Assassins
JUNE 2000

CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM

NEIL GOODING - Director / Lee Harvey Oswald
Neil first appeared on stage at the age of 6 - and has been involved in theatre in some capacity almost ever since. Neil has trained in classical and modern dance, and is currently learning singing with Ms Jennifer Murphy. In 1995, at the age of 18, Neil toured regional Queensland in Chicago in which he understudied the role of Mary Sunshine. Neil's other performances in Queensland include Glamalot - Knights in White Satin at the Lyric Theatre (Toadshow Productions), the understudy for Jack in the Queensland premiere of Into the Woods (Moonlight Productions), Marcel in The Boyfriend (Brisbane Arts Theatre), Priest 3 in Jesus Christ Superstar (Ignatians) and a student in Les Miserables (Townsville Choral Society). Since moving to Sydney in 1997, Neil has performed as John in Jesus Christ Superstar and Gad in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (both at the Hills Centre). Last year he performed the role of Florindo in Forest Youth Theatre Company's Venetian Twins and was part of the ensemble for the showcase production of the new Australian musical Sinbad at the Newtown Theatre. Neil toured throughout Victoria and NSW for most of the second half of 1999 with Dirty Dick's Theatre Restaurant. At the start of 2000, Neil set up Utopia Productions and ASSASSINS is the first project of this exciting new production company. ASSASSINS also marks Neil's directing and producing debut.

MARCEL BRACKS - Sam Byck
On the 25th of January 1976,a natural singer dance man was born. From the age of two this talented youngster had already performed in his first tap recital, winning his age and open sections. At the age of ten he was working for the Royal Shakespeare Company where he was given his first lead role. He was undoubtedly the finest Hamlet to ever grace the boards for the RSC. At the age of fifteen he opted for a change of pace, musical theatre was to be his genre. His passionate performances in NOBODY LIKES A COW and FOREST GUMP THE MUSICAL won him his first Tony awards. After a nervous breakdown, two years on HeartBreak High playing Lee Deliane a stint on the boards in a Panto' over in London over the millennium and more recently a quick yet powerful performance in an up and coming episode of Water Rats Marcel joins the cast of ASSASSINS as the fickle Sam Byck.

JEREMY COOMBES - Billy/President Garfield/Bystander
Jeremy's life to date is a tragedy of the highest order. During his school career, Jeremy devoted much of his time to drama. This resulted in some fantastic dramatic achievements. Jeremy was a state finalist in the Schools Shakespeare Festival and was selected for Onstage 95 (a showcase performance of the best HSC drama works). Unfortunately, Jeremy's passion and devotion to Drama also resulted in a TER low enough to count on one hand. He is now forced to work in the marketing department of IBM Australia to support his night theatre habit. The last place most of you won't have seen Jeremy was at the Q-Theatre in Penrith, in a Chalkdust production of Louis Nowra's Cosi.

SCOTT COPEMAN - Musical Director / Conductor
It is ironic that Scott was asked to musically direct this production of ASSASSINS because after six years of university study and two years working in retail, he knows what it's like to want to kill someone. Unfortunately, Scott followed a path of music, not crime, so the most lethal weapon he possesses is a baton. He wielded it with devastating effects in productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wiz, Anything Goes and Chess. He is looking forward to laying to waste this extremely talented cast. In his spare time, Scott enjoys his true passions - maniacally watching cricket and Playstation.

MICHELLE ELLARD - Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme
Michelle trained at the University of Western Sydney Nepean Campus graduating in 1994. Her performances there include The Niece in The Good Person of Sichuan by Bertolt Brecht, and Gertrude in Hamlet. Since graduating, Michelle has worked in theatre, cabaret, television, film and as a voice over artist. One of Michelle's passions is children's theatre, and she has toured Australia extensively with Humphrey Bear shows, Postman Pat, Johnson and Friends, the Blinky Bill Show, as well as regular touring with George Spartels - of Playschool fame. Last year, Michelle toured Victoria and New South Wales playing Maid Marian in the Robin Hood show for Dirty Dick's Theatre Restaurant - Australia's longest running theatre restaurant. Recently on television Michelle has been seen being featured in commercials for Rams Home Loans and the Sun Herald.

STEVEN FACEY - The Balladeer
Steven holds Honours in 8th Grade voice AMEB and is currently under the tuition of Singing Teacher Mr John Main. Steven has won a host of singing Eisteddfods and Competitions, including the Italian Song section of the prestigious City of Sydney Eisteddfod. He has performed as a soloist at the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Entertainment Centre, and sings regularly at weddings and corporate functions, specialising in Aria's. Steven was a member of vocal group, the Lee Consort of Voices and has performed with the group at the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Town Hall. Steven has been involved in shows such as Oklahoma!, Annie, 42nd Street and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Last year, Steven starred in his own concert spectacular, An Evening of Song at the Hills Centre.

LINDA HALE - Housewife/Bystander
Linda began singing when she was six years old, and has hardly stopped since - in fact if not for her appearances in 30 shows to date (favourites including Leader of the Pack, Into the Woods and Gypsy) - she surely would have been declared insane! Linda is a life member of SYMT and performs annually a the Tamworth Country Music Festival. She achieved a Diploma of Performing Arts in 1996, and currently is promoting her first CD "Entrée" (buy one!) and carving a singing career.

RIC HERBERT - John Wilkes Booth
Born on probation in Balmain Hospital Sydney, Ric Herbert has been impersonating a performer for the majority of his life. Herbert's list of crimes are endless and far reaching, there is no area of the performing arts untainted by his particular strain of madness. Plays: Equs, A Hard God, Entertaining Mr Sloane. Musical Theatre: Rocky Horror Show, Sgt Peppers, Ned Kelly. Film: F J Holden, Devils Game, Babe II. TV: The Young Doctors, The Sullivans, Sweet and Sour, Police Rescue. In more recent years he has darkened the doorsteps of Murder Call and Wildside, blatantly fronted original and cover bands singing styles that range from Oz-Rock to Big Band swing with In the Mood. His criminal interests reach as far as playing Judas in Superstar and Pharaoh in Joseph at the Hills Centre. Normally content to spread his virus of corruption through radio and television ads as one of Sydney's busiest voice artists and session singers, Rich Herbert has dragged himself out of his lair of anonymity to play kindred spirit John Wilkes Booth.

KAREN HOOKER - Stage Manager/ Costume Co-ordinator
Karen has worked in amateur theatre for the past 13 years since moving to Sydney from newcastle. She has worked backstage as either props, costumes, or stage manager for productions including Pirates of Penzance, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and several pantomimes. For the past 5 years karen has been part of the Hills Centre Productions team as costumes/props co-ordinator. Shows she has worked on ther include The Sound of Music, Anything Goes, 42nd Street, Jesus Christ Superstar, Leader of the Pack and Fiddler on the Roof. The only show Karen has appeared on stage during her time in Sydney was Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoate in the role of Mrs Ruben.

LUKE JOSLIN - Charles Guiteau
From as far back as he can remember, Luke has always been a performer.....both on and off the stage. Luke attended Oak hill College where he performed in several productions such as Chess, Smithy, The Three Musketeers and Little Shop of Horrors. Outside of school, Luke dedicated his time to even more shows, including Cockatoos production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Crazy For You for SYMT, Selling Out for Stuex Productions, and Carnival for DMS. Luke was also male backing vocalist for Steven Facey in An Evening of Song. Luke's next show will be SYMT's Pajama Game in which he will play Sid Sorokin. At 20 Luke sees his future in the Performing Arts. He is currently dancing with Glen Wood, and studying performance with Jennifer Murphy. Luke is delighted to be part of ASSASSINS.

SIMON KOENIG - Techincal Director / Sound Designer
Simon first got involved in musical theatre at the age of 8 with the Hornsby Youth Musical Theatre (now SYMT). His sister was a performer on stage, his mother was the chairperson of the organizing committee and his father ran the sound desk so he started operating a spotlight (that was about twice his size) to stop getting bored. Simon has been involved in some way with every major show that SYMT has put on for the last 12 years. In 1992 he got involved with the Hills Centre for the Performing Arts and has been involved with either sound or lighting for many of the major productions and corporate functions that have been held there ever since. Simon has also worked with the Hills, Holroyd & Hornsby Musical Societies for various shows. Recently Simon has been operating a spotlight for corporate functions at the City Recital Hall "Angel Place". He has also been Technical Director and operated the sound desk for numerous shows at Jenolan Caves over the last 3 years, including their very successful Carols in the Caves at Christmas. During the day Simon works as an Electronic Technician in the Service Department of Sony Australia.

KATRINA MANN - Bystander / Choreographer
Katrina started performing in musicals in 1994 and has been doing shows ever since. Her roles have ranged from Polly in Crazy For You with SYMT in 1999 to Annie in 42nd Street with WMS, to Sally in Me & My Girl also with SYMT. Recently, Katrina has choreographed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat for the Hills Centre, Return to the Forbidden Planet and Children of Eden for St Paul's Grammar School, and co-choreographed Chess for SYMT. Having started training in singing, dance and drama when she was 12, she now enjoys teaching all three with the hope of passing on her skills and passion for the arts.

JAMES MILLAR - Leon Czolgosz
James has had extensive professional and amateur performance experience. Professional roles include large guest appearances in A Country Practice, Home and Away, The Investigators, Water Rats, Police Rescue and the principal role of Jake Blainey in Neil Armfield's tele-film Naked: Coral Island with Hugo Weaving. James was also featured in The Leaving of Liverpool for the ABC, played 'Young Mozart' in ABC radio's Memoirs of a Young Mozart and has performed title roles in various other radio plays for the ABC. In musical theatre, James has played Peter in The Witness, the Storyteller in Children of Eden for the Newtown Theatre, understudy roles in Opera Australia's Carmen and Lohengrin, the role of Mendel while covering Motel in Fiddler on the Roof for the Hills Centre, Albert Lennox in The Secret Garden, the Balladeer in an independent production of ASSASSINS in 1999 and Uncle Billy in the Sydney premiere season of Quilt. James studied acting with The Sydney Talent Company for ten years, singing with Roumiana D'jarmirze for 6 years and has taken up training in Jazz, Ballet and Tap with Linda Atkinson this year. James has enjoyed the role of Leon Cszolgosz and will next be seen as Prez in SYMT's The Pajama Game.

RICHARD NEVILLE - Lighting Designer
Richard brings seven years of lighting experience to Assassins. Regularly working at the Hills Center and City Recital Hall at Angle Place in addition to his freelance work, Richard has worked as lighting designer, operator, moving light technician, follow spot operator or consultant for a wide range of events. Recent productions include Twelfth Night (1999) at William Clark Collage, The Three Divas (2000) at City Recital Hall, Bugsy Malone and The Mikado for different Sydney theatre companies as well as the Carols in Jenolan caves.

ROSEMARIE OLK - Bystander
Rosemarie has been performing for many years, her experience ranging from the role of an angel at the age of six to her appearance as Irene Roth in Sydney Youth Musical Theatre's 1999 production of Crazy For You. Her other performance credits include Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Hills Centre, Lady Battersby in Me and My Girl, Alma Hix in The Music Man, Vernon (the principal) in The Breakfast Club and various pantomimes and concert performances. By day, Rosemarie is a Library Technician at a law firm in Circular Quay (looking at the Opera House all day IS hard!). She will next perform in July in a musical adaptation of Sister Act II called Nunz in the Hood, as Sister Mary Patrick.

MICHAEL O'NEILL - The Proprietor / Ensemble
Michael has been performing for a number of years now and has appeared in a number of shows with the Sydney Youth Musical Theatre group such as Me and My Girl, Godspell and Crazy for You!. In addition to this he appeared as Mark in the original cast of Selling Out, Kipps in Half a Sixpence and has also performed at the Hills Centre in Fiddler on the Roof. Recently, Michael had the opportunity to perform as a back up vocalist for Michael Crawford at the Sydney Entertainment Centre . He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Media at Macquaire University and is proud to be appearing in one of his favourite musicals.

KATE PEARCE - Producer/Publicist
Kate spent three and a half years working for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Company where she worked on productions of Cats, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Boulevard and Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and ended up as the Assistant to the Managing Director. Kate left RUC to form DIGS Entertainment - an innovative and exciting entertainment company. Kate has been contracted as publicist for all future productions at the Hills Centre and has promoted the 1998 and 1999 Konica Variety Club Bash, The Ten Tenors, The Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Jon English's original musical Buskers and Angels, Hi-5 and Cats Runaway to the Circus. In November 1999, Kate produced and directed her first full scale musical spectacular, An Evening of Song, starring upcoming young talent Steven Facey. Due to her success, this show will be restaged in September 2000. Kate is keen to further her career as a theatrical and musical producer.

SEAN RYAN - John Hinckley
Sean studied Theatre at the University of Southern Queensland, graduating with Distinction. Whilst at uni he took lead roles in A Toast to Melba, The Gut Girls, Peer Gynt, as well as the world premiere productions of Miss Bosnia and Kingaroy. He also appeared in Hayfever, The Nerd, Godspell and Misalliance. Sean has appeared in numerous short films, including Tragic But True, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Queensland New Filmmakers Awards. This is Sean's second production of ASSASSINS in the role of John Hinckley - and though thankful for the opportunity he is slightly worried about being typecast as a celebrity-obsessed, President-shooting loser.

NICOLE SCHLEICHER - Emma Goldman / Ensemble
Nicole is still a musical 'toddler', having only entered this strange world 3 years ago when she performed in the Hills Centre production of Jesus Christ Superstar alongside Mark Williams and Angry Anderson. The following year she was seen strutting her stuff as Tina Turner and as a lovesick teeny bopper once again at the Hills Centre in Leader of the Pack. Her most recent musical appearance was as the Science Officer/Gloria in Return to the Forbidden Planet in April this year. Nicole's major interest is in soul and gospel music, and she has developed an impressive list of soloist appearances performing her own compositions, and soul & Motown covers as part of the "Supreme Experience". She has also recorded a number of CDs of her own songs, one of which she performed at "Prom Praise" at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. In ASSASSINS, Nicole is honoured to perform alongside old friends and a truckload, nay, a semi trailer-load of talented people.

ADAM SIDNEY SCICLUNA - Giuseppe Zangara
This is Adam's second meeting with Sondheim, having previously played Badle Bamford in a 1998 production of Sweeney Todd. Adam's musical credits include Tevey in Fiddler on the Roof, Schubert in LilacTime, Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar, King Arthur in Camelot, Cosmo Brown in Singing in the Rain, and Jud Fry in Oklahoma. His professional engagements include club tours with Broadway Melodies, pantomimes, solo concerts such as Story in Song, Opera House Night of Young Artists (where he was a soloist) and back up vocals for Micahel Crawford in 1998. Adam just finished a short film called The Pink Slip by Pru Donovan for the Austrtalian Film Festival and is planning his own solo concert at the Riverside Theatre in the New Year. By day Adam is a high school Drama and Performing Arts Teacher / Co-ordinator, but he aspires to work professionally in Musical Theatre.

DEREK SCRIVEN - Bartender / President Ford / Bystander
In attempting to sabotage a promising career as a mild-mannered lawyer, Derek has immersed himself in a wide variety of entertaining and creative projects. After performing with a number of harmony groups including Vocalpoint, Derek was appointed Musical Director of dynamic Bris Vegas vocal ensemble VoiceWorks before croonin' & swingin' with the Allan Brown Big Band. More recently, Derek has rediscovered a soulful gospel sound with Café of the Gate of Salvation. A versatile performer, Derek's musical theatre highlights include his Sydney debut as Joseph in the 1998 Hills Centre production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and an intense portrayal of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar before a packed house at Parramatta Riverside Theatre. As a vocalist, Derek has worked with and supported many artists including Tina Arena, Harry Connick Jr, James Morrison and Anthony Warlow.

DAVID J. TUCKER - Herold / Blaine / Bystander
David has been involved in musical theatre since he made his debut as Winthrop (at the grand old age of 11) in Blue Mountain's Musical Society's production of The Music Man. Since then he has been in numerous shows and has performed many roles. Some include Jack (Into the Woods), Sigismund (White Horse Inn), Gladhand (West Side Story), Pete (Crazy For You) and Cornelius (Hello Dolly). Most recently, David played the role of the Apsotle Peter in the Out of the Blue Performing Arts production of Jesus Christ Superstar, in Springwood and at the Parramatta Riverside Theatre. He is also looking forward to performing at Riverside later this year in Les Miserable. Other credits include performing with Michael Crawford and in the Elvis in Concert series at the Entertainment Centre.

JENNIFER WHITE - Sara Jane Moore / Assistant Director / Dialect Coach
Jennifer graduated from Theatre Nepean in 1992 as an actor, from NIDA in 1998 as a voice/dialect coach, has trained as a singer since 1982, and trained in voice-overs at AFTRS. Her theatre credits include Cosi, ASSASSINS, Jack The Ripper (world premiere with Tommy Tycho), The Inventor of the Horse (NIDA), The Good, The Tempest, The Chapel Perilous, Measure for Measure, The Philanthropist, Cabaret, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Her coaching credits in voice/dialects/languages include at NIDA Features of Blown Youth, Unveiling, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Angels in America, and Measure for Measure; also The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Marian Street Theatre), Jack The Ripper (CD demo), and A Flea In Her Ear (WAAPA). Jennifer teaches accents/dialects at Theatre Nepean, voice/Shakespeare at the Actor's College of Theatre & Television, and has taught at NIDA and WAAPA. Her voice-overs appear throughout Australia, Asia, on CD-Roms and the Internet.

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PRODUCTION PHOTOS

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