STAGES with Peter Eyers

Peter Eyers

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.

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20 episodes
Updated July 29

Episodes20

Newest first

July 29 · 55 min
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).
July 22 · 1 hr 22 min
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).
July 15 · 43 min
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).
July 9 · 58 min
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).
June 3 · 33 min
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).
May 30 · 47 min
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).
May 27 · 37 min
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).
May 23 · 56 min
STAGES Episode 626: DEBORAH KENNEDY
Deborah Kennedy is one of Australia’s most recognisable and enduring character actresses, with a career spanning stage, screen and some of the nation’s most iconic popular culture moments. She is also known to audiences for her unforgettable delivery of a celebrated catchphrase in a Yellow Pages television commercial—now firmly embedded in the Australian vernacular. Deborah Kennedy began her career in theatre, performing with Marian Street Theatre in Killara in productions of The Trojan Women and Macbeth, before working extensively with companies including SUDS, Repertory 200, New Theatre and the Pegeant Theatre. Her association with the influential Nimrod Theatre from the mid-1970s saw her appear in works such as Much Ado About Nothing and Richard III, alongside other notable productions including Travelling North, Accidental Death of an Anarchist and House of the Deaf Man. Her screen career began in the 1970s with roles in series such as Certain Women, The Restless Years and Bellamy, alongside film appearances in Tim, Dawn! and Temperament Unsuited. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, she became a familiar face on Australian television, with credits including Prisoner, Chances, Police Rescue, Wildside and Good Guys Bad Guys, as well as a host of feature films including Death in Brunswick, The Sum of Us and Idiot Box. In later years, Kennedy has continued to delight audiences with roles in Neighbours, Rake, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Dance Academy. Since 2013, she has been a beloved presence in A Place to Call Home as the well-meaning local gossip Doris Collins. Her recent work includes appearances in Janet King and Return to Paradise. With a career defined by versatility, warmth and impeccable comic timing, Deborah Kennedy remains a treasured figure of Australian stage and screen. 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).
May 20 · 1 hr 2 min
STAGES Episode 625: JAY LAGA’AIA
Jay Laga’aia is a New Zealand–born Australian actor, musician, and presenter whose career spans film, television, stage, and music. International audiences know him best for his portrayal of Captain Typho in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. In Australia and New Zealand, he has built a celebrated career across drama, children’s entertainment, live performance, and event hosting. Jay’s extensive screen credits include major roles in Water Rats, Street Legal, and Home and Away, along with appearances in Xena: Warrior Princess, McLeod’s Daughters, and Celebrity Big Brother. He is beloved by families nationwide for his long-running work on Play School, Jay’s Jungle, and Surprise Surprise. A versatile stage performer, Jay has appeared in landmark productions including The Lion King, Jesus Christ Superstar, and the Australia–New Zealand tour of Wicked, in which he played The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. As a recording artist, he has released a series of acclaimed children’s albums, along with Christmas and nursery rhyme collections, and has performed at Carols by Candlelight. Jay is also a highly experienced MC, having hosted major events for the City of Sydney, the Queensland Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Sydney Royal Easter Show, and the Powerhouse Museum. One of six siblings and father to eight children, Jay brings warmth, authenticity, and a deep commitment to community to every stage he steps onto. He has set sail as The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, now playing the Foundry Theatre 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).
May 16 · 53 min
STAGES Episode 624: DEBRA LAWRANCE
Debra Lawrance graduated from NIDA in 1977 and has since built a distinguished career across theatre, film and television. On television, she first came to prominence playing Maggie, Ned Kelly’s sister, in Channel Seven’s The Last Outlaw. She went on to star as Pat in the ABC comedy series The Fast Lane, portrayed Daphne in Prisoner, and became a household name as the beloved foster mother Pippa in the long-running series Home and Away. Debra won widespread acclaim as Rose in Josh Thomas’ Please Like Me, earning the 2015 AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Comedy and the 2017 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress. Debra can most recently be seen in Stan’s Scrublands Silver, Good Cop Bad Cop and Darby and Joan (Series 2). Her other television credits include Human Error, Class of ’07, Five Bedrooms (Series 3 & 4), I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, Fisk, Neighbours, Get Krack!n (Series 2), Rosehaven (Series 3), True Story With Hamish & Andy, The Doctor Blake Mysteries (Series 4), Wentworth (Series 4), House Husbands (Series 4), and Hell’s Kitchen Australia (which she won, raising $50,000 for Ovarian Cancer Australia). Her film work includes Silver City, Two Brothers Running with Tom Conti, Evil Angels with Meryl Streep, and the acclaimed The Jammed. Most recently, she appeared in Peter Farrelly’s Ricky Stanicky, alongside John Cena and Zac Efron. Debra’s stage career is equally accomplished. For Melbourne Theatre Company she has performed in Jack Davis’ The First Born Trilogy (including the London tour of No Sugar), Sylvia, Second Childhood, The Memory of Water, and Caryl Churchill’s Escaped Alone. Her other notable theatre credits include M’Lynn in the Australian tour of Steel Magnolias, the title role in the national tour of Driving Miss Daisy, Letitia Blacklock in A Murder is Announced, the Ghost of Christmas Past in the Old Vic’s Melbourne seasons of A Christmas Carol, and Professor McGonagall in both the Melbourne and UK productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. She is presently on a national tour of Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias playing Clairee. 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).
May 13 · 49 min
STAGES Episode 623: DONALD CANT
Best known as one of Australia's "Phantoms" in "The Phantom of the Opera", Donald is one of Australia's leading musical performers, with a career encompassing music theatre, concerts, cabaret, opera, Lieder and recording. His most recent music theatre highlights have been the challenging role of "Judge Turpin" in the Opera Queensland production of "Sweeney Todd" (October 2003), the lead role of "Fred/Pertucchio" in the recent Broadway revival production of "Kiss Me, Kate" in Vancouver,Canada (July/August 2002), and the title role in the Australian Premiere of "Jekyll and Hyde", a staged concert version with the Canberra Symphony (October 2001). Donald was an original cast member of the very successful Australian production of "The Phantom of the Opera" , performing four lead roles during his seven years with the production. The highlight was certainly his highly acclaimed 500 performances in the title role. His music theatre career has been quite varied, with lead roles ranging from "Curly" in "Oklahoma" (the most exciting production being with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada), to "Cervantes" in "Man of La Mancha", and the "Celebrant" in Leonard Bernstein's "Mass". He has won two Best Actor Awards, one for the title role in the Australian premiere production of "Sweeney Todd", the other as the lead in "The Fantastiks". Donald is also one of Australia's most sought after Concert artists. He performs regularly as guest soloist with Australia's major Symphony Orchestras and Military Bands. These concert performances are often shared with such esteemed Australian artists as Marina Prior, Julie Anthony, Chelsea Brown, Sylvie Paladino, and Tiffany Speight, and such talented musical directors as Tommy Tycho, Barry Knight, Michael Harvey and David Cameron. His concert and corporate performances also take him regularly to Asia, Canada and Europe. He recently appeared in the televised UNICEF Gala concerts in Germany. Donald is also equally at home in smaller, more intimate cabaret venues where he performs the works of his most loved modern composers, Stephen Sondheim and Jacques Brel. His career has also focussed on Opera and Lieder, having performed with a number of Opera companies in Canada and Australia. His lead roles have included "William" in the Phillip Glass Opera "The Fall of The House of Usher" (his portrayal earning him a prestigious "Green Room" Best Actor award nomination), "Guilliamo" in "Cosi Fan Tute", and "Eisenstein" and "Orlofsky" in "Die Fledermaus". Donald's career began in Canada, while completing 6 years of opera studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, but the majority of his professional career has been in Australia. He also performs regularly on television in Australia, and has sung before the Queen, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince Edward, and the Pope, and at many other significant cultural and State ceremonial occasions in Australia, including the Prime Minister's Official Gala Dinner for the 2000 Olympics. Between music theatre and concert engagements, Donald also enjoys performing as guest entertainer aboard the very luxurious Silversea and Crystal cruise lines. The highlight of these cruises recently was as guest performer on the spectacular "Millennium Cruise" aboard the "Silver Wind", alongside Engelbert Humperdink, Joel Grey and Rita Moreno. 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).
May 9 · 48 min
STAGES Episode 622: THERÈSA BORG
Therèsa Borg is a director, writer and performer. She is a graduate of University of Melbourne (B.Ed. Sec (Music)) and twice of The Victorian College of the Arts (Opera Studio, Masters: Writing for Performance). Her directing credits include Titanic starring Anthony Warlow at Melbourne Town Hall, Sweeney Todd, starring Anthony Warlow and Gina Riley at Her Majesty’s Melbourne, The Light in the Piazza at Arts Centre Melbourne, Disney Under the Stars at SOH/ Myer Music Bowl, Paw Patrol Live! at Wembley Arena and twice voice-directing the Muppeteers in New York City. Her operatic directing credits include productions of The Consul and La Cenerentola to outstanding reviews. Therèsa was Resident Director on GWB’s recent tour of An American in Paris (2021-2) and The Lord of The Rings (2024-2025) as well as Neil Armfield’s Associate on Death of a Salesman (2023-4) starring Anthony La Paglia. She directed Little Women at the Victorian College of the Arts for the Music Theatre Company of 2023 and has a particular interest in the development of upcoming generations of performers. Therèsa was the 2022 National Library of Australia Creative Fellow for Australian Writing. In 2021, Therèsa and composer Jane Hammond wrote Songs of the Helmeted Honeyeater, a celebration of citizen science written in collaboration with the mountain communities of Yellingbo and Corranderk and which premiered at fortyfivedownstairs and Melbourne Recital Centre. Theresa and Jane look forward to the debut of their new opera The Spare Room, an adaptation of Helen Garner’s celebrated novel in the near future. Therèsa founded Melbourne production house TEG Entertainment Store/Life Like Touring with her partner Anton Berezin in 1999, and over the course of 20 years with their company she wrote and directed over 20 family musicals in collaboration with international studios. These shows, including Scooby Doo Live: Musical Mysteries, Octonauts Live: Operation Reef Shield, and Sesame Street presents Elmo’s World Tour, toured mainstages and arenas globally and employed hundreds of young performers world-wide. Life Like Touring sold approximately 7 million tickets world-wide over this time. Therèsa’s roles in music theatre and opera include Christine, Cosette, Zerbinetta, Angelique, the Queen of the Night, Jellylorum, Musetta, Philomel, Hope Harcourt, Eliza Doolittle and Fosca for producers including Cameron Mackintosh, The Really Useful Company, The Production Company, Victorian Opera and Opera Australia. 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
May 6 · 56 min
STAGES Episode 621: KEN BILLINGTON
Ken Billington is an international lighting designer working in theatre, television and architecture. Over 100 Broadway designs include the original production of Sweeney Todd and the current Chicago, which is the longest running American musical in history. Chicago has been seen in over 20 countries all with the original lighting. Other Broadway productions include Waitress, Act One, Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway, Chaplin, The Scottsboro Boys, White Christmas, Title of Show, Lily Tomlin in The Search for Signs…, Footloose plus revivals of My Fair Lady (1981), Hello Dolly! (1995), Sunday in the Park with George (2008, 2017), Annie (1997, 2006), Fiddler on the Roof (1976, 1981, 1990), West End productions include such shows as Sleepless, Waitress, Chicago, Sweeney Todd, The Drowsy Chaperone, What the Butler Saw, White Christmas, The Scottsboro Boys, Disney’s High School Musical and High School Musical 2. Spectaculars include The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Show for 27 years as well as the Las Vegas production show Jubliee! Many nightclub and concert acts for such stars as Shirley MacLaine, Ann-Margret, Liberace, Chita Rivera, The McGuire Sisters. Also over one hundred opera production worldwide including Porgy and Bess for Milan’s La Scalla, Madrid’s Theatro Real and Opera Bastille. In Theme parks his work includes the original Fantasmic! at Disneyland California, numerous shows for Seaworld Parks in Florida, California and Texas. Also shows for Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. His architectural work can be seen in clubs and restaurants in the USA and Asia and include such landmarks as New York’s Tavern on the Green and 54 Below. Ken is the recipient of many awards including the Tony (Broadway), Lumen (Architecture), Ace (Television) and the United States Institute of Theatre Technology – Lighting Designer of the year. In 2015 he was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. 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).
May 2 · 43 min
STAGES Episode 620: HAYDEN TONAZZI
Hayden Tonazzi is an award-winning director and creative producer who in 2025 was appointed the Artistic Director & CEO of the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP). A graduate of the 2019 NIDA MFA Directing Program, for over eight years’ they have worked across new writing in theatre and musical theatre, most notably Saplings by Hannah Belanszky for the 2024 Sydney Festival (Winner of Best Production for Young People, Sydney Theatre Awards), Pickled كبيس for PYT Fairfield & Downstairs Belvoir, the last train to madeline by Callum Mackay for Fever103 and MeatMarkets Melbourne, and Converted! by Vic Zerbst with Oliver John Cameron for the 2025 Sydney Festival. In 2022 they were awarded the inaugural Backing The Future Award from the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF), which allowed them to build skills in artistic and organisational leadership through the role of Artistic Associate for ATYP. During this time, they were responsible for Generator: Regional Connections Program with the Office for Regional Youth, mentoring 12 teaching artists across regional NSW, and supporting them in the delivery of free drama workshops for over 700 young people. Shortly after they were offered the role of Associate Director & Creative Producer as an acknowledgement of their role in the company, specifically their work across a slew of credits including Shack by George Kemp, the tour of Cusp by Mary Anne Butler, the tour of Past The Shallows based on the novel by Favel Parret adapted by Julian Larnach, and Follow Me Home by Lewis Treston. Outside of ATYP, their directing credits also include This Genuine Moment by Jacob Parker for La Mama and the Old 505, Significant Other by Joshua Harmon for the New Theatre, Tell Me Before The Sun Explodes by Jacob Parker for the Kings Cross Theatre, and Stop. Drop. And Listen. for Shopfront Youth Arts. From 2022 to 2024, Hayden was also the Co-Artistic Director and Creative Producer for the Lysicrates Foundation, where he ran both the Lysicrates Prize and Martin-Lysicrates Prize, commissioning and developing two new plays a year, including Ripple by Jacob Sgouros, Nothing Scares Us Anymore by Joseph Brown, and Murder, Murder, Hair! by Suvi Derkenne. Their associate/assistant directing credits include Heroes Of The Fourth Turning for OutHouse Theatre, CAMP and The End Of Winter for Siren Theatre Co, and 21 Forster St for Steps & Holes Theatre. Their directorial secondments include Moulin Rouge: The Musical with Global Creatures, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: La Traviata with Opera Australia, and The Bridges of Madison County for the Hayes Theatre. 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
April 29 · 45 min
STAGES Episode 619: DR JACQUI HALL CUNY
Dr Jacqui Hall Cuny is a passionate pedagogue, musical theatre performer, stage and vocal director, and researcher with over 40 years of professional experience. In 2022, she completed her PhD in Musical Theatre at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. Her doctoral studies examined the elements that create musical theatre performance synergy, or the 'It' factor, how they combine and work together, and how this energy can be practised or encouraged. Jacqui has developed a workable, dynamic framework for teaching skills that encourage this performance quality. Her SASS Toolkit – Strategies for Acting Singing Synergy – draws upon a variety of tried and tested singing, acting, movement and psychological methodologies, as well as her original material. Known by both her maiden (Hall) and her married name (Cuny), Jacqui sang, danced, and played piano throughout her childhood before completing a classical musical degree in voice, and an arts degree in drama. She made her professional theatre debut in 1981 and toured Australia with major commercial musicals in the 80s before moving to England to further her career. She performed in musicals in Manchester, Birmingham, and London’s West End before returning to Australia in 1989. Since then, Jacqui has continued performing, directing, and teaching, expanding her knowledge. She undergirded her experience by completing a Master of Music Studies in Vocal Pedagogy (with Distinction) where she examined tertiary teaching and learning practices in musical theatre, discovering that a more holistic and integrative approach to coaching would enhance the triple-threat skills required by the industry. Jacqui has written her research and findings into a book, Find Your 'It' Factor: A guide to dynamic musical theatre performance, published worldwide by Bloomsbury and now available on online platforms and in good bookstores. 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).
April 25 · 1 hr 3 min
STAGES Episode 618: JOHN LONIE
John Lonie is a screenwriter, playwright, script editor and book author. John co-wrote the feature film Kokoda, directed by Alister Grierson. John wrote the television program Frankie's House, three episodes of the AFI Award winning mini-series The Paper Man and he script doctored the AFI award winning mini-series True Believers. Other screenwriting credits include A Country Practice, Rescue, Willesee's Australians and GP. John is regularly engaged as a script editor for features and his script editing credits include Japanese Story, Beneath Clouds, Dogwatch and No Man's Land. John has had five plays professional produced by companies such as State Theatre Company of South Australia, NIDA and St. Martin's Theatre. John's prose work includes his three novellas Act of Love (Blackwattle Press) and other short stories published in various anthologies. John was Co-Head of Scriptwriting at the Australian Film Television and Radio School from 2000 to 2008. John's current feature script Tiger Tiger has been funded by Screen Queensland. John wrote two episodes for the Seven Productions show A Place To Call Home for Foxtel. John’s novel The Woman From Saint-Germain was published by Simon & Schuster in early 2019, and has so far sold over 20,000 copies. His next novel The Woman in the Spotlight is newly published by Harper Collins Australia. 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
April 22 · 59 min
STAGES Episode 617: PAULA ARUNDELL
Paula Arundell has worked extensively across screen and theatre both nationally and internationally. Her theatre credits include The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man (Malthouse Theatre); The Servant of Two Masters, Hippolytus, Antony and Cleopatra, Henry V, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing (Bell Shakespeare); The Master & Margarita, Sami In Paradise, Atlantis, Mr Burns, Mother Courage, Angels in America Parts 1 & 2, Peter Pan, Death of a Salesman, Gethsemane, Scorched, The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom, Paul, Peribanez, The Threepenny Opera (Belvoir); Clark in Sarajevo, The Bleeding Tree (Griffin Theatre Company); Company, Measure for Measure (Melbourne Theatre Company); Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Michael Cassel Group); Night Letters (State Theatre Company South Australia); and Sweat, Death of a Salesman, Top Girls, The Bleeding Tree (Sydney Theatre Company). Paula’s performances have earned her multiple accolades, including the 2016 Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Play, the 2001 Sydney Morning Herald Award for Best Actress, the 1999 Green Room Award for Female Actor in a Featured Role, and the 1997 Green Room Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Paula is presently on stage at Sydney’s Belvoir Theatre in Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead. She quickly follows this in another novel adapted for the stage, The Birds. 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).
April 18 · 1 hr 1 min
STAGES Episode 616 : RICHARD MARTIN (RM)
Richard Martin joined Global Creatures as Technical Director in February 2012 and was appointed Head of Technical Production in March 2024. Richard’s technical theatre career commenced in 1979 where he spent 11 years with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House. Richard subsequently joined Cameron Mackintosh as Technical Manager touring throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia and South Africa over a ten-year period. Richard launched Martin Production in 1999. Following this, Richard has been the Technical Director and Supervisor of numerous major theatrical productions and arena events over six continents, through the world’s major cities, including in the West End and on Broadway. Richard’s theatre credits include: Cats, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Five Guys Named Moe, Miss Saigon, Rent, Aspects of Love, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Slava’s Snowshow, Singin’ In The Rain, Saturday Night Fever, Cabaret, Oliver!, Pippin, Company, Spamalot, Dirty Dancing, The Lion King, High School Musical Live Onstage, Mary Poppins, Hairspray, Wicked, Love Never Dies, King Kong Live Onstage, Strictly Ballroom The Musical, The Beast, My Fair Lady, We Will Rock You, Wizard of Oz, Muriel’s Wedding The Musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, The Lion King International Tour, Hamilton, 9 to 5 The Musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and &Juliet. Richard’s event and arena credits include: 50th Anniversary of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, Opening and Closing Ceremonies for Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, The Boy From Oz Arena Tour, Shanghai World Expo 2010 Opening Ceremony, Walking With Dinosaurs, Tourism Australia’s USA campaign launch New York, White Night 2017 Melbourne & Ballarat. Richard continues to manage and develop productions as Head of Technical Production for Global Creatures. Without a doubt Richard’s favourite musical is Les Misérables, but one of his most memorable theatrical experiences, whilst not in a theatre, was doing the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, both of which were presented on a theatrical creative. 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).
April 15 · 54 min
STAGES Episode 615: LYNN AHRENS
Tony Award®-winning writer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens is a native New Yorker. She began her musical career fresh out of college when she became one of the principal songwriters and singers for the renowned American television series, “Schoolhouse Rock.” Since then, she has written extensively for theatre, film and television, winning theatre’s triple crown – the 1998 Tony Award®, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards – for the lyrics of the acclaimed Broadway musical, Ragtime. In the same year she received two Academy Award® nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for Best Song and Best Score, for Twentieth Century Fox’s animated feature film Anastasia. With her longtime collaborator, composer Stephen Flaherty, her many Broadway, off-Broadway, and Lincoln Center Theatre credits include Once On This Island, Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life, My Favorite Year, Lucky Stiff, A Man of No Importance, Rocky, Dessa Rose, The Glorious Ones and Broadway’s Seussical, which is now one of the most performed shows in America. A new work, Little Dancer, inspired by the Parisian Ballet world and the impressionist artist Edgar Degas, is presently awaiting production. Ragtime was revived on Broadway in 2010 and 2025, and is presently playing at The Lincoln Centre in New York City. For the recording of Songs from Ragtime, and for the original Broadway cast recordings of Ragtime and Seussical, Lynn Ahrens has received three Grammy® nominations. Additionally, Lynn co-wrote the book and score for the Broadway musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, in collaboration with composer Alan Menken and director Mike Ockrent, which ran for ten years at Madison Square Garden. She subsequently wrote its screenplay adaptation for the NBC/Hallmark Entertainment Special, starring Kelsey Grammer. For her extensive work in children’s television, she has received the Emmy Award and four Emmy nominations. She has also contributed songs for the IFC feature film Camp and the documentary After the Storm, among others. Out of this vast body of work has come a dazzling array of songs, including the power ballad “Make Them Hear You” from Ragtime, often performed by Aretha Franklin; the whimsical “Anything’s Possible,” from Seussical, recorded by Donny Osmond, and many classic “Schoolhouse Rock” songs, including “Interplanet Janet,” “Interjections,” and “The Preamble.” The pop hit “At the Beginning,” from Anastasia, sung by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis, went to Number One, and the soundtrack from that film earned a Gold Record. Lynn Ahrens is a member of ASCAP, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. She is a Lifetime Member of Council of the Dramatists Guild of America, where she is proud to have co-founded the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program for emerging theatrical writers. 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).
March 28 · 52 min
STAGES Episode 614: SAM STRONG
Sam Strong is an award-winning theatre director and one of Australia’s leading cultural figures, known for combining artistic ambition with transformative leadership. He has served as Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre and Griffin Theatre Company, Associate Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company, Chair of Circa, and Executive Director of Creative Industries at Creative Victoria. In 2024 he was appointed Creative Director and CEO of Gasworks Arts Park. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Victoria, Strong brings rare cross-sector insight to his work. At Griffin, he delivered seven consecutive seasons of subscriber growth and record-breaking productions. At Queensland Theatre, he rebranded and revitalised the company, achieving the highest box office in its history, overseeing the renovation of the Bille Brown Theatre, and positioning the company as a national home for new Australian stories. Strong has directed for every Australian state theatre company and major festivals. His stage adaptation of Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe became the highest-selling production in Queensland Theatre’s 50-year history. His productions of Love Stories and Joanna Murray-Smith’s Honour were acclaimed, with the latter becoming the longest-running show in Red Stitch’s history. He made Helpmann Awards history as only the second director to have two productions nominated for Best Play in the same year. Across more than two decades, Strong’s work — spanning classics, bold new writing and large-scale collaborations — has been seen by over 500,000 people. Renowned for unlocking potential in artists and organisations alike, he continues to champion ambitious storytelling and community-centred cultural leadership. 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).