PEOPLE

CONGRATULATIONS TO
NORTH SHORE DRAMA
FINALIST IN THE MOSMAN DAILY’S
2010 BUSINESS ACHIEVER AWARDS

NORTH SHORE DRAMA
Excellence in Dramatic Arts Education
& Premium Actor Training
Drama and Acting Classes for everyone from toddlers to adults

02 9404 5193

0403 363 257

http://youtu.be/DEyJRsEVaVc

 

info@northshoredrama.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/northshoredramaschool
_____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

JESSICA SYMES - CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jessica Symes is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts - NIDA Directors Course and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School - AFTRS Directing/ Screenwriting Course. Jessica has taught at all the major Drama and Acting Schools in Sydney including NIDA, ATYP, The Actors Centre, Brent Street and AADA. Her Directing Credits include 'The Bind' - Darlinghurst Theatre, 'Ball Game' by Alan Ball - Darlinghurst Theatre, 'Treasure Island' - Nida, 'Last One Standing’ by Ned Manning –The Old Fitzroy Theatre. ‘Checklist for an Armed Robber’ by Vanessa Bates - B Sharp Belvoir Street Theatre, ‘Love Potions’ and ‘Tarantula’ by Alana Valentine – Griffin Theatre Company, 'Utah Blue'- Nida, The Old Fitzroy Theatre. Her Assistant Directing Credits include ‘Embers by Campion Decent – Sydney Theatre Company, ‘Run Rabbit Run’ by Alana Valentine – Company B Belvoir Street Theatre, ‘Rabbit’ by Brendan Cowell – Griffin Theatre Company.

Jessica is the Creative Director of the Symes Group, a collection of creative enterprises focused on empowering individuals and their organisations to identify their goals and reach their full potential. Symes Group includes North Shore Drama, Symes Consulting and She Leads. Jessica is also an experienced executive coach, trainer and failitator in the areas of communications, leadership and presentations.


MEDIA
http://northside.whereilive.com.au/news/story/time-to-get-in-on-the-act/


TUTORS
All North Shore Drama tutors are trained industry professionals with extensive experience in
drama teaching and actor training.

http://youtu.be/DEyJRsEVaVc
_______________________________________________________________________________
ROBERT JAGO
Robert graduated from NIDA in 2003. His theatre credits include Macbeth (Bell Shakespeare Compay), 
Death in Bowengabi (Merrigong Theatre Co), 
Hitler’s Daughter (Monkey baa Theatre Co), Richard III (Siren Theatre Co),
 Mademoiselle Fifi (Jo Turner and Company/Darlinghurst Theatre Co), 
The Merchant Of Venice (Ride On/B Sharp), The Illusion (MAKEbeLIVE Productions/Darlinghurst Theatre Co), 
Cloud 9 (Relaxed and Comfortable Group/Darlighurst Theatre Co), 
The Internationalist (The Practical Theatre Co), A Midsummer Nights Dream (Coogee Arts Festival) and Twelfth Night 
(Shauna E. Carter Productions). 
His film credits include Australia and Wolverine. Television credits include Rescue Special Ops, 
City Homicide, All Saints, Scorched and Home and Away. 
Most recently Robert co-produced the international award winning short film Julian.


PEARL TAN - HEAD OF SCREEN ACTING

"Pearl Tan graduated from the NIDA Acting course in 2005. Originally from Western Australia, she also holds a Communications degree majoring in Media Studies from Edith Cowan University. Her short films Seeya Rach, Thanks for Coming and Baby Cake have screened both nationally and internationally. She teaches filmmaking at NIDA and has worked behind the scenes for Channel 7, Channel 9, Network 10, Perth’s 96fm and Faith Martin Casting. Pearl was a recipient of the 2009 Mike Walsh Fellowship to attend the New York Film Academy. Her credits as an actor include Motel (Sydney Theatre Company/Wharf 2Loud), Love’s Triumph (Darlinghurst Theatre) feature films Home Song Stories, Sleeping Beauty and Channel 9’s Sea Patrol. Visit www.pearlyproductions.com for more information."
____________________________________________________________________________________

ANTHONY SKUSE

North Shore Drama is delighted to welcome Anthony Skuse to the North Shore Drama Team and looks forward to what is sure to be an exciting production.  Anthony's recently directed Simon Stephens’ Punk Rock at ATYP’s 2012 Under the Wharf season. The production has been nominated for eight Sydney Theatre Awards, including best direction and best independent production. His other directorial credits include: Lord of the Flies (New Theatre Newtown); Michael Gow’s Fortunes of Richard Mahony (NIDA); Henry Purcell’s Dioclesian (Pinchgut Opera); Robert Dessaix’s A Mad Affair (Parade Studio); Tracy Letts’ Bug (Picture This and Griffin Independent); Jose Rivera’s References to Salvador Dali Makes Me Hot (Artsradar and Griffin Independent); Mark Ravenhill’s pool (no water) – vote one of Time Out’s Top Ten for 2008 (square the circle and Darlinghurst Theatre); Marius Von Mayenburg's The Cold Child (2006 Griffin Stablemates); Michael Gow's Live Acts On Stage (square the circle and 2005 Griffin Stablemates) Anthony has been on staff at Actors Centre Australia since 1994, where he teaches Mask, Animal Work and Performance History. He also teaches and directs at NIDA – most recently the 2012 Showcase. North Shore Drama is delighted to present Cloudstreet: an Australian classic adapted by Nick Enright and Justin Monjo from Tim Winton's Miles Franklin Award-winning novel. Enrolled students will have the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful play, directed by one of this country’s finest directors - Anthony Skuse. Cloudstreet will be rehearsed over two terms and will be an incredible opportunity to learn from the best, to collaborate with like minded people on a wonderful story and create an incredible production at the end of what will be an intensive learning experience.


Julia Ohannessian

Julia Ohannessian graduated from NIDA in 2007. During her time there she performed in such shows as 'Can't Pay! Won't Pay!', 'Attempts On Her Life', 'Hamlet' , 'The Seagull', 'Haroun & The Sea Of Stories', 'The Lost Echo' Sydney Theatre Company/Nida, 'Sweet Charity', 'Once On This Island', 'Some Girls' and 'Top Girls'. Since graduating Julia has performed in 'Risky Lunar Love' (504 Productions), 'Cherry Smoke' (Glass Umbrella) and 'Hardcore' (Short and Sweet). Most recently she was a member of the Sydney Theatre Company Resident Company. As a resident actor at STC she performed in 'The Splinter', 'Blood Wedding', 'Hamlet', 'Oresteia', 'The Comedy of Errors', 'Vs Macbeth', 'The Mysteries: Genesis' and 'Accidental Death of an Anarchist'. Her TV/Film credits include 'East West 101', 'Reset' and 'Madeline'.


NICHOLAS BROWN

Nicholas Brown is an Australian actor and  NIDA graduate. He has played lead roles in the Bollywood films 'Kites' and 'Love You To Death.'  In Australia Nicholas has guest starred in Packed To The Rafters, Underbelly: The Man Who Got Away, City Homicide,  Home And Away, White Collar Blue and Heartbreak High. He also played the lead character of Sachin in the channel Ten Australian drama series 'The Cooks.' His other Australian film credits include The Characters, Temptation and A Man's Gotta Do.   His recent theatre credits include Seven Jewish Children in Mumbai, How To Survive Under Siege in Brussels , the West End Shilpa Shetty Musical Miss Bollywood in London and Europe and Orestes in The Oresteia for UNESCO in Transylvania . Other stage credits include There Is No Need To Wake Up at the Opera House directed by Barrie Kosky, Berlin to Broadway directed by Jim Sharman, Spunks at the Stables Theatre by Rebel Wilson,  Frozen for Company B Belvoir St Theatre directed by Kate Gaul, Toad in the Australian Shakespeare Company's productions of Wind in the Willows and Martin Crimp’s Fewer Emergencies at The Old Fitzroy Theatre.




TONY KNIGHT

Tony Knight is the former Head of Acting at The National Institute of Dramatic Arts - NIDA – with over 25 years service to Nida and over 30 years to the Australian Theatre, Film and Television industry. Tony is the pioneer of the most prestigious and successful actor training programs in the Country and is one of the finest acting teachers arguably in the western world. He’s passion, dedication, knowledge and talent has seen him successfully audition, train and nurture the majority of the talent that we see on the screens and stages. Tony Knight is a cherished icon of the Australian Artistic Community and a much loved father of the industry and we are privileged, excited and honored to have him on board as a guest tutor for what is shaping up to be a very exciting year her at North Shore Drama.Welcome Tony Knight!


KATE GAUL

Kate graduated from NIDA (Directing Course) in 1996 and trained with the Anne Bogart SITI Company in 2005. In 2004/5 Kate was the Associate director at the Ensemble Theatre where productions include The Violet Hour, Kimberly Akimbo and Lobby Hero. Other directing credits include The Cunning Little Vixen (Sydney Chamber Opera), Carmen (Oz Opera), Beautiful (Mudlark Theatre) The Altar Boyz (Ovations Live), Camarilla (Merrigong Theatre Co) Coup D’Etat (MTC), The Gates of Egypt, Our Lady of Sligo, Run Rabbit Run, The Laramie Project, Svetlana in Slingbacks (Company B), Wicked Sisters (Griffin/National tour), Rabbit (Griffin Theatre) and projects for all major drama schools around Australia.Kate is the Artistic Director of Siren Theatre Co: productions include FOX (Monkey Baa/National Tour, 2010), The Seagull (Chekhov), Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Richard 3, Twelfth Night, Human Resources (by Chris Aronsten), Duck (by Stella Feehily), eeni meeni mini mo (devised by the company), Hard Swallow (by Mirra Todd), Polly Blue (by Belinda Bradley), Wanna Go Home, Baby? (devised by the company), Connie and Kevin and the Secret Life of Groceries (by Noelle Janaczweska) and Blue Heart (by Caryl Churchill) and Frozen (by Michael O’Brien). Kate has also written and directed two short films Embrace and Cake. www.sirentheatre.

ZOE CARIDES

ZOE CARIDES is an actress, writer, and filmmaker, whose career has spanned three decades. As an actor, highlights include the TV dramas GP and Grass Roots, Packed To The Rafters, Crownies, and the Spielberg/Hanks-produced The Pacific. Theatre includes The Seagull, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Idiot, The Vagina Monologues, Away, Tot Mom, Murderers, and  David Williamson’s Influence. She’s worked for all the major companies of Australia, along with international directors such as Mike Leigh, Jeremy Podeswa, and Steven Soderbergh.  Films include Death in Brunswick, Brilliant Lies, The Black Balloon, Not Suitable For Children, and the upcoming Blinder and Mystery Road. She’s recently begun writing and directing; her first feature now in development. Zoe is an AFI nominee and a Helpmann winner.


ADRIAN BARNES
Adrian first set foot on the stage as a professional actor in 1966 whilst still a student at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has pursued an active career in the performing arts since then. Leaving BOVTS, Adrian spent the next 16 years working in the West End and many of the renowned major provincial Repertory Companies, including Birmingham Repertory Theatre, The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, and Derby Playhouse.  In the West End, Adrian appeared with the English National Opera Company and in many West End triumphs including Kiss me Kate (ENO), West Side Story (the first revival), Very Good Eddie, Irene and Hello Dolly, with Carol Channing, to name but a few. Several major British films including The Slipper and the Rose, and the occasional TV appearance filled his spare time. In 1981 Adrian came to Australia for a well-earned holiday and to see the country his father had left to be with his mother. After a six month working holiday, Adrian decided Australia was a much more fruitful place to live than the UK and took up residence in OZ. A successful career ensued and Adrian has worked in many, and various, theatre, film and television shows, including The Pirates of Penzance- The Broadway version for the Victorian State Opera Company, and he also toured with Simon Gallagher’s renowned production, Seven Little Australian- The Musical, Gypsy for The Production Company in Melbourne and in many successful theatre and musical productions Australia wide. On television, Adrian has appeared in some Aussie classics including The Young Doctors, Sons and Daughters, and Henderson’s Kids. His films include, Thank God He Met Lizzie and Flair (Telemovie). He has also travelled the world with his friend and partner, Pat Wilson performing some very salacious and entertaining original satirical cabaret. Adrian has directed many successful plays, musical theatre performances and self devised works across Australia and NZ. Adrian currently runs Springboards Performing Arts in Annandale, Sydney, a school, specialising in music theatre training, he founded in 2009, with his partner Pat Wilson.

PAUL CAESAR

Paul Caesar acted in over twenty productions and tutored Bundaberg Players Inc.’s Youth Theatre before studying acting at NIDA. Since graduating from NIDA, he has worked with distinction as an actor, writer, director and acting coach. Paul’s acting credits include roles on television's All Saints, Home and Away, Water Rats, Young Lions, Big Sky, Murder Call, G.P., A Country Practice and the acclaimed ABC series Heartland. Paul appeared in films The Square, Cross-life, Gino and The Well and has performed on stage in Romeo and Juliet and in King Lear for the Sydney Theatre Company. With his own company Creative State, Paul has been an acting coach for over 15 years and designed and facilitated acting programs locally and interstate. He successfully ran his own drama school in Sydney’s Hills District for more than three years before teaching at NIDA, where he continues to teach and is the Core Tutor of NIDA’s Drama Studio. Paul has written a number of student productions which include Redemption and Beth which he has also directed at NIDA. Paul has directed a production of The Crucible and many self-devised projects. Paul is an accredited trainer, with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, and has taken his skills into the corporate arena designing and facilitating Team Building, Communication and Presentation Skills training programs.

PAUL-WILLIAM MAWHINNEY

Paul-William Mawhinney graduated from the full-time acting course at NIDA in 2007. Since then he has appeared in the Australian Premier of 2010 Tony Award winning ‘Best Play,’ “RED,” by John Logan in Adelaide, as Malcolm in William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ with the Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Vlad in a staged play reading of ‘The Slow Sword’ by Yuri Klavdiyev for the Sydney Theatre Company directed by Tom Wright, Tim in the world premiere production of ‘Whore’ by award winning Australian playwright Rick Viede at Downstairs Belvoir, he also performed in Dennis Kelly’s ‘DNA’ at the Old Fitzroy Theatre, G.B Shaw’s ‘Major Barbara’ in Adelaide’s Odeon Theatre, Joe Calarco’s adaptation of ‘Shakespeare’s R&J’ at Riverside Theatre and Stephen Snell’s ‘Keeper’ at Downstairs Belvoir. While studying at NIDA he was involved in productions of Nigel Williams’ ‘Class Enemy,’ Neil Simon’s ‘Sweet Charity,’ R.B. Sheridan’s ‘The Rivals,’ William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ and Harold Pinter’s ‘The Caretaker.’ While studying he was also involved in Barrie Kosky and Tom Wright’s Helpmann Award winning ‘The Lost Echo’ with Sydney Theatre Company. He has also been teaching Acting for NIDA’s Open Program since 2005 and has also worked for the Sydney Theatre Company’s Education Department’s School Drama Program.


ANA MARIA BELO

Ana Maria graduated from NIDA in 1998. Theatre credits include Sarah in The Listmaker for Bell Shakespeare Company; the Australian tour of Fame the Musical playing Serena Katz; Noises Off for Ensemble Theatre Company playing Brooke/Vicki; Connie in Dr Akars Women for Griffin Theatre Company; Fantail in Company B’s production of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie; Sally Cato in Mame for The Production Company and she was nominated for a green room award for her performance of Jeanie in Hair the Musical. Ana Maria has just returned from an Australian Tour of Steel Magnolias where she played the role of Annelle. Television credits include All Saints, Home & Away, White Collar Blue and in the UK According To Bex and Life Begins. Ana Maria has appeared in the feature films A Cold Summer and The Book of Revelation.



JAMIE IRVINE

Jamie Has a Bachelor of Arts (Theatre and Film) from Victoria University of Wellington and a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting) form NIDA and in 2009 was awarded a Mike Walsh Fellowship to study in New York at the Stella Adler Studio and with Susan Batson at Black Nexxus.Over the last ten years Jamie has worked as an actor, voice artist, script adviser, Drama teacher and Director in both New Zealand and Sydney. Jamie’s theatre Credits include Sydney Ghost Stories (Old Fitzroy, 2009), Colder (Stables, 2008), The Soldier and the Thief..... (Old Fitzroy, 2008), HSC Writers on Stage (as an actor) (Seymour Centre, 2008), Class Enemy (NIDA, 2007), Kikia te Poa (Producer, Actor, Old Fitzroy 2006), 7 Blowjobs (Belvoir B-Sharp, 2006) and various NIDA productions. Before moving to Sydney, Jamie toured New Zealand in the cast of Blood Brothers in 2001.On screen Jamie has recently appeared in Out of the Blue (2008), Short films Winners and Losers (2007) and Vinyl (2008), Home and Away (2007) and he was a regular cast member on kiwi soap Shortland Street (2001-02). Jamie co-founded The Really Really Serious Theatre Company and in 2009, Picture this Productions, a collective of five Sydney artists responsible for Sydney Ghost Stories.


LISA GORMLEY

Lisa is currently a regular cast member of Channel Sevens 'Home and Away'. Lisa Gormley began her interest in performing arts from a young age. Since then she has been highly involved in Technical Production, Teaching, Directing and of course Acting. Lisa has previously taught her own acting classes while living in England and Tasmania and has spent the last three years teaching with NIDA's Open Program. Having recently graduated from NIDA’s fulltime acting course Lisa looks forward to sharing her knowledge with her future students.

KYLIE BONACCORSO

Kylie Bonaccorso has completed a Degree and a Graduate Diploma of Education in Theatre Studies, Communication and English at UNE. In 2005 she completed further study at the International School of Commedia dell’ Arte in Italy and a short course with LISPA, the physical theatre school in London. Kylie has taught classes for atyp (Australian Theatre for Young People) since 2006. She has worked with various regional groups such as the young actors in the Pilbara, devising several shows for performance in Karratha Theatre. In 2009 she and Shane Jones worked on a works-in-progress based on the text of Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson. In 2008 she directed a short work for Fresh Ink. Kylie has been a movement lecturer for Wesley Institute since 2007 working with all three acting years. Her work involves devising 30-40 minute movement pieces with students and assisting directors with aspects of character physicality and short movement sequences as with Medea and Hedda Gabler.Kylie has worked at The McDonald College of Performing Arts for six years specialising in teaching play-building, storytelling, mask and Commedia dell’ Arte. During her time at the college Kylie directed eight shows a year such as Ghost Sonata, Summer of the Aliens, The House of Bernarda Alba, Lord of the Flies, Grimm Tales by devised by Old Vic and A Servant of Two Masters with her senior classes.She has also worked for Darlo Drama (directing monologue and scene work), Bell Shakespeare (directing a commedia scene for corporate performance), CYT (Canberra Youth Theatre), Flanno Fest, Q Theatre (2007-09, devising performance work with youth in the western suburbs), Brent Street and MLC Studio and specialised in teaching and directing youth with a disability for various institutions. At N.I.D.A. she has both devised shows such as 15 Minutes of Fame; a verbatim piece and directed Grimm Bush Tales, A Comedy of Errors and assisted directed Alice in Wonderland in January 2010. She was movement director for Don Juan by Atelier French Theatre.

MEGAN VENHOEK

Megan is a design graduate from NIDA in 2006. Since graduating Megan has worked in theatre, film, television, ballet, opera and events. She has designed costumes for Nickelodeon and children's television and was costume assistant for Baz Lurmanns epic Australia. She has also designed set and costumes for Last One Standing (Old Fitz) and Night Journeys (Sidetrack) La La Land (Campbelltown Arts). Since leaving NIDA Megan has taught extensively through the NIDA Open programs in a variety of design related courses.

CHARLIE DUGDALE

Charli completed the design course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art - NIDA in 2008. Prior to commencing her studies at NIDA. Charli studied Technical production at the Queensland University of Technology. Her work with Bell Shakespeare, Brisbane Festival, Queensland Arts Council, Coogee Bay festival and Numerous independent directors has seen her design work span the fields of theatre, dance, circus and physical theatre. Charli works as an art director for film and photographed and recently joined media art company 18 0n 9. Charli has been teaching young people for over 5 year and has enjoyed ever moment of it. Recent theatre work includes The Jungle(Set Design) Darlinghurst Theatre 2009, The Rhinos (Set and Costume) Ashfield council 2009, The Servant of Two Masters (Costume Design) NIDA / Coogee Bay festival 2008/2009, The Bind (Costume Design) Darlinghurst Theatre 2008 and Unidentified Human Remains and True Nature Of Love (Set Design) NIDA 2008.


JESSICA TUCKWELL

Jessica Tuckwell is a theatre director and writer, graduating from the NIDA Directing course in 2007. In 2010 she was the Director in Residence at Bell Shakespeare and directed Macbeth Intensive in 2011. She worked on Griffin Theatre’s And No More Shall We Part as the assistant director and she received an Artstart grant in 2011 to use for travel to the UK.Last year Jessica directed Words They Make with Their Mouths for The Melbourne Fringe Festival and Adelaide Fringe Festival, where the production won the BankSA People’s Choice Award, and Dogmeat for MKA and Melbourne Fringe, which later won the St Martin’s National Young Playwright Competition. She has worked at Sydney Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre, Australian Theatre for Young People and NIDA and is currently writing a play as part of the JUMP Mentorship program. Jessica has been tutoring for six years and is looking forward to a new term at North Shore Drama!