Our Team

MEET OUR TEAM OF INSPIRING ROLE MODELS.

When you are sending your children to an activity you ask yourself a few questions; What are the tutors like? Are they positive role models? Do they know their stuff? Will my children be safe? Will my children be inspired? We also ask these questions of all our tutors and staff. Hunter Drama has the most dynamic and inspiring team of creative artists working with young people in the Hunter region. It is our mission to inspire young people to be the best versions of themselves and our tutors practice what they preach. Every week they turn up as the best versions of themselves ready to rock the socks off our students.

Daniel Stoddart - Executive Director

Daniel is one of the Hunter’s most well established performers in our region. He is an actor, director, artist, producer, entertainer, singer, business owner, blogger, designer, entrepreneur, public figure, teacher and writer. He is a busy guy!

With credits to his name for performing, directing and producing events Daniel has over 14 years of theatrical and event experience in the Hunter, Sydney and beyond

Daniel is a Multi-City of Newcastle Drama Award winner with recent theatrical credits including The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) for Popular…

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Hayley Stoddart - General Manager

Hayley grew up dancing in the Newcastle area and eventually teaching for over 10 years It was this experience that saw her co-found the Musical Theatre courses here at Hunter Drama

Her theatre credits include City of Newcastle Drama nominations for Choreography for the productions Beauty and the Beast JR…

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James Chapman - Artistic Director

James is an actor, writer, director and producer born and bred in Newcastle He has worked as a professional performer for a decade and has appeared in numerous projects on stage and screen He holds an Advanced Diploma of Arts (Acting) and has worked as a workshop facilitator…

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Brooke Page - Studio Manager

Brooke has danced and performed many different styles including Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Ballet and even Irish dancing from the age of 3 Since leaving school she turned her passion into teaching for the past 15 years After a year off from the performing arts she could not resist becoming…

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Liane Morris - Media & Marketing Manager

Liane Morris is a communications and arts marketing specialist with a background in senior marketing, copywriting, publicity, sponsorship & events across arts, entertainment, and media She is a features writer for WCP Media and works freelance, across the creative and arts industries, festivals and events, women led businesses and…

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Siddha Crossley - Assistant Studio Manager

Siddha began her theatre journey right here at Hunter Drama, starting in Musical Theatre classes as a student She continues to nurture this passion through her role as a Tutor Siddha attended Newcastle High School, graduating in 2021

Her theatre credits include Charlie and…

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Matthew Harper - Head of Drama

Matt has a passion for drama/acting/theatre, which started from a young age while growing up in the local region He has since trained with Pasvolsky Actors Studio and Whale Chorus Theatre Company, and is soon to undertake Shakespeare & Company’s rigorous Actor Training Intensive Matt has a strong drive…

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Alison Hodge - Head of Musical Theatre

Alison has more than 10 years of teaching experience, as well as many years of training both in Sydney and Newcastle Alison has trained vocally with Kym Parrish in Sydney, and within this time studied the Estill Vocal Method, with a heavy focus on vocal health and anatomy

Alison has…

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Tim Turner - Drama Tutor

Tim is an actor, educator and entertainer, with a strong passion for teaching and instilling the joy of performance in young people Tim studied acting and theatre and holds a Bachelor of Arts/Communications majoring in Drama, Media Production and Public Relations from the University of Newcastle During university, Tim…

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Brooke Lidbury - Musical Theatre

Brooke has been performing in Newcastle and aboard for the last 15 years After completing her education, she went onto study at the University of Newcastle and Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK

Brooke has performed in various musicals such as MAMMA MIA (The Very Popular Theatre CO) ROCK OF AGES…

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Lelle Coombes - Drama

Lesley has had over twenty years experience in theatre Lesley was artistic director of Maitland Jr Repertory Theatre from late 2009 – 2014, teaching drama and directing their annual productions Lesley has a passion for teaching and is a qualified primary school teacher with Masters and is currently working…

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Daniel Stranger - Drama

Dan has worked with children and young people for over 15 years Since moving to Australia from the UK, Dan has been involved in the performing arts as a director, performer, and theatre-maker Notable productions including Ubu Roi (2013), The Tempest…

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Mikaela Whitehead - Musical Theatre

Mikaela Whitehead is a singer, actor, dancer and writer based in the Hunter Valley, NSW She is a 2020 graduate from The Australian Institute Of Music in Melbourne with a Bachelor of Music majoring in Music Theatre In 2019 she completed the Associated Studios part-time advanced diploma course and…

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Ben Leighton - Drama

13Ben Leighton comes from a decade long performing background After studying at the Australian Institute of Music majoring in Contemporary Performance, Ben worked as a backing vocalist for many Australian artists including Jessica Mauboy, Guy Sebastian and Ricki-Lee This lead to appearances on television such as The Voice, The…

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Stephanie Hilkmann - Drama

Steph has worked in the entertainment industry for over 25 years as an actor, singer, director,
writer, teacher, and humour therapist

As a performer, Steph recently played Mama Morton in Chicago (Chookas) and Elizabeth in Young
Frankenstein (Opera Hunter) Some of Steph’s other credits include Mrs King in Playing Face
(Barefoot Theatre), Eponine…

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Isabella Parker - Musical Theatre

Isabella started dancing at the age of 2 at Kicks Dance Academy She  then moved to Newcastle Dance Academy at age 6, where I began my training in Ballet (RAD – Advanced Foundation Certificate), Jazz, Tap (Pullar’s tap syllabus), Lyrical, Contemporary and Musical Theatre She has represented Newcastle…

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Imogen Downing-Donnelly - Musical Theatre

Imogen is a passionate performer… She started vocal, dance and drama lessons from a young age and is currently Vice Captain at Hunter School  of the Performing Arts She has completed her 6th AMEB classical singing exam, 5th AMEB musical theatre exam and adv 1 certificate RAD ballet exam
This…

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Jessie Edmonds - Drama

Jessie can be seen both onstage and offstage in the local theatre industry With a love for performing she is currently undertaking the “Pre-diploma of Musical Theatre” with Hunter Drama to compliment her previous acting, vocal and dance training from the past 8 years Onstage she is recently known…

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Amber Curby - Drama

Amber has had plenty of experience on the stage and screen, and has spent many years singing and dancing Amber’s stage credits include Mrs Wilkinson Understudy in Billy Elliot The Musical (The Very Popular Theatre Company), Paulette in Legally Blonde The Musical (Chookas Entertainment), The Little Mermaid…

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Evelyn Parkes - Drama

Evelyn is passionate about all aspects of the Performing Arts She was the Stage Manager of ‘Kid Frankenstein’ (Hunter Drama), Assistant Director of ‘Grease’ (Callaghan College), and completed work experience backstage at StarStruck Evelyn is delighted to be Stage Managing once again for Hunter Drama’s ‘The Jungle Book’ She…

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Alix Bourne - Drama

Alix started their theatre journey through a small theatre company in 2007; and has since completed their Certificate III in Live Production and Services, and has since gone on to work on the technical side of a few productions They have been an assistant tutor at Hunter Drama for a couple of years…

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