Cast
Bugs Baschera (they/them) - HYPATIA
Bugs Baschera is a graduate of VCA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre (2020).
Working in Independent theatre as an actor, writer, director and casting advisor, Bugs has appeared in the Winter Lab (Antipodes Theatre Company, 2022), Murder is An Art (Conor Beaumont, The Butterfly Club, 2022), Teeth&Tonic (Fringe, 2022), SLUTNIK™ (Fringe, 2022), MOTHERLODE (MIDSUMMA, 2023), RISING Arts Festival with BEEFY BEATDOWN (Izzi Selfe, 2023), GUYS & DOLLS as Nicely Nicely Johnson/Casting Advisor (Antipodes Theatre Company, 2023), FISH BOY and FIRE DYKE (Bugs Baschera, Melbourne Fringe Festival 2023) and original musical album ROMANTICS (Conor Beaumont, 2023).
Karis Oka (she/her) - RILEY
Natalie Gamsu is a singer, actor and cabaret artist having performed in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney, and Johannesburg.
Born in Namibia, Natalie studied Drama at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. In South Africa, she established a strong following with her own solo cabaret shows, musical theatre, and television.
Some of Gamsu's theatre credits include Candide (Woman With One Buttock), Dr Zhivago (GFO), Mary Poppins, (Miss Andrew - Disney), Women Of Troy (dir. Barry Kosky- STC), Abuela in Baz Luhrman’s Strictly Ballroom (Global Creatures), Darlinghurst Nights (dir. Lee Lewish), Kiss Of The Spiderwoman (MTC), My Dearworthy Darling & The S.S. Metaphor (The Malthouse) Dance Nation (Red Stitch).
From 1992 until 2003, Natalie lived and worked in New York City, performing at the famous Oak Room, Fez and The Russian Tea Room. She won the Backstage Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist and a MAC Award for Outstanding Female Vocalist in 1997 and 2000. Her debut CD Weave also received a MAC nomination for Best New Recording.
Since moving to Australia in 2003, Natalie has performed in clubs in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth as well as at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. She continues to create her own one-woman shows.
Natalie also works on the large and small screens. Her credits included the on-going role of Jan Barton in the long running Australian soap Neighbours, and the role of Fatima in the Feature Film Ali’s Wedding (Matchbox Films).
Her most recent one-woman autobiographical show Shrapnel recently debuted at The Brunswick Ballroom and will continue to be performed in 2024. She is presently in rehearsal for A Very Jewish Christmas Carol at The Melbourne Theatre Company.
Karis studied at Centrestage Performing Arts in 2016 before commencing training at Victorian College of the Arts, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) in 2019.
She was a featured vocalist in Woodstock: 50th Anniversary as a part of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival in 2019, and Morning Melodies presented by Arts Centre Melbourne. Shortly after graduating university, she made her debut at the Sydney Opera House as a swing in the first Australian cast of SIX: the Musical, and returned to the role in 2022 for its national tour. In 2021, Karis starred in Yve Blake’s critically acclaimed musical FANGIRLS in the principal role of Edna, earning her a nomination for Best Leading Performer at the 2022 Green Room Awards. This year she makes her television debut, featuring as Mish in the new anthology series EROTIC STORIES on SBS.
Natalie Gamsu (she/her) - DAPHNE
David is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (Voice) and is a freelance performer, musical director and vocal coach based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. David is director of David Butler Studio where he works with actors, singers and other professional voice-users; he is also a referred voice teacher with the Melbourne Voice Analysis Centre in rehabilitating voices. David often works as a casual voice tutorand lecturer in Musical Theatre for Theatre Blacks, Transit Dance, and the University of Melbourne, Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts.
As a performer David can be regularly found on the cabaret and independent theatre circuit. Highlights include ongoing touring with Tash York’s HAPPY HOUR, hosting events such as BOWIE BALL AUSTRALIA and CINEMASONG, as well as contributing to numerous projects in the Melbourne International Comedy, Midsumma, and Fringe Festivals as drag alter ego Peppy Smears. David has also performed in two seasons of the Australian premiere of Dave Malloy’s GHOST QUARTET (Melbourne); two seasons of MAD WORLD: The Immersive Theatrical Experience (Melbourne), and FROM: NEW YORK, FOR: HIM (Melbourne & Adelaide seasons).
David is a founding member of Antipodes Theatre Company, and is passionate about developing voice and arts practice in Australia with a primary focus on vocal health, sustainability, and representation diversity.
David respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and all First Nations people as the traditional custodians of the unceded land on which he lives and works. He pays his respect to Elders past and present, and to our shared future.
David Butler (he/him) - DAD BRAD
Tash York (she/her) - MUM SUMMER
With her wine-loving antics and witty repartee, Tash York is a multi-award-winning singer, improviser, cabaret performer, producer, podcaster and Emcee! Known for her ballsy voice, dynamic energy and an uncanny ability to rap on command, Tash “is a phenomenal performer, charismatic and courageous” (Theatre People).
Tash has performed to sold-out audiences at Perth Fringe World, Adelaide Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Ballarat Cabaret Festival, Brisbane Wonderland Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and many more. You’ll find her at almost every major festival performing her solo comedy cabaret shows or onstage as the resident host of The After Hours Cabaret Club.
She also features as a guest entertainer with P&O Australia performing her own shows to audiences across the world.
With her matchless brand of comedy-cabaret and incredible vocals, Tash York is full of exuberance, outrageous behaviour and probably a glass (or 10) of wine to boot!
Amy McMillan (she/they) - DOROTHEA
A proud queer and neurodivergent performer who grew up in Bendigo (Dja Dja Wurrung Country) and a recent graduate of Patrick School of the Arts (PSA) where she studied Musical Theatre under the direction of Andrew Hallsworth.
Amy recently appeared as ‘Hope Cladwell’ in Urinetown (dir. Mark Taylor) with Soundworks Productions at Chapel off Chapel. She has also appeared in Wise Guys: A New Comedy Musical (written by Henry Jaksetic), Murder Is An Art (written by Conor Beaumont) and as part of the Crown Atrium Christmas Spectacular (lead vocalist) in December last year.
Creatives
Conor Beaumont (he/him) - BOOK, MUSIC, LYRICS, ORCHESTRATIONS, SOUND DESIGN
Conor Beaumont is a performer, writer and composer based on Wurundjeri land, in Melbourne, Australia. Following study at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and Patrick School of the Arts (PSA), Conor has contributed to the development of several new works of musical theatre — including as ‘Billie’ in Wise Guys: A New Comedy Musical (by Henry Jaksetic), ‘Alex’ in The White Rose (by Isabella Dymalovski and Oliver Thomson) and ‘Callum’ in Murder Is An Art (Dir. Gabrielle Ward); for which he was also sole writer and composer.
ROMANTICS is Conor’s first foray into mixing, mastering and producing, as well as his first time working entirely within a digital space. As someone whose love of theatre was sparked by cast recordings rather than live performance, exploring the world of radio plays and podcast musicals seemed to be a natural next step. He is endlessly grateful to be creating within a medium of theatre that is so accessible and revisitable.
Dani Atherton (she/her) - PHOTOGRAPHY
Dani is an emerging photographer whose passion for both photography and theatre shines through her work. With a growing portfolio that blends everyday life with the drama of the stage, she is on a creative journey to capture the essence of storytelling through her lens.
Visit her website to see more of her current work.
Marc Beaumont (he/him) - ALBUM ART
Follow him on Instagram to see more of his current work.
