Equity Graduates Livestream - The Long Game: How Acting School Grads Can Build and Sustain a Performing Career

Host(s)

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  Rob Collins

  Born and raised in Darwin, Rob Collins graduated from the National Institute for Dramatic Arts in 2013. Rob’s Film credits include ARTHUR THE KING, TOP END WEDDING, UNDERTOW, EXTRACTION, ANGEL OF MINE, alongside Noomi Rapace and Yvonne Strahovski and directed by Kim Farrant, and Leah Purcell’s THE DROVER’S WIFE, for which he was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film. Rob’s Television credits include FIREBITE, THE WRONG GIRL, GLITCH Series 2 & 3, CLEVERMAN Series 1 & 2, SECRET CITY: UNDER THE EAGLE, BLACK COMEDY, REEF BREAK, UPRIGHT opposite Tim Minchin, the drama series RFDS, TOTAL CONTROL Series 1 & 2, alongside Rachel Griffiths and Deborah Mailman and Series 2 of the critically acclaimed ABC series MYSTERY ROAD. Rob can most recently be seen as ‘Ron’ in TEN POUND POMS, directed by Ana Kokkinos. Rob’s theatre credits include a national tour of THE LION KING in the role of ‘Mufasa’ and ‘Lysander’ in Sydney Theatre Company’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Rob can currently be seen in the feature film LIMBO directed by Ivan Sen and the six-part comedy series QUEEN OF OZ opposite Catherine Tate.  
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  Anousha Zarkesh

  AACTA and Casting Guild award winning, Anousha Zarkesh Casting, specialises in top end Australian TV and film. Based in Sydney, our casting agency has gained a reputation for a specialised service championing cultural diversity and inclusive casting. We take pride in casting for a wide range of genres including political satire, drama, comedy, telemovies, documentary series and film. An example of some of our recent productions include: The New Boy (FF) Class of 07 (TV, The Stranger (FF), Firebite (AMC) Total Control 1 and 2, Mystery Road Series 1, 2 and 3, (TV) Rake (TV), Redfern now (TV), Cleverman (TV), The Principal (TV), INXS , Never Tear Us Apart (TV), Catching Milat (TV), Black Comedy (TV), Jasper Jones (FF), Hounds of Love (FF), Manny Lewis (FF), Alex and Eve (FF). Currently casting The Office (Amazon, BBC and Bunya), Ladies in Black(ABC TV)k, Thou Shalt Not Steal (SBS) , Desert King (Netflix), The Correspondent (FF) and Kangaroo (StudioCanal). Anousha currently sits as Vice President of the Casting Guild of Australia. Website: https://www.zarkesh.com.au/

• David Sheridan

  David set up Marquee Management in 2004 as a management styled agency that cares for a select group of rising as well as established actors, writers, directors and key creatives in the film, theatre and television business. A pro-active agency Marquee focuses on the individual clients needs as well as supporting their ideas and projects in development and onto production in film, television and theatre. After completing his degree at the Australian Film and Television School David worked for 2 years at Palm Beach Pictures as a Producer and Development Executive before working at the Australian Film Commission as a Project Manager. Then after working with Morrissey Management both as a Producer and Packaging Agent, David opened Marquee where he works in partnership with Matt Andrews. https://marqueemgt.com.au/
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  Stuart Halusz

  Artistic Director of THEATRE 180 since 2018, Stuart has directed TAKING LIBERTY, LOVE AND LOSS: Live Tours, THE LIGHTHOUSE GIRL SAGA, SYDNEY II: Lost and Found, THE CHILDREN, A SLEEP OF PRISONERS, and co-wrote and directed the successful adaptation of AB Facey’s A FORTUNATE LIFE (now up to 138 performances), as well as directing numerous productions under the company’s former name of Agelink Theatre. Stuart was formerly an Associate Director for Black Swan State Theatre Company and directed for both for the main stage, studio and regional tours and including directing four world premieres, notably the sell-out production of THE LIGHTHOUSE GIRL, EXTINCTION, A PERFECT SPECIMEN and THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE. He has also directed for Acting Consulting Training (for the corporate, mining and banking sectors), for WAAPA and in youth theatre for WAYTCo, Midnite and the Riptide Ensemble. Stuart has written for THEATRE 180, corporate theatre, public health programs and student productions, and as a creator and performer of Theatre in Education. His shows SHAKESPEARE SHENANIGANS and CRASH! BASH! CURRICULUM (with Andy Fraser) have played to nearly 10,000 students from Albany to Port Hedland. An actor for over 30 years Stuart has appeared in over 70 plays in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and regional tours to country WA, VIC, NSW and QLD, appearing for major and independent theatre companies alike with extensive experience in film, television and radio. He has also worked as a presenter, MC, workshop leader, in corporate role play theatre, and conducted workshops at WAAPA, universities, youth theatre companies and schools, and recorded over 50 audio books for Vision Australia. In 2001 he represented Australia at the Inaugural International Artistic Fellowship at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. A proud member of Equity since 1995, Stuart is a former Vice President then President of Equity Section WA for 17 years, and has also served on the NPC (16 years) and Federal Council of MEAA.

• Michelle Rae

  Michelle Rae commenced as Director of MEAA Equity in January 2021. Michelle has been MEAA’s Queensland director for 13 years during which time she has been intimately involved in MEAA’s key campaigns and negotiations across the Equity, Crew and Media sections of our union. Before joining MEAA, Michelle was an organiser and campaigner at the Australian Council of Trade Unions. When she joined MEAA she had found her home. Michelle is passionate about the Australian arts industry and has worked closely with Queensland performers and creatives throughout her time at MEAA.