Adam Spencer

Currently the morning presenter on ABC 702, 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. hosted 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. 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. 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.

Star of the TV's 'The Chaser's War On Everything', and host of 'Backbench Blitz'. Ruecassel is known amongst the cast as 'the good looking one.' His CV states that Craig came to TV prominence in 2002 starring in the Today Tonight exposé on peeping toms. A role in A Current Affair's exposé on peeping toms followed two days later. Despite the offers Reucassel shunned the limelight appearing only in the occasional convenience store robbery video and scuffle on the District Court steps. In 2005 Reucassel broke into the US market starring in World's Stupidest Criminals XVI, although his role as the killer of Peter Falconio went unnoticed at home. He returned to Australia in 2006 with a dream of revitalising the floundering Australian CCTV industry.

Amy Mathews

Amy Mathews plays the role of Dr Rachel Armstrong on Home and Away. Quite posbibly the freshest face in Summer Bay. After a stint in America on a scholarship at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Amy has performed with the Bell Shakespeare Company and has had guest roles on All Saints, Blue Heelers, Head Start and Always Greener. Amy played Mel in FOX8’S Love Bytes. Of Home and Away, she says, “It’s hard work, but I’m loving it! I love working with Ada Nicodemou and Chris Hemsworth. They’re not only great actors, but lots of fun!" Amy has shared many of her scenes with Chris, who plays the role of Kim Hyde, whose life was saved by Rachel after a drug-induced coma. Love is in the air as romance blossoms between Rachel and Kim…

Ada Nicodemou

Ada began her theatre career at the Johnny Young Talent School. She performed with the dance show group, Kids Unlimited before getting a spot on Heartbreak High and later, the role of Fiona in Breakers. She appeared in a cameo role in the film Matrix with Keanu Reaves and as a water nymph in the American television show Beast Masters. Ada is known on Home and Away as the character Leah. She was nominated for both a Gold Logie and a Silver Logie in 2000 and 2001 and of course, her other talents include taking out the trophy with dance partner Aric Yegudkin for Dancing With the Stars. Ada is a Taurus.

Nicola Parry

Nicola is an actor and improviser, and currently a regular cast member in Channel Ten’s hit comedy ‘Thank God You’re Here’. As an improviser, she was a member of the winning National Theatresports team, multiple winner of the Theatresports Cranston Cup, and has appeared in many improv theatre seasons at Sydney's Belvoir Street and Enmore Theatres. She has been seen on the Comedy Channel’s ‘Think Fresh Improv‘ and ‘Improv National Championships‘, and is also a regular cast member of the improvised comedy team 'Explosive Minds' who perform nationwide and internationally. Recently Nicola has appeared in in the sell-out production of '160 characters’, playing the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Adelaide Festival and Singapore International Arts Festival.

David Williams

David has performed along side some of the nation’s biggest comic names and has worked on all of Adelaide’s major media outlets, since making his debut four years ago. During March 2000 David performed his one-man show at The Adelaide Fringe Festival achieving full houses and rave reviews. David has worked with some of the world’s best including – Jimeoin, Carl Barron, Stevie Starr, The Amazing Jonathon, Sean Hughes. Judith Lucy, etc and has appeared on Rove Live and Hey Hey it's Saturday among other TV shows. David played a major role during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival by performing in The MICF Montreal Show Case and the Australian MICF Road show as well as performing his one man show “David Williams Saves the Planet” at The Town Hall.

Monica Trapaga

The vivacious, multi-talented Monica Trapaga needs no introduction. Her long list of credits include acclaimed Jazz singer, recording artist, television presenter, dramatic actor and one of Australia’s most loved children’s entertainers. As if that’s not enough she has now embarked on a retail venture - “RECLAIM by Monica Trapaga” her selection of vintage furniture, homewares and giftware. Monica Trapaga is one of Australia's most powerful voices. When she's not performing live, Monica can be seen on our television screens as a presenter on Better Homes and Gardens. She and brother Ignatius Jones fronted the legendary swing band Pardon Me Boys.

Gary Eck

Gary Eck has been a professional stand-up comedian and writer for over a decade after graduating from Canberra University in 1990, with a BA in Advertising and Marketing. Gary has made over 80 television appearances, from co-hostng Candid Camera to performing stand-up on Hey Hey and appearing on Good News Week. He has performed all over the world including the Edinburgh Comedy Festival and London's Comedy Store. His short films have won prizes all around the world including taking first place at Tropfest. His comedy is fresher than his accompanying photo. He is returning to Celebrity Challenge after a brilliant debut a few years ago.

George Smilovici

Internationally renowned comedian George Smilovici has performed in every arena possible, from giant sporting stadiums to intimate clubs to the battlefields of Iraq. A legend of Aussie stand-up, he has headlined alongside the likes of Joe Cocker, Talking Heads, Neil Sedaka and Joan Rivers. His comedy recording, "I'M TUFF" topped the Australian, NZ and USA comedy charts. George has written for TV and Radio, worked on CH 9 Sports and had his own golf series on Fox Sports entitled 'THE G-FILES'. George recently wrote and produced a dramatic one man show called 'MY FATHER'S HANDS' which received great reviews.

Dr Anita Heiss

Dr Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales and is an author, poet, social commentator and cultural activist. Her published works include the historical novel Who Am I? The Diary of Mary
Talence, Sydney 1937, the non-fiction text Dhuuluu-Yala (To Talk Straight) – Publishing Aboriginal Literature  and the satirical social commentary Sacred Cows. Anita has performed her works around Australia, across the USA and Canada, in Spain, Austria, Fiji and New Caledonia. She has also appeared on ABC TVs “Einstein Factor”, “Vulture”, “Critical Mass” and “Message Stick”. Anita's new novels Not Meeting Mr Right (Random House) and Yirra and her deadly dog Demon (ABC Books) will be released in early 2007.

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.

Jon Williams

Jon's "celebrity" TV credits include being an "ugly truckie" who got kicked in the nuts by Steve Bisley on Water Rats, being a corpse who won a reality TV show on CNNNN and being an Austrian extreme sportsmen named Opland (in an ad that was only seen in Perth). But Jon has been improvising and playing Theatresports for the past 10 years and it's taken him from the stages of the Enmore, Belvoir Street and Seymour Centre theatres in Sydney to Old Parliament House in Singapore. He has also done live shows as a cockroach, a gecko, the sun, a pirate, a cowboy and an overweight superhero. Of course, this was mostly for children. Mostly in a unitard. Much to their horror. Jon has also written comedy for ABC's The Glasshouse, The Chaser on Triple M, and Nine's Comedy Inc. The Late Shift. In 2003, Jon also co-wrote a satirical play about refugee detention centres that was read by celebrities at the Opera House for World Refugee Day. So he's worked with celebrities. That counts.

Rebecca DeUnamuno

Rebecca is an impro comedy diva. On radio she has been a co-host of The Late Night Chaser (Triple M Sydney), the Triple M Breakfast Show in Sydney and is a regular guest on The Whole Shebang (Triple M). Rebecca was also a voice-over artist on the CD Hollywood Motel (Warner Music). Her television credits include The Election Chaser (ABC TV), The Glasshouse (ABC TV), Big Bite (Seven Network), CNNNN (ABC TV) and Hamish and Andy (Seven Network). Rebecca’s stage credits include Impro @ the store (Sydney Comedy Store), 3 Radicals (2001 Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Cops on Heat (2002 Melbourne Comedy Festival), Text in the City with Dublin Improv & London Comedy Store Players, (2002 Edinburgh Festival), Crash Boom Bang Theory (2002 Adelaide Fringe Festival, 2002 Edinburgh Festival), Impro Sundae (The Comic’s Lounge, Melbourne), The Great Debate (2004 Melbourne International Comedy Festival). In 2003 Rebecca was nominated for Most Outstanding Newcomer to Television at the inaugural Australian Comedy Awards.

John Knowles

Current Artistic Director of Impro Australia Incorporated, John Knowles has produced, directed and performed in comedy shows for over his 20 years. Straight out of..er...thrown out of...Canada's most recognised acting school Ryerson, John’s shows include Gods Cowboys - that meat-worshipping evangelist trio, IMPROZAC - the TV Hospital parody, Who Killed Santa?, The Funny Side of Sex & Crime, The Guys With Cameras On Their Heads, Officejerks and Cops On Heat - the improvised TV Police Show parody and hit of the Melbourne International Comedy Festivals. He was awarded the prestigious Moosehead Comedy Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for his solo show entitled, John Knowles Is Saddle Sore. His company, Solid Lines Creative is an established improvised comedy provider on the corporate entertainment circuit. John has now spent half is life in Australia and misses his beloved Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team.

Susie Youssef

Susan Youssef describes herself as a somewhat amusing person. I know because I am her. In the last three years, Susan has been seen lurking around the impro traps of Sydney in Impro Australia's "Cranston Cup" (Enmore Theatre), "Mixed Doubles" ( Belvoir St), "Theatresports World Cup" (Newtown Theatre) and the Short 'n' Sweet Festival (Seymour Centre). In May last year there was a mix up at Sydney Airport and Susan found herself performing in the hit impro show 'A Regular One Night Stand' in Singapore. Some of the other somewhat amusing things that Susan has done include performing at the 2006 Sydney Cracker Comedy Festival in "Barrel of Monkeys" and at both Sydney and Melbourne Comedy Festivals in the sell-out show, ‘Scrabble Unscripted’.

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.

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. She hosted the 2006 Theatresports National Championships in the character of Lady Penelope from the Thunderbirds.

Geoff Bartlett

Geoff was the producer of the 2005 Theatresports® National Championships, and in the same year, produced the first Sydney wide Theatresports® competition for High Schools. As a freelance journalist, Geoff has written for over 20 major newspapers and magazines around the country. In the electronic media, he has written for ‘ Good News Week’, ‘ Backberner’, ‘ Life Support’ and ‘2MMM’. A graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Geoff’s acting roles over the years have included ‘ All Saints’, ‘ BackBerner’, ‘Big Sky’, ‘Water Rats’, ‘Home and Away’ and ‘ Police Rescue’. He is also a Cranston cup finalist. He has also written and produced two short films, ‘ Tradition’ and ‘ Not Just for Christmas’ which have been sold to TV, both in Australia and internationally. Geoff’s first book, ‘ Comedians in the Mist’ was a series of in depth interviews with the top comedians in Australia. His second book, ‘ Cattitude’ is out now through New Holland Publishers. Geoff has had formal acting training.

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 toured as Postman Pat and recently produced live shows for the touring museum exhibit ‘On The Box’ with co-star Jenny Hope. 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. MC of the 2005 Theatersports National Championships and member of winning teams in past Celebrity Challenges, Nigel returns this year to host the night.

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 appeared in one-man show, “ National Security and the Art of Taxidermy” directed by Glyn Nicholas.

Benny Davis

Since stepping into the Theatresports scene a year ago, Benny Davis has performed regularly as musician for Scared Scriptless at The Clarence, as well as in numerous shows at the Belvoir St. and Enmore Theatre. Currently studying at the Sydney Conservatorium, Benny is a Cancer who enjoys vegemite on raisin toast and the way his skin glistens under pale moonlight.

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 has worked, mingled and partied with the world's top entertainers and that's just a last year's Celebrity Challenge when she was a player. This time she's judging so expect her discerning eye to keep the players honest.

Lyn Pierse

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.

Alison Richardson

Alison Richardson has been working with young people in the area of performing arts for over 7 years. She has worked extensively as a director and tutor for Shopfront Theatre for Young People, PACT Theatre, Powerhouse Youth Theatre and Australian Theatre For Young People and has also worked in numerous high schools and for several drama organisations. Her passion for young people and the arts has lead her to establishing her own production company If It’s Not Fun Don’t Do It Productions through which she has produced, directed and wrote for several seasons of Fresh Cuts. Recently she has held the position ofthe Community Liaison Officer devising programs and productions for young people with a focus on newly arrived migrants and refugees and young people with disabilities.  Her Theatresports credits include coordinating and playing for Macquarie’s Wake Me Up Before You Impro and Impro Inferno, coordinating Shopfront Theatre’s schools competition and the St George Eisteddfod impro competition.  She was a player with the Sacred Scriptless season from 1998-2001.

Katrina Douglas

Katrina has directed, tutored and worked for numerous companies around Australia including Sydney Theatre Company, NIDA, VCA, Griffin Theatre Company, the NSW Performing Arts Unit, St Martins Theatre, Shopfront Theatre for Young People, ATYP, PACT, Mainstreet Theatre and Powerhouse Youth Theatre (PYT) where she was the Artistic Director/EO from Feb 2001 to June 2005.

Theatresports credits include directing And the Verdict Is? For the One-Offs season in 1997 and playing in the Cranston Cup and the Gong show.

Theatre directing credits include directing a play reading of Colder by Lachlan Philpott for Griffin Theatre Company (2006), director & co-producer of Divine Places (PYT 2005), director Cabramatta Story by Khoa Do the tour season (PYT 2004), Springtime by Maria Irene Fornes (Stablemates 2001 @ Griffin Theatre Company), Hamletmachine by Heiner Muller (2000 Adelaide Fringe and, co-director and devisor of the award winning play RATED X by Pat Cranney (Shopfront Theatre 1998, Come Out Festival Adelaide 1999 and winner of the Community Theatre Awgie 1999). 

Katrina’s film and television credits include director Lifefore Education Video (Media@work & Lifefore Wesley Mission 2005), director In The Swim (a co-production with Porchlight Productions, SBS and the NSW Film & Television Office 2001 - screening February 16 2002), and director, writer & producer Neither Here Nor There (TropFest1997).

Katrina is currently the Project Manager for the Play Now Act Now Festival at Metro Screen and NSW Editor for Lowdown Youth Arts Magazine.

Special Burlesque guests the ' Belladonnas de Lux'

Directed & Produced by
Katrina Douglas and Alison Richardson
and Impro Australia Incorporated

For media enquiries please contact Geoff Sirmai
Watchdog Communicaitons
Ph 02 9389 3907
geoff@watchdog.com.au

Sat Aug 12th, Enmore Theatre, 8pm

Tickets 9550 3666
or Ticketek