2024 Ensemble

Clint Bolster

Artistic Director, Workshop Facilitator& Performer

Styles:

  • Actor
  • Theatrical Clown
  • Commedia Dell’Arte Specialist
  • Stilt Performer
  • Trainer

Trained At:

  • Queensland University of Technology
  • VAMOS Theatre Company UK
  • Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble
  • Theatre Activ8
  • Marie Dumont
  • Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre
  • Frank Theatre
  • Debase Productions
  • Expressions Dance Company
  • 2 Ballerinas
  • Queensland Ballet
  • The Angry Mime
  • Transient Theatre Company
  • Lightwire Theatrical Productions

OVERVIEW

CLINT BOLSTER is a Clown, Physical Actor, Mask Theatre Specialist, Stilt Performer & Trainer, and Teaching Artist from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. With 20 years of experience committed to developing new works and training extensively, Clint regularly performs in Australia and internationally in the United Kingdom, Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. Clint’s repertoire of original performance works is highly active throughout Australia, New Zealand & Asia. It has extensive annual programming in regional Australia, particularly in the community, cultural and education sectors. He has developed an incredibly reliable and robust local and international network. His unique and innovative creations are represented by over 70 international production houses and arts agencies worldwide and have amassed a live global audience in the millions. He was also recently accepted into the Cirque Du Soleil database of Clowns, is in the 2022/2023 Australian Tour of Slavas’ Snow Show, is a proud Queensland Member and Mentor for The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, and is a Board Member for Indel-Ability Arts.

MANOEUVRE is Queensland’s elite non-verbal roving stilt performance company providing acts for 32 years to School Fetes’, Product Launches, Shopping Centres, Community Events, Festivals, Parades, Weddings, Nightclubs and Corporate Events to over 50 million audience members across 15 countries.

THE MASK FAMILY are a suite of full-face, non-verbal, accessible, inclusive and magical roving mask theatre acts that connect directly to your audience. They are a heartwarming exploration of the joy of human interaction and the incredible power of how a simple act of kindness and authentic connection can transform a person’s life. Highly visual, interactive, non-intrusive, and non-language dependent, this unique roving theatre transcends age, language, and culture barriers.

HOMUNCULUS THEATRE COMPANY has engaged, educated, and inspired student audiences throughout Australia and New Zealand for over 20 years. The company provides diverse services, including Australian curriculum-aligned primary and secondary in-school workshops, performances, artist-in-residence programs, show-doctoring sessions, and teacher professional development opportunities. Additionally, Homunculus offers roving and street theatre performances and performance outcome projects tailored for school fetes/events and regional community initiatives. WE SPECIALISE IN …a rich array of theatrical forms, including Commedia Dell’Arte, Physical Theatre/Comedy, Full-Face Non-Verbal Mask Theatre, Traditional & Contemporary Clowning, Non-verbal Communication & Mime, Slapstick & Stage Combat, Absurdism, Melodrama, Political Satire & Brecht, Shakespeare & Clowns In Shakespeare

HIGH TEA with BOOFF is a work of installation clown theatre. The show tours with its venue – a richly detailed lounge room replete with custom-made furniture, bespoke chandeliers, shared stories, and piping hot tea. The work deploys autobiographical storytelling and narrative-driven clowning. The production is housed within an air-conditioned, custom-built 20ft shipping container that expands to create a 6m x 5m venue. The container is a high-cube style unit – with extra height than standard – that has been richly transformed down to the finest detail. Humbly boasting a 208 SOLD OUT Performance Season across 5 Festivals in 2021/2022 – during the COVID-19 pandemic – BOOFF has returned from his holiday off the beaches of Barbados and is looking forward to hearing audiences once again exclaiming to their friends – “I Just Got BOOFF’D!”

BOLSTER & LEE – The Knock ‘Em Downs is a comically interactive and visually engaging trip back in time to the side shows of old. Step inside the colorful tent and experience a crazy world of fun and games, where nostalgia has taken a curious twist, and the carnies have turned into clowns! Meet Krackers n’ Jam, two fools out to fool you. With Krackers’ n Jam, you can expect more than a tasty bite. Featuring a variety of sideshow games sure to test your skill, with big prizes to be won, this oddball encounter will have you wishing you’d brought along your granny.

THE BUBBLE CANTEEN is a realm of enchantment where a mesmerizing spectacle awaits! Delight in the magic as an incredible 12,000 bubbles burst into existence every minute. This captivating and interactive installation promises to transport you to a world of wonder and whimsy, capturing the imaginations of both the young and the young at heart. Get ready to immerse yourself in an experience where joy bubbles over at every turn!

GRANTS AWARDED

  • Arts Queensland – Individual Professional Development Grant for Maneouvre Roving Stilt Performers Australia – UK Project – (2012).

  • Arts Queensland – Individual Professional Development Grant for Clint Bolster – 3 Month Artist In Residence with Vamos Theatre UK – (2017).

  • Arts Queensland – The Showcase Program – The Mask Family Roving Acts – (2017).

  • Arts Queensland – The Showcase Program – BOOFF The Last Laugh – (2019).

  • Arts Queensland – Individual Professional Development Grant for Clint Bolster – Russia & Italy Mask Theatre Training – (2020/2021).

  • The Australian Council For The Arts – Individual Professional Development Grant for Clint Bolster – Russia & Italy Mask Theatre Training – (2020/2021).

  • Arts Queensland – QASP – THe Showcase Program – The Lost Balloon – (2020).

  • Arts Queensland – QASP -The Showcase Program – HIGH TEA with BOOFF – (2020).

  • Arts Queensland – Playing Queensland Quick Response – HIGH TEA with BOOFF on TOUR – (2021).

  • Arts Queensland – Playing Queensland Fund – Resilience Training Though Laughter – Workshops and Artist in Residence Programs with Clint Bolster – (2022)

  • Arts Queensland – QASP -The Showcase Program – BOLSTER & LEE The Knock Em Downs – (2022).

  • Redlands City Council – Regional Arts Development Fund – Resilience Training Through Laughter Workshops – (2024).

  • Brisbane City Council – Creative Sparks Grant Program – AN AUDIENCE with BOOFF – (2024)

Allie Wilde

Workshop Facilitator & Performer

Styles:

  • Actor
  • Aerialist
  • Acrobat
  • Trainer
  • Stilt Performer

Overview

Since 1998 Allie Wilde has worked as a performer, creative consultant, producer, performer manager, programmer and program coordinator, trainer, mentor and director with, and for, Australian companies.

Performance Credits

  • Brisbane City Council
  • Queensland Arts Council
  • Strut & Fret Production House
  • Vulcana Women’s Circus
  • Flipside Circus
  • Rock n Roll Circus/Circa
  • Aerial Angels
  • La La Parlour
  • Gale & Vallance
  • Fractal Theatre Company
  • Qld Youth Ballet
  • Woodford Folk Festival, DG Theater (Netherlands)
  • Surfers Paradise Festival
  • Surfers Paradise Alliance
  • Arts Centre Gold Coast
  • The Ekka
  • Top Chick Management
  • Queensland Theatre Company
  • Oz works
  • It? Entertainment
  • Zest Factor
  • Versace (Gold Coast)
  • Uhan Shii Theatre Company (Taiwan)
  • Warrawa Arts (Taiwan)
  • Southern Cross University
  • The Tasmanian Circus Festival

Circus Meets Theatre

A nationally recognised specialist in the circus and physical theatre, Allie is theatre trained and is a highly experienced aerialist, acrobat and roving artist. She has a theatrical focus on all her work and enjoys working with innovative and edgy artists and clients. Allie has an extensive Australian and international performance history. This brings richness and depth of understanding to her work and her relationships with the artists and clients she engages with.

Nick Cilento

Workshop Facilitator & Performer

Styles:

  • Actor
  • Acrobat
  • Trainer
  • Stilt Performer

Trained At:

  • National Circus Festival

OVERVIEW

Nick is an internationally recognised Brisbane-based professional actor, physical theatre and circus performer and trainer with a tireless creative drive and a highly disciplined work and training ethic. He has extensive training in Suzuki Method, Improvisation, Mask, Movement, Clown and Acrobatics. His theatrical focus is on developing character-driven physical performance with special interests in youth theatre and improvised interactive street theatre.

A highly skilled acrobat, stilt-walker, aerial harness performer and object manipulator, he has trained with some of the world’s best master trainers. And for some time now has been one of the performances and acrobatic master trainers for the National Circus Festival.

PERFORMANCE CREDITS

  • Wilde Applause Creative Productions
  • Izit! Entertainment
  • Gale & Valance
  • Aerial Angels
  • Artslink QLD
  • Strut n Fret Production House
  • Zest Factor
  • Uhan Shii Theatre Co. (Taiwan)
  • Sault Poets
  • A-List
  • Ga4 or 5
  • Manoeuvre
  • More Than Mime
  • Palytoxin
  • Hubbub Music
  • Oz Frank Theatre
  • 2006 Commonwealth Games celebrations
  • Kaoshiung International Street Theatre Festival
  • World Games Celebrations — Taiwan, 2007
  • Loius Vuitton and Mont Blanc VIP events (Taiwan, Japan, China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Guam, Singapore)
  • Brisbane Festival — 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012, 2010
  • Danshui International Arts & Environment Festival
  • 2011 Taiwan Lantern Festival
  • 2012 Chuncheon International Mime Festival
  • Yeosu World Expo 2012
  • International Fireworks Festival — Miaoli, Taiwan, 2012
  • International Artists Festival — Taoyuan, Taiwan, 2012
  • Woodford Folk Festival — 2002-9, 2012.

Current Projects

Co-creator of the performance companies Sault Poets, A-List and Ga4 or 5. Nick also performs regularly with Manoeuvre, More Than Mime, Polytoxic and Hubbub Music. He has also worked extensively as a core performer with the Oz Frank Theatre ensemble, where ensemble performers are trained extensively in the physical theatre system devised by Japan’s foremost theatre director, Tadashi Suzuki. T

Lauren O'Rourke

Workshop Facilitator & Performer

Styles:

  • Actor
  • Singer/Songwriter
  • Clown

Trained At:

  • University Of Southern Queensland

OVERVIEW

Lauren has worked professionally as an actor, composer, writer and instructor since graduating from the University Of Southern Queensland in 2007 with a Bachelor of Theatre Arts, majoring in Acting. While studying, Lauren trained heavily in clown and comedy, honing her skills with regular clown and roaming character performances at numerous corporate events.

PERFORMANCE CREDITS

  • Queensland Theatre Company
  • Shake and Stir Theatre Co
  • Hot Entertainment
  • Wildflowers

STAGE AND SOUND

Since graduating, Lauren has worked with several theatre companies, including Queensland Theatre Company, Shake and Stir Theatre Co and Howzat Entertainment. Lauren loves the clown and is an experienced Instructor in this field, along with children’s theatre and storytelling. Most recently, Lauren co-wrote and co-starred in Wildflowers which took out The People’s Choice Award & The Judges Choice Award at The Sydney Short+Sweet Play Festival.

On top of her theatre credits, Lauren has worked in television and film as a singer/songwriter. A passionate composer for both theatre and film, Lauren is excited to be presenting her first musical on stage at Metro Arts in 2014.

 

Stefan Cooper Fox

Performer

Styles:

  • Actor
  • Clown

Overview

Stefan Cooper-Fox has been a creative entertainer for over 26 years. He has created various interesting characters for multiple occasions and brings positive energy to each performance. He started his career in professional theatre sports before merging into character entertainment, theatre, television and event hosting. He is the perfect MC for any occasion and has hosted Gala and Festivals throughout Australia. Stefan has workshopped and performed touring school shows, including Active Travel for Brisbane City Council and Water Warriors for Queensland Urban Utilities. He has worked with various companies, including  DeBase Theatre Company, Wilde Applause, and IZIT. Entertainment, Applause Entertainment, Guru Dudu- Silent Disco, Zest Factor, Something Else Entertainment, Phoenix Entertainment, and other companies. He recently performed at the Commonwealth Games 2018.

Tony Kishawi

Associate Artist, Workshop Facilitator & Mask Maker

Styles:

  • Actor
  • Clown
  • Commedia Specialist

Trained at:

  • Victorian College Of The Arts
  • Antonio Fava International School of Commedia dell’arte

OVERVIEW

Tony Kishawi is a highly trained and diversely experienced Artistic Director / Producer and Teacher with more than 40 years of demonstrated initiatives and commitment to the world of Theatre throughout Australia and Great Britain. My extensive training in Australia and Europe, career performances, teaching and directing reflect a variety of interests and skills, with an over-riding passion for Object Theatre and Commedia DellʼArte. Other areas of expertise include Physical Theatre, Drama and Play Building, Improvisation for performance and broad-based involvement in Community Theatre Nationally but recently in Brisbane and Noosa now my home town.
The years 2014 & 2016 have seen the continuation of busy schedules with a combination of commitments in Direction, Production, Performance and Project Management, Teaching, Mentoring & University Lecturing NIDA (summer program), VCA, QUT, USC and CQU.

As a highly creative, energetic and quality-based performer/director, I place great emphasis on collaborative involvement, effective interpersonal and strong communication abilities, having worked successfully with individuals from diverse socioeconomic, cultural backgrounds and levels of authority. I am a published Author, ‘Teaching Commedia Dell’Arte’.