WELCOME
WELCOME
AUDITION BRIEF
For those that are artists without representation, please find below a casting brief for The Producers which was sent to agencies on Friday 25 October.
Bialystock and Bloom! Those names strike terror and hysteria into anyone familiar with Mel Brooks' classic cult-comedy film, or the smash-hit, record-breaking Broadway musical it inspired. Blazing the trail for a new kind of modern, outrageous, in-your-face musical comedy, The Producers won a record 12 Tony Awards. Now, the show finally makes its Sydney debut in an all-new production at the Hayes!
The plot is simple: a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and a mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history - thereby swindling their backers (all ‘little old ladies’) out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes wrong - the show becomes a smash hit. The antics of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom as they manoeuvre their way fecklessly through finding the ‘perfect’ show (the gloriously offensive Springtime for Hitler), hiring the ‘ideal’ director, raising the money, and finally getting their comeuppance is a masterclass in comedy construction. And at the core of this insanely funny adventure is the heartfelt emotional journey of two very different people who up-end each other’s lives, and – against all odds - become friends.
With a truly hysterical book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (Annie), and music and lyrics by Brooks himself, The Producers takes no prisoners in skewering classic Broadway – and creates a new Broadway classic in the process.
CREATIVES
CREATIVES
JULIA ROBERTSON
DIRECTOR
Julia Robertson is a multidisciplinary theatre maker and director living on Gadigal land. She is the current Artistic Director of the award winning devising group, the Little Eggs Collective and the 2024 Recipient of the Ensemble Theatre’s Sandra Bates Award for Directing.
Recently, Julia directed and wrote the book and lyrics for the Musical adaptation of Metropolis (with music by Zara Stanton) which premiered at the Hayes Theatre Co. in April of 2023. The musical has since won three Sydney Theatre Awards and is currently nominated for Best Musical in TIMEOUT Sydney's Arts and Culture Awards.
This year Julia worked as the Assistant Director for Opera Australia's new production of Puccini's Il Trittico (Sydney Opera House, 2024, dir. Constantine Costi, Imara Savage and Shaun Rennie), the Ensemble Theatre's The Great Divide (Ensemble Theatre, 2024, dir. Mark Kilmurry) and will return to the Ensemble as Assistant Director for The Heartbreak Choir (dir. Anna Ledwich) in November. She also directed Shay Debney’s one man performance of Do You Mind? for RaCreate & the Old Fitz Theatre.
As a director, credits include PINOCCHIO (Little Eggs Collective), for which she received the NIDA Emerging Directors Award for Best Direction at the Sydney Fringe 2018, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Little Eggs Collective/KXT, 2019), James and the Giant Peach (Sydney Grammar School, 2022), and The Servant of Two Masters (St Vincent's College, 2023). Julia has previously assisted with Joshua Robson Productions on Bonnie and Clyde (Hayes Theatre Co. 2022) and City of Angels (Hayes Theatre Co. 2023).
Julia is also a classically trained musician and a recent recipient of the lan Potter Cultural Trust Grant, which she used to travel to London for a residency with the Royal Shakespeare Company in February of 2023. Julia has studied acting with the Lee Strasberg Institute of Theatre and Film (New York) and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London).
SHANNON BURNS
CHOREOGRAPHER
Shannon Burns is an Australian creative specialising in choreography and movement direction across opera, theatre, film, television, and major events.
In Opera, Shannon has worked on high-profile productions with Opera Australia, choreographing HOSH La Traviata on Sydney Harbour (2021) and Carmen on Cockatoo Island (2022). She was Movement Director for Victorian Opera’s Melbourne Cheremushki (2023) and Assistant Director for Il Tabarro, a co-production between Sydney Festival and Victorian Opera (2024). Internationally, she choreographed Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire for the Berlin Philharmonic at the Kammermusiksaal, Berlin (2024). She has worked extensively with Pinchgut Opera, making her directorial debut with the company on Pleasures of Versailles (2023) and creating choreography and movement for Dido and Aeneas (2024), Giustino (2023), Orontea (2022), Platée (2021) and the award winning film A Delicate Fire (2020).
Her theatre choreography credits include Ride the Cyclone (2024), A Little Night Music (2023), and Murder For Two (2023) for Hayes Theatre Co. A Kurt Weill double bill of The Seven Deadly Sins and Mahagonny Songspiel (2022) for Red Line Productions and Ratburger (2024) for CDP Theatre Producers.
Shannon choreographed Inferno (2023) The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Send For Nellie (2024) Sydney Festival. Her work on large-scale events includes choreography for the Netball World Cup Opening Ceremony (2015) and she was a choreographic team member for the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony (2020) with Newground Collective and The Michael Cassel Group.
Before transitioning to choreography, Shannon had an extensive dance career in stage, film, television, and major events. She trained in ballet at the Queensland Dance School of Excellence and in Performing Arts at ED5INTERNATIONAL. Shannon's diverse experience and innovative approach make her a sought-after talent in the performing arts world.
OSIBI AKEREJOLA
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Osibi Akerejola is a Nigerian-Australian music director, multi-instrumentalist and vocal coach working on Gadigal land. From as young as they can remember, they have been performing in (and eventually conducting) orchestras, ensembles, and choirs of various natures.
They found their love for musical theatre in high school through performance, but soon found their true calling on the other side of the curtain.
Osibi’s MD credits include, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (IWTC, 2024), 9 to 5 (RMS, 2024), Little Women (MUSE, 2023), Cry-Baby (MUSE, 2023), Sunday in the Park with George (MUSE, 2022) and USYD’s inaugural new work showcase, New Voices (2021).
Other theatre credits include, Reeds 2 - Sondheim on Sondheim (2024, MTS), Producer - New Voices (2021 & 2022, MUSE), Company Manager - Sunday In The Park With George (2022, MUSE).
Osibi is passionate about creating collaborative and diverse theatre.
MYM KWA
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Mym Kwa is an actor, dancer and theatre-maker living and working on Gadigal land.
She graduated from ED5International in 2020 with an Advanced Dip. of Performing Arts.
As a performer, Mym’s theatre credits include POWER (Force Majeure, 2024), Dumb Kids (KXT, 2023), Saturday Girls (25A Belvoir, 2023), Moon Rabbit Rising (25A Belvoir x Little Eggs, 2022), Lady Precious Stream (Slanted Theatre x Brand X, 2022) and her debut solo work The Girl is/a Glitch (Shopfront Artslab, 2024). Mym also worked as Movement Director on Too Human (KXT, 2024).
Mym is a passionate teaching artist and loves collaboratively devising and delivering Drama workshops for ESL students and HSC students.
MARIAH GONZALEZ
ASSISTANT PRODUCER
Mariah Gonzalez, Brent Street Alumni and professional performer in Australia mainly in the musical theatre scene. Mariah has been in 6 performance shows after graduating full-time completing her musical theatre diploma. After full-time she was offered the role of Diana Morales in A Chorus Line working with Amy Campbell at the Opera House to then straight after playing the role of Annabelle in The Deb musical working with Rebel Wilson.
After completing her Entertainment Business Management course at JMC, this year she took on the many jobs of swing, cover, dance captain and resident director for the Australian Tour of Rent the musical then straight after being apart of the ensemble for In The Heights at the Sydney Opera House.
Mariah is thrilled to be the Assistant Producer for The Producers, collaborating closely with Joshua Robson at the Hayes Theatre. She can't wait to dive into this exciting production and contribute to bringing the show's vibrant energy to life!
MITCHELL BROWN
ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR
Mitch Brown is an emerging composer and multi-instrumentalist based on Gadigal land. He began studying piano at the age of five, clarinet at eleven, and saxophone and drums at 16, completing his Associate clarinet exam in 2020 and his Licentiate piano exam in 2021.
Mitch is currently a third-year composition student at Sydney Conservatorium. He began working as a AMD, repetiteur and band member in theatre shows in June 2023.
He has performed in multiple MUSE productions, including "1984", "Crybaby" and "New Voices" (2023) as well as the Regals production of "Hunchback of Notre Dame”, Sydney Conservatorium’s production of “Into The Woods” and NIDA's production of "Spelling Bee". Mitch has also undertaken the role of AMD for MUSE's production of Little Women", Rockdale Musical Society’s production of Dolly Parton's "9 to 5", and Inner West Theatre Company's production of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”.
NAOMI O’CONNOR
STAGE MANAGER
Naomi (she/her) is a passionate theatre practitioner who first found her love for theatre and stage management in the community theatre scene in Adelaide. Naomi has just finished up her degree in Technical Theatre and Stage Management at NIDA and looks forward to graduating early 2025.
During Naomi’s training and career she has taken on diverse roles including head electrician, sound designer and lighting crew, as well as many stage management positions, highlights of which include Falsettos (NIDA, David Berthold) as Assistant Stage Manager, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (NIDA, Constantine Costi) as Deputy Stage Manager. As well as placements on West Side Story on the Harbour with Opera Australia and In The Nutshell: The Poetry of Violence with Bell Shakespeare.
Naomi is excited to continue growing artistically and honing her technical skills through working with expert colleagues across the industry.
NICK FRY
SET AND PROPERTIES DESIGNER
Recent design credits include:
For Michael Cassel: Designer/ Set Dresser for ‘A Very Musical Christmas' For Michael Cassel/Eva Price: Associate Set Designer for 'Titanique’ For Cameron Mackintosh/Opera Australia: Scenic Design Associate for ‘Miss Saigon’
For GWB/Opera Australia: Scenic Design Associate for ‘Miss Saigon: Asia Tour’
For Artists in Motion: Set Designer - Daily Productions at ‘Dubai Expo 2020’. Set Designer for ‘Red Sea Film Festival’, Concept Designer for ‘Luna Park’s Dream Circus’
For Betty Productions: Associate Production Designer for ‘48th UAE National Day Celebration’
For Opera Australia: Design Assistant for ‘Madame Butterfly’.
For Hayes Theatre Co: Set Designer for ‘Zombie! The Musical’
For Little Eggs Collective/Hayes Theatre Co.: Set Designer for ‘Metropolis’
For Ensemble Theatre: Set and Costume Designer for ‘The One’, Set and Costume Designer for ‘Benefactors’, Set and Costume Designer for ‘Uncle Vanya’, Set and Costume Designer for ‘The Heartbreak Choir’ For NIDA: Set and Costume Designer for ‘Next To Normal’ Event Designer: 'Raise The Curtain Gala'
Nick is also a lecturer at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and has worked for major theatre and events companies in Australia and internationally as a designer and draftsperson.
ZAC SARIC
SOUND DESIGNER
Zac Saric is a Sydney-based Sound Designer and Composer. A graduate of NIDA’s BFA in Technical Theatre and Stage Management, Zac works with sound in a variety of forms and mediums, including theatre, musical theatre, podcasting and post-production film and TV.
Coming from a background in music, Zac quickly found a talent for composing for the stage and is continually expanding his skillset using new technologies while developing works with other artists. Zac also works as a freelance audio engineer, working across theatre, musicals and live events.
Recent Sound Design, Composer credits include: A Streetcar Named Desire, The Chairs (Redline Productions), The Hero Leaves One Tooth (Ratcatch Theatre), One Hour No Oil (KWENTO), A Practical Guide to Self Defence (National Theatre of Parramatta), netARChive (UNSW, iCinema & Powerhouse Museum),Lady Grey (JollyGood Theatre), Love & Information, ANTIGONICK (NIDA).