With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons. STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen. Either way, you’ll be accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages.

Nancye Hayes is synonymous with Australian show business and her presence in any show guarantees a consummate artist determined to engage, with vast skill and an extensive joy she invests in to every performance. In October, the great lady celebrated 60 years of a life ‘on the boards’.

Nancye Hayes started her professional career as a dancer in My Fair Lady. She then progressed through roles in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hello Dolly! and The Boys from Syracuse.

She scored tremendous personal success as Charity Hope Valentine in her break-out performance in Sweet Charity, establishing herself as a bright new star. The accolades came thick and fast, leading Nancye to great acclaim and on to a career that has seen her conquer all genres and theatrical roles; on and off the stage.

She has contributed dynamically to the industry in creative roles too; as Director, Choreographer, Mentor and Teacher.

Her vast repertoire of leading and character roles has given us memorable performances as Miss Adelaide, Miss Hannigan, Madame Armfeldt, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Potts, Mrs Lovett, Aunt Eller and Lady Hotham.

Her vast repertoire of plays and musicals has given us dynamic performances in Sweeney Todd, Nine, Showboat, Pippin, The Importance of Being Earnest, Same Time Next Year, Steel Magnolias, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Mary Poppins.

Nancye Hayes is one of our great elders. Her tremendous warmth, star quality and enormous contribution to the Arts in Australia, have made her universally adored. STAGES salutes her six decades as a leading lady by revisiting this sparkling 2-episode conversation from 2020, when she visited the podcast to record her remarkable story.

Sal Sharah is an actor and singer who studied at the Actors Conservatory under the tutelage of Brian Syron and Henry Bannister. He trained in singing with Dot Mendoza and Dance with Keith Bain.

Sal’s Theatre credits include the role of Sahir in Jump for Jordan (Griffin), Miss Julie (STC), Les Enfants du Paradis (Belvoir), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (STC), Hakawati (National Theatre of Parramatta/Sydney Festival), Felliniada (Belvoir/Auto de Fe); Salome (Crossroads); My Son the Lawyer is Drowning (Ensemble Theatre); Alex & Eve (Bulldog Theatre Company) and Grace Under Pressure.

Musical theatre forays include Guys and Dolls, Aladdin, Grease, Sunset Boulevard and My Fair Lady. Sal originated the role of Riff Raff in Australia, in Harry M. Millar’s celebrated production of The Rocky Horror Show.

Sal’s Television credits include a host of classic and groundbreaking programs; The Code, Rake, Major Crime, East West 101, Water Rats, All Saints, Wildside, Heartbreak High, Mission Impossible, GP, A Country Practice and The Restless Years. His film credits include the role of Nick in The Boys (Arenafilms), Chain Reaction (Palm Beach Pictures), Iman in Alex and Eve, Section 29, Hostage and The Custodian.

Sal has navigated a rich variety of theatrical experience on stage and behind the scenes. He generously charts his career and provides unique insight of a wondrous profession, in a challenging industry, in this fascinating 2-episode conversation of the STAGES podcast.

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

Amelia Cormack is a New York based singer, actor, musician, voice over artist and songwriter.  She is currently Fate 1 in Hadestown on Broadway.  Originally from Australia, she has credits in theatre, film, television, voice over, and cabaret in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and US.

She was an original Diva in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - The Musical, and performed the role in Australia and New Zealand for nearly 2 years, then went on to reprise the role on London’s West End. Most recently in Australia she performed the role of Tilly Devine in Razorhurst for the Hayes Theatre Company.

She has toured the US with Kinky Boots, Les Miserables and Come From Away, and originated the role of Raven Johnson in Douglas Lyons and Ethan Pakchar’s Beau. Most recently, she appeared in the world premiere of the online musical Your Musical is Cancelled - The Musical.

As a singer and songwriter, Amelia has released 2 self-titled albums, and is featured on the original cast recordings of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert The Musical, LOVEBiTEs and Lyons & Pakchar - Beau (World Premiere Recording). She is one half of folk/bluegrass duo ‘Cormack & Guinn’ with fellow Les Mis Tour alum Allison Guinn, and covers band ‘Pull Up the Covers’ with her husband Roger Plotz.

Amelia plays violin, piano, guitar and mandolin, and has played all her instruments in a number of concerts and actor-musician shows.

STAGES caught up with Amelia, live from New York City, to celebrate her Broadway debut.

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

Sal Sharah is an actor and singer who studied at the Actors Conservatory under the tutelage of Brian Syron and Henry Bannister. He trained in singing with Dot Mendoza and Dance with Keith Bain.

Sal’s Theatre credits include the role of Sahir in Jump for Jordan (Griffin), Miss Julie (STC), Les Enfants du Paradis (Belvoir), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (STC), Hakawati (National Theatre of Parramatta/Sydney Festival), Felliniada (Belvoir/Auto de Fe); Salome (Crossroads); My Son the Lawyer is Drowning (Ensemble Theatre); Alex & Eve (Bulldog Theatre Company) and Grace Under Pressure.

Musical theatre forays include Guys and Dolls, Aladdin, Grease, Sunset Boulevard and My Fair Lady. Sal originated the role of Riff Raff in Australia, in Harry M. Millar’s celebrated production of The Rocky Horror Show.

Sal’s Television credits include a host of classic and groundbreaking programs; The Code, Rake, Major Crime, East West 101, Water Rats, All Saints, Wildside, Heartbreak High, Mission Impossible, GP, A Country Practice and The Restless Years. His film credits include the role of Nick in The Boys (Arenafilms), Chain Reaction (Palm Beach Pictures), Iman in Alex and Eve, Section 29, Hostage and The Custodian.

Sal has navigated a rich variety of theatrical experience on stage and behind the scenes. He generously charts his career and provides unique insight of a wondrous profession, in a challenging industry, in this fascinating 2-episode conversation of the STAGES podcast.

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

Mandy Bishop is a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Known and revered for her deft impersonation of Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard; Mandy is also an actor, comedian, musician and writer of considerable accomplishment.

Commencing her career with the celebrated A cappella group Bite My Chilli, Mandy toured Australia performing concert and corporate entertainment, while also developing skills in producing and arts management.

Her theatre credits are extensive and include a variety of of repertoire; The Pillowman, Boston Marriage, Fallen Angels, Vicious Streaks, Angry Penguins and Withering Heights. On television she has been seen in Heartbreak High, Blue Heelers, All Saints, Big Sky, My Place, Rake and Drop Dead Weird.

Most recently she appeared in Anyone Can Whistle for Neglected Musicals.

Mandy has collaborated with producer Michael Bourchier on two children's television series; The Upside Down Show, on which she played the role of Mrs. Foil in every episode, and Penelope K, by the Way, on which she played the title role.

In 2011 Mandy co-wrote and created the four-part sitcom, At Home With Julia, in which she portrayed the sitting PM.

She has acted in Sydney’s legendary Wharf Revue since 2008, inhabiting a vast array of political and pop-culture characters. Each demonstrating a penetrating examination and superlative execution.

Mandy joins the Wharf Revue team of Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phil Scott once again as Soft Tread Enterprises presents Looking for Albanese. This much anticipated event on our calendars commences its Sydney season at The Seymour Centre from November 12th and through December.

“The world is grim - what better time to have a laugh?”

Mandy examines the craft of humour, her artistic relationship with ‘Julia’ and the joy of satire and revue in this sparkling episode of the STAGES podcast.

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

Lisa Maza is a singer, actor, writer and film-maker. It is no surprise that she has accomplished such vast artistic endeavour, growing up surrounded by theatre-makers; her father being the legendary trailblazer, Robert Maza.

Lisa made her stage debut at the age of eight, playing a little boy called ‘Pumpkinhead’ in Robert Merritt’s The Cakeman. It was the first all Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander-run production performed at the newly formed National Black Theatre, and was directed by Robert Maza.

In 2007 she began co-writing with her sister, their autographically inspired theatre show Sisters of Gelam, which premiered at Malthouse Theatre in 2009.

In 2011 Lisa travelled to London to perform in Belvoir’s Production of The Sapphires.

In 2016, Lisa performed in Kate Miller-Heidke’s award-winning ‘The Rabbits’, a collaboration between Opera Australia and Perth-based Barking Gecko Theatre Company, adapted from the picture book by John Marsden and Shaun Tan by librettist Lally Katz.

In addition to her eclectic performance career, her theatre writing and documentary-making, Lisa has expanded her skill set along the way in a range of other areas that include theatre administration, tour managing, project management, MC work, and associate producing.

Lisa performs in the triple Oliver Award winning stage show of Emilia which is making its Australian debut at Art Centre Melbourne from 10-27 November. The production will then tour to Canberra.

Written by British playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm in the midst of the Me Too movement, this Australian production features a team entirely made up of women and non-binary creatives from diverse cultural backgrounds as they unite to celebrate women’s voices through the story of this trailblazing forgotten woman.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify, 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

With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons.

STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen.

Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages.

Iain Grandage is a composer, conductor and Festival Director. He has previously been at the helm of the Port Fairy Music Festival. When he joined STAGES in 2019, he was preparing to launch his first program as Artistic Director at The Perth Festival.

He recently announced the program for the 2023 Perth Festival - another exciting celebration of the Arts, headlined by Icelandic singer Björk in an exclusive season of her dazzling live concert experience, Cornucopia.

Born and bred in Perth, his excitement at steering this festival was palpable. He knows his audience and the responsibility of celebrating local and indigenous art forms, whilst also delivering unique and stimulating experiences drawn from an international canvas.

As a composer, Iain’s concert works have been performed by the ACO, Brodsky String Quartet, Australian String Quartet, Australian Brass Quintet and choirs and orchestras around Australia.

As music director he has conducted orchestras for Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan and Tim Minchin, and led the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also conducted and presented the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Education program.

His scores have covered a broad range of genres and cover diverse subjects; Opera with The Rabbits and The Riders, Theatre with Cloudstreet and The Secret River, Dance with When Time Stops and Film with Satan Jawa.

On this day of recording, Iain greeted me armed with a block of chocolate and a peppermint tea, eager to generously share his vision for the 2020 festival and an insight into his incredible instinct and ethos as an artist.

The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au

Julia Moody has a Graduate Diploma in Voice Studies from NIDA (Sydney), a BA from Curtin University (Perth), is a fully accredited Associate teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework (New York), and did her actor training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (UK).  She has performed as an actor in Theatre, Film, TV, and Radio with companies across Australia.

Julia has been voice and accent coach on over 300 professional theatre productions. She has worked as a Voice trainer and Consultant in the professional media with SBS TV and Radio since 1994, and with ABC TV, Channel 10, Open Channel, Public Radio News, RTRFM, 5UV, and 6PR.

She works internationally, running bespoke voice training sessions for professional speakers in all domains: the corporate arena, the professional media, education, theatre and film; with politicians, legal professionals, medical professionals, sporting professionals, and many others.

Julia has lectured in Voice at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Victorian College of the Arts School of Drama, the University of Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts, and was Head of Voice in the Acting Department of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University for 21 years.

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

Deborah Galanos is an Australian actress of Greek heritage and a National Institute of Dramatic Art acting degree graduate. Before NIDA, Galanos attended Sydney University and UNSW studying Arts & Law.

She has appeared in many theatre, television and film roles and is best known for her role as Dr Meredith George in ABC’s Children’s Hospital. However, since 1990, most of her work has been in the theatre, and through years of touring has performed on most stages all over Australia.

Deborah recently completed a season of the stage adaptation of Anne Deveson’s Tell Me I’m Here. The adaptation by Veronica Nadine Gleeson, was presented as part of Belvoir theatre’s 2022 season.

Other work on the Belvoir stage includes Stop Girl, The Boomkak Panto and 25A’s Son of Byblos.

Her other theatre credits include Greek Tragedy (Belvoir Company B), Bonnie & Clyde (Hayes Theatre Company), Wicked Sisters (Griffin), Lady Tabouli (National Theatre Of Parramatta/Sydney Festival), Gods of Strangers (State Theatre Company South Australia), The God Committee, Heartbreak Kid (Ensemble), I’m With Her, The Mystery of Love & Sex (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Antigone (Sport For Jove), Metamorphoses (Apocalypse/Old Fitz), Unfinished Works, Homesick (Bontom/Seymour/505), Seagull (Secret House), Dropped (The Goods Theatre Company/Old Fitz), House of Ramon Iglesia (MopHead/Old Fitz), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (theatrongroup), Mum’s the Word (Burberry Productions/Australian tours/SOH Playhouse/Glen Street), A Kind of Alaska, Suddenly Last Summer, Hotel Hibiscus (NIDA company), Boswell for the Defence (Sydney Festival), The Shearston Shift (STC/Australian People’s Theatre).

Her television credits include My Place, Police Rescue, G.P., Pulse, Rake, Redfern Now (ABC); Camp (NBC/Matchbox); Murder Call (Nine Network); A Country Practice, All Saints, Home & Away (Seven Network).

Deborah’s film credits include Chasing Comets, Balls, Boys from the Bush, Cavity, Inside Out, No Worries, The Premonition, and Razzle Dazzle.

Deborah’s been nominated for several Sydney Theatre Awards and is a proud MEAA Member since 1990. From October 23rd to November 6th she appears in Danny Ball’s The Italians, at 25A Belvoir Theatre.

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

Leith Taylor is an experienced theatre practitioner having worked across a range of fields as an actor, director, producer, writer and drama educator.

As an actor Leith worked extensively over two decades in film, television and radio as well as appearing in more than sixty theatre productions nationally and internationally. In Perth she is well remembered for her numerous appearances in leading roles at the Playhouse and Hole in the Wall theatres.

After being awarded a Fellowship, she transitioned to directing and founded her own company, Theatre West, with a focus on shows by or about women. She subsequently directed numerous productions, some under the banner of her own company but also in collaboration with or for other theatre companies including Black Swan, W.A. and Perth Theatre Companies, deckchair and Melbourne’s HIT Productions. Some of her productions toured nationally or were part of Arts Festival programming and include Oleanna, One Small Step, Woman in Mind, Speaking in Tongues, The Season at Sarsaparilla, Sixteen Words for Water and Blood Moon.

Leith has long been involved with professional drama training having lectured and directed at numerous performing arts institutions in Australia and overseas including the Drama Studio (U.S. and U.K.), LaSalle College of the Arts (Singapore) and a long association with the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Early training in journalism enhanced her work as a dramaturg and scriptwriter, while her psychology qualifications resulted in work as a drama therapist with groups and individuals in this specialist field. She was able to bring these different perspectives to her doctoral research which focused on the role of emotions in actor training programmes, signalling the necessity for significant procedural changes in drama schools and in the profession.

Leith is a graduate of the University of Western Australia, California State University L.A., the Drama Studio London and WAAPA @ ECU where she completed her PhD. She has won several awards for acting and directing and been a member of numerous boards and consultative panels including the Australia Council for the Arts, Perth International Arts Festival, Healthway Foundation and the W.A. Department for Culture and the Arts.

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