Index

	Adam Spencer Adam Spencer began his career in radio by winning the Triple J raw comedy championship in 1996. He's been a fixture in the breakfast time slot, presenting with Wil Anderson from 1999 - 2004. His immense interest in science lead Adam to hosting the ABC programs QUANTUM and FAQ. He has been a regular guest on the Channel Ten’s GOOD NEWS WEEK Debate series, ABC's THE GLASSHOUSE and THE FAT. In 2003 Adam hosted HIT & RUN for the Foxtel’s Comedy Channel. He was voted “Best Speaker in the World’ at the World University Debating Championships and his book LITTLE BOOK OF NUMBERS has been published by Penguin. He does live shows with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki in their SLEEK GEEK TOUR. Adam is a three time past champion of the Theatresports Celebrity Challenge. There is an infamous photo of him with comic David Callan playing greek statues at Belvoir Street Theatre ...fully nude. He takes his comedy seriously.
	Jay Laga'aia Having taken on Xena: Warrior Princess as Draco, and watching the Sydney Harbour as Senior Constable Tommy Tavita in the Australian television series Water Rats, Jay was ready to play Captain Typho in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and Episode II - Attack of the Clones. He has recently completed shooting Street Legal, a New Zealand prime-time drama created specifically for the actor, and is currently working on a television project for Nine Network. The versatile actor's experience also spans film, musical theatre, including a lead role in The Lion King, musical composition and performance of the guitar and saxophone. Jay is a past Cranston Cup champion when he performed on a team with Gep Blake, this year's improvising musician.
	Susie Elelman Susie Elelman can truly be described as a multi-media personality. Her television credits include regularly going head to head with Stan Zemanek on Beauty and the Beast. She spent over eight years as a presenter/reporter on Good Morning Australia. We’ve seen her on Clive Robertson’s Newsworld, and reporting on Hinch. Bert Newton describes her as “the most versatile, informed and professional person in Australian media today”. She’s written weekly for the Sunday Telegraph and been part of the talkback radio team on Sydney’s 2GB and co-hosted breakfast and drive on 2WS as well. A veteran of the red carpet, Susie has enjoyed plenty of exposure and headlines with cheeky dress sense, humour and individualism.
	Tony Eastley Award winning ABC journalist, Tony Eastley, is one of the ABC's most experienced and respected journalists. Tony presents 'AM' on 702 and has presented the 7.00pm News in NSW for ABC Television. He was ABC TV's main Sydney weekend news presenter in 2001 and has hosted the World At Noon since 1998. He won a Logie and a Gold Medal in the New York Television Festival for reporting the crushing of student riots in Bangkok, and was a Walkley Award finalist for his coverage of Tiananmen Square demonstrations in Beijing. He is married with two children and when not reporting and presenting can be found sailing on Sydney Harbour.
	Josh Lawson Josh has played with us a few times and always leaves a lasting impression. The Sydney actor has just returned from a stint in Los Angeles where he did some acting and improvised comedy. He’s had roles on Home and Away and other Aussie shows including the excellent live comedy production entitled 160 Characters.
	Tim Campbell Spunky Tim Campbell plays Dan Baker on Home and Away. His character comes to Summer Bay when he discovers his brother Peter (Nicholas Bishop) is in a coma. Tim played Blake Wallace, an ex RAAF pilot in the drama BIG SKY in 1998. He has appeared in Wildside, White Collar Blue, Always Greener, and in the American series' Beastmaster and The Lost World. Recently he played the role of Constable Stubbs in Snobs alongside fellow Home and Away actor Indiana Evans. He sang at last year's Carols In The Domain.
	Monique Dykstra Monique is a Cranston Cup champion and holds many other Theatresports championship titles. She has been the Co-host/Timekeeper at many Enmore Theatre shows including the Celebrity Challenge 2002 and the Cranston Cup Grand Final 2002. Monique has performed in many improvised shows including THE FUNNY SIDE OF SEX AND CRIME, 160 CHARACTERS, OH BROTHER! and at the Comedy Store in Sydney. She has worked as assistant director and producer of Theatresports shows and seasons at the Belvoir St and Enmore Theatres. She has also studied and performed with Shakespeare and Company in the United States. Monique is currently a director of and performer with Open Stage Productions, producing Theatresports in Schools shows and performances at the Art Gallery of NSW.
	Michael Gregory Michael Gregory is an actor, improviser, writer, teacher and director, and works extensively as a corporate trainer, role-player and performer. His TV work includes The 50-Foot Show, Million Dollar Chance of A Lifetime, Candid Camera, Kideo, The Money Or The Gun, Denton, Just Kidding, The Midday Show, Roy & HG, Home and Away, the award-winning Topic of Cancer and Enough Rope with Andrew Denton. Michael appears as an improviser in the Think Fresh Improv Challenge currently screening on the Comedy Channel. Michael has worked with the Sydney Theatresports company for fourteen years, including two years as Artistic Director. He is a state champion, and has also won trophies at international improvisation festivals in Australia and overseas. Michael has performed in, and co-written and directed, numerous improvised comedy shows, including Hamlet Improvised, The Unspeakable Mockbeth, Completely Lost In Space, This Is Your Laugh, Bonds Have More Fun, Improzac and Impro Bzerko for the Sydney Comedy Festival.
	John Knowles John Knowles is the current Artistic Director of Impro Australia Incorporated. He recently returned from an overseas tour of his solo show 'John Knowles Is Saddle Sore', for which he was awarded the prestigious Moosehead Comedy Award at the 2003 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. John has produced and directed and or performed in live comedy shows including, OH BROTHER!, Gods Cowboys, IMPROZAC, The Funny Side of Sex & Crime, Theatresports® Comedy Improlympiad, WHO KILLED SANTA, OfficeJerks and Cops On HeaT. His comedy TV performances include, The Footy Show, Today Tonight, The Midday Show, and John The Pool Guy on Channel 10's Bright Ideas. His company, Solid Lines Creative is an established improvised comedy providor on the corporate entertainment circuit.
	Nicola Parry Nicola trained at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and is an actor, director and improviser. She was a member of the winning current National Theatresports team, winner of the Theatresports Cranston Cup, and has appeared in many improv theatre seasons at Sydney 's Belvoir Street and Enmore Theatres. Recently Nicola appeared in the sell-out improv comedy show 160 CHARACTERS, which played the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival and the Old Fitzroy Theatre. She is a regular cast member of the improvised comedy team Explosive Minds who perform nationwide and internationally, and was seen on the COMEDY CHANNEL’s Think Fresh Improv Challenge. During her time in the UK, Nicola was Associate Director at London 's premier new-writing theatre - the Bush Theatre London. She is currently the General Manager of Actors Centre Australia, and is directing A FAMILY AFFAIRfor Company B’s B Sharp season at the Seymour Centre.
	Nigel Sutton Nigel's career as an actor and writer has taken him all over the world working in Corporate Entertainment, Television, Film and Stage. His comedic talents are well known in Sydney from his involvement with Theatersports and his character the 'Reverend' from the long running smash hit comedy IMPROZAC. He has appeared in THE PITCH, Comedy Hotel Sydney, FCFTV 1999 Sydney Comedy Festival, WHO KILLED SANTA, Comedy Hotel Sydney, IMPRO@THE STORE, Comedy Store, Fox Studios, was co host of Foxtel's SCI FILES on TV1 and appeared in the hit feature film THE MAN WHO SUED GOD. Nigel is currently playing international stylemeister 'Krispin K' at the Powerhouse Museum for SYDNEY DESIGN 05. Host of last years Theatersports National Championships and member of the wining team at last years Celebrity Challenge Nigel returns this year to defend the title.
	Lisa Ricketts Surging dramatically onto, into and around the Theatresports scene circa 1995, Lisa soon became a major drawcard in productions at the Belvoir Street, Enmore and Operating Theatres, winning the 2003 Cranston Cup Competition with her team “Great Sage Equal of Heaven”. She was a regular cast member of the improvised comedy shows Improzac, Officejerks and A Regular One Night Stand and a finalist in the Comic of the Year stand-up comedy competition run by the Harold Park Hotel. She didn't win… so don’t mention it or there will be tears. Lisa is a director of ‘Explosive Minds!’ Pty Ltd, an improvised comedy company who perform for the corporate market.
	Geoff Sirmai (Publicist, performer and all-round Good Guy) Former consumer journalist, this half-watchdog, half-wit, is well known as both performer and arts promoter. Singing satirist and front-man for www.comicroasts.com.au, Geoff has roasted, toasted and musically mauled some of the biggest names in corporate and public life. Other stage credits include drama, opera and musical comedy leads in productions from Belvoir to the Seymour Centre, Sydney Opera House, Ensemble and Bondi Pavilion. Geoff also does regular star turns in comedy debates and appears regularly with the Renaissance Players, Australia's oldest and most famous early music group. As producer/promoter, he's also been one of the driving forces behind many recent Theatresports hits including Celebrity Challenge, Suburb of Origin, The Cranston Cup (2001), Corporate Theatresports (2000 & 2001), Parliamentary Theatresports (2004) and the annual Jewish comedy spin-off Kosher Theatresports!
	Simon Kennedy Stand-up Comedian Simon Kennedy has been with NOVA 96.9fm for four years (currently 8pm – 10pm Sunday nights), and is the voice/creator behind “Bevan – The work experience kid, a strangely popular (yet hopeless) character. Simon won the radio industry RAWARD for sketch comedy, and performed his Melbourne International Comedy Festival show "Fishing for Cigars" in 2001 and a successful one-man show The Angina Monologues at Sydney’s famed Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre, and the 2002 Melbourne Fringe Festival. On Foxtel’s Club [V], Simon is the voice of the channel’s ‘mascot’ MC Pimp Nozzle and his bald head is a regular sight on The Comedy Channel.
	Bianca Dye Witty, gorgeous and a little bit naughty, Bianca Dye is best known as a morning presenter on NOVA 96.9FM. On television, Bianca appears regularly on Arena and she was a panellist on Channel 10’s Beauty & The Beast. She is currently the Music and Entertainment Reporter on Mornings with Kerri-Anne Kennerley. She hosts the Cleo Bachelor of the Year (2003) and writes popular weekly columns in the Daily Telegraph's SLM and NW on life, love and the joys and perils of flirting via SMS. Bianca returns to Celebrity Theatresports after a brilliant debut last year.
	Angela Bishop Angela is probably Australia’s best entertainment reporter on TV and has had many articles published in newspapers and magazines. She is a regular guest on 'The Panel', 'Good Morning Australia', and 'Rove Live'. The daughter of well-known Federal Liberal politician Bronwyn Bishop, Angela performed in Uni Revues and shows before beginning her television career. She’s looking forward to acting and singing on stage again.
	Ewan Campbell One of Australia's top comedy improvisers, Ewan’s credits including four Theatresports® Cranston Cup wins and the 1991 New York International TheatreSports Festival where the Sydney team came second. His other improv credits include Hamlet Improvised, The Unspeakable Mockbeth, Really Silly Cafe, Bonds Have More Fun, The Funny Side of Sex & Crime and the long running Completely Lost in Space at the Harold Park Hotel. As an actor, Ewan has appeared in several Australian films including The Crossing, Get Away Get Away and Squeeze. An accomplished MC, Ewan has hosted the Australia Day Concerts in the Domain and in Parramatta, the Sydney Ferryathon and Jazz in The Domain. Recognised as the best audience warm-up man in Australia. He is a fixture on The Footy Show and was the house comic on Channel Nine’s The Midday Show for a record six years.
	Murray Fahey Murray Fahey is a Film-maker and Theatresports® champion. This jack of all trades was writer/producer of the Movie/TV show DAGS, a 2DayFM personality, and six time CRANSTON CUP Improv Champion. He has starred in countless improvised shows including the recent Melbourne Comedy Festival hit COPS ON HEAT and THREE RADICALS and a solo show at the EDINBURGH FRINGE Festival. Murray is one of the country's finest performers and revered in the improvised comedy world. He Directed the feature films, CUBBYHOUSE, ENCOUNTERS and GETAWAY GETAWAY and somehow finds the odd spare moment to renovate houses and work as a full time arts lawyer.
	Daniel Cordeaux Daniel is one of Australia ’s most loved improvisors and played on the Australian team that won the 2001 Improv World Cup at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, Canada. He represented Australia at the World Domination Theatresports® tournament in Atlanta, USA and was a regular cast member of the live improv shows IMPROZAC and WHO KILLED SANTA? Daniel worked on the ABC TV series The Chaser Decides and CNNNN, as well as Channel Sevens' Home & Away, the children's series Winners and the feature film Dags. He has appeared in many stage productions, including Shakespeares' Twelfth Night and Romeo & Juliet, Lunch, Action, Accidental Death of an Anarchist and in the 2004 Short and Sweet theatre festival. Daniel is a Cranston Cup champion and a director of Open Stage Productions which specialise in corporate and schools improvisation.
	Trilby Beresford Trilby Beresford is an actor who has a recurring guest role as the autistic Kathleen Campion in Channel Seven's All Saints. She has had lead roles in two short films, Swallowing, and Chlorine Dreams, both directed by Sofya Gollan. She narrated the short film, The Big Bang. and performed in the title sequence of the feature film, directed by her father, acclaimed Director Bruce Beresford. Trilby wrote and produced the short film Why We Ponder. This film won Best Film, Best Drama and Best Script at Quickflicks Film Festival. Trilby is doing an Arts Degree, with intended majors in Film and Performance Studies.
	Deni Hines Australian singer Deni Hines has carved out a successful music career for herself. As a baby, she spent much of her first year of life in a bassinette under the stage on which her mother Marcia performed. In her early days, she sang with Wa Wa Nee, INXS, Kylie Minogue, Jimmy Barnes and Peter Blakeney before gaining mainstream, public attention with the Sydney-based act the Rockmelons. The group, with Deni as the frontwoman, had several hits including "Ain't No Sunshine," "That Word (L.O.V.E.)," and "It's Not Over". She performed on stage in Jesus Christ Superstar with Ja laga’aia prior to pursuing a solo career. Her single, "It's Alright," became a Top Ten smash in 1996 and her full-length debut, Imagination, made her an international star. Deni has toured with the Lighthouse Family and Earth, Wind & Fire and has several gold, platinum and number one records to her credit. She stars in the new TV series SKATING ON THIN ICE ( 6:30pm Sunday’s Channel 9), is in the upcoming production DUSTY SPRINGFIELD and has a brand new album out soon.
	Jodi Gordon Sought after model and actress Jodi Gordon plays Martha Mackenzie on Home and Away.
	Lyn Pierse - Director Lyn is the godmother of Theatresports®. She graduated from NIDA in 1983. She is a veteran Theatresports champion and as National Coach, pioneered its teaching in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. She has directed Theatresports seasons and finals; Adelaide Festival, EXPO Brisbane, The Sydney Opera House, Belvoir Street and Enmore theatre. Lyn has appeared in theatre, film, radio and television most recently; Going Home SBS TV, and The Women Of Lockerbie. As her alter ego Sister Mary Leonard she has appeared on ABC TV’s Big Gig, at comedy clubs, the Harold Park Comedy Hotel, the Cat and Fiddle and the Tokyo British Club. Lyn teaches Improvisation at NIDA, Stand up comedy at the Actors Centre and directs the teaching program IMPRO 2005. She is guest teacher for schools, universities and teacher training institutions across the country and the author of 'Theatresports Down Under'. Her new book 'Improvisation the Guide' will be available this year.
	Peter Lead After several years of improvising, acting, singing, drumming, sound design, stand-up comedy and sketch comedy for love and no money, Pete has recently turned his hand to producing and directing – for a little less love and a little more money. He recently co-produced Theatresports Mixed Doubles at Belvoir St Theatre with Lyn Pierse, and co-created and co-directed X-treme Impro with Keira Daley. He is currently in rehearsals for the Australian premiere of Urinetown: the musical, and plans to direct another musical at the end of the year. Pete was in last year’s surprise powerhouse Cranston Cup team Melons Of Troy who swept from obscurity straight to the Grand Final dragging hoards of screaming fans along with them. He’ll try to better that result in the upcoming Theatresports Cranston Cup competition at the Seymour Centre.
	Nick Hardcastle Nick is a well known face on ABC children’s television. Currently the host of Creature Features and Rollercoaster Video Chat, he has also hosted Watch Y O Wednesday/Big Help news on Nickelodeon and was a guest presenter on Video Hits on Channel 10. Nick played the Young Doctor in the ABC television movie Changi and has appeared in television dramas such as All Saints and Home and Away. Nick and Lindsay Rimes form the pop duo CURFEW.
	Danny Clayton Danny is the wise cracking dare-taking spunk from Channel V’s show called whatUwant.
	Marcello Alessandro Fabrizi Marcello’s acting career so far includes nudity, mime, nudity, simulated gay sex on stage while nude and taking his shirt off a lot. His mother is proud of him. Here are some other achievements. THEATRE: Frazer in Sweet Phoebe, Laertes & Player Queen in Hamlet, Angelo in Measure for Measure, Adonis in Intimacies of Women, Ferdinand in The Tempest, Torvald Helmer in A Doll’s House & Dooby in Carp Are Smart Fish & Guy in Trade for Short & Sweet. Marcello is also a Voice Over Artist having voiced for the BBC, ABC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, Foxtel etc. Marello might also survive the cutting room floor to appear in the new Superman film.
	Benny Davis Since stepping into the theatresports scene a year ago, Benny Davis has performed regularly as muso for Scared Scriptless at The Clarence, as well as in numerous shows at the Belvoir St. Theatre. Currently in his 3rd year of study at the Sydney Conservatorium, and making his debut on the Enmore stage this Saturday, Benny is a Cancer who enjoys vegemite on raisin toast and the way his skin glistens under pale moonlight.
	Josie O’Reilly Josie is a one of the stars of Australian improv comedy. She has worked extensively overseas with the top improv theatre companies in the world including Boom Chicago. She and Tanya Bulmer created the hilarious improvised show TANJOSE which played in the Big Laugh Comedy festival and Old Fitzroy Hotel. She is a Theatresports legend and has produced a fantastic first time solo effort entitled SHOWJO which previewed recently at THE OLD FITZROY.
	Tug Dumbly Best known for his radio work on ABC 702 and Triple J, Tug Dumbly is probably Australia’s most highly broadcast and recognized performance poet. Tug has gained an avid following through performing his satirical poems, songs and comic monologues extensively, at festivals both nationally and abroad, including New York, Montreal, London and Edinburgh. He has released two acclaimed spoken-word CDs through the ABC and twice won the Banjo Paterson Prize for comic verse, once for his 8000 word epic ode to meat Barbeque Bill and the Roadkill Café. He can currently be heard performing his weekly radio "Tug Report" on Sydney's ABC 702.
	David Callan David Callan is an actor, comedian, writer and Theatresports® Champion with a mercurial career which has seen him do everything from write comedy for Mike Carlton to star in the improvised drama Going Home for SBS. David has spent the last two years touring his one-man show I Spied – Confessions of an ex-ASIO spook, the only show to be awarded six out of five stars at the Adelaide Fringe Festival as well as taking out the Critics Choice Award. David has been described as “brilliant”, “exceptionally engaging” and “likely to bring Western Civilization to its knees and not call in the morning”. He will be appearing in a new one-man show, “ National Security and the Art of Taxidermy” directed by Glyn Nicholas in September and October for B Sharp!
	Gep Blake Improvising musician extraordinaire, Gep is also an excellent Theatresports player who has a Cranston Cup Championship win under his belt when he won it with Jay Laga’aia, Ronan McChesney and Jon Briden a number of years back.
	Patricia Petersen (Dr) Patricia Petersen ran against Tony Abbott in the seat of Warringah at the last federal election and has taught politics and political philosophy at various Australian universities. She's written a number of plays, produced and directed several others and acted in many more. Patricia recently starred in, and directed, The Vagina Monologues at the Seymour Centre and NIDA and is the author of two books: Sexual Facts and Fantasies and Ethics of Sex: Masturbation, Pornography and Sexual Fantasy (to be published in late 2005). She was a panellist on Beauty and the Beast, resident ‘sexpert’ for Radio 2UE and is currently the relationship expert for Brisbane Radio B105. Her newest play - the sexy, satirical political thriller "CUP OF TEA?" - is currently playing at the Newtown Theatre to packed houses.