PLAYMATES 2017
JUDGES AND HOSTS

7:30PM SATURDAY 2nd DECEMBER
PROJECT CENTRAL
130 Keira Street Wollongong
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Playmates Host: BRADLEY WARD – Black Box Theatre

Bradley graduated from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Performance (Acting) in 2013, and has acted in over 20 productions in the years since. While the majority of these roles have been in traditional plays and musicals, Bradley has tried whenever possible to do new and interesting things; he has twice represented Black Box Theatre at Short + Sweet Sydney, including their 2017 Gala Finalist play “Time Squad”; He has performed in the premiere shows of two different Improv Troupes – “The Improverts” by The Improverts, and “Attack of the 50ft Improv” by Room for Improvement; and he had the pleasure of writing, directing and acting in the verbatim piece “Beautiful Chaotic Nonsense” in 2016. Some of Bradley’s favourite past productions include: Our Country’s Good, The Seagull, The Hatpin, Oh! It’s A Lovely War, Godspell, Three Sisters and Woyzeck.

Playmates Timekeeper: Alex Perritt – Black Box Theatre

Alex has been involved in theatre since the age of 8. Growing up in a family of actors, writers and directors, He has been creatively focused for most of his life, even putting on elaborate puppet shows in his backyard. Alex spent about 10 years doing theatre in Nowra and the Shoalhaven area then went on to study acting at the University of Wollongong. He recently spent 3 years living in Auckland, New Zealand where he got to do a bit of work in film. He is currently back at university repenting for a life of creativity by doing a ‘real’ degree, though he is discouraged from saying what it is.

PLAYMATES JUDGES 2017

MARK CLEARY  Founder / Creative Direcor Short+Sweet International

Mark Cleary is a writer, director and producer. He is the founder and creative director of Short+Sweet, the hugely successful Australian homegrown 10 minute play festival that is rapidly expanding around the country and the world with programs in theatre, music and dance in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, New Zealand,  USA and beyond.

He was artistic director of Newtown Theatre for 17 years and the Founder and inaugural chairman of the Newtown Entertainment Precinct Association which owns and manages the Sydney Fringe Festival. Before his full-time involvement in the arts he was a journalist, editor and publisher for newspapers and magazines and, in another incarnation, copywriter, creative director and partner in a Sydney based advertising agency.

NICK BOLTON – Ten Alphas

Nick Bolton is an actor, director and producer in film, video and theatre. His production company TEN ALPHAS creates content like TVC’s and branded content for Mission Australia, Telstra, Google, and more.

He recently produced and acted in the Australian feature film Rough Stuff, and has two documentaries out in the next 6months.

Nick has acted on most of the stages in Sydney, in over a dozen TVC’s, too many corporate pieces to mention, and on TV shows like The Killing Ground, Deadly Women.

He made his Illawarra stage debut in Luke Berman’s ‘Our Country’s Good‘ for Roo Theatre earlier this year and promises not to be biased towards his fellow cast members performing in tonight’s Playmates. Word.

MICHELLE RAKOS – The Improverts

From the age of 16, Michelle has been involved in improvised theatre. First as part of a national championship winning team in Canada, and later as a team member, host, developer and director of over 40 improv shows.

She has appeared in many theatre productions over the years, written and directed many plays, taught drama to high school students for 5 years, taught drama at a specialty school, was a developer of a mobile children’s theatre troop and has appeared in a few movies. She now moonlights as an inventor and hopes to make ‘Squirrel Underpants’ (patent pending) the new way that people connect with nature.

*Note that ‘Squirrel Underpants’ are not to be misconstrued as underpants for squirrels, that is Michelle’s next big invention, and will be called ‘Underpants for Squirrels.’ the overwhelming response to the Go Fund Me campaign has indicated that they will be the next Fidget Spinners. Also coming, Fidget Spinners for squirrels (still in the development stage).

TOM PEACH – Writer, Director

Tom Peach is one of the area’s leading playwrights, and an experienced director and actor. His most recent play “The Old Viaduct Hotel” was performed in Kings Cross to great reviews and his most recent directorial work, “The Importance of Being Earnest“, played to a sold out run in Stanwell Park. Tom’s next play “Badda Bing Badda Bang” is on in the Short and Sweet Sydney Wildcards season, and he is directing a play in the Top 80.

Tom has a notorious inability to write comedy, although he appreciates it in other people.