Bluey's Big Play

MEET THE CAST

B A N D I T/ PAT

Charles Ball Charles Ball earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 2014. Through various artistic collaborations and a continually evolving personal practice, he has created and performed works around Australia and internationally in multiple disciplines including contemporary dance, ballet, theatre, aerial, and puppetry.

Ball has performed with Queensland Theatre, Queensland Ballet, Opera Australia, Legs on the Wall, Dead Puppet Society, Red Leap Theatre, The Farm, Broad Encounters, Expressions Dance Company, and he was part of the Australian national tour of Bluey's Big Play.

He also remains an active member of the independent dance community, frequently collaborating with local artists and researching experimental creative processes in the pursuit of meaningful and engaging original works. As a maker, Ball’s choreography has been featured at Supercell Festival of Contemporary Dance, Dark World Festival, and The IndepenDANCE Project.

BINGO

Rachel Burke Rachel Burke is a graduate of Flinders University Drama Centre in South Australia. Since graduating in 2015, she has performed in Beep (Windmill Theatre), Macbeth, A Doll’s House, In the Club, Sense and Sensibility (STCSA Ensemble), Jasper Jones and Decameron 2.0 (STCSA), Angelique (isthisyours?), Cranky Bear, The Lighthouse (Patch), Limit, Red Sky Morning (STCSA Umbrella), Tartuffe (STCSA/Brink), The Wolves (RUMPUS), Speak Out (ActNow), Foolz (Flinders University), My Beautiful Radio Station (Expressway Arts), and This Storm (The Unrest Cure). Her screen credits include Beep and Mort (Windmill Pictures) and webseries Dead Centre (Jupeter Films).

She directed Di and Viv and Rose (RUMPUS), worked as assistant director on Girls and Boys (STCSA), As One (Tiny Bricks) and Love and Information (Flinders Drama Centre) and was an Intimacy Consultant on Requiem (Adelaide Festival).

B LU E Y

Jess Gollé Jess Gollé is a Brisbane based artist with a background in dance, acting, film and, theatre. In 2019, Gollé graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Communication (Entertainment Industries) with Distinction, as well as establishing herself in a variety of performing roles: Performer for The Walt Disney Company (Tokyo Disneyland 2015-2018), performer for Dreamworld and Village Roadshow Theme Parks (20132019) and working with the Starlight Children’s Foundation (2022-present).

In late 2019, Gollé went on to developing, coordinating, and performing with Bluey Live and opened the first Bluey Live Experience in Queensland as a female host. Her roles and responsibilities further expanded in 2021 to Production assistant for Bluey Live Australia events. As a continuation, Gollé was cast as a puppeteer for Bluey’s Big Play, Australian National Tour (2021-2022). Gollé is beyond excited to now be representing Australia as part of the opening cast for Bluey’s Big Play USA tour.

BINGO

Joanna Halliday Born and raised in Melbourne, Joanna Halliday has trained in Music Theatre at Showfit and completed her Bachelor in Acting at The Victorian College of the Arts. Upon graduating in 2018, Halliday debuted as Juliet in Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet (dir. Jennifer Sarah Dean). Since then has performed as Gwendolen Carr in Travesties (dir. Jennifer Sarah Dean), Cherie in Blackrock (dir. Nicola Bowman), As You Like It (dir. Jennifer Sarah Dean), A Comedy of Errors (dir Ben Adams). In 2019 , Halliday appeared in the feature film Ride Like a Girl as Young Burnadette, featuring Sam Neill and Teresa Palmer (dir. Rachel Griffiths.) and has guest appeared in Miss Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, Come Die with Me (dir Lynn Hegarty). Halliday is trained in singing, classical piano, violin, and classical dance. Halliday has been involved with Bluey’s Big Play since March 2020 and has played various roles since! This USA tour she’s excited to be playing Bingo… for real life!

B LU E Y

Jessa Koncic Jessa Koncic is a born Melbournian! She has studied performing arts in both Australia and Indonesia. After training with the Australian Youth Theatre for 8 years, Koncic went on to graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Melbourne University, with a BFA in Acting. She also trained for a time in Bali studying Mask. Koncic joined the cast of Bluey’s Big Play in 2020.

Some of her credits include: Bluey, Bluey’s Big Play (Development 2020) (National Tour 2021,2022) Dir Rose Myers Hero Woman, A Theory of Incompleteness (Runner up Sony Film Festival, 2021) Dir Simon Green Geb, Fidgeter, Santa, The Great Australian Play (Theatre Works, 2020) Dir Saro Lusty-Cavillari Hunter, F***ing A (VCA, 2019) Dir Candy Bowers Fefu, Fefu and her Friends (VCA, 2018) Dir Sapidah Kian.

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Jess Minas Jess Minas is an Adelaide based artist working in dance, theatre, puppetry, and film. Minas danced in Anifex’s award winning stop motion animation titled The Better Angels (2019). In 2020, Minas began working as a puppeteer for Windmill Theatre Company and HVK Productions on their Australian tour of Blueys Big Play, directed by Rosemary Myers. Minas worked as Movement Director on Lachlan Barnett’s ActNow Theatre MakeSpace Residency (2021) whilst also puppeteering on Windmill Pictures production of Beep and Mort, supported by the ABC. Most recently Minas worked as a dancer/ collaborator on Projekt Moxie, directed by Lina Limosani and Daniel Jaber (2022), as well as Dance Launchpad a dance double bill directed by Tobiah Booth-Remmers and Amanda Phillips, produced by The Mill Adelaide (2022).

Minas’ choreographic/ directorial achievements include Salute (2020) as part of Rip Drag and Ruminate in the Adelaide Fringe Festival, winning Best Dance Show at the Adelaide Fringe Awards (2020), as well as two movementbased short films, Snail Mail (2020) and Depart 222 (2022).

CHILLI

Louisa Reid Louisa Reid attended the Victorian Collage of the Arts, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) in 2018.

Reid first worked as a professional puppeteer on the 2021 Australian tour of Bluey's Big Play in the role of Chilli. She continues this role for the North American Tour.

CHILLI

Allanah Sarafian Allanah Sarafian is a puppeteer, visual artist, and teacher originally from Brisbane and now residing in Melbourne, Australia. Sarafian began her career in the arts by studying fashion, which then morphed into working in costume, circus, and finally puppetry. While working as a performance and visual artist, Sarafian also completed a primary education qualification and has been a primary art teacher for the last eight years. Sarafian’s debut into puppetry began six years ago when she started working with Trash Puppets. Since then she has performed with and built puppets for Erth Visual and Physical Inc, POPOMOCO, A Blanck Canvas, Private Function, Moomba, and White Night among others. In 2022 Sarafian was a participant in Lemony S Puppets' inaugural training program; Puppet Lab. Sarafian enjoys working with and making art inspired by the outlook of children.

B LU E Y

Stephanie Stephens Stephanie Stephens is a dedicated performer who is passionate about bringing joy to children and families. She has seen every episode of Bluey (at least twice) and is very excited to be back on stage with Bluey’s Big Play (HVK).

After performing multiple roles in the show throughout Australia, she is more eager than ever to conquer America as her favorite little blue heeler. Stephens has over 10 years of experience working with characters, including Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. She has also performed on Disney Cruise Line, Disney International Christmas Tours, and completed a Disney Articulated Training course in puppetry.

Other career highlights include: performing alongside The Wiggles at Sydney ICC, working with Hi-5 at Marina Bay Sans in Singapore and bopping with pop sensation Ricki-Lee at the Sydney Opera House.

Television Appearances include: Carols in the Domain (Channel 7), The Today Show (Channel 9), and a commercial for Disney on Ice. B A N D I T/ PAT

Aarod Vawser Aarod Vawser is an actor, writer, video editor and puppeteer, and is thrilled to be a part of Bluey’s Big Play as it tours the US. In 2020, Vawser graduated with an Honours degree in Drama at Flinders University.He is a co-founder of South Australian theatre company, the CRAM Collective. He has co-produced and starred in productions for CRAM since its conception in 2021.He has won awards for his playwriting and film-making. These include a merit award for the Flinders University & STCSA Young Playwrights Award for his play We Need To Talk About Julia, and an award at Orlando Filmapalooza for the 48-hour film competition. Two shirt films he co-created were shortlisted for Helpmann Awards. He was Assistant Director of the Flying Penguin production of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by David Mealor. Vawser works as a video editor and filmographer for Replay Creative. He is a proud member of MEAA.

CHILLI

Kristal Walcott Kristall Walcott is a 26 year old Caribbean born dancer/entertainer. She started dancing when she was eight and professionally trained full-time at Ikin Dance on the Gold Coast. While training, Walcott received many opportunities to dance in music videos, corporate events, festivals, and musical theatre productions.

Walcott’s most recent achievements outside of dance has been appearing in major feature films such as the Elvis biopic, Godzilla vs Kong, and Disney productions, as well as modelling for fashion brands and catwalk opportunities.

However her most exciting venture will be the upcoming USA tour of Bluey’s Big Play where she will be one of the puppeteer’s of the character Chilli. Kristall can’t wait to step into this new role alongside amazing performers, while bringing her own brand of zany energy and child-like joy.

B A N D I T/ PAT

Chris White Chris White is a passionate actor and singer from the Gold Coast, Australia. Fresh off the back of the Australian tour of Bluey’s Big Play (HVK), he is extremely excited to tour the USA for the first time. Previously, White was a member of internationally renowned children’s entertainment group Hi-5 and in the Male Ensemble for popsensation Adele’s World Tour. He has also performed for Prince Charles and created original content with the Yellow Wiggle, Greg Page. Television appearances include: Young Officer in Nautilus (Disney+) and Cheeko in Team Rescue (ABC Kids).Theatrical highlights include: Simon Gallaher’s The Pirates of Penzance, Johnny Casino in Grease: The Arena Experience (HRTC), Roger in RENT (Brisbane Powerhouse), Chris in Miss Saigon (HOTA), Ken in Barbie: Anything is Possible (Pen2Stage - Dubai), Sky in Mamma Mia! (Packemin), Jeremy in Sentinel Chickens (JUTE) and the development of new musicals, State of Origin: The Musical & Julie (QPAC).