STAGES with Peter Eyers

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 both in Australia and internationally), Mamma Mia! and The Light In The Piazza (produced, directed and starred in this award winning show’s only Australian production).

John played the lead role of Georges in La Cage aux Folles, Captain Bracket in the acclaimed Opera Australia production of South Pacific, Doctor Tambourri in Passion, Cardinal Felici in the international tour of The Last Confession with David Suchet, Herr Schultz in the musical Cabaret and Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

John has worked extensively with the Melbourne and Sydney Theatre Companies. For The Production Company John has played Major Bouvier/Norman Vincent Peale in Grey Gardens, Elijah Whitney in Anything Goes, General Harrison Howell/Harry Trevor in Kiss Me Kate, and Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl.His film and TV credits include A Heartbeat Away, City Homicide, The Games, Carson’s Law, Between Wars, Starstruck and the ABC series The Divorce opposite Lisa McCune and Marina Prior. He can currently be seen in the Robbie Williams bio-pic, Better Man.
John played the role of Cinderella’s Father/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods for which he was nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Supporting Artist.

John recently played the role of Roland in Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Bloom and joins the show once again for its present season at the Sydney Theatre Company.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).
www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 host of stage musicals whether that be Mama Rose’s Chowsie in Gypsy, Bill Sykes’ mongrel in Oliver, Paulette’s Rufus and Elle Woods’ Bruiser in Legally Blonde, Dorothy’s Toto in The Wizard of Oz or Eden Brent’s prized Pomeranian pooch in Bullets Over Broadway.

Perhaps best known, as a canine co-star is Sandy in the musical ANNIE, who frequently steals the show.

Luke Hura’s unique career began over 35 years ago and throughout his journey, has worked on some of Australia’s most well-known films, television shows and stage productions.

Luke’s love for animals began at a very early age where he began to connect with them energetically and intuitively, with this ability allowing him to read and recognise their behaviours and thus he began to work with the animals on a more intimate level. This incredible gift steered him in the direction of training all types of animals for performance, including dogs, cats and a variety of birds.

Luke is well respected in the industry and is an obvious choice for any Producer to have as part of their production team. Some of Luke’s career highlights include – Red Dog & Oddball (the highest grossing Australian Dog Films), Paws, Ned Kelly, Rogue, Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Rove Live, The Flying Doctors, Dingo, A Country Practice, Thunderstone, Halifax f.p, Sea Change, The Wizard Of Oz, The Saddle Club, Kath & Kim, Rush and McClouds Daughters.

So how are the canine actors prepared for such starring roles? Sure they may not have much dialogue, but they have to hit their marks and establish a rapport with their co-stars. To answer all, STAGES spoke with Luke Hura, backstage at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, as Annie (and Sandy) readied for the debut of this new Australian production.

Annie plays the Capitol Theatre in Sydney through to early June before a season at The Princess Theatre in Melbourne from July.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 directed Stop Girl for Belvoir St Theatre in 2021. In 2019, she directed Avalanche, a new work by Julia Leigh produced by the Barbican London and later presented by the Sydney Theatre Company.

In 2018, she was appointed the Artistic Director of the Lyric Ensemble at the Lyric Hammersmith, directed a new production of her acclaimed Medea for Theatre Basel, directed a new feminist adaptation of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People for Belvoir, Sydney, and her production of Sarah Kane’s Blasted at the Malthouse theatre was nominated for four green room awards including Best Director.

In 2017, Anne-Louise directed Seventeen for The Lyric Hammersmith, Minnie & Liraz for Melbourne Theatre Company, Merchant of Venice for Bell Shakespeare and Testament of Mary for Malthouse Theatre.

Anne-Louise was Resident Director at Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney from 2013-2015. For Belvoir Street Theatre Anne-Louise has directed Stop Girl, Escaped Alone, Jasper Jones, Seventeen and Stories I Want To Tell You In Person; she directed and co-wrote Elektra/Orestes, A Christmas Carol, Nora and Medea.  Sarks was also assistant director on The Wild Duck and dramaturg on Thyestes. In 2015, Anne-Louise directed a new production of hers and co-writer Kate Mulvaney’s modern day imagining of Medea at The Gate Theatre in London.

Medea won five 2013 Sydney Theatre Awards including Best Direction, Best Mainstage Production and Best New Australian Work. It was also awarded an AWGIE for Best Stage Play and in 2013 was nominated for four prestigious Helpmann Awards including Best Direction, Best New Australian Work and Best Play.

In 2011, Anne-Louise held the positions of Associate Artist for Belvoir, Director in Residence at the Malthouse Theatre Company in Melbourne and from 2010-2013 Anne-Louise was Artistic Director of the acclaimed independent theatre company, The Hayloft Project.

Anne-Louise has recently opened a visceral new production of David Williamson’s The Removalists at the Sumner Theatre, for the Melbourne Theatre Company. 

The classic of the Australian theatre canon, which was born in the New Wave movement of Australian theatre in 1971, shows no signs of its 54 year longevity as a celebrated staple on our stages.

Anne-Louise joined STAGES to discuss her production of The Removalists, and the role she is relishing as one of our cherished arts leaders and theatre-makers.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 single in 1974, He’s a Rebel. Her debut album, She’s a Rebel was released in the same year. 

Byrne's follow-up single was a second Crystals cover, Da Doo Ron Ron, in 1975. In that year she won both the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award for a second time. Byrne travelled to London to record at Abbey Road Studios with Cliff Richard producing. While in London, she made public and TV appearances, including on The Cliff Richard Show.

Returning to Australia she made guest appearances on every major Tonight Show and was a regular performer on the ABC series, The Saturday Show. In 1979 she merged singing with acting for the first time on the ABC’s TV Follies series, eventually co-starring alongside John Farnham in their own series, Farnham and Byrne. 

In 1985 she starred as Kathy McLeod, opposite Matt Dillon in the feature film, Rebel. She was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role for the performance. Byrne sang lead vocals on nine of ten tracks on the soundtrack album. 

On the stage Byrne is responsible for some of the most dynamic interpretations of characters that have become iconic in the music theatre cannon. Her Grisabella in Cats (1985), her Fantine in Les Misérables (1987) and her Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1996) have been heralded as master classes of the form. Vivid and visceral renditions that were delivered with enormous heart, powerhouse vocals and poignant fragility.

Further triumphs on the musical theatre stage include Jerry’s Girls, Metro Street, Minefields and Miniskirts, Follies, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Little Me and La Cage Aux Folles.

Her cabaret work includes writing, directing, choreographing and starring in Girls, Girls, Girls, a celebration of female vocalists including Cilla Black and Dusty Springfield, and Caught in the Act Again, which included both showtunes and some original material. She has also toured with Visa Bull in their Carole King tribute show Tapestry.

In late 2006 her autobiography, Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir, was published on Pan Macmillan. 

In 2010 she played the role of the Bird Woman in the original Australian production of the stage musical, Mary Poppins at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre. She reprised the role in its Sydney run at the Capitol Theatre. And in 2019 she played the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Extensive television work has included Fat Tony & Co. portraying Judy Moran, Upper Middle Bogan, Cop Shop, Home and Away, Tricky Business and The Secret Life of Us.

A consummate artist, Debra returns to the stage in June in a new cabaret show, Feels Like Home.

Debra Byrne’s newest stage outing - Feels Like Home premieres on Friday June 27th at the Odessa Lounge, Leavers Hotel in Creswick, Victoria

You can also catch Feels Like Home on Sat 28th June at The George Lane in St Kilda

With a third show at The Shed Theatre @ The Pig and Whistle, in Main Ridge - on Sunday June 29th 

Bookings and further  information can be found at www.trybooking.com

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 single in 1974, He’s a Rebel. Her debut album, She’s a Rebel was released in the same year. 

Byrne's follow-up single was a second Crystals cover, Da Doo Ron Ron, in 1975. In that year she won both the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and the TV Week Queen of Pop Award for a second time. Byrne travelled to London to record at Abbey Road Studios with Cliff Richard producing. While in London, she made public and TV appearances, including on The Cliff Richard Show.

Returning to Australia she made guest appearances on every major Tonight Show and was a regular performer on the ABC series, The Saturday Show. In 1979 she merged singing with acting for the first time on the ABC’s TV Follies series, eventually co-starring alongside John Farnham in their own series, Farnham and Byrne. 

In 1985 she starred as Kathy McLeod, opposite Matt Dillon in the feature film, Rebel. She was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role for the performance. Byrne sang lead vocals on nine of ten tracks on the soundtrack album. 

On the stage Byrne is responsible for some of the most dynamic interpretations of characters that have become iconic in the music theatre cannon. Her Grisabella in Cats (1985), her Fantine in Les Misérables (1987) and her Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1996) have been heralded as master classes of the form. Vivid and visceral renditions that were delivered with enormous heart, powerhouse vocals and poignant fragility.

Further triumphs on the musical theatre stage include Jerry’s Girls, Metro Street, Minefields and Miniskirts, Follies, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Little Me and La Cage Aux Folles.

Her cabaret work includes writing, directing, choreographing and starring in Girls, Girls, Girls, a celebration of female vocalists including Cilla Black and Dusty Springfield, and Caught in the Act Again, which included both showtunes and some original material. She has also toured with Visa Bull in their Carole King tribute show Tapestry.

In late 2006 her autobiography, Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir, was published on Pan Macmillan. 

In 2010 she played the role of the Bird Woman in the original Australian production of the stage musical, Mary Poppins at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre. She reprised the role in its Sydney run at the Capitol Theatre. And in 2019 she played the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Extensive television work has included Fat Tony & Co. portraying Judy Moran, Upper Middle Bogan, Cop Shop, Home and Away, Tricky Business and The Secret Life of Us.

A consummate artist, Debra returns to the stage in June in a new cabaret show, Feels Like Home.

Debra Byrne’s newest stage outing - Feels Like Home premieres on Friday June 27th at the Odessa Lounge, Leavers Hotel in Creswick, Victoria

You can also catch Feels Like Home on Sat 28th June at The George Lane in St Kilda

With a third show at The Shed Theatre @ The Pig and Whistle, in Main Ridge - on Sunday June 29th 

Bookings and further  information can be found at www.trybooking.com

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 Sydney Fringe Festival, performing to over 9000 audience members. 

The theatre saw hilarious comedies, heartbreaking dramas, insightful conversations, toe-tapping cabarets, groundbreaking musicals, inspiring literary events and more. As well as the Mainstage and Pride Fest artists, the Loading Dock partners with festivals and organisations like FORM, EnQueer, The Bookshop Darlinghurst, Sydney Fringe, and more. It is a space that proudly shares the stories of the LGBTQIA+ community, its allies and the wider community local to Darlinghurst. 

The Loading Dock Theatre may not have the biggest capacity or largest stage dimensions in Sydney, but what it has proven is that it does hold one very big heart. 

The Loading Dock’s 2025 season is off and running. STAGES sat down with Artistic Director Carly Fisher to explore the season and this fabulous new and intimate performance space for Sydney.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 Company, then began a two year contract as Alfred Barrett in Robert  and Elizabeth for the Garnet H Carroll Management. 

In 1966/67, Graeme Ewer performed in The King and I, Annie Get Your Gun and The Music Man for Brett Adams Tent Theatre. The following year, he joined The Australian Elizabethan Trust Opera Company (which became The Australian Opera and, later, Opera Australia) where he enjoyed a thirty-five-year career performing seventy-seven roles. 

He was an audience favourite and was a master of characterisation and comic timing. His four roles (Andres, Cochenille, Pitichinaccio & Frantz) in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann were unique, unsurpassed successes – as was his Njegus in The Merry Widow. 

He performed in Les Contes d’Hoffmann for San Diego Opera in 1994 and in The Merry Widow for Vancouver Opera in 1976 – both at the invitation of conductor Richard Bonynge. A career highlight was performing the title role in Albert Herring at a Royal Command Performance at the Sydney Opera House but, one imagines that Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress and Gustav von Aschenbach in Death in Venice (rarities in his performing repertoire) were personal highlights.  

Graeme Ewer appears on numerous commercial recordings and DVDs. He was awarded a Member, Order of Australia, AM, in 1994 and received the Opera Australia Trophy 2001.  His dedication to his craft and the operatic art-form has been a lesson to at least two generations of performers. Graeme’s career defines him as one of the jewels in the crown of opera in Australia.

(Text courtesy Brian Castles-Onion)

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 Company, then began a two year contract as Alfred Barrett in Robert  and Elizabeth for the Garnet H Carroll Management. 

In 1966/67, Graeme Ewer performed in The King and I, Annie Get Your Gun and The Music Man for Brett Adams Tent Theatre. The following year, he joined The Australian Elizabethan Trust Opera Company (which became The Australian Opera and, later, Opera Australia) where he enjoyed a thirty-five-year career performing seventy-seven roles. 

He was an audience favourite and was a master of characterisation and comic timing. His four roles (Andres, Cochenille, Pitichinaccio & Frantz) in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann were unique, unsurpassed successes – as was his Njegus in The Merry Widow. 

He performed in Les Contes d’Hoffmann for San Diego Opera in 1994 and in The Merry Widow for Vancouver Opera in 1976 – both at the invitation of conductor Richard Bonynge. A career highlight was performing the title role in Albert Herring at a Royal Command Performance at the Sydney Opera House but, one imagines that Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress and Gustav von Aschenbach in Death in Venice (rarities in his performing repertoire) were personal highlights.  

Graeme Ewer appears on numerous commercial recordings and DVDs. He was awarded a Member, Order of Australia, AM, in 1994 and received the Opera Australia Trophy 2001.  His dedication to his craft and the operatic art-form has been a lesson to at least two generations of performers. Graeme’s career defines him as one of the jewels in the crown of opera in Australia.

(Text courtesy Brian Castles-Onion)

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 Music where he studied conducting and composition.

Luke is the co-writer of hit musical That Bloody Woman, and the composer of The Unruly Tourists. Current projects include several projects with Australian collaborators and a new television show. In the United Kingdom, his work has been seen at Andrew Lloyd Weber’s The Other Palace theatre, and he co-wrote the opening number for the last three West End Bares charity concerts in various theatres in London’s West End. His music has been sung by Broadway’s Andréa Burns, Olivier winners David Bedella and Rebecca Trehearn, and Tony nominees Andy Karl and Eva Noblezada. 

His music direction credits are numerous. Highlights include Les Miserables, Chicago, Rent, The Mikado, My Fair Lady, Sweeney Todd and Spamalot. He musically directed the European premiere of Lin-Manuel Miranda's 21 Chump Street in London. A regular guest conductor with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, he has conducted performances of Berlin To Broadway, Mad Men and Dangerous Women, The Golden Age of Broadway and The Golden Age of Hollywood as well as four seasons of CSO Kids. He has also worked with New Zealand Opera, the Christchurch Youth Orchestra and founded the Christchurch Pops Choir. 

Luke is also the founder and director of Christchurch International Musical Theatre Summer School - a biennial programme with a school of both secondary school students and emerging professionals. He has taught with some of Broadway’s finest including Andréa Burns, Sutton Foster, Jonathan Groff, Peter Flynn and Julia Murney. He is currently a Sessional Lecturer at Federation University of Australia in Victoria.

During the Sydney Festival in January, Luke premiered a new work (co-written with Constantine Costi) - Siegfried and Roy: The Unauthorised Opera, to huge acclaim.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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 Hinckley Jr. in Assassins (Black Swan State Theatre Company) and Chantal in La Cage Aux Folles (Showtunes Productions).

As a Wig, Hair and Makeup Designer, highlights of Nick’s work include Reefer Madness (RL Productions), American Psycho (Sydney Opera House), Miss Peony (Belvoir), Ghosting the Party (Griffin Theatre Co), Into the Woods (Belvoir), Midnight: The Cinderella Musical (Aspect Entertainment), The Dismissal (Squabbalogic) and A Model Murder (Sydney Festival).
Nick was also Head of Wigs, Hair and Makeup on the Australian tour of Hairspray (Crossroads Live), A Christmas Carol (GWB Entertainment), Grand Horizons (STC) and recently A Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare’s Globe.

After several seasons of The Picture of Dorian Gray (STC/Michael Cassel Group) including London’s West End. He is excited to be bringing the show to Broadway this season as Wig, Hair and Makeup Supervisor (and onstage quick change diva).

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au