Ensemble Theatre

Jonathan Tolins is the author of BUYER & CELLAR, which was named “Best Unique Theatrical Experience” by the Off-Broadway Alliance when it premiered at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. Other plays include THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS (Broadway, Booth Theatre), IF MEMORY SERVES (Promenade), THE LAST SUNDAY IN JUNE (Rattlestick, Century Center), and SECRETS OF THE TRADE (Primary Stages). A collection of his plays has been published by Grove/Atlantic. His film work includes THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS and MARTIAN CHILD. For television, he was a writer for QUEER AS FOLK, the Academy Awards, the Tony Awards, and PARTNERS. He was the author of PUSHKIN 200: A CELEBRATION AT CARNEGIE HALL, acted as script consultant on WALKING WITH DINOSAURS: THE ARENA SPECTACULAR, and co-wrote THE DIVINE MILLENNIUM TOUR and THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON FOR BETTE MIDLER. He has written articles for Opera News, Opera Monthly, TheaterWeek, Time Magazine, and the Huffington Post, and is a panelist on the Metropolitan Opera Radio Quiz. He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with his husband, the writer and director Robert Cary, and their children, Selina and Henry. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America.

Recent productions: Darlinghurst Theatre Company: HYSTERIA by Terry Johnson. Ensemble: TRIBES by Nina Raine. CDP Productions: SNUGGLEPOT & CUDDLEPIE (adapted by Monkey Baa). NIDA: TOP GIRLS by Caryl Churchill. Illuminate Educate: NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH by Lally Katz. Sport for Jove: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. City of Sydney: THE HUNGRY GHOST created with Mei Tsering. Bell Shakespeare Company: Resident Director 2014, INTIMATE LETTERS (AD), TARTUFFE (AD), HENRY V (AD). Sydney Theatre Company: THE LONG WAY HOME by Daniel Keene (Assistant/Tour Director), IN A HEART BEAT created with Jo Turner, Education Resident Artist 2012. Griffin Independent: GIRL IN TAN BOOTS, by Tahli Corin. Belvoir: SUMMER OF THE  SEVENTEENTH DOLL by Ray Lawler (Assistant Director), THE KISS by Anton Chekhov, Kate Chopin, Peter Goldsworthy and Guy de Maupassant, YELLOW MOON by David Greig. Graduate of Trinity College, Dublin (BA), UNSW (MA) and NIDA (Grad Dip in Directing).

Francesca holds two degrees in Theatre and Acting from QUT Brisbane, and furthered training at RADA London (Shakespeare), and Shakespeare & Company in the US. In 2015 she received a Globe International Actors Fellowship to train at Shakespeare’s Globe, London. Frankie has pursued directing alongside her acting career since graduating. Experience includes directing SUCH SWEET SORROW for Bell Shakespeare’s Actors at Work; assistant directing ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, OTHELLO (Sport For Jove); CYMBELINE (Queensland University of Technology) and co-writing and directing Sport For Jove’s youth theatre program THE SECOND AGE PROJECT (2013, 2014 & 2016) as part of their summer outdoor season. A 2010 Churchill Fellow, Frankie travelled to Grahamstown, South Africa to co-direct ROMEO AND JULIET for Ubom Theatre Company, and toured the production nationally to Schools Festivals. As an actor, Francesca has worked with Sport for Jove, Bell Shakespeare, Queensland Theatre Company, Griffin, Parramatta Riverside and  the Old Fitz. Frankie is a member of Equity and the proud recipient of a Sandra Bates Director’s Award for 2017.

Ben Gerrard graduated from NIDA (BA Acting) in 2006. He is best known for his television work having starred in OPEN SLATHER (Foxtel), MOLLY (2016 AACTA nominee best supporting actor, Drama), OUTLAND (ABC1), as well as the feature film WOLF CREEK 2. Other television credits include A PLACE TO CALL HOME (Foxtel), JACK IRISH: DEAD POINT (ABC), DEEP WATER (SBS), THE POWER OF 10: GALLIPOLI (7 network), and ALL SAINTS (7 Network). Theatre credits most recently include an acclaimed Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane tour of one-man show I AM MY OWN WIFE (OrielGroup/Red Line) for which Ben received a Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Best Actor in an Independent Production. Other recent theatre credits include HIDDEN SYDNEY -THE GLITTERING MILE (Working Management) and YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (Hayes Theatre Co.). Ben has also toured Australia with the cabaret smash-hit SONGS FOR THE FALLEN (Old Fitz, Seymour Centre, Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival), as well as national tours of SHAKESPEARE’S R & J (Riverside) and ACTORS AT WORK (Bell). He will again be touring I AM MY OWN WIFE in 2018, and was a Mike Walsh Fellowship recipient in 2015.

Charles is a set and costume designer for theatre, opera, dance and film. A recent graduate of NIDA, Charles also studied architectural design at Monash University.

Charles’ theatre designs include: A SMOKE SOCIAL (Darwin Festival); BUYER AND CELLAR and THE KITCHEN SINK (Ensemble Theatre); SMURF IN WANDERLAND (Griffin Theatre/National Theatre of Parramatta); the Helpmann Award nominated FLY (Lano and Woodley national tour, Token Events, set); THE WHALE (Old Fitz), UNFINISHED WORKS (Seymour Centre); co-design THE GRAND HOTEL (Sydney Grammar); KANDAHAR GATE, and WRITING FOR PERFORMANCE (NIDA). Charles was associate set designer for MURIEL’S WEDDING – THE MUSICAL (Sydney Theatre Company/Global Creatures). Charles’ opera designs include: THE CORONATION OF POPPEA (Pinchgut Opera); BIOGRAPHICA (Sydney Chamber Opera/Sydney Festival); OH MENSCH! (SCO, costume); HANSEL AND GRETEL directed by Michael Gow (Queensland Conservatorium); and associate set design for CARMEN and THE MERRY WIDOW (Opera Australia). Upcoming work includes design for: THE REVUE for Sydney Theatre Company; and ARTASERSE for Pinchgut Opera.
Charles was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award for THE WHALE. Charles is a lecturer and mentor for NIDA’s undergraduate design programme. View Charles’ designs at: charlesdavisdesigner.com

Alexander is a Sydney based Director and Lighting Designer. Recent credits include: As Lighting Designer: Sydney Theatre Company: CLOUD NINE. Griffin Independent: NOSFERATUTU,  THOMAS MURRAY and the UPSIDE-DOWN RIVER. Sydney Chamber Opera: VICTORY OVER THE SUN. Old Fitz: 4:48 PSYCHOSIS, DOUBT, CRIMES OF THE HEART, THE JUDAS KISS, THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT, THE WHALE, MEN, FREAK WINDS, HOWIE THE ROOKIE. Old 505 Theatre: THE BLOCK UNIVERSE, HILT. ATYP: WAR CRIMES, MOTH, BETWEEN US. Sydney Dance Company: PPY15: REVEALED. Hayes Theatre: DOGFIGHT. CRITICAL STAGES: SONGS FOR THE FALLEN. As Assistant/Associate Lighting Designer: AN INDEX OF METALS. Alexander was a participant at the 2014 Watermill Center International Summer Program and was also awarded the 2013 Peter Baynes Memorial New York Scholarship and the 2014 Leslie Walford AM Award. Alexander holds a Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Production) and Masters of Fine Art (Directing) from NIDA.

Marty is a composer and sound designer for the stage and screen. He graduated from AFTRS in 2011 where he studied Screen Music. As a composer and sound designer for theatre his credits include THE PRIDE, DEATHTRAP and CONSTELLATIONS (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS WITH ANIMALS I’VE FUCKED (UNHAPPEN), ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD, SWEET NOTHINGS and THE KNOWLEDGE (Pantsguys Productions), COMPASS (ATYP), THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE (Griffin Independent), 4000 MILES (Mophead/Catnip Productions), GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (seriousboys) and GREAT EXPECTATIONS (ATYP Under the Wharf). Marty also composes for film as well as trailers and documentaries for Belvoir, Griffin and Darlinghurst Theatre Company.

Rebecca is a graduate of NIDA (Production).

As Stage Manager: For Ensemble Theatre: BUYER AND CELLAR, TWO, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, THE GOOD DOCTOR, MOTHERS AND SONS, EDUCATING RITA, DREAM HOME, BLUE/ORANGE, RICHARD III, CLYBOURNE PARK, CAMP; MY FIRST TIME (Kay & McLean Productions/SOH), SONGS FOR THE FALLEN (Arts Centre Melbourne/Critical Stages), THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW-SOH, Brisbane, Adelaide (Michael Sieders Presents), Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Performing Lines, The Hayloft Project/Critical Stages, Dead Puppet Society, Return Fire Productions, Sydney Chamber Opera, Red Line Productions, MKA, Milk Crate Theatre, Q Theatre, TRS. As Assistant Stage Manager; DANCE BETTER AT PARTIES, AUSTRALIA DAY, BLOOD WEDDING, ZEBRA!, TRUE WEST and THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (Sydney Theatre Company), INTERPLAY-International Tour, COUNTERMOVE (Sydney Dance Company), STRANGE INTERLUDE, THYESTES (Belvoir), BLOOD WEDDING (Malthouse Theatre). As Production Manager; CYRANO DE BERGERAC – IPAC & Seymour Centre (Sport for Jove), KAGE/Chunky Move/Adelaide Cabaret Festival, MTC Neon, fortyfivedownstairs, Little Ones Theatre, TheatreWorks, As Production Stage Manager: Griffin Theatre Company. As Technical Stage Manager MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL.