2026 Bachelor of
Acting Showcase
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work. We pay respect to the Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University Director Welcome
This week, across our music, acting and musical theatre programs, we are welcoming record numbers of applicants to audition for a place in 2027. At the same time, we are here celebrating our graduating third year acting students as they take to the stage for their final showcase. The journey from receiving an offer to study at the Conservatorium to standing on the threshold of a professional career seems to pass in an instant. Yet the transformation that occurs during that time is profound. It is not simply about what our students have learned, but about who they have become: artists, collaborators, leaders, and creative thinkers ready to make their mark on the world. This showcase is a testament to their talent, dedication and growth, and to the extraordinary support of those who have guided them along the way. I would particularly like to acknowledge our Head of Acting, Jacqui Somerville, and the outstanding team of staff whose expertise, care and commitment have helped shape these students’ journeys. To our graduating students, congratulations on all that you have achieved, and on the people and artists you have become. We are immensely proud of you and wish you every success in the exciting chapter ahead.
Professor Vanessa Tomlinson
Director, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
Program Director Welcome
It is my absolute privilege to welcome you to the Class of 2027 Bachelor of Acting Third-Year Student Showcase. Tonight marks a profound milestone—a celebration of a journey defined by immense talent, fierce dedication, and deep artistic growth. This cohort is exceptional. From their very first days in the studio, they have proven themselves to be a deeply collaborative, courageous, and versatile group of artists. We first saw the true depth of their storytelling capacity last year with Understory, a production that showcased their ability to craft nuanced, evocative, and deeply resonant theatre. They carried that momentum into their final year, taking on two massive, vastly different theatrical mountains. First came the vibrant, fast-paced world of Nell Gwyn, where they masterfully balanced high comedy with historical heart. They followed this with the blistering, emotionally raw intensity of August: Osage County, proving they possess the maturity and stamina required for the stage’s most demanding dramatic works. None of this would be possible without the incredible team behind them. I want to express my deepest gratitude to our extraordinary staff, faculty, and industry mentors. Your tireless dedication, expertise, and support have guided these students, shaping them into the professional artists you see before you today. To the Class of 2026, it has been a privilege to train you, to watch you stumble, grow, and ultimately fly. We wish you every success on the journey ahead, and we cannot wait to see the stories you will tell next. Thank you for being here to witness their final bow as a company, and please join me in wishing them the very best for the future.
Jacqui Somerville
Program Director Bachelor of Acting
Acting Showcase Acknowledgement of Country
Class Of 2026
The Wedding Toast
Georgia Cassidy
by Laura Mannio
Parallel Lives
by Mo Gaffney and Kathy Najimy
Reasons to be Pretty
Mia Thomas, Christina Morgan, Georgia Cassidy, Bonny Treloar, Olivia Van Gool, Naire McDonald and Ellie Dawson
Jamie Watson
by Neil LaBute
Love Song
by Abi Morgan
Bonny Treloar and Jack Miller
Hedda Gabler
Naire McDonald and Ellie Dawson
by Henrik Ibsen
Sun is also a Star
Christina Morgan and Georgia Cassidy
Holding The Man
Michael Hawkins and Oliver Hunter
Screenplay by Tracey Oliver
by Timothy Conigrave
Once
Ben Jason-Easton and Olivia Van Gool
by Enda Walsh
Dating Hamlet
Mia Thomas
by Bruce Kane
Virgin & Cowboys by Morgan Rose
Naire McDonald
Let’s be Bad
Christina Morgan
by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Posh
Oliver Hunter
by Laura Wade
Narrative
Jack Miller
by Anthony Neilson
Red
Michael Hawkins
When They Go low
Georgia Cassidy
by John Logan
by Natalie Mitchell
The Return
by Reg Cribb
Jamie Watson and Ben Jason-Easton
One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean
PASH
by Claire Christian (Based on The Boys by Gordon Graham)
Bonny Treloar
Ben Jason-Easton, Jamie Watson, Jack Miller, Oliver Hunter and Michael Hawkins
Take me or leave me
Naire McDonald and Bonny Treloar
The Effect
Jamie Watson and Olivia Van Gool
by Rent
by Lucy Prebble
Things I Know To Be True
Mia Thomas and Oliver Hunter
by Anthony Bovall
Doubt
by John Patrick Shanley
Michael Hawkins and Christina Morgan
Translations
Jamie Watson and Naire McDonald
Regan Kelly
Ben Jason-Easton and Ellie Dawson
by Brian Friel
by Lewis Treston
The Almighty Sometimes
Georgia Cassidy and Michael Hawkins
by Kendall Feaver
Chameleon
Christina Morgan
by Jenny Rachel Weiner
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City by Halley Feiffer
Oliver Hunter and Olivia Van Gool
Proof
Georgia Cassidy and Mia Thomas
by David Auburn
Gone Viral
Bonny Treloar
Macbeth
Michael Hawkins
by Sally Hardy
by William Shakespeare
Gruesome Playground injuries
Georgia Cassidy and Jack Miller
by Rajiv Joseph
Class Action
Ben Jason-Easton
Parallel Lives
Olivia Van Gool and Jack Miller
by Brad C. Slaight
by Mo Gaffney and Kathy Najimy
The Matilda Women by Sue Rider
Naire McDonald and Michael Hawkins
Sight Unseen
Jamie Watson and Mia Thomas
by Donald Margulies
The Night Season
Olivia Van Gool
by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Dance Nation by Clare Barron
Oh, Mary!
Naire McDonald, Ellie Dawson, Bonny Treloar and Olivia Van Gool
Oliver Hunter and Jack Miller
by Cole Escola
Blue Stockings
Mia Thomas and Ben Jason-Easton
by Jessica Swale
Girl ScoutBeetleJuice the Musical
by Eddie Perfect
Ellie Dawson
Ben Jason-Easton
Bonny Treloar
Christina Morgan
Ellie Dawson
Georgia Cassidy
Jack Miller
Jamie Watson
Mia Thomas
Olivia van Gool
Ac ti ng
Oliver Hunter
Naire McDonald
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Michael Hawkins
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HeAD shots
CLASS of
2026
Production Credits Director
Jacqui Somerville
Voice Support
Marcus Oborn
Additional Voice Support
Dr. Elise Greig
Writing Support & Intimacy Coordination
Claire Christian
Choreography
Olivia Van Gool
Singing Support
Shelli Hulcombe
Production Managers
Amy Hauser & Keith Clark
Stage Manager
Aaron Jeffery
Lighting Designer
Keith Clark
Queensland Conservatorium Staff Director Deputy Director (Learning and Teaching) Deputy Director (Research)
Professor Vanessa Tomlinson A/Prof Donna Weston Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet
Deputy Director (Performance and Partnerships)
Professor Peter Morris
Senior Lecturer & Program Director, Bachelor of Acting
Ms. Jacqui Somerville
Lecturer in Acting Scholarly Teaching Fellow (Acting)
Dr. Elise Grieg Ms. Claire Christian
Professional Staff Conservatorium Manager Executive Officer Engagement
Mr Stuart Jones Dr. Natalie Lewandowski-Cox
Marketing Officer
Ms. Hannah Morrison
Administration Officer
Ms Liz Tyson-Doneley
Front of House Operations Manager Ensembles Administrator
Mr Michael Hibbard Mr Dan Fossi
Administration Officer, Timetabling
Mr Joshua White
Administrative Officer, Operations
Mr Timothy Tate
Administration Support Officer
Mr Brendan Cardiff
Venues Officer
Ms Chloe Forbes
Technical Officer
Mr Keith Clark
Technical Officer
Mr Ben Gibson
Technical Officer
Ms Amy Hauser
Technical Officer
Mr Len McPherson
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griffith.edu.au/queenslandconservatorium
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Correct at time of publication.