Coaches

STEPH –
Stephanie Waites

DRAMA SCENE Founder (Head Coach and Writer)
Drama Scene Players Inc. – Drama & Creative Arts Director, President
BA Theatre, Theory & Practice (Hons)
Theatresports® Teacher Accreditation
St John Emergency First Aid certificate
Proud Member of Actors Equity since 1978
International Thespian Society, Life Member

Trained in Theatre, Drama, Voice, Singing, Dancing (RAD Ballet, FATD Tap, Jazz Ballet), with fourteen years professional performance experience including Title roles in professional musical theatre productions and roles in film, television, voiceovers and radio plays, StephanieWaites worked across Australia and in the United Kingdom before establishing Drama Scene back home in Sydney in 2003.

In response to working professionally from the age of 8 years old and with fifteen years’ experience working with pre-school aged children, school students, children with special needs, teenagers, professional juvenile performers, Stephanie continues to write for children and to develop a range of unique programs for children and young adults in the creative, practical and performing arts.

Steph is trained in Improvisation and a former Judge for TSC (Theatreports® Schools Challenge).  She also acts as a mentor to Student Primary Drama Teachers and since 1999 she has been invited to run workshops for Drama NSW, Drama Australia and the Sydney Theatre Company, training Primary Teachers to use drama in the NSW Primary School Curriculum. Steph has presented at Drama conferences Australia wide on a range of topics from Puppetry for 5 year olds to developing performances from found objects and using Drama to teach subjects such as Literacy, Maths and History. Specialisations include Acting Techniques, Voice, Movement, Mime, Improvisation, Musical Theatre, Puppetry, Mask, Characterisation, Shakespeare, Script Analysis, playwriting, Storybook Theatre, Narrative Theatre, Readers Theatre, Image Theatre, Playbuilding, Theatresports®, Monologue Creation, Poetry Presentation, Audition Technique and Drama Scene’s unique ‘DramaDance’ program.

In 2011, Steph’s play for 5-12 year olds, Puppy Wishes was developed and performed in three Sydney Primary Schools and she was invited to the Drama Australia National Conference held in Perth, Spaces Of Performance to present a process workshop.
Steph continues to pursue funding for the Drama Scene Players Inc., particularly for projects promoting the work she and her Drama Scene trained Coaches do using Drama for; positive mental health in teens, for children on the Autism Spectrum, for young people with Special Needs, a tool to encourage resilience.

In collaboration with Ever After Theatre (the only NSW Company for Adults with an Intellectual Disability) and Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre, Stephanie ‘s DSP Inc. project from 2012 – 2018 was the facilitation of weekly Drama classes for Disabled children including children with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities and children on the Autism Spectrum.

Through DSP Inc. Stephanie Waites was also the Creative Arts Director for DS Teens original theatre projects – Time, 11.11, Space and DramaScener performances of group devised Play, Toyshop.

In her personal time, Steph is a volunteer with The Pyjama Foundation and she provides mentor care for children living in Out Of Home Care / Foster Care.

2020 saw Drama Scene move on to digital learning and the discovery of Zoom as a tool to teach Acting On Camera & Onscreen. Stephanie Waites wrote and produced three original “Zoom” Plays and delivered online Drama programs to students across Australia with the support of Create NSW & the NSW Government.

Kate Coates

Kate Coates is an Improviser, Actor, Comedy Writer and Sketch Comedian who has trained with Impro Australia, Improv Theatre Sydney (ITS), iO and Second City in Chicago.  As a company Director, Teacher and member of the ITS ensemble, she performs regularly in the ITS Soap Opera at Giant Dwarf with The Bear Pack. She won the 2013 Fresh Cranston Cup, the 2015 Cranston Cup and the 2016 Theatresports Nationals Competition at the Enmore Theatre. Representing NSW, she won the National Theatresports Titans competition in the 2014 Adelaide Fringe Festival and performed in the Australian Theatresports Challenge for Amnesty International.  Kate produced the First Thursday Impro Club and Tennis Improv (formerly Full Body Contact No Love Tennis) at The Roxbury Hotel as well as Lybrary Impro. She runs improv workshops as part of IA’s Theatresports Schools Challenge.  Kate is also a solo sketch performer, making her debut with Guys, I’m Okay (Sydney Fringe, Fringe World, Sydney Comedy Festival) and touring Australia with her 2017 follow-up, Blerp.

Cate Cunningham

Recipient of the 2009 Outstanding Professional Service Award from the PTC (Professional Teachers’ Council)
Bachelor of Arts
Dip. Art (Education)
Drama NSW – Current Drama Australia Liaison Officer
ACAPTA – Australian Circus & Physical Theatre Association

Cate Cunningham has spent a lifetime immersed in the arts, first in Visual Arts, then Dance, then Corporeal Mime, Drama and, more recently, Circus. Now that she has left a full-time Secondary Teaching career to teach Drama part-time while pursuing her interests in directing, circus, writing, street and parade theatre, and commedia del’Arte, Cate is finally available to share her experience with our students, she is also currently presenting the Drama in the Secondary School course at Macquarie University. Her remarkable experience means Cate has taught all ages from pre-school to adult, and her student achievements include finalists in the first Theatresports® Schools Competition (TSC), equal first place in Class Clowns and a national standup comedy festival at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, the selection of Director’s Notes for OnStage, original work called I Hate Dolls, devised and performed by students with learning difficulties at the Page to Stage festival at The Ensemble Theatre, performers in the first international Rock Eisteddfod, and her ex-students have formed their own circus troupe. Cate has marked HSC Drama for over 12 years, and she has been an active Committee Member of Drama NSW for as long (including terms as President and her current role as Drama Australia Liaison Officer).

Jake Fryer-Hornsby

Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts
(WAAPA) – Bachelor of Arts

Jake Fryer-Hornsby is an actor, theatre maker, and educator originally from regional Western Australia in Noongar country. Jake studied acting as part of the class of 2017 at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Since then Jake has worked extensively across Australia’s theatre scene, on stage and off, and in schools around the country. Jake believes strongly in the value the arts and storytelling holds in our communities and in the power of education. In Sydney Jake has taught with AIPA, ATYP holiday programs and as a Teaching Artist for Bell Shakespeare Company.

Richard Holborn

Actorworks Academy Drama School (Post grad Actors Intensive)
London South Bank University (Ba Hons Drama and Performance Studies)
Theatre Royal Bath, Theatre School (The Egg, Worlds first dedicated children’s theatre)
National Youth Theatre of Great Britain 

Richard Holborn is a highly trained and experienced facilitator and professional Actor, working in Theatre, Film and Voice-Overs across the world including jobs in London, Venice, across America, China and now Australia.  Richard is also co-founder and director of Storycycle Theatre Company, a community inclusive organisation where un-known stories are uncovered, explored and re-imagined through storytelling, workshops and installations. Recent commissions have been for Somerset House Trust in London, Kids Week in the West End and Liberty Radio London. His Theatrical credits include: The Short & Sweet Festival 2018, (Sydney), Hedda Gabler, (Star of The Sea, Manly), A Midsummer Nights Dream, (Italy – tour), Stay Happy Keep Smiling (Anna Jordan, Soho Theatre). Screen Credits include: TVC Kleveknife, Nothing To Wear (Seahorse Films). Audio: Unheard (Amazon Audible, UK). Richard has taught Drama in schools across the U.K for Unique Voice and the Pauline Quirke Academy and he most recently led a series of Shakespeare masterclass’ for Italian students in Belluno.

Sher Kearney

Sher Kearney has worked as an actor for Sydney Theatre Company and Griffin theatre. For MSTYP Sher’s Directing credits include Co-Directing Babe, Captain Midnite, The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe and Danny in the Toybox. For MSTYP Sher has also taught Drama to children of most age groups for twelve years. As Co-Founder and Artistic Director of outdoor theatre company, Shakespeare on the Green, Sher has directed five Shakespeare plays. For five years, Sher worked at Chatswood High Directing their special needs group for the ‘Page to Stage’ program.
In 2015 Sher is re-directing The Crossing for Blaxland and Daughter which will tour Primary schools in the metropolitan area and NSW.

Natalie Mackenzie

MA Dramatherapy  Roehampton University UK
BA (Communications- Theatre and Media) Charles Sturt University, Bathurst

Natalie MacKenzie started working with Drama Scene over a decade ago as an After School Drama Coach.  She has always been passionate about the therapeutic aspects of Drama recognising Drama has an innate ability to facilitate creativity, imagination, learning, insight and growth. Natalie relocated to the UK to gain qualifications as a Registered Dramatherapist, gaining a Masters degree in Dramatherapy from Roehampton University in London.  As a Dramatherapist, Natalie has worked with children experiencing emotional trauma, in adolescent mental health, eating disorders and with adults experiencing enduring mental health difficulties both in the community and in secure settings. Outside of her Dramatherapy work, Natalie has extensive experience in working with excluded young people developing creative programs aimed at reintegrating them back in to the education system as well as facilitating Drama programs for children and adults with disabilities. Natalie is an active performer and facilitator of Playback Theatre, an improvised form of storytelling, having performed in Australia and overseas.

Ciaran Magee

ACTT (Acting)

Ciaran Magee is a passionate Performer and Teacher, who has been acting in some way shape or form since he was five years old in his role as ‘tax collector’ in a home made Dracula film. Ciaran has gone on to study Acting at ACTT, perform in Sydney Fringe and Melbourne Comedy Festival. He has acted in sell-out shows such as The Staffroom, Adventures in Hair and Every Episode of Doctor Who Ever, and Directed the 2012 Sydney University Arts Revue Artsmageddon. He also ran the monthly comedy night Idiot Box in 2015. Ciaran is a long-time Educator, and has 8 years experience in tutoring private education, chiefly for primary school students, teaching a wide variety of subjects, with a keen focus on the Dramatic Arts, Science and English.

Lachie Pringle

VCA Graduate – (Victorian College Of The Arts)

Lachie Pringle is a professional Actor, Musician and in demand Voiceover Artist. As a Drama Coach Lachie specialises in teaching Improvisation, Theatresports®, Clowning, Singing and Beat Poetry. While completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts and the University of Melbourne, Lachie worked with children’s entertainment company Little Party Faces, helping kids aged 2-12 gain confidence in themselves as performers, and discover joy through play. Since graduating from the esteemed VCA in 2018, Lachie has appeared in film and theatrical productions in Sydney and Melbourne, most notably performing in Melbourne Theatre Company’s. Cybec Electric in 2019. You may have heard Lachie in his role with Substation Media Services as he works in an Audio Description Voice-Overs, making popular children’s television shows like Play School and Bluey accessible for kids with vision impairment.

Anne Wilson

BA Dip Ed Major Primary Ed., Minor Secondary Drama
ImproAustralia Teacher and Performer Graduate
Lynette Sheldon Actors Studio (New York and Sydney)
EDTA- Dance Teacher Qualification
Proud Member of Equity

Anne Wilson has taught the HSC Drama syllabus for over a decade and is a specialist in Improvisation. In 2013 her Intermediate Theatresports Team qualified for the Grand Final of the Schools Theatresports® Challenge, at the Enmore Theatre. She has marked the HSC Drama Curriculum in the areas of Written Examination, Costume Design, Video Projects and Itinerant Performance Marking. Anne has taught countless drama and improvisation programs, at schools, in corporate settings and institutions including ATYP. As a writer and performer of cabaret, she has been involved in Fringe Festivals and Short, Sweet +Cabaret in both Sydney and Melbourne. Anne has performed at Belvoir, Griffin, NIDA, The Enmore Theatre and the Seymour Centre in theatre, improvisation, musical theatre and as a presenter. Anne produces and performs in HSC Drama texts under her company Illuminate Educate.

Carol Wimmer

Carol Wimmer is a drama educator and director who has been involved in the theatre world for many years. As a teacher, she worked with the Board of Studies Drama Syllabus Committees from 1989 to 2000, and was the co-writer of the present Stage 6 Syllabus. She served on HSC Drama Examination Committees, as Assistant Supervisor of Marking and as Senior Examiner for the Written Paper and is currently the Co-ordinator for the Independent Schools Drama Trial Examination for HSC and the Preliminary Course. Her Drama text Acting in Person and in Style in Australia is widely used by Drama educators and Stage 6 students in Australia and New Zealand. Carol wrote and presented courses for Primary and Secondary teachers for the Board of Studies, The Department of Education and Drama NSW and directed Drama Festivals and camps.
For community theatre companies  Carol has directed plays such as Life After George, Shadowlands, The Book of Everything, Mr Bailey’s Minder and Things I Know to be True, and has written short plays commemorating historical events such as The Vinegar Hill Rebellion. She reviews theatre and opera for the national on-line and print magazine, Stage Whispers – as well as on her own blog Penlines.