student handbook 2022 1 Showfit has fast become one of Australia’s most vital courses for young performers — Music Showfit is a 1 year full- time Musical Theatre course with the optional 2nd year for students who wish to further develop their training. Students will work alongside Australia's elite musical theatre teachers as well as industry professionals from around the world. Dance We provide our graduates with a strong skill base across all disciplines of musical theatre. We strongly believe that the best training for our industry should be practical, flexible, personalized and of the highest standard and relevance. In order to serve this best, Showfit Drama remains a non-accredited course, meaning that students are ineligible for government supports such as Centrelink or HECS-HELP, however this allows us to remain as relevant and flexible as possible with our syllabus. Showfit provides a strong grounding in acting technique including Stanislavsky fundamentals, voice, movement, scene work and improvisation. Students are also trained in audition technique and study the history of musical theatre. Many students have found Showfit to be the perfect bridging course to go on and further their studies at WAAPA, VCA and NIDA. Other Showfit students have started working within the profession straight away. 2 3 Katherine Tonkin Head of Acting Mathew Frank Head of Music Leanne White Head of Dance Freya List Dance Co-ordinator Katherine has worked with a number Mathew Frank has worked throughout Leanne danced professionally for over 23 years Freya List is an innovative Australian of Australia’s leading mainstage and Australia and internationally as a Musical in shows such as Evita, Oklahoma, Song and choreographer with a unique approach to independent theatre companies, as Director, Conductor, Composer, Performer Dance (where she was nominated for an “Adam story telling. Having trained and created works well as playing to festivals both and Vocal Coach. Mathew was most Award”), Cats (as the original Dance Captain), in Melbourne, New York and Europe, Freya’s nationally and overseas. Her theatre recently composer/sound designer for Possum Magic and Joseph and the Amazing choreography can most recently be seen in credits include: Cosi (Melbourne MTC's An Ideal Husband, Lady in the Van, Technicolor Dreamcoat (Dance Captain and Bright Star (Pursued By Bear), The Children (Dir. Theatre Company/Sydney Theatre Born Yesterday and Skylight. Previously lead dancer). Her extensive TV work includes; Sarah Goodes, Melbourne Theatre Company Company); Abigail’s Party, Three Little he was the Musical Director of Jerry’s The AFI Awards, The Don Lane Show, The & Sydney Theatre Company), RENT (Dir. Words, The Cherry Orchard, Girls, La Cage Aux Folles and The Pirates Mike Walsh Show and several variety specials. Mark Taylor, James Terry Collective), A View Apocalypse Bear Trilogy, Cloud Nine, of Penzance for The Production Company. From The Bridge (Dir. Iain Sinclair, Melbourne and Explorations: A Streetcar Named From 1993 to 1995 Leanne was Resident Director Theatre Company), Kabaret Dietrich (Fringe Desire (Melbourne Theatre Company); Other shows include; A Funny Thing of Cats throughout Asia and Australia and Festival), Woodes Tour, Melbourne Spring You and Me and the Space Between Happened on the Way to the Forum with Resident Choreographer on Sunset Boulevard Fashion Week & Chelsea Wilson Album Launch. (Malthouse Theatre/MIAF/Terrapin Geoffrey Rush at Her Majesty’s Theatre, at the Regent Theatre. In 1998 she was Associate Puppet Theatre); The Histrionic and Private Lives (composer/musical director), Choreographer with Anthony Van Laast for Freya’s screen choreography and credits Baal (Sydney Theatre Company/ Next to Normal and The Drowsy Chaperone The Boy From Oz and continued to maintain involve: Utopia (Dir. Rob Sitch, ABC), The Doctor Malthouse Theatre); The Wild Duck, for the Melbourne Theatre Company. Mathew the choreography throughout its Australian Blake Mysteries (ABC/ Seven Network), Good and Elektra Orestes (Belvoir); was also the Associate Musical Director on the run. In 1999 she was flown to London by Paul Morning America, The Pacific Conversation Piece (Lucy Guerin Inc/ Company’s productions of Poor Boy, The 25th Dainty to meet with Arlene Phillips, the director (Dreamworks) , the Australian Dance feature Belvoir); Tame, OT: Chronicles of the Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (and STC of Saturday Night Fever, to consult on casting film UP HERE (Project Y), Neighbours Old Testament (Malthouse Theatre); season), Urinetown (and STC season), and the the show in Australia. She was also Associate (Network Ten), and has been involved in The Eisteddfod (Stuck Pigs Assistant Musical Director on The Sapphires. Choreographer on Happy Days the Arena music videos for Hopium, Sex on Toast, Squealing/Malthouse Theatre/Brisbane Mega Musical, original casting consultant on Thelma Plum, Dustin Tebbutt and Braille Powerhouse/Downstairs Belvoir); He was Musical Director/Arranger of the Mamma Mia, Choreographer for the Production Face. Freya loves the relationship between Gilgamesh (Uncle Semolina & smash hit Britney Spears: The Cabaret, Company’s, Mack and Mabel and choreographed music and dance, resulting in the event series Friends/MIAF/Sydney Opera House/ which has played London & Adelaide, Sydney, Putting It Together at Chapel Off Chapel. Playing Field. Freya has creatively been Barbican UK/Festival of Australian Brisbane and Melbourne over the last 5 years involved with many festivals, music launches, Theatre in China); Smashed (Griffin and recently did the same jobs on Rhonda Leanne has dedicated her professional charity events, corporate performances & Independent); I Heart John McEnroe Burchmore’s Vinyl Viagra and Christie Whelan- life to resident directing, choreographing, creative projects, including the premier of own (Uninvited Guests/Theatreworks); Browne’s Show People for the Adelaide performing and teaching. With more than show Half Full (Collaboration The Project). Dybbuks (Chamber Made Opera/ Cabaret Festival. With writing partner Dean 40 years experience in the performing arts Theatreworks): Duets for Lovers and Bryant, he composed the musical Prodigal, industry, she brings a broad repertoire of Freya has performed, taught & choreographed Dreamers (Insite Arts/45downstairs) first produced at Chapel Off Chapel in 2000 experience. At Showfit, Leanne has drawn on throughout Australia, Europe, America, and 3XSisters (Hayloft Project). As a (Green Room Award for Best Original Score) her extensive knowledge to assemble some Singapore, Cambodia and India, where Freya writer she co-devised and performed and revived at fortyfivedownstairs. Prodigal of Australia's finest Musical Theatre teachers. works with CERES Global to create trips and in Xenides - The Musical, and co- became the first Australian musical produced opportunities to teach dance for relationship adapted for the stage Anton in New York City, with its Off-Broadway development in different communities. Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, both debut at the York Theatre Company in 2002. for Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA. Other shows with Bryant include Once Screen credits include Preacher We Lived Here (Green Room Award for (Series 4), My First Summer, Best New Musical) fortyfivesdownstairs, Wentworth (Series 7), The BBQ, My Brilliant Career, Virgins: A Musical Macbeth, Nowhere Boys (Series 4), Threesome (six Green Room nominations) The Future is Expensive, Winners and Malthouse and presented at the New York Losers (Series 3 and 4), City Musical Theatre Festival, and an adaptation Homicide (Series 3 and 4), of Sonya Hartnett’s The Silver Donkey. With Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Snake 20 years experience in the musical theatre Tales and Kick. Katherine is a profession, Mathew has combined his skills graduate of the Western Australian to direct and develop one of the most elite Academy of Performing Arts and musical theatre courses in the country. proud member of Actors’ Equity. 4 5 Alinta Extended Faculty: Chidzey, Christie Whelan-Browne, Christina Bianco, Dean Bryant, Eddie Perfect, Esther Hanniford, Dana Jolly, Grant Dale, Justine Puy, Lisa-Marie Parker, Luke Alleva, Mark Constable, Lucas White, Wei Wei Zhang, Michael Lavine, Michael Ralph, Natalie Gamsu, Robert Sturrock, Remy Noonan,Rohan Browne, Sally-Anne Upton, Sarah Landy, Simon Gleeson, Sue E l l e n S h o o k , S u z a n n e H e y w o o d , V e r i t y H u n t - Ballard,6 Zachary Ruano7 Course fees & payment 1.1 FEE PAYMENT OPTION 1.3 LATE FEES All fees are expected to be paid by the due date Option 1 - Upfront: on the issued invoice or at the latest by the sec- $1,500 for the deposit of due Wednesday ond week of each term. 17th December. If term fees still remain outstanding one month after the due date, a 10% late fee will be added Discounted fee is $12,500 must be paid in to your invoice. full by Monday 24th Jan 2022 If you require a payment plan, an email request Payment Schedule 2 – Term by Term: must be sent to the accounts department only at ($13,000) Total paid in four installments of [email protected] request- $2, 875, *as per payment due dates ing a payment plan be set up with suggested frequency of payments and amounts to be paid. [listed below] An administration fee of $10.00 will be payable and added to each term invoice for which the 1.2 PAYMENT OPTIONS payment plan applies. Payment can be made by Cheque, Cash, All payment plan payments must be finalized EFTPOS or Direct Credit* into our account. by the last week of the appropriate term and cannot be carried over into the following term Please note when paying by EFTPOS credit card unless discussed personally with Ian or Leanne there is a 1.5% surcharge. White and then an email forwarded to accounts confirming the same. Direct Deposit – Centrestage Group P/L 1.4 STUDENT DISMISSAL & REFUND POLICY ANZ BSB: 013 236 We pride ourselves on providing the highest level of Musical Theatre tuition possible for Account: 489 734 439 young adults.