Graduate Profiles

Michelle Cocuzzoli graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Drama in 2007. She currently coordinates a Community Cultural Development project in the Raymond Terrace area titled "Creating the Spirit" which is completing the first community public artwork in the area to be launched in October 2008. She also coordinates workshops for parents and children to provide creative outlets and reduce stress while engaging parents in community events and activities. The project has recently launched a partnership with Birra-Li birthing service running workshops for Aboriginal mothers; the arts based workshops aim to break down barriers of communication and explore therapeutic activities of nurturing. She is also the Aboriginal Cadet Youth Worker at Newcastle-based Loft Youth Venue, coordinating arts and cultural activities, workshops and camps for Aboriginal Young people in the Newcastle area and surrounds. In 2007 she established a performing arts business, Whoopsie Daisie, which specialises in circus workshops for children 5-12 years old. The business is also a growing distributor of circus and fire twirling equipment Australia-wide and is currently extending to countries such as the UK and Brazil. In 2008 she will complete her Masters in Social Science and aims to continue blending the arts and social work.

Peta Woods began her University studies lacking a sense of direction and ownership of what she was learning. Within the Drama program at the university she quickly discovered a life purpose and was able to set goals for the future with the confidence that they could now be achieved. She believes that the most important thing that she learned from studying drama at Newcastle was the concept of becoming a multi-skilled practitioner, whether it be in theatre, business, tourism or education. People with skills in communication, reflective practice, human relations and creativity are always highly sought after by employers that they know will work better with others and contribute more effectively to their workplace. She graduated with Honours in Drama in 2004.

Brendan O'Connell completed a BA at the University of Newcastle in 2003. During this time he formed his own theatre company, The Keyhole Project, in addition to running a website promoting local theatre, working as a theatre critic on ABC 1233 and acting and directing in a variety of local productions. In 2005 Brendan was Artistic Associate with TANTRUM Theatre and worked as Assistant Director to Kate Champion on the creative development of a new performance work titled Starf**ka. In 2006 Brendan was selected to study directing at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne where he directed Harold Pinter's One for the Road. Since graduating, Brendan has worked freelance as a director, actor, assistant director and tutor with the Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare Company, The Production Company and The Popular Theatre Company. In 2007 he received the 'Best Professional Direction' City of Newcastle Drama Award for his production of Savage/Love with the University of Newcastle's School of Drama, Fine Art and Music. In 2008, Brendan worked as Assistant Director on the Australian premiere of The Vertical Hour for Sydney Theatre Company. Brendan has recently been appointed as the Artistic Director of TANTRUM Theatre.

Jacquie Gill completed her Bachelor of Arts (Drama Major) in 2006 and her Drama Honours in 2007, both at Newcastle University. Jacquie was awarded a First Class Honours and also received the Faculty and University Medal at her graduation in 2008. Jacquie also received a City of Newcastle Dramatic Award in 2007 for Best Director and Best Production for her Honours production, Falling Petals, by Ben Ellis. During her time at University, she was also an Artistic Director for the multi award-winning Newcastle theatre company Synergy Cubed Productions. She is passionate about theatre and music and is pursuing a career as a professional director.

Clare Irvine is a Senior Research Coordinator at the University of Melbourne where she is managing a four-year study into young audiences at the major state theatre companies and cultural venues in NSW, VIC and QLD. Clare is also the coordinator of a review for Arts Victoria and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. She became involved in the arts industry whilst she was an undergraduate at the University of Newcastle. She worked as an actor, director and artistic manager for Freewheels Theatre Company before becoming the Theatre Board's Youth Arts Officer at the Australia Council for the Arts. Clare has also worked in the local government environment as a consultant for Lake Macquarie City Council and, more recently, as Education and Outreach Coordinator at Maitland Regional Art Gallery (Maitland City Council). Clare completed her PhD at the University of Newcastle in 2006 and has been a tutor in Drama at both the Callaghan and Central Coast Campuses.

Jim Garner studied Mathematics at the University of Newcastle from 1975 to 1978. After a career in commercial software development, he returned in 1995 to enrol in a BA majoring in Drama. In 1998 he wrote an honours thesis on the use of ray-tracing to simulate theatre lighting, which won the Dean's Medal and resulted in 1st Class Honours. A year later, Jim commenced PhD studies while tutoring first-year drama and directing Chayefsky's Network as a Drama Department production. His doctoral dissertation, completed in 2003, was on historiographical discourses in plays concerning the Cambridge spies. Jim is now working in the private sector in the Port Stephens area.

Heath Carr graduated from the University of Newcastle with a major in Drama in 2006 and then set his sights on studying overseas. With an undergraduate degree he became eligible to audition for a Masters in Fine Arts at the Actors Studio Pace University. He travelled to New York for the audition and was notified of his acceptance three weeks later. The program offers a three year full-time course and trains a small group of 20-25 actors in the Stanislavski method of acting. 'The Actor Prepares' is the title of the first year which brings into play basic elements of effective rehearsal technique. Second year continues with a more in depth approach to character growth under its title 'Building a Character'. Third year, titled 'Creating a Role', emphasises the results of the previous years with performances at a professional level. After completion of the Actors Studio MFA program graduates gain the opportunity to audition for the original Actors Studio created by Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford and Robert Lewis and have the chance to become life-time members.