Les Miserables, Hobart
ExitLeft Productions
October 19 - 21 2000
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CAST & CREW : PRODUCTION TEAM
Ian
Williams
Artistic Director
The founder of ExitLeft Productions, Ian
has had more than fifteen years experience in all areas of theatre production.
He has been a professional performer, writer, musician, director and musical
director, as well as working in the technical areas of lighting, sound and stage
management.
A desire to perform the work of Michael Flanders and Donald Swan saw Ian write
the show Another Drop of Another Hat, based on their material, and
establish ExitLeft Productions with Betty Davidson and Alan Bacon as a vehicle
to stage it. Following its success Ian chose to produce Tom Lehrer's TomFoolery
and the smash hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
Other work includes musical direction of the opening ceremony of Interhash 2000,
the uni revues Bored of the Rings, Guilt-Edged, The Full Mintie
and Got Shorty for the Old Nick Company, Godspell and Chess
for the Hobart Repertory Theatre Society and Blood Brothers and The
Meg and Mog Show for Mainstage Theatre Company.
In a break from adult theatre he wrote and directed the children's pantomimes The
Pied Piper of Hamlin and Cinderella for Hobart Rep. He has also
directed a number of productions for schools.
Ian has a Bachelor of Music from the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, majoring
in vocal performance.
Betty
Davidson
Director
Betty leapt at the chance to direct Les
Miserables to see the exciting talents of Tasmania's finest performers
bringing the drama of Les Miserables to theatre audiences. She
simply calls it 'making the words work', and considers it to be the most
gratifying aspect of directing.
Betty has worked for ExitLeft Productions since its inception in 1996. She
has directed Another Drop of Another Hat, TomFoolery and Jesus
Christ Superstar for the company in collaboration with Ian Williams and Alan
Bacon.
Other productions she has directed include Bullshot Crummond for Hobart
Rep, Two and September in the Rain for Mainstage. ExitLeft
Productions is proud to be associated with one of the State's best professional
directors.
Graeme
Paine
Associate Director
Graeme is best known for his long
involvement with the annual university revue. He is a life member of the
Old Nick Company, which he joined in 1973, and went on to be involved with
twenty five revues, thirteen as director.
In a break from comedy, Graeme once played the lead role of R.P. McMurphy in One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a role he found most challenging, especially
having to shed over four stone during the rehearsal period. He has also
appeared in a number of musicals, including Oh What A Lovely War! and Salad
Days, and directed the first Royal Hobart Hospital revue and a gang show.
Graeme joined ExitLeft Productions in 1998 as Marketing Director for Jesus
Christ Superstar, and returns as Marketing Director and Associate Director
of Les Miserables.
Since retiring from active theatre a little over a year ago, he has co-directed
the Police Centenary Tattoo, the Hobart Rep pantomime Cinderella, and the
opening ceremony for Interhash 2000. He also directed the 2000 uni revue Bored
of the Rings, and in his spare time travels the State with the Painefool
Comedy Company's production of Funny Bits.
We'd hate to think what he would have done had he not retired.
Suzen
Parnell
Designer
When the concept of this production of Les
Miserables was first raised Suzen had a vision. A huge bridge over the
River Seine to form the backdrop for the stage. After some initial
comments, "You want it HOW big?" Suzen took on the task of designing
the look of the entire show.
Suzen's other role has been to design and produce all the printed material for Les
Miserables, from the initial information packs sent out to cast members to
the poster, program and advertising campaign.
Suzen has a Degree from the University of Tasmania majoring in Graphic Design,
and has been involved with theatrical graphic design for a number of years.
Some of her most recent work includes the shows What the Butler Saw, Same
Time Next Year, The Visit, Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ
Superstar and the uni revues Bored of the Rings, South Pork
and The Full Mintie. She also designed the Playhouse logo for the
Hobart Repertory Theatre Society.
Celeste
Quinn
Musical Director
Celeste graduated from the Tasmanian
Conservatorium of Music in 1997 with a Bachelor of Music with Honours, majoring
in violin performance and conducting.
Celeste made her conducting debut in 1995 with the Tasmanian Conservatorium
Orchestra. She has held the position of Musical Director for G&S's Threepenny
Opera and the Conservatorium's Exodus, Plato's Symposium and
Puccini's Soeur Angelica.
She has directed/conducted a variety of Conservatorium ensembles and is the
musical director of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra's Mini Shinings.
She also conducted the junior string group in 1998. Celeste was appointed
principal conductor of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra in 1999.
Celeste has appeared as a guest conductor with the Derwent Symphony Orchestra
and conducted a number of ensembles including the Watchmaker Ensemble. She
has appeared on a regular basis as a violinist with the Tasmanian Symphony
Orchestra and teaches violin, conducting, aural and theory skills. In 1997
she began teaching early childhood music and has just been appointed lecturer in
Aural Skills at the University of Tasmania.
Jenina
Evans
Choreographer
Jenina started performing at the tender
age of seven under the guidance of Sonny Jose. Jenina was one of the
original dancers at Hadley's Palladium and has been seen on television in many
commercials.
Jenina left Tasmania in the 1980s and gained national and international dance
experience. Most notably she toured Japan with Hocus Pocus and was a
member of the Tony Bartuccio dancers.
Whilst in Melbourne Jenina was employed by the Westfield shopping chain working
as a choreographer of children's entertainment, producing dance based around
Disney and Warner Brothers themes.
Jenina chose to leave her dancing career to become a professional dance teacher
and in 1991 opened Jenina's Dance Workshop, which has been a successful breeding
ground for Tasmanian theatre.
A highlight for Jenina has been the opening of her new Performing Arts Centre in
June this year, which caters for the ever-growing list of dancers in Hobart.
John
Davidson
Technical Director
John has had many years experience in
all areas of theatre production, working in every theatre in the State and some
interstate. He has stage managed dozens of shows, the most recent being
Interhash 2000, the pantomime Cinderella, Me and My Girl, Jesus
Christ Superstar, Beach Blanket Tempest and X, Wellington,
Wellington, X, as well as more than 10 uni revues. John has provided
technical advice on a wide range of theatrical areas from lighting to
audio-visual design and effects and some of the shows that have benefited from
his knowledge include Aussie Rules the Musical, Blithe Spirit, Man
for all Seasons, the uni revues Bored of the Rings and South Pork,
and a number of one-act festivals for Hobart Rep.
John has also directed two shows, Confusions and Chess, for Hobart
Rep.
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