Hearth - Creatives - { FLEUR MURPHY }

FLEUR MURPHY - PLAYWRIGHT
Originally from country Victoria, Fleur has a B.A. in Theatre Performance - Acting from the University of Ballarat, Arts Academy and completed a Masters in Writing for Performance at VCA in 2019.  She is a current recipient of Career Development funding from the Australia Council to support an 18 month mentorship with award winning playwright Tom Holloway, and has also interned on Melbourne Theatre Company's Cybec Electric readings.
Her short film 'Rain For Morgan' won multiple awards around the world including Winner of “Best International Short Film Under 50mins” (Ireland International Film Festival 2010).  Fleur’s first full-length play, 'Shadows of Angels' premiered at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2012, and received further acclaim at the SheppARTon Arts Festival and the Owl and the Pussycat Theatre in Richmond in 2013.  In October 2014 an exciting ‘immersive’ staging of the show was presented by TBC Theatre in partnership with The National Trust of Victoria.  The show was staged within the gaol cells and exercise yards of Melbourne’s historic City Watch House.  'Shadows Of Angels' was also short-listed for the Theatre503 Award in London.
Fleur has been a writer in residence at the Old Melbourne Gaol through an initiative offered by Writers Victoria and the National Trust. This time was used to focus on writing and developing 'As We Come To Wake' and concluded with a workshop and public reading at the Old Melbourne Gaol in July 2014.  In 2016 she was commissioned along with 11 other emerging and established playwrights to develop a short play, 'My Country for a Peach', which was presented as part of Vessel Arts 'Play For Australia' at the Arts Centre.
More recently Fleur worked on an adaptation of the award winning young adult novel, 'Nothing,' by Danish writer Janne Teller, which will premiere at Fortyfivedownstairs in October of 2021.  Fleur's play 'HEARTH' was recently long-listed for the Theatre503 Award in London, and is scheduled for a production and metro tour in Melbourne in 2022.  With support from Moreland Council's Flourish Arts Grant and Darebin Speakeasy she is currently working on the development and presentation of a new work titled 'The Fence.'

TOM ROYCE-HAMPTON - DIRECTOR
Tom is an actor, musician, director, and motion capture performer who, after graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts School of Music in 2004, joined Taikoz - Australia's leading taiko ensemble. As a core member, Tom performed nationally and internationally with artists and companies such as Eitetsu Hayashi, Matthew Doyle, Kaoru Watanabe, Sandy Evans, Synergy, Eitetsu Fuun no Kai and Kodo, as well as concerto performances with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Western Australia Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Dresden Sinfonika. Tom has also travelled extensively to Japan to study with traditional masters of many various styles of Wadaiko (Japanese drumming), dance, and theatre.
In 2009, Tom performed in Bell Shakespeare Company’s Pericles, which inspired him to return to study, and graduate in 2015 from the full-time course at Actors Centre Australia - pursuing further study with the OBRA Theatre Company in Lectoure, France, and with the esteemed fight, movement and intimacy director Nigel Poulton. Since 2015 Tom has been prolific as an actor, director and educator. Highlights include; performing in Sport for Jove's award winning production of Antigone (for which he was also nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award for sound design), directing Chi Udaka for Taikoz - which toured Australia and India in 2016, travelling to Oregon U.S to work on the film Souls of Totality, (Official Selection for Tribeca Film Festival 2018, Palm Springs, Edinburgh, Santa Barbara, Cinequest, and Atlanta Film Festivals), and providing the performance capture for the Call of Duty 4: Black Ops in-game movies.
His other directing credits include; ABYSS, The Mechanical (Assistant Director), and La Musica for VCA, and AMidsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet for Bell Shakespeare (Assistant Fight and Movement Director).
In 2019, Tom returned to the Victorian College of the Arts to undertake a Masters of Directing, where his studies centred around the development of a vocabulary and process for the embodiment of physical storytelling, and the integration of emerging technologies in the realm of live performance. His thesis work, the live-streamed stage play ABYSS is slated to become a feature film in 2022.

CHANTAL MARKS - SET & COSTUME DESIGN
Chantal is driven to collaboratively create experiences for live performance that dramaturgically consider their socio-political context. Being an architect, her designs are often site-specific (challenging conventional theatre layouts), “honest” (with raw materials and exposed construction) and aim to have a sustainable, reuse plan from the outset.
Born in Darwin, Chantal moved to Melbourne in 2010, then studied a Post-graduate Diploma of Performance Creation (Design) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) through 2014. In 2019, she returned to the VCA to do a Master of Design for Performance (finishing with first class honours) and had opportunities to travel with the university to Prague for PQ19, as well as develop a work in Penang, Malaysia and perform this work in Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Chantal’s design credits include (2022 & 2021) Heavy Congress for the RISING festival; (2019) Mad Forest, directed by Sean Mee; Amok>>>>HALT, a collaboration between Universiti Sans Malaysia and the VCA; Royalty Noise, an album launch for the Melbourne hip hop band; (2017) The Cocoon, directed by Kotryna Gesait; and (2014) 4.48 Psychosis, directed by Justin Nott. For Wilderness School Drama she designed and completed scenic artwork for several plays directed by Roger Masters and Melissa Sheldon: Mother Courage, Bye, Bye Birdie, The Secret Garden, Cabaret, The Popular Mechanicals, King Ubu, Beauty and the Beast, The Kelly Dance and Animal Farm. In 2021, Chantal's design for Mad Forest was one of four shortlisted for the Emerging Designer for Live Performance Award in the Australian Production Design Guild awards.

CLARE SPRINGETT - LIGHTING DESIGN
Clare is a Melbourne based Lighting Designer and Theatre Maker. She was the resident LD for Red Stitch Actors Theatre from 2013 to 2020. In 2014, she was nominated for a Green Room Award for lighting design on Eurydice (Red Stitch). She was chosen for the - 2016 Besen Family Artist Placement at The Malthouse. Clare was one of the 2018 Women in Theatre Participants at MTC, she was also part of the Core Design stream through the 2019 WIT program, working with Matt Scott on Shakespeare In Love as the Associate Lighting Designer.
Freelance Productions:
Mara Korper -dir. Jayde Kirchert, When the Rain Stops Falling - dir.Briony Dunn, Everyone is Famous w/ Riot Stage - dir. Katrina Cornwall, Burn This – dir. Iain Sinclair, Night Mother - dir. Briony Dunn, My Wife Peggy – dir. Gavin Roach, Shakespeare In Love – Lighting Associate w/ Matt Scott – Simon Phillips - Melbourne Theatre Company, Midsummer Mendelssohn- Flinders Quartet- dir. Richard Piper, My Wife Peggy (Melbourne Season) – dir. Gavin Roach, Gloria – Lighting Attachment w/ Paul Jackson –dir. Lee Lewis/Melbourne Theatre Company, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – dir. Francis Greenslade, True West – dir. Alice Darling, Playing Rock Hudson – dir. Cameron Lukey, Elmo’s World Tour 2012 - Lifelike Touring/Sesame Street Workshop.
Red Stitch Productions:
Feather in The Web – dir. Declan Greene, Oil – dir. Ella Caldwell, Dance Nation – dir. Maude Davey, Love Song – dir. Denny Lawrence, The Antipodes – dir. Ella Caldwell, The Way Out – dir. Penny Harpham, Rules for Living – dir. Kim Farrant, The River - dir. John Kachoyan, You Got Older – dir. Brett Cousins, The Village Bike – dir. Ngaire Dawn Fair, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE – dir. Denny Lawrence, Wet House - dir. Brett Cousins, Jumpers for Goalposts – dir. Tom Healey, EURYDUCE – dir. Luke Kerridge, Bellville - dir. Denny Lawrence, 4000 Miles – dir. Mark Pritchard, Midsummer (A Play with Songs) – dir. John Kachoyan, ORPHANS – dir. Imara Savage, Howie the Rookie – dir. Greg Carroll

MAX ROYCE-HAMPTON - SOUND DESIGN
Max Royce-Hampton is a Melbourne-based producer and sound designer. As well as over a decade of spearheading his own ensemble and solo projects, Max has collaborated with Australian and International acts as diverse as; Berlin-based Gaff E, Melbourne’s hip hop outfit RaRa, and composed and performed TaikoDeck with Sydney-based percussion ensemble Taikoz which toured to concert halls and theatres nationally. As an emerging sound designer, he recently produced his first full score for Encounter Collective’s short film Tomorrow Mourning (Official Selection for Made in the West Film Festival (AUS) and First-Time Filmmaker Session (US).

FIONA STAFFORD - PRODUCER
Fiona is a freelance producer based in Melbourne and has worked in the arts and entertainment industry for over 15 years in a number of roles, from artist management to immigration, publicity and marketing, and event management. Currently, she also works as the Operations Manager at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. "Hearth" is her debut independent theatre production, giving her the opportunity to expand her skills and pursue her passion for supporting emerging independent theatre-makers in developing, staging and touring new Australian works.

NIGEL POULTON - FIGHT & INTIMACY DIRECTOR
Nigel is an award-winning movement and fight director, intimacy coordinator/director, SAG-AFTRA stunt performer and actor with over 16 years of national and international professional experience. He has particular expertise in kinesthetic and natural movement processes, choreography, interdisciplinary collaboration, performance and teaching and is a practitioner of Meyerhold’s Theatrical Biomechanics.
In addition to being a certified intimacy co-ordinator and intimacy director with Intimacy Directors International, Nigel is a fight director and past president of the Society of Australian Fight Directors, a certified fight director, and is certified with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, and is an Honorary Fight Director with Fight Directors Canada. In 2021, Nigel was awarded the status of Fight Master with the Society of American Fight Directors, as one of only two recipients outside the US with this accolade.

GEOFF PAINE - ACTOR - "JOHN"
Geoff Paine graduated from the VCA Drama School in 1985 and went on to appear in NEIGHBOURS, A COUNTRY PRACTICE, THE COMEDY COMPANY, BLUE HEELERS, LANO & WOODLEY, THE GAMES and SLIDESHOW. He as returned to NEIGHBOURS (as the same character) after a gap of over 30 years.
He has appeared on stage in HAIR, THE REAL LIVE BRADY BUNCH, JAWS! THE MUSICAL, ROMEO AND JULIET, THE NEW ROCKY HORROR SHOW, and David Williamsons’ CREDENTIALS, and his film credits include THE CRAIC, THE WOGBOY and THE WEDDING PARTY.
A keen improvisor, Geoff toured with SPONTANEOUS BROADWAY to Adelaide, the Sydney Opera House and the Edinburgh Festival. His solo show HOW TO MAKE A MUSICAL debuted at the 2014 Melbourne International Comedy festival. He co-wrote and directed IT’S A DAD THING, and wrote and appeared in UNPACK THIS! which was funded to tour venues across Victoria in 2014.

CAROLE PATULLO - ACTOR - "BARB"
Carole is an actor, theatre-maker, teaching artist, voiceover artist and director, who has worked with major arts, community, business and health organisations for 34 years. Highlights include: Film; MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX, LAKE MUNGO. TV; MISS FISHERS MURDER MYSTERIES, WINNERS & LOSERS, CITY HOMICIDE, THE LIBRARIANS, THE KING, BLUE HEELERS and NEIGHBOURS. Theatre; BROKEN RIVER, BULLY VIRUS, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, SHEDDING, GAME GIRL and BUTTON which she also co-created with Jane Bayley. She is an accomplished improvisor and was a founding member of Troupe du Jour, an improvisation based company for 15 years. Carole has been nominated for 5 greenroom awards. She has written several plays and is currently artistic director with Dreamhouse Theatre, a youth based company on the Mornington Peninsula. Carole is also developing a new solo theatre work THE STRANGE LUCK. Recently she appeared in the International award winning short film SERVING JOY.

KURT PIMBLETT - ACTOR - "TOM"
Kurt is a 2020 graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, and is based in Naarm/Melbourne. Kurt’s stage work includes playing Laertes in BECAUSE THE NIGHT at Malthouse Theatre (2021), Max in Belvoir's award winning production of HIR (2017), and multiple roles in Melbourne Theatre Company’s Cybec Electric readings (2020). He has appeared in numerous independent theatre productions, including LOVE YOU BITCH (Stage Mom, Midsumma 2020), and CLEANSED (Montague Basement, Sydney Fringe Festival 2017). Kurt’s screen work includes short film DRAINRATS (2021), and TikTok webseries SCATTERED (2021).

MARTIN BLUM - ACTOR - "MATTHEW"
Martin graduated from the Victorian Collage of the Arts in 2005 and in 2006 was one of twelve actors chosen to be part of Sydney Theatre Company’s ‘Actor’s Ensemble’, performing in eight productions over two years. Recent theatre credits include; Macbeth in MACBETH (Essential Theatre, 2015), Hunter in ‘BOY OUT OF THE COUNTRY’ (Larrikin Productions, 2016) Simon in THE DISTANCE (Melbourne Theatre Company, 2016), Bernie Mercury in HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A DRAGON (Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 2016) and Francis Light in LIGHT (OzAsia Festival, 2019). Martin has worked extensively with Malaysian company TerryandTheCuz, most recently as co-writer/co-director of THICKER THAN WATER (The Public Theatre, New York, 2018) and MADE IN AMERICA (The Public Theatre, New York, 2019).

SONYA SUARES - ACTOR - "ABBEY"
Sonya is a multidisciplinary performer, dramaturg, director, producer and arts activist whose work has spanned film, television and theatre since her screen debut at 16. She founded acclaimed Sondheim repertory company Watch This, realising a body of work that includes Assassins, Pacific Overtures, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, A Little Night Music and Sunday in the Park with George and has accrued a total of 21 Green Room Award nominations/ 2 wins. She's also been nominated for her work as an actor in MTC's Melbourne Talam and Polyglot Theatre & Papermoon Puppet Theatre's immersive sensation, Cerita Anak. She shares a nomination for Best Direction of a Musical with Dean Drieberg for Sunday in the Park with George (2019) and for the realisation of the digital documentary series, The Art of Making Art (2020). In 2021, amongst several collaborations and developments, she is working with composer/ lyricist Vidya Makan and Hayes Theatre Co on The Lucky Country; co-directing Into the Woods with Dean Drieberg for Watch This; and wrote/ produced a pilot of the fantasy adventure screen project, The Quest - a collaboration with her 11-year-old son, Daniel.

ELEANOR WEBSTER - ACTOR - "VOICE"
Eleanor Webster is an actor, comedian and writer from Melbourne. After training in LA under Eric Morris and Paul Currie, she returned to Melbourne to work for several years on the comedy circuit, creating the award-winning duo Dingo & Wolf, enjoying successful runs in both Melbourne Fringe and MICF. She has developed content and worked with notable comedians including Dave Callan, Tommy Little and Jess Harris. Her TV credits include Upper Middle Bogan, Twenty Something and Offspring. Film credits include Tropfest finalist Charades, Hatchback with Stephen Curry, Leach, All We Have Is TIme, and the title role in the upcoming Lillemor. Her theatre credits include The Vagina Monologues, Romeo & Juliet, The Cherry Umbrella and Rhinoceros (directed by Aidan Fennessy.) After taking the last six years to raise her young family, Eleanor is thrilled to be back on stage and joining the cast of Hearth.

KAITE HEAD - STAGE MANAGER
Kaite Head (She/Her) is Naarm's most iconic queer redhead and cottagecore femme.
She’s a VCA graduate whose credits include producing ‘Analog’ (2021, Dir. Thalía Dudek) for Three Fates Theatre company, as well as Assistant Stage Managing for them in 2020 ‘Land’ (Dir. Ruby Reeves).
To kick off 2021 Kaite worked on the TheatreWorks premiere season of ‘We're Probably Really Really Happy Right Now’ (dir. Sarah Vickery) as Stage Manager. From 2021 to 2022 she also worked as the Assistant Stage Manager for some very fancy Melbourne Operas, ‘Die Walküre’ (2022, Dir. Suzanne Chaundy) & ‘Macbeth’ (2021, Dir. Bruce Beresford).

HOLLY ANDERSON - ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
Holly Anderson (They/Them/Theirs) is a Stage and Production Manager working between Naarm/Melbourne and Meanji/Brisbane. In 2021 Holly worked with the National Australia tour of 'Bluey's Big Play' (2021) in the role of Assistant Stage Manager.
Upon their return, they jumped back into the Melbourne indie scene with Assistant Stage Manager for ‘The Ghost Quartet’, Antipodes Theatre ( 2021) dir. Brandon Pape, Assistant Stage Manager/Assistant Production Manager for ‘Alternative Futures’ (2021) dir. Kitan Petkovski.
More recently Holly worked as Assistant Stage Manager for ' Grace' at Red Stich Actors Theatre Dir. by Sarah Goodes and just concluded work as Stage/Production Manager for new work 'Infinite Affection' (2022) Choreographed by Luke Macaronas.
Holly is a passionate creator with a love for new works, independent theatre and creating healthy collaborative work environments.