Staff

Melinda Hetzel – Interim Artistic Director/CEO

Melinda Hetzel has been directing and devising dynamic, ensemble-based theatre for over ten years. Since graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts (2000), she has presented a wide range of work nationally as well as in Singapore and Germany. Melinda is founding member and artistic director of Melbourne-based theatre company, Peepshow Inc. The company works mainly in non-traditional venues, blending visual, physical and sensory theatre to create visually stunning, immersive performances. She has directed and co-devised the company’s work to date, including The Lost Story of the Magdalen Asylum, (Abbotsford Convent, 2010) nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Site-specific Performance. Melinda’s recent collaborations with young artists include The Eavesdropping Project (St Martins Youth Arts Centre, 2009) and performance workshop, U (Signal, 2011).

Sarah Austin – Artistic Director

Sarah graduated with honours from the Victorian College of the Arts in 1999 and then went on to complete a Masters in Creative Arts (Theatre Studies) in 2004. She has worked as a theatre director, writer and curator in arts companies in both Australia and overseas. Sarah founded and is Artistic Director of independent theatre company Aubergine Theatre which received Australia Council funding to stage The Not Yet Beautiful Girl (written by Ricci-Jane Adams) in 2004. She has worked as a Festival Director on Mudfest 9 and until recently was working in the Creative Programmes team in Manchester, UK at arts organisation Urbis. She has collaborated with a number of international artists and arts companies; commissioning live art events and performances, interventions and projects, devising performance works and curating international conferences.

Clare Carmody – Executive Producer

Clare grew up in programs similar to St Martins’ and, inspired by this experience, she has committed her career to arts engagement with young people.  She was an active member of Backbone Youth Arts from the ages of four to 25, where she cut her teeth as a workshop facilitator and mentoree on the 2high Festival.  Then, she worked as a producer of youth arts programs including Ann’s Street Party and the World Interplay Festival.  In 2006 Clare was awarded the Lord Mayors Creative Sparks Young and Emerging Artists Fellowship to run the youth and children’s program for the Auckland Festival.  Following that, Clare worked for five years in local government running community cultural development programs with a special focus on intercultural youth theatre and youth lead processes.

Clare has a Bachelor of Creative Industries (theatre studies) from QUT and is studying for her Masters of Business Administration at Melbourne Business School.  She sits on the Yarra Arts Advisory Panel and the Board of the Clifton Hill/Fitzroy North Bendigo Community Bank.

Nic Barclay- Production and Operations Manager

Nic’s first professional engagements included working as a Stage Manager and Set Designer at St Martins in 1990.

Nic Stage Managed tours of Wogarama, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Dusty Springfield Story, Possum Magic and Certified Male.

He went on to spend over ten years alternating between being a Stage Manager for commercial musicals (Buddy, Beauty & The Beast, Sisterella, Fiddler on the Roof)and Production Manager for Token Events, touring Australia with many of todays top comedians (Rove, Dave Hughes, Tripod, Peter Helliar, Judith Lucy, Bob Downe, Lano & Woodley)

Nic toured with Miss Saigon to Asia in 2001 and was Site Manager for David Aitkens The Man from Snowy River, Arena spectacular in 2003.

Nic worked for Sydney Festival at the Opera House (1998 & 1999) and Melbourne Festival (2003 & 2004) as an Event Co-ordinator with international companies.

More recently, he spent four years as Production Manager at Union House Theatre, two years as Venue and Production Operations manager at The National Institute of Circus Arts and is now thrilled to join the team at St Martins as Production and Operations Manager.

Katrine Gabb – Access Officer

Katrine Gabb recognises the potential impact of positive art and performance experiences for all people. This commitment to inclusivity has shaped her career. She has been making high quality art and performance with actors with disabilities for sixteen years. In that time, she has worked with Art Day South, Way Out West – Arts Access, Artlife – Footscray Community Arts Centre, DVA Theatre Company, Theatre of Speed, Club Wild and the Art of Difference Festival, amongst others. She was central in the development of the Ignition Theatre Training course at NMIT (the first accredited theatre making course for people with disabilities in Australia) and has delivered training in creating theatre with performers with a disability here in Australia and overseas. She currently sits on the City of Melbourne Arts and Participation advisory panel.

Hannah Liddy- Associate Director

Hannah is a graduate of both the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne, she has a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Dramatic Arts, Acting (VCA). Hannah also completed a dance internship at Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre in NYC. As a performer Hannah has performed nationally and internationally and has appeared in Australian premieres of works by Meryl Tankard, Kate Champion, Louis Nowra, Michael Gow, Patricia Cornelius and Tanya Gerstle. She has worked as a Director, Choreographer and Theatre Maker with companies such as The Australian Theatre for Young People, The City of Sydney, The Sydney Dance Company, The Sony Foundation, The Australian Girls Choir, The National Institute of Youth Performing Arts and is a National Production Judge for the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge. Hannah has presented at the international conference for Religion, Literature and Art, has sat on various educational boards and was a regular panelist on 2UE radio’s Sunday Drive.

Bryony Hughes-  Administration & Communications Officer

Bryony Hughes has an undergraduate degree in Contemporary Art from  Deakin University and most recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Community Cultural Development at VCA. She has performed in fringe theatre around Melbourne, been a children’s environmental educator and has worked extensively, in both a paid and volunteer capacity, in  CCD theatre, music and community organisations. Bryony is currently a member of Choir Straights, a mash up pop choir, based in Melbourne.