Drama Centre Graduate Production 2022:

As a child, Mili loved to put on shows for her family, take advantage of birthday parties where she would perform self-choreographed dances with her best friend, and in her spare time absorb any movie she had access to. Mili was born in Montenegro, then lived in Italy till she was 5, in Serbia till she was 14, in Sydney till she was 16 and has been living in Adelaide since. As she was exposed to different people, cultures, and languages from a very young age, she always felt the need to understand people and their journey, and therefore she finds great joy in learning and storytelling.

After winning the Drama Academic Award in year 11 in Brighton Secondary School, Mili was motivated to look more into acting, and after finishing high school, she was accepted into Flinders Drama Centre. Whilst at Drama Centre, she has performed a range of roles including Agnes/Ensemble in Alice Birch’s Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (Dir. Anthony Nicola), Ms Antrobus in Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth (Dir. Renato Musolino),  ensemble in Fassbinder’s  Pre Paradise Sorry Now (Dir. Tom Healey), Young Emily/Mrs Soames in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (Dir. Genevieve Mooy), Tami Timko (converted from Tim Timko)/Trish/Talk Show Host in Craig Lucas’s Reckless (Dir. James Wardlaw), Sorina (converted from Sorin) in Chekov’s The Seagull (Dir. Connor Reidy), and Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s Macbeth in a scene showing (Dir. James Wardlaw). Whilst at Drama Centre, Mili has also performed in various short films.

After graduating, Mili is looking forward to continuing her journey of learning and creating, hoping to challenge her skills in the film industry as well as continue making theatre and devised pieces. 

Growing up as a competitive dancer, Ella has always possessed a desire to tell stories. Through it wasn’t until her discovery of acting in high school that this passion became fully realised, having never been a stranger to the stage since. 

Ella has performed a variety of roles including ensemble member in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Pre-Paradise, Sorry Now (dir. Tom Healey) Emily Webb in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (dir. Genevieve Mooy), Elizabeth/Nicki/Isabelle in Keziah Warner’s Control (dir. Connor Reidy), Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare's Richard III, ensemble member in Alice Birch’s Revolt, She Said. Revolt Again. (dir. Anthony Nicola), Arkadina in Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull (dir. Connor Reidy) and lastly Gladys Antrobus in Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth (dir. Renato Musolino). 

Amongst her stage credits, Ella has acted in a number of student films, as well as directing a film titled Under the Influence for the 48-film festival in 2021. Amongst these roles, Ella has utilised her time at Drama Centre writing short film and theatre scripts, and further developing her singing and dancing skills. 

After graduating, Ella is eager to pursue a career in the film and television industry, embracing every opportunity to further develop her craft.

Enchanted by cinema from birth, Rhys was awoken to his love of performance at the age of six after an acting coach, who saw Rhys in a Kids Club on holiday, tracked his father down in a bar and strongly recommended that he enrol his son into acting lessons. Ever since, Rhys has been passionate in his pursuit of the profession, simultaneously attending multiple acting schools and earning roles since age eleven in television and radio.

During his time at Flinders University Drama Centre, Rhys has had the opportunity to perform in a substantial variety of roles, Including as an ensemble member in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Pre-Paradise Sorry-Now (Dir. Tom Healey), George Gibbs in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (Dir. Genevieve Moy), the Protagonist in Neil Labute’s Bash: Iphigenia in Orem (Dir. Connor Reidy). Macbeth in Macbeth (Dir. James Wardlaw) Chunk in Patricia Cornelius’ The Call (Dir. Tom Healey), Trigorin In Benedict Andrews’ The Seagull: After Anton Checkov and George Antrobus in Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth.

He has also edited, shot and acted in multiple short films including a 35-minute film at the end of his third year. 

Rhys is passionate, prepared and looking forward to embracing the challenges and opportunities of future projects and expanding his capabilities in both theatre, film and television. He is also eager to contribute and involve himself directorially in the Australian film industry.   

From a young age, Dion discovered his love for acting through the mix of constantly watching films as well as extremely enjoying the sense of play with friends. Throughout a tumultuous journey of different paths after school, Dion’s passion for acting never disappeared, and so he auditioned for Flinders Drama Centre.

Dion has performed in several different roles throughout his time acting. These roles include a large number of characters from Reiner Warner Fassbinder’s Pre-Paradise, Sorry Now (dir. Tom Healey), the loving father Mr Webb in a production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (dir. Genevieve Mooy), the gentle and considerate Lloyd in Craig Lucas’ Reckless (dir. James Wardlaw). Dion has also played an old tap-dancing Hollywood star in a monologue from Pompeii LA by Declan Greene (dir. Tom Healey), as well as Medvedenko in Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull (dir. Connor Reidy). Dion also enjoys exploring character variation, which his was able to do in Alice Birch’s anti-patriarchal play Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (dir. Anthony Nicola) and Thornton Wilder’s metatheatrical piece The Skin of our Teeth (dir. Renato Musolino).

Dion has also worked on short film roles outside of Drama Centre, including the 2018 Flinders film students Honours film, I am Delta (dir. Tom Goldblatt). Dion intends to continue his work as an actor with the aim of constantly learning and expanding his repertoire, as well as wanting to produce his own works after leaving with hopes to explore film and theatre writing and directing.

Chrissy first discovered her love of performing arts at a young age, finding her passion in multiple youth groups throughout her childhood and teenage years. She has been a member of the Australian Girls Choir, SAYarts, Actors Ink and, after a gap year from high school, Chrissy decided to follow these passions and was accepted in Flinders University Drama Centre. 

During her four years of training, Chrissy had the opportunity to perform in a variety of roles including, Blanche in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire (Dir. Tom Healey), Dinah, Boss and ensemble member in Alice Birch’s Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (Dir. Anthony Nicola), Dr. Dorn in Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull (Dir. Connor Reidy), Ariel in Shakespeare’s The Tempest (Dir. James Wardlaw), Rebecca Gibbs, Professor Willard and Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (Dir. Genevieve Mooy), Laura, Caroline and Esta in Keziah Warner’s Control (Dir. Connor Reidy), Fortune Teller in Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth (Dir. Renato Musolino) and as an ensemble member in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Pre-Paradise Sorry-Now (Dir. Tom Healey). 

Chrissy also performed main roles in many short films during her time at Drama Centre, many of which she co-produced, edited and wrote. Outside of Drama Centre, she has collaborated on and featured in multiple short films, music videos and other short projects with up-and-coming young filmmakers, including Mayah Salter and Scarlett Scherer of Pistol Shrimp. 

After graduation, Chrissy is driven to make empowering and provocative film and theatre, with a particular passion towards feminist and LGBT+ art. With lived experience in both fields, and a strong drive to create change through her work, Chrissy is excited to continue to create art and develop her acting in future film and theatre projects.  

Zoe’s love of acting sparked at eight-years-old when she joined a performance arts group. However, it was not until her later teen years that she discovered that this passion moved beyond a hobby and into a desired career path. The creativity and specificity necessary within acting drew Zoe in, but it was the endless possibilities of exploration and character creation that kept her there. 

During Zoe’s time at Drama Centre, she has had the opportunity to perform a variety of roles, with different stylistic focuses, including; an ensemble member in Pre-Paradise Sorry Now by Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Dir. Tom Healey), Mrs. Webb in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (Dir. Genevieve Mooy), Pooty in Craig Lucas’ Reckless (Dir. James Wardlaw), Denise in Patricia Cornelius’ The Call (Dir. Tom Healey), Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest (James Wardlaw), Nina in The Seagull by Benedict Andrews after Anton Chekhov (Dir. Connor Reidy), and the Dinosaur, Announcer, and Ivy in Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth (Dir. Renato Musolino). She also starred, co-wrote, and produced an original short film called Damaged, (Dir. Tait Muller) with five of her class members in 2021.

Zoe is looking forward to producing her own work, using her skills to develop characters in both film and theatre. She believes in the relevancy of political art and will continue to investigate its heart. 

As a young child, Elvy-Lee was always singing, dancing, and acting- at home and at school. She knew immediately that she wanted to be a performer after watching Jerry Lewis films and the Vietnamese musical show series, Paris by Night, at the age of 6. In her early teens, Elvy-Lee found joy in all types of artistic expression which then grew to a more serious passion for her, such as playing the piano, hip-hop and jazz dance, visual arts, writing and photography. After dreaming of becoming a K-Pop idol, at the age of 16, Elvy-Lee realised drama and theatrical storytelling was her future. 

Training at Drama Centre, Elvy-Lee has had the opportunity to play a range of diverse roles such as Myra and various characters in Pre-Paradise Sorry Now by Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Dir. Tom Healey, 2019), Mrs. Gibbs in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (Dir. Genevieve Mooy, 2020), Doctors 1-6, Roy, TV Show Announcer, Receptionist in Reckless by Craig Lucas (Dir. James Wardlaw, 2021),  Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (Dir. James Wardlaw, 2021), Alice Birch’s Revolt She Said Revolt Again (Dir. Anthony Nicola, 2021) as Worker, Employee and ensemble member, Masha in The Seagull by Benedict Andrews, after Anton Chekhov (Dir. Connor Reidy, 2021) and Sabina in Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth (Dir.Renato Musolino, 2022). Elvy-Lee has also been involved in several short films at Drama Centre, as well as starring in Under the Influence (Dir. Ella Le Fournour) for the 48-hour film festival in 2021. 

Elvy-Lee hopes to evolve her craft as an actor on stage, as well as film and TV, and is eager to create socially and politically charged work and is looking forward to making her professional debut in November, at the State Theatre Company of South Australia, as Mei in Single Asian Female. 

James’ fierce appetite for acting and storytelling sprouted from performances of Grease to hotel audiences at 7 years old and a healthy, but perhaps excessive, love of video rentals. He continued to be involved in performance throughout his childhood and teen years, from directing short stop motion films to acting in school productions and youth theatre. 

Since joining Drama Centre, James’ performances have included: Mr Fitzpatrick in Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth (Dir. Renato Musolino), Shamrayev in The Seagull, by Benedict Andrews after Anton Chekhov (Dir. Connor Reidy), Gary in Patricia Cornelius’ The Call (Dir. Tom Healey), Macbeth (Dir. James Wardlaw), Andrew and Alex in Keziah Warner’s Control (Dir. Connor Reidy), Dr Gibbs and Sam Craig in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (Dir. Genevieve Mooy), ensemble member in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Pre-Paradise Sorry Now.

Beyond these roles, James has had the opportunity to act in and edit multiple films from 2-minute shorts to a 35-minute feature. 

James is keen to get involved in creating passionate, challenging and political work be it on stage or screen. 

Wayne Harrison is one of Australia’s most sought-after theatre directors and creative producers, working in Australia and internationally. As Director/CEO of Sydney Theatre Company from 1990 to 1999 he directed over 40 productions including The Normal Heart, A Little Night Music, Dead White Males, Into the Woods, Medea and Two Weeks With the Queen.

Wayne’s recent directing credits include Orry (Gentleman George Productions, Hollywood), Human Nature - Jukebox (The Venetian, Las Vegas), Young & Jackson (45DS, Melbourne), The One Day of the Year (Finborough Theatre, London), Shellshock (Riverside Theatres, Parramatta), Letter to Larry (Theatre Nesle, Paris), For Crying Out Loud (The Grand Theatre, Ontario, Canada), Human Nature -The Motown Show (The Venetian, Las Vegas), The Choir of Man (Darwin Festival), RU4Me (Australian tour), Celebrity Autobiography and Love, Loss, and What I Wore (for the Sydney Opera House) and Sunday in the Park with George (NIDA, Sydney).

Wayne was the Creative Director of the New Year’s Eve Celebrations on Sydney Harbour from 2005 to 2007, and the Director of the Closing Ceremony for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.