Ben Jackson - Managing Director & Founder
An experienced performer, Ben's mission in life is to bring experiences to people to make a difference. As managing director, he oversees most areas of the business, including Tour Managing most tours, marketing, script writing, and most other areas of production; as well as performing on stage as well! Ben is committed to making your theatre experience a truly magical one, and looks forward to coming back year after year to once again exceed your expectations!

email: ben@alphashows.com.au


Laura Cooney - Creative Director
Laura is a resident director for Alpha, as well as heading up multiple areas of the company, including the School Holiday Program, Regional Development, Business Development and many other jobs that are left over at the end of the day! A graduate of the National Theatre, she is particularly passionate about helping children and communities experience our shows who would not normally have access to theatre of this standard. She also adores getting up on stage and interacting with children, actors, teachers and parents whenever she can. Highly experienced with all facets of production and performing, she is an indispensible part of the Alpha team.

email: laura@alphamedia.com.au


Matt Edwards - Alpha Ensemble
Matt has been performing for as long as he can remember. A graduate of the National Theatre and currently studying at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in Perth, Matt joined Alpha to take on the role of the Beast in our first tour, and now takes on the role whenever he can (when he's not in Perth!). He then expanded his role into Marketing and Sales combining his Commerce/marketing degree with his love of performing. Matt is now chipping in with anything that can be done from interstate so that he can continue to be involved with the company!

email: matt@alphamedia.com.au


Chris Bishop - Alpha Ensemble
Chris studied at WAAPA, graduating in 2004. He has toured with Alpha numerous times as both Jamie in Sleeping Beauty and Quasimodo in Hunchback. He also performs all over the country and is an accomplished singer. He is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet, and is loved by thousands of children all over Australia!

email: chris@alphashows.com.au


Laura Wilson - Alpha Ensemble
A very invaluable member of the Alpha team, Laura first performed the dual role of Fairy Floss/Mite in Sleeping Beauty's first tour in 2005. She then moved on to the very zany Madame DeVile in Hunchback, delighting children in audiences all over Victoria and South Australia. She has a background in childcare and is currently completing her Bachelor of Early Childhood. She loves musical theatre, having performed in many shows and recently in her dream role as 'Lizzie' in 'Baby'. Aside from acting in Alpha Shows, Laura is also an awesome van-packer, lunch organiser, office sorter outer, creative consultant, ideas woman, tour manager support person and generally a great person to have around!

email: laurawilson@alphashows.com.au


Anne-Marie Brownhill - Alpha Ensemble
Anne-Marie has studied classical singing since the age of 12. She has played the leads in Oklahoma, Les Mis, Iolanthe for various amateur companies in Victoria. Since finishing school she has been performing steadily at corporate functions, weddings and community events such as the Bayside City Carols. She is in her third year of an arts degree at Monash majoring in Theatre Studies and Literature. Of course, Anne has played Rose/Queen in Sleeping Beauty, Belle in Beauty and the Beast and in 2006 will take on the new role as the Fairy Godmother and one of the Ugly Stepsisters, Hormone! She loves doing children's theatre because she wants children of all backgrounds to be able to experience quality theatre and engage with the values and morals in Alpha Shows. Plus she just loves making people laugh! Anne is also an incredible Opera Singer and plans to pursue this in the future.

email: anne-marie@alphashows.com.au


Mark Sipple - Alpha Ensemble
Mark is an extremely versatile performer having toured in both Hunchack and Beauty and the Beast with Alpha. He has the unique ability to virtually perform any style of character whether that be principle boy and the brilliant singing required, or hilarious comedy characters! Mark studied at Theatre Nepean, graduating in 2002. Since then he has worked professionally in Channel 10's Jessica and Go Big series, numerous short films, and theatre including Shakespeare, Brecht and Moliere. He has also coached film students at AFTRS. Mark is an invaluable member of the 'actor alumni' at Alpha, contributing in many varied ways including helping with sales and creative production. In 2006 Mark returned to uni so isn't able to continue to join the casts of the shows, however he will always be part of the history of the company and return to performing in the future whenever he gets a chance!

email: mark@alphamedia.com.au


Luke Hines - Alpha Ensemble
Luke joined the company in 2005 to be the only second person to play the role of Luminaire (and Jiggins) - Luminaire being his dream role! Luke graduated BAPA (Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts) in 2004, and has performed in 'Merrily We Roll Along', '42nd Street', 'Kiss me Kate', 'Godspell' and 'The Wiz'. Luke has also toured with Opera Australia, Melbourne and Sydney season. Luke believes children's theatre is extremely important in social development in confidence and happiness and believes Alpha is a great opportunity for them to experience this growth!

email: luke@alphashows.com.au


Phil Jackson - Production Executive & Set Designer/Painter
Phil has been intricately involved with all aspects of production for all of Alpha's shows. The amazing sets and the backdrops, the style of which has become well known to all who see one of our productions, have all taken weeks and weeks of incredibly detailed and painstaking work. Phil also oversees, maintains and invents all aspects of a technical nature in Alpha's shows, including ingenius props like the glowing golden chalice. For more information on backdrop painting click here.

email: phil@alphamedia.com.au


Jodie Welch - Costume Designer
Jodie has designed and made by hand all of Alpha's costumes, and if you have seen one of our shows you would know of the brilliance that is created from her imagination! Jodie studied costumes at university and has since created many wonderful costumes. She enjoys the freedom she has with Alpha shows to come up with new designs and methods, especially with such fun and crazy scripts and characters to work with! She also has worked for many years in community theatre companies for absolutely nothing, so her passion and dedication is unquestioned! When Jodie isn't designing for Alpha, she also accepts contracts from other companies so if you are interested, email her.

email: jodie@alphamedia.com.au


Daniel Goodfellow - Music Director
Daniel trained in Music at the University of Melbourne. He was taught singing by Prof Lynette Casey-Brereton and holds an AMusA in Classical voice. Daniel's theatrical credits are primarily in the area of musical-theatre, having appeared in 'Little Shop of Horrors' (KICP), 'My Fair Lady' (Lyric Musical Theatre) 'Guys and Dolls' (Doorstep Productions), 'Les Miserables' (Whitehorse Music Theatre) and 'Jekyll and Hyde' (Nova Music Theatre). Daniel is also an aspiring Cabaret artist - his two show's, 'Just Being Honest' and 'Intervention' have played to audiences throughout Victoria. Daniel also recently launched a new company, 9 Minds, that recently had it's premiere season of "Angels with Dirty Faces" at the Arts Centre in Melbourne. Daniel usually helps out with Alpha's productions during the audition and rehearsal process on a contract basis, and also provides outstanding singing lessons so email him if you are interested.

email: daniel@alphamedia.com.au


Sue Russell (Nexus Arts) - Sales/Marketing
Sue is the owner and operator of Nexus Arts, a well-established and respected authority of theatre-in-education in Australia. Since approaching Alpha in 2004, Nexus Arts have worked alongside Alpha to help bring our magical shows to as many schools as possible.

email: nexusarts@netspace.net.au


Julie Jackson - Administration
A caring mother and wife, Julie is an experienced and former Primary School teacher, with many other friends and colleagues in education. After running the very successful Alpha Computers in Mornington for fourteen years, she now owns and operates WhiteChapel Receptions (where ATP is based) in Langwarrin, as well as the Administration and other essential roles within Alpha Media and Alpha Theatrical Productions.

email: julie@alphamedia.com.au


Megan Hoult - Co-Founder
A graduate of the National Theatre with many years of experience both in Australia and overseas, Megan is an exceptionally gifted performer, singer, dancer and director. Her passion and dedication helped make the company the success it is today. Having helped to start up Alpha in 2002, Megan is pursuing other interests and not currently directly involved in the company.

email: megan@alphamedia.com.au





Cast Members (current and past, in order of casting):

Ben Jackson - "Gaston, Mayor Devile, Evil Stepmother & Professor Bumblebore/King Bob" / email: ben@alphashows.com.au
Laura Cooney - "Belle/Aunty Meg" & "Maleficent" & "Trombone" / email: laura@alphamedia.com.au
Matt Edwards - "Beast/Prince Matthew" / email: matt@alphamedia.com.au
Andrew Priestly - "Luminaire/Jiggins" / email: andrew@alphamedia.com.au
Janine Atwill - "Scooter"
Alice Garrick - "Scooter"
Alex Lugli - "Mrs Potts/Papa Billy"
Emma Jones - "Scooter"
Georgia Van Cuylenburg - "Scooter"
Kris Beattie - "Mrs Potts/Papa Billy & Father Toogo/Jock the Croc"
Alex Barker - "Beast"
James Cutler - "Mrs Potts/Papa Billy" & "Jester / Headless Harry"
Christina Collard - "Scooter"
Gemma-Ashley Kaplan - "Esmerelda"
Dave Young - "Quasimodo"
Zoe Land - "Madame Devile"
Mark Sipple - "Jester / Headless Harry" & "Beast" / email: mark@alphamedia.com.au
Anne-Marie Brownhill - "Aurora/Rose and Queen", "Belle" & "Fairy Godmother / Hormone" / email: anne-marie@alphashows.com.au
Laura Wilson - "Fairy Floss/Mite" & "Madame Devile" / email: laurawilson@alphashows.com.au
Nick Bennett - "Andy/Veg"
Christopher Bishop - "Jamie" & "Quasimodo"
Shireen Morris - "Esmerelda"
Alex Emeljanow - "Scooter"
Luke Hines - "Luminaire / Jiggins"
Nathan Hunt - "Mrs Potts / Papa Billy"
Adrian Dart - "Father Toogo / Jock the Croc"
Danielle Baldwin - "Cinderella" & "Queen / Aurora / Rose"
Toby Wilkins - "Baldrick / Beady"
Melissa Jayne - "Scooter"
Nathan Illes - "Prince Charming"
Sam Wright - "Luminaire / Jiggins"
Ashley Weidner - "Beast" & "Andy / Veg" & "Father Toogo / Jock the Croc"
Callan Lewis - "Mrs Potts / Papa Billy"
Emily Doran - "Fairy Floss / Mite"
Jeremiah Tickell - "Jamie"

Go to the Actors information page if you are an actor and interested in working for Alpha



Honourary ATP Members*:

• Simon Scouller
• Kath Cooney
• Meredith Hoult
• Graham Hoult
• Ian Smyth
• Sandra Smyth
• Alice Cooney
• Brendan Cooney
• Hannah Cooney
• Sarah and David Cooney
• Georgia Cooney
• Chris Whittorn
• Bob Scouller
• Rosa Licuria
• Kids Help Line
• Angela Phillips