Anthony Arblaster has been a member of Canberra Youth Theatre since 2001. He has performed in a number of productions including; Under Milkwood (2002, CYT), The Great Garden Game (The National Museum of Australia and CYT in 2004), First Person Shooter (Copland Collage, 2004), Arcane Secrets (CYT, 2006) and The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Copland Collage, 2006). He has also been an active participant in various acting workshops with CYT during this time. Anthony first became involved with ZAPT as an assistant lighting operator in 2002, after completing a technical production workshop with CYT. In 2005 Anthony became a member of the ZAPT committee for ZAPTweek at The Street Theatre which was part of Youth Week 2005.

Antonia Aitken is a currently doing her honours year in the ANU School of Art’s Print Media and Drawing workshop. She has been actively involved in the Canberra youth arts scene for the past 10 years since joining organisations such as CYT. Antonia has performed in CIA and Stopera’s production of The Threepenny Opera (1998) and several CYT productions including Wild Things (1998), Shopping… for boys (1999), Youth’s Eye View (1999), and Shake (2001). Since then she has co-directed, designed and production managed CYT productions such as Under Milk Wood (2002), The Great Garden Game (2003) and CYT and JPET Multicultural Youth Service's project Embracing (2004). Antonia most recently performed as a puppeteer in Erth and Serious theatre companies production All-mother (Jan 2006). Antonia tutors at CYT and is particularly engaged in physical, mask and puppet theatre. She is interested in the meeting point between theatre and visual arts. Antonia’s environment based visual art practice and involvement in the ANU Environment Studio has provided her with opportunities to exhibit in various venues in Canberra, Shepparton and Wentworth. Antonia’s current honours project is located in Namadgi National Park and the drawing and print based work will develop on site over the year.

barb barnett is a performer, director and arts administrator. She trained at Deakin University and at The Australian National University. barb has been collaborating with Canberra Youth Theatre for over five years; directing, amongst others, Freak on a Leash (2003) and On The Other Side (2005). barb has performed with local companies Splinters [Theatre of Spectacle], CIA, The Acting Company, Philo, Shortis & Simpson, Canberra Rep, Bohemian Productions, Shadow House Pits and Women on a Shoestring. She is a member of Women on a Shoestring, Aberrant Theatre and BKu, and is Artistic Director of her own Company - serious theatre. Over the past two years barb has been the Co-Artistic Director of The National Multicultural Fringe; has directed for CYT, The Street Theatre Ensemble, Hidden Corners Theatre, Mental Illness Education ACT; and mounted serious theatre's 'all-mother', thanks to a grant from artsACT.

Gretel Burgess has for fifteen years directed, written, choreographed, performed for, and taught young people from many backgrounds and cultures in Australia, Europe and Indonesia. She completed a degree in Communications: Theatre Media (Charles Sturt University) and received a scholarship to complete a forth year at STSI Darmisiswa Padang Panjang University in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Her work ranges from teaching young children to adults, including teaching children and young people at the McDonald Performing Arts College Sydney, to teaching adults at the Canberra Dance Theatre where she is currently teaching World Tribal African, Afro-funk, Indonesian and Indigenous dance forms. She constantly takes drama and movement workshops into various local theatres, childcare centres, primary/high schools, colleges, universities and local and national festivals/events. Gretel has tutored, and directed for Sydney's PACT Youth Theatre, run drama workshop programs in Ireland and performed in festivals in Europe. She toured Indonesia with the stage play Waiting for Army and Australia in the children's play Mr Stupid. Gretel has performed with a number of local Canberra performance groups including Canberra Dance Theatre:World Tribal Performance Group, Full Circle Sacred Ceremony Dance Performance Group, Kahi Hiomi Dance Performance Group, Troop Dart and the Tribal Rhythms Dance & Percussion Performance Group. Additionally she is a professional leadership and self discovery program facilitator and youth worker. As a youth worker Gretel has had the opportunity to direct and facilitate drama and movement workshops for youth at risk, mental health, intellectually disabled, young mothers and children, and young women in refugees.

Kylie Bonaccorso has completed a Degree and a Graduate Diploma of Education in Theatre Studies and English at UNE. In 2005 she completed further study at the International School of Commedia dell’Arte in Italy with world-renowned maestro Antonio Fava and with LISPA, the physical theatre school in London. Kylie has worked at The McDonald College of Performing Arts for six years specialising in teaching play-building and storytelling and mask and Commedia dell’Arte. During her time at the college Kylie directed eight shows a year such as Ghost Sonata, Summer of the Aliens and A Servant of Two Masters with her senior classes. She has also worked for NIDA Open Programme for eleven years teaching from 3-5 year olds to adults; classes such as mask work, scene preparation, movement, improvisation, teaching teachers, film acting, youth with a disability, corporate and touring programmes. Kylie received a grant from the AIS (Australian Independent Schools) to write a website for Commedia dell’ Arte to assist teachers and has taught at teacher conferences. Kylie has also taught classes for ATYP (Australian Theatre for Young People), Darlo Drama, Masque Dance School, AIPAH (Australian International Performing Arts High School), Brent Street, MLC Studio, Kids Up Front and specialised in teaching and directing youth with a disability for various institutions. She is currently assisting Dark Side Masks with lesson plans for teachers who use masks within class.

Liliana Bogatko is an actor and director. She migrated from Poland where she performed and studied Theatre at Lublin University. She was involved also with writing and producing for and managing a children’s theatre in Lublin. She has worked widely in Canberra with different theatre companies including CIA, Stopera, Latin America Alive, REP and Shadowhouse Pits. She has recently performed in a Cardboard Charlie production of Daniel Keene plays for the Multicultural Festival Fringe. For CYT she directed Time Control, Chapter 3 (2001), the roaming show Alien Anthropologists, which was performed at Floriade (2003) and The Haunted House for Shorts (2005). Liliana has acted in a few films, her favourite was Matrix- Reloaded and last year she graduated with an Advanced Diploma of Media Production from the CIT. Liliana is constantly training and enjoys sharing her skills with the young people of CYT.

Linda Lorenza began her voice studies with a Linguistics Degree in Speech and Language Disorders at Macquarie University before working in Speech Technology research resulting the current voice recognition used in automated phone services today. She studied opera at the Sydney Conservatorium with Ronald Maconaghie AM and in Italy with Daniel Ferro of the Julliard School. She has performed in opera and musical theatre here and overseas. Linda has furthered her vocal specialty with the Estill Compulsory Figures for voice in which she will attain her Master qualification later this year. Linda has worked with musical theatre and acting voices directing major musical productions such as Pendragon and Bye Bye Birdie, coaching singers including some of the Sydney cast of The Lion King and working as accent and voice coach for theatre productions including works by Strindberg, Beaumarchais, Shakespeare and others.

Pip Buining has been the Artistic Director of Canberra Youth Theatre since 2006 and she has worked with young performing artists since 1994. She has completed a Bachelor of Education (University of Sydney), Masters in Theatre Studies (University of NSW), Certificate in Film Production (New York University) and Certificate in Script Editing (AFTRS). In 1996 she was Affiliate Dramaturg at the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), where she continued to work freelance for the next five years as a dramaturg and in in events, casting, education and corporate development. Post STC she worked freelance as a Drama Tutor, Dramaturg & Event Coordinator. From 2002-2005 she taught Acting at The McDonald College School of Performing Arts, Sydney where she directed 19 productions including Oedipus Rex, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, A Doll’s House and The Handless Maiden.

Beginning her career with 13 years of endless ballet classes and concerts, Ruth Pieloor’s movement skills led her to train in Suzuki, Mime, Acrobatics and Physical Theatre. After completing a traineeship with Terrapin Puppet Theatre Ruth worked with the company for 4 years as a performer, touring shows and conducting Drama workshops in schools throughout Tasmania. After many and varied acting roles for short film and stage Ruth’s love of performance saw her graduate with a BA in Acting at Theatre Nepean (UWS) in ’98. Ruth has conducted both Acting and Puppetry classes at ATYP, run after-school Drama programmes and directed many a student school production before undertaking a Bachelor of Teaching in Drama (UWS.) Ruth has most recently been teaching Drama to students of all ages at Sydney’s McDonald College of Performing Arts. Ruth continues to perform in various capacities including devising and performing regularly with Sydney’s fringe theatre company ricochet, of which she is a founding member. She is currently completing a teacher’s course for ‘Gifted and Talented’ students at UNSW, and has very recently had the good fortune of taking up residence in our Nation’s Capital.

Simone Penkethman has worked as a tutor, musical director, director and administrator for CYT. Her shows for the company have included 1° of Separation, The Great Tale, Go Bus, Amongst the Wild Things, A Lovers Complaint, Curiosity and Animal Farm - the Musical. Simone is an actor, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and singing teacher. She enjoys collaborative work with other writers, musicians, actors and singers. She fronts Simone & the Soothsayers which records and performs original material and Ginger Kiss a sassy jazz quartet. Simone makes improvised physical and musical comedy with Troupe Dart, exploring and performing in the Italian tradition of Commedia del Arte. Simone holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Writing) from the University of Wollongong. She has also taught at the CIT Music Industry Centre, Daramalan College, Canberra Dance Development Centre and Braemar School of Dance. Simone is currently a tutor for CYT.

Stephen Barker has over 20 years experience as an actor, writer, director, musician and voice-over artist in theatre, film and TV. He has performed in Australia and overseas with companies including New Theatre, Sydney Art Theatre, Voices Theatre, Sidetrack and Brainstorm Productions. In addition to Steve's performing career he teaches theatre skills to people of all ages and lectures in Drama Education at the Australian Catholic University. In Canberra he has worked with Season at the Street, About Face Theatre and Canberra Youth Theatre and has written, directed and performed interactive theatre for various institutions including the National Museum of Australia and Questacon and provided the voices of Ned Kelly and Alfred Deakin for the National Library’s touring Treasures exhibition. He recently played the role of The Man in Salt at The Street Theatre, and is proud to feature in the new Aussie film Jindabyne which hits cinemas on July 20. Steve will shortly commence rehearsals for Shopping for Shoes with Jigsaw Theatre Company, touring ACT secondary schools, and is currently shooting The Butterfly Quilt for local production company EoR Media.

Tim Hansen studied theatre at Charles Sturt University where he was awarded first class honours in BA Communication (Theatre and Media) for his experimental theatre show Broadway: Your Way-The Improvised Musical. His studies included performance, stage management, production management, musical direction and composition. Since leaving Uni, Tim has worked as a theatre technician in Bathurst and Sydney and he has come to Canberra to study composition at the School of Music. Tim was Musical Director on CYT’s King Jack for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (2003). He has since tutored numerous workshops for CYT, including The Civic Harpies as part of Arcane Secrets (2006). He has worked as music director for several local companies, including Canberra Philharmonic Society (Pack Up Your Troubles! 2005) A.R.T.S (Telling Moments, 2005), and Music For Everyone (Dolphin’s Adventure, 2006). Tim also teaches composition with the MuST program at ANU, and conducts the Canberra Mandolin Orchestra and Canberran choir Rhythm Syndicate. Tim’s compositional efforts go from strength to strength; he was invited to write pieces for ensembles such as Perth-based guitar orchestra Guitarstrophe! and Australia’s premiere guitar quartet Saffire. In addition, Tim scored the music for Sydney-based Dancing Giant Theatre Company in their critically acclaimed cabaret work, Death’s Waiting Room (2005).