Tap Dogs
CAST:
SHELDON PERRY
FOREMAN
Sheldon began his tap career at the age of four and was the Sydney Tap Champion by the age of ten. Stage career highlights include member of the original Australian cast of 42nd Street; participation in Dein Perry’s All Tap Company project funded by the Australian Council; member of the original cast of Hot Shoe Shuffle, touring to London’s West End as Assistant Director and Choreographer, throughout Australia and Japan in the principal role, and as Dance Captain and Choreographer for the UK regional tour. Sheldon also appeared alongside Dire Straights’ Mark Knopfler for the UK’s Leukemia Foundation at Grosvenor House, and performed with Stevie Wonder in the tribute Quincy Jones’ The First Fifty Years. Sheldon has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe as lead performer and dance director with the award-winning production Tap Dogs and has performed with the company at the 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Sydney.
Film and video highlights include a performance in the original award-winning video of Tap Dogs and a performance in the 2001 Mumbia film fare awards for Bootmen.
Television credits include appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, MTV, The Midday Show, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, The Logie Awards, The Olivier Awards Ceremony (West End) and The Big Breakfast (London).
DOUGLAS MILLS
2IC
Training: Douglas started dancing at 3 and at 16 chose to pursue dance as a career, embarking on a three-year course at Performers College, Essex. He represented the college in the ISTD Gold Star Tap Awards, winning the Victor Leopold Cup two years running. Whilst at college, Douglas began his professional career performing in two summer seasons, two pantomimes and on live television, including a solo on The Big Big Talent Show in which he devised his own choreography, and The 1995 Royal Command Performance.
Dance includes: at 19, after completing college, joining the original West End cast of Tap Dogs, as the first ever British member of the troupe. Subsequently he toured with Tap Dogs all over the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, Japan and the UK, eventually performing in Australia, where the show originated. Also, recently, featured tap dancer in Take That’s Circus Tour.
Television includes: BBC1 red campaign show idents and he has filmed and choreographed commercials for a wide range of products across Europe.
Choreography includes: assistant choreographer on The Prince’s Trust Gala (Buckingham Palace 2007) and tap choreographer for Viva La Diva starring Darcey Bussell and Katherine Jenkins, coaching the ‘Divas’ on their tap (2008 tour). He was seen putting both through their paces on a recent South Bank Show special. Douglas has worked extensively with top choreographer Kim Gavin on corporate shows for Toyota in Bologna, Paris and London. Also, performer and co-choreographer of the tap routines in Strictly Gershwin (2008 world premiere, Royal Albert Hall).
Douglas is delighted to be back working on Tap Dogs.
ANTHONY RUSSO
2IC
Anthony's career began at 15, when he was offered an Equity contract in Anything Goes at The Muny in Forest Park, St. Louis. Before his senior year of high school, Anthony was hired for the 6th National Tour of Tap Dogs and continued with the show for 8 years performing 4 of 6 roles. Russo also danced with the Tap Dogs in Johannesburg, South Africa, the International Festival Danse Encore in Canada, and an NFL half time show (49ers VS Redskins) in 2003. Other performance and choreography credits include the Off-Broadway production of At The Diner, Seven Off-Broadway productions of Break The Floor, and Iron Beats China Tour and Tampa Bay, Busch Gardens. He has donated his talents through performance to many fund-raising events including Dance For It for Breast Cancer, Sidanse for AIDS, and Ghar Sita Mutu for a community center in Nepal. Anthony was recently a part of the creation process for Cirque Du Soleil's vaudeville show Banana Shpeel and continued with the show as a featured tap dancer in Chicago, New York, and Toronto. This show also made an appearance on America's Got Talent in 2009. Anthony has entertained for 25+ corporations including Microsoft, Pfizer, Novartis, HILTI Tools, Chevrolet/GMC, Mitsubishi, MTX Audio, Charles Schwabb, M.O.P.S., Circuit City, Beltone, IBM and Marriott Hotels. Anthony created TAPademics INC., a company dedicated to tap dance education and entertainment, in 2003. As co-founder and director of the in-studio workshop Tap The Map, Anthony continues to spread his knowledge and passion on to the next generation.
MATT PAPA
ENFORCER
Matt Papa is trained in all styled of dance and was a finalist in the Australian Dancer of the Year 2005 & 2006. Since then he has gone on to perform worldwide from: Australia, Europe and the USA with Tap Dogs and has been a cast member since January 2007.
Since then matt has had the opportunity to perform wit the company at such events as: The finale shows of So You Think You Can Dance Australia and Dancing With The Stars as well as the NRL Centenary Ball, Sydney Boat show, Bacardi B Live and the 2008 World Youth Day Opening Ceremony.
Some of Matt’s other credits include the Jeans West Fashion Launch, Hearts 4 Haiti and Doulton House corporate events with The Next Step as well as television appearances on All Saints and Home and Away as well as being in advertisements for Suntory Whiskey (japan), jaPOP (Japan) and Capri Sun (USA).
Matt was also invited to choreograph a piece for the 1st Carnival Choreographers Ball in Sydney which was a three man tap number called 213. Most recently Matt has created a touring workshop called TAPistry that aims at bringing tap dancing workshops to regional areas of Australia.
DONOVAN HELMA
FUNKY
Training: Donovan began dancing at three under the direction of his mother’s dance studio, Miller’s Dance Studio, in Denver, CO. He currently continues his education in New York City.
Dance includes: recently, corporate performances for General Motors, Charles Schwab and a Monday Night Football halftime performance with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Donovan performed for Montreal’s Danse Encore International Festival in a production with the group Tap’d Out. In 2009 and 2010, he toured with the new Gregory Hines tribute show, Thank You Gregory, starring Jason Samuels Smith and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards. Since 2004, he has performed on numerous tours and industrials with the international cast of Tap Dogs, including North America, Europe and South Africa.
Other work includes: teaching at studios and national conventions across the USA.
Donovan looks forward to continuing his performing career and inspiring audiences and students worldwide.
JESSE RASMUSSEN
RAT
Training: on the Gold Coast, Australia, with Peta Norton and Robert Sturrock.
Dance includes: professional credits in live entertainment, commercial dance, corporate work and in the film and television industry. Jesse wowed Las Vegas in 1998 when he won the Showcase Dance Championships, and went on to win in Australia. Since then Jesse has toured the country for David Atkins, playing Tip in Hot Shoe Shuffle.
Musical theatre includes: Oh What a Night, Grease – The Musical and Candy Man – The Musical.
Film includes: George Miller’s Happy Feet. He is currently working on Happy Feet 2.
Choreography includes: Jesse runs two hip hop companies, J Town and Aussie Hip Hop Tour, working with the likes of Guy Sebastion, Natalie Bassingthwaite, Marcia and Denny Hines and Savion Glover. He has performed and choreographed for Jessica Mauboy as a support act during the Beyoncé tour as well as Channel 9’s Hey Hey It’s Saturday 2009 reunion show. In 2009, Jesse was a Top 20 finalist for Australia’s So You Think You Can Dance and has since returned as a choreographer for the show.
Film includes: Peter Jackson’s King Kong.
Jesse is delighted to be working with Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs and would like to thank his family and friends for their constant support.
RICHIE MILLER
KID
Richie is thrilled to be in his second season of Tap Dogs with which he already toured the USA and Mexico! Richie trained at The Performing Arts Center in St. Charles Missouri, where he performed for 10 years and also competed for eight. He still teaches and takes classes there.
He also performed with The Dance Company of St. Charles, studying many styles of dance other than Tap. He has attended some workshops, including Jump, DMA, and Break the Floor on scholarships.
JASON LEWIS
SWING
Training: Jason began his dance and acting training at eight, at Brent Street Studios, McDonald College and CHPYC in Sydney, Australia.
Dance includes: Jason’s 16 years of experience have seen him travel the globe, performing with such artists as Fergie (MTV Awards), Olivia Newton-John, Jessica Mauboy, TV Rock, Caroline O’Connor and Cindy Lauper. Jason’s intense training has allowed him to work with the best choreographers in the business, including Kelly Abbey (Happy Feet), Cameron Mitchell, Matt Lee (Australian Idol) David Atkins (Hair media launch) and Jason Coleman. Jason has been a member of Tap Dogs since 2005 and has been fortunate enough to experience their worldwide tours (London’s West End, South Africa, Korea, Europe and Australia).
Choreography includes: At 16, Jason began creating his own show The Next Step and is currently directing, choreographing and managing this all-male phenomenon. (www.thenextsteponline.com).
Jason is very proud to be a Dog and hopes to be for years to come. He would like to thank his family Louise, Colleen and Kris for their ongoing support.
SAM MARKS
SWING
Sam was trained in all facets of dance at the Conroy Dance Centre in Brisbane, Australia.
He made his professional Theatre debut at the age of 9 when he played Gavroche in Cameron Macintosh ‘Les Miserables.’ In 2002 he played the role of Young Don Lockwood in ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ and the Mayor Munchkin in ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ during 2003.
From 2006-2009 Sam played the roles of Coricopat and Alonzo in the Asian tour and Brisbane season of ‘CATS.’ In 2009 Sam was cast as an ensemble member in the Sydney season of ‘Wicked.’ Sam has recently returned from the West End, London where he made his Tap Dogs debut as a Swing. He also works frequently within the Australian commercial dance industry and as a performer with ‘The Next Step.’
DEAN MAGRI
SWING
Dean trained at the Wenn Stage School, Sylvia Young Theatre School and the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts.
His theatre credits include Prince Chulalongkorn in The King and I (national tour/ Sadler's Wells); the Prince in Richard III; War of the Roses (RSC/Old Vic London); Douglas in Shadowlands (National Tour); Gavroche in Les Miserables (Palace Theatre, London) and numerous Children's Royal Variety Performance's at the Dominion Theatre London.
Radio plays include The Virgin in the Ice (BBC Radio 4) and King Street Juniors (BBC Radio 4).
Dean's television credits include Mark in Sentence of Fear, Crimewatch (BBC): Billy in Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Granada); William Dysan in Timewatch (BBC); Wayne Rosetti in The Bill (Thames); Charlie The Kid (Thames); Peter Jacobs in Crime Monthly (LWT); a guest appearance in Hot Shoe Shuffle on Barrymore (LWT), Talking Telephone Numbers (BBC) and The Generation Game (BBC).
Dean was also in the film Control starring Burt Lancaster in which he played the part of Jamie.
Before starting TAP DOGS, Dean was in the original British cast of Hot Shoe Shuffle (national tour) in which he played the part of Slide.
NATHANIEL HANCOCK
KID
Training: Nathaniel started tap dancing at the age of six at The Ritz Dance Studio in Brisbane and progressed onto all styles of dance from the age of eight.
Experience: In 2002 Nathaniel played 1 major role and 3 minor roles in the Professional Production of the Wizard of Oz performed at the Lyric Theatre in Brisbane. In 2007, Nathaniel participated in the Global Dance Convention Workshop in Sydney and was one of five finalists and the only tap dancer chosen from 150 students, he also won speed tap champion at the Brisbane Eisteddfod. In 2008 he performed with Red Hot Rhythm at the Melbourne International Tap Festival, as well as performing at many other corporate events with the group. In 2010 he performed in two corporate shows with Tap Dogs and danced for a short stint on the George Miller film Happy Feet 2.
LYNDSAY EVANS
MUSICIAN
Originally from Bournemouth, Lyndsay studied at Trinity College of Music, London before becoming a professional freelancer.
Deciding after music college the best plan was just to play with everyone possibe, including with groups as diverse as Noise Ensemble, NYJO, Snakey Sue, a snake charmer, Moveable Feast, a world music band, trance DJ Luke Slater and Polish artist Katy Carr, before departing into the world of pop.
Started own all-female group, The Mentalists, in 2006 and having met them at Glastonbury festival, played percussion with Reverend & the Makers. The next year toured Europe with Eros Ramazzotti and Ricky Martin.
Also played a weekly residency in London where I met and played with Black Eyed Peas, Amy Winehouse, Grace Jones and was subsequently invited to go to New York and play with Wyclef Jean.
As well as appearing in several music videos and adverts, Lyndsay regularly appears on shows including the X Factor, T4, MTV and has just presented a show for The Disney Channel, called 'Pro Jams', teaching the drums.
GENEVIEVE WILKINS
MUSICIAN
Genevieve is an Australian-born freelance percussionist who is based in London. She is a member of ensemblebash, UK’s premiere percussion ensemble, as well as a founding member of The G Project, an exciting new collaboration with cellist Gabriella Swallow. Genevieve also performs regularly with composer Andrew Poppy’s Sustaining Ensemble, Dekata Project and has recently joined the band of jazz/world bassist Nathan Riki Thomson. As a session musician, she has performed with and/or recorded with Lionel Richie, Akon, Joanna MacGregor, Nash Ensemble, Karen David, DJ Panko (Ojos de Brujo), DJ Pathaan, Alex Wilson, Gavin Bryars, Steve Schick and was a founding member of renowned flamenco fusion group Alcazaba. Genevieve’s West End credits include Thriller Live (Lyric (deputy) and stadium world tour) and Never Forget: The Musical (Savoy). She also performs regularly as principal percussionist at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe, where productions include Macbeth: Playing Shakespeare (musical director), Troilus and Cressida, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet: Playing Shakespeare and The Frontline (deputy musical director).
www.genevievewilkins.com
CATRIONA HUNTER
MUSICIAN
Catriona is Australian and is currently at University studying for a business degree. She started learning drumming and percussion when she was 7 years old and, over the years, has performed in numerous bands and ensembles across a wide range of genres. In 2008 Catriona was a member of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team drum squad, and has played on national television with Tap Dogs in the final of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. She is now the drummer with Sydney-based indie outfit Beaufields.
Creative
JAMES DOUBTFIRE
RESIDENT DIRECTOR
James started dancing at the age of four, performing in many cabaret and talent competitions with his sister Johanna and his brother Danny. At the age of twelve he created the role of “Laughing Boy” in the original company of “Bugsy Malone” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London.
James trained at North Herts College Hitchin, for 2 years. After leaving, he performed extensively across the U.K and Europe as Dancer/Dance Captain. He then went on to perform in musicals, including U.K tour of 42nd St, the first U.K tour of Me and My Girl with Gary Wilmot, An Evening With Sondheim, U.K and Australian tours of Hot Shoe Shuffle, playing the role of “Tip”.
James has also appeared in many television shows including, The Royal Variety Performance, The Clothes Show, Barrymore, The Generation Game, The National Lottery, This Morning with Richard and Judy and advertisements for T Mobile and Amena mobile phones, Boots Computers and Colgate Toothpaste. James also had the honor of performing in one of the BBC famous, dance I dents that has been aired on BBC 1 for the past 5 years. His modeling assignments include Dolce and Gabbana, Paul Smith and various top magazines.
James has toured with “Tap Dogs” for the past 9 years performing as Dancer/Dance Captain and also acts as Assistant Resident Director for the company. He has toured with the show around Europe, Asia and London West End. He continued the role of Dance Captain/Assistant Resident Director, for the West End production of “Tap Dogs Rebooted”. He has performed and choreographed many corporate events for The Golden Steering Wheel Awards, Audi, Mercedez Benz, Fifa 2000, Camel Clothing, Aida Cruises, 2003 Balldes Sports and many more. He also helped with The 2000 Sydney Olympic Ceremony.
GEOFF JOWETT
PERSONAL TRAINER
Graduating from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Sports Science, Geoff Jowett quickly became a highly sought-after personal trainer. Geoff promptly recognised that his goal of making a global health difference was not going to be achieved through one-on-one training. The drive to eradicate curable weight-related disease needed to be achieved through easily accessible education tools. With this in mind, Geoff created his Bodytrim and Bodysculpt weight loss systems that, to date, have sold collectively over 500,000 units globally. A man who is not afraid to look outside the mainstream, Geoff continues to forge a new weight loss path and strives to find cures and preventions for many weight-related curable diseases. As a bestselling author he now travels the globe spreading his health message in an attempt to cure Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. Geoff’s aim is to create simple, easy to understand, educational programmes that empower all individuals to make correct long-term lifestyle choices.
JOE ACCARIA
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Joe Giuseppe Accaria graduated in 1993 from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with an Honours degree in music and education, majoring in contemporary and orchestral percussion. Since then Joe has performed and recorded extensively throughout Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and the USA including working with Andrea Bocelli, Cyndi Lauper, Smokey Robinson, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Ronn Moss, Big Brovas, Human Nature, David Campbell, Gabriella Cilmi, Kaz James, Wendy Matthews, Tina Arena, Yothu Yindi, Tim Finn, Paulini, Guy Sebastian, Shanley Del, Billy Thorpe, Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Colin Hay, Doug Parkinson, Jimmy Little, iOTA, Rick Price, Alex Lloyd, The McClymonts, Sister Madly, Im Ji Hoon (Korea), Dave Mason (The Reels), Andrew Farriss (INXS), Floyd Vincent and the Childbrides, Jackie Orszaczky, Wanderlust, Jay O’Shea, Karma County, Jeff Lang, Tim Hall, Jack Jones, Colin Buchanan, Abbey Dobson, Jackie Bristow, Christine Anu, Jessica Mauboy, Grace Knight, James Morrison, Jimmy Somerville, Tammin Sursok, Sister2Sister, The Rat Pack, Paul McDermott, Paul Capsis, Tripod, Dog Trumpet, The Sandman, Chris Franklin, The Fabulous Rhythm Boys, Skunkhour, Junglehammer, Bruce, She Is The King, Sandel, Lyall Adonis, Michala Banas, Freyja, Chakradiva, Darlene Zschech, Paul Turner as well as his own musical projects The Strange, Cactus Child and FSOA.
From 1997 to 2001, Joe featured in Dein Perry’s Steel City, with music by Tim Finn, which toured Australia and culminated in performances at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. He was also involved in performing and composing for Dein’s contribution to the Sydney 2000 Olympics opening ceremony, Bledisloe Cup, Tri Nations and Lions tour rugby events. In 2005 and 2006, Joe performed in Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs 10th anniversary world tour in Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia and the USA as musical director.
Joe has appeared on numerous television shows, presentations and movie soundtracks including, recently, Thunderstruck, The Black Balloon, The Godfather Symphony Live, working with prominent producers, composers and orchestrators such as Mark Opitz, Michael Yeserski and Ashley Irwin, and under Marcello Rota on tour with Andrea Bocelli. In 2002, he travelled to Cuba, studying with some of Cuba’s finest percussionists and musicians including members of the Afro-Cuban All Stars. He will begin a masters degree in the near future at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Joe again collaborated with Dein Perry composing and performing for Tap Dogs at Australia Day and World Youth Day events as well as the 2008 NRL Grand Final.
Joe is musical director for Human Nature and David Campbell, appearing on their current albums. In 2009, he was in Las Vegas with Human Nature in a show presented by Smokey Robinson. 2010 sees Joe performing the Sydney Festival’s Smoke & Mirrors in Sydney and Edinburgh, Sydney Theatre Company’s Spring Awakening, David Campbell’s tour with Tom Jones, coordinating the music for Tap Dogs’ return to the West End and composing for the opening of the FIFA World Cup live sites.
Joe is exclusively endorsed by Sonor Drums and UFIP Cymbals and uses Silverfox Sticks, through Drum Partner Australia.
DEIN PERRY
CREATOR/CHOREOGRAPHER
Dein Perry, creator and choreographer of Tap Dogs, has come a long way from the garage behind his dance teacher’s house in Newcastle, where as a young boy he learned to tap. Dein moved to Sydney where he tried to break into show business. For ten years he worked in musical theatre, which eventually led to his big break when he was cast in a principal role in 42nd Street. When it closed, Dein decided to create a contemporary show around the themes of his industrial experience in Newcastle.
In 1991, Dein was awarded an Australia Council Development Grant and formed the Tap Brothers, a very early incarnation of Tap Dogs. Dein was then offered the chance to co-choreograph and star in the West End musical Hot Shoe Shuffle. The Tap Brothers become the stars of Hot Shoe Shuffle. This production earned Dein his first Olivier Award in 1995. During this time Dein was asked to produce a dynamic film clip for ABC arts programme Performance Space. The clip was called Tap Dogs.
In 1994, Dein conceived and choreographed the full stage show Tap Dogs, which was the hit of the 1995 Sydney Festival and has since toured five continents and 300 cities worldwide, including ten years of USA touring. The show has performed at a huge number of events around the world, including The Royal Command Performance (Royal Albert Hall) and Quincy Jones’s 50th Anniversary Special, appearing on stage with Stevie Wonder. Tap Dogs is a favourite of The Jay Leno Show, performing five times, including the 1996 New Year’s Eve programme. Dein Perry was awarded his second Olivier Award for Tap Dogs, back to back with Hot Shoe Shuffle, the youngest person ever to achieve this.
Tap Dogs has received more than 11 international awards, including a 1997 New York Obie Award, Pegasus Award (Spoleto Festival), Australian Variety Award for Entertainer of the Year and Mo Award for Showbusiness Ambassador of 1998. Dein’s awards include the 1996, 1997 and 1998 Mo Award for Dance Performer of the Year and an Australian Green Room nomination for Best Supporting Role in Hot Shoe Shuffle. He received two Australian Green Room Awards for Best Original Choreography for Hot Shoe Shuffle (1995) and Tap Dogs (1996). He was also nominated for a New York Drama Desk Award for Best Choreography for Tap Dogs (1997). In 1998, Dein received an Australian Dance Award for Best Choreography and, in 2005, was awarded Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer.
In 1998, Dein Perry’s Steel City received its world premiere at Star City, Sydney Casino. Steel City was directed, choreographed and performed by Dein, with music by Tim Finn, a cast of 13 and four musicians. The show toured Australia during 1998 before playing a special season at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Dein directed and choreographed his first feature film, Bootmen, financed by the Australian Film Finance Corporation and Fox Searchlight and distributed by Twentieth Century Fox. Bootmen had its worldwide release in 2000 and received five AFI Awards.
Dein choreographed the huge tap sequence Eternity, consisting of 1,300 dancers, at the celebrated Sydney 2000 Olympics opening ceremony, which was screened worldwide.
In 2003, Dein reworked the Tap Dogs concept, adding two female dancers, opening Tap Dogs Re-Booted at Sadler’s Wells in London, followed by a successful USA tour. In 2005, Tap Dogs celebrated its tenth anniversary with Dein Perry returning to the stage, delivering a sell-out national tour of Australia and an Australian Dance Award for Most Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer. Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs is Australia’s greatest stage export. The show is in its 14th year and continues to tour worldwide.
To ensure the unique Tap Dogs style continues, Dein established a new breed of young male dancers known as the Tap Pups. Dein manages children’s tap classes in Sydney and Newcastle. There are over 180 Tap Pups enrolled and many have performed alongside Tap Dogs at national events.
In 2006, Dein directed David Campbell – Wild with Style, produced by New Theatricals. Wild with Style enjoyed a sell-out season at the Sydney Opera House. In 2007, Dein was appointed as the game day and special events producer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs Leagues Club and oversaw the creation of the Rabbitohs Drum Squad. He directed Human Natures in the round (National Motown Arena Spectacular tour). In 2008, Dein produced, directed and choreographed the opening match of the National Rugby League Centenary at the ANZ Stadium with 1,000 dancers. He was also a creative director for the 2008 NRL Grand Final.
In 2009, Dein was creative director for the Australia Day Fireworks Spectacular, coordinating 100 boats. Dein and his wife Lisa opened Tap Dogs HQ in Sydney which is also now the home of the Tap Pups. Dein worked on the World Cup Soccer Bid Campaign for the 2018 World Cup, continues working closely with Australia’s premier football code, the NRL, and worked as a creative for the World Masters Games opening ceremony and the V8 Supercars. Dein also directed The Next Step, a new and exciting fusion of different dance styles.
Dein is currently in creative meetings for Happy Feet 2 and producing major football matches.
NIGEL TRIFFITT
DIRECTOR/DESIGNER
Nigel Triffitt is acknowledged as a leader in the field of visual theatre in Australia and internationally with shows that have successfully toured to over 20 countries, displaying a unique renegade talent. As a designer, devisor and director of his own shows, Nigel has an impressive track record over a career spanning 30 years. Arguably Nigel’s most successful project is Tap Dogs, which he designed and directed. Tap Dogs has become one of Australia’s greatest exports, having toured to over 250 cities worldwide. Nigel’s talent has led him on to other art territories, from grand opera to rock ’n’ roll, from film to huge outdoor spectacles, and to puppetry and dance, all of which have combined to create his unique fusion of artforms. His most recent productions have been the phenomenally successful revival of Hair and The New Rocky Horror Show, which toured Australia for eight years, and Gumboots. Nigel directed and designed the finale of the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, screened to an international television audience of an estimated 3.5 billion viewers.
ANDREW WILKIE
COMPOSER
Andrew Wilkie obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from Queensland Conservatorium of Music, later studying jazz at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music. His involvement with musical theatre began in 1992 when he was principal percussionist for the Sydney productions of Hot Shoe Shuffle, Porgy and Bess, Me and My Girl, Nine, HMS Pinafore and I Do! I Do! Other theatre includes: West Side Story, The Phantom of the Opera, A Chorus Line, Les Misérables, 42nd Street and Into the Woods. Andrew has also worked as principal percussionist with the Queensland Youth Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Australia Ensemble Sydney, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Sydney International Orchestra. He has regularly played with The Midday Show’s Big Band, The Catholics and The Umbrellas and, for the last two years, has been musical director for Australian flautist Jane Rutter. He has also worked with James Morrison, Monica & the Moochers, Mike Bukovsky, the Kays Jazz Orchestra and Martin Lass and was a band member in the Posh & Judy Ballet Sextet.
GAVIN NORRIS
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Gavin Norris’s lighting design credits include: Hot Shoe Shuffle (UK tour), Tap Dogs (worldwide), Kat and the Kings (UK tour, Frankfurt, Vienna, European tour, London season), Circus Days, Circus Nights (Channel 4), Jack and the Beanstalk (Richmond Theatre), Gumboots (worldwide), The Darkness arena tours (associate lighting designer), Mum’s the Word (West End), Diana Ross (Sydney), Human Nature arena tour (lighting, video and set design), Australia Day Celebrations, (Sydney, Darling Harbour), Le Grand Cirque (Sydney Opera House, set and design consultant) and Junglehammer (Sydney Opera House). Gavin currently works at the Sydney Opera House as a production manager. He also continues to work within the music and television industry as a lighting designer and lighting programmer. Gavin has recently started working as production designer and consultant for local Sydney band Junglehammer who have just released their new album Romeo Tree.
ANDY JACKSON
SOUND DESIGNER
Over the past 20 years, Andy Jackson has worked in a variety of audio environments as an audio designer, engineer, and consultant, primarily in theatre, music and the corporate market. West End and Broadway includes: sound designs for Tap Dogs, Inner City Jam, Gumboots and Dancing on Dangerous Ground. Early music events included Mercury Music Prize (1990-2002), concerts with Van Morrison, Suede and Primal Scream, and festivals including the Brighton Beach Boutique where Fat Boy Slim played in front of 250,000 people. In 2007, Andy set up Delta Sound in Dubai, and has grown the company into the largest specialist audio company in the Middle East, working with Elton John, Sting, Aerosmith, Beyoncé, Kings of Leon, Coldplay, Iron Maiden and Queen. Orchestral work has played a significant role, working with the London Philharmonic, London Symposium, Armenian Philharmonic and the recently formed Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, with soloists including Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, José Carreras and Hiba Kawaz. DVDs include: Tap Dogs, Gumboots, Pop Idol and the inauguration concert for the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. Recent events and launches include: Atlantis Hotel launch, Burj Khalifa Tower (tallest building in the world) and Meydan Racecourse opening, all these events attracting worldwide media coverage. Andy has been married for 14 years to Lorraine and has a teenage son called Tod.
LAURENCE MADDY
MUSIC PRODUCTION, ENGINEERING & ADDITIONAL ORCHESTRATION
Laurence Maddy has been actively involved in the music industry since the early 1980s. In live performance Laurence has toured with many contemporary Australian acts and has many national Australian and European tours to his credit. Laurence’s dominant area of expertise is record production/engineering and he has produced/engineered over 80 independent and mainstream releases including acts PEZ, Seth Sentry, T.I.S.M. Deborah Conway and Hunters and Collectors. He has also composed and produced work in film and television and received an AFI Award (best achievement in sound) for his work on Bootmen. A career highlight was Laurence’s involvement as music co-ordinator/producer for the final segment of the Sydney 2000 Olympics opening ceremony. He is delighted to have the opportunity to work with Dein Perry again, as their association goes back to 1998 where he was musical director for Dein Perry’s Steel City that toured Australia before a season at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
BACK ROW PRODUCTIONS
PRODUCER
The Managing Directors of Back Row Productions are Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn. Back Row has successfully developed and presented innovative productions throughout the world for 15 years, beginning in Australia with national tours of Lift Off Live, Lano and Woodley, Paul Capsis, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Wadaicho Ichiro, Annie Sprinkle, Ningali, Rudy Coby, Slava’s Snowshow, Shaolin Kung Fu Monks Arena Tour and, more recently, the Royal National Theatre’s production of An Inspector Calls with John Frost.
In 1995 Back Row established a London base in order to export the record-breaking Australian dance show Tap Dogs to the world. They have since produced the show on 6 continents, in more than 20 countries and over 300 cities – often with a number of companies touring simultaneously. Over this time it has become Australia’s biggest theatrical export.
Internationally, Back Row has produced a range of shows from Slava’s Snowshow to the New York debut of Eddie Izzard, and from Ningali (the story of a remarkable young Aboriginal woman) to the record-breaking West End season and European tours of Jerry Seinfeld. In 1999, Back Row commissioned and developed the award-winning Gumboots, a show featuring a troupe of dancers, singers and musicians from Soweto, South Africa.
In 2001, Back Row (by then acquired by Clear Channel Entertainment) launched the European tour of award-winning Broadway show Fosse in Hamburg, followed by seasons in Basel, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Paris. Back Row also produced the hit show about motherhood Mum’s the Word for its European, North American and regional tours prior to a West End opening in 2003. The company’s international reputation was consolidated through booking, managing and/or producing seasons of Slava’s Snowshow, Cats, Chicago, Bounce, Circus Oz, Gumboots, Tap Dogs, Lady Salsa, Fosse, Mum’s the Word and Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, the longest-running and most-awarded contemporary ballet on both Broadway and the West End.
In January 2005, Liz and Garry re-acquired the company. They have since expanded the Back Row strategy to include general management and international tour booking consultancy for external clients. Recent tours include seasons of Miss Saigon (Portugal), Starlight Express (Scandinavia), Chicago (Greece), Cats (Portugal), Grease (Monte Carlo), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Dubai) and Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, which continues to tour throughout Europe, Asia and North America, and, in 2007, Back Row brought this internationally acclaimed Broadway spectacular to Australia.
Forthcoming plans include further Swan Lake touring following a season at the New York City Center, the world premiere of Ingmar Bergman’s stage adaptation of Through a Glass Darkly with London’s prestigious Almeida Theatre, further seasons of Tap Dogs beginning with a season on home soil in Sydney, Australia, and a number of international productions of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical. Priscilla is presently running at the Palace Theatre in the West End, and will open on Broadway early in 2011 after an out-of-town engagement in Toronto. Further productions are planned for Brazil, Germany, Scandinavia and other international destinations over the next few years.