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. Overview
. Staff Profiles
. Support Major Sponsors
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NIKKI GAERTNER (Website & Events Manager)
Nikki would generally describe herself as a "techie" who loves the limelight! She has worked in the Information Technology industry since 1998 and has been involved in both large and small IT projects.
Nikki first stepped on stage at the age of 5 with Allegro School of Dance, and was involved in a number of productions with the company, including Hansel and Gretel and Mary Poppins.
Nikki's favourite theatre roles include Miss Adelaide in Guys & Dolls for Marie Clark Musical Theatre, Helene in Sweet Charity for Hills Musical Company, Glinda The Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz for Northern Light Theatre Company and Maureen in Time of My Life for Galleon Theatre Group. She has appeared in numerous other shows with Northern Light, Galleon, The Met and Marie Clark.
Nikki is thoroughly enjoying being able to combine her love of performing and theatre with her IT flair in her role as Manager of the Adelaide Theatre Guide.
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FIONA DELAINE (Events Coordinator)
Fiona DeLaine is an Honours Graduate from the Flinders University Drama Centre and has studied Classical ballet, Tap and Jazz dance. She has worked extensively in all areas of the Performing Arts including Musical Theatre, Plays, Short films, TV commercials and voice over work. She has played the Principal Female lead for several of Adelaide’s amateur theatre companies: The Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company, Therry Dramatic Society, OPUS Performing Arts Inc, The Hills Musical Company, St.Jude’s Players and The MS Society on their charity musicals.
Fiona has also worked as a Director for OPUS on their pantomime “James and the Giant Peach” and for Adelaide Youth Theatre on their 2013 Fringe Festival production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Adding to this, she has also worked as a choreographer and a dance and singing teacher.
Fiona is a regular performer in the Adelaide Fringe Festival each year. She also works as a music teacher to Primary school aged children.
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JAMIE WRIGHT (Reviews Editor)
Having moved to Adelaide from the somewhat culturally-starved northern Queensland in late 1997, Jamie's life was changed forever by the arrival of the 1998 Fringe Guide in his letterbox. From then on he became a dedicated theatre-goer, and, despite having the desire to try his luck at performing, the demands of work and study kept him on the other side of the stage. But at the end of 2002 he found himself with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and Communication in one hand and a sudden increase in spare time in the other.
Since being cast in his first production, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' with Burnside Players, Jamie has rarely been away from the theatre for more than a few weeks. While the majority of roles have been with Burnside - including their ATG 'Curtain Call' award-winning 2006 production of 'The Crucible' - he has also performed with The Rep, Therry, SALOS, Marie Clarke and Unseen Theatre Company/Insight Presents. When not on stage he can often be found backstage, having worked as one or more of stage manager, production manager and crew for nearly every Burnside Players show in the last few years, and even found time to move things around for Northern Light on a couple of occasions.
Reviewing combines two of his great loves - theatre and writing - and he's rarely happier than when scribbling notes on the back of programmes in the dark. Reading his own handwriting afterwards, of course, is another thing entirely...
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KYLIE PEDLER (Assistant Reviews Editor)
Dancing at 3. Performing in musicals at 7. Kylie’s ardor for the stage has always been evident in her smile. Often recognized for her dancing in the chorus, Kylie has played minor roles in ‘The Boyfriend’ and ‘Music Man’. Involved in a variety of companies over the years, her favourite productions include ‘HMS Pinafore’, ‘Copacabana’, ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’ and ‘Shout’.
A qualified CSTD teacher, Kylie has taught dance for 17 years. While fulfilling her love for travel, Kylie studied at the Broadway Dance Centre, took classes with the Radio City Music Rockettes, and performed at the Martin Luther King Theatre (NYC). Combining her teaching experience and love for dance and theatre, Kylie had no hesitation about choreographing a large children’s ensemble for ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’….twice! She has also choreographed ‘Guys and Dolls’.
Having already completed a Diploma in Arts and a Bachelor of Education, Kylie competed a Bachelor of Writing and Creative Communication, with a major in editing and publishing and is excited to share her skills with the Adelaide Theatre Guide as an assistant editor.
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CHRIS EATON (Review Scheduling Coordinator)
Chris has been behind the scenes volunteering at the ATG for some five years listing shows, auditions and reviews. Only recently has he taken a visible position in coordinating the reviewer team for 2012's Adelaide Fringe and Festival of Arts programs.
Though staunchly suspicious of the astrological calendar he is nonetheless a true Piscean who has performed in amateur and professional stage and film for over a decade in South Australia and New South Wales.
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TONY BUSCH (Reviewer)
Tony Busch began his theatrical journey at age 10 in Melbourne and has been around the Adelaide theatre scene since 1999. He has appeared regularly as an actor with St Jude's Players, Adelaide Repertory Theatre and Therry Society, and, along the way, with Red Chilli, Adelaide University Theatre Guild and independent companies. Most recently, he played six characters in the Rep's production of "The Woman in Black". Tony is also an experienced writer, having worked as a copywriter and creative director of several multi-national agencies in Adelaide and Melbourne.
When he's not reviewing for ATG, other interests include presenting on local community radio.
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FRAN EDWARDS (Reviewer)
Fran has been involved in amateur theatre in South Australian for almost Forty years. That involvement has spanned just about every aspect of productions. She has notched up close to 150 productions doing everything from set and costume design, operation of lights and sound, stage management, publicity, front of house, direction and, of course, treading the boards.
Fran has directed a number of award-winning productions for Northern Light Theatre Company, including Annie and The King and I.
Fran has been on the committees of several theatre companies over the years and is currently President of Northern Light Theatre Company and The President of the Theatre Association of South Australia. She has been a reviewer for ATG almost since the inception. Fran loves all forms of theatre and she firmly believes that critics and reviews are another important part of theatre and every show deserves balanced feedback.
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BRIAN GODFREY (Reviewer)
Brian has about 40 years experience in the Adelaide amateur theatre scene, having started at the delicate age of 9. Over that time he has acted, directed, stage managed and worked back stage.
Where acting is concerned, Brian specialises in comedy roles having played many leads in many farces. But when he tries his hand at drama he prefers meaty roles such as psychopaths, serial killers and "not nice" guys.
Brian has worked with many Adelaide companies and would be well recognised by any regular Actad patron. In 1993, he won the Advertiser Oscart award for Best Actor for his role as real serial killer John Reginald Christie in "Christie In Love" and for his performance in the one person show "Harry's Christmas". At the beginning of 2012, Brian directed a fellow ATG reviewer in TTP's "Summer End", and is now about to tackle the role of ageing, bitter alcoholic Mr Bailey in Stirling Players' "Mr Bailey's Minder". Outside of theatre, Brian has also appeared in a number ofshort films and two music videos.
After being involved for so long on and back of the stage, he feels the time is now right to try his hand at reviewing and so far is enjoying every minute of it.
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AARON MACDONALD (Reviewer)
Aaron has worked as a journalist and writer for 10 years; he got his start in the industry by writing theatre reviews for street press rags. He recently left The Advertiser and now works as a public relations consultant and writer.
He auditioned for a musical a decade ago on a dare, and found the rush of being on stage unlike any other; since then, he has notched up a few dozen plays, musicals and performance pieces.
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KELLY MILDENHALL (Reviewer)
As a keen writer/reviewer plus conversation collector and film fanatic, reviewing for ATG is the ideal role for Kelly, who used to attend shows merrily unaccompanied, rather than miss out on the possibility of being inspired.
After enjoying acting in high school and University productions, Kelly turned her attention to teaching English and Drama full time. She is also undertaking Professional Writing at TafeSA, with reviews, poetry and script writing at the top of her agenda.
Kelly looks forward to the day when she can see a Tim Burton-inspired theatre show, as this would combine two of her favourite things. She is eager to get cracking with reviewing for ATG, because although she's never needed an excuse to write a review, it's lovely to have a reason.
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PAIGE MULHOLLAND (Reviewer)
Paige has been involved in the Adelaide arts community for as long as she can remember, having commenced ballet with Sheila Laing at age four, and is currently studying a Bachelor of Journalism/Bachelor of International Relations at UniSA.
She is currently dancing at Dancecraft and is receiving private singing tuition. Previously, she has performed in shows with Pelican Productions in addition to being heavily involved with her high school’s arts and drama programs and performing and touring with the Australian Girls Choir. Her favourite performing moment was singing with the choir alongside Hugh Jackman in “The Boy from Oz”, and her dream theatre role would be Kim in “Miss Saigon”. However, seeing as she has entirely the wrong look for that part, she would settle for Glinda in “Wicked”.
You might have read her writing in UniSA’s student magazine, “Unilife”, their news platform, “On the Record”, or in “Australian Cheerleader Magazine”, but hopefully one day you will read her work in Dance Australia, Stage Whispers or maybe on Broadway.com – hey, a girl can dream!
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BENJAMIN ORCHARD (Reviewer)
Benjamin Orchard is a lifelong theatre enthusiast who originally hails from the Northern Territory, and has lived in Tasmania and Christmas Island, before finally settling down in SA...
When not seeing shows, writing about shows or talking about shows with anyone who cares to listen, Ben has found time to tread the boards himself - in productions ranging from classic drama (the title role in Marlowe's "Faust"), to tongue-in-cheek whodunnits ("A Party To Murder"), to post apocalyptic sci-fi parables ("Obernewtyn"), to children's fantasy ("Alice In Wonderland"), to productions exploring contemporary sexual politics ("Speaking In Thongs").
Ben is a qualified librarian and probably knows more about "Doctor Who" than could possibly be healthy for any human being.
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ANTHONY VAWSER (Reviewer)
Anthony has never really been one to relish passing judgment on fellow artists, but he's always been keen to share his opinion (not to mention have the chance to vote in an awards ceremony), which is what led him (and others) to think it may be a good idea to join the ATG team! He also happens to be keen on most forms of artistic expression in a REALLY big way, music and film possibly even more so than theatre. He loves few things more than to sit at the piano and bash out a tune while singing along, so please be honest in your appraisal of his abilities, or he may get the wrong idea about his potential for success in this area!
Anthony has loved getting to know the Adelaide amateur theatre community since his first proper role amongst them in 2001, and he treasures the lessons, opportunities and friendships that he has gained along the way - and he looks forward to plenty more to come!
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LUKE WAGNER (Reviewer)
Luke has been part of theatre in SA for several years now. Currently serving as president of Venture Theatre Company, Luke has acted and directed with the company since 2008. Luke has performed with several amateur groups around and loves seeing a production grow into something special.
In 2010, Luke directed Venture's award nominated play, The Murder Room. He has also played characters from bumbling detectives to handsome prince and loves to try something new. Luke is a fan of theatre in all forms, everything from the large scale of shows like Wicked to those by small theatre companies that have given him the chance to develop his skills.
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JOHN WELLS (Reviewer)
Since being released from a Moroccan gaol in 1988 (where he was held on trumped-up gun-running charges), John Wells has dedicated himself to all facets of the theatrical arts. John has a wide-ranging, practical knowledge of theatre. An experienced stage actor and writer, he has, in recent times, worked as a director. John brings a breadth of experience and knowledge to his role as a reviewer, having been in many hugely successful shows and his fair share of productions that should have closed at interval.
A lawyer by day and a critic by night, John is sorely disappointed that although he is the same age as both Russell Crowe and Shane Warne, he has not made the millions of dollars our Russ has, nor has he sent as many text messages as Warnie.
John does not own a mobile phone, writes with a fountain pen, drives a 1961 Rover, eats a lot of blue cheese and listens to Stravinsky. He has no idea who The Veronicas are.
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MAGGIE WOOD (Reviewer)
Maggie is a theatre and comedy junkie, both as performer and audient!
She started in her native Scotland as a part time drama student, ploughing through the drama exams of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and gained experience with MSD Productions in a variety of roles.
The move to Australia soon delivered the dream gig of reviewing Adelaide Fringe comedy for the SAFM Breakfast show, which in turn led to her somewhat erratic but nonetheless satisfying comedy career, which was topped off by a Peoples' Choice award at Fringe 2007 for the ensemble all female standup show, Titters!
Returning to theatre after a (literally) pregnant pause of 11 years, she resumed her theatrical activities in 2005, including roles as actor and Production Manager, and most recently, Producer of her own comedy room at the Griffin's Head Hotel, commencing January 2008.
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TALIA GAERTNER-JONES (Administrative Assistant)
Talia has had an interest in music from a young age, starting to learn the piano when she was five years old. Over the years she has also acquired skills in playing both the clarinet and bass guitar (but not at the same time!).
In theatre, Talia has appeared in shows such as The King and I with Marie Clark Musical Theatre and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Once Upon a Mattress, A Fractured G&S Trilogy and The Witches of Eastwick (all for Northern Light Theatre Company).
Talia is pleased to be listing your shows on the ATG website.
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Photography by Butterfly Expressions (www.butterflyexpressions.com.au) ©2005
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