Meet the Creative Team
Zoe Pepper
Creator, Director, Co-writer
Zoe is a writer and director for film and theatre. After ten years as one of Western Australia’s top theatre directors, she was selected for Screenwest’s prestigious Feature Navigator program. In 2018, Zoe completed two web series, LIFT, a Mad Kids production starring Lucy Durack and directed by Zoe which aired on 10peach, and The Big Spaghetti, which Zoe directed and co-wrote. In 2019, The Big Spaghetti premiered at Slamdance Film Festival and Zoe was awarded an Australian Director’s Guild Award for best direction in an Online Comedy Series.
For theatre Zoe directed and co-wrote The Irresistible, which was nominated for Best Play at the Helpmann Awards. Zoe has directed for Black Swan State Theatre Company, Perth Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company. She was a recipient of the Australia Council Creative Australia Fellowship. She studied film directing at AFTRS, acting at WAAPA and performance at the Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris.
Gemma Pepper
Producer
Gemma is a creative producer with 20 years’ experience working across a diverse spectrum of creative projects; including theatre, festivals, new media and policy/program development. Gemma has a long history producing theatre and events in Australia, working for companies including Marrugeku, Stalker, Erth, Sydney Dance Company, the Enlighten Festival (Canberra), Geelong Performing Arts Centre, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and Side Pony Productions. Most recently Gemma produced the 2019 Australian tour of Side Pony Productions work The Irresistible, which enjoyed sold-out seasons at Dark Mofo, Sydney Opera House and Geelong Arts Centre.
Clare Testoni
Co-Writer
Clare is a writer and puppeteer. Much of her work involves shadow puppetry or live cinema. Her recent work includes Tale of Tales, The Double, and The Beast and The Bride. Clare trained in puppetry in Sydney, Perth, and Bamberg, Germany. She is a graduate of the FirstHand program at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, and the Black Swan Emerging Writers group. She has performed with The Last Great Hunt, ATYP, Barking Gecko, and Siren Theatre Company. Clare was awarded All Ages Theatre Development grant from Barking Gecko and The Blue Room Theatre in 2019 for The Children Grim and Wild which is currently in development with The Last Great Hunt. She was the artist in residence at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre in 2020.
James Peter Brown
Composer
James Peter Brown is a Sydney based composer who has worked collaboratively with companies both locally and internationally to produce soundtracks for performance, film, animation and games.
He has extensive experience working in collaborative, multi-artform processes and has formed ongoing artistic relationships collaborations with artists and companies including: Bethesda, Victoria Hunt, Jane Campion, Adult Swim, The Australian Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, William Yang, George Khut, Matthew Day, Hans Van Den Broeck (SOIT), POST, and Urban Theatre Projects.
Xoe Baird
Sound Designer
Xoe Baird is a Perth based sound editor and designer. Since 2007, Xoe has worked in a wide range of mediums including film, television, radio, and video games. After working for many year is both location and post sound, in 2013, she made the jump to full time post-production and in 2016 she opened her own studio, XB Studios, located in Western Australia. Xoe has won numerous awards for her work, including most recently receiving an AACTA in 2019 for Documentary 100 Days to Victory. Xoe is also a great supporter of the location industry and is the WA Chapter leader for the Australian Screen Sound Guild.
Elizabeth Hay
Actor
Elizabeth is a South Australian based performer. She completed her training at the Flinders Drama Centre.
She has worked on Gods of Strangers, Jesikah, Volpone, Red Cross Letters (State Theatre Company South Australia), Emil and the Detectives (Slingsby Theatre Company), Yo Diddle Diddle (Patch Theatre) and Grug and the Rainbow (Windmill Theatre Co). Elizabeth was a deviser and performer in Stories in the Dark, which won the InSpace Development Award at the 2017 Adelaide Fringe. She has been involved with many local independent theatre companies, including ActNow Theatre as a performer and board member. Elizabeth joined the main cast of Danger 5 for the series return on SBS, and has appeared in other locally made television productions and commercials.
She has been a proud member of MEAA since graduating, and was recently made president of the South Australian Branch of Equity.
Antoine Jelk
Actor
Since his graduation from Flinders Drama Centre in 2014, Antoine has had the privilege of working with companies from all tiers of the Adelaide Theatre industry.
His credits include Tartuffe and Long Tan by State Theatre Company and Brink Productions, Delugethe premiere work by Tiny Bricks for the Adelaide Festival, Schmidt by Back Porch Productions, Eurydice by Foul Play Theatre, Eyes by Sandpit , Beep by Windmill Theatre Company, and Yo Diddle Diddle by Patch. Antoine most recently performed in A View From The Bridge with State Theatre Company SA.
He has composed original music for The Wolves and Strata/Forgiveness (Rumpus) and the web-series Honey, I’m Home (Windmill Theatre Company).
Anna Steen
Actor
Anna is a theatre graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
She has performed extensively with State Theatre Company South Australia, and was part of their Ensemble from 2017-2018. She has worked with isthisyours?, NowYesNow, Griffin Theatre Company and Bell Shakespeare among others.
Anna has worked as performer and director on several children’s musicals and started children’s theatre company Gaia Theatre, where she has worked as performer, producer and writer. She has also worked extensively with ABC Audio as a producer and voice artist in radio dramas and audio books. Anna hosts the children’s story podcast Kid’s Story Room.
Nathan O'Keefe
Actor
Nathan has worked extensively in theatre, both nationally and internationally. He has toured Asia, USA, and all across Australia, working for companies such as Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Windmill Theatre Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Griffin Theatre, Malthouse, Bell Shakespeare, Brink, Slingsby and Patch Theatre Company to name a few.
Nathan was a member of the State Theatre Company Actors Ensemble for 2017 and 2018.
Nathan is an Adelaide Theatre Guide and Adelaide Critics Circle Award recipient.