OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS, EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY (ISSUE 36) June 2014

Hugh Jackman
launches Foundation
Page 2

Allira Wilson wins

Bell Award
Page 3

Inaugural Woss Family

Scholarship winners
announced
Page 7

Plus
Visiting artists,
awards and much
more!

Inside WAAPA Issue 36 Page 1

 JACKMAN LAUNCHES
FOUNDATION AT WAAPA
Twenty years after graduating, Hollywood
star Hugh Jackman returns to his almA
mater in Perth to launch a foundation to
raise money for the arts

O n May 17, international film and stage

star Hugh Jackman was welcomed
back to the performing arts institution
that trained him.
In front of a packed audience in WAAPA’s
Money will be used to provide
scholarships, support visiting artists and
artists-in-residence, fund productions
and to provide specialised training for
indigenous students.
As was to be expected, the Foundation
launch also showcased the talents of
WAAPA’s current students and recent
graduates. Design graduate India Hicks
and Lighting graduate Trent Suidgeest were
Roundhouse Theatre, which included “The foundation of this place is its charged with creating the ‘look’ for the launch
Governor Malcolm McCusker and Premier teachers,” Jackman said. “That is what we and 3rd Year Acting student Jonny Hawkins
Colin Barnett, Jackman officially launched are here to support.” had the honour of being MC. Students from
the Jackman Furness Foundation for the Aboriginal Theatre, Music Theatre, Jazz
At the launch Jackman announced that
Performing Arts. and Classical music courses provided the
mining magnate Andrew Forrest and his
Jackman and his wife, actor, producer entertainment. The Music Theatre students
wife Nicola had pledged $1 million from their
and director Deborra-lee Furness have also joined Jackman, who last visited Perth
Minderoo charitable trust to kick-start the
established the Foundation to support in 2006 as star of the Peter Allen musical The
foundation. Jackman immediately matched
WAAPA and other institutions that train Boy From Oz, in performing Allen’s hugely
this with a $1 million donation from himself
Australia’s aspiring performing artists. popular song, I Still Call Australia Home.
and his wife Deborra-lee Furness.
He was joined at the launch by Australian After the launch, Jackman took a tour of
In his speech, Jackman spoke of his
screen legend Jack Thompson, who is the the Academy with WAAPA Director, Professor
desire to “send the elevator back down” to
Foundation’s patron. Julie Warn AM, stopping along the way to
help other aspiring performers.
chat with delighted students.
Perth businessman Geoff Michael has “I can tell you with absolute certainty,
been appointed trustee of the Foundation Jackman flew into Perth for the launch
there is no way my career would be what it
and its advisory council includes former from Melbourne as part of a whirlwind tour
is, or that I would be standing in this capacity
governor Ken Michael and Nicola Forrest. of South-East Asia and Australia to promote
on this stage if it wasn’t for this institution
his latest Wolverine film X-Men: Days of
The Foundation intends to raise at least of WAAPA,” the X-Men and Les Miserables
Future Past, which opened in late May.
$10 million over the next four years towards star said.
a revenue-generating endowment that will “It is unique, there is nowhere like it in the Above right: Hugh Jackman next to his 1994 WAAPA headshot and
the costume he wore in his WAAPA 3rd Year production
support the Academy and other areas of the world and everyone in our business knows Photo by Alana Blowfield
performing arts. about WAAPA and I want it to be treasured Below left: Jackman and Jack Thompson at the Foundation
launch Q&A
WAAPA will be the initial and ongoing here, in this state, as much as it is around Photo by Alana Blowfield
beneficiary of the Foundation’s fundraising the world.” Below right. Aboriginal Theatre students perform at the
Foundation launch
activities. Photo by Kathy Wheatley

Luke Arnold in Black Sails © 2014 Starz LLC

Page 2 Inside WAAPA Issue 36
 A BELL RINGS FOR ALLIRA
After winning a 2014 Jazz Bell Award for her
debut album, Allira Wilson is emerging as
one of Australia’s hot young jazz talents
On May 1, the cream of Australia’s jazz She found jazz opened up exciting
community gathered in Melbourne at the ways to collaborate and improvise
Plaza Ballroom to recognise outstanding with musicians from different year
achievements by Australian jazz musicians at levels and even outside of school.
the annual Australian Jazz Bell Awards. That sense of collaboration was
The Jazz Bell Awards, which were established strengthened during her three years at
in 2003 and named in honour of the late great WAAPA. “Most of
jazz pioneer Graeme Bell AO MBE, recognise the people I
and encourage excellence in the performance, collaborate
recording and presentation of jazz in Australia. and work
Taking out the Bell Award for Best Australian with now are largely people I met directly at jazz scene. Over the next few months, she will
Jazz Vocal Album for her debut CD Rise and Fall WAAPA or are very closely affiliated with WAAPA,” be performing gigs with her band (Joe O’Connor
was 2010 WAAPA graduate Allira Wilson. Wilson says. “There’s a sense of unbreakable on piano, Marty Holoubek on bass and Jacob
companionship that [comes] after three years Evans on drums) at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club
Just a few weeks later Wilson performed
of hard study... it really feels like family. Of and Paris Cat Jazz Club. She has joined the vocal
at the 2014 Perth International Jazz Festival,
course the knowledge gained from the teachers group Invenio, lead by Gian Slater, and is part of
where reviewer Vanessa Perica described her as
and the course work have been invaluable, as a project to record with pianist Barney McAll. She
“a flawless interpreter, she pays due respect to
well as the wealth of information brought in by is also planning an east coast tour at the end of
the tradition within her explorations”.
visiting artists and the opportunity to see world the year to promote Rise and Fall.
Wilson started singing when she was four class musicians play.” “My longer-term goals are to collaborate and
years old. “I remember singing for adorable little
Once she graduated, Wilson found herself contribute to jazz music here in Australia as well
put-on events at Sunday School where we were
performing gigs around Perth in venues such as as overseas,” Wilson says. “The most rewarding
encouraged to sing,” she says. “My mother and
the Ellington Jazz Club with many of her former aspects of making music are the friendships
father both love music so the house was always
WAAPA lecturers, including Senior Lecturer and and I am looking forward to having more people
full of the Everly Brothers, Whitney Houston and
award-winning jazz saxophonist Jamie Oehlers. to share music making with, the challenges and
my father’s country music collection.” 


At the end of last year, she recorded Rise and the enjoyment from that is what spurs me on
Wilson discovered jazz through her high Fall with Oehlers, Ben Vanderwal, Sam Anning, and ultimately what would make my career a
school music teacher, jazz pianist Scott Tal Cohen and Christopher Sealey. happy one.”
Loveday, who introduced her to singers like Ella
Now based in Melbourne, the 24-year-old is
Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong,
looking to establish herself in the Melbourne
and encouraged her to experiment with scatting.

NICE THINGS FOR COSGRIFF

2010 Musical Theatre graduate Gillian Cosgriff wins a
Green Room Award at Melbourne’s annual arts awards
Her latest cabaret show might be called Why We with a magnetic stage presence” by Arts Hub and as
Can’t Have Nice Things, but singer, songwriter and “a gem” by The Herald Sun: “An impressive, incisive
pianist Gillian Cosgriff lyricist and songwriter, and highly capable pianist,
is making a habit of not singer and comedic performer. The performance gods
taking her own advice. have been kind to her.”
The 2010 WAAPA In addition to her cabaret performances at
graduate has won the Julie festivals around the country, Cosgriff also performs
Michael Award for Musical regularly with improvised musical company
Cabaret, the Hal Leonard Award and Spontaneous Broadway. Her television appearances
her one-woman debut show, Waitressing... include Offspring and House Husbands and she was
and Other Things I Do Well, took out the Sydney a backing vocalist for Kate Miller-Heidke’s most recent
Cabaret Showcase Award. In 2013 she was album, Nightflight.
awarded Best Cabaret at the Melbourne Fringe Other WAAPA graduates nominated in this year’s
Festival for Why We Can’t Have Nice Things. Green Room Awards included Eddie Perfect for
Photo by Lachlan Woods

Most recently, in April of this year, Nice Things Musical Direction of his show Perfect Tripod; Michael
won a Green Room Award at Melbourne’s annual arts Griffiths for Musical Direction of Sweet Dreams: Songs
awards in the Cabaret category of Best Original Songs. by Annie Lennox; and Ian Meadows for Best Male
It seems nice things keep coming Cosgriff’s way. Actor for his role as Trip Wyeth in Other Desert Cities
She has been described as “...a gifted comedienne for the Melbourne Theatre Company.
Inside
InsideWAAPA
WAAPA Issue
Issue36
36 Page
Page33
‘WONDERFUL ENERGIES’ OF DANCE
Dance students from top Chinese university visit WAAPA as part of
ongoing program of collaboration

A s part of an ongoing collaboration

between WAAPA and Beijing
Normal University (BNU), twelve
ICDS, where they participated in
workshops and performed The
Rite of Spring with their Chinese
Chinese dance students and three counterparts.
lecturers/choreographers travelled This year, it was the turn of the
to Perth in May for a week of Chinese dancers to visit WAAPA.
workshops and performances. Xu Yao, a graduate student at
While at WAAPA, the BNU dancers BNU and the interpreter for the
participated in contemporary and tour, gave Inside WAAPA her
improvisation dance classes and impressions of the Perth trip:
gave lessons to their Australian “The BNU students really
counterparts in Chinese folk dance. enjoyed staying in Perth,
Their Perth visit culminated in the everything is so different from
performance of two works as part Beijing. Less people and cleaner
of LINK Dance Company’s season, air made a great first impression,
Groundswell, which ran from May BNU Dance students with ECU staff on the final day of their visit. Photo courtesy of Randall Trautmann and the hospitality of WAAPA
21-24 in the Geoff Gibbs Theatre. between the two universities, a Memorandum teachers and students made us love being here
The BNU dancers performed two remounted of Understanding was signed by Vice Dean even more.
pieces in the Groundswell program, The Xiang-Rong and ECU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor The classes with the WAAPA dancers were the
Enlightenment of the Monkey King by Chang Kerry Cox. most exciting thing to do, it was so interesting
Xiao-Ni and Dark Eyes by Xiao Xiang Rong. This visit is the latest in a series of to experience different styles of classes, from
The LINK dancers performed new works collaborative undertakings between WAAPA and contemporary technique, choreography to
choreographed on them, LAB S by Natalie Allen BNU, initiated in 2012 when Nanette Hassall improvisation classes, and we have worked
and Profusion by Tamas Moricz. was invited to attend the inaugural International with all of the dance department staff. They
On the final day of their visit, staff and Creative Dance Seminar (ICDS), hosted by the really encourage students to accomplish for
students of the dance departments from Beijing Dance Department of the School of Art and themselves, instead of forcing the students to
and Perth, led by BNU’s Vice Dean Xiao Xiang- Communication at BNU. achieve certain goals.
Rong and WAAPA Head of Dance Nanette Hassall, “Beijing Normal University is ranked as one The performances went well too, we got
gathered to share ideas about dance education, of the top ten universities in China,” said Hassall. to work with an amazing stage management
choreography and culture. “Unlike many other Chinese university dance crew. We were amazed how professional and
Tang Yi, BNU Lecturer of Chinese Classical programs which focus entirely on traditional responsible they were, even though most of
and Folk Dance, provided demonstrations forms of dance, BNU is committed to building an them are only 19 years old. Working with LINK
of the range of traditions in Chinese culture. outstanding contemporary dance program. To Dance Company was exciting too... how friendly
Performance processes and superstitions have an ongoing collaboration with them opens they are! We enjoyed performing with them as
were exchanged, with one young BNU student up exciting possibilities for future ventures.” well, eastern and western bodies running into
entertaining the group with his sniffing of the Last year choreographer Xiao-Xiong Zhang each other create wonderful energies!
stage as a preparatory act of dancing. The travelled to Perth to rehearse 34 WAAPA dance We would like to dedicate our special thanks
gathering concluded with discussions about the students in the second half of The Rite of Spring. to Nanette Hassall, who brought us here in the
possibility of future exchanges. In September, these dancers then travelled to first place, and took care of all of us.”
In formal recognition of the goodwill China to spend eight days at BNU for the 2013

GRAND PRIX FOR DANCER

Advanced Diploma student competes in the
Youth American Grand Prix in New York
In April, first year Advanced Diploma in Dance of the competition. After the finals she was offered
student Valentina Markovinovich travelled to New places by several companies to attend their summer
York to compete in the Youth American Grand Prix schools and has elected to enrol in the Brussels
(YAGP), the world’s largest student ballet competition. International Ballet School Summer Program, to be
The Grand Prix is open to students of all nationalities held in August this year.
aged 9-19 years and is attended by representatives of “I had an amazing time in New York,” said
some of the world’s most prestigious ballet schools Markovinovich on her return to WAAPA. “It was great
and companies. seeing competitors from around the world and
Performing a classical variation from Raymonda dancing in front of the directors of so many schools.”
as well as a contemporary solo entitled The Doll, Markovinovich is planning to return to New York to
Markovinovich was selected as one of eight compete in the 2015 YAGP.
competitors to dance the pas de deux in the défilé
Photo courtesy of Winkipop Media for the Sydney Eisteddfod

Page 4 Inside WAAPA Issue 36

 SPOTLIGHT ON LIGHTING
In the lead up to WAAPA’s
mid-year musical,
lighting students were
privileged to work with
one of Australia’s top
lighting designers
Mark Howett is an award-winning lighting
designer, director and designer who has worked
in theatre, film and opera around the world.
From 1996 to 2000, he was Coordinator of
Lighting at WAAPA; this year a grant from the

Photo by Jon Green

Ian Potter Foundation brought him back to the
Academy to take masterclasses and to mentor
WAAPA’s production students while creating the
Mark Howett and Lecturer in Lighting Jon Davey (second and third from left) with WAAPA lighting students at the Regal Theatre for West Side Story
lighting design for WAAPA’s mid-year musical,
West Side Story. Commission and the Adelaide Festival. On the of Rites, which was simulcast nationally on the
Howett’s career began in 1979 when he international front he has worked with the ABC before touring to New York’s City Centre and
started working at the National Theatre Perth as Auckland Opera, Royal National Theatre, The the Paris Opera House.
a lighting technician. Over 30 years later, Howett Royal Opera at Covent Garden and lit numerous Next up for Howett after his time at WAAPA
has two Helpmann and two Green Room Awards productions on London’s West End. is a collaboration with internationally acclaimed
to his credit that span the genres of opera, Howett’s lighting designs have graced many choreographer Arlene Phillips on A Man Called
theatre, dance and concert production. of the world’s most famous stages. Cloudstreet, Lee, an original musical based on the life of the
Howett’s resume reads like a ‘who’s who’ of which won Howett the 2002 Robert Helpmann martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Howett is also
Australian theatre. He has collaborated with Award for Lighting Design, toured nationally slated to direct an upcoming stage production
acclaimed directors Neil Armfield, Gale Edwards, throughout Australia before transferring to the based on Saroo Brierley’s book, A Long
Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sharman and George Ogilvy, Kennedy Centre in Washington, New York’s Way Home.
and worked for many of Australia’s major arts Brooklyn Academy of Music and the National After living in Berlin for the past eight years,
companies, including Opera Australia, The Theatre in London. Mark designed the lighting for which he describes as having been the perfect
Australian Ballet, Sydney Theatre Company, Neil Armfield’s 2004 production of Sweeney Todd base for his work in Europe and Britain, Howett
Company B at Belvoir St Theatre, Bangarra at the Royal Opera, Convent Garden and for the plans to move back to Perth early next year.
Dance Theatre, the Australian Broadcasting Australian Ballet and Bangarra’s co-production

A CASTLE RETREAT FOR HOPE

Along with 45 other writers, composers and
visual artists, musician Cat Hope has been invited
to a six-week residency in Italy

T he late great benefactor Ursula Corning

believed that artists require “unfettered
time and space to engage in their work and
the world”. In 1968 she began a summer ritual of
inviting an eclectic mix of international guests to
vocalist and experimental bassist.
She is the director of Decibel
new music ensemble which
tours and performs her work and
commissions others. She has
Photo by Orélie Grimaldi

her home, Civitella, a 15th century castle in rural written works for the London
Umbria, Italy. Improvisors Orchestra, the Chicago
Modern Orchestra and a range of ensembles Ryan, entitled Digital Arts: An Introduction to
After Corning’s death in 2002, her legacy
and soloists. New Media.
lives on through the Civitella Ranieri Foundation,
which annually hosts four six-week residency Last year Hope was the recipient of a Churchill From August 18 to September 21, she will
sessions of self-directed studio and work time Fellowship to study digital graphic notation and join her ‘residency community’ of 12-14 artists
for international arts practitioners. this year she was awarded the Peggy Glanville at Civitella.
This year, along with 45 other writers, Hicks Residency, which entailed moving from “It’s a great honour to be invited,” says
composers and visual artists, the Foundation Perth to Sydney. Hope. “During the time my main focus will be to
has extended an invitation to WAAPA Post Among other projects and performances this complete the large scale noise opera I am writing
Doctoral Research Scholar, Associate Professor year, Hope has so far chaired a panel as part of with a libretto by Jack Sargent; as well as a piece
Cat Hope to participate in a residency at Civitella. the Adelaide Festival’s Artist week, presented for a Decibel concert at the ABC in Sydney in
a paper on Digital Graphic Notations at the November entitled ‘After Julia’ and commissions
Associate Professor Hope is a composer,
Icelandic Academy of the Arts, performed a live for various soloists.”
sound artist, writer, performer, songwriter,
artistic director and music researcher. A bass flute improvisation in Paris, and published “I love making, listening to, thinking about
classically trained flautist, Hope is a self-taught a new book co-written with John Charles and performing music, so I’m in my element.”
Inside WAAPA Issue 36 Page 5
MANAGING THE ARTS
Arts Management graduate Brendan Day has gone from top-level arts
management positions in Australia to working for the Tate in London

E ven before he began studying

Arts Management at WAAPA,
Brendan Day dreamed of one day
working in London.
was where it all began but my passion
and desire to learn more about all
forms of art has lead to my wide range
of experience. As a young art collector
myself, Tate is certainly a dream come
Now, as the Deputy Head of
Development Events at the Tate – four true and I am very excited about the
art galleries in Britain that between future working here.
them house the UK’s collection of What has been the highlight of your
British art and international modern career so far?
art – Day is well and truly living his
This is quite a hard question as there
dream. When Inside WAAPA contacted
are a number of highlights across all
him, the 2007 WAAPA graduate had just
organisations that I have worked for. To
finished overseeing the inauguration of
name a few key ones: early on in my
an art installation by world-renowned
career working for Opera Australia and
contemporary video artist Bill Viola at St
running the events for the Australian
Paul’s Cathedral in London.
tour of My Fair Lady; escorting Sydney
In addition to his job at the Tate, Dance Company and a number of key
Day is a marketing and sponsorship supporters to Berlin and the Venice
consultant at the leading music Biennale; delivering a private dinner with
promotion company DHP Family and Michael Parkinson with Deutsche Bank
a freelance event manager at The and Sydney Dance Company; working
Hospital Club, a private members’ club on Sydney New Year’s Eve celebrations
and creative arts venue in the heart with Kylie Minogue as Creative Director
of London. celebrating her 25 year anniversary; but
Before moving to London last year, I suppose to date being promoted to the
Day gained experience across a wide position I am currently in and delivering
variety of Australian arts organisations the event in St Paul’s Cathedral
including Opera Australia, Sydney Dance It is also amazing being so close to Europe, since followed by two events at Tate Modern was
Company, Art Est. Art School and Gallery and moving here eight months ago I have been to pretty special.
CAPITAL-e Marketing and Events. His last position over 12 cities and six countries, and there are Do you have any future work plans?
in Australia before heading overseas was as many more to come.
Protocol Project Coordinator in the Office of the For the time being I am going to enjoy the
Lord Mayor at City of Sydney. How did the job at the Tate come about? experience and take in as much as I can. There
I applied online for a six-month contract at are rough ideas and plans in mind, but in the end
Here he tells Inside WAAPA about his life
Tate as the Development Events Manager; after you never really know where you might end up...
in London:
having worked in the position for about three What did you enjoy most about your time
Why did you decide to move from Sydney weeks, quite unexpectedly they offered me at WAAPA?
to London? a promotion to Deputy Head of Development
The well-rounded Arts Management degree
Moving to London has been something I have Events. The position works across all four
gave me essential skills to be where I am
wanted to do since I can remember, even before I Tate sites including Tate Britain, Tate Modern,
today. The course is incredibly well regarded
started university at WAAPA. In 2013 at 30 years Tate St Ives and Tate Liverpool. I also oversee
in Australia and internationally. It is not every
old it was the last chance I had to get my Youth the International Events and Touring for
day that you are employed at one of Australia’s
Mobility Visa, a two-year work visa for the UK. I Tate Development.
key arts organisations before you finish your
thought that if I didn’t do it now I would never do Since graduating from WAAPA, you have enjoyed Bachelor degree. I also thought WAAPA had an
it and I didn’t want to live in regret. So I took the a wide variety of arts management positions amazing sense of community and family. The
plunge with no job prospects or a real plan. across the arts, working in opera, dance, music friends I made at WAAPA, both fellow students
What do you enjoy most about living in London? and the visual arts. Do you have a particular and teachers, are still very important people in
The cultural change has been most enjoyable passion for one or do they interest you equally? my life. The Arts Management graduates of 2007
about London and the vast array of incredible art I suppose I have quite an eclectic passion were a class to be reckoned with and a number
of every kind, contemporary or classical there across all art forms. I have always had a keen of us are still very close friends nearly ten
is just so much on offer... at times almost too interest in music and all forms of visual and years on.
much because you can’t experience everything. performing arts. Being a musician myself, music

Page 6 Inside WAAPA Issue 36

 A FIRST FOR AUSSIE SOPRANO
The most selective conservatory in the
United States opens its doors to a young West
Australian soprano
performing artists at the highest professional in May last year, began her second Masters
level. Admission is based solely on artistic at Curtis in September. While the Manhattan
merit and each student is awarded a full- School of Music offers rigorous classroom-based
tuition scholarship. With enrolment numbers learning in areas such as aural skills, theory
limited to a maximum of 170 students – only and diction, Curtis is more aligned to a young
the number needed to fill a single orchestra artist program, with the emphasis on coaching
and opera company – Curtis is the most and performing.
Photo by Lauryn Gerstle Photography

selective institution of higher education in the “At Curtis we are constantly working on roles
United States. as we do four operas a year, as well as opera,
Notable Curtis alumni include composers lieder, oratorio and chamber music concerts,”
Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Gian Carlo explains Perroni. “It’s very much a ‘learn by doing’
Menotti, tenor Juan Diego Florez and soprano approach... which is what really sets Curtis apart
Anna Moffo. from most schools.”
Perroni underwent a rigorous audition To say that Perroni is thrilled to be studying

S oprano Elena Perroni, who graduated from

WAAPA in 2011, is the first Australian to
be accepted into the opera department
at the renowned and highly competitive Curtis
Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
process to be accepted into Curtis. An initial
prescreening process of a recorded audition is
followed by a live audition, from which a final
round of 10 singers is selected. From this, only
at such an illustrious conservatory is an
understatement. “The faculty members are
incredible and we frequently have masterclasses
with some of the worlds greatest musicians,”
two or three singers are offered places. she says. “I pinch myself every day!”
The Curtis Institute trains exceptionally The 25-year-old soprano, who completed her
gifted young musicians for careers as Masters degree at the Manhattan School of Music

SCHOLARSHIPS SUPPORT
FUTURE JAZZ STARS
The inaugural Woss Family
Scholarships give two jazz
students a financial head-start on
their WAAPA studies

Photo by Kathy Wheatley

Bachelor of Music students Rhiannon “Thanks to the
Johnstone and Tom Walsh have been awarded generosity of the
the inaugural Woss Family Jazz Scholarships. Woss Family, two
Ronald and Brigid Woss with scholarship winners Rhiannon Johnstone and Tom Walsh
The Woss Family Scholarships have been extremely talented
established, thanks to the generosity of Perth students are receiving a vital financial musicians achieve their dreams, despite some
businessman Mr Ronald Woss and his family, contribution to their university costs as they personal hardships. Both Rhiannon and Tom are
to support meritorious jazz students attending begin their studies at WAAPA,” Professor worthy inaugural winners of the Woss Family
WAAPA and to assist those most in need. Warn said. Scholarships in Jazz.”
Two scholarships of $6,000 each are “WAAPA is extremely grateful for the Of being awarded the scholarship, Tom
available to all first year jazz students in the generosity of the Woss Family.” Walsh said: “The generosity of the Woss family
Bachelor of Music course. As the Founding Chairman of the Perth will allow me to keep following my passion for
The 2014 recipients were required to undergo International Jazz Festival, Ronald Woss is music without worrying about my financial
an audition process and were selected on known for his passion for jazz music and his circumstances.”
demonstrated commitment to and excellence in philanthropy in Western Australia. Fellow recipient Rhiannon Johnstone agreed.
jazz music. “My wife Brigid has been a WAAPA supporter “It’s an honour and privilege to be one of the
for many years,” said Woss. “She loves all inaugural recipients of the Woss Family Jazz
WAAPA Director Professor Julie Warn said that
performing arts, including acting, dance and Scholarship which has undoubtedly helped to
the scholarships would allow the students to
music. I am more of a jazz buff. Together we alleviate some financial pressure, allowing me
focus on their studies, rather than their financial
gain great pleasure assisting young jazz to focus on my studies at WAAPA,” she said.
circumstances.

Inside WAAPA Issue 36 Page 7

 OPERA STARS IN THE MAKING
In November soprano Sky Ingram, who Voice, Susan Waters and renowned soprano
graduated from WAAPA in 2008, will make Kathryn Harries.
her debut with the Royal Opera at Covent She then continued her vocal training
Garden in the Linbury Studio. She will with Susan Waters at London’s National
perform the role of Lea in the world premiere Opera Studio and undertook two tours with
of Glare by German/Danish composer Søren the UK’s Opera North as principal soprano,
Nils Eichberg and librettist Hannah Dübgen. playing Helena in A Midsummer Night’s
Photo by Robert Workman

Ingram moved to London after winning Dream and Musetta in La Boheme.

a swag of awards at the 2008 Australian From May to July this year, Ingram is
Singing Competition’s prestigious Mathy singing in three John Armitage Memorial
Awards, including the Guildhall School of concerts, performing Handel, John McCabe
Music & Drama Award, which allowed her and the world premiere of Giles Swayne’s
Sky Ingram as Musetta in Opera North UK’s La Boheme, with fellow WAAPA to undertake a year’s postgraduate training The Yonghy Bonghy Bo, based on Edward
graduate Duncan Rock as Marcello
at Guildhall with Professor in the Faculty of Lear’s famous poem.

Photo by Nan Melville

Photo by Nan Melville

Paull-Anthony Keightley as Papageno and Margaret Newcomb as Pamina in The New York
Opera Exchange’s The Magic Flute

Baritone Paull-Anthony Keightley, now studying for his Masters

degree in performance at the Manhattan School of Music, received
Alexander Lewis (right) as Vasek in The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program production
of The Bartered Bride, conducted by Maestro James Levine
rave reviews for his role as Papageno in the New York Opera Exchange’s
production of The Magic Flute. “If there is a star-turn in the opera, it
Tenor Alexander Lewis, who Maestro James Levine; and Borsa in is the Papageno of Paull-Anthony Keightley, an Australian baritone
recently completed three years in the MET’s new production of Rigoletto. who knows just how to use his expressive face and flexible body to
the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann In January this year the 2004 create an original version of this lovable character.” – vocedimeche.
Young Artist Development program in WAAPA graduate performed the role blogspot.com
New York, returns to Perth in July to of Flash in the Washington National
sing the lead tenor role of Tamino in Opera’s production of Moby-Dick;
the WA Opera’s The Magic Flute. after his Perth performances, Lewis
Lewis began his professional will sing a series of recitals and
career as a lyric baritone in musical concerts throughout Australia and
theatre roles; by the time he was play Gerhard in Heinz Karl Gruber’s
in his mid-twenties, his resumé Gloria: A Pig Tale for the New York
included Anthony Hope in Sweeney Philharmonic.
Todd for Opera Australia and Raoul in He will finish the year back in New
an Australasian tour of The Phantom York singing the role of Raoul de St
of the Opera. Brioche in the Metropolitan Opera’s
Photo by Jon Green

However, after a number of The Merry Widow, directed by Susan

competition wins and a summer in Stroman, the Tony award-winning
the Merola Program in San Francisco, director of The Producers, with Renee
Lewis made the complete switch to Fleming in the title role. WAAPA’s 2013 production of A Cup of Tea, An Aspidistra and You! starring Caitlin Cassidy,
Isabelle Freeman, Sarah Guilmartin, Chelsea Kluga and Richard Symons
opera, successfully auditioning for In 2015 Lewis will travel to the Five WAAPA graduates, all of whom studied with Classical Voice
the Met Opera’s Young Artist program. Komische Oper in Berlin to take on Lecturer Patricia Price, have recently been awarded scholarships to
Highlights of his three years in the lead role of Hoffmann in The the Mannes College of Music in New York. Isabelle Freeman, Chelsea
the program included performing Tales of Hoffmann for the renowned Kluga and Richard Symons have been awarded scholarships to study
the role of Ferrando in the MET- Australian theatre and opera director, for a Masters Degree in Performance. Sarah Guilmartin and Caitlin
Juilliard production of Cosi fan tutte, Barrie Kosky. Cassidy, currently Young Artists at the West Australian Opera, have
conducted by Alan Gilbert; Vašek in been awarded scholarships to study for a Diploma in Professional
the MET-Juilliard production of The Studies at Mannes. In July this year, Guilmartin, Cassidy and Symons
Bartered Bride, under the baton of will appear in the WA Opera’s production of The Magic Flute.
Page 8 Inside WAAPA Issue 36
 UPDATE on POSTGRADUATE
studies and RESEARCH
In May, Renée Newman-Storen completed limited to six filmmakers at
the Early Career Researcher Grant the Judith Weston Studio for
‘Transformative Articulations: Imaginative Actors and Directors in Los
Engagements’ with Creative Researchers in Angeles. While in the US, Foley
the Academy which saw her investigate the will also be auditing classes in
co-author/co-creator model with five WAAPA the Meisner acting technique
staff, developing a methodology for writing at the Playhouse West School
about creative research. She is also working and Repertory Theatre.
as an investigator, participant and co-curator Soseh Yekanians, who is
on the research project ‘In Conversation: cross- currently pursuing her PhD
disciplinary/cross-art form collaboration’ which studies in Directing at WAAPA,
will include ‘In Conversation’, an exhibition of directed Uncle Jack by Perth
interdisciplinary collaborations with up to 60 playwright Ross Lonnie at the Renée Newman-Storen (centre) performing in 2013 production Second Hands
artists. Newman-Storen is also investigator Blue Room Theatre in April. The production opens on July 18 at the State Theatre Centre and
on ‘Beyond Thesis and Exegesis: capturing was made up of an all-WAAPA team that runs until August 9.
creative practice to improve supervision of consisted of musical theatre graduates Ben Lucinda Coleman recently completed a
creative arts higher degree candidates’, a FEA Hall and Quintin George, supported by lighting Remnant Dance international performance tour
Small Faculty Grant on the need associated with designer Tegan Evans, set designer Patrick with dance film premiere to Yangon, Myanmar
capturing process in the creative research/ James Howe, sound designer Carley Gagliardi as part of her postgraduate Masters’ research
researcher journey. and lighting operator Max Wilkie. Uncle Jack had exploring connectivity through dance-making
PhD candidate Damian Foley is in the thick a sell-out three week season and discussions in a collective. She will be presenting a paper on
of post-production editing of his Mike Leigh are currently in progress for Uncle Jack to take this topic at the Liverpool University conference
influenced short feature project Belonging. part in a WA country tour in 2015. ‘Arts, Peace and Conflict’ in the UK on July 2. This
Co-written and filmed alongside former WAAPA Masters by Research (Voice) student Luzita will be followed by a paper presentation entitled
Head of Acting Chris Edmund, it was also co- Fereday has been invited by Barking Gecko to ‘Conversations on the frontlines of the body’ at
devised and features the current 3rd Year Acting work as voice coach on their latest production the World Dance Alliance Summit in France, which
students. Foley also recently secured a place to Jasper Jones, based on the bestselling book by runs from July 6-11.
participate in an advanced directing workshop award-winning WA author Craig Silvey. The play

SALLY BURTON AWARD WINNERS

3rd Year Acting students Felicity McKay and Jonny Hawkins win the 2013 Sally Burton
Awards, held in WAAPA’s Roundhouse Theatre on May 26
Sally Burton, widow of the great Welsh actor In addition to Sally Burton, this year’s judging
Richard Burton, created the annual WAAPA acting panel included James Hagan and Will O’Mahony.
awards – worth $2,000 each – in her name in “It’s been an absolute pleasure to be able to
2007, as part of her passion for nurturing young provide this prize for the last seven years. The
artistic talent. With the philanthropic money joy on the winners faces and their gratitude
coming mainly from Richard Burton’s film makes it all worthwhile,” Burton said after the
royalties, Sally sees it as fitting that funds from announcement of the 2104 award winners.
her husband’s estate are being used to support
With many of the past recipients of the Sally
aspiring actors.
Burton Award enjoying great success in the film,
“Richard was the semi-literate son of a poor television and theatre industries, Sally believes
coalminer when he met school teacher Philip that the annual competition is a good barometer
Burton, who informally adopted and educated for WAAPA’s stars of tomorrow.
him,” explained Sally Burton. “Richard was
“2008 winner James McKay went on to pick
so grateful to Philip for helping him that it’s
up the prestigious Heath Ledger Scholarship
right that the money should go to helping
last year; 2011 winner Abby Earl went straight
young people.”
into the hit TV series A Place To Call Home; Claire
The Sally Burton award winners, one male Lovering, Matthew Levett, Lizzie Schebesta
and one female, are chosen from WAAPA’s 3rd are all enjoying lots of stage and TV work,” said
Year Acting cohort. The students are required Burton. “It’s enormously fulfilling to see these
to perform a Shakespearean, Jacobean or graduates go on to realise their dreams.”
Photo by James Killian

Elizabethan text monologue or duologue. The

WAAPA is extremely grateful for the generosity
judging is based on the ability to speak the
of Sally Burton in making these awards available
verse, connect to the text, interpret the content
to honour the work of her late husband.
and present the finished work.
Sally Burton (centre) with Felicity McKay and Jonny Hawkins
Inside WAAPA Issue 36 Page 9
 COSTUME DREAMS COME TRUE
Winning a prestigious national design
scholarship gives costume and set designer
Alicia Clements the opportunity to further her
work in London

A licia Clements loves designing

both costumes and sets for their
different creative challenges.
However if pressed, she will admit that
her true passion lies with costume
watch when she won the 2008 David
Hough Award for Design.
Since then, Clements has undertaken
an internship in Paris to study the
design development of menswear and
design and specifically, period costume. has worked with Deckchair Theatre varied,” explains Clements. “Some days
As the recipient of the 2014 Kristian Company, STEPS Youth Dance Company I’m making set models or drawing CAD
Fredrikson Scholarship for Design in and Onward Productions. She has plans for a set builder in Dubai, and
the Performing Arts, announced at designed 11 productions for Perth’s the next day I’ll be running across
the Green Room Awards in Melbourne Black Swan State Theatre Company the city buying 50 metres of fake fur
in April, Clements can now pursue and was made Resident Designer in and sparkles... I have a lot of fun with
her passion. The $10,000 biennial 2012, receiving three Equity Guild Best Isla, the pinnacle being the day I got
design award will allow the young Design nominations for her designs. to be the hair and makeup model for
designer to attend masterclasses For Barking Gecko Theatre Company Angelina Ballerina!”
at London’s School of Historical she designed the Helpmann Award Clements will return to Australia
Dress. nominated productions of Duck, Death in June to design a site-specific
“The School is run by and the Tulip and Driving into Walls, and production of The Emperor of Atlantis
a team of some of the assisted Gypsy Taylor on her Helpmann for the newly established opera
world’s best costume Award nominated design for The Red company, Lost and Found. She will
historians, designers Tree. In 2013 she joined writer/director also work as designer and producer on
and technicians,” says Will O’Mahony in forming The Skeletal a development season of Coma Land,
Clements. “In addition, System, a theatre company dedicated a new play by Will O’Mahony. She will
I’ll be able to assist to new Australian work. then head back to London to take up her
senior designers Clements is currently working scholarship projects.
and learn from their in London, where she is costume The Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship
processes.” supervisor for a production of Much Ado for Design in the Performing Arts
In her final About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe was launched in 2008 to honour one
year at WAAPA Theatre. She is also assisting designer of Australia’s most distinguished
Clements Isla Shaw on a number of touring performing arts designers, the late
marked productions. Kristian Fredrikson who enjoyed a 40-
herself as “Isla works on a lot of shows for year design career that spanned the
a young young audiences which are touring arts, from ballet, opera, contemporary
designer non-stop throughout the UK and the dance, theatre, exhibitions to film
to world, and my tasks for her are hugely and television.
Photos by Cameron Etchells

EXPLORING THE BODY’S CREATIVITY

WAAPA students gain invaluable training from visiting
RADA lecturer, Lorna Marshall
Lorna Marshall, a Physical Performance on the way neuroscience has informed an
Lecturer and Honorary Research Fellow at the understanding of how the mind and body
prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in work together in performance and performer
London, was a guest artist at WAAPA for three training. She teaches students to recognise
Photo by James Killian

weeks in April-May. and lose unwanted physical inhibitions that

Marshall has worked in theatre for many have been learned in life. She emphasizes
years as a teacher, director and performance the importance of clear body language in
consultant. She trained with Jacques LeCoq performance, encouraging actors to fully
Lorna Marshall with WAAPA’s BPA students
and Etienne Decroux in Paris, and studied the engage with their audience by using their bodies
Japanese theatre forms of Noh, Kabuki and to their best effect.
consulted on a new production Dr Barbe is
Butoh. In recent years she has worked closely During her visit, Marshall took masterclasses directing, The Grieving Project.
with Yoshi Oida (from Peter Brook’s company), with students from WAAPA’s new Bachelor of
Lorna Marshall’s visit to WAAPA was made
whom she collaborated with on several Performing Arts (BPA) course, Aboriginal Theatre
possible by a Faculty Visiting Fellowship grant
productions and two books. She published her and 3rd Year Acting.
from ECU’s Faculty of Education and the Arts.
own book The Body Speaks in 2001. Marshall also worked with BPA Course
Marshall teaches performers to access Coordinator Dr Frances Barbe on research
their creativity through their bodies, based towards an article on performer training and
Page 10 Inside WAAPA Issue 36
 YOUNG DESIGNERS MAKE THEIR MARK
recent design graduates take honours in a
national portfolio-based awards program
Sally Phipps and Cherish Marrington, Swell Party and The Critic. Marrington took out
who graduated from WAAPA’s Design for Live the fashion design category by impressing the
Production, Film and Events course last year, judges with her costume designs.
have both won WA Graduate of the Year Awards The young designers each receive a one-year
from the Design Institute of Australia (DIA), complimentary graduate membership to DIA and
putting them through to the Australasian section $500 cash as their prize.
of the Awards. Entries for the Australasian GOTYA
Phipps credits a chance meeting in 2010 with Cherish Marrington and Sally Phipps with their AGOTYA awards
program were exhibited and judged at designEX
the costume designer on the musical Hairspray “I learnt so much during my time at WAAPA...
from 28-30 May at the Sydney Exhibition Centre.
as the moment when she began to seriously I really loved how hands-on the course was.
The DIA’s Australasian Graduate of the Year consider theatre design as a career option. It was the best way to learn how a production
Awards, known by the acronym AGOTYA, is a Up until then, she had been pursuing fashion works and really sets you up with all the skills
portfolio-based awards program for final year design but was not convinced that the fashion needed to pursue a career at an industry level.
design students and recent design graduates in industry was for her. Also the support you get from talented staff and
Australia and New Zealand.
“I initially enrolled at WAAPA thinking that I industry professionals was fantastic.”
Phipps, who was also the 2013 recipient of would only be interested in costume design,” Last year, 2012 WAAPA graduate and David
the David Hough award for Outstanding Design says Phipps. “However, after 3 years of Hough Award recipient Lauren Ross won the WA
graduate, won in the interior decorating category studying at WAAPA I am happy to say I am just section of the 2013 DIA awards and received a
with the presentation boards of her set designs as passionate about set design as I am about high commendation in the Australasian section
for the WAAPA productions Little Women, The costume design!” of the competition.
Cherish Marrington’s and Sally Phipps’ award-winning design boards

Cherish Marrington’s design for WAAPA’s 2013 production of Easy Virtue Sally Phipps’ design for WAAPA’s 2013 production of The Swell Party Cherish Marrington’s design for WAAPA’s 2012 production of Once on this Island

WAAPA’s RADical Dancers

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) in The Lynley Wilson Scholarship was
Western Australia held its annual Festival awarded to 1st Year student Valentina
of Dance from May 29 to June 1, at the John Markovinovich, who recently returned from
Curtin College of the Arts in Fremantle. The New York where she competed in the finals of
festival saw 340 dancers from 21 ballet the Youth American Grand Prix. The prize for
schools across Perth compete for three the Best Senior Female Dancer was awarded
scholarships as well as awards across to fellow 1st Year student Saskia Harman.
various categories. Both students will travel to Sydney in June to
Adjudicators included Rachel Rawlins compete in the McDonald Sydney Eisteddfod.
(recently retired principal with the Australian 2nd Year Advanced Diploma student Carina
Ballet), Aurelien Scannella (artistic director of Roberts won the Pre-Professional Award, which
West Australian Ballet), Justin Rutzou (WAAPA includes a cash prize as well as a secondment
senior lecturer) and Alessandra D’Arbe (dancer to an Australian ballet or dance company of
with West Australian Ballet). her choice.
Sixteen WAAPA students were entered into On the final night of the festival a gala
two scholarship sections of the competition: performance showcased all three students
the Lynley Wilson scholarship, for students as well as WA Ballet Young Artist and 2013
Photo by Kathy Wheatley

between the ages of 16-18, and the Pre WAAPA graduate Liam Green, who performed
Professional Award for students aged 18 solos from WAB’s recent production of Giselle.
years and above, who are looking to enter the WAAPA was also represented by 2nd Year
profession after graduation. Advanced Diploma students, who danced Kim
McCarthy’s Till the End.
Left to right: Carina Roberts, Saskia Harman and Valentina Markovinovich
Inside WAAPA Issue 36 Page 11
 Beach Groundswell

in the
spotlight
A glimpse of
what’s been happening Realism

on stage at WAAPA

West Side Story

Thank you to our

partners
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui

West Side Story Measure for Measure Festen

Punk Rock Kora

Cover Credits
Front Cover
Hugh Jackman, photo by Kathy Wheatley

Back Cover
Production photos by Jon Green Photographer

CRICOS IPC 00279B

Page 12 Inside WAAPA Issue 36