10 Directors

Beng Oh Beng Oh is best known for tackling unusual work and for stepping in at the last minute when there’s an emergency. He has directed a diverse range of productions including new Australian plays, comedies, experimental work, opera and so-called “difficult” texts; including plays by Peter Handke, Heiner Müller, Ann Jellicoe, Frank Wedekind, Gertrude Stein, Howard Barker and Arthur Schnitzler. Productions include Newtown Honey by Marty Denniss (La Mama), The Staffroom by Steve Wheat Hi, it’s me. I’m on the train. by Cerise de Gelder (Short and Sweet 2006 finalist); The Nero Conspiracy by Enzo Condello; Peter Handke’s Self-Accusation (La Mama); Where’s My Money? by John Patrick Shanley, And Baby Makes Seven by Paula Vogel (both for Red Stitch) and the 2004 Knox Carols by Candlelight. Beng is also a qualified solicitor, having worked in commercial litigation as well as personal injury law (the latter with the Transport Accident Commission). He completed post-graduate directing at the Victorian College of the Arts in 1997.

 
Alice Bishop Alice Bishop is a Director, Designer and Performer. Credits include: ‘Alzheimers the Musical’ at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival – nominated for a Golden Gibbo Award, ‘The Trial of Adolf Eichmann’ for La Mama, Percy Shelley’s ‘The Cenci’ for Perth’s Hayman Theatre, ‘I’ve Got a Bug’ for The Adelaide Fringe, as well as ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ for Essential Theatre, ‘Autogeddon’for last years’ Melbourne Fringe and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with ‘The Sheryls’. As a designer she has worked on programmes for Channel 7 and 9, video clips and commercials, little films and really big musicals.

 
Jasper Bagg It is 23 years since Jasper Bagg worked on-set beside James Coburn in Death of a Soldier, since then he has guested on such Melbourne productions as: Prisoner, The Flying Doctors, All Together Now, Janus, The Heartbreak Kid, Round the Twist, Neighbours (5x), Blue Heelers (2x), Stingers (3x), Pirate Islands, The Hard Word, Ned Kelly, and as Keith Richards in Last Man Standing. He has also recently filmed guest roles in the up-coming City Homicide and Satisfaction.  Jasper has acted in, or directed, more than two stage shows a year, including ten productions at WAAPA from 1988 through 1990 and he continues to visit many schools around Melbourne as Prince Hamlet. However, he regards his direction of Bugsy Malone as his most rewarding theatrical experience: “Rehearsing forty-four 6 to 16 year old performers for six months – highs and lows that I will never forget!” 

Jasper is currently the President of the Victorian Actors’ Benevolent Trust and is a qualified Private Investigator, Bodyguard and Armed Covert Officer. He also mentors professional actors.

 
Harry Paternoster Harry Paternoster's a real 10 minute lover. Cut straight to the chase. Quality not quantity. Latitude not longtitude. He’s written, directed, produced or acted in a great many during the past three years. Harry has directed for both the 2005 and 2006 Melbourne Short & Sweet festivals as well as producing a big show of short plays at Theatreworks in 2006 ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’. He also founded ‘Crash Test Drama’ a monthly show set up to improve scriptwriting for the short form. Earlier this year he organized ‘El Dante’s Minnie Fiesta!’ - a six week mini festival of 13 individual shows (each running for a week at Dante’s). Several of these shows were in turn composed of shorter plays. Harry’s production company ‘Walking Into Bars’ was set up expressly to create new ways of co-operatively staging and further developing indy theatre in Melbourne; and they’ve got some very exciting new projects currently in development.

 
Hmmm - a braggart of the tongue, a woman of the eyes, a boot stepping on the face of humanity, the spirit of man - I never would have thought I could be so afraid we would starve and find myself gorging face in the midst of such a feast. One more time into the breach my friends - I have no words my voice is in my theatre. - James Adler

 
Matt Scholten Matt Scholten is a graduate of The University of Melbourne (Bachelor of Education, 1992 ) and the Victorian College of the Arts (Graduate Diploma in Dramatic Art-Direction, 2006) with extensive experience as a Director, Theatremaker, Teacher, Writer and Performer. Matt is the Artistic Director of If Theatre whose recent productions include A Slight Ache by Harold Pinter and Three Short Plays by Jack Hibberd as part of La Mama Theatre's 40th Birthday season. Matt has twice directed for Short & Sweet Melbourne ( Lighthouse 2006, Last Minute 2005). Other directing credits include Once Upon A Coffee Cup (2007 Comedy Festival), Europe (VCA), Assistant Director on The Blind Giant is Dancing (VCA), Away, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Order of Things, Son of the South, Twelve Angry Men and A Doll's House. Upcoming projects for If Theatre include John Romeril's The Floating World and Flight and a few secrets for 2008 that we can't tell you about just yet! Matt is on the reading assessment panels for La Mama and Short & Sweet and has directed several readings for the Melbourne Writer's Theatre and is committed to presenting Australian stories on stage. For more information on If Theatre's upcoming projects and ensemble please visit iftheatre.blogspot.com.

 
Michelle McNamara Michele McNamara is a teacher, director and choreographer who attending VCA ('83) and more recently, Deakin University. ('02). Directing credits include Dantes Crashtest and Minnie Fiesta (Hothouse/Cerise de Gelder '07); '06 Short & Sweet (Hunterville/Donna Banichevic-Gera NZ); Trades Hall playreading of Baby Face (Donna Banichevic-Gera). Having directed large scale Victorian Music Guild recognised productions in the past, Michele is now keen to involve herself in the creative process, working with new writers and actors taking works from page to stage. She enjoys the challenge of creation and the interaction with actors and designers.

Her direction of 'Waiting for Derek' is dedicated to Dorothy Fuller, a wonderful lady and friend who although, lost in her own world, remains a shining light to all those who love her. Thanks for your inspiration, Dorrie!

 

Gorkem Acaroglu Görkem Acaroglu completed the VCA’s Graduate Diploma in Dramatic Art (Direction) in 2004, and NIDA’s Playwright’s Studio in 2003. Görkem’s staged works include Still Waiting by Ally Collier; The Maya Project by Amy Dobson; The Habib Show by Görkem Acaroglu; Fool for Love by Sam Shepard (Green Room Award Nomination – Best Production 2005); Have I None by Edward Bond; The Cow by Nazim Hikmet; Hardcover Hotel by Görkem Acaroglu and Love, Madness and Poetry which she wrote, directed and staged at the York Theatre in Sydney. Görkem has worked as a director attachment to Simon Phillips at the Melbourne Theatre Company on Hannie Rayson’s Two Brothers; Mahir Gunsiray at Tiyatro Oyun Evi in Turkey on The Round of Pleasure by Werner Schwab (winner Istanbul Theatre Festival Best Production Award 2004); Don Mahmouney at Sidetrack Studio Theatre on Citizen X; Basim Kahar at Sydney Art Theatre on The Maids by Jean Genet and Bogdan Koca on Mr Paul by Tankred Dorst. As dramaturge. Görkem has worked with a number of emerging writers: Willoh S. Weiland on Lens at 45 Downstairs; Anna Barnes on Silence Between The Tracks at La Mama’s Courthouse Theatre and Michele Lee on Kiss Me Where you Punch Me through Express Media’s National Mentorship Program. Recently Gorkem directed Voodoo Vaudeville – a theatrical with African rappers and hiphop dancers.

 
Tania Le Page Tania Le Page's new found obsession with short plays has seen her work on several plays over the past few months, including “Cocky Two”, “Just Douglas” and “Flick”. Prior to this she has directed “Lucid Dreaming”,” Lucy Fell From Heaven” and the “Breakfast Club” as well as numerous School Productions in her work as a teacher of Drama and Theatre Studies. Also an actor, she has performed in Mitcham Theatre Group’s production of “Sweet Road”, Leo 9’s “Rumors” and Keene/Taylor Theatre Project’s “Scissors, Paper, Rock” as well as a performer/co-creator of “Honeywheeler” and “Miss Mutton’s Pop Quiz”. Recently Tania has been developing the performer’s role in The Old Melbourne Gaol Crime and Justice Experience in the Former City Watch House.

 
Sean Collins Sean Collins is a director, actor and teacher of Drama and Theatre. He most recently directed “Paradise Can” for Short & Sweet 2006 and his other credits include the devised and performed This is My Story as part of 3dfest at the Malthouse Theatre, youth and school theatre productions of Small Poppies by David Holman, Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco and for Canterbury Theatre Guild West Side Story. As a performer his roles include Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night at the Bondi Pavilion, Herb Shuttle in Happy Birthday, Wanda June at the Zenith Theatre, a reporter in Pacific Union at New Theatre, Stan/Man/Kid1 in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and various improvisational stints in tournaments such as The Cranston Cup. This is his first collaboration with Melbourne Writer’s Theatre.

 
10 Writers - 10 Actors