Company

Hey friends! We’re so happy to be back in your ears for episode eight of season two!

This time on the pod we spoke to the beautiful and empowering Natasha Crane. Natasha Crane is a professional dancer/choreographer turned full time life coach, and in the ep we spoke abut relinquishing the need for competition when it comes to performance, the healing power of releasing emotion through conscious dance, and the importance of having a boogie in the kitchen!

A little bit more about Natasha:

Natasha has enjoyed a successful career spanning 10 years as an  international choreographer and performer with a wide variety of  experiences to draw from.

With a diploma in performing arts Natasha became increasingly aware of  the need for mental health support for aspiring artists and was drawn to  become a certified life coach and emotional healer.

As a performer she was a Hip-Hop dancing penguin in the film “Happy Feet  2” working with US choreographer Wade Robson for Kennedy Miller  Productions. She has made numerous TV appearances on shows including  “X Factor”, “Helpmann Awards”, “NRL” and “Lord Mayors NYE Broadcast”. Her choreography and creative direction has taken her work internationally,  working in Macau, Hong Kong, Bali, Singapore and India along with a great  body of work in Australia.

Since training to become a life coach, Natasha has found a deeper purpose  and role to play in this industry. She has now individually mentored over  100 people and delivered group masterclasses and sessions with many  young aspiring artists.

Natasha’s passion and purpose is to help artists uncover a  stronger sense of self-empowerment to take with them on their journey.

If you’d like to see more from Natasha, you can follow her on instagram @natashacranecreations

This week, Giorgia’s riff was “Athlete A” on Netflix, and Tiana’s riffs was “Van Gogh Live Experience” in Adelaide.

We hope this episode inspires you to take care of yourself as an artist (and human!)

We'd love to hear your thoughts from this episode on our instagram @companypod, or Facebook Company Podcast.

Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano

Edited and Produced by David Duketis

Music by David Duketis

Graphic Design by David Duketis

IT’S OUR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! And no better way to celebrate than to have the iconic cabaret artist and musical director Victoria Falconer on the show. We dive into Victoria’s career as a cabaret artist, travelling the world with her feminist power trio, her flavour of musical direction and the incredible People of Cabaret initiative. Join Tiana as she rides solo this week (Giorgia was busy being a superstar in Cry Baby rehearsals!), and hear about the lady who can seriously do it all!

A little bit more about Victoria:

Victoria Falconer is a cabaret artist, multi-instrumentalist, theatre maker and musical director. Her most recent projects include co-creating and hosting Smashed: The Brunch Party, a femme-fronted, fiercely diverse drag cabaret show that received 5 star reviews and won a Pick of the Fringe Award for its debut season at Adelaide Fringe, whilst concurrently performing in The Boy Who Talked To Dogs, a co-production by Slingsby Theatre and State Theatre South Australia for Adelaide Festival 2021. She is co-creator & performer with acclaimed feminist firebrands Fringe Wives Club, whose debut show Glittery Clittery has been presented on stages including Southbank Centre, Soho Theatre (London), Griffin Theatre (Sydney), Darwin Festival, Bats Theatre (Wellington) and at Edinburgh Fringe, where it received the Spirit of the Fringe Award in 2018.

Victoria is a founding director for The People of Cabaret, an initiative formed in 2020 to amplify and advocate for artists who identify as Indigenous and/or Bla(c)k and/or people of colour working in cabaret, circus, burlesque and associated disciplines. In their first six months of existence, they have curated a two week residency of shows at Darlinghurst Theatre Company, presented an online extravaganza for Melbourne Fringe (winning their Spirit of the Fringe Award), and hosted/produced their first Sydney Festival show We Are Here. Victoria also leads the Mentorship Program, empowering and upskilling IBPOC artists across the country.

She has twice received the Best Cabaret Award at Adelaide Fringe (2018 & 2011). In 2019 she was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award (Once, Darlinghurst Theatre Company) and a Green Room Award (Glittergrass, Malthouse Theatre) for musical direction. Other MD credits include Insane Animals (HOME Manchester), Courtney Act’s Under The Covers (Underbelly, London) Unroyal Variety (Hackney Empire), Sasquatch The Opera (Summerhall, Edinburgh) and Oklahoma! (Black Swan State Theatre Company).

If you would like to follow Victoria’s work, you can find her @victoria_falconer on instagram, Victoria Falconer on Facebook, or at www.maestramusic.org/profile/victoria-falconer for her artist page. Additionally this is the link to the mentorship program with People of Cabaret https://www.thepeopleofcabaret.com/the-mentorship

We'd love to hear your thoughts from this episode on our instagram @companypod, or Facebook Company Podcast.

Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano

Edited and Produced by David Duketis

Music by David Duketis

Graphic Design by David Duketis

Lucky episode number 6!  In this weeks episode, we were so stoked to be able to talk to our friend and fellow WAAPA grad Sam Corlett. Sam has shot to success since graduating a few years ago, and on this ep we got to chatting about why Sam’s tight-knit family has inspired his career, the importance of taking care of your mind as an actor (and a human!), and what life on an international set has been like.  A little bit about Sam:  Sam graduated from Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2018.   

Shortly after graduating from WAAPA, Sam was cast as “Young Luke” in Robert Connelly’s feature film adaptation of best selling novel THE DRY, produced by Bruna Papandrea and starring Eric Bana and Genevieve O’Reilly. Following this he played “Prince Caliban” in the final two seasons of Netflix original television series CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA, starring Kiernan Shipka and Miranda Otto.   Sam has recently been announced as the series lead in the Vikings spinoff series VIKINGS: VALHALLA starring as Leif Eriksson.   

Alongside his acting career, Sam is also a visual and creative artist. He recently designed a limited edition men’s jewellery capsule “Corlett Exclusives” in collaboration with the brand Merchants Of The Sun. All pieces feature hand-drawn symbols by Sam and all profits of this range are donated to the Cancer Council.   

We loved this episode with Sam- he’s such a kind and warm soul and it was a pleasure to chat about where life has taken him!   If you would like to hear more from Sam, you can follow him on instagram @samcorlett   

We'd love to hear your thoughts from this episode on our instagram @companypod, or Facebook Company Podcast.    

Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano    

Edited and Produced by David Duketis    

Music by David Duketis  

Graphic Design by David Duketis

And we're back again. Just when we thought life would get easier...it threw some more curveballs at us! But none the less here is Episode 5 of Season 2!

On this episode we super were fortunate to speak with Mia Morrissey. A massive girl crush of ours who is not only killing it in the business but created 'The Gained Project', an amazing initiative encouraging people to celebrate what they may have 'gained' during COVID.

As we talk about the project and Mias career to date, we explore the challenges facing women in the industry, living with Endometriosis and the importance of self love in a world that tries to tell you the opposite.

Here is a little bit about Mia:

Mia is a Sydney-based actor who grew up within the performing arts sector. Being no stranger to the entertainment industry, Mia Morrissey started working as an actor at the age of sixteen when she starred in the critically acclaimed short film Bat Eyes, which featured in the Venice Film Festival.

Following this, Mia went on to study acting full time at WAAPA.

Since graduating, Mia has appeared in a number of works including ABC’s “Harrow”, Alice in Slasherland, Home and Away, and most recently played the role of Mimi in Rent at the Sydney Opera House.

Mia has also started “The Gained Project”, a platform that celebrates all that or bodies do, and champions the notion that we are bigger than what our bodies look like, with the hashtag what have you gained.

If you would like to find out more about Mia, you can follow her instagram @miamoremorrissey and Facebook page Mia Morrissey. We'd love to hear your thoughts from this episode on our instagram @companypod, or Facebook Company Podcast

Hosted and Created by Tiana Catalano & Giorgia Kennedy

Edited and Produced by David Duketis

Music and Graphics by David Duketis

Andddd we’re back! After a lil’ hiatus (where we were busy graduating!) we are so excited to be bringing you episode 4 of Season 2!   

On this ep, we got to speak to the beautiful, funny and vibrant Chika Ikogwe, who is currently starring in “Fangirls”, a sell-out musical touring Australia, about teens navigating their love for boybands (and so much more!)   

In this episode, we talk about what it means to land a career that brings others joy, experiences at drama school, and why authentic representation within the arts is so. damn. Important.  

A little bit about Chika:  

Chika Ikogwe is an award-winning Nigerian-Australian Actor and Writer. She’s a recent acting graduate of The National Institute of Dramatic Art (2018).   As an Actor, Chika has worked extensively in the industry on shows such as Dance Nation dir. Imara Savage, Fangirls dir. Paige Rattray, The Wolves dir. Jessica Arthur, Normal dir. Anthony Skuse, Sydney Theatre Buses co-produced by An Assorted Few, Green Door Theatre Company and Ban Shakespeare and recently made her TV debut in the role of Dr. M on ABC’s MIKKI v the WORLD.   As a Writer, Chika has written for the Audrey Journal, co-wrote a play called The House at Boundary Road Liverpool which made its world premiere at The Old 505 Theatre in November of 2019 and has a number of upcoming works in development, including Chioma’s Party a play which recently had development support from Belvoir and Green Door Theatre Company & Just Chidi Things a web series supported by the Leslie Walford AM Foundation, The Spark Fund and was the winner of the Screen Makers Conference Pitch-o-rama competition in 2020.   Chika was the recipient of the 2018 BBM Youth Support Award in Drama, the recipient of the 2018 Leslie Walford AM Award, winner of ‘Best Newcomer’ at the Sydney Theatre Awards in 2019 and recipient of The 2020 ATYP Rose Byrne Emerging Female Leader in the Arts scholarship.   She’s incredibly passionate about diversity and representation, and strives to bring authentic Afrocentric stories to the forefront of Australian stages and screens.  

If you would like to find out more about Chika, you can follow her on instagram @chikathat and on Facebook as Chika Ikogwe  We'd love to hear your thoughts from this episode on our instagram @companypod, or Facebook Company Podcast.  

Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano  

Edited and Produced by David Duketis  

Music by David Duketis  Graphic Design by David Duketis

Welcome welcome to episode 3 of our second season!  This time on the pod we spoke to the beautiful Manali Datar and Trevor Adelson!  This wonderful duo (otherwise known as ultrafine!) have just released their first single as collaborators, blessing our ears with their song “signs”.  

In this episode, we talk about how to navigate “experience dollars”, the importance of knowing your worth as an artist, the joy of exploring different creative avenues than the ones you are used to, and how this duo came to produce their own sound together!  

A little bit about these artists:  Manali is a singer, writer and actor who graduated from VCA in 2018. She is heavily influenced by pop, r’n’b, soul and funk artists - currently H.E.R, Victoria Monet, Anderson .Paak and Frank Ocean. She loves a snappy rap punchline, NASA merch and creating visuals for ultrafine. Manali is currently playing Rose-Granger Weasley in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Melbourne. Trevor’s musical career started with piano at age five, and after getting hooked on jazz in high school big band, he has recently completed an honours degree in music composition at the VCA/MCM. He has spent the last several years honing his production and arranging skills and feels as at home scoring for symphony orchestra as he does programming absolutely filthy synth patches on his Hydrasynth. ultrafine is their first project together. They take their musical inspiration from pop, jazz, r’n’b and funk, without confining themselves to a genre and whilst keeping an ear out for the freshest production techniques. They write and produce every element together, staying creative and curious while giving themselves and their listeners a good excuse to get up and dance.  

If you would like to find out more about these creatives, you can follow them on instagram @ultrafinetunes , @xtrevad and @manalidatar_  

We'd love to hear your thoughts from this episode on our instagram @companypod, or Facebook Company Podcast. 

Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano 

Edited and Produced by David Duketis 

Music by David Duketis 

Graphic Design by David Duketis

Lets goooo Episode 2 Season 2!

This week we are bringing you a chat with the incredible Brent Hill (Hamilton, School of Rock) and Meghan O’Shea (Singin’ In The Rain, Grease).

At the end of 2020 we were lucky enough to work with Brent and Meghan as Director and Choreographer for Merrily We Roll Along at WAAPA. Throughout the process we had extensive discussions on self-care and mental health as a performer, and Brent and Meghan consistently shared with us how important it is to shape an industry where the performers wellbeing is as important as the show itself.

Chatting with each other we knew we wanted to bring these discussions to the podcast, so we were so keen to catch up with Brent and Meg as they further shared on this episode their experiences with burnout, boundaries as a performer, and ways of finding your own joy and creativity through long running shows.

A little bit about these creatives: 

Brent Hill has recently been cast as King George III in Hamilton Australia, playing at the Lyric Theatre in 2021. Prior to this, he originated the role of Dewey Finn in the Australian touring cast of School of Rock. Brent has had extensive training in theatre and has been awarded numerous Green Room and Helpmann Awards for his roles in Rock of Ages, Little Shop of Horrors and School of Rock. 

Some of Brent’s other theatre and film credits include: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Chimerica (STC), An Ideal Husband, Vivid White, The Speechmaker (MTC), Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play (Belvoir), Seymour/Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (Luckiest Productions & Tinderbox Productions), Once – Seoul tour (Once UK), Leo Bloom in The Producers (The Production Company), Twelfth Night (Bell Shakespeare Company), Rock of Ages (Rock of Ages Australia),Donnatelegrams (ABC), Laid (ABC)and It’s a Date (ABC). 

Meghan O’Shea is an Australian actor and Musical Theatre performer. In 2009 Meghan graduated from Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre and later graduated from the Film and Television Studio International. Most recently, Meghan graduated from QUT Business School with a graduate certificate in Marketing and Communications.

As a musical theatre performer, Meghan has appeared in the Australian tours of Singin' in the Rain, The Rocky Horror Show, A Chorus Line, and most recently as Sandy in Grease.

Meghan has also worked in marketing for Crown Resorts in Melbourne, and following this was the Marketing Manager for the award winning play I Am My Own Wife. Additionally, Meghan has worked for the global media agency, OMD. Inspired by these experiences Meghan founded her own company 'Social Butterfly Digital Marketing'.

If you would like to find out more about these creatives, you can follow them on instagram @brenthill and @meghan_oshea_

We'd love to hear your thoughts from this episode on our instagram @companypod, or Facebook Company Podcast.

Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano

Edited and Produced by David Duketis

Music by David Duketis

Graphic Design by David Duketis

Season 2 here we go!!  To kick things off this year, we are so excited to be sharing with you our three way chat with actors Sara Reed, Stefanie Caccamo and Emily Havea!   

Perth was lucky enough to have it’s theatre doors open in 2020, with Black Swan Theatre Company rounding out the year with a wonderfully joyous and thought provoking reimagining of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma (Directed by Richard Carroll), with these three badass ladies at the helm.   

A little bit about these women:  

Hailing originally from Eagle Lake, Texas, Sara is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a BA in Music Theatre. Her credits include City Homicide (Seven Network), Knowing, (with Nicholas Cage), the Australian tour of Little Britain Live, Billy Elliot, Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, and prior to attending WAAPA, Sara played Bielke in Fiddler on the Roof, opposite Anthony Warlow. In 2019, Sara played the roles of Marta in Company and dance soloist Frug Girl in Sweet Charity. Sara has most recently been part of Oklahoma! For Black Swan Theatre Company.  

Emily is a Sydney based actor, singer and dancer. A 2014 NIDA acting grad, Emily has worked across theatre, music, film and TV. Theatre credits include 'Julius Caesar' (Calphurnia/Octavius) Bell Shakespeare Co; 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (Hermia), Bell Shakespeare; 'BU21' (Thalissa) Old 505, Outhouse Theatre Co; 'Dogfght', Hayes Theatre; 'Sing To Me', Apocalypse Theatre and 'Brown Skin Girl' with Blackbirds for Griffin Theatre Batch Festival and the WITS Festival Fatale. Emily trained full time with Danceworld Studios in 2011 and teaches and performs regularly with Retrosweat, the 80ties aerobic workout.  Her TV credits include season 6 'Wentworth' (Mon Alston) Fremantle Media/Showcase and 'Growing Up Gracefully', ABC. Film credits include 'Stem' (Nurse Henderson) with Goalpost Pictures and web series; 'Resting Pitch Face' (Olivia), Google/ Grumpy Sailor Productions. In 2020 Emily was cast as the world first female Curly in Okalhoma! At Black Swan Theatre.   

Stefanie Caccamo is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts (WAAPA) and her credits include Dead Man Walking the Opera, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Applause, Once, HAIR: The Musical 50th Anniversary Tour, Irene, and most recently, Laurie in Oklahoma!  In this episode we talk about all things Oklahoma, self esteem and body image, creative boundaries, and the impact of telling your truth as an artist.  

If you would like to find out more about these woman, you can follow them each on instagram @texas_gold, @thetheatrejew and @stefcaccamo.  

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and open up discussion with you on our instagram @companypod, and our facebook Company Podcast.  Please leave us a rate and review, and let us know what you’d love to hear in our upcoming episodes at [email protected]  Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano  

Edited and Produced by David Duketis  

Music by David Duketis  

Graphic Design by David Duketis

Hey you! Thanks for tuning into Episode 12!  This time on the pod we got to speak to the man that we think is THE best vocal coach in Australia, Donald Woodburn.  Donald Woodburn studied at NIDA before heading up the voice departments at the South African School of Film and Drama (AFDA) and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). He has worked with an array of broadcasters including AlJazeera English, MTVbase, the ABC, Fox Sports, Fox Sports News and Channels 7 and 9. He secured residency in Australia as a Distinguished Talent in his field and his reputation has seen him invited to train a cross section of professional speakers in the corporate sector, education, politics, law, medicine and NGOs. 

His approach to voice emerged from a blend of childhood experiences in rural KwaZulu-Natal and his extensive involvement with broadcast professionals. He is the originator of ‘Vocal Targeting’ work and the author of five children’s books.  In this episode we talked about getting ugly with the language that you use, what happens when we censor our art and the stories we tell, and how to claim your power when you speak.   

If you would like to find out more about Donald  and his work or want to enquire about some coaching, you can visit his Facebook at Donald Woodburn Vocal Coach, or contact the Hub Studio in Sydney for Donald’s vocal workshops.  We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and open up discussion with you on our instagram @companypod, and our facebook Company Podcast. Please leave us a rate and review, and let us know what you’d love to hear in our upcoming episodes at [email protected]  

Hosted and Created by Giorgia Kennedy and Tiana Catalano,  

Edited and Produced by David Duketis,  

Music by David Duketis,  

Graphic Design by Deirdre Khoo

Hello! Thanks for tuning in to episode 11!

Lyndon is a 2014 graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).