SARAH PARSONS
Creative Producer/CEO
Sarah Parsons is the Creative Producer/CEO of Outback Theatre for Young People in Deniliquin, a role that sees her design and deliver projects with regional and remote communities across a 30,000 square km area of South West NSW. Most of her arts practice to date has been dedicated to arts in counter-urban areas, and Sarah is fiercely passionate about theatre for young people, community driven work, advocating for regional based practice and sustainable arts engagement in remote and regional Australia. In April 2018, Sarah was appointed as a Director on the Board of Regional Arts NSW. Sarah also currently sits on the ASSITEJ Advisory Group for Theatre Network Australia and is a Peer Assessor on the Theatre and Musical Theatre Board for Create NSW.
Read more/lessShe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Theatre and Media), an Honours degree (specialising in Theatre for Young People), and a Bachelor of Teaching (Drama) from Charles Sturt University in Bathurst. Sarah began her career by writing, designing, directing, performing in and touring Theatre in Education shows to most of Central West NSW with Stuck in the Mud Productions, a theatre company she co-established, and ran from 2005-08.
In the past, Sarah has been engaged as Lecturer of Theatre for Young People at Charles Sturt University, Director of the Bathurst Theatre Company’s Youth Theatre, Education Facilitator for Jigsaw Theatre Company (Canberra), and Workshop Manager for Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP). During her time in Sydney, Sarah directed three shows for ATYP: Compass (2013), Luke Lloyd: Alienoid (2014) and The Voices Project: Between Us (2015) and was the Assistant Director on Max Remy Super Spy (2012) and MROCK (2014, with Sydney Theatre Company).
ALYSON EVANS
Outback Outreach Community Consultant
Alyson has worked around the world as a performer, theatre maker and community artist, with a particular focus on cultural development and social change. In Australia Alyson has made theatre with remote Indigenous communities, young people, people with disabilities and mental illness, prisoners and former refugees, as well as in Cambodia, Nepal, the United Kingdom and New York.
Read more/lessAfter living and working in Darwin and Sydney, Alyson is currently based in Albury, where she is a freelance theatre facilitator, director and producer. She continues to travel across Australia to deliver theatre programs in remote and regional places, as well as being a Teaching Artist for Sydney Theatre Company’s School Drama program.
In 2015 Alyson received the Australia Council of the Arts Kirk Robson Award, which recognises outstanding leadership from artists working in community arts and cultural development.
LOUISE MORIARTY
Outback Outreach Circus Artist/Facilitator
Louise Moriarty a seasoned arts and community cultural development expert with over 35 years experience. Throughout her career, she has passionately delivered more than 5000 workshops in a diverse range of disciplines, including circus, poetry, gymnastics, and musical creative collaborations. As a valuable team member, she has actively engaged audiences in community participation events, fostering a sense of togetherness through performance development, poetry and circus skills at over 100 festivals.
Currently, Louise resides in her Poet’s garden in Wilcannia. Her profound love for nurturing young minds and empowering children is evident in her mission to ignite their confidence through the self-expression. She recognises at this time the importance of arts for emotional well-being, especially in the remote Outback. Louise has worked in every state in Australia and overseas seeking to inspire and uplift individuals of all ages to play.
JULIE CASSAR
Bookkeeper
In 2008, Julie made a ‘tree change’ from Melbourne to the Riverina to join her partner in the management of the family farm. She has a background in administration and finance, is currently bookkeeper for Outback Theatre for Young People and volunteer Treasurer for South West Arts and the Deniliquin Film Society.
Julie is inspired by the opportunities created for regional young people, through their interaction with OTYP’s projects, artistic and technical staff, to expand the pool of experiences on which they can reflect to dream and imagine their future.
