Chats with Creatives Bronte Charlotte

This week Bronte Charlotte chats with Jessica Stanley, an actor, writer and the co-founder of the artistic collective Spinning Plates Co. This episode was recorded the day after the Green Room Awards were anounced so Bronte and Jess chat about their collective surprise and excitement for each others nominations. They also dive into their experience collaborating with each other on Jess’s new one woman show Shut Up I’m A Vampire for Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2022, and the way they came to find the conclusion the show. They talk about Jess becoming a marriage celebrant and how its changed Jess’s life as a creative, wanting there to be more work in the industry for independent creatives, and how society has impacted peoples need for public recognition and validation.
During this episode we discuss:
[01:56] Pieces of Shit NOMINATED for 3x Green Room Awards, the joy of having your work recognised and how surreal it feels, Bronte’s experience finding out about the nominations[10:29] Shut Up I’m A Vampire NOMINATED for a Green Room Award, how unexpected the nomination was, how deeply impactful the live sound was in the production[14:29] How Jess and Bronte met, touring educational theatre, why Jess wanted Bronte to direct Shut Up I’m A Vampire, their collaborative experience working together, and how deeply important the end of a show is especially in a show that dives into triggering content[25:37] Jess’s experience of Melbourne Fringe Festival ‘22 doing two shows at once, sometimes doing 4 shows a night, what Jess learnt from that experience and how she would do things differently next time[35:30] How Jess got into marriage celebrancy, the time it took to get to the point of being able to leave retail and her experience being able work in an area that makes her happy and content[43:26] Wanting there to be more work and people in work in the industry, awards and accolades and how deeply our need for validation runs, Jess’s feelings surrounding recognition and awards and how our society has impacted her need for validation[54:11] Jess’s love of reading and the joy she felt working on Spinning Plates Co. most recent show The Crocodile at 45 Downstairs, and the joy of everything else in the creative worldRESOURCES
Spinning Plates Co.Howard Fine Actors StudioNu-Disco! at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 4-6 MayPieces of Shit at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 27-29 AprilHead over to the @chats.w.creatives instagram page to stay up to date with episodes and guests we have coming up!
Follow our host Bronte Charlotte on Instagram @bronteandsunshine
Follow this week's guest Jessica Stanley on Instagram @jstanny

This week Bronte Charlotte chats with Alexander Lloyd, an actor/producer from Adelaide of Greek/Cyprian and Egyptian decent. This conversation dives into financial stability and sustainability and how it supports your creative practice, Alex’s experience transitioning from law to performing, how deeply important it is to be gentle with yourself when self-doubt creeps in, and having other passions to fill up your life. We discuss the importance of recognising when you’re getting worn out. prioritising rest, and allowing yourself to let go from the pressure of a creative persuit for a moment. Alex has been a series regular on the Netflix Series Gymnastics Academy; A Second Chance. His other credits include NBC's La Brea, Network Ten's Five Bedrooms, and ABC/Netflix's Why Are You Like This. 
During this episode we discuss:
[02:07] How Bronte and Alex met, Alex’s original training in law, transitioning into performing, how important the communication that is integral to law is in the performing world[05:22] Moving to Melbourne, the film & TV industry in Adelaide vs Melbourne, Alex’s favourite film and theatre experiences, Meisner classes with Impulse Company Australia[11:39] Working together on a feature film in 2022, how to handle the negative voices that creep up on you during filming, allowing yourself to breathe and focus on the job[24:41] Producing the short film Farrah, multi tasking in different roles on projects, Gruesome Playground Injuries (dir. Erica Chestnut)[29:07] Financial stability and sustainabilty supporting your creative practice, finding a balance between passion projects and everyday work, giving 100% of yourself to the moment you are in[40:01] The importance of curiousity as a performer, being okay with wanting other things and having other passions, allowing yourself to change your mindset in your approach to your work, prioritising rest if you’re worn outRESOURCES
Nu-Disco! at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 4-6 MayPieces of Shit at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 27-29 AprilHead over to the @chats.w.creatives instagram page to stay up to date with episodes and guests we have coming up!
Follow our host Bronte Charlotte on Instagram @bronteandsunshine
Follow this week's guest Alexander Lloyd on Instagram @alexanderlloyd__

This week Bronte Charlotte chats with Tehya Nicholas about theatre, writing, creativity, and the industry. A beautiful discussion interrogating the relevance of theatre in todays society, the validity of different stories and the importance of art. Tehya is a writer and performer who has just completed her honours, with queer ecological theatre as her focal point, after graduating from RMIT with a distinction for her Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing). Tehya has trained as an actor at 16th Street Actors Studio, The William Esper Studio and The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

During this episode we discuss:
[04:36] How Tehya and Bronte met, Tehyas journey into acting after finishing school and finding creative writing, and her honours year writing a play and an exagesis on that play which was an eco dramatic text about the climate crisis[14:59] The Crocodile by Tom Basden, the joy of lighthearted intelligent theatre, when art speaks directly to you, and being able to view your own work objectively[21:14] Tehya’s transition from performing to writing, having other passions, collaborating as a playwrite, not being condemmned to working completely alone for the rest of your career, [24:51] The Western narrative structure and the need for society to move away from it, the relevance of theatre, what is relevant, what are we saying in our work, the argument of whats valid and what has the right to take up space[34:01] Constructive feedback, how to set healthy boundaries, and the need for synthesis between the independant world and main stage world[46:26] Taking yourself seriously as a creative, not having a structured daily practice and allowing yourself to indulge in creative practices in whatever ways work for you[51:09] Completing projects, seeing good theatre, and seeking out the things that bring you joyRESOURCES
Nu-Disco! at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 4-6 MayPieces of Shit at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 27-29 AprilHead over to the @chats.w.creatives instagram page to stay up to date with episodes and guests we have coming up!
Follow our host Bronte Charlotte on Instagram @bronteandsunshine
Follow this week's guest Tehya Nicholas on Instagram @tehya_nicholas

This week Bronte Charlotte chats with Ellen Marning, a writer and performer from Wollongong, New South Whales. In 2022 Ellen Marning wrote and performed in two new works, Shticky Business (MICF) and Nu-Disco! (Melbourne Fringe). Ellens other credits of co-creation and performing inclue Matraphobia, Stocktake: Bitches in Business and the web series incarnation of Stocktake: Bitches in Business. She is also a core member of the 5Am performance group and has been touring the physical theatre show The Bells for several years. In this episode we chat about Ellen’s process writing and devising new shows, kicking on after a massive year, teaching as a side hustle, and the constant search for balance between financial stability and creative fulfilment. For this years Melbourne Internation Comedy Festival Ellen is playing Ned Kelly in the new musical Ned Kelly: The Big Gay Musical, written by our amazing former guest Kaine Hansen.

During this episode we discuss:
[01:51] Teaching school aged children and holding onto your energy[06:03] How Ellen and Bronte met, Ellens first experience of something wonderful going wrong on stage, Bronte and Ellen reminiscing about their childhood sports experiences and how it has impacted them today[19:19] Ellens acting teacher Fiona Finley, crying competitions, throwing back to Gloria Jeans and the bubble lids that fit extra cream on top of your caramel frappe[24:44] Ellens dream to go to drama school after having seen theatre in London, including The Woman In Black - the second longest running show in the West End - her search for life experience, a gap year in Germany and beginning an arts degree at Sydney Uni[33:19] The making of Ellens one woman show Nu-Disco! and how important an audience is to a performance, dealing with hecklers and rowdy audience members, how a venue encourages a certain behaviour from different audiences[54:25] Finding the comedy in what’s already there, how Ellen made her comedy cabaret Shticky Business[1:00:14] Functioning as a creative in a field that doesn’t necessarily financially support us, feeling behind in all the markers of a capitalist society, having a creatively successful year and it’s impact on you financially[1:06:18] Real Housewives, the physical theatre performance The Bells and Ellens impressive physical capabilities for performance, and the joy of collaborationRESOURCES
Ned Kelly: The Big Gay Musical at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 17-23 AprilNu-Disco! at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 4-6 MayPieces of Shit at PIP Theatre in Brisbane, 27-29 AprilThe Bells, 5 Angry MenHead over to the @chats.w.creatives instagram page to stay up to date with episodes and guests we have coming up!
Follow our host Bronte Charlotte on Instagram @bronteandsunshine
Follow this week's guest Ellen Marning on Instagram @ellen.marning

This week Bronte chats about two things she’s been thinking about lately. Essential workers and identity! 
During this episode we discuss:
[00:20] Living in the city with the longest lockdown in the world due to COVID-19, and eating a delectable banana muffin[03:34] Diving into the concept of essential workers, questioning your place in society, Virginia Gay’s monologue from Cyrano and how impactful it was to watch[09:31] Grappling with the concept of identity[16:17] How society requires us to work and earn money to survive[18:08] We’ll always be working to understand ourselves
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Head over to the @chats.w.creatives instagram page to stay up to date with episodes and guests we have coming up!
Follow our host Bronte Charlotte on Instagram @bronteandsunshine