Please note: All CPCA staff have a current Working with Children Check in accordance with current government legislation. For more information regarding this please CLICK HERE.
James Andrews
James has a Bachelor of Performing Arts and was part of the ‘Performance Ensemble’ under Peter Oyston at Monash University. He is currently studying for a MA (Theatre Performance) which focuses on how different theatre training and performance can help people with physical and intellectual disabilities. He has also been a part of St Martin’s Youth Arts Centre’s Creative Ensemble.
Alicia Attwood
Alicia is a former student of the CPCA. Other training includes two years of full time dance and two years of study at the Victorian College of the Arts in music theatre. Training in jazz, tap and ballet since a young age, she has also extensively trained privately in singing, acting, dialect and television. Alicia has performed for various corporate companies nationally including Crown Casino, Australia Post and Sensis. She has also appeared in video clips, fashion parades, hair shows, and cabarets at The Butterfly Club. TV and film credits include Bollywood movie Salaam Namaste, a government television commercial playing the role of Sasha Bracks on Neighbours and appearances on The Hollowmen and feature film Face to Face.
Jade Auffray
Jade has been performing since a very young age, learning the piano and dance and later learning vocals and theatre. She performed as a wedding singer for many years before joining YABC and performing within the company and becoming a Triple Threat after a year. From there Jade has now become a teacher at CPCA.
Adrian Auld
Photo and bio coming soon!
Brendan Barnett
Photo and bio coming soon!
Simon Bentley
Photo and bio coming soon!
Zoe Boesen
Zoe began teaching drama at the CPCA in 2006 but took three years off to complete an Acting degree at the Victorian College of the Arts. She gladly resumed teaching VYT and YABC Drama at the beginning of 2011. Zoe also completed a Bachelor of Performing Arts at Monash University in 2003. Aside from her studies, Zoe has worked extensively as a professional actor and director and runs the Melbourne branch of Class Act Theatre. Her theatre credits include The Hollow, Ghetto, Black Sequin Dress, Gulf War, Iphigenia at Aulis and Twelfth Night. Film and television credits include Romulus My Father, The Hamish & Andy Show andReal Stories.
Stefan Bramble
Stefan has a Bachelor of Performing Arts from Monash University and a Diploma of Education. He has performed in numerous productions including Children of Eden, The Balcony, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, andAnything Goes. Stefan appeared as Lord Powderbottom in Pandora’s Box with the Monash Graduate Players at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Scott Brennan
Photo and bio coming soon!
Emma Brook
A former student of the CPCA, Emma has performed numerous solos and dance roles in the National Theatre concerts. In addition to her work as a teacher, dancer and model, Emma has adjudicated dance competitions around Melbourne, choreographed productions of Pippin, Seussical and Chicago, and has appeared in short films and commercials for Fox FM and Holeproof. Emma has completed a certificate IV in Dance Teaching and Management.
Penelope Bruce
Originally from Tasmania, Penelope completed her BA (Musical Theatre) at the Arts Academy in 2006. In 2007 Penelope moved to England and worked as the lead vocalist for PEEL UK Ltd aboard both Thomson and Fred Olsen Cruise Liners. Since returning from overseas Penelope has performed in various corporate acts, cabarets and appeared as Rizzo for Event Theatre Australia’s touring production of Grease. Penelope has recently finished performing to over 10,000 children for ‘Perform! Educational Musicals’ 2010 Book Week production of ‘Jump To It!’. She is currently performing in a cabaret trio call World War Wonderful and is gearing up for a year of festivals with them.
Michelle Clark
Michelle achieved first class Honours in her Bachelor of Performing Arts degree from Monash University, and holds a Diploma of Education in Literacy and Performance Studies. Michelle recently achieved Certificate IV in Assessment and Training, allowing her to deliver VCE VET Dance Studies in a Secondary School context, working alongside AusDance Victoria. Michelle has worked extensively in Music Theatre in Melbourne, and was a founding member of Melbourne's Live Entertainment network ‘Magnormos’, assuming the role of Artistic Director and Producer. Michelle's theatrical credits include Portia in Merchant of Venice, Maria in West Side Story and Mabel in Pirates of Penzance. She has travelled internationally with the Choral Institute of Melbourne. Michelle's association with the CPCA started in 1996, touring to the Adelaide Fringe Festival in A Well Spun Yarn’.
Andy Coates
Andy has completed a Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry, an Advanced Diploma of Music Performance and is trained in voice, piano, trumpet and drums. Andy has performed in many musical productions including Company, Assassins and Oklahoma and has been the musical director for productions of Barnum, Seussical and Pippin. He has been working in schools since 2004 teaching a variety of performing arts including music, drama, voice and circus. Andy is the singer and composer for Melbourne band, Frankie Wants Out with whom he performs, records and tours with regularly. Television credits with FWO include The Today Show, Better Homes & Gardens and Mornings with Kerri-Anne. Andy’s composition efforts with Frankie Wants Out can be found on iTunes.
Jessica Condon
Photo and bio coming soon!
Gillian Cosgriff
Gillian graduated from WAAPA in 2010 with a Bachelor of Music Theatre. Her WAAPA credits include 42nd Street, Tales of King Arthur, Company, Cabaret, Anything Goes andRagtime. During her last year at WAAPA she won the Julie Michael Award for Musical Cabaret and the Hal Leonard Award for contribution to her year. In December 2010 she was the recipient of the Showcase Award at the 8th Annual Sydney Cabaret Showcase and this year will perform her cabaret, Waitressing, and Other Things I Do Well at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Melbourne Cabaret Festival and as part of QPAC's 12 Acts of Cabaret, in Brisbane.
Kate Cremer
Kate has been dancing for sixteen years and is trained in classical ballet, tap and jazz. She holds an advanced qualification for Cecchetti classical syllabus, along with Level 10 tap from Southern Federation of Dance and has been teaching dance for some years now. Kate has just received her classical teaching certificate with the Southern Federation of Dance. She is currently completing her final year of a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science at Deakin University.
Blake Curtis
Blake has always been heavily involved in drama and began his association with the CPCA six years ago as a student with the Victorian Youth Theatre. He was a member of Senior Actors Ensemble and performed a variety of roles, including the title role in Peter Pan and Bottom from the Shakespearean classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Blake is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Media Studies at La Trobe University.
Georgie Darvidis
Georgie began her musical training with the Young Australian Broadway Chorus ten years ago and continued her training in 2007 at the Victorian College of the Arts secondary school were she completed her VCE. She was invited to perform at 2008 Top Class at Iwaki auditorium and was broadcast on ABC radio. She recently appeared as Flora in Victorian Opera’s production of The Turn of the Screw. Georgie is currently completing a Bachelor of Music performance at the Victorian College of the Arts studying vocal improvisation and composition.
Christelise de Graaf
Photo and bio coming soon!
Kelly Dingeldei
Kelly trained with the Broadway Chorus for eight years, appearing in numerous solo roles at the National Theatre as well as touring with The Silver Donkey to the USA in 2008. Other stage credits include school productions of Grease (Rizzo) and Cabaret (Sally Bowles). Kelly made her professional debut as a soloist in the hit television series Summer Heights High, which included performing at the Logie Awards. Kelly can also be heard and on the show’s No. 1 single soundtrack.
Samantha Dodemaide
Sam has been performing since a very young age, performing in England, France, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, Dubai and Japan. Her recent professional stage credits include Wicked, Hello Kitty – Things I Like, Looney Tunes Christmas, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Countdown 2 – The Arena Spectacular and Hats Off. Other credits include cheerleading for the Melbourne storm Rugby team, featured actress/dancer for Kate Alexa’s video Clip Teardrops and various fashion parades for Bonds, Big W, Arkira and L’Oreal. Sam is has worked at Witches in Britches Theatre Restaurant for the past 3 years and is currently performing in the show Two and a Half Witches.
Ezel Doruk
Photo and bio coming soon!
Rebecca Dupuy-Purcell
Rebecca studied with the CPCA for three years and is now one of their Music teachers. Rebecca Studied at the University Of Ballarat, studying a Bachelor of musical theatre and is now studying a Bachelor of Creative Arts and culture, at the Australian Catholic University, where she hopes to complete her diploma of education. Rebecca started Irish Dancing at age 4 and has performed at both state and National levels. Rebecca’s credits include Paint your Wagon, Anyone Can Whistle, Floyd Collins, The Life, And The World Goes Round andHot Mikado. She is appearing later in the year in the Australian premiere of Brooklyn in the title role.
Sally Faraday
Sally has worked as a drama director with the CPCA since 1999. She has a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Hons) and a Master of Arts in Drama and Theatre Studies from Monash University. Sally has worked as a writer on productions for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and as a director on final year productions at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar. Sally has also worked as a writer for the CPCA. During the completion of her masters thesis, Sally was a visiting scholar at the City University of New York where her play Pandora’s Box received a public reading.
Brad Fox
Brad is an experienced manager, trainer and performer with a successful track record in the arts and customer service. He has particular experience developing, managing and delivering programs in the arts and entertainment industries. He has studied musical theatre at the National Theatre Drama School and has been a member of the Australian Dancing Society for many years.
Chantal Gallet
Photo and bio coming soon!
Petra Glieson
A professional actor for 20 years, Petra has appeared in television shows such as Stingers, City Homicide andNeighbours. She has starred in Melbourne based theatre companies and international independent films. She works in film and theatre production, casting and artistic direction. A qualified primary and secondary teacher, Petra has taught for CPCA for 11 years.
Brittany Goding
Brittany Goding has trained in song, dance and drama for the past eight years as a student of the Young Australian Broadway Chorus. She has been a featured soloist in numerous YABC Gala performance seasons at the National Theatre, and has also performed in productions of The King & I, Grease, Guys and Dolls and The Boyfriend. Brittany has also performed at numerous AFL grand finals and was a part of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony.
Julia Grace
Julia has been teaching Drama for CPCA since 2009. She is an Acting graduate of The Victorian College of the Arts and also has a B.A in Performance Studies from The University of Sydney. She has written, directed and performed in many plays in both Sydney and Melbourne from The Opera House to a paddock in Albury. She was recently selected to participate in a residency with Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago.
Alicia Haggar
Alicia has been with the CPCA for over ten years and has appeared in many National Theatre Gala shows, playing solo roles in Hunchback of Notre Dame, Cats and Crazy For You. She holds a Diploma in Dance and Performance and has appeared in Neighbours and various events at Crown Casino. Choreography credits include Footloose and Billy Liar. Stage credits include Shrek, Madagascar, Freddo and Caramello, Sylvester and Tweety Show andKung Fu Panda with Showtime Attractions.
Angela Harding
Photo and bio coming soon!
Elise Hibberd
Elise trained in song, drama and all kinds of dance for the past eight years with the Young Australian Broadway Chorus. She had featured soloist roles, was part of the 2008 USA tour cast and has appeared on Comic Relief, The Wedge, numerous commercials and taken part as a guest performer for the Anne Carrick School of Dance. Elise has been a competitive cheerleader for the past three years, and is a Melbourne Tigers Cheerleader. Elise is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Dance, Drama and Literature.
Annie Johnston
Annie has trained in numerous styles of dance as well as the saxophone and singing. She appeared in many solo roles with the Young Australian Broadway Chorus as well as performing with the company at the 2005 Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight. Annie has also played the role of Rizzo in a production of Grease for which she was also an assistant choreographer. She can be heard as the character Marcelle on the original cast recording of Mathew Frank and Dean Bryant’s, The Silver Donkey.
Alex Konis
Alex Konis trained with the CPCA for eight years, in both Drama and Music Theatre. In 2001, he landed a leading featured role in the kids TV series, Short Cuts. He has also appeared in Neighbours. Stage appearances include the classic plays Rhinoceros, Shakespeare’s Richard III and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as Aristophane’s The Birds.
Reuben Liversidge
Reuben has been associated with The Young Australian Broadway Chorus for over 15 years, both as a student and teacher. He has studied Music Theatre at The Victorian College Of Arts and has a BA in Theatre and Cinema from LaTrobe University. He had a leading role in two seasons of the TV series 'Round The Twist' and roles in Neighbours and Blue Heelers. Reuben's theatre credits have included A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Baby and Boxed-In.Reuben is currently a member of the Green Room Award winning theatre company Four Larks and has appeared in The Eggman Cometh, The Invitation, Peer Gynt, Alice In Wonderland, The Fate Of Franklin, and Orpheus. He was recently Assistant Director on the Melbourne premiere season of Spring Awakening.
Shaanika Marguccio
Shaanika trained with the Broadway Chorus for five years appearing in numerous solo roles at the National Theatre. She is also trained in classical piano and ballet. Professional credits include Stingers, The Wedge, The Elephant Princess and Good Morning Australia, along with appearances in feature films Horseplay and Worst Best Friends. Shaanika performed in the 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, and has also appeared in several television commercials. She is currently recording her own material with singer / teacher Lindsay Field, and is also the lead singer with the band, ‘The Youngs’.
Sid Mathur
Sid began acting and dancing from a very early age. He is a past student of the CPCA, his training with the company including a tour of Singapore and Europe. You might recognise him from his appearances on the first and third season of the popular TV show So You Think You Can Dance. When Sid is not teaching drama at the CPCA, he is a professional hip-hop dancer and teacher. He is a member and choreographer of the award winning Melbourne based dance crew, The Collektive. Sid recently debuted in his first feature film, as a character role in the South Indian cinematic hit, Orange. He balances his creativity with a lesser-known academic side, having completed his Bachelors of Science and Law at The University of Melbourne.
Carla McCullum
Carla is a WAAPA graduate with professional credits including the Australian tour of Pirates of Penzance, andThoroughly Modern Millie, as well as sailing around the world for several years as a Guest Entertainer for Princess Cruises. Carla was also a backup vocalist for Michael Buble in his 2008 Call Me Irresponsible Melbourne concerts. Carla received the Best Actress award at the Sydney Short & Sweet Festival for her performance in the short play WTF?! which also marked her debut as a writer.
Louise McCrae
Louise graduated from BAPA in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre Performance). University highlights include, Tracy Schifitz & Shayla Sweet in The Virgin Wars and Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Musical. She has multiple film and TV credits including Neighbours, Rove and was featured in a Mitre 10 commercial with Scott Cam. In 2010 Louise’s solo cabaret, The Gift Horse, received an honourable mention at the Greenroom awards and she was nominated for Best Actress at the Short+Sweet Theatre Festival for her two top 10 finalist plays. She has been performing in the award winning comedy trio, World War Wonderful, since 2009 and at this years Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Louise featured in the sketch cabaret show Filthy Secrets. She’ll be performing both shows in July at The Melbourne Cabaret Festival.
John McNamara
Photo and bio coming soon!
Giulia Mormile
Giulia graduated in 2008 from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts, majoring in drama. Her credits there include 4.48 Psychosis, several original group collaborations and an Honours performance of Othello. Giulia works with the Escapees Theatre Company at her old high school and her credits there include Political Poltergeist, Jill & Fred’s Radical Movie Adventure, and They Had It Coming, all original pieces. Giulia was in a 2009 Ski yoghurt commercial and has also completed extras work in Knowing and Neighbours. Giulia is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Communications/Journalism, with a minor in Film.
Lucy O'Brien
Lucy has been studying classical music from a very young age, including cello, piano and voice under instruction from teachers such as Nehama Patkins and Gerald English. She was a member of national children's choir Gondwana Voices from 2000 to 2004. She was selected for a choral conducting internship with the choir in 2010. She has been musically directing shows since 2007, with some recent credits including Sweeney Todd, The Wedding Singer, Grease, and new composition, Melbourne Model: the Musical. She hopes to pursue a career in conducting and musical direction.
Matthew Osborn
Matthew Osborn is an actor, singer, writer and director from London. He has worked and taught in the U.K., Poland, Germany & the Czech Republic. Since 2003 Matthew has been living and working in Melbourne. He is an actor/teacher and tours schools throughout Australia for the Arts Centre, the Song Room and now for CPCA.
Emily Paterson
Photo and bio coming soon!
Stephanie Price
Photo and bio coming soon!
Sian Pryce-Chisholm
Sian has worked as a TV presenter and scriptwriter for Cartoon Connection in Adelaide and as a production assistant for Two’s Company. Sian has worked for the internationally renowned Handspan Theatre, Italian Troupe ‘I Comici’, Adelaide based Carouselle Theatre, and in outdoor productions at Ripponlea with Jack of All Trades Theatre. She has toured nationally and internationally, collaborating on scripts and specialising in puppetry visual performance and Commedia Dell' arte. Her directing resume includes the national tour for Commedia dell'Arte troupe ‘Peregrine Productions’, and directing Rumplestiltskin in the historic Ripponlea Gardens. Sian has also acted in many commercials and on Neighbours.
Natalie Reid
Natalie graduated from WAAPA in 2009 with a Graduate Diploma of Music and also holds first class honours degrees in Performing Arts/Music from Monash. With the Australian Youth Choir, Natalie has sung at Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Disneyland, St Paul’s and the Vatican, performing for Prince Albert and the Pope. Natalie’s theatrical credits include the title roles in Manon and Hamlet, Philia in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance as well as Composer/Musical Director/Actor in The Bacchae. Most recently she was Assistant Director for WAAPA’s Dialogues of the Carmelites and MD for the Australian amateur premier of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Chloe Savanah
Chloe has been studying performing arts since the age of 6 and is in her final year of her course, the Bachelor of Performing Arts, at Monash University. She has taken classes in many different dance types including jazz, ballet and hip hop, has been playing the piano since she was eight and been singing since the age of six. Chloe was a student with the CPCA for five years and performed in the Triple Threats. She toured with the CPCA with the production Once on this Island in 2010 to perform at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Chloe was in the TV show The Elephant Princess and a Beyond Blue commercial. Most recently she filmed a pilot TV series called Blazers and a trailer for the feature film The Principality.
Dean Schulz
Photo and bio coming soon!
Karen Sibbing
Photo and bio coming soon!
Victoria Simpson
Tori has been dancing and performing since she was four years old. She has trained in many forms of dance all over Melbourne and at Broadway Dance Centre in New York City. Tori performed in the 2006 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony, has sung in numerous radio and television jingles and is about to perform in Grease the musical. She has completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts with a major in dance and is currently undertaking a Masters in Teaching at Deakin University. Tori began teaching for the CPCA in 2010.
Alex Tsitsopoulos
Alex Tsitsopoulos is a former student of the Victorian Youth Theatre and has been teaching drama and theatre with the company for several years. His theatrical credits with VYT include Richard III, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rhinoceros andThe Birds. He was involved in the making of Café Rebetika, an original piece featured at the Arts Centre, and Brother Boy. In television, Alex has appeared in numerous series including Short Cuts, Fergus Mcphail, Gweneviere Jones, Wilfred, Lowdown, Tangle and films such as Hating Alison Ashley. Last year Alex was involved in two independent feature films, psych thriller Tracy and horror Peekaboo. He is currently working on the post-apocalyptic action feature The Gamehouse.
Hester Van der Vyer
Hester trained in Paris at the theatre school Ecole Jacques Lecoq, at the Melbourne conservatorium and at the National Theatre Ballet School. Theatre credits include The Laramie Project – Ten Years On with Red Stitch Actor's theatre, The Drowsy Chaperone (MTC) Merrily We Roll Along (Gussie) Opera Australia’s production of My Fair Lady, SHOUT the musical, (TML) Other theatre credits include Little Me, Sweet Charity, High Society, Cabaret, Anything Goes, Call Me Madam, Funny Girl andCrazy for You.
Julia Wallace
Julia Wallace is a former student of the CPCA. She studied drama with the Victorian Youth Theatre for eight years, during which time she performed in numerous plays and hosted a television show on channel 31. She also works as a DJ under the name Freshly Squeezed at many of Melbourne most respected and well-known nightclubs. Julia played Sandcastles Festival and toured to Queensland to play Splendour in the Grass in 2010. She studies Media and Communications at the University of Melbourne and often takes part in university productions.
Philip Walsh
Philip Walsh is a musical director, pianist, composer and music educator originally from London. Philip studied Music at the University of Adelaide and returned after his studies as a lecturer and music tutor. In 2004 Philip composed the music for the Qube Jazz Trio’s first album One. He was also commissioned by Mash Mosh films to compose music for the filmGoodbye Girls which was presented at Cannes film festival. Philip returned to London in 2004 where he was Assistant Musical Director on the West End production of Cabaret, and worked in the orchestra with Chicago, The Sound Of Music and Never Forget. Philip was Musical Director on The Rat Pack Live from Vegas and travelled and performed in Austria, Germany, Scandinavia, and The United Kingdom. He has most recently worked on The Phantom of The Opera and the opera Different Fields in Australia.
