Black Swan State Theatre Company has selected the new HotBed Ensemble members for 2010. Many talented performers auditioned for the four cast positions available this year and an equally gifted group applied for the creative positions.

This year, Black Swan is pleased to welcome a stage manger and a moving image designer into the Ensemble. These two new positions will enable us to integrate the latest stage technology into the HotBed Ensemble shows. They will be joined by a lighting designer, sound designer, and set and costume designer.

After much deliberation, Black Swan’s Artistic Director Kate Cherry and HotBed Director Adam Mitchell are proud to announce the HotBed Ensemble cast and creatives for 2010:

Cast:

Tim Solly – Tim’s theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing for Black Swan, Checklist for an Armed Robber and Lonely Hearts Club for deckchair theatre, and Romeo and Juliet for Essential Theatre. He was also in 2008’s The Shape of Things for Accidental Productions, and has had roles on television and in film.

Adriane Daff – Since graduating from SOCA, Adriane has appeared in The Crucible for Black Swan, The Visit for Black Swan’s BSX Theatre, The Gathering for Thin Ice and worked with Side Pony Productions on The Manic Pony and Motor City Blues. She has worked in television and film and has recently returned from New York City where she studied Meisner Technique at the Ward Studio. Adriane received the 2005 Equity Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Melanie Munt – An Adelaide transplant, Melanie recently graduated from WAAPA and performed in Black Swan’s The Glass Menagerie. She has also appeared locally and nationally in amateur and professional theatre, television, and short films. Melanie co-founded a theatre company in Adelaide, where she has worked both on stage and behind the scenes.

Austin Castiglione – Originally from Perth, Austin graduated from WAAPA with a diploma for acting and Curtin University with degrees in theatre arts and creative writing. He has appeared in productions such as Much Ado About Nothing and Live Acts on Stage for Black Swan, and The Angel Project for Perth International Arts Festival, along with various other roles in theatre and television.

Creatives:

Fiona Bruce (Set & Costume Design) – As a 2009 WAAPA graduate, Fiona has worked previously with the HotBed Ensemble as a designer for Falling Petals. She was a design assistant for Black Swan’s Much Ado About Nothing, and has also worked for deckchair theatre, Steps Youth Dance Company, and ThinIce. Through her extensive work at WAAPA in both set and costume design, she received their 2009 David Hough Award for Stage Design.

Mia Holten (Moving Image Designer) – As a visual and moving image designer, Mia has worked with Spectrum Project Space, PICA, The World Expo in Spain, Artrage, and deckchair theatre. She graduated from SOCA in 2007 after receiving their Best Electronic Artist award, and went on to edit the short film Wrapped at the WA Screen Academy.

Hugo Aguilar Lopez (Stage Manager) – Hugo has worked previously with Black Swan as a Secondment Student for The Memory of Water. A WAAPA graduate, he has also acted as a production/stage manager on WA Youth Theatre Company’s Sweat and as assistant stage manager for Shakespeare WA’s The Taming of the Shrew. Hugo received the 2009 Hawaiian Award for Outstanding Achievement in Stage Management.

Tess Reuvers (Lighting Designer) – Tess graduated from WAAPA in 2008 and is currently the venue technician at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. She has worked previously with Black Swan on the Perth season and regional tour of The Year of Magical Thinking, and also acted as the lighting designer and technician for Bizircus and Pinstripe Circus’s To The Rescue.

These designers will be joined by the Sound Designer Peter Dawson.

The HotBed Ensemble is Black Swan’s professional development stream for emerging Western Australian artists which aims to nurture, stimulate and showcase a selection of Perth's most imaginative and talented theatre-makers.

In partnership with the RAC, the HotBed Ensemble’s Principal Sponsor, the program includes exclusive skills development and workshop opportunities, close contact with Black Swan artists and professional wages during rehearsals and performance seasons.

“We are very proud of the work we do with the HotBed Ensemble because fostering fresh and emerging talent and ensuring a sustainable future for theatre in WA is at the core of Black Swan’s values,” said Kate Cherry, Artistic Director of Black Swan State Theatre Company.

The HotBed Ensemble program will commence this month, when the British Arts Council will provide funding for Rotozaza, a London-based company that creates innovative live artwork, to conduct a workshop with the HotBed Ensemble and Black Swan’s Young Writers. Rotozaza are in Perth for the Perth International Arts Festival.

After the success of 2009’s pool (no water) and The Dark Room, 2010 will see the HotBed Ensemble produce two daring productions: 'The Shape of Things' by Neil LaBute and 'Yellow Moon: The Ballad of Leila and Lee' by David Greig.

“'The Shape of Things' follows 2008’s 'Portraits of Modern Evil' and 2009’s 'pool (no water)' as the third HotBed work which thematically explores the artistic temperament, the process of creating art, and questions the morality of the finished product. This production of 'Yellow Moon' is the Western Australia premiere. It’s an inventive, gritty story of tragedy, teenage romance and redemption, and I can’t wait to explore both projects with this outrageously talented team,” said Adam Mitchell, Director of the HotBed Ensemble.

The Shape of Things
Venue: PICA (Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts)
Dates: 14 – 30 May

Yellow Moon
Venue: PICA (Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts)
Dates: 6 – 22 August

For more information visit www.bsstc.com.au.