Backstage Regina Botros

Thomas ES Kelly joins Regina Botros to dig into his work SILENCE  playing at the Sydney Opera House as part of the Unwrapped season, dedicated to uncovering extraordinary creatives.  
SILENCE pulls the Treaty conversation out from under the rug and slams it back on the table. Funny, irreverent and reverberating with power, this is contemporary dance as you haven’t seen it before. This is one not to miss!
Thomas E.S. Kelly is a proud Minjungbal-Yugambeh, Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu man. He studied at NAISDA Dance College and graduated in 2012. Thomas is an artist that works with multiple art forms which include choreography, dance, theatre, music composition, puppetry and teaching.

Sarah joins Regina to talk about how she has paved her way in as a director and the things that interest her. As well as her latert production No Pay? No Way! on at Sydney Theatre Company. 
 
 
Sarah Giles is an award-winning opera and theatre director. Described by Limelight Magazine as one of Australia’s most thoughtful theatre-makers, she has a passion for comedy and opera and has directed over 25 productions for companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, State Theatre of South Australia, Malthouse Theatre, Griffin Theatre, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Chamber Opera, Opera Queensland, State Opera of South Australia and West Australian Opera. 
Sarah is a freelance artist, who works as a director, dramaturg and adaptor. She works across Australia and is based in Naarm / Melbourne where she lives with her family.
Sarah received Helpmann Award and Green Room Award nominations for Best Direction of an Opera for her world premiere Victorian Opera production of Lorelei which won Best New Australian work and Best Design at the Green Room Awards where it was nominated in five categories.

Manuel Stark Santos from West Side Story joins Regina Backstage to talk about growing up dancing in the US to making it big on Broadway in New York to landing in Sydney to dance on the Handa Opera Stage.  What a treat!
Opera Australia's production opens on the 22nd March, 2024.
 
 

Van Badham joins Regina Backstage to talk about A Fool In Love for Sydney Theatre Company.
Badham said, “The greatest Australian virtue is our readiness to laugh at ourselves. What an honour it is to let loose the local sense of humour on a classic farce like Lope de Vega’s La dama boba, in which an aspirational scheme to marry off an heiress comes so spectacularly undone.
Van Badham is a writer, critic, trade unionist, feminist, activist and occasional broadcaster, an internationally award-winning theatremaker and one of Australia’s most controversial social commentators.

Anita Heiss joins Regina to talk about her adaptation of the play TIDDAS - on at Belvoir theatre.
Tiddas- Five women, best friends for decades, meet once a month to talk about books, lovers, and the jagged bits of life in between. Dissecting each other’s lives seems the most natural thing in the world and honesty, no matter how brutal, is something they treasure. Best friends tell each other everything, don’t they?
Dr Anita Heiss AM is a proud member of the Wiradyuri nation of central New South Wales and one of Australia's most prolific and well-known authors publishing across genres including non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction and children's fiction

Leigh Sachwitz is the founder and leading creative director of  flora&faunavisions.
She is an award winning creator and visionary, and the mastermind behind the content that will be displayed across 23 LED screens for Opera Australia’s The Ring Cycle.
Her work spans across immersive experiences, exhibitions, music stages, theatre and opera performances, fashion shows and art installations. Leigh has characterised a unique style through design in space and time.