STAGES with Peter Eyers

Damon Herriman was born in Adelaide and has been acting since the age of eight. His extensive credits are a testament to his versatility and standing.
Damon’s Australian television credits include the upcoming series for Disney+ The Artful Dodger, Thai Cave Rescue for Netflix, The Tourist (AACTA 2022 Nominee) for STAN/BBC/HBO Max, alongside Jamie Dornan and Danielle MacDonald, The Commons for STAN, Lambs of God for Lingo Pictures, Mr. Inbetween (Series 1 - 3) for FX directed by Nash Edgerton, Riot (2018 AACTA Award Winner - Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama, 2018 Logie Award Nomination; Most Outstanding Actor), No Activity S2 for STAN, Top of the Lake: China Girl, Secret City for Matchbox Pictures and Foxtel (2017 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor and the 2016 AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama), Never Tear Us Apart as INXS manager Chris Murphy for the Seven Network, The Outlaw Michael Howe in the titular role of Michael Howe, The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting, Rake (ABC), Love My Way (Foxtel), Offspring (Network 10), Brides of Christ (ABC) and the series two co-lead in Laid (ABC).
Damon's film credits include the upcoming 20th Century Studios Bikeriders, The Portable Door alongside Christoph Waltz and Sam Neill, Run Rabbit Run starring alongside Sarah Snook and the Biopic on the life and experience of Robbie Williams; Better Man. Nude Tuesday (AACTA Nomination for Best Lead Actor) with Jackie Van Beek and Jemaine Clement, Judy & Punch, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival (2019 AACTA Award Winner - Best Lead Actor), The Nightingale, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival 2018, Down Under (AACTA Nomination for Best Supporting Actor), The Little Death (AACTA Nomination for Best Lead Actor), Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor, Russell Crowe’s The Water Diviner, 100 Bloody Acres, The Square, Candy, Ned and The Big Steal. In 2008 Damon won the Best Actor award at the St Kilda Film Festival for his performance in the short film Len’s Love Story. He can next be seen in the upcoming film The Portable Door alongside Christoph Waltz and Sam Neill, Run Rabbit Run starring alongside Sarah Snook and the Biopic on the life and experience of Robbie Williams; Better Man.
Damon also works extensively in the US. Most recently on Once Upon A Time in Hollywood for Quentin Tarantino, playing infamous cult leader, Charles Manson. Other US film credits include Gore Verbinksi’s The Lone Ranger (Walt Disney Pictures), J. Edgar opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (dir Clint Eastwood for Imagine Entertainment/Warner Bros); Redbelt directed by David Mamet (Sony) and House of Wax (Warner Bros). 
On US television, Damon is best known for his recurring role as Dewey Crowe in the critically acclaimed FX series, Justified opposite Timothy Olyphant. His most recent credits include Barry Jenkins' Amazon Limited Series The Underground Railroad and Perpetual Grace, LTD, alongside Jacki Weaver and Ben Kingsley (Epix/Stan). His other international television credits include the UK BBC One series, The Serpent, David Fincher’s series Mindhunter (playing Charles Manson for the second time in a year), the recurring role of Mr. Jones in CBS’s Vegas opposite Dennis Quaid, Breaking Bad, Wilfred, The Unit, Cold Case and the Vince Gilligan police drama Battle Creek. His series regular roles include the Starz cable drama, Flesh and Bone (2016 Golden Globe Nomination: Best Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television) and Quarry for Cinemax. 
Damon has also written and/or directed many successful short films, including the Tropfest finalists They and The Date and was awarded Best Screenplay and Audience Award for his short film Soar (writer/performer). Damon was also a contributing sketch writer on ABC / Jungle production, The Elegant Gentlemen’s Guide to Knife Fighting. 

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts.

Doug Kingsman now retired (or resting), has navigated an exciting career as a theatre actor, designer and director. Following a lengthy stint in showbiz, he subsequently carved a career as an Interior designer for 25 years on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
Known as an all-round entertainer in the true sense, he could turn his hand to many crafts, whether it be singing, dancing, acting or designing sets and costumes. 
Born and educated in Sydney, he was studying singing and dancing at 14 and sought early experience at The Independent Theatre. He made many appearances on Channel 7 programmes. Later work in television included The Mavis Bramston Show and a lengthy stint responsible for the sets on The Mike Walsh Show.
For the Tivoli Circuit he toured in variety shows, played juvenile leads in Fade Out, Fade In and Instant Marriage, and the title role in the Tivoli Pantomime, Robin Hood. For The Phillip Theatre he played Tony in a celebrated production of The Boyfriend.At Menzies Theatre Restaurant he played lead roles in many of their musical productions while too, designing sets and costumes. 
For The Independent Theatre, The Ensemble and Marian Street Theatre he designed and built countless sets including Halloran’s Little Boat, Scent of Flowers, The Promise, Blithe Spirit, Private Lives, The Rainmaker, I Do! I Do!, and Cowardy Custard.
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

Sheila Bradley is one of the country's most experienced and best-loved music theatre stars, with a career that has spanned 70 years working all over the world.

Born in Essex, U.K., Sheila was brought to Australia in the 1950s by J.C. Williamson's to play the lead in Grab Me a Gondola. She had an established career as a lead singer with the George Mitchell Singers and playing Lalume in Kismet opposite Alfred Drake in the West End.

Sheila quickly decided on Australia as home, and so begun a litany of leading roles in plays and musical theatre around the country. Sheila was the nation’s original Nancy in Oliver, playing opposite Johnny Lockwood as Fagin. Celebrated turns include Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, Anna Leonowens in The King and I, Sharon Mclonegran in Finian’s Rainbow, Vera Charles in Mame, and Mrs Peachum in The Threepenny Opera. Performances in revue at the Phillip Street theatre, alongside colleagues Gordon Chater, Johnny Ladd and June Salter, confirmed her position as a fine comedienne with a dynamic voice.

Her indelible presence made it’s mark in productions right up to the early 2000s with performances of The Wizard of Oz, Nunsense 2, Crazy For You, Jolson, Hello Dolly!, Follies in Concert, Me and My Girl, My Fair Lady, The Pirates of Penzance, and in pantomime and theatre restaurant.

Sheila is one of Australia’s much loved and enduring performers. She recently celebrated her 90th birthday and retains the energy, humour and passion that made her a star several decades ago. It was indeed a tremendous privilege to share a couple of hours with the wonderful Sheila Bradley.
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

Denise Drysdale began her career at GTV-9 when she was 10 years old, performing in the Tarax Happy Show. She has worked in and around television ever since, providing a host of magical moments through the live medium. The longevity and brilliance of her career in television confirms she is one of the best and few have replicated her golden talent. 
Her life has paralleled the growth of television. In the 1960’s Denise appeared regularly on Graham Kennedy’s In Melbourne Tonight as a dancer, and performed many comedy sketches on that popular late night show. 
Denise worked on The Ernie Sigley Show in the 1970’s and won Gold Logies in 1974 and 1975 for the Most Popular Female Personality on Australian television. She is affectionately known as ‘Ding Dong’, a moniker given to her by Sigley.  As well as appearing on The Ernie Sigley Show twice weekly throughout 1975, Denise also appeared on Celebrity Squares, Young Talent Time, Countdown, the Norman Gunston Show.
Denise has worked all over Australia in radio, commercials and television, as well as various club work. From 1983-84 she worked in Sydney, appearing on Weekend Magazine and Beauty and the Beast.  In 1989 she teamed up once more with long-time friend Ernie Sigley, hosting a top rating national morning television show.
She has also worked in regional television in Victoria with guest appearances on BTV-6 Ballarat and hosting a morning magazine show on GLV-8. Denise joined the cast of Hey Hey it’s Saturday for a season and presented her own show, Denise, for channel seven. She was seen on The Circle for channel ten and can be seen as a guest host on Studio 10.
She has also had extensive experience as an actress, appearing in the television stalwarts Division Four, Homicide and Bellbird. Most recently, she was seen as Ginger in Josh Thomas’  Please Like Me and the iconic soap, Neighbours. Her film work includes The Last of the Knucklemen, Snapshot and Blowing Hot and Cold.
Her professional life began in the theatre with credits that include Dimboola, Grease (for Harry M. Miller),  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (JCW), Two Gentlemen of Verona (Aztec productions), Salad Days (St Martin’s Youth Theatre) and Hello Dolly! (GFO).
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

Julie Moncrieff Anthony (nee Lush) was born on a farm at Galga, South Australia. The population of the location was 15 and by necessity cultivated a vivid imagination in young Julie and a talent to amuse. 

She began singing in her teens with a local band, an engagement instigated by her enthusiastic father.  In 1970 Julie won an amateur television talent quest which led to regular appearances on Ernie Sigley’s Adelaide Tonight. She moved to Sydney, making television appearances and performing on the club and cabaret circuit, eventually extending her music-making to international tours.

An engagement at the Hong Kong Hilton in 1973 was followed by lead role in the Australian production of the musical Irene. Julie was keen to diversify her talents, so without any acting credits presented herself to J.C. Williamson’s to extend her performance repertoire. Guided by the legendary Betty Pounder, Julie Anthony became Irene O’Dare and three years after the Australian production, she starred in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre. The Play and Players of London honoured her with the Best Newcomer for 1976.

She returned to Australian television and appeared in three national specials. Julie won the Sammy and Penguin awards for Best Television Variety Performer. Tours of America followed and Julie Anthony worked with Bill Cosby, Roy Clarke and Merv Griffin.

Julie played Maria in The Sound Of Music in 1983 for JCW.  For the 1988 World Expo in Brisbane, Anthony was invited to sing with the renewed Seekers, joining the group as lead singer from 1988-89. The same year she returned to the stage in I Do!, I Do!.  In 1990, she was awarded AM in the Order of Australia for services to the entertainment industry.

Anthony teamed with jazz musician Don Burrows in 1994 for tours, including the Jazz and Blues Festival at the Gold Coast International Hotel in 1995. A year later she returned to cabaret with a season at the Tilbury Hotel in Sydney. 

Julie Anthony’s voice is known to millions for singing the national anthem live at various formal events and in recorded versions that have included the broadcast closing time of ABC television, Australian Football League finals, the opening of Australia’s new Parliament House and the opening of the Sydney Olympics.

Her theatrical ventures continued in productions of Spamalot as The Lady of the Lake and The Mikado as Katisha. She starred in a biographical musical at the Sydney Theatre Company, titled Lush! And for several decades performed with Simon Gallaher in live concerts and on television, proving they had a remarkable vocal blend. Their hit series of concerts titled Together At Last produced an album which was recorded live in concert. This album was in addition to Julie’s extensive recording output of some 15 albums and various singles.

Julie Anthony has won Australia’s prestigious Mo Award for entertainer of the year three times and best female variety performer nine times.

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

imon Hall (Yon) is best known for his work in comedy band Tripod. His solo projects include Second Wedding Singer, commissioned by the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the Green-Room award-winning Mandaddy: Songs of Love and Love. More recently, Yon has also written songs for Dragon Lady starring Fiona Choi, Musical Fictions for the Sydney Writers’ Festival and for upcoming video game musical, Stray Gods.

As part of Tripod, Yon has performed on stage in the Edinburgh Festival, Montreal Comedy Festival and Melbourne Comedy Festival as well as with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Tripod have made countless TV appearances, including Just for Laughs Montreal, the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala, (Network Ten and ABCTV), Skithouse (Network Ten) and The Sideshow (ABCTV). Tripod have written songs for Monster Beach (Cartoon Network) and the video game Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (Ubisoft).
2023 sees the release of Simon’s six-episode podcast series: Minuscule Musical. Minuscule Musical is a show where the hosts have written a short (minuscule) musical where form, structure, and good taste is stretched to its limits and ultimately asks: What is a musical anyway? Each 25-minute episode features Yon (Tripod) and one of his guest collaborators (including Sammy J, Jude Perl, Margot Morales, Karl’s Zaid, Andrew Patterson and Gillian Cosgriff) performing for the first time (and then discussing) their tiny show in front of a live audience.
Subscribe and follow at [email protected]
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

Peter Cooke, AM PhD, is an internationally recognised performing arts educationalist, administrator, researcher and practitioner. Born in Brisbane, Australia and educated in Kuala Lumpur, Canberra, Southport and Sydney, Peter was the first graduate of the Theatre Design Course at Australia’s premiere theater school, the National Institute of Dramatic Art [NIDA] in Sydney, Australia. He earned his PhD at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

Peter was appointed Professor and Head of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama in January 2009. He was subsequently appointed a University Professor in 2019. Peter stepped down as Head of School in September 2020, after 12 years in the position. Prior to his appointment he was Deputy Director and Head of Design at NIDA, a role he held for twenty-two years. Peter is a member of the NIDA Foundation Trust and of the governing NIDA Company.

Peter has taught and lectured extensively throughout Southeast Asia – including leading design master classes and designing productions at the National School of Drama in New Delhi, India, where he has been a visiting professor for the past 16 years.

Over three decades Peter has designed some one hundred and fifty productions across the disciplines of drama, opera, dance, puppetry, music-theatre, television, casinos and large-scale events. Peter’s Australian, Indian and American students have gone on to win numerous national and international accolades for their contributions to the arts, including, Helpmann and Green Room Awards [AU], and Tony Awards, Emmy Awards and Academy Awards [USA].

In 1990 Peter was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to audit theatre training pedagogy and practice in several leading drama schools across Europe and the USA. In 1996-97 he spent an academic year at the Yale School of Drama as a Special Research Fellow, auditing the Directing, Producing, Design and Playwriting Courses. He subsequently published a book about his time spent with Yale’s legendary design teacher, Professor Ming Cho Lee – ‘Yale School of Drama – Theatre Design Training’, Nairnpress 1999.

In 1996 Peter led the design team responsible for the Handover Ceremony at the Closing Ceremony of the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games. His inclusion of Australian student designers in the Atlanta team led to many being commissioned to design the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Sydney Summer Olympic Games in 2000.

Peter completed his PhD at the University of New South Wales in 2002 – researching the notion of ‘Australianness’ in the output of the London based and Tasmanian born theatre designer, Loudon Sainthill, 1919-1969.

Peter co-presented the ‘Excellence in Theatre Education Award at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 CBS Tony Awards ceremonies in New York City.

Peter was made a Member of the Order of Australia, AM, in the Australia Day Honours in 2017 for ‘Substantial service to the performing arts as an administrator and academic, particularly to theatre and dance’. He was previously awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, OAM, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2008 for ‘Service to the performing arts through theatrical design education, research and administration’.
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

Bernadette Robinson’s acclaimed performances in multiple sell-out seasons of the one-woman musical plays Songs For Nobodies and Pennsylvania Avenue have confirmed her standing as one of Australia’s leading singer/actresses.
Audiences and critics alike loved both shows: “The audience is on its feet with a standing ovation” (The Age), “Bernadette Robinson’s performance is theatrical alchemy” (Herald Sun), “Beyond virtuosity to the sublime” (The Australian).  
After he saw Songs For Nobodies for the second time, Barry Humphries announced that “Bernadette is a major talent and a spellbinder”. Like Humphries, Australia’s general theatre-going public had discovered Bernadette’s virtuosic acting skills and her uncanny ability to inhabit the voices of famous singers such as Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and many others.
Bernadette played the role of Beatrice in Nick Enright and Terry Clarke’s The Venetian Twins, and has appeared in lead roles with Chamber Made Opera and Wellington City Opera. She is a familiar figure on Australian concert stages, having given sell out concerts at the Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Festival Centre, the Melbourne Recital Centre and its neighbour, Hamer Hall, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
Bernadette studied voice with the legendary Dame Joan Hammond at the Victorian College Of The Arts before embarking on her professional career in productions of The Pirates of Penzance, Nine and Cats. She presented her earlier solo shows You Might As Well Live, Calling All Angels and Patsy Cline: Her Songs, Her Story around Australia to critical and audience acclaim.
In addition to her one-woman shows, Bernadette has had great success performing at high profile events for large corporates across Australia and (singing in English and in local languages) in Tokyo, Beijing (during the 2008 Olympic Games), Shanghai (during the 2010 World Expo), Hong Kong, Macau, Buenos Aires, Singapore, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto.
Following the success of her previous, sold-out one-woman shows, Bernadette Robinson is returning to Australian stages with the World Premiere of her post-pandemic solo tour-de-force, DIVAS.
It was STAGES great pleasure to catch up with this consummate artist following a week of rehearsals, nearing her to Opening night.  
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

Lindy Hume, AM, is one of Australia’s leading directors, acknowledged internationally for fresh interpretations of a wide variety of repertoire, and for progressive artistic leadership of a number of Australian arts organisations, including Opera Queensland (2012-2017), Sydney Festival (2010-2012) and Perth International Arts Festival (2004-2007). She was also the first Artistic Director of West Australian Opera (1992-96), Artistic Director of Victoria State Opera and then OzOpera (1996-2001). Lindy has most recently been Creative Director of the Four Winds Easter Festival, Bermagui and is currently Artistic Director of the 10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania 2019-2023. In 2021 Lindy Hume was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the performing arts, particularly to opera.

After a hugely successful year in 2021, during which Lindy directed The Marriage of Figaro for New Zealand Opera, Madama Butterfly for Welsh National Opera and The Barber of Seville for State Opera South Australia, 2022 saw her continuing in her roles as Creative Director of the Four Winds Easter Festival and Artistic Director of the 10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania as well as developing a new staged presentation of Schubert’s Die Winterreise for Musica Viva’s national tour of the work with Alan Clayton, which was also seen at the Barbican, in London. Lindy’s production of Rigoletto was also presented by Opera Philadelphia.

As a director, Lindy has created more than 50 major productions across Australasia including Carmen, Don Giovanni, Fledermaus, La Périchole and Les pêcheurs de perles (Opera Australia), Orlando, Trouble in Tahiti and The Barber of Seville (OzOpera), Alcina and Orpheus in the Underworld (West Australian Opera), Carmina Burana (State Opera of South Australia/The Australian Ballet), Idomeneo (Pinchgut Opera), Rigoletto and Lucia di Lammermoor (NBR New Zealand Opera).

European productions include La bohème (Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin, which was telecast live throughout Europe), Tolomeo (Musiektheater Transparant in Belgium), Radamisto (Handel Festspiele and Opernhaus Halle), A Streetcar Named Desire and Norma (Opera Theatre St Gallen in Switzerland), Così fan tutte (Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London), and Albert Herring and Phaedra (Aldeburgh Festival in the UK). She made her American debut in 2004 directing The Barber of Seville for Houston Grand Opera, returning in 2009 and 2013 to direct Rigoletto and Die Fledermaus respectively. Her production of “Cenerentola” was produced by NBR New Zealand Opera in 2015 and presented by Oper Leipzig and in San Diego in 2016.

Lindy is recognised as a champion of new Australian work across a range of genres. As Artistic Director of OzOpera, she commissioned the MDTV project, award-winning screen operas with ABC TV, and major Australian works including Paul Grabowsky’s Love in the Age of Therapy and Richard Mills’ Batavia (with Opera Australia and the Melbourne Centenary of Federation Festival). In 2007, she commissioned and directed the world première of Richard Mills/Timberlake Wertenbaker’s opera The Love of the Nightingale.

New Australian work, a focus on contemporary Indigenous culture, the development of a distinctive regional identity and celebration of local communities have been fortes of her tenure as Artistic Director of the Perth International Arts Festival 2004-2007 and as Festival Director of the 2010-2012 Sydney Festival.

Lindy has just directed a new production of Mozart’s Idomeneo, in a co-production between Victorian Opera and Opera Australia. The production has just finished a season at the Palais theatre in Melbourne and will be seen in Sydney from February 20th to March 15th in 2024.
It will be a part of the thrilling Summer season programmed by Lindy as Guest Creative Director.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts.

Australian conductor Paul Fitzsimon has been Chorus Master at Opera Australia since 2019, and has worked as repetituer and conductor with the company since 2012, most recently conducting performances of La Boheme and Don Giovanni at the Sydney Opera House.

He was Assistant Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2008/09 and has conducted most of the symphony orchestras in Australia, and in Europe has conducted the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris, and the Hamburg Ballet at the Baden Baden Festival.

Highlights in recent years include conducting the national tours of The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, and Madama Butterfly for Opera Australia, Dvorak’s Symphony no. 7 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, as well as a new production of Brian Howard’s Metamorphosis for Opera Australia in 2018.

Paul majored in piano performance at The University of Melbourne and later completed his orchestral conducting studies at the Universität der Künste in Berlin and through the Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program. He was the recipient of the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Conductors in 2008. 

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. Recipient of Best New Podcast at 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au