NIDA Class of 2021 Graduation Ceremony

Class of 2021 Graduation Ceremony

26 JUNE 2022

NIDA Theatres, Parade Theatre

ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS

WELCOME TO COUNTRY Aunty Maxine Ryan CEO’S ADDRESS Liz Hughes, NIDA CEO SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER The Hon Matt Thistlewaite MP, Member for Kingsford Smith PRESENTATION OF AN HONORARY MASTER OF FINE ARTS Recipient: Rhoda Roberts AO RECIPIENT ADDRESS Rhoda Roberts AO PERFORMANCE Diploma of Musical Theatre students accompanied on the piano by tutor Anne-Maree McDonald.

Felicity Beale, Anusha Thomas and Erica Jones singing Flying Away, from the musical Fun Home, by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron.

AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS AND CONFERRING OF DEGREES Vocational Diplomas (Mark Gaal) Bachelor of Fine Arts (John Bashford – Acting, Corinne Heskett – Costume, Nicholas Day – Scenic Construction and Technologies, Bob Cousins – Design for Performance, Marcelo Zavala-Baeza – Properties and Objects, Dr Graham Henstock – Technical Theatre and Stage Management) Master of Fine Arts (Dr Benjamin Schostakowski – Directing, Karilyn Brown – Cultural Leadership, Sarah Miller AM – Voice, Joe Hepworth – Writing for Performance) GRADUATE’S RESPONSE Isaac Barron (BFA Technical Theatre & Stage Management, 2021) PRESENTATION OF THE LESLIE WALFORD AM AWARD Sarah Miller AM and Gary Simpson Recipient: Phoenix McKay (BFA Design, 2021) PRESENTATION OF THE LYNNE WILLIAMS AWARD Karilyn Brown Recipient: Jacqueline Compton (MFA Cultural Leadership, 2021) CONCLUDING REMARKS Liz Hughes, NIDA CEO Following these proceedings refreshments will be served in the Nancy Fairfax Foyer.

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

GRADUATION CEREMONY – CLASS OF 2021

I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians, the Bidjigal people, of the lands on which we learn and tell stories. It is on their homeland that NIDA’s Sydney campus stands. We acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional custodians who care for the lands and waters in the homelands of First Nations people across this continent.

We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the work and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, workers and creatives within the NIDA community.

Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

On behalf of the NIDA Board of Directors, the Academic Board, company members and staff, I would like to start by warmly congratulating you all as the class of 2021!

Liz Hughes NIDA CEO

It is such an important and emotional moment to come together to celebrate your amazing achievements and the end of your time as NIDA students.

Today, I feel a mix of pride, joy and hope.

Pride for all you have achieved, joy at seeing the accomplished storytellers you are today and hope for your creative future. It is a very exciting time for all of you, and for the creative industries where you will work and make a contribution.

Thank you for all the energy, hard work and commitment you gave to the community during your time at NIDA. You were all students at NIDA during the extremely challenging time of the Covid-19 pandemic. You all had to draw on your powers of resilience and fortitude to keep learning in an environment no one could have expected. We have all grown so much over the last few years, perhaps more than in ‘normal’ years and the grit and the determination you have developed will be an asset for the rest of your life.

Over the time you have all studied, the strength of NIDA’s industry connections meant that student placements flourished, for some of you with flagship companies like STC, Belvoir and Sydney Dance, in iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House or on major film productions at Bazmark Inc, Disney and Fox Studios to name a few.

As graduands you are leaving NIDA today having developed many deep and valuable relationships. I am incredibly excited for you, and about the contribution you will make to the arts and culture of Australia, and the greater world we live in.

Your fellow graduates are likely to be your peers, friends, and collaborators for decades to come.

I encourage you to stay connected to your classmates, reach out to this fantastic creative group of people, including those you may not know well. Seek out those in different disciplines, with alternate perspectives and experiences. And stay connected with us: we are creating more alumni events, opportunities for you to come back to network and hear from amazing industry leaders. We invite you to continue the collaboration with us to create positive and exciting new futures for the dramatic arts across its many live and digital platforms.

As alumni you will always be a part of NIDA. Congratulations!

RECIPIENT OF HONORARY MASTER OF FINE ARTS

Rhoda Roberts AO Actor, Creative Director, Writer, Producer & Arts Consultant Rhoda Roberts AO is a significant force on the Australian arts scene. A member of the Bundjalung nation, Widjabul /Wieybal clan of Northern NSW and South East QLD. A much-awarded arts executive, Rhoda received an AO in 2016 for distinguished service to the performing arts, leadership, advocacy and promoting contemporary Indigenous culture.

She is renowned for coining the term Welcome to Country, “establishing a focus on protocol manuals and welcomes by local custodians for the arts and media industries”.

Rhoda is the former Head of First Nations Programming for the Sydney Opera House, is Festival Director of the Boomerang Festival / Bluesfest, Festival Curator of the Parrtjima Festival (NT) and Creative Director First Nations Programming - Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA).

In 2019, she was recognised with a Ros Bower Award from the Australia Council; in 2018, she received the Helpmann Award - The Sue Nattrass Award; in 1998 she received a Deadly Award for Broadcasting and in 1997, she was recognized with a Sidney Myer Facilitators award.

She was the founder and Artistic Director of the Festival of the Dreaming, Sydney Dreaming Festival and the Dreaming Festival (1995-2009).

She was co-founder and Artistic Director of the QPAC Clancestry Festival and was director of the 2010 Garma festival.

With a diverse range of international and national industry experience within commercial, community and non-profit organisations, Rhoda is a practising weaver, a sought-after speaker, writer and performer in theatre, film, television and radio.

Rhoda’s current consultancy work has included many large-scale events including: Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Glow Festival QLD, Dubai Expo 2021-22, Vivid 2020 and the lighting of the Pylons 2020-21. She was appointed by Destinations NSW for Vivid in 2016 as the first Indigenous curator for the Lighting of the Sydney Opera House sails. She was commissioned by Opera Australia to direct and write Yarrabah the Musical

following the success of her direction of the international Opera, Miricoloa a Milanao by Italy’s Giorgio Battistelli for the Brisbane Festival 2009.

She was the Artistic Director of the Festival of the Dreaming staged in the lead up to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and Creative Director for the Awakening Segment Sydney Olympic Games 2000, the Opening Ceremony of the Rugby World Cup in 2003, the Athens handover ceremony, the opening ceremony of the Musee Du Quay Branley, Paris, the Japan Expo, and Sydney’s World Youth Day events.

An ambassador for the Archie Roach Foundation, she has written, directed and produced several documentaries including In The Gutter No Way for SBS (1989). She was a co-founding member of The Aboriginal National Theatre Trust (ANTT) who also convened the National Aboriginal Black Playwrights conferences – 1987-1993.

She conducts Rhoda Roberts’ Cultural Retreats and as a playwright her production Natives Go Wild was staged at the Sydney Opera House, in 2019. She also wrote Letter to Cook for The Indigenous World Art Orchestra that premiered at the Sydney Opera House in 2020.

For Australia Day events she developed and directed the Woggan-magule annual ceremony for ten years. She was appointed Creative director Sydney New Year’s events for the bridge effect 2009-2011. Since 2016, she has worked on the bridge and pylon creative strategies for the City of Sydney New Year’s Eve events.

Rhoda currently sits on the Welcome to Country board. Previous board appointments include: NORPA Performing Arts (where she is currently Creative Director First Nations), Screenworks, Indigenous Tourism Australia, The Australia International Cultural Council (AICC) Playwriting Australia (Chair) Wantok Music, Sydney Opera House Trust, The Dreaming Festival Board, NSW Australia Day Council. Darling Harbour Authority, The National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA), The NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, Actors Equity, Aboriginal National Theatre Trust, and The Yothu Yindi Foundation Garma Festival Board.

GRADUATES 2021 NIDA CONGRATULATES THE CLASS OF 2021 CUA50420 Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services

CAMERON BARTIE

COREY BLUNDEN

OLIVER JACK BRYSON

JULIAN DUNNE

ASHLEIGH ELMS

DECLAN LODGE

KALUM MCMURRAY

UGOCHI OKORIE

AMINA OSMAN

MITCHELL PURDIE

SIENA HEAD

SYLVIE HUXLEY

ALICE LLOYD

CUA50220 Diploma of Musical Theatre

DANI CARUSO

RACHEL CROSSAN

KAEL D'ALTERIO

STRUAN DAVIDSON

JESSE DONALDSONJARRETT

BLAKE DOUGLAS

DECLAN DOWLING

RYAN GLASSON

KIEREN GREGORY

RUBY HAWKEN

MINERVA KHODABANDE

MAX MACDONALD

ASHLEY MCLAREN

BRONTE JADE MUIR

GEORGIA OOM

NOAH RAYNOR

SIENNA RICHARDSON

BELLA SATTLER

HANNAH STEWART

JOHN THOMAS

LOUIS VINCIGUERRA

NATHAN WHEELER

GRADUATES 2021

CUA51020 Diploma of Screen and Media (Specialist Make-up Services)

ANTHONY BONFANTI

ELLA COLHOUN

POLLY COOPER

JOSHAN RAMADANI

JESSICA TATCHELL

ELIZA YOUNG

AMY LOUISE DILLON

MELANIE GJURA

TEAGAN ANN HAY

AHDINDA LEY

LACHLAN MASTERS

10194NAT Diploma of Stage and Screen Performance

ROBBIE ALEXANDER

ROSE CHACHKO

ALEXANDER SIENNA CHAMPION DE CATE CRESPIGNY

FLORENSIA

BELLA FORD

DAVID PREMILA GANESON-OATS HOWELL

BEN HUNTLEY

RYAN HUNTLEY

KANDICE JOY

JESSICA KAPITEN

JOSHUA KEMPEN

HALINA BROOKE

JONATHAN LIM

LEVI MACKEE

JOSH MACQUEEN

FREYA LILY MOORE

SAYURI NARROWAY

SOPHEA PENNINGTON

CHARLIE POTTER

WILLIAM READ

ALI SAMAEI

KEENAN WALKER

GRADUATES 2021

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)

GABRIEL ALVARADO

HANNAH ANDERSON

FLYNN BARNARD

JULIE BETTENS

OLIVIA BOURNE

SHAW CAMERON

RYAN ENNISS

AMY JOYCE

LIBBY KAY

ALFRED KOURIS

ASHAN KUMAR

ARI MAZA LONG

CHARLOTTE LUCAS

PHILIP LYNCH

WERN MAK

BRAYDON MAY

ALYONA POPOVA

HARRISON QUAST

CONNOR REILLY

MEMA MUNRO

RILEY MCNAMARA

CHRISTY TRAN

EBONY TUCKER

ADOLPHUS WAYLEE

LUCY JAURISTO

SAMANTHA MANNING

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Costume)

ELSBETH CAMERON

BETHANY HEWITT

ORI HISER

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Scenic Construction and Technology)

MATTHEW HINTON

ZAC WHITE

GRADUATES 2021

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design for Performance)

SOHAM APTE

BLAKE HEDLEY

AMY JACKSON

PHOENIX MAE

ANGELINA MEANY

HAYDEN RELF

ISABELLA SALTEARN

ZOE MANNING

RHYANNA ZACHARY MARTINUSSEN PORTELLI

HANNAH TAYLER

HANNAH YARDLEY

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Properties and Objects)

ISABELL DE LAURENTIS

HUNTER DEPALO

DANIELLE GUYOT

RACHEL HALLETT

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Technical Theatre and Stage Management)

ISAAC BARRON

MORGAN BUTLER

KAITLYN CROCKER

SOPHIE JONES

LEIA LOISA

ALEXANDROS MAKARONOPOULUS

NATHAN SANDY

ZACHARY SARIC

MELLITA VERTIGAN

TRILLIAN VIEIRA

SYBILLA WAJON

SOPHIA WALLACE

JOEL MALLETT

KRYSTELLE QUARTERMAIN

GRADUATES 2021

Master of Fine Arts (Directing)

SOPHIE BENASSI

MARK BOLOTIN

AMELIA BURKE

ZOE HOLLYOAK

MARTHA LATHAM

LIAM MCLLWAIN

AMY SOLE

JAX COMPTON

SAMANTHA MARTIN

STEVE MAYHEW

CRAIG MIDDLETON

MAHSA FOROUGHI

GABRIEL FRANCIS

HOLLY FRANICH

JORDYN FULCHER

Master of Fine Arts (Cultural Leadership)

JESSICA ALICE SMITH

ALICE BENNETT

VERONICA BOLZON

Master of Fine Arts (Voice)

ELEANOR STANKIEWICZ

Master of Fine Arts (Writing for Performance)

ELIVA ANDRIAMORA

MATT BOSTOCK

SIHAM SERHON

JAMES WATSON

DECLAN COYLE

MICHAEL MCSTAY

GOVERNANCE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS (BFA)

VOCATIONAL STUDIES

Noel Staunton (Chair of the Board)

ACTING

Hon Richard Refshauge SC (Deputy Chair)

Course leader, John Bashford

Deputy Director, Learning & Innovation (VET), Mark Gaal

Professor Claire Annesley Darren Dale

Head of Music, Nicole Stinton (Andrew Ross until March 2021)

Roger Hodgman

Head of Voice, Katerina Moraitis

Head of Movement, Gavin Robins

Peter Ivany AO Ron Malek

COSTUME

John Robinson

Course Leader, Corinne Heskett

Anna Tregloan

Senior Lecturer, Annette Ribbons

Sigrid Thornton A Kip Williams

DESIGN

Catherine West

Course Leader, Bob Cousins

Sophia Zachariou

Senior Lecturer, Stephen Curtis

ACADEMIC BOARD

PROPERTIES AND OBJECTS

Ms Anna Tregloan (Chair) Mary Benn Professor Michael Balfour Mr Mark Gaal (ex officio) Mr Graham Henstock Ms Liz Hughes (ex officio) Sarah Miller AM (ex officio) (Executive Officer) Fiona Nicolson Kyas Sherriff Dr Suzanne Osmond Professor Anna Reid Annette Ribbons Associate Professor David Vance Delan Woods (student representative, President SCON) Blake Virgilio-Naden (VET representative)

Course Leader, Marcelo Zavala-Baeza

Manager Vocational Studies Marie Mitris (acting) Vocational Studies Administrator Govinder Roser-Finch STUDENT SERVICES AND QUALITY ASSURANCE Manager, Kylie Black Student Services Administrator, Mitchell Wilson Administration Coordinator, Freya Jokela ALUMNI Head of Industry Partnerships and Alumni Georgia Gilbert

SCENIC CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY Course Leader, Nicholas Day TECHNICAL THEATRE AND STAGE MANGEMENT Course Leader, Graham Henstock Head of Sound Design, Paul Prestipino Head of Stage Management, Mary Benn (acting) COMMON SUBJECTS BFA & MFA Convenor and Senior Lecturer, Thomas De Angelis MASTER OF FINE ARTS (MFA) CULTURAL LEADERSHIP

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Liz Hughes

Course Leader, Karilyn Brown DIRECTING Course Leader, Dr Benjamin Schostakowski WRITING FOR PERFORMANCE Course Leader, Joe Hepworth

NIDA employs a wide range of industry professionals on both a part-time and casual basis who teach students across all the courses.

NIDA would like to acknowledge and thank all members of staff who have shared their expertise with the 2021 graduating students.

NIDA ALUMNI – STAY IN TOUCH NIDA warmly congratulates all 2021 graduates.

Wherever your career takes you, your time at NIDA and the people you met here will always be a part of you.

We hope you will stay in touch and keep us updated about your news and industry experiences. We also want to ensure you benefit from NIDA events and opportunities. You can connect with NIDA and other graduates and stay updated by following the NIDA Community news and events through the NIDA website, Facebook, Instagram Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn (@NIDAcommunity).

Make sure to keep your details up to date so we can contact you: alumni@nida.edu.au

Thank you to the following students who volunteered their time to support this celebration India Lively – Stage Manager Adetokunbo (Tk) Abioye, Topaz Marlay-Cole and Sherydan Simson – Assistant Stage Managers

NIDA is a registered Higher Education Provider Provider ID: PRV12052 CRICOS provider code: 00756M NIDA is registered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority under the National Vocational Education and Regulator Act 2011 as an NRV Registered Training Organisation (RTO): ID number 90349.

National Institute of Dramatic Art 215 Anzac Parade Kensington NSW 2033 02 9697 7600 info@nida.edu.au nida.edu.au