CO-FOUNDER
Melanie Xavier (She/Her)
Having spent a number of years amongst the theatre community, Melanie has built experience both on stage and in a creatives space.
Recent direction work includes; Disenchanted the Musical, Altar Boyz, Reefer Madness, Spring Awakening and the Guild Award winning production of In The Heights.
Some of Melanie’s on stage highlights include; Catch Me If You Can (Carol Strong), Legally Blonde (Margot), RENT, Gypsy (Mazeppa), Guys & Dolls, CATS, Witches of Eastwick & Bare.
Through her own lived experiences, education and passion for creating safe and inclusive work spaces, Melanie knows that there is a huge opportunity within the Victorian Amateur Theatre community for a service that will help progress companies into the forever evolving world but also show that representation matters.
CASTING CONSULTANT
Teresa Giansiracusa (She/Her)
Teresa is a proud graduate of JMC Academy, holding a Bachelor of Creative Arts with a major in Acting. She has also honed her craft through Music Theatre studies at The Australian Institute of Music and a short course in Jazz Voice at Berklee College of Music.
Throughout her education, Teresa remained deeply involved in the theatre community, performing in roles such as DIANA MORALES in A Chorus Line (Theatrical), JULIET in Romeo & Juliet (Artefact Theatre Co.), QUINCY/MARGE in Mr Burns (JMC Academy), and VANESSA in In The Heights (OCPAC). Her passion for theatre extends beyond acting, with credits as Director (Footloose, Chasing Yesterday), Choreographer (High School Musical, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown), and Assistant Director (Parade, Soundworks Productions).
As a dedicated storyteller, Teresa embraces various mediums to explore and express her artistry. She deeply acknowledges the privilege of sharing stories on land rich with history and hopes to continue creating inclusive works that reflect the diverse tapestry of our community.
CO-FOUNDER
Benjamin Samuel (He/Him)
Ben is a musician, educator, and producer at Soundworks Productions. He has extensive experience in organisational change management and Human Resources. Within the Creative Industries, he has taught at various schools and arts programs across Australia, and is the Creative Director of Soundworks Music Studio. Ben has many stage performance highlights including CATS, Hair, The Color Purple, Beauty & the Beast, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma! & Curtains.
His recent work as a producer includes productions of 13 the Musical, Urinetown, Camp Rock & Parade. In addition, his musical direction credits include Cry Baby, Disenchanted, Altar Boyz, and In The Heights. He is a consultant for new theatre works in development, and advocates for diversity & equal representation in theatre. A recipient of The Music Theatre Guild Award for Best Musical Direction (OCPAC’s In The Heights), Ben is also an examiner for the Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB) and is the Head of the Bachelor of Creative Industries (Acting) Course at JMC Academy Melbourne.