production of Monstrous Theatre and Victorian Opera.Natalie Jones has enjoyed an acclaimed career spanning more than three decades, performing with leading opera companies and orchestras throughout Australia and internationally. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, Jones was awarded the Wenkart Singing Scholarship and the prestigious Herald-Sun Aria. Her repertoire encompasses an extraordinary range, from the dazzling coloratura of Zerbinetta, Queen of the Night and Gilda to the lyricism of Manon, Juliette, Violetta, Donna Anna and Konstanze. Her performance of Musetta in La bohème earned a Green Room Award and Helpmann Award nomination, while her creation of Bubba in Richard Mills’ Summer of the Seventeenth Doll demonstrated her commitment to Australian contemporary opera.Antoinette Halloran is similarly one of Australia’s best-loved and most versatile singers, with an extensive career across opera, concert and contemporary repertoire. Her major roles with Opera Australia include Madama Butterfly, Rusalka, Mimì in La bohème, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus. She has performed leading roles with Victorian Opera, West Australian Opera, State Opera South Australia, Opera Queensland and New Zealand Opera.Now these two formidable artists share the stage in The Spare Room, bringing their considerable experience, dramatic insight and vocal artistry to a brand-new Australian work. As Victorian Opera prepares to unveil the Hammond/Borg compelling new opera, Jones and Halloran promise to make this world premiere a significant addition to the Australian operatic landscape.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 640: SPOTLIGHT - CARMEN PAVLOVIC
In 2022, STAGES presented a series of ‘live’ conversations at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, as a part of the IDEAS program for the annual VIVID Festival. We were delighted that our first guest in that series was Director/CEO of GLOBAL CREATURES; the dynamic and divine Carmen Pavlovic. Carmen is also the Executive Producer for the global theatrical juggernaut Moulin Rouge! – The Musical.Inspired by the Baz Luhrmann film, Moulin Rouge! opened on Broadway in July 2019, recently completing a run of 2,297 performances at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. On Broadway the show garnered 10 Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and has been staged in cities around the world.Moulin Rouge! The Musical will return to Australian stages in 2027.To celebrate the Broadway run of Moulin Rouge! – the Musical, we present this spotlight episode of the STAGES podcast. An episode in which Carmen Pavlovic details the challenge and ultimate triumph of developing the show, and subsequently conquering stages around the world.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 639: TROY SUSSMAN
Troy Sussman has spent more than 40 years doing what he dreamed of as a child — living the life of a professional performer and becoming one of Australia’s most prolific musical theatre artists.His extraordinary career has taken him across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the West End, with a repertoire that spans classic musical theatre, opera, comedy and contemporary productions. His credits include the original Australian production of Les Misérables, as well as the 10th Anniversary production and the West End production in London; The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Aladdin, City of Angels, Passion, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Pirates of Penzance, Guys and Dolls, Mame, Sweet Charity, Mack and Mabel, The Drowsy Chaperone, We Will Rock You, The Witches of Eastwick, Noises Off, Jolson, Miss Saigon, The Secret Garden, Hair, Honk!, Chess, Aida and Carmen.More recently, Troy has appeared as Babkak in Disney’s Aladdin, understudying Genie, Curveball in Who’s Your Baghdaddy, the 25th Anniversary Concert of Jekyll & Hyde, and in the VO production of Candide. He also returned to The Phantom of the Opera in the Opera Australia production.Among his many international engagements, Troy performed in Donmar Warehouse’s Guys and Dolls and has worked extensively throughout Asia, including Honk!, Chang and Eng and Masterpiece: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber in China. His screen credits include Les Misérables at Windsor Castle, Forensic Investigation, Denise, Good Morning Australia and Saturdee. He can also be heard on Australian cast recordings of Mary Poppins and Hair, the South Pacific soundtrack and on solo vocals for Rob Guest’s Standing Ovation.Troy’s passion for musical theatre is matched by his commitment to the next generation of performers. He speaks passionately about the importance of passing on the knowledge and legacy of those who came before while embracing change and adaptation within the art form.For Troy, there is still nowhere quite like the stage. As he puts it, happiness is “standing on a stage and being in my element” — a fitting description for an artist who has spent more than four decades making theatre his happy place.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 638: PJ LANE
PJ Lane has ‘showbiz’ in his genes.At 11 PJ attained a Performing Arts Scholarship at The Scots College, Sydney. He went on to minor in music at college in Connecticut where he received a full basketball scholarship and he was a star off the court as well, being on the Dean’s Honours List and a lead performer in the college’s plays and musicals, PJ was setting the ground work for what would lie ahead.PJ studied classical piano for 11 years and was later tutored for another 2 years by Mike Meros, the keyboard player for the Beach Boys. Although PJ turned to professional basketball after college (Greece 2005 – 2008) he would always revert back to his love of music and the entertainment industry.On his return to Australia and in a relatively short time in ‘the business’, PJ Lane has appeared on many TV shows, he’s been the subject of a featured story on A Current Affair, appeared and sang live on Mornings with Kerri-Anne, performed in front of 90,000 people at the 2009 Woolworths Carols In The Domain and was a presenter and performed at the 2010 TV Week Logie Awards. PJ was a regular presenter on the Seven Network’s Sydney Weekender and he is the ‘face’ of Lux Luminosity (Asia). He had a featured guest role on Neighbours, starred in the thriller 6 Plots and played the real life character of Michael Christianson in the top rating production, Underbelly: Badness. PJ also starred opposite Don Hany in the drama series Serangoon Road.As an entertainer, PJ is an ACE Award winner and has thrilled audiences in some of Australia’s top venues and corporate events, with “evident showbiz chutzpah”. He has quickly established himself as a most sought after entertainer and Master of Ceremonies. His MC/Hosting clients include an international banking corporation, government departments, charity organisations, international concerts and many other corporate clients.PJ is proud to be an ambassador and spokesman for CHeBA (Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing) He is the producer and host of The Memory Lane Concert, a gala fundraiser featuring Australia’s finest performers, raising funds for research into a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.He is presently hitting the road with “I Love Your Faces - The Don Lane Story”. It’s a celebration of The Don Lane Show, but also something much more personal: a son’s exploration of his father, his family, identity, ambition and the enduring magic of entertainment.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 637: LYNNE MCGRANGER
Lynne McGranger is one of Australia’s most beloved television personalities, best known for her iconic portrayal of Irene Roberts on Home and Away. A fixture on Australian screens for more than 30 years, Lynne became the longest-serving female cast member of any Australian television drama in 2014, cementing her status as a true TV icon. In 2025, after more than three decades on the series, Lynne made the difficult decision to farewell the much loved character and embark on an exciting new chapter in her career.That same year, Lynne was awarded the prestigious Logie Awards Gold Logie and Silver Logie for Best Actress in a Drama, recognising her extraordinary contribution to Australian television and her enduring connection with audiences nationwide.Born and raised in Sydney, Lynne originally trained as a primary school teacher, graduating from the Riverina College of Advanced Education in 1975. During her studies, she also won the college’s Best Actress award at the annual drama festival, an early sign of the successful performing career ahead. After several years of teaching, Lynne chose to pursue acting full-time and quickly established herself as a versatile performer across television, theatre, cabaret and musicals.Beyond drama, Lynne has become a familiar and much-loved face across Australian entertainment television. She was runner-up on Dancing with the Stars on the Seven Network and regularly appeared as a guest host on The Daily Edition. In 2019, she starred alongside some of Australia’s favourite leading ladies in the television special Ladies Night. During the COVID lockdowns, Lynne turned her focus to writing, releasing her memoir Acting Up through Echo Publishing in 2021.In 2026, Lynne returns to our screens in the brand-new series SHARK on Channel 9, appearing alongside five other well-known Australian personalities.In 2024, Lynne stepped away briefly from Home and Away to star in the hit comedy musical The Grandparents Club, reprising the role again in 2025. She returns to the Club from November as ‘Christmas in the Grandparents Club tours along the East Coast.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 636: BERNIE DIETER
The darkest, funniest and most debauched kabarett star East of Berlin. Bernie Dieter has cemented herself as one of the standout cabaret artist of her generation “when it comes to cabaret, few can match the decadence, and brilliance, of Bernie Dieter” (The Herald, UK). She has stunned, aroused and terrified audiences from Berlin to Hong Kong with her gin-soaked lascivious charm, blending dangerously funny original songs, sequins and satire with a cut-throat wit, and a deviant eye for debaucherous mayhem! The Queen of Weimar punk kabarett can mesmerise with a hauntingly beautiful ballad one moment and bring the house down with raucous laughter the next.Born in Köln, Germany she grew up listening to her Oma’s (Grandmother) many stories of life in a travelling circus in East Germany and the time her family smuggled her into the West, in a caravan hidden under piles of sequinned costumes. Inspired by the Weimar republic’s dens of iniquity, gender bending sexual freedom and celebration of difference at a time of political turmoil, Bernie is a world-class example of a modern Weimar kabarett diva, in all of her dangerously satirical, gin-drinking, promiscuous glory.Bernie has performed for sold out audiences from London’s West End as the host of infamous Olivier Award Winning variety show ‘La Clique’ to the Melbourne Art Centre. Toured shows around Europe, created mayhem in Spiegeltents all over Australia. She’s headlined BBC’s TV show “Live at the Electric” appeared on ABC Australia, and NBC America and has been heard on the airwaves of BBC 1,2 & 4, and has toured her acclaimed solo show ‘Weimar Punk’ to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.She has taken the world by storm with her notorious variety shows Little Death Club, Berlin Underground and Club Kabarett, winning a string of awards and phenomenal critical acclaim. Bernie’s shows have sold out seasons in London’s West End, Sydney, Japan, Budapest and Auckland to name a few. Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett plays Carriageworks Sydney from October 8th to November 8th.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 635: STUART GREENE
Stuart Greene has been working in theatres and cinemas across Sydney for 53 years. He is presently Food and Beverages Manager at Sydney’s opulent State Theatre.In the decades working in theatre front-of-House, combined with an incredible passion for the buildings which house stage and screen entertainments, he has amassed incredible knowledge and anecdote on the theatrical temples.As a regular guest on the STAGES podcast, Stuart’s insight is fascinating and reminds us why we must understand what has gone before in celebrating our rich theatrical and cinematic past.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 634: WAYNE HARRISON
Wayne Harrison is one of Australia’s most accomplished and sought-after theatre directors and creative producers, with an extensive career spanning Australia, the UK, Europe and North America.As Director/CEO of Sydney Theatre Company from 1990 to 1999, he directed more than 40 productions, including The Normal Heart, A Little Night Music, Dead White Males, Into the Woods, Medea and Two Weeks With the Queen. His tenure was marked by bold programming and an ambitious expansion of the company’s artistic profile.From 1999 to 2002, Harrison was based in London as Creative Director of SFX/Back Row and Clear Channel Entertainment (Europe), working on international hits including Gumboots, Tap Dogs, Slava’s Snowshow, Fosse and Mum’s the Word, directing productions worldwide.His diverse directing credits range from Sunday in the Park with George at NIDA to The One Day of the Year in London, Letter to Larry in Paris and For Crying Out Loud in Canada. In Las Vegas he directed Human Nature – The Motown Show at The Venetian. Wayne co-wrote and directed Absinthe for Ross Mollison’s Spiegelworld in Las Vegas. The show, at Caesars Palace, is now in its 16th year. Wayne was Creative Director of Sydney Harbour’s New Year’s Eve celebrations (2005–2007) and directed the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Other highlights include Sunset Boulevard for The Production Company (Green Room Award – Best Director), End of the Rainbow, Just Macbeth for Bell Shakespeare, and the acclaimed comedy Codgers, later adapted into a feature film.Equally at home in intimate drama, large-scale spectacle and musical theatre, Wayne Harrison continues to shape contemporary performance with vision, wit and international reach.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au
STAGES Episode 633: KATIE POLLOCK
Katie Pollock is an award-winning Australian playwright, screenwriter, dramaturg, editor, producer, and television development executive whose work spans theatre, radio, and screen.Her extensive body of work for the stage includes People Inside Me, Human Activity, Rough Trade—a solo work which she also performed—Normal, The Becoming, The Hansard Monologues (Age of Entitlement and A Matter of Public Importance), Blue Italian/Nil by Sea, The Blue Angel Hotel, A Quiet Night in Rangoon, A Girl Called Red, and numerous short plays, including contributions to The Curve, produced by Critical Stages.For radio, Katie has written Beetroot: a bloody journey through roots and belonging, Nil by Sea, Contact, O is for Oxygen, and Blue Italian. Her work has been produced by a diverse range of companies and organisations including the ABC, Apocalypse Theatre, Bakehouse Theatre/KXT, Canberra Youth Theatre, Casula Powerhouse, Critical Stages, Eastside FM, Hothouse Theatre, Merrigong Theatre, Museum of Australian Democracy, New Theatre, Newtown Theatre, Old 505 Theatre, Redline Productions, Seymour Centre, Site & Sound Festival, subtlenuance, Sydney Fringe Festival, Tamarama Rock Surfers, Theatre Works, and The Street.Alongside her writing career, Katie works as a dramaturg, editor, producer, and development executive for television, and is a co-director of The Wallace Co-op theatre collective. Her plays Rough Trade, Normal, and The Curve are published by Currency Press, with other works available through Australian Plays Transform.Through her distinctive and thought-provoking writing, Katie Pollock has established herself as a significant and versatile voice in contemporary Australian storytelling.From August 5th, her play People Inside Me plays a season at the Flight Path Theatre run in Sydney.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 632: JOHN ‘CHA CHA’ O’CONNELL
John O’Connell is an internationally acclaimed choreographer best known for his work on a string of cinema box office hits: Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom, Enchanted, Shall We Dance, and Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-winning The Great Gatsby.As “choreographer to the stars”, John has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Leonardo Di Caprio, Nicole Kidman, Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Caine, Susan Sarandon, Amy Adams, and John Travolta. In 2008, John choreographed the 80th Academy Awards (the Oscars) in Los Angeles. He is the recipient of the highest American award in film, the American Choreography Award, for his choreography of Moulin Rouge.In Australia, John has worked with just about every theatre and production company during his renowned career, winning many awards along the way: Strictly Ballroom and King Kong for Global Creatures; Tales from the Vienna Woods and Convict’s Opera for Sydney Theatre Company; Threepenny Opera and Keating! for Belvoir Street Theatre; A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Opera Australia; South Pacific for the Gordon Frost Organisation; and Six Lessons in Six Weeks for the Ensemble Theatre. John was also staging director for the international tour of Il Divo in 2007.John also wrote, produced, and starred in his own comedy stage show Mr Cha Cha Says Dance!, which had successful seasons as part of the Melbourne Comedy Festival and Perth International Arts Festival.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 631: GEMMA NHA
Korean-Australian soprano Gemma Nha is recently completed her tenure with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. She made her house debut this past season as the Page in Rigoletto, reprised Barbarina, and sang the role of Jess and covered Ashley in Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners. Gemma has a Master of Music in Vocal Arts from The Juilliard School where she studied with Darrell Babidge as a Toulmin Scholar and Kovner Fellow, and a Bachelor of Arts Gesang (Honours) from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna where she was under the tutelage of Peter Edelmann.In a continuing relationship, Gemma joins the Volksoper Wien in the 25/26 season as a soloist in their ensemble, debuting Maria West Side Story, Pamina Die Zauberflöte, Adele Die Fledermaus, Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, and Wendla Spring Awakening. The summer leading up to this, Gemma will perform with Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall in their Bach Festival under the baton of Maestro Lionel Meunier. She will then be a Filene Artist at Wolf Trap Opera, singing Soeur Constance in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites.In the 23/24 season, Gemma made two role debuts as Ruth Baldwin in John Musto and Mark Campbell’s Later the Same Evening, and Flerida in Cavalli’s Erismena, both with Juilliard Opera. She also debuted with the Albany Symphony at the Troy Saving Banks Music Hall, at Carnegie Hall as a prize winner of the Gerda Lissner Foundation Lieder/Song Competition, and with Grant Park Music Festival in Mahler’s Symphony 8, celebrating the end of Maestro Carlos Kalmar’s tenure as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the festival. Gemma became a National Semifinalist of the Laffont Metropolitan Opera Competition representing the New England Region, and became the first female singer to win First Prize at the 18th Seoul International Music Competition.In 2023, Gemma was the Liederkranz Foundation Second Prize winner of the Gerda Lissner Foundation Lieder/Song Competition and awarded an Encouragement Award at the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition. She has also seen previous success in the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation Bel Canto Award, Esther and Myron Wilson Cedar Rapids Voice Competition, the Marcella Sembrich International Voice Competition and The Sydney Eisteddfod, placing first in French Song, Lieder, and Art Song (16-20), as well as Musical Theatre Vocal Duets and Song from a Musical/Musical Theatre (18 & over). Gemma was a 2025 and 2020 finalist of the Lotte Lenya Competition and contributed to the Lotte Lenya Competition Songbook.In previous seasons, Gemma made her house and role debut as Barbarina Le nozze di Figaro at the Volksoper Wien, sang La Conversa I and covered Lauretta in Juilliard Opera’s double bill Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi, and was an Apprentice Singer at the Santa Fe Opera. Other operatic credits include: Zerlina Don Giovanni and Esmeralda Die verkaufte Braut in the Schlosstheater Schönbrunn for the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw); and Gretel Hänsel und Gretel with PlusOpera. In concert, Gemma performed in Händel’s Dixit Dominus at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Messiah with the Fiori Musicali Chamber Choir as well as the Tagkhanic Chorale under the baton of Maestro Jason Tramm. She has also worked in masterclass settings with conductor Speranza Scappucci, Dame Jane Glover, Roger Vignoles, Helmut Deutsch, Julius Drake, Keval Shah, Renee Fleming, and Lisette Oropesa.This month Gemma will be making her role, company and house debut as Gilda in Rigoletto with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 630: HELEN DALLIMORE
Helen Dallimore is an actor, singer, director and writer who has enjoyed a successful career in theatre, musical theatre, film and television both in Australia and in the UK.Her most celebrated stage performances include Wicked (London’s West End), Girl From The North Country (Tour), End of the Rainbow (STCSA), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents) and Legally Blonde (Ambassador/GFO), for which she won the Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actress.Other stage credits include The Wharf Revue, Muriel’s Wedding the Musical, Spring Awakening (STC), The Plant, Cruise Control (Ensemble Theatre), Tartuffe (Bell Shakespeare), Masquerade (Griffin Theatre) and Into the Woods (Regent’s Park, London).Her television credits include Here Come the Habibs, Hardball, True Story with Hamish and Andy, Midsomer Murders, Little Oberon, A Moody Christmas, The Moodys, Wonderland, Home & Away, Chandon Pictures, Laid and House Husbands. Film credits include Two Heads Creek, Mr Accident, Russian Doll, Tempe Tip, The Sugar Factory and Mother’s Milk.As a director, Helen’s credits include High Society, The Fantasticks, Everybody Loves Lucy (Hayes Theatre) and A Life in the Theatre (Darlinghurst Theatre). As a screenwriter, her credits include episodes of Channel Nine’s Here Come the Habibs and ABC comedy Sando.Helen is also the author of the Melody Moss books.She soon takes to the stage again playing the ‘Edies’ in Grey Gardens, presented by Closely Fox and fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne from July 17th to August 2nd.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 629: MONIQUE DIMATTINA
Acclaimed Australian pianist/composer and singer/songwriter Monique diMattina has recorded and performed extensively since the early 2000’s, working in various genres and settings. Monique has released three solo piano albums in filmic and neo-classical styles, and three jazz/pop albums as singer/songwriter, including the critically acclaimed ‘Nola’s Ark’, recorded in New Orleans with producer Mark Bingham (R.E.M. Cassandra Wilson), Leroy Jones, Matt Perrine and June Yamagishi. Monique has composed music for various film and stage projects, and is known for her ABC and Triple R radio segment ‘Shaken Not Rehearsed’, in which she wrote and performed songs within an hour, to listener requests. In her energetic live performances Monique’s larrikin lyrics are at the fore, supported by her authoritative and soulful pianism. Monique has toured her shows The Dao of Dylan and An Affair to Dismember to critical acclaim. A Fulbright Scholar, Honorary Fellow of the University of Melbourne and PhD Candidate at the University of Tasmania, Monique teaches in the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and Monash University Jazz departments, and is in demand as an artist-in-residence and clinician. In 2000 diMattina received Fulbright and Queens Trust awards to study music in NYC. While in NYC on and off over ten years, Monique wrote her Masters’ thesis on jazz pianist Wynton Kelly, waited tables at the Village Vanguard Jazz Club, studied with Sophia Rosoff, Fred Hersch, Sam Yahel and Barry Harris, played regularly at singer/songwriter haunts The Living Room, Rockwood Music Hall and Joe's Pub, performed recitals for dignitaries including Kofi Annan, Bill Clinton and Vaclav Havel, worked for Bjork, opened for Lou Reed, taught at the Henry Street Music School and ran the New York marathon. After witnessing the 9/11 attacks in NYC Monique wrote a series of solo piano works that were to become her first solo piano release - Senses. At this time Monique also recorded her first album Live at the 55 at the iconic 55 Bar in Greenwich Village - an instrumental collection of covers and originals in a blues/roots vein. In between periods in NYC, diMattina travelled extensively, spending time in Europe, Japan, China and Sydney as principal pianist for The Lion King Orchestra. Between 2009 and 2016 Monique released five albums on the Head Records label. She was recently Musical Director of ‘Tapestry: The Songs of Carol King’ with Vika Bull and Debra Byrne. In addition to presenting her own shows, Monique performs in duo with Rebecca Barnard, with Harry James Angus (The Cat Empire), Alma Zygier and Clare Bowditch. Monique’s newest musical accomplishment is the world premiere of STELLA: A New Australian Musical which celebrates Stella Miles Franklin’s own dramatic story. This new addition to the Australian musical cannon debuts at Monash University’s Alexander Theatre in Melbourne for a strictly limited season from 12–20 June.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 628: FAITH MARTIN
Faith Martin is an Australian casting director for film and television, recognised for her pivotal role in identifying and launching Australian and International talent into global careers. With extensive experience across Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Europe, she has built a reputation for instinct-driven casting on high-profile television series and feature films with worldwide reach. Faith began her career casting television commercials, helping establish the casting department at Lintas Advertising, (TVCS), before founding Martin Artists, a successful talent agency representing actors, writers, and directors. Over twelve years, she built the agency into a thriving business representing many of Australia’s most respected creatives, including Geoffrey Rush, Mel Gibson, Wendy Hughes, John Meillon, Sam Neill, writer Geoffrey Atherden and director George Whaley. This foundation continues to inform her sharp understanding of talent development, career trajectory, and international market positioning. Her early Australian television credits include Return to Eden, Bad Cop, Bad Cop, Above the Law, Going Home, The Battlers, Two Twisted, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Stingers, Murder Call, Sea Patrol, and the internationally distributed, award-winning children’s series Mortified, which launched the career of Marny Kennedy. Faith also cast the international HBO miniseries A Dangerous Life, produced by Hal McElroy in the Philippines, and the ABC drama Rain Shadow, directed by George Ogilvie and starring Rachel Ward. Internationally, Faith played a defining role in casting the first season of Spartacus for Starz, produced by Rob Tapert. She championed Andy Whitfield in the title role — despite initial U.S. resistance to an Australian lead — famously declaring, “I’ve found your Spartacus.” The series also marked Jai Courtney’s first professional acting role. She later contributed to the expanding Spartacus universe, including Spartacus: House of Ashur. Her U.S. and international television work includes Ash vs Evil Dead (produced by Rob Tapert), Legend of the Seeker (ABC Network), Banshee (casting lead Antony Starr), Rectify (starring Aden Young), and Outlander (casting David Berry). Her feature film credits span both independent and studio productions. Early career highlights include Strictly Ballroom (dir. Baz Luhrmann), The Crossing (dir. George Ogilvie — the first feature film for Russell Crowe), The Sum of Us (starring Russell Crowe and John Polson), Paperback Hero (starring Hugh Jackman), Dead Heart (produced by Bryan Brown), and Alexandra’s Project (dir. Rolf de Heer). Her later feature work includes: The Junction Boys, which helped launch Ryan Kwanten’s international career; Invincible (dir. Jefery Levy for Icon Productions); Lapis Lazuli (20th Century Fox), introducing Clarence Ryan; Satellite Boy (dir. Catriona McKenzie); The King Is Dead (dir. Rolf de Heer); Cactus; Better Watch Out; Infini; Gabriel (starring Andy Whitfield); The Osiris Child (dir. Shane Abbess); Diabolic produced out of Adelaide in 2024, Rising Wolf; and Companion (formerly titled Sahela), a project she considers especially significant for its storytelling and ensemble. Faith continues to work on bold, character-driven film and television projects with international scope, maintaining her longstanding commitment to connecting exceptional Australian talent with global audiences. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
STAGES Episode 627: GLENN ELSTON
Glenn Elston OAM has directed over 250 seasons Shakespeare, Classic Works, Musicals and Family Theatre. A prominent figure in Australian theatre, he is particularly known for pioneering outdoor picnic theatre in Australia and creating immersive, family-friendly experiences that have become beloved traditions.Elston began his journey in 1987, forming a small performance collective that has since grown to be Australia's largest independent theatre company. His dedication to making Shakespeare and other classic stories accessible to a broad audience has led to the production of iconic outdoor performances, particularly during the summer season, attracting audiences from across the nation.His repertoire includes celebrated productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, Comedy of Errors, Henry IV - Part I, Richard III, Merry Wives of Windsor, Hamlet, Macbeth, and As You Like It. Beyond Shakespeare, he has written and directed original stage adaptations of beloved stories like The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland, Toad’s Birthday Party, The Caribbean Pirates, Jack and the Beanstalk, Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies and Jungle Book – The Next Chapter. His productions of classic texts includes Lady Chatterley's Lover, Wuthering Heights, The Crucible and Pygmalion.In 1990, Glenn was co-producer of Hair which opened in Melbourne and then began a tour around Australia. Glenn took over as tour director in Sydney and travelled with the production to venues in Camperdown, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Townsville, Cairns, Kuranda, Darwin, Wollongong, Launceston, Hobart, Newcastle and Tweed Heads.In 2002, He adapted and directed Much Ado About Nothing into a rock musical with his regular songwriting collaborator, Paul Norton. This adaptation has toured Australia and has enjoyed sold out seasons in many Australian capitols. Six of Glenn’s productions have appeared in five different Adelaide Festivals.Since 2003, Glenn has been collaborating with Djilpin Arts and co-presented the Walking with Spirits festival - a powerful celebration of Aboriginal traditions held at Malkgulumbu (Beswick Falls) in the Northern Territory. This partnership is this ongoing. Furthermore, in 2010 he produced Noel Tovey’s acclaimed production Little Black Bastard to the Edinburgh’s Gilded Balloon, further amplifying Indigenous voices on the international arts scene.In 2014, Glenn directed and designed a new Australian touring production of Godspell the Musical which played seasons at Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Traralgon, Sale, Warragal and the Sydney Opera House.Glenn has produced many local and international acts over the years including Sir George Martin in Concert with Glenn Shorrock, The John Farnham Band, James Rayne & Tommy Amanuel (QPAC, Hammer Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne and the Sydney Opera House), David Strassman, The Heartbreak Kid, Blues in the Night, The Life and Death of Sandy Stone (Barry Humphries), Five Guys Named Moe, Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore! (Penny Arcade), A Stretch of the Imagination and three Australian Tours of Marianne Faithfull including a special performance of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins.In recognition of his contributions, Glenn Elston was honoured with a Melbourne Award for Contribution to Melbourne's Profile by an Individual in 2014 and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2018 for his service to the performing arts. He is the Artistic Director of the Australian Shakespeare Company (ASC) and a director at A.T. Management.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
