Artist of the Month

What inspired you to get involved in theatre? 

I was your classic theatre kid since I could twinkle my jazz hands – forcing friends and family (and even on the odd occasion…class rooms) to bare witness to my lounge room cabarets and theatrical antics. Being a creative has always been a constant for me. I was a budding young drama queen – insisting my dad flipped over the video camera’s viewfinder so I could look at myself, making short films instead of the usual diorama or poster, and my creative writing stories always went (to my teachers dismay) 10 pages over. Joining my local youth theatre was how I first harnessed my thespian urges. I was very lucky enough to have seen a lot of theatre growing up – my first stage musical was The Lion King in Sydney…MAGIC.

Being a theatre kid himself, my dad was also heavily involved in community theatre and growing up by his side definitely influenced me to join this creative and theatrical cosmos. After being cast and having my first big lead experience in Year 7 as the Evil Queen in ‘Doo Wop Wed Widing Hood’ – I felt totally inspired and that THIS was the direction I wanted to take. Me at 12 years old with layers of eye-liner, a long scraggly wig from Cheap as Chips and an evil cackle…I ate that sh*t up.

Do you remember the moment you wanted to do this as a career?

Throughout my teen years I continued to perform in plays and musicals at my youth theatre and at High school. I can’t remember if there was ever a moment where it clicked for me…(no sudden realisation while watching Singing in the Rain or Twilight or anything like that) it was just a feeling I had. I knew that this crazy life as a performer is what I wanted to do; a career as an actor wasn’t even a question. It was so concreted in my mind. Every time I watched theatre shows and movies I knew I wanted to be part of that magic.

The feeling I got when I was up on stage was pure euphoria, and to know I could make a career out of something I loved so much??? Phenomenal. Yes. Sign me up. In year 12, I auditioned for the highly talked about and prestigious Flinders Drama Centre, rehearsed my butt off – and got in!! The 4 year course was life changing and I seriously doubt I’d be where I am today without it. The skills, techniques, connections and all the shows I performed in there- it solidified my life long dream being a reality and I knew I was meant to be here.

What have been the highs of your career so far? What have been the lows? 

Far out Brussel sprout – SO many highs. In my first year graduated I founded a theatre company with my friends from drama school, ‘CRAM Collective’ — 3 yearsstill going strong! I toured North America for a couple of months puppeteering Bluey in Bluey’s Big Play (highlight being San Fran, California & everywhere in Canada).

I performed in a phenomenally fun show – Kinetik Collective’s Kill Climate Deniers by David Finnigan – part of State Theatre Company’s StateSide season – where I played 5 different characters (and died 6 times on stage!). I recently got to act as a 15 year old at the Big Day Out in the 90s in HITS; an absolute dream come true performing on the Space Theatre stage in the Adelaide Festival Centre.

Another big highlight was the one-woman show I did called Guthrak, an interactive D&D show which I transformed into an orc, a half-orc and an elf in 60 minutes around a detailed table-top world which was such a juicy challenge. I’m now currently in a three year contract with Slingsby Theatre Company where we have been developing 3 brand news shows as part of a triptych of work, premiering in the Adelaide Festival in 2026. Keep your eyes peeled for A Concise Compendium of Wonder.

Of course with anything you’re passionate about – and especially in this whirlwind of an industry, there are bound to be lows. At the beginning of my career and straight out of drama school, rejection from auditions was exceptionally hard and I faced some pretty big lows. Lows that came with self-esteem and imposter syndrome (which most definitely still happens!) I definitely grew in that department and changed my mindset around auditions and rejection. I realised how different all actors are, if I didn’t get a role, it meant someone else gave it their own different flavour, their own unique spice – and that’s what the character needed. And – I’ll get other roles that required my certain flavour.

I love championing and supporting other actors in their successes too which I think is super important in this career; otherwise its a very lonely and very isolating industry. Collaborating is something I also deeply treasure and makes me incredibly happy – bringing good brains together to create bigger and better ideas and joining forces to make magic. This has obliterated the feeling of competition for me which I think does fester and harbour through in the career especially through the process of a drama school, and competition always creates the feeling of a low!

Where do you see yourself going or want to go? 

I would love to dabble in writing and directing a heap more. In 2021 I directed my first show Truckstop by Lachlan Philpott with Deadset Theatre Company and wrote my first play Modified which won the Young Playwrights Award with State Theatre Company; yet I haven’t directed or written for the stage since – due to focusing on my acting career. I’d love to balance both simultaneously and find the time to write (getting those first few words down on paper is always the hardest part!!).

I also see myself exploring a career in different states too. I’d love to work with dream companies such as Belvoir, Malthouse, Griffin (to name just a few!!), and meet new collaborators. I’d love to tour a show nationally and internationally; I have always wanted to do this with a one-woman show I write that could go to Fringes worldwide. Now that I’ve made some good foundations and a secure base with my career – I’m excited to see where new and exciting possibilities take me.

The world feels like my oyster and I can’t wait to continue to grow and learn from myself and from others. In between projects I’d also love to teach workshops; over the years I have collated a repertoire of skills and techniques that I’d love to share and passon.

Basically… holy moly… there are sooooo many things I see myself doing in the future of my career (things I probably couldn’t even DREAM of right now) and I am looking so bloody forward to tackling all of them.