Rebecca Pannell
B.A.(Hons) A.D.P.A
Bec is the Managing Director/Creative Producer and a Senior Teaching Artist of South Australian Youth Arts Theatre Co based in Unley. She is a trained actor, completing her performance diploma at the Centre for the Performing Arts and a Speech and Drama Teaching Associate Diploma with AMEB (Distinction). She also has a BA Hons (First Class) in History and English from the University of Adelaide as well as various management qualifications and diplomas through Tafe SA.
As an arts administrator she has worked for Patch Theatre Company (interim Executive Producer, overseeing international presentation of Me & My Shadow in China), Urban Myth (General Manager) and Restless Dance Theatre (Project Officer). For a number of years Bec has produced the annual Fringe productions for SAYarts, including the award-winning Everybody Dies.
A voice specialist and drama facilitator, Bec has taught voice for actors at AC Arts, Adelaide Secondary College of English and South Australian Youth Arts. Her voice pedagogy includes Kristin Linklater, Patsy Rodenburg, Jo Estill and Cicely Berry. She has been lucky enough to be taught voice by Pat Wilson, Patsy Rodenburg and Jo Estill. She has also worked with Legs on the Wall, Jacques Le Coq, Frankie Armstrong and Nigel Jamieson.
Bec has lectured in Cultural Theory and Australian Studies at Flinders University and was Principal of Lincoln College, North Adelaide and Associate Dean of University Hall at Flinders University. Bec also works for the History Trust as an Education Officer.
Bec’s hobbies include botanical art and poetry.
Laurie Rea
Dip.Med/Perf. A.L.R.A.
Laurie was trained as an actor in the U.K., receiving his Media/Performance Diploma at Salford University and undertaking training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London. He has also completed his Level 4 Education Certificate. Through the Australian Music Examinations Board in South Australia for Section 1 of the Diploma, he received the Associate Diploma in Drama and Performance Prize for 2017.
Since his actor training in the U.K., he has had feature roles in the theatre, television and film and was fortunate enough to work alongside some very prestigious actors and directors. As well as acting, Laurie is working as an acting agent and teacher. He is passionate about the arts and believes that children should be encouraged to participate in creative endeavours from an early age. Laurie is also a keen writer of both plays and screenplays and hopes to have more of his work produced in the future.
Laurie has been teaching Speech and Drama since 2017 and looks forward to continuing in this role with Speech and Drama Studios SA into the future.
Lisa Forster
B.A.Med.Arts A.D.P.A
Lisa began her Speech and Drama training with Lois Brimblecombe through the AMEB in 2014, winning the 2015 Certificate in Drama and Performance Prize for South Australia and the Northern Territory. She completed her Associate Diploma in 2016. Lisa has loved her work with Speech and Drama Studios SA at all venues. She believes in fostering a caring, inclusive and safe environment for students to learn and explore as performers and public speakers. She finds it rewarding to see students growing as performers and public speakers and learning to take risks. Watching students develop a passion and understanding for effective communication – no matter their age – is the highlight of her work.
Lisa has spent her life exploring the arts in all aspects, including performance, painting, music, film and dance. She is an accomplished pianist, visual artist and teacher of performing arts. Her working life has been spent encouraging young people to take part in creative pursuits including her own company Little Big Parrots as well as Theatre Bugs, True North Youth Theatre Ensemble and Free Range Theatrix.
In 2012, she graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Media Arts, majoring in Film and Television Production and sub majoring in Performance.
Lisa’s hobbies include painting, reading and hiking.
Sarah-Jo Bramfit
A.D.P.A.
Since childhood Sarah-Jo has been heavily involved in the arts, with extensive experience in music, acting, dance and visual art. A graduate from the internationally recognised Specialist Music Program at Marryatville High School, Sarah-Jo had the opportunity to perform across Europe on a Choral Tour, sing with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and compete and win multiple awards in both the Adelaide Eisteddfods and Generations in Jazz. She has performed in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival with Class of Cabaret as well as the Adelaide Fringe Festival with Gospo Enterprises and the Johnny Cash Tribute Show. Upon graduating Sarah-Jo received subject Merits in both Drama and Solo Performance and was presented with a State Theatre Award.
Sarah-Jo was one of four singers accepted into the Victorian College of the Art’s Bachelor of Contemporary Music (Jazz and Improvisation) where she attended briefly before averting her attention towards acting. She commenced training with Actors Centre Australia and SA Casting alongside completing an Associate Diploma in Speech and Drama through the AMEB and screen-acting in multiple MAPS’ student films.
Sarah-Jo has since become involved in film-making, with her own short-film project underway featuring Adrian Barnes (Wolf Creek) and vocal technician Pat H. Wilson, and a music video soon to be released through Sydney-based label A&R Department. Sarah-Jo also recently landed an invitation onto the Warner Brother’s ‘Mortal Kombat’ set from the Director Simon McQuoid, where she learned from experts in their field including big-time Producer E. Bennett Walsh (Kill Bill, Kite Runner).
Sarah-Jo enjoys working with Speech and Drama Studios SA and inspires young people to extend and explore their creative potential.
