You want to be familiar with their work and try to establish relationships with them, but it’s best to leave it to your agent. Work with your agent to establish relationships with these important casting companies. Here are the main Sydney casting directors:

Updated January 25th, 2021

List of Major Sydney Casting Directors

Mullinars Casting

Mullinars are one of the longest-running casting companies in Australia. They cast film, TV and commercial work, and are widely known as the predominant casting company for classic Aussie soap opera, Home and Away.

Maura Fay

Maura Fay Casting has been casting projects in Australia for the past 25 years. Headed up by Ann Fay, as well as Lou Mitchell, Marianne Jade and Leigh Pickford, they have offices in both Sydney and Melbourne.

McGregor Casting 

Another big industry player are McGregor’s, based in Surry Hills. Widely known for casting major television and film projects, both nationally and internationally. The team at McGregors are friendly, and well-known for getting the best out of actors and matching the right talent with the right roles.

Anousha Zarkesh Casting

Anousha Zarkesh and Micaeley Gibson specialise in casting for top-end Australian film and television. Whilst Zarkesh doesn’t have an office of their own, Anousha currently holds auditions in The Audition Room at Fox Studios.

Mitchell Casting (Amanda Mitchell)

Amanda branched out on her own a couple of years back, and has since been casting some of the most prestigious local and international projects to go around. The girls working at Mitchell Casting (Kimberley Gatt, Mia Whipp and Erika Felton) are warm, friendly and seriously hard-working.

Chicken and Chips Casting

Chicken and Chips are a relatively new casting company, based in Randwick. Headed up by Steph and Allison, they are always a treat to go into. They are mainly focused on commercial casting but have worked on a number of smaller budget film and TV projects as well.

Barrett Casting

Headed up by Nikki Barrett, and based in Redfern, these guys cast some of the biggest productions in Australia, and they often work with US Casting Directors to extend their pool of talent and get some Aussie actors in major US productions. Barret has had a hand in casting shows such as Riverdale, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, as well as major Australia films such as The Water Diviner, The Little Death, Hacksaw Ridge, Gods of Egypt and MANY more.

McSweeney Newman Casting

Dave Newman and Tom McSweeney joined forces in 2012. Together they have a wealth of experience and operate out of Sydney and the Gold Coast. They cast mainly for film and TV, and cast both local and international projects.

i4 Casting

i4, based from The Audition Room in Fox Studios, are one of the major commercial casting companies in Sydney. It’s always fun to visit the team at i4, it’s a very relaxed and friendly environment in the studio.

Peta Einberg Casting

Peta Einberg is mainly known for her wonderful, friendly casting assistant – her doggo. But she’s also a great casting director! Peta is mainly focused on commercial casting but works with a number of great brands. She always creates a welcoming environment and is a very experienced casting director in the industry.

Citizen Jane Casting

Citizen Jane is spearheaded by Natalie Jane Harvie. She’s a terrific casting director and always fun to work with. Again, Citizen Jane is mainly focused on commercial work, but does occasional projects in other areas of the industry. 

Toni Higginbotham

Based in Sydney’s east Toni Higginbotham is a long-standing casting director. Toni mainly focuses on commercial casting and is one of the main players in this space.

Ben Parkinson Casting

Ben Parkinson is mainly based in Brisbane, but also has an office in Sydney and is often casting out of Sydney. Ben is in influential casting director that is definitely worth having on your radar.

Greg Apps

Greg Apps is a long-running casting director, who has shifted more into teaching these days. At the time of writing this, Greg still does the occasional casting but is not actively working in the industry.

Faith Martin

Faith Martin is one of Sydney’s most well-known and respected casting directors, however, like Greg Apps, she is no longer regularly casting productions.

For more on casting directors in Sydney, check out the Casting Guild of Australia.

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Best Showreel Companies in Sydney

#1 JJ Splice

There was a period after graduating from drama school where every weekend a friend of mine was getting a reel filmed by JJ Splice. And there was a good reason for that. They produce high quality, professional reels for an affordable price. The company is headed up by feature film director Dean Francis, who places a strong emphasis on great acting. I think this element is often overlooked in showreel production. Companies are so focused on making the reel look and sound good that they forget to focus on the acting.

#2 Department of Pretend

DOP is headed up by Hamish Michael, an incredible actor – which means his insight into editing showreels and shooting self-tapes is truly invaluable. If you don’t have a great looking self-tape set-up at home, you can book in at Department of Pretend and get super slick, professional self-tape footage to edit together into a reel. Hamish also offers a showreel editing service, where he’ll edit together existing footage to make a wonderful showreel for you.

#3 StageMilk Showreels

The StageMilk team are predominantly based in Sydney, and we wanted to offer a more affordable option for actors when it comes to making showreels. We can shoot scenes on location, or shoot professional self-tapes for your reel. We can also help to edit together existing footage. If you want to learn more about our reels shoot me an email: andrew@stagemilk.com. 

Learn more: Sydney Showreel Packages

Choosing a Showreel Company

I recommend checking out all the companies we have listed here. Watch at least 3 of their reels before making up your mind and look into the company. Ask friends who have worked with them. Then meet up with the team and see how you get along. You want to feel comfortable working with the director. That’s when you’ll do your best work.

Showreel Alternatives

We recently put together an article on showreel alternatives and we discuss two much more affordable options:

Film something with a friend

Do you have a film-making friend? Well, you should. Get together with some mates and film your own scene. Learning more about film making will be invaluable in your acting career. You keep creative control and you can probably get a really great end product, depending on how good your friends are.

Make a Self-Tape Showreel

If you haven’t got much, or any, professional work, and can’t afford a filmed reel you need to look at filming a self-tape. More and more agents are actually pushing for this sort of showreel. The benefit is that a self-tape places the focus on the acting. Learn more about filming a self-tape.

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It’s a great idea to ask your agent, or honestly assess for yourself, where you need to focus your attention as an actor. Are you struggling with your work on screen, or is it your voice that’s holding you back? It might not be that you need acting classes, but voice or movement classes first. They all work together to benefit your acting.

There are a number of classes to choose from. Here are a few places that offer acting lessons in Sydney we highly recommend. One final thing before we dive in: Make sure you’re not paying too much for classes!

Updated January, 25th 2021 

Where to Find Acting Classes in Sydney

HubStudio 

The HubStudio was set up by actors Oliver Wenn and Natalie Rees. They are both young, passionate actors who started the school to help actors at all levels in their careers. They have been leading the way in affordable acting training in Sydney over the past few years. They seek out fantastic teachers and really endeavour to help early career actors. They also have a program called “Ensemble” where actors can pay a yearly fee, and train more often throughout the year. We can’t recommend the Hub highly enough for acting lessons in Sydney.

The Actor’s Station

If you’re looking for acting lessons in Sydney, and you haven’t heard about Les Chantery’s courses, you’re living under a rock. Les is a rockstar of the local acting scene and his course is a must for actors. His core focus is on self testing and screen auditions, so if these are areas you’re interested in developing check out his courses.

Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop (AMAW)

The Anthony Meindl Actor’s Workshop is well known across the globe. There are AMAW schools from Toronto, to LA, and now, Sydney! The philosophy of these acting lessons are a focuses on letting go, and surrendering to the work and the moment. You won’t be asked to over-rehearse (or even learn your lines) but instead take risks and follow your intuition to find authenticity in your work. If you need a break from thinking about your physical/vocal ‘technique’, or are thinking too hard about your given circumstances, this is the perfect place for you.

Once you’ve completed the 6-week foundation course at AMAW, you’ll be able to train on a casual weekly basis at the studio where you’ll work on different scenes each week.

National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)

NIDA is famous for its highly competitive 3 year acting course, but they also offer a number of shorter courses. These courses typically don’t require any auditioning, and cover both screen and stage mediums. They can be on the more expensive side, but definitely worth looking into. (More on NIDA)

Screenwise 

Screenwise offers a range of acting lessons in Sydney, focusing mainly on Screen Acting. They offer short courses (for beginners, intermediate and advanced), masterclasses, and weekly screen acting classes for teens.

Sydney Acting Studio

Relatively new to the scene, Sydney Acting Studio (Previously Redfern Acting Studio) are based in the heart of Redfern, and offer weekly classes for Film, Television and Theatre. As far as techniques go, they offer a unique blend of Meisner, Stellar Adler, Lee Strasberg, and Michael Chekhov to their students. This would be a great place to hone your skills once a week, or once a fortnight. 

Sydney Actors Collective 

Sydney Actors Collective, or SAC haven’t been around long, but they’ve quickly established a wonderful ethos; it’s all about hard work. They claim their studio is free of BS, and we believe them! Definitely head along to a couple weekly classes at SAC, meet the wonderful teachers and students, and keep your acting skills sharp and flexible.

Improv Theatre Sydney

Whilst yes, Improv isn’t technically “acting” we highly recommend all actors try out some improvisation classes. The techniques and tools you will learn while improvising are invaluable, and will only benefit your acting (particularly when it comes to auditions.) It also happens to be a bucketload of fun! Check out ITS in Redfern, and challenge yourself!

Anthony Brandon Wong Masterclasses

Anthony is a wonderful and inspiring teacher who focuses on the Ivana Chubbuck technique. He doesn’t offer ongoing classes at this stage, but does the occasional 2 or 3 day long intensives. With Anthony, you’ll dive deep into the Chubbuck technique, and work on some fantastic scenes.

TAFTA

Another great provider of acting lessons in Sydney is TAFTA. They offer a selection of courses and they work with some of the best teachers and coaches in town. They have been running since 1994 and are a great option for actors at all levels.

Other Sydney Acting Classes

• The Actors Pulse
• Sydney Drama School 
• Darlo Drama 

If you are looking to study full time at a Drama School in Australia check out our list of acting schools.

And if you’re living in a remote city, or can’t afford to do acting classes every week, you’re welcome to join us in StageMilk Drama Club. It’s an online scene club where actors from all over the world come together to work on their acting, and support each other in our tight-knit, passionate community. We send in self-tapes every month, and get personal feedback from industry professionals in video format!

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Sydney is home to some of the best acting schools in the country and even the world. Here is a list of Sydney acting schools. These schools offer full time course, but also short courses:

Updated January, 25th 2021

Best Sydney Acting Schools

1. NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art)

This is Australia’s premier acting school. It is based in Kensington, and offers both full time and part time programs for actors. NIDA is the only federal funded acting school in the country, and has incredible resources and facilities. This institution is considered one of the best drama schools in the world. Alumni includes Cate Blanchett, Mel Gibson, and Robyn Nevin. The three-year BFA in Acting is the school’s flagship course, and the most competitive full time acting course in Australia. For more on NIDA…

2. Actors Centre Australia (ACA) 

ACA is another major theatre school in Australia. This is a very reputable acting school and offers a number of different courses including a comprehensive full time course: a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Stage and Screen). ACA is based in Leichhardt in Sydney’s Inner west. 

3. Australian Institute of Music (AIM)

As the name of the school suggests, AIM is best known as a music college. However, AIM offers a dramatic arts three-year degree program: the Bachelor of Performance (Dramatic Arts). This is one of Sydney’s leading acting programs. Students of this course learn a broad range of theatre skills, not just acting.

4. Sydney Actors School

This is a relatively new acting school that focuses exclusively on film acting. Sydney Actors School offers long courses, including a flagship two-year course: An Advanced Diploma of Acting for Contemporary Screen Media. You can also do a one-year course: Diploma of Screen and Media, or Diploma of Music Theatre. There are also a variety of short courses to choose from.

5. Screenwise

Screenwise is an acting school based in Surry Hills. They mainly focus on screen acting and offer a two-year Advanced Diploma of Screen Acting. They also offer a Showreel Course, and a variety of other shorter Acting Courses. Screenwise is an established school and definitely worth researching.

6. TAFTA 

TAFTA was established in 1994 and is a well loved acting institution. They do a terrific job of getting in leading acting teachers, and offer a range of great courses. Their core program is a 20-week full time or 44 week part time course. TAFTA doesn’t offer a degree program like NIDA and ACA, but could be a great option if you are looking for a shorter training program that allows you to get into the industry straight away.

7. Sydney Theatre School 

Sydney Theatre School offers both full time and part time courses, and focus more on theatre. They offer a Diploma and an Advanced Diploma of Theatre and Screen (Acting), an Adult Beginners Acting Course, and a Youth Program.

How do you choose a Sydney Acting School?

This is an important decision to make, so do your research! Before committing yourself, ask graduates, go check out the building/resources, ask industry people, and check out what people are saying online. Schools will often have a specific area of strength or focus, and it’s important that your goals, and the goals of the institution, align. Also consider how long you want to train for, how much you’re willing to pay, and how much time you can dedicate to it per week, especially if you’re trying to maintain a job at the same time.

What next?

So you want to audition for drama school?

1. You need a monologue.
2. You need to rehearse your monologue.
3. You need to nail your performance.

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It can be a tough process trying to land an agent so don’t be disheartened if you get rejected or don’t hear anything back from an agent. Do your research and learn more about any prospective agent before approaching. Put together a great package, and go from there.

Best Sydney Acting Agents

United Management 

Shanahan Management 

Independent Management Company

Creative Representation

RGM Artist Group Pty Ltd

Morrissey Management

Marquee Management

Sophie Jermyn Management 

Meissner Management

Smith & MacDonald Management

GJ International Management

Sue Barnett & Associates Pty Ltd

Natalie Hall Management 

Linsten Management

Lisa Mann Creative Management (LMCM)

Atelier Management

Nicky Gluyas Management

Lee Leslie Management

Mollison Keightley Management

TCM

Gina Stoj 

Benchmark Creative

CBM Management

Liberty Artist Management 

Expression Arts Management

Best Voice Agents in Sydney 

If you are looking at getting into voice over, here are the leading voice over agencies in Sydney:

#1 RMK Voices 

#2 EM Voices 

#3 Scout Management 

#4 Moore Creative Artists (Mainly based in Perth)

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Many of our readers are early career actors finding their feet in this crazy industry. During this time, it can be tough to know where to base yourself as an actor in Australia, so we thought it would be a good idea to give you a sense of what it’s like to be an actor in Sydney. We will be adding similar articles in the other major Aussie cities soon.

Choosing to be an actor is different to choosing to be a lawyer, dentist, or park ranger. When you choose acting, you choose a career, as well as a lifestyle. So, let’s take a practical look at what it’s like to be an actor in Sydney.

Updated January, 25th 2021

Accommodation

The two most popular accommodation options in Sydney are living with your parents or renting. I only know two actors in Sydney that own their own home; it’s a super expensive property market in Sydney. It’s also really hard to get a mortgage, and pay it off, when you’re working a casual job. If you’re not keen on the idea of living at home, here’s a little breakdown of the rental market.

A well located studio apartment, close to a supermarkets and public transport, will set you back about $300 – $450 per week.

A bedroom in a reasonable share house with 2-3 other people will cost around $220 – $280 per week.

A sketchy room in a dive will cost you approximately $180 per week.

Where to live

A lot of actors live in Sydney’s Inner-west. This is an area that encompasses suburbs like Newtown, Erskineville, Marrickville and Petersham. This is a slightly more bohemian part of town, although certain areas are becoming increasingly gentrified; a lot of actors and creatives live in these suburbs.

Living by the beach is also a great idea. Suburbs like Bondi, Coogee or even Randwick, which is a little more central, are similarly affordable. If the idea of living by the coast excited you, just make sure you’ve thoroughly thought through your transportation plans as public transport can be a little trickier in these areas.

Work

One of the most important parts of being an actor in Sydney is being available for auditions and self-tests. That means working a flexible job is essential. Most actors will work two, three, or even four jobs to makes ends meet. Below is a small summary of what the job market is like in Sydney. Click here for a more in depth article on jobs for actors.

Café/bar work or retail work is very popular amongst actors because of the flexibility it affords them. You can easily swap shifts with other staff members because the skills required to do the work aren’t specialised. In my experience the better you get at your part time job, the harder it is to get shifts covered. You job in hospitality or retail will typically make up 60%-80% of your income.

Additional income is generated through your specialised skill set. These jobs are what will keep you afloat as an actor in Sydney. Eg. Headshot photographer, graphic designer, website designer, music tutor, singing tutor, drama tutor, acting coach etc. Many actors will receive some income from teaching or tutoring, whether that’s one-on-one acting tutoring, or running holiday drama programs for young students.

Social

Being an actor in Sydney is very social. Actors will hang out in social groups based on shared experience from within the acting world; doing plays, shooting films, or studying at drama school. There is always something happening. When socialising as an actor in Sydney, keep in mind the industry is quite small; word gets around very quickly, good and bad. One huge benefit of spending lots of time with actors is that you rarely have to pay for a ticket to the theatre!

Theatre in Sydney

The theatre itself can be a great way to dive into Sydney’s social scene. Seeing a show, particularly at an independent (indie) venue, such as Kings Cross Theatre, and the Old Fitz Theatre, is a great way to get to know who’s around. If you make a habit of seeing shows, you will start to see the same faces again and again, both on stage, and in the foyer afterwards. Getting familiar with Sydney Theatre Companies, both major (funded) and independent, will help you to understand the landscape of acting for stage in this vibrant city.

Film in Sydney

A lot of early career actors will harbour ambitions of starring in a major screen production at some point in their career. As the home of Fox Studios, Sydney has the highest density of major film and television productions, annually, of any major city in Australia. And while not everyone will land a big role in the next Marvel film (many actors may not even want to), being in the same city as these kinds of productions can open up a variety opportunities for early career artists. In the very same part of town, Sydney houses the film and television school AFTRS. This top screen school produces a great many short and feature films every year, and a role on one of these smaller shoots can be a great way of getting to know local filmmakers, and gaining experience in front of the camera.

Classes, Workshops, and Training

A great way to meet people, and continue to refine your skills as an actor, is by undertaking classes and workshops. Talk about two birds with one stone! If you’re not working as an actor, you really should be finding other ways to keep up your skills, and acting classes are a great way of doing that. You can choose weekly classes, a masterclass, or a short course, depending on the time and money you have available. Acting classes are a great way to meet other actors because not only do you get to know a person quite well, but you can also watch them work.

Take a look at our article on Acting Lessons Sydney to find the perfect classes for you.

Acting

If you’re lucky, you will do acting work for about 1.5 hours each week. That doesn’t sound like much, but when you split that into audition length time slots, scattered across the week, you will start to see how time consuming it can be. Add to your schedule acting classes and audition prep and you will barely have time to think – trust me! The film/television/theatre industry is very competitive in Sydney, and you will need to bring your A-game.

Finding Acting Work

Like a lot of cities, the longer you live in them, the better connections you build and the easier it becomes to navigate the industry. Sydney might seem a little tricky to crack at first, but the industry is a lot smaller than you think.

The clearest pathway from where you are now to an excellent audition brief is always going to be a cracker of an agent. Make sure you hit the group running by landing yourself a wonderful agent. Here is a list of acting agents in Sydney, and an article on how to get an acting agent. Otherwise there are some things you can do solo to make the most of being an actor in Sydney and landing yourself a job!

A great way to meet people is to work with them on an independent show. You can keep up to date with the theatre companies in Sydney by following them on social media, and subscribing to their e-newsletters. Independent theatre companies will often do audition call outs, or at least take audition expressions of interest, through their facebook page or website. Landing a role in an independent theatre production will really open things up for you; you will get to know other actors and creatives, and people will have the chance to see your work. Check out our guide on deciding whether or not to do independent theatre for some tips on deciding which projects to audition for.

Another way of getting yourself acting work is through Facebook groups. Often independent theatre and film projects will post audition call outs on social media, specifically Facebook. Start with our Stagemilk Facebook page, Sydney Actors. For AFTRS short films and student productions, check out AFTRS Noticeboard. There’s a group for Diverse Performers in Australia. There are also the more general groups: Sydney Auditions, Sydney Audition, Audition Listings Australia, and heaps more. Have a look for yourself, but as always with these open platforms, proceed with caution. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if something smells fishy, trust you gut!

Why should I live in Sydney?

The most important thing you can do to help yourself succeed as an actor in Australia, is to be in Sydney. It is very rare that early career actors will be employed from interstate to perform on a local production. In fact, many productions taking place in other states will be auditioned in Sydney. Sydney has the highest density of projects being cast, and therefore casting directors, at any given time. Getting to know them, and more importantly, getting in front of them, is crucial to becoming a regularly working actor. Check out our article on Sydney Casting Directors, to start familiarising yourself with the biggest casting directors in town.

Being an actor in Sydney can be a difficult city at times; high rent rates, especially, can make you feel like you’re constantly under the pump. It can also feel like everyone else is constantly busy, too. But, if you’re ready to work hard and dive on in, there are some pretty great rewards in store for you; the weather is good, suburbs and areas have a unique character to explore and enjoy, and there is always something to do. And when it all gets to be too much, catch the train (for only $2.80 on a Sunday) to the Blue Mountains and escape into the trees for a bit.

The post Being an Actor in Sydney appeared first on StageMilk.

Updated January, 25th 2021

Major Sydney Theatre Companies

Sydney Theatre Company

Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is the state theatre company of New South Wales. It is considered by many to be the premiere theatre company in Australia. STC is well funded (both by Government and through private philanthropy) and produces theatre of a very high standard. Casts regularly include award winning Australian stars such as Rose Byrne and Hugo Weaving. This company offers an extensive season and will present well known plays as well as new works and adaptions. Recently, the company has made a pledge to program work by Indigenous and CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) artists at a rate of 25% of their yearly program. They are also working with the new quota of hiring 30% Indigenous and CALD directors, designers and actors annually.

Belvoir St Theatre

Belvoir is another major theatre company based in Surry Hills, Sydney. This company also programs work of a very high standard, although on a much smaller scale. The venue on Belvoir street is home to two theatre spaces. Currently, the upstairs (main) theatre space is for the presentation of the company’s professional season. Meanwhile, the downstairs theatre space is utilised for the development of emerging artists and new work across a variety of programs and initiatives over the years. Most recently, the downstairs space was home to Belvoir’s 25A initiative.

Belvoir’s main season includes, predominantly, adaptations of classics, and, occasionally, new Australian works.

Bell Shakespeare Company

Founded by John Bell in 1990, the Bell Shakespeare company is primarily focused on presenting the work of William Shakespeare and other classics texts of that period. You could consider Bell Shakespeare Company as the Australian equivalent of the Royal Shakespeare Company in London.  Bell will generally present fewer shows per year than the other major companies in Sydney (3-4 a year), but they have a large subscriber base and tour extensively. They also have a flourishing education department with programs that reach school aged students all over Australia every year. The most well known of these is the Bell Shakespeare Players. The Players are two groups of three-actors who bring Shakespeare performances to schools nationally each year.

Griffin Theatre Company

Griffin Theatre Company is focused on presenting new Australian work, and nurturing the Australian voice. They operate out of the intimate theatre space, The Stables, on Nimrod Street near Kings Cross. Each year, Griffin presents new Australian work across their Main Season, but also in initiatives like Griffin Lookout, Batch Festival, and Griffin Scratch. This is the home of Australian writing for the stage, and the best place to find the new voices of Australian theatre.

Ensemble Theatre Company

Ensemble Theatre is located in Kirribilli and is Australia’s longest continuously running theatre company. It has a very strong subscriber base, and pays the highest award rate for actor in the country. They typically present a more conservative selection of plays. Each season consistently presents interesting and highly professional productions.

Independent Sydney Theatre Companies

Outside of the five major (funded) companies in Sydney it can be difficult to categorise the remaining theatre companies, producers and venues. For the sake of simplicity, we have limited this list to venues and companies that don’t pay equity wages to actors. Instead, actors and creatives will usually be offered a flat fee or a co-op (profit share) arrangement. Despite a lack of funding, Government or otherwise, these companies still mostly operate like professional companies. The standard of performances here is on par, and in some cases, superior, to the larger companies. You can expect to find at these companies and venues brilliant new ideas and plays, teamed with incredibly dedicated and talented actors, without all the frills that come with huge design budgets.

Kings Cross Theatre (bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company)

Perhaps the fastest rising, and most interesting, independent theatre venue in Sydney is kxt – Kings Cross Theatre, established by bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company in 2015. This company predominantly programs shows by professional, emerging artists in an effort to support and grow the arts community in Sydney. They present a large season of works of a wide variety and by a diverse range of artists every year. Kxt is also home to the annual Storytellers Festival, as well as a whole host of initiatives for supporting young and emerging creatives. These include: Popupstairs, Step up, and The Laboratory. This is the place to start for emerging, and early career theatre artists in Sydney.

Sport for Jove Theatre Company

Sport for Jove is an independent company that has been growing in size and respect for the last few years. Like Bell Shakespeare, its focus is on presenting the work of William Shakespeare and other classics. Part of the success of this company has been the way the company manages to bring Shakespeare alive for a  contemporary audience. Their plays are often very location and time specific, and will feature a lot of comedy and ingenuity. Sport for Jove is moving towards being a professional company and pays its actors a fee.

Old Fitz Theatre (Red Line Productions)

The Old Fitz Theatre has been around for many years, but was recently taken over by the production company, Red Line Productions. Red Line curates a season of roughly eight shows a year, and operates at an incredibly professional standard, despite being an independent venue. Many actors (and other creatives) working for major theatre companies throughout the year will do shows at the Old Fitz between their professionally paid gigs. The seasons at the Old Fitz are very carefully curated, making it Somewhat difficult for new artists to produce or involve themselves in productions there, but also results in very high quality productions year round. This year (2021), the Old Fitz venue has been purchased by Odd Culture Group.

Darlinghurst Theatre Company

Darlinghurst Theatre is a relatively new theatre company in Sydney and it has already garnered a reputation for producing quality theatre. They present a smaller season, but they produce high quality plays. Their programming tends to lean towards modern classics like Millar and Mamet, with some newer programs, like Next in Line, that are aimed at nurturing local, emerging writers.

New Theatre

The New Theatre is located in Newtown and presents a season of around seven plays each year. They tend to produce a mixture of work varying from musical theatre to classics. This is an amateur theatre company and doesn’t pay actors at all, but often presents good work by recent graduates and emerging creatives.

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Marnya Rothe is one of Sydney’s best headshot photographers. She has a Masters of Photography from Edith Cowan University.

She has had successful exhibitions nationally and was invited to exhibit in both FotoFreo and Head On Photography Festivals. Her work has also been published in various international magazines.

Based in Sydney, she continues to work on new exhibitions, as well as run a successful photography business, striving to create individual and unique images, working both in studio and on location.

Marnya shoots actor/performer headshots, corporate headshots, portraits, events, stills for films, theatre and bands/musicians as well as weddings.

Please don’t hesitate to call or email for a quote or enquiry.

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Whether you are working on an accent, or trying to improve your resonance, articulation or any other area of your voice, having a session with a voice coach can be hugely beneficial.

We have put together a list of the best Sydney voice coaches to help you find a voice teacher that can help you achieve your goal. If you are looking specially for an accent and dialect coach have a look at the second list.

Trained or untrained, continually working on your voice is essential for actors.

Updated August 29, 2022

Best Voice Coaches in Sydney

The following list of Sydney voice teachers have all been used by the StageMilk team and come highly recommended. Each of the following teachers are very different and so I recommend shooting them an email, or giving them a call, and discussing your goals. Usually you can get a feel for who you want to work with after a quick chat, but you will be in good hands with any of the following teachers…

1. Amy Hume

2. Nick Curnow

3. Melissa Bruder 

4. Linda Nicholls-Gidley

5. Gabrielle Rogers

6. Jennifer White

7. Felicity Jurd

Gabrielle Rogers is now based in the Gold Coast, however, she still teaches occasionally in Sydney and via Skype/Zoom. 

Many of these coaches are working on professional productions or at institutions, so they may not always be available for private sessions. 

Best Accent and Dialect Coaches in Sydney

Most voice coaches have a good understanding of accents and dialects, but here are our recommendations for accent and dialect coaches in Sydney. All of these coaches are fantastic:

1. Amy Hume

2. Jennifer White

3. Melissa Bruder

4. Nick Curnow 

5. Bill Pepper

6. Felicity Jurd (RP)

7. Katherine Beck (General American)

8. Paige Walker (General American)

Why see a voice or dialect coach?

Having a strong and flexible is vital for actors, especially theatre actors.

Your voice is one of your main assets as an actor and working on your voice with a top coach will help you develop your voice. It’s also important to develop a daily practice for you voice. Working on your voice, even just for a few minutes a day, will have huge benefits. So get working!

Voice Resources

We have plenty of voice resources on the site, so we recommend exploring all we have to offer:

An incredible voice warm up (For a comprehensive voice warm up)

Articulation exercises (Great exercises and tongue-twisters to improve articulation)

Voice Acting (Looking for a career in voice over? Check this article out)

Voice Exercise from Gabrielle Rogers [Video]

Here is Gabrielle Rogers, one of our favourite voice coaches in Australia, sharing a quick vocal exercise to improve your voice. 

Conclusion

Your voice. Your acting. Your movement. These are all interconnected. If you find expression in your voice, you find expression in your acting. If you find clarity in your articulation, you are finding clarity in your thoughts. Working with a professional voice coach is a great step towards unlocking your vocal potential. So do it.

Lesson: develop your voice and it will pay dividends.

The post Sydney Voice Coaches appeared first on StageMilk.

First, the price is within your budget. Acting headshots are usually around the $400/$450 mark, I wouldn’t spend much more than this if you’re just starting out. However, if you love a certain photographer’s work, and you can afford it, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment.

Second, make sure you check out their work. All headshot photographers on this list have websites (and Instagram), so take a thorough look at their work and see if you like their style. Everyone on this list is awesome, but whose work resonates with you? It can also be good to look through the websites of acting agents to see what you like. Once you find a great headshot, do some digging and see who they used.

Finally, consult with your agent. Agents often will have certain photographers they like – listen to them, as they are the ones using the headshot to get you work.

StageMilk Complete Headshot Guide

I would also recommend asking other actors, to get an insight into what it was like working with certain headshot photographers. It is so important that you are comfortable with the photographer you use.

I have had plenty of headshot sessions over the years, so I’ve used some personal shots to give you examples where I can (embarrassing, I know!). This should give you some idea of their style, though make sure you check out their work in more depth as even a great photographer struggles to make this noggin look good!

Updated January 25th, 2021

Best Headshot Photographers in Sydney

#1 Sally Flegg

Sally Flegg is one of Sydney’s most well-known headshot photographers. She has photographed many of Australia’s leading film, TV and theatre actors, and is constantly in demand. Her waitlist is usually around 3 months or longer! Sally is incredibly open and relaxed and creates a really supportive environment for actors. Taking a headshot can be really uncomfortable and she knows that. Sally has a wonderful studio and works with you to create a beautiful, and appropriate headshot. Her shots are natural and she knows what works. Most agents and managers recommend their actors work with Sally Flegg because of this reason.

Here are some shots I did with Sally in 2017: 

#2 Marnya Rothe

Marnya Rothe took my headshots a few years ago, and I really loved how they turned out. She is fantastic to work with and is quickly becoming recognised as one of the best headshot photographers around town. She is extremely relaxed and makes you feel very comfortable, which is really important. Marnya has a studio in St Peters, and also shoots on location with her clients. Here is one of the shots from our session:

#3 Luke Stambouliah

Luke Stambouliah took my headshots straight after leaving drama school – and I thought they were great! He is an absolute gem and has a very relaxing presence that is infectious. Luke is a fantastic choice for headshots and very affordable. For me, his shots are always really simple, and warm. Here are some shots he took of me many, many moons ago:

#4 Alex Vaughan

I have never personally worked with Alex Vaughan, but Indiana from the StageMilk team had a wonderful experience shooting with Alex. Alex is very talented and her shots often have a more ‘editorial’ feel to them. She also shoots musicians and artists. Alex is one of the most expensive photographers on this list, but I think you’ll find it’s worth it. Here are some of Indiana’s shots from her session a few years back:

#5 Kate Williams

Feeling relaxed in a photoshoot is the most important factor in creating a good shot, and I cannot recommend Kate highly enough. She is professional, thorough and of course, takes great photos. Kate has been building a reputation over the past couple of years and is increasingly in high demand. Kate is also a fantastic actor in her own right, which gives her a unique insight into what you are going through and how best to represent you in a headshot. Here’s one of my shots that Kate took:

#6 StageMilk Headshots

Our in-house photographer, Indiana, offers affordable headshots in Sydney – either in the studio or on location.

Book in here.

Other Great Headshot Photographers in Sydney: 

• Kathy Luu
• Nicole Schumacher
• Rebecca Hitch
• Mansoor Noor
• Amelia J Dowd (based in Sydney & Melbourne)
• Marcus Walters
• Johnny Diaz Nicolaidis
• Rose-May Photography

Headshot Tips

1. Always take along at least four or five different outfits to try on. I was told a simple dark coloured t-shirt works best, but I don’t think there are any set rules. Just take some options and see what works best on the shoot.
2. Go into the shoot with some ideas in mind, you can even take some reference images along with you.
3. If you’re not confident in doing your own makeup, hire someone to do your hair and makeup for you on the day.
4. Take hairspray and translucent powder!

For more tips, check out our Complete Guide to a Great Headshot 

The post Sydney Headshot Photographers appeared first on StageMilk.