Vicky Jacobs
Vicky Jacobs has developed a reputation for her ability to get anyone singing at their best – from Australia’s top music theatre stars to the most nervous new singers.
Vicky is currently musical director for “A Christmas Carol” at the Comedy Theatre. She was Musical Director for ‘Elegies’ for Clovelly Fox and ‘The Heartbreak Choir’ for Melbourne Theatre Company for which she received a Green Room Award nomination.
Vicky has been Associate Musical Director on some of this country’s biggest musicals including ‘Hairspray’, ‘Moulin Rouge’, ‘Come From Away’, ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’, ‘Jersey Boys’, ‘Grease’ and ‘Singin’ in the Rain’.
As well as music theatre, Vicky loves working with choirs. Vicky is the founder and director of Glee Club, Melbourne’s original singalong choir. Glee Club hosts regular singalong events around Victoria and Tasmania and also runs weekly choirs, solo singing opportunities and workshops. In 2023 Vicky traveled to San Fransisco to work with Bobby McFerrin using his circle songs approach and is loving incorporating some of these ideas into her choir rehearsals.
Vicky writes and arranges choral music which you can find at www.sheetmusicplus.com and The Australian Music Vault Choir Project.
Vicky is proud to be part of the team that developed the Number 1 Vocal Warm Up app for smartphone, Warm Me Up which you can download on iPhone or Android.
Michelle Nguyen
Michelle Nguyen graduated from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in 2013 having completed her Bachelor of Music (Honours) and Master of Music (Performance). During her studies she was the recipient of a number of scholarships including the Gardiner, Grace Funston, Faculty Merit and John Hellyar scholarships. Following her studies, Michelle was awarded the Robert and Elizabeth Albert Piano Fellowship (2014) with The Australian Ballet. Michelle has been part of numerous touring engagements, including Houston Ballet’s Summer Intensive (2015), the Australian Welsh Male Choir’s tours to Asia (2017), the United Kingdom (2018), Western Australia (2022) and Regional Australia (2024), The Australian Ballet’s Regional Tour (2018, 2019), the Australian tour of From Broadway to La Scala (2019) and Opera Australia’s Regional Tour (2021). As a Melbourne pianist, Michelle has been a pit musician for productions including Aladdin (Disney), Moulin Rouge (Global Creatures), 9 to 5 (GWB) and An American in Paris (Gordon Frost and The Australian Ballet) and The Who’s ‘Tommy’ (Victorian Opera). She was the Associate Music Director/Children’s Music Director for the Melbourne season of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (TML), Assistant Music Director for Miss Saigon (Opera Australia), Associate Music Director of & Juliet (Michael Cassel Group) and is currently Music Associate for MJ the Musical (Michael Cassel Group). Michelle also specialises in freelancing as a collaborative artist.
Daniel Puckey
Daniel Puckey is a distinguished musical director, pianist, and conductor celebrated for his impactful work across Australia’s commercial musical theatre scene. With over 15 years of experience, Daniel has led numerous landmark productions, including Hadestown, Hamilton, ELVIS: A Musical Revolution, Cruel Intentions: The 90’s Musical, The Wedding Singer, Muriel’s Wedding, The Book of Mormon, The Wizard of Oz, The Bodyguard Musical, We Will Rock You, Kinky Boots, The Last Five Years, The Gathering, The Sound of Music, The Lion King, Hot Shoe Shuffle, and King Kong Live On-Stage. His expertise in conducting, combined with his adaptability in high-pressure roles, has earned him a reputation for consistently delivering excellence across all projects.
Daniel’s versatility extends to unique initiatives like the Victorian State Schools Spectacular, where he has directed principal vocalists, developed arrangements, and shared his passion with emerging performers. His collaborative leadership style, meticulous attention to musical detail, and dedication to fostering young talent have left a lasting impact on both his colleagues and students. Known for his inspiring direction and high-energy performance, Daniel continues to shape Australia’s theatrical landscape, blending his own performance with a commitment to supporting creativity in the broader performing arts community.
Zara Stanton
Zara Stanton (she/her) is an award-winning Music Director, Composer, Arranger and Performer. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Most recently, Zara was Music Director for the Australian Premiere of Dear Evan Hansen (Sydney Theatre Company/Michael Cassel Group), and Music Supervisor/Vocal Arranger/Orchestrator for the UK premiere of FANGIRLS at The Lyric Hammersmith. Zara’s previous work on FANGIRLS in Australia has yielded an ARIA award nomination for Best Musical Theatre Album, and a Green Room Award nomination for Best Music Direction.
Other credits as Music Director include Send For Nellie (Sydney Festival), BLOOM (Melbourne Theatre Company), The Boomkak Panto (Belvoir St. Theatre), Bonnie & Clyde (Joshua Robson Productions), Every Musical Ever (Adelaide Cabaret Festival/Wyong Art House) and The Deb (Australian Theatre for Young People). Zara was also Associate Music Director for A Chorus Line (Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Sydney Opera House) and the Australian premiere of Choir Boy (National Theatre of Parramatta).
Zara’s career to date has largely centred on the development of new Australian work. She has provided Music Direction and Arrangements for a number of workshops over recent years, including Oblivion (Sydney Theatre Company), Light (Hayes Theatre Co.), Nails Must Be Kept Short (Fruitbox Theatre), Alphabetical Sydney (Critical Stages), and Jack of Clubs (The Joan).
Zara is the Composer, Orchestrator and Music Director for Metropolis (Little Eggs Collective), which had its world premiere season at the Hayes Theatre in April 2023. For her work on the show, Zara received the Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Composition for an Independent Production and Best Music Direction. Zara also earned Sydney Theatre Award nominations for Best Music Direction for Dear Evan Hansen and for the Hayes Theatre Co. production of HMS Pinafore.
Zara is incredibly passionate about promoting representation in musical theatre, particularly for artists of Asian heritage and for female and non-binary musicians and creatives.
Bree Tipoki
Bree is a proud First Nations mother, creative and performer of the Palawa people of Lutruwita. Trained at Body Language Dance Studioʼs in Hobart, Bree then graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in Musical Theatre. Bree is currently the Resident Choreographer of the Australian tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Previously she was the Assistant Choreographer for the Hades Town Auditions, Dance Captain/Swing U/S La Choc, Arabia in the Australian Tour of Moulin Rouge the Musical (Global Creatures), Director/Choreographer for Altitude Theatre’s Once on this Island, Associate Director/Choreographer for The Producers (Altitude Theatre), Shrek (GFO), Resident Choreographer for School of Rock (GWB), Dance Captain for The Wizard of Oz (GFO). Rachel Marron U/S in The Bodyguard (GFO), Side Show (One Eyed Man Productions & Hayes Theatre), Cats (RUG), Showboat (TPC), Truly Scrumptious U/S in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (TML), WICKED (GFO). Bree had adjudicated and taught nation wide and has a strong passion for building up young talent for success in the industry and the strength to make change.
Laura Tipoki
Laura Tipoki is proud Maori, a mother and was raised in a very musical family. Laura is a highly sought after musician, conductor and Music Director throughout Australasia. Laura was Music Director of the Australian and New Zealand productions of Hamilton and Associate Music Supervisor for the International Tour and Sydney Return seasons. Laura recently made her conducting debut at the Sydney Opera House as Music Director for Cameron Mackintosh’s Miss Saigon which then toured to Melbourne. Laura was Music Director for Crossroads’ recent Production of Jesus Christ Superstar for the Sydney season.
Laura worked as Music Director of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s School Of Rock throughout Australia and then supervised the production into it’s China tour, the Australian tour of Wizard Of Oz with Anthony Warlow, Julie Andrews’ My Fair Lady and Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Miserables International Tour and Associate Music Director for the Australian tour. Other credits include Wicked, Mary Poppins, Chicago, Love Never Dies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Dr Zhivago, as keyboardist or Associate Music Director. Laura was Music Director for her sister Patrice Tipoki’s debut album A Musical Heart. Laura was keyboardist on the Love Never Dies DVD recorded and filmed in Melbourne in 2012.
Laura is currently working as Music Director for the Australian tour of Hadestown for Opera Australia and Jones’ Theatrical Productions.
Brendan Yeates
Credits include Director and Choreographer for A (Very) Musical Christmas (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Michael Cassel Group), Associate Dance Supervisor for MJ The Musical (Michael Cassel Group), Associate Dance Supervisor for Hamilton Sydney and International Tour (Michael Cassel Group), Assistant Director/Choreographer for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour West Side Story (Opera Australia), Associate Choreographer for Love Never Dies (HoriPro Japan, Stage Entertainment Germany), Associate Director/Choreographer for West Side Story (Opera Australia, GWB), Resident Dance Supervisor for Hamilton Australia and New Zealand (Michael Cassel Group), Resident Choreographer for Kinky Boots(Michael Cassel Group), Resident Director/Choreographer for West Side Story International Tour (Opera Australia, GWB), Resident Choreographer for Matilda The Musical (Royal Shakespeare Company/Louise Withers and Associates), Choreographer for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), Choreographer for Disco Wonderland: Dancing Til Dawn (Release Creative), Choreography Assistant for Katy Perry ICC-T20 Women’s World Cup Opening (KOJO, Squared Division), Choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance (Southern Star Endemol), What Not to Wear (TLC) and Choreography adaptation Hamilton x Rihanna (Michael Cassel Group) which received the Clio Grand Award for Best Viral Video.
Bert LaBonté
One of Australia’s leading men, Bert LaBonté most recently captivated audiences as Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Other musical theatre credits include: The Book of Mormon (Watchtower Productions), Helpmann Award Winner An Officer and a Gentleman (Gordon Frost Organisation), Chess (The Production Company), Grey Gardens (The Production Company), and others. His Melbourne Theatre Company credits include: The Truth, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Lungs, Rupert, Birdland, The Mountaintop, Elling and others. For Sydney Theatre Company, he has performed in Fences, A Raisin in the Sun, All My Sons, The Grenade and Spelling Bee, and his Malthouse Theatre credits include: Cloudstreet, I am A Miracle, Time Share.
Screen credits include Colin From Accounts (Binge), Erotic Stories (SBS), Five Bedrooms (Networks Ten), Pieces of Her (Netflix), Lie With Me (Fremantle), FISK(ABC), The Newsreader (ABC), Surviving Summer(Netflix/Werner Film Productions), More Than This(Baby Banksia), Jack Irish (ABC), Wentworth (Foxtel), Playing for Keeps (Network Ten), Upper Middle Bogan (ABC), Tomorrow When The War Began (ABC), Lowdown (ABC), Wilfred (ABC), The Let Down (ABC/Netflix), and Squinters (SBS). Film credits including Animal Kingdom (Porchlight Films) and The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee (Kathy Morgan International).
Leah Howard
Leah has worked extensively across the entertainment industry both as an actor and creative artist. She is a unique triple threat performer and a versatile director and choreographer.
Theatre performance credits include: Rosie in Mamma Mia,Chief Berry in Nice Work If You Can Get It, Disney’s Aladdin, Aretha Thomas in Legends! starring Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills, Mrs Corry in Mary Poppins, Avenue Q, Hair the Musical, Fame the Musical, Dein Perry’s Steel City (Australia and Radio City Music Hall NYC), UK tour of Tap Dogs Rebooted and Tap Dogs USA.
Leah recently appeared in the New Rebel Wilson movie The Deb and the ABC drama series Wakefield. Leah choreographed Australia’s first live streamed musical Who’s Your Baghdaddy, or How I Started the Iraq War during the Covid-19 restrictions on live theatre.
Currently Leah is the Resident Director of Tina, The Tina Turner Musical that is on tour around Australia. She is The Australian Associate Director of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. Leah was the Resident Director for the Australian tour of School of Rock and was the Resident Director/Choreographer for The Rocky Horror Show. She toured to Korea as the Resident Director for the UK Production of Avenue Q and worked creatively for; Rocky Horror Live (UK)
Other creative credits include: Bridges of Madison County, Xanadu The Musical, Australia’s Got Talent, Sydney Mardi Gras. Leah has choreographed for Hi-5, A Gurls Wurld, Blue Water High, and So You Think You Can Dance Australia and worked with artists including Becca Hatch, Wafia, G Flip, Baker Boy, Macy Gray, Olivia Newton John, Cyndi Lauper, Peking Duck, Sam Sparro.
Danced alongside and behind Kylie Minogue, Vanessa Amorosi, Deborah Cox, Meatloaf.
Music videos: Sloane Peterson, Olympia, The Vines, Rogue Traders,Young Divas and Natalie Bassingthwaighte.
Leah was the guest vocalist with KD Lang and Jimmy Somerville for the Sydney 2002 Gay Games and performed in the 2000 Olympics ceremonies. She was the face of Disney Juniors theme song, singing Heads, Shoulders, Ears and Bows and the Host of Disney Channel’s My High School Musical. Leah appears in the feature film Happy Feet.
Leah is a sought after choreographer across all mediums and has been a massive part of Tik Toks Mardi Gras Campaign and the T20 World Cup Cricket Opening Ceremony.