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Tyran
Parke
Parke has appeared in countless productions of musicals and is very much
on the cusp of a role that propels him to major acclaim. He recently wowed audiences in
the Q Theatre at Penrith where he took on the lead role of George in Sunday In The
Park With George. Parke is currently preparing to star in Listen To My Heart at
the Statement Cabaret Lounge in Sydney and has appeared in musicals such as Eurobeat,
Putting It Together and Oliver.
See him next in: Listen To My Heart with Kaye Tuckerman, Margi De
Ferranti, Tony Farrell and Saskia Smith at the Statement Cabaret Lounge from April 26.
Picture: Tyran Parke and Amie McKenna in Sunday In The Park With George. |
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Kellie
Rode
Rode was thrown into the limelight when she played the lead role of Sophie
in the smash hit Australian tour of Mamma Mia. She recently appeared in the New
York season of the Australian musical Virgins as part of the New York Music
Theatre Festival. Earlier this year, she starred in Sideshow Alley in Brisbane.
See her next in: There's rumours she may appear in the on-again-off-again
production of The Rocky Horror Show.
Picture: Kellie Rode in Mamma Mia. |
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Amelia
Cormack
She may be little known but Amelia Cormack is one of the industry's most
loved rising stars and she proved her skills when performing the beautiful self-written
song 'Diva' at Up Close and Musical recently. Cormack is a WAAPA graduate, and
appeared in the workshop production of the brand new Australian musical The Hat Pin.
See her next in: Cormack is currently appearing in the brand new smash hit
Australian musical Priscilla at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney.
Picture: Amelia Cormack in The Hat Pin. |
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James
Millar
James Millar recently appeared in the Sydney premiere and subsequent
Australian tour of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. He has worked with The Production
Company in Melbourne, and appeared in the Australian premiere production of the musical Eureka.
Millar is also a talented writer and is currently working on perfecting The Hat
Pin. He last year performed in Light The Night and also launched the new trio Bravo,
which played a series of shows at the Star City Showroom and continues to work in the
corporate world and on the club scene.
See him next in: Company at the Theatre Royal with Kookaburra.
Picture: James Millar performing at Light The Night. |
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Matthew
Robinson
Matthew Robinson has been propelled into the public sphere as the face of Pippin,
which is currently playing at the Sydney Theatre and is the debut production of
Kookaburra, Australia's new national music theatre company. Other stage work includes Kiss
Me Kate (The Production Company), Two Weeks With The Queen (Windmill
Performing Arts), Eurobeat – Almost Eurovision (Glynn Nicholas) and God’s
Last Acre (Playbox). Robinson is also developing his own musical, Metro Street,
which recently had a new workshop production produced and is rumoured to be making its
major premiere in Australia next year.
See him next in: He's currently appearing in Pippin at the Sydney Theatre.
Picture: Matthew Robinson with Sharon Millerchip in Pippin. |
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Belinda
Wollaston
A graduate of the Talent Development Project, Belinda Wollaston made her
commercial music theatre debut in 2003 with Mamma Mia. She has since appeared as
Cathy Doyle in Summer Rain and as Catherine McGowan in Titanic. Broadway
composer Maury Yeston says: "Star quality cannot be gained, you have to be born with
it, and she simply has it. Expect movies, CDs, London, New York, fame and fortune."
See her next in: She is currently appearing in the Australian tour of Respect.
Picture: Belinda Wollaston (promotional shot). |
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Natalie
Alexopoulos
Natalie Alexopoulos is slogging away at the theatre industry and has
already appeared in a number of major shows, including Mamma Mia and the recent
overseas production of We Will Rock You. Alexopoulos has also worked in
independent theatre. In 2002 she played the role of Kate Rudd in the Black Swan Theatre Co
production of On Our Selection. Natalie has hosted and performed at various
corporate and live events including The 2005 Helpmann Awards. She was also part of the
cast of Leader of the Pack.
See her next in: Company at the Theatre Royal.
Picture: Natalie Alexopoulos in We Will Rock You.
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Hayden
Tee
Perhaps one of the most promising of the 'next generation', Hayden Tee
established himself via the smash hit cult cabaret concept Muf-Tee in 2003/2004.
Since then, he has appeared in a number of major productions of musicals including South
Pacific and Titanic, in which he played the pivitol role of Thomas Andrews.
Tee played the role of Marius in the West End production of Les Miserables, and
is widely credited for his work in the world of cabaret.
See him next in: Tee is currently touring his cabaret show across NSW.
Picture: Hayden Tee in South Pacific.
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Alex
Lewis
Alex Lewis gained major acclaim for his work in the short-lived Australian
premiere production of Titanic, which played at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. He
then went on to appear in Sweeney Todd with Opera Australia.
Picture: Alex Lewis appearing at Light The Night 2006.
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Alexis
Fishman
Alexis Fishman was nominated for a Helpmann Award after making her music
theatre debut in Dusty, which toured Australia in 2005. Fishman played Mary
O'Brien in the production, who later became Dusty Springfield. Earlier this year she made
her debut with the Sydney Theatre Company in its production of Troupers. She has
also tried her hand at independent theatre, appearing in Closer earlier this
year.
Picture: Alexis Fishman in Closer.
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Lucy
Durack
Lucy Durack appeared in the ensemble of Mamma Mia and has since
emerged as a promising young talent. She won the Judges Award at the 2003 Sydney Cabaret
Convention, and then presented her own cabaret show - Immaculate Confection -
with Matthew Robinson across the country. She has appeared in numerous shows with The
Production Company in Melbourne, and will later this year play Peggy Sawyer in the musical
42nd Street. Durack appeared as part of Short & Sweet this year, and was a
finalist in the most recent BBC Voice of Music Theatre competition.
See her next in: Lucy is currently appearing in Respect across Australia.
Picture: Lucy Durack promotional image for 42nd Street.
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Shaun
Rennie
Rennie won the 2003 Sydney Cabaret Convention, and went on to appear as
Pepper in Mamma Mia. He's known for his work in producing the annual Light The
Night concert.
See him next in: Shaun is appearing in international productions of Cats.
Picture: Shaun Rennie in New York.
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Elenoa
Rokobaro
As a 16-year-old, Elenoa Rokobaro stunned everyone when she won the 2006
Cabaret Showcase. With an amazing voice, Rokobaro was thrown straight into the solo
performance world, appearing in concerts such as Light The Night and Hats Off. At just 17,
she is currently appearing in her first major musical, Respect, at the Twelfth
Night Theatre in Brisbane.
See her next in: Elenoa is currently appearing in Respect.
Picture: Elenoa Rokobaro (right) with the company of Respect.
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Lucy
Maunder
Daughter of the respected Stuart Maunder, plenty was said about
21-year-old Lucy when she graduated from WAAPA last year. In just a few short months since
graduation, Lucy has appeared in her first major role, starring in the recent Melbourne
production of Harp On The Willow. Lucy will travel to New York later this year as
part of the 2007 Bound For Broadway Scholarship. She will work with some of the city's
biggest names while she is there.
See her next in: Lucy is preparing to go to New York as part of the Bound for
Broadway Scholarship.
Picture: Lucy (right) with the cast of Harp On The Willow.
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Stephen
Wheat
Stephen has appeared in The Music Man for The Production Company,
followed closely by Shout! His other credits include Bye Bye Birdie,
Carousel, South Pacific, The Hobbit and Oklahoma! Most recently Stephen was
part of Dusty! as Tom Springfield while also understudying and performing the
role of Rodney. A WAAPA graduate, Wheat is regarded by many as a huge male star of the
future.
See him next in: Stephen is currently appearing in Pippin, Kookaburra's
debut production, at the Sydney Theatre.
Picture: Stephen Wheat publicity image.
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Brendan
Irving
There’s plenty of people
who want to tell you about how good Brendan Irving is going to be. Born and raised in
Woollongong, Brendan is a graduate of the prestigious Talent Development Project. He made his cabaret debut last year in
Taking The Wheel, where he presented a powerful, passionate and inspirational
repertoire of music from a range of composers and artists including John Bucchino,
Jonathan Larson, Cold Chisel, Stephen Schwartz and Keith Urban.
Picture: Brendan Irving promotional image.
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Amie
McKenna
Amie McKenna recently appeared
in Sunday in the Park with George at the Q Theatre in Penrith, and for the same
company appeared in the original Australian musical Somewhere. McKenna has done
plenty of film work and is known for her unique cabaret work. She has been often
critically acclaimed.
See her next in: Amie appears with her
band Amie and the Boybirds around Sydney regularly.
Picture: Amie McKenna with Tyran Parke.
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Jennifer
Peers
Jennifer Peers was most recently seen as Frieda/Betty in Sunday In The
Park With George for the Q Theatre. Other recent performances include Palace
Whore (Sarah Bernhardt) for the Short, Sweet and Song festival, a successful season
of her cabaret, Poison Soprano at the Statement Lounge and the launch of
Kookaburra.
See her next in: Jennifer will perform
at Up Close and Musical shortly.
Picture: Jennifer Peers promotional shot. |
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Alinta
Chidzey
Alinta Chidzey came to the
fore in 2005 Melbourne production of Leader of the Pack where, despite being
credited as being in the ensemble, almost stole the show with a remarkable rendition of
River Deep, Mountain High. She has also appeared in Mamma Mia.
Picture: Alinta Chidzey in New York.
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Andy
Conaghan
A 2005 WAAPA graduate,
Conaghan has appeared in Titanic and will soon appear in the new Perth production
of the classic hippie musical Hair. Conaghan surprised many when he performed at Up
Close and Musical recently, proving himself as a versatile and moving performer.
See her next in: Hair at the
Regal Theatre.
Picture: Andy Conaghan (left) with Titanic cast members.
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Coming Soon: AussieTheatre.com talks to some of
the industry's most respected performers as they rate the top five rising stars in
Australian musical theatre. |
