Current Committee

Lindsay Dunn

President

2020 - Present

Lindsay has been part of TASA since 2019. Worked in performing arts since 1976 and is an accomplished singer/guitarist. As an actor, he has worked with over 15 different community theatre companies in Adelaide, including Adelaide Rep, University Theatre Guild, Galleon, Hills Musical Company, Marie Clark, Stirling Players, St Jude’s, Therry and Red Phoenix.

Jacqui Wall

Treasurer

2014 - Present

Involved in theatre since 1980, with Scout Performing Arts then later branching out to TASA companies. Jacqui has been involved in many aspects of theatre including: cast, directing, production and stage management and most other departments. Jacqui has been fortunate to learn lighting from some of the best including Bill Everett of Apollo Lighting.

David Smith

Secretary & Review Coordinator

2017 - Present

David’s long involvement in community theatre began in Adelaide and continued for some decades in Port Augusta, Whyalla, Kapunda and the Barossa, and for one year, McAllen, Texas, USA. He is a performer, director, writer and former secondary school Drama teacher. He sings in the Adelaide Harmony Choir.

Alan Shepley

Vice President

2019 - Present

Whilst at University and Adelaide Teachers College he performed with Adelaide Uni Footlights, Therry and Theatre Guild before being appointed to country teaching positions. Over 35 years he was involved with school and/or community theatre productions in all facets of getting a show on stage at Pt. Augusta, Kadina , Balaklava and Pt. Pirie.

Michelle Nightingale

Committee Member

Michelle is a multi-talented performer, a stage, television and film actor, singer, voice over artist, singing/acting coach, and director. Michelle’s theatre credits include Marry Me A Little (SOSA); La Boehme (SOSA); A Nightingale Sings…; Born to Run (2013 Adelaide Cabaret Festival) and the role of Laura Jesson in Brief Encounter (STC), the Australian tour for the UK's Kneehigh Theatre. In 2018 she appeared in the adaptation of the Tim Winton book That Eye the Sky (STC); Liz Essendine in Present Laughter (2022) and various male and female roles in The Scarlett Pimpernel (2023)l for Blue Sky Theatre. Most recently Michelle was seen playing Mary Anning in A Curious Thing: The Story of Mary Anning for Heaps Good Productions during the Fringe 2023. Michelle’s television and film credits include: - Netflix series, Second Chance; Here’s the Beat; The Music Shop; Living English; McLeod’s Daughters and as the weather presenter on ABC news. Michelle has had roles in such films as Three Summers; The Babadook; Closed for Winter; Ten Empty, Storm Boy and Escape from Pretoria starring Daniel Radcliffe. Michelle voices the character of Claire on the SBS and Audible series of Danger 5. A performing arts educator for over 25 years, Michelle’s experience ranges from directing music/movement programs for preschoolers, to vocal coaching, audition preparation and acting workshops for all ages and abilities. Michelle also is a Director and Musical Director engaged by several local youth theatre companies and schools and has recently launched Limelight Theatrics – extreme theatre for youth.

Ben Proeve

Committee Member

Ben’s involvement with theatre began as a student performing with the Hills Youth Theatre at the picturesque Stirling Community Theatre. This kickstarted his passion for writing, directing and performing, and after graduating he went on to teach at HYT as their Seniors Tutor, writing and directing several successful productions to showcase the talent of their massive ensemble. He has also worked with Adelaide companies such as Top of The Torrens Theatre Group, Stirling Players and Deadset Theatre Company, including performing in Deadset’s 2022 production of Puberty Blues. Ben’s involvement has also found him on the other side of the curtain, filling such roles as backstage crew, sound editing, lighting operation, set painting, as well as helping to manage the website for Hills Youth Theatre and the social media pages for both HYT and the Stirling Players. He is currently studying at Flinders University to become a secondary drama and mathematics teacher and works part-time as a student support officer. He is passionate about theatre as a means of shedding light on social issues and providing a voice for young people, and is keen to be part of the TASA committee as their Youth Member and support youth theatre in Adelaide.

Peta Bowey

Committee Member

2020 - Present

Peta has been performing on the South Coast since she was a child. She enjoys and has experience in all aspects of theatre, including directing, costumes, performing, stage managing, production and make-up. Peta is Zest Theatre Group’s current President and has directed and co-directed the last 8 shows with Zest.

Lance Morgan

Committee Member

2020 - Present

Starting in 1972 as a curtain attendant in Scout Performing Arts Lance has mostly stayed behind the scenes filling roles across several City, Country & interstate TASA Member & Non-member Companies & Major Events as a Stage Crew, Design, Lighting, Construction, Fly’s, Prop’s, Make-up, FOH & Stage Management. Lance is the current President – since 2001 – of The Two Wells Melodrama Group. Currently employed in the wholesale produce industry after long career as a health & muscle technician he counts many of his closest friendships to be with fellow Theatrical enthusiast’s. The annual Christmas Pageant; Wicked & We will Rock You with MBM; Paris with Wall/Marie Clarke; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dusty & Beauty and the Beast with NLTC; Arena Crew Leader for the Adelaide International Tattoo and TWMG winning Local & SA Gov awards as Highlights of his time in Theatre.

Lance Jones

Committee Member

Lance has been on stage either as an actor or a musician since he was four years old. A one-time Radio DJ, Lance has toured Australia and SE Asia as a musician supporting numerous big-name bands, culminating in a top 40 album appearance in Singapore. His theatre exploits have seen him slot into various quirky roles such as “Bill” in “Mamma Mia!” for the Met, “Eli Whitney” in “Anything Goes” for Marie Clarke, “Joseph Buquet” in “Phantom of the Opera” for G&S and as the archetypal character “Dad” in the critically acclaimed production of the two-hander play “VOID” at HOTA on The Gold Coast, where he also sang three songs that he wrote the music for. A Barrister by trade, “Professor Lance” lectures in law both in Australia and Internationally in SE Asia, The Pacific and India. His current artistic exploits mostly involve his passion project “The Sneaky Little Band”, playing shows in and around Adelaide.

Liliana Ciobanu

Committee Member

Liliana Ciobanu Liliana has been contributing to theatrical life of South Australia since she moved to Adelaide from Moldova in 2004. Despite the change in her career direction after she received her PhD (Medicine) at the University of Adelaide in 2019 - she has over 30 years of experience in the performing arts field, having primarily worked as a professional ballet teacher and choreographer - as well as having been acting and directing for community theatres, and involved with musical performances for community orchestras for many years as a violinist and a singer for the Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus. She is passionate about progressing Adelaide’s theatrical community and continues to contribute to a plethora of state productions as an actress, choreographer, and director. She is excited to breathe new life to the South Australian theatre community and aims to provide a diverse perspective on theatrical traditions in South Australia through the founding of the multicultural Russian-speaking community theatre, Teatroff Drama - as well as continuing to blend her diverse experiences in the performing arts to create unique performances.

TASA Shop

Helen Wheadon

Committee Member

Helen performed in choirs and musicals in her early years but took an extended hiatus from performing while playing mum (and stage mum). She returned to musical theatre in 2019, initially starting with set building and quickly moving on to performing as well once she decided that being on stage looked like too much fun to resist! Her involvement in set building was inspired by the memory of her late father George Wheadon who helped Therry behind the scenes in the 1960s – and helped by the fact she loves wielding power tools! Helen performed in Marie Clark Musical Theatre’s 2019 production of Once Upon A Mattress, Marie Clark Musical Theatre’s 2021 and 2022 productions of The Producers, The Met’s 2022 production of Hello Dolly. She is also a singer in The Sneaky Little Band.

Warren McKenzie

Webmaster

2019 - Present

Warren has been involved in theatre for more than thirty years, during which he has enjoyed being involved in many aspects of bringing a show to the stage, from acting, producing, directing, sound and lighting, to set construction. He did stints as Treasurer and President of the Whyalla Players, and he is one of their Life Members. Warren has directed numerous musicals, plays, pantomimes and theatre restaurant productions, including The Phantom of the Opera for the Whyalla Players in 2014. He has directed numerous shows for Galleon Theatre Group. Warren co-wrote and directed the Mystic Dr. Drake radio plays that were displayed on The Adelaide Repertory YouTube channel in 2020. He works professionally in Information Technology.

Previous Committees