Creatives
Director
Brittanie Shipway
Brittanie Shipway is a Gumbaynggirr and Turkish storyteller, whose creative practice encompasses singing, acting, writing and dramaturgy.
She recently wrote and starred in her debut play A Letter For Molly at the Ensemble Theatre, under the directorial helm of Ursula Yovich. A Letter For Molly was developed in 2020 as part of Belvoir's shutdown residency, and received funding from both Create NSW and the Australia Council for the Arts. This debut play was a semi-finalist piece in the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award (2021) and nominated for Best Play for the 2022 Broadway World Awards.
​
Her next play Senser, premiered at Theatre Works in 2022, directed by kindred creative spirit Miranda Middleton, featuring original music by composer Jess Newman.
In 2022, Brittanie was the recipient of the prestigious Dreaming Award from the Australia Council of the Arts as well as Create NSW to develop her musical Yellow Rock. This new Gumbaynggirr musical also received the 2022 APRA AMCOS Professional Development Awards (Music Theatre) and a Koori grant from Create NSW. Yellow Rock was developed in 2023.
Brittanie has also written and performed her queer audio piece Salt & Biber for ABC Radio, and has written a short story Gözleme which was recently published by SBS Voices.
As a dramaturg, Brittanie has worked on Laura Murphy's musical Zombie! (Critics' Choice Award for Best Musical - Time Out) at The Hayes, and Hannah Reilly's new musical The Deb which opened at ATYP's new Rebel Theatre in 2022. She has been director and dramaturg on several musical theatre developments, including Cassie Hamilton's A Transgender Woman On The Internet, Crying at Adelaide Cabaret Festival, and Stuart Davis' A Night At The Booker T. Brittanie has dramaturged a variety of Miranda Middleton's works, including Pear Shaped (Theatre Works), Paper Stars and Ally Morgan's award winning cabaret Not Today.
​
As a performer, Brittanie has made her mark at the Sydney Opera House as Hermia in Bell Shakespeare's worldwide premiere of The Lovers. She recently starred as Margaret Whitlam in the new Australian musical The Dismissal, as well as a national tour of Rolling Thunder Vietnam with the John Farnham band. She has also performed alongside Natalie Bassingthwaite and Paulini as the Arbiter in Chess, Kay in a national tour of The Sapphires, The Witch in Big Fish, Claire in Ordinary Days, Lauren in Kinky Boots, Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar, Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Bianca in Othello and various roles in Sport for Jove’s epic Rose Riot, to name a few.
Brittanie is passionate about diverse stories being told on Australian stages, and has worked closely with Theatre Works to create a playwriting program First Stories to empower First Nations storytellers. She hopes to leave behind a legacy that encourages artists to breathe voice into their own stories, and forge their own path in the creative industry.
Musical Director
Dylan Pollard
Dylan Pollard is a graduate of the Hunter School of Performing Arts (2014) and has furthered his studies at the Australian Institute of Music. He holds a Diploma of Musical Theatre and has become a versatile musical director, educator, and musician, involved in numerous prestigious productions across the country. Dylan is also an accomplished piano accordionist.
As the Musical Director of Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown (Pinwheel Productions), Co-Musical Director of Holiday Inn (Well Done Creative) and Associate Musical Director for the iconic Rent (LPD Productions) at the Sydney Opera House, Dylan has gained wide recognition in the industry. His first Hayes production, Half Time (Nineteen 98 Productions), featured performances by Nancy Hayes and Dolores Dunbar. Recent credits include Associate Musical Director for the national tour of Rent (LPD Productions), Parade (Soundworks Productions), The 10 Tenors’ Greatest Hits Tour, Club Kabarett at The Famous Spiegeltent, and Sweeney Todd at NIDA.
Dylan has spent over nine years teaching Musical Theatre, currently teaching at The McDonald College and Brent Street. He is currently furthering his professional development under the mentorship of Laura Tipoki, one of Australia’s most respected musical directors.
Choreographer
Leah Howard
Leah has worked extensively across the entertainment industry both as a creative artist and an actor. She is a unique triple threat performer and a versatile choreographer and director.
Leah is currently the Resident Director of the Australian Tour of Tina, The Tina Turner Musical.
​
Recent credits include Australia Associate Director for the Australian tour of Jagged Little Pill produced by Trafalgar Theatre Productions & GWB Entertainment and Creative Director for A Hot Night with Abbie Chatfield presented by Frontier Touring and Love This For You Book Launch Tour with Deni Todorovic.
Leah was a part of the Production team for Amadeus with Michael Sheen at The Sydney Opera House for GWB and Andrew Henry Presents.
Leah was the Resident Director for the Australia tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock and staged Australia’s first live streamed musical Who's Your Baghdaddy, or How I Started the Iraq War during the Covid-19 restrictions on live theatre.
​
Leah was the Resident Director/Choreographer for The Rocky Horror Show Australian production as well as the Rocky Horror Show live simulcast from the Playhouse Theatre in London. She toured to Korea as the Resident Director for the UK Production of Avenue Q and was the Resident and Choreographer of Xanadu The Musical at the Hayes Theatre.
Other creative credits include: Tik Tok Mardi Gras #joinourfloat, Australia’s Got Talent, David Campbell’s Good Lovin and Swing Sessions 2 and creative director for the Sydney Mardi Gras. Leah has choreographed for television for Hi-5, A Gurls Wurld, Blue Water High, and So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
​
Leah has choreographed and performed with music and recording artists including; G Flip, Baker Boy, Macy Gray, Olivia Newton John, Cyndi Lauper, Peking Duck, Sam Sparro, Kylie Minogue, Vanessa Amorosi, Deborah Cox and Meatloaf.
Music video creative credits are: Olympia, The Vines, Rogue Traders,Young Divas, and Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Leah also choreographed The Opening Ceremony of the T20 World Cup 2022.
​
Theatre and stage performance credits include: Gypsy in Disney’s Aladdin; Aretha Thomas in Legends! starring Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills; Mrs Corry in Mary Poppins; Avenue Q; Hair; Fame the Musical; Dein Perry’s Steel City (Australia and Radio City Music Hall NYC); UK tour of Tap Dogs Rebooted and Tap Dogs USA. Leah was the guest vocalist with KD Lang and Jimmy Somerville for the Sydney 2002 Gay Games and performed in the 2000 Olympics ceremonies.
On screen Leah appears in the ABC drama series Wakefield and the feature film Happy Feet.
​
She was the face of Disney Juniors theme song, singing Heads, Shoulders, Ears and Bows and the Host of Disney Channel's My High School Musical.
Leah is a sought-after choreographer for television commercial campaigns Baker Boy & INXS Lego Vidiyo, Bonds, Samsung, Telstra, Kmart and Westfield.
W: https://www.leahhoward.com.au/
IG: Rosechocolatebeauty
TIK TOK: Rosechocolatebeauty
Set and Propertiess Designer
Nick Fry
Recent design credits include:
For Michael Cassel: Designer/ Set Dresser for ‘A Very Musical Christmas' For Michael Cassel/Eva Price: Associate Set Designer for 'Titanique’
For Cameron Mackintosh/Opera Australia: Scenic Design Associate for ‘Miss Saigon’
For GWB/Opera Australia: Scenic Design Associate for ‘Miss Saigon: Asia Tour’
For Artists in Motion: Set Designer - Daily Productions at ‘Dubai Expo 2020’. Set Designer for ‘Red Sea Film Festival’, Concept Designer for ‘Luna Park’s Dream Circus’
For Betty Productions: Associate Production Designer for ‘48th UAE National Day Celebration’
For Opera Australia: Design Assistant for ‘Madame Butterfly’.
For JRP/ Hayes Theatre Co: Set Designer for ‘The Producers’.
For Hayes Theatre Co: Set Designer for ‘Zombie! The Musical’, Set Designer for ‘Pirates of Penzance’
For Little Eggs Collective/Hayes Theatre Co.: Set Designer for ‘Metropolis’
For Ensemble Theatre: Set and Costume Designer for ‘The One’, Set and Costume Designer for ‘Benefactors’, Set and Costume Designer for ‘Uncle Vanya’, Set and Costume Designer for ‘The Heartbreak Choir’
For NIDA: Set and Costume Designer for ‘Next To Normal’ Event Designer: 'Raise The Curtain Gala 2023,2025
Nick is also a lecturer at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and has worked for major theatre and events companies in Australia and internationally as a designer and draftsperson.
Lighting Designer
Véronique Benett
Véronique is a lighting and set designer, and costume designer. In 2019, Véronique completed a Master of Fine Art (Design for Performance). She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Art (Technical Theatre and Stage Management) from NIDA.
As a lighting designer, Véronique’s credits include: IRVING BERLIN’S HOLIDAY INN, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (HAYES THEATRE); NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 (DARLINGHURST THEATRE CO.); THE JUNGLE AND THE SEA, TELL ME I'M HERE, THE WOLVES (Belvoir); ALICE MOTHER OF CINEMA, MACHINAL (NIDA); THE GREAT DIVIDE (Ensemble Theatre); BUGGALUGS BUM THIEF, JUST LIVE (Red Line Productions); SACRE (Circa); BANGING DENMARK (Sydney Theatre Company); THE SMALLEST HOUR (Griffin Theatre); JOHN (Outhouse Theatre Co.); THE LIFE OF US (Hayes Theatre); NOSFERATU (Old 505); STUPID FUCKING BIRD (New Theatre); BURN WITCH BURN, HAPPY DAYS, KRAPP’S LAST TAPE (Old Fitz); CHORUS, ANATOMY OF A SUICIDE, PERMISSION TO SPIN, HOWIE THE ROOKIE (Old Fitz); A GIRL IS A HALF-FORMED THING (KXT); LUMEN MACHINE, PSYCHADELLIC FRENZY (Ensemble Offspring), ETERNAL LIGHT, PLEASURES OF VERSAILLES (Pinchgut Opera).
Véronique’s associate lighting designer credits include: SCENES FROM THE CLIMATE ERA designed by Nick Schlieper (Belvoir) JULIA designed by Alexander Berlage (Sydney Theatre Company); CURSED! designed by Chloe Oglvie (Belvoir); NO PAY? NO WAY! designed by Paul Jackson (Sydney Theatre Company); HUMANS 2.0 designed by Paul Jackson (CIRCA); PRIMA FACIE designed by Trent Suidgeest (Griffin Theatre); CRY-BABY directed and designed by Alexander Berlage (Hayes Theatre Co).
​She has received four Sydney Theatre Award nominations: for Best Stage Design of an Independent Production for EXIT THE KING and ULSTER AMERICAN; Best Lighting Design of an Independent Production for HAPPY DAYS; and Best Lighting Design of an Independent Production for JOHN.
Costume Designer
Rita Naidu
Rita is a multidisciplinary designer working in Production Design for stage, screen and styling. In 2019, Rita graduated with a Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) from Western Sydney University, majoring in design-led innovation and management. In 2020, Rita completed the Master of Fine Arts - Design for Performance at NIDA, specialising in Costume Design.
At NIDA, Rita designed costumes for A Pox on Both Your Houses and, When the Rain Stops Falling. During her industry placement, she assisted Costume Designer; Mel Page, for Stop Girl (Belvoir St Theatre). In the beginning of 2022, she was chosen for Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta Creative Futures Program as the Assistant Production Designer to James Browne for Guards at the Taj.
She went on to design Attempts on her Life (KXT), The Marriage Agency (KXT), The Magic Flute (NIDA/Sydney Conservatorium of Music) and Blacklisted (Hayes Theatre Co).
Rita recently designed for Choir Boy (NTofP), Fade (NTofP), Boom (KXT), Frame Narrative (Old Fitz Theatre), Sotoba Komachi (Old Fitz Theatre), For the Love of Paper (KXT), King James (Old Fitz Theatre), Your Name (KXT),Cut Chilli (Old Fitz Theatre), Occasional Combustible Disaster (Qtopia), Champions (Old Fitz Theatre),The Story Of Chi (OzAsia Festival) and Love (Old Fitz Theatre).
Intimacy and Cultural Consultant
Cessalee Stovall
Cessalee Stovall (she/her) is an Intimacy Director, Cultural Consultant and an Equity, Access and Inclusion Specialist, with a focus on the performing arts sector. Cessalee is an unapologetic champion for the physical, psychological and cultural safety of all humans in our industry. As an Intimacy Director, Cessalee has trained with Intimacy Directors of Color, Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, and Theatrical Intimacy Education and studied under Intimacy Coordinators Australia. Cessalee draws on her 20+ years of experience as a professional actor, director and choreographer, her certification as a Mental Health First Aider, as well as her training in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from Purdue University and Cornell University. She holds a BA in theatre from Florida State University. With a consent-centered practice, Cessalee balances the needs of the individuals with the vision of the project to empower communication and collaboration for all stakeholders.
She is currently the Deputy Managing Director and Director of Belonging and Inclusion at Seattle Children’s Theatre.
​​
Cessalee Stovall
Founder/Director
Stage A Change
​
Sound Designer
Christine Pan
Christine Pan (she/they) is a Sydney-based artist and composer driven by powerful storytelling across music, gaming, theatre, film, science and healthcare.
Her work has been performed internationally, and she was recently a featured panellist at the Asian Classical Music Conference in LA, discussing POC representation in the global music industry. Christine won Best Sound Design and Composition at the Sydney Theatre Awards for Moon Rabbit Rising and received Broadway World and KXT Award nominations for multiple works in 2023–24 including Forgetting Tim Minchin, Rhomboid and Dumb Kids. Her electroacoustic score for Marvelous toured nationally, and her hyperpop opera The Parts We Give premiered in June 2025, receiving features from ABC Radio National and Limelight Magazine. She is currently composing for Werkaholics, premiering late July.
Outside of theatre, Christine leads the Somnus Quintet, performing at international gaming conventions, and is a Represented Artist with the Australian Music Centre. Her practice is bold, cross-disciplinary, and deeply grounded in emotional and cultural resonance.
Sound Designer
Simon Mitchell
Simon is excited to provide audio system design and operation for this show.
Simon is a strong supporter of independent and local theatre in Sydney with over a decade of musical theatre experience. Simon has operated for Marvelous The Show (Action Reaction 2025), Midsummer Nights Dream (The Australian Shakespeare Company 2024, The Dismissal (Squabbalogic 2023), Metropolis (Little Eggs Collective 2023), and other shows.
Simon has a passion for bringing storytelling to life and is eager to ensure a rich diversity of voices and stories are heard in Once On This Island.
Assistant Musical Director
Kevin Wang
Based in Sydney, Australia, Kevin is a pianist, keyboardist, musical director and composer. Appearing as fluently on the concert stage as the theatre, Kevin’s musical flair transcends genres and have led to demand from all facets of the industry.
As a classical pianist, Kevin studied with Clemens Leske of the Sydney Conservatorium. He performed and produced ‘The Keys To Passion’ (2023) featuring Rachamninoff’s 2nd concerto and ‘Chopin & Love’ (2025) featuring Chopin’s great piano works in association with Steinway Galleries Australia. He holds both an LMusA and AMusA in piano from the AMEB.
In the theatre, Kevin has worked with major production companies in Australia, most recently as Assistant Music Director of Opera Australia’s 2025 production of ‘Guys & Dolls’ (Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour), and currently as Assistant Music Director with Curveball Creative’s production of ‘Once On This Island’ in association with the Hayes Theatre Company.
Assistant Choreographer
Kadesa sonko
Kadesa made her professional music theatre debut as Lisa in the hit musical, Mamma
Mia! The shortly after made her swing debut in TINA: The Tina Turner Musical! Kadesa is a West African Australian with a passion for dance and music that runs deep in her veins. Kadesa's parents were both professional dancers in the African dance community, inspiring Kadesa from a young age to pursue her own love for movement and rhythm. Studying all her life at May Downs Dance School under one of Australia's favourite dance Dynamos, Miss Renie Ann Martini. Kadesa has been taught and mentored by Louise Bell, Leah Howard and Thomas and Georgia Lacey to name a few.
Assistant Stage Manager
Danielle Debrincat
Danielle is an award-winning costume and props maker, audio-visual technician, and on-screen talent based in Sydney, Australia. With formal training in live production, theatre, and film, alongside a lifetime of multimedia creative pursuits; Danielle has gained a comprehensive perspective on the creative and performing arts.
Her diverse skill set and passion for the craft have made her a respected figure in the creative arts community and beyond. She is passionate about storytelling and looks forward to honing her crafts in future creative endeavours.