Welcome to our new actors!
We are pleased to publicly welcome three new performers to the company!
Rachael Dyson-McGregor, who joins the performing ensemble this year, has a natural flair for the Playback Theatre form. Rachael trained at Unitec, Auckland and has worked with NZ theatre companies: Potent Pause Productions, Auckland Theatre Company, Massive, and Tim Bray Productions, as well as co-founding chor:us collective and the Peripeteia Players. Since she moved to Melbourne in 2007, Rachael has worked with Underground Cinema, 24 Hour Play Festival and devised and produced a theatre and dance collaboration, Neon Toast, for Melbourne Fringe Festival 2009.
Trainee Program
And in a first for Melbourne Playback, in 2010 we are excited to launch a new 12-month trainee program for two emerging performers, Tom Harkin & Diana Nguyen.
Diana Nguyen is an actor and community development worker in the South Eastern Suburbs. She currently works with The Song Room, Her Productions and SEAAC for young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Diana went to NYC to study The Theatre of Oppressed with Julian Boal and has performed in various community projects with young people. Diana’s recent performances include Silence (La Mama 2009), Translations Generations (Big West Festival 2009), Miss Saigon (CLOC 2009).
Tom Harkin was a member of St.Martin’s Youth Ensemble 2005 and has trained at Eric Morris’ acting studio in LA. Tom works full time as a Senior Learning & Development Facilitator at The Reach Foundation using his passion for the dramatic performance space and acting techniques to work with teenagers in freeing their natural impulses and inherent potential.
The traineeship will offer Diana & Tom the opportunity to rehearse and participate in the life of the company and benefit from a mentorship with a senior member of the Melbourne Playback ensemble.
We are inspired by the energy, enthusiasm and diversity of experience that each of these three actors have already brought to our rehearsal room! Welcome.
I am currently working with a gentleman, 34 years of age, who is a permanent resident and currently living in Dandenong. He originally came from Iran and he has come through some trying life experiences. In conversation, he has expressed a strong desire to become involved in Acting and Writing. He has apparently done some short courses in performance through NIDA in the past. I am wondering whether there would be any opportunities for him to become involved in some way? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Hi Margot, we do public workshops a few times a year for performers and creatives or people wanting to experiment with playback. If you join our mailing list we will notify you of upcoming workshops. We work with people from diverse backgrounds a lot so your friend would be very welcome to join us. We also do performances if you’d like to come and see our work. We hope to meet him someday.