Wendy Harmer is one of Australia’s most versatile entertainers – broadcaster, author, journalist and stage performer. As a stand-up comedian she performed her one-woman shows at the Melbourne, Edinburgh, Montreal and Glasgow Mayfest Comedy Festivals, in London’s West End and the Sydney Theatre Company. Wendy enjoyed huge popularity leading Sydney radio station 2Day FM’s top-rating Breakfast Show for 11 years. She was the co-host of ABC’s 702 Sydney morning show from 2016 -2021. She has hosted, w...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 8Ep. 572
James Smillie has captivated audiences over several decades. Commencing his career at the age of 10, as an in-demand boy soprano singing with symphony orchestras and on radio, he continues to charm with his velvet voice on countless commercials, documentary narrations, and audiobooks. Smillie was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His parents emigrated to Australia in the early 1950s when Smillie was still a child. He has worked in both Britain and Australia in film, extensively on stage, on television,...
Jun 21, 2025•1 hr 41 min•Season 8Ep. 571
It’s TONY time once again and an opportunity to look at the ceremony and shows up for awards in our annual Tony episode. STAGES is joined by publicist Ian Phipps and reviewer Simon Parris, to dissect the nominations and offer some predictions for the awards which will be presented on June 8th in New York City at radio City Musica Hall, hosted by Cynthia Erivo. The three of us have all recently been in New York and enjoyed the delights of the Broadway stage, taking in quite a few of the nominated...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 8Ep. 570
Ainsley Melham began his Music Theatre Career in 2016, skating into the Hayes Theatre as Sonny Malone in Mathew Managements' Xanadu. Soon after he traded skates for a magic carpet and opened Disney's Hit Broadway Musical ALADDIN, in the title role. He toured Australia with the production playing Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. In February 2019 he made his Broadway Debut at the New Amsterdam Theatre reprising his role as Aladdin in the broadway company, before travelling to London to film ...
Jun 04, 2025•49 min•Season 8Ep. 569
Charles Kirsch is the producer and host of the Broadway focused podcast, Broadway Babble. The show has seen Charles conduct in-depth interviews with some of Broadway’s best, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Carol Burnett, Harvey Fierstein, Chita Rivera, and Kelli O’Hara. Broadway Babble is now entering its sixth year, and most impressive is that the show’s 18 year old host commenced the venture when he was 12. An accomplished and avid reader by the age of 3, Charles’ parents and grandparents provid...
Jun 02, 2025•32 min•Season 8Ep. 567
With a career spanning four decades, Leigh’s credits are as diverse as they are extensive. An accomplished singer, dancer and actress, her stage roles include Marty in Grease – The Arena Spectacular, Demeter in Cats (Australia and Asia) and Consuelo in West Side Story . She also appeared in the Australian tour of The Wizard of Oz as an ensemble member and understudy for Glinda/Aunt Em, played Mrs Zebulan in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Australian tour), and earned critical accla...
May 31, 2025•34 min•Season 8Ep. 568
Stephen Anderson is an actor who has navigated a thrilling career in musical theatre. Presently he can be seen in Titanique as Ruth Dewitt-Bukater, a role which earned him a Sydney Theatre Award. His extensive theatre work encompasses the Park Keeper/Northbrook in Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Father Alex in Mamma Mia!, Sergei in Matilda the Musical, Mendel in Falsettos, The Housekeeper in Man of La Mancha, Giuseppe in The Light in the Piazza, Frog in A Year wit...
May 27, 2025•50 min•Season 8Ep. 566
Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Vaughan Edwards trained in theatre, film and television design at London's prestigious Wimbledon College of Art. After graduating, he worked in theatre design in London's West End before moving to New York. Here, he was an associate to celebrated Oscar and Tony Award winner Tony Walton, working with him on such films as All That Jazz , Deathtrap, Prince of the City and Equus before moving on to solo production design. As production designer, he has worked i...
May 24, 2025•1 hr•Season 8Ep. 565
Following her performance as Cassie in ‘A Chorus Line’ at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Sarah Bowden moved her life to New York City. For 12 years Sarah had been a vital contributor to the theatre of Berlin, Germany. She played major solo roles in the Wintergarten Variety Theatre, including Emily in the ‘Seifenoper’ (The Soap Opera), Sally in ‘Sally und Fred’ and Somalso in ‘Der Helle Wahnsinn’ (Absolute Madness). She shared the stage with icons of the theatre scene such as Helmut Baumann w...
May 21, 2025•56 min•Season 8Ep. 564
Hayden Tee hails from Maungaturoto in Northland but has made a name for himself globally as an acclaimed performer, makeup artist, director and recording artist in theatre, concert and cabaret throughout New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the U.K and U.S.A. His extensive musical theatre portfolio has seen him play Javert in Les Misérables on Broadway, London’s West End, Australia, Dubai and New Zealand; Marius in Les Misérables on London’s West End and Miss Trunchbull in Matilda on London’s West End ...
May 17, 2025•41 min•Season 8Ep. 563
Kurt Sneddon is an in demand photographer. He photographs actors, dancers, models and performers in the streets of New York City. Originally from Sydney, where he founded Blueprint Studios and became one of Australia's most-trusted photographers for the entertainment industry for 15 years, he now proudly calls himself a New Yorker! His own experience as an actor is inherent to his work, with an innate understanding of what actors need, he knows how to make performers look like the best version o...
May 14, 2025•56 min•Season 8Ep. 562
A multi-award winner, Alinta Chidzey most recently originated the role of Satine in Moulin Rouge! The Musical for Australia's national tour, with her work receiving outstanding reviews. She has played Velma Kelly in Chicago for the Gordon Frost Organisation, and Anita in West Side Story, which saw her nominated for several awards, including a Helpmann, Green Room and Sydney Theatre Award. In 2011 she won the Australian Dance Award for Most Outstanding Performance. Alinta is an acclaimed jazz voc...
May 03, 2025•38 min•Season 8Ep. 562
London-based Australian producer Garry is the GM in RGM. With over 25 years experience developing, producing and managing ground-breaking productions around the world, he is an impresario of great vision and passion. RGM Productions is an independent, Olivier Award nominated theatre production company with an objective is to discover, develop and introduce new and compelling productions to new audiences around the world. Established in 2012 by husband and wife team Garry McQuinn and Rina Gill, t...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 8Ep. 559
Tim Jones has led the Seymour Centre theatre venues in Sydney since 2009. Last month announced that he is stepping down from the role. Together with a talented and passionate team, he has worked to position Seymour Centre as vital to the creative life of both the City and the University of Sydney. To achieve this he has initiated a range of curated artistic programs, focused on the presentation of outstanding contemporary performance and the exploration of big ideas, and driven by the principles...
Apr 05, 2025•55 min•Season 8Ep. 558
Matt West is the Director / Choreographer for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. Matt received the L.A. Drama-Logue Award, the L.A. Ovation Award, New York’s Drama Desk Award and London’s Olivier Award, for the much celebrated show, which is in the Top 10 longest running shows in Broadway history - with 5461 performances. The classic story of Belle and her Beast has become an audience favourite around the globe. Matt recently returned to Beauty and the Beast, 30 years on, to review the s...
Apr 02, 2025•57 min•Season 8Ep. 555
John O’May has worked in all areas of the entertainment industry encompassing music theatre, cabaret, drama, opera, concerts, comedy, radio, writing and directing. His music theatre credits include Godspell , The 20’s And All That Jazz, Seven Little Australians (which he also directed), HMS Pinafore, Crazy For You, The Merry Widow, A Little Night Music (for which he won his first Green Room Award for Leading Male Performer), The Phantom Of The Opera (in the roles of both M. Firmin and M. Andre b...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 8Ep. 556
W.C Fields famously advised “ Never work with animals or children”. His advice would fall on ‘deaf ears’ for the creatives working on a new production of Annie, premiering at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney in March. One of the creatives contributing to the show, in a very unique way is Luke Hura. Renowned as one of Australia’s leading Animal Trainers, Luke has been working intently with the canine actors playing Annie’s best friend Sandy in the iconic musical. Dogs are essential co-stars in a hos...
Mar 26, 2025•46 min•Season 8Ep. 555
Anne-Louise Sarks is an international theatre director. Her work has premiered in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Mexico City, New York, Auckland, Warsaw, Mannheim, Perth, Mumbai, and Basel. In April 2021, she was appointed as the Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Melbourne Theatre Company and launched her first season as Artistic director in 2023, directing the double bill Escaped Alone/What If, If Only and Bernhardt/Hamlet in 2023. Prior to her appointment at Melbourne Theatre Company, Anne-Louise di...
Mar 23, 2025•1 hr•Season 8Ep. 560
Easily lauded as one of Australia’s greatest entertainers, Debra Byrne commenced her career as a child star making her television debut on Brian and the Juniors, a children's variety and talent quest, in 1969. In April 1971 she became an original cast member on Young Talent Time. Byrne proved to be a popular cast member: going on to win the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award. Before leaving the Young Talent Time regular cast, Byrne released her first solo...
Mar 22, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Season 8Ep. 554
Easily lauded as one of Australia’s greatest entertainers, Debra Byrne commenced her career as a child star making her television debut on Brian and the Juniors, a children's variety and talent quest, in 1969. In April 1971 she became an original cast member on Young Talent Time. Byrne proved to be a popular cast member: going on to win the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award. Before leaving the Young Talent Time regular cast, Byrne released her first solo...
Mar 19, 2025•51 min•Season 8Ep. 553
Encompassing three unique locations, Qtopia Sydney is the largest Centre for Queer history and culture in the world. Nestled in the heart of Darlinghurst, it is a home for preserving and celebrating a vivid line of stories. It is no surprise then that the venue boasts 2 unique performance spaces; the Substation and the Loading Dock Theatre. In the 10 months since their first season, nearly 400 artists have taken to The Loading Dock theatre stage as part of the Mainstage Season, Pride Fest and Sy...
Mar 18, 2025•46 min•Season 8Ep. 552
Australia’s best known character tenor, Graeme Ewer, was born in Melbourne and appeared in the Australian Premiere Season of South Pacific in the role of Jerome - at age twelve! He studied voice with a handful of teachers in Melbourne including Gertrude Johnston and Annie Portnoj – competing in various singing competitions where he was a finalist in the 1952 popular radio variety contest Australia’s Amateur Hour. In 1964 and 1965, he performed in three opera productions for Victorian Opera Compa...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 8Ep. 551
Australia’s best known character tenor, Graeme Ewer, was born in Melbourne and appeared in the Australian Premiere Season of South Pacific in the role of Jerome - at age twelve! He studied voice with a handful of teachers in Melbourne including Gertrude Johnston and Annie Portnoj – competing in various singing competitions where he was a finalist in the 1952 popular radio variety contest Australia’s Amateur Hour. In 1964 and 1965, he performed in three opera productions for Victorian Opera Compa...
Mar 15, 2025•57 min•Season 8Ep. 550
Luke Di Somma is one of New Zealand’s leading composers, writers and theatre educators, whose work spans musical theatre, opera and television. He is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. A Fulbright scholar, Luke studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with a Master of Fine Arts from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Programme. He completed his Bachelor of Music at the University of Canterbury, and gained First Class Honours from the New Zealand School of Mus...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 8Ep. 549
Nick Eynaud graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2014 and upon graduating, wrote and performed his solo show A Star is Bored (RL Productions) as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Further acting credits include Young Frankenstein (Hayes Theatre Co.), Sweeney Todd (TEG Life Like Company) Last Man Standing (Melbourne Theatre Company), Miss Understanding in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (NCL), Mary Sunshine in Chicago (MAT), Zach in A Chorus Line (MAT), John Hinck...
Mar 08, 2025•46 min•Season 8Ep. 548
John Gaden is one the theatre’s cherished elders, having contributed to the Australian stage over several decades as actor and director. He commenced his career studying arts and law at the University of Sydney, but when he joined the Sydney University Players, he was bitten by the theatrical bug - chiefly through the works of William Shakespeare. All thoughts of the bar were abandoned for the bard! Early forays in the theatre saw John work during the foundation days at the Octagon Theatre in Pe...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 8Ep. 547
In this Vale episode of the STAGES podcast, we replay a conversation with actor Nicholas Eadie (1958 - 22nd January 2025). When STAGES spoke with Nick in 202, he was enjoying a stint as an Uber driver - a sobering reminder of just how precarious the life of an actor can be - even one of our finest. Nick’s resume boasts an impressive list of high-profile television production that we affectionately embrace as key moments in Australian television consumption. He gained success and fame in Australi...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 8Ep. 546
Foundation Theatres is a wholly Australian owned theatre owner, operator and production investor. Their current venues are two of Sydney’s premier large commercial theatres, the Capitol Theatre and Sydney Lyric, as well as a new intimate theatre, Foundry Theatre. Foundry Theatre at Sydney Lyric opened triumphantly in February with five sold out performances by Tim Minchin, with audiences blown away by the venue’s incredible sound, its intimate nature, and the unique and theatrical entry through ...
Mar 03, 2025•55 min•Season 8Ep. 545
After graduating from NIDA in 1976, Tom Burlinson’s early work in various productions for the Queensland Theatre Company, the Old Tote Theatre Company, and the State Theatre Company of South Australia included roles in The Merchant of Venice, Da and The One Day of the Year . He co-starred in Tribute for Peter Williams Productions in Sydney and Brisbane and played continuing roles in the TV series Kirbys’ Company (ABC) and The Restless Years (Grundy Organisation). In 1981 Tom was cast in the titl...
Mar 02, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 18Ep. 544
A milestone passed in 2024 - one that STAGES had every intention of acknowledging… but time just got away. It was 40 years since we saw the Australian premiere of a dynamic new production of Gilbert & Sullivans - The Pirates of Penzance . A legendary production in the repertoire of musical theatre on our stages, for it marked the first for many young performers - and also happened to be the first musical to occupy the Victorian Arts Centre during their Summer season. Co-produced by Victorian...
Mar 01, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 8Ep. 543
