Charles Ball (Bandit/Pat)
Charles earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance Performance) from QUT in 2014. Through various artistic collaborations and a continually evolving personal practice, he has created and performed works around Australia and internationally in multiple disciplines including contemporary dance, ballet, theatre, aerial, and puppetry. Charles has performed with Queensland Theatre, Queensland Ballet, Opera Australia, Legs on the Wall, Dead Puppet Society, Red Leap Theatre, The Farm, Broad Encounters, Expressions Dance Company and he was part of the Australian national tour of Bluey's Big Play. He also remains an active member of the independent dance community, frequently collaborating with local artists and researching experimental creative processes in the pursuit of meaningful and engaging original works. Charles’ choreography has been featured at Supercell Festival of Contemporary Dance, Dark World Festival and The IndepenDANCE Project.
Aarod Vawser (Bandit/Pat)
Aarod Vawser is an actor, writer, video editor and puppeteer, and is thrilled to be a part of Bluey’s Big Play as it tours the US. In 2020, Aarod graduated with an Honours degree in Drama at Flinders University. He is a co-founder of South Australian theatre company, the CRAM Collective. He has co-produced and starred in productions for CRAM since its conception in 2021. He has won awards for his playwriting and filmmaking. These include a merit award for the Flinders University & STCSA Young Playwrights Award for his play We Need To Talk About Julia, and an award at Orlando Filmapalooza for the 48-hour film competition. Two short films he co-created were shortlisted for Helpmann Awards. He was Assistant Director of the Flying Penguin production of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by David Mealor. Aarod works as a video editor and filmographer for Replay Creative. He is a proud member of MEAA.
Chris White (Bandit/Pat)
Chris White is a passionate actor and singer from the Gold Coast, Australia. Fresh off the back of the Australian tour of Bluey’s Big Play (HVK), he is extremely excited to tour the USA for the first time. Previously, Chris was a member of internationally renowned children’s entertainment group Hi-5 and in the Male Ensemble for pop-sensation Adele’s World Tour. He has also performed for Prince Charles and created original content with the Yellow Wiggle, Greg Page. Television appearances include Young Officer in “Nautilus” (Disney+) and Cheeko in “Team Rescue” (ABC Kids). Theatrical highlights include Simon Gallaher’s The Pirates of Penzance, Johnny Casino in Grease: The Arena Experience (HRTC), Roger in RENT (Brisbane Powerhouse), Chris in Miss Saigon (HOTA), Ken in Barbie: Anything is Possible (Pen2Stage - Dubai), Sky in Mamma Mia! (Packemin), Jeremy in Sentinel Chickens (JUTE) and the development of new musicals, State of Origin: The Musical & Julie (QPAC).
Rachel Burke (Bingo)
Rachel is a graduate of Flinders University Drama Centre in South Australia. Since graduating in 2015, she has performed in Beep (Windmill Theatre), Macbeth, A Doll’s House, In the Club, Sense and Sensibility (STCSA Ensemble), Jasper Jones and Decameron 2.0 (STCSA), Angelique (isthisyours?), Cranky Bear, The Lighthouse (Patch), Limit, Red Sky Morning (STCSA Umbrella), Tartuffe (STCSA/Brink), The Wolves (RUMPUS), Speak Out (ActNow), Foolz (Flinders University), My Beautiful Radio Station (Expressway Arts), and This Storm (The Unrest Cure). Her screen credits include “Beep and Mort” (Windmill Pictures) and the webseries “Dead Centre” (Jupeter Films). She directed Di and Viv and Rose (RUMPUS), worked as assistant director on Girls and Boys (STCSA), As One (Tiny Bricks) and Love and Information (Flinders Drama Centre) and was an Intimacy Consultant on Requiem (Adelaide Festival).
Joanna Halliday (Bingo)
Born and raised in Melbourne Joanna has trained in Music Theatre at Showfit and completed her Bachelor in Acting at The Victorian College of the Arts. Upon graduating in 2018 Joanna debuted as Juliet in Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet (dir. Jennifer Sarah Dean). Since then she has performed as Gwendolen Carr in Travesties (dir. Jennifer Sarah Dean), Cherie in Blackrock (dir. Nicola Bowman), As You Like It (dir. Jennifer Sarah Dean), A Comedy of Errors (dir Ben Adams). In 2019 Joanna appeared in the feature film “Ride Like a Girl” as Young Burnadette, featuring Sam Neill and Teresa Palmer (dir. Rachel Griffiths.) and has guest appeared in “Miss Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, Come Die with Me” (dir Lynn Hegarty). Joanna is trained in singing, classical piano, violin, and classical dance. Joanna has been involved with Bluey’s Big Play since March 2020 and has played various roles since! This USA tour she’s excited to be playing Bingo… for real life!
Jess Minas (Bingo)
Jess Minas is an Adelaide based artist working in dance, theatre, puppetry, and film. Jess danced in Anifex’s award winning stop motion animation titled “The Better Angels” (2019). In 2020, Jess began working as a puppeteer for Windmill Theatre Company and HVK Productions on their Australian tour of Bluey’s Big Play, directed by Rosemary Myers. Jess worked as Movement Director on Lachlan Barnett’s ActNow Theatre MakeSpace Residency (2021) whilst also puppeteering on Windmill Pictures production of “Beep and Mort”, supported by the ABC. Most recently Jess worked as a dancer/ collaborator on “Projekt Moxie”, directed by Lina Limosani and Daniel Jaber (2022), as well as “Dance Launchpad” a dance double bill directed by Tobiah Booth-Remmers and Amanda Phillips, produced by The Mill Adelaide (2022). Jess’s choreographic/directorial achievements include “Salute” (2020) as part of “Rip Drag and Ruminate” in the Adelaide Fringe Festival, winning Best Dance Show at the Adelaide Fringe Awards (2020), as well as two movement-based short films, “Snail Mail” (2020) and “Depart 222” (2022).
Jess Gollé (Bluey)
Jess is a Brisbane based artist with a background in dance, acting, film and theatre. In 2019, Jess graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Communication (Entertainment Industries) with Distinction as well as establishing herself in a variety of performing roles: Performer for The Walt Disney Company (Tokyo Disneyland 2015-2018), performer for Dreamworld and Village Roadshow Theme Parks (2013-2019) and working with the Starlight Children’s Foundation (2022-present). In late 2019, Jess went on to developing, co-ordinating and performing with Bluey Live and opened the first Bluey Live Experience in QLD as female host. Her roles and responsibilities further expanded in 2021 to Production assistant for Bluey Live Australia events. As a continuation, Jess was cast as a puppeteer for Bluey’s Big Play, Australian National Tour (2021-2022). Jess is beyond excited to now be representing Australia as part of the opening cast for Bluey’s Big Play USA tour.
Jessa Konic (Bluey)
Jessa is a born Melbournian! She has studied performing arts in both Australia and Indonesia. After training with the Australian Youth Theatre for 8 years, Jessa went on to graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Melbourne University, with a BFA in Acting. She also trained for a time in Bali studying Mask. Jessa joined the cast of Bluey’s Big Play in 2020. Some of her credits include Bluey in Bluey’s Big Play (Development 2020) (National Tour 2021, 2022), Hero Woman in “A Theory of Incompleteness” (Runner up Sony Film Festival, 2021), Geb, Fidgeter, and Santa in The Great Australian Play (Theatre Works, 2020), Hunter in F***ing A (VCA, 2019), and Fefu in Fefu and her Friends (VCA, 2018).
Stephanie Stephens (Bluey)
Stephanie Stephens is a dedicated performer who is passionate about bringing joy to children and families. She has seen every episode of “Bluey” (at least twice) and is very excited to be back on stage with Bluey’s Big Play (HVK). After performing multiple roles in the show throughout Australia, she is more eager than ever to conquer America as her favorite little blue heeler. Stephanie has over 10 years of experience working with characters, including Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. She has also performed on Disney Cruise Line, Disney International Christmas Tours and completed a Disney Articulated Training course in puppetry. Other career highlights include performing alongside The Wiggles at Sydney ICC, working with Hi-5 at Marina Bay Sans in Singapore and bopping with pop sensation Ricki-Lee at the Sydney Opera House. Television appearances include “Carols in the Domain” (Channel 7), The Today Show (Channel 9), and a commercial for Disney on Ice.
Louisa Reid (Chilli)
Louisa attended the Victorian College of the Arts, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting in 2018. Louisa first worked as a professional puppeteer on the 2021 Australian tour of Bluey's Big Play in the role of Chilli. She continues this role for the North American Tour.
Allanah Sarafian (Chilli)
Allanah Sarafian is a puppeteer, visual artist and teacher originally from Brisbane and now residing in Melbourne, Australia. Allanah began her career in the arts by studying fashion, which then morphed into working in costume, circus, and finally puppetry. While working as a performance and visual artist, Allanah also completed a primary education qualification and has been a primary art teacher for the last eight years. Allanah’s debut into puppetry began six years ago when she started working with Trash Puppets. Since then she has performed with and built puppets for Erth Visual and Physical Inc, POPOMOCO, A Blanck Canvas, Private Function, Moomba and White Night among others. In 2022 Allanah was a participant in Lemony S Puppets' inaugural training program; Puppet Lab. Allanah enjoys working with and making art inspired by the outlook of children.
Kristal Walcott (Chilli)
Kristall Walcott is a 26 year-old Caribbean born dancer/entertainer. She started dancing when she was 8 and professionally trained full-time at Ikin Dance on the Gold Coast. While training, Kristall received many opportunities to dance in music videos, corporate events, festivals, and musical theatre productions. Kristall’s most recent achievements outside of dance have been appearing in major feature films such as the Elvis biopic, “Godzilla vs Kong,” and Disney productions, as well as modeling for fashion brands and catwalk opportunities. However, her most exciting venture will be the upcoming US tour of Bluey’s Big Play where she will be one of the puppeteers of the character Chilli. Kristall can’t wait to step into this new role alongside amazing performers, while bringing her own brand of zany energy and child-like joy.
