SIX

Phoenix (she/her) is thrilled to be joining the Australian cast of SIX. Phoenix made her musical theatre debut in the 2017 Australian Premiere of American Idiot (shake and stir) as Ensemble/cover Whatsername. Other theatrical credits include: The Boy from Oz as Gabrielle/Linelle (The Production Company), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Gordon Frost Organisation) as Ensemble/cover Violet and Bring It On (David Venn Enterprises) as Ensemble/cover Danielle and Nautica.

Phoenix recently made her television debut in Netflix and Channel Ten’s Dive Club (Steve Jaggi Productions) as Camille and later starred in the ABC’s first season of Stories from Oz.

Phoenix began training as a child at the Barbara Lynch Dance Studio and Sharon Lawrence Academy of Dance. She was taught to sing by her mother and grandfather, Rebecca and Noel Mendoza. Phoenix also studied the Musical Theatre Foundations Program at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Kala (she/her) is a talented up-and-coming performer whose work encompasses the music, musical theatre and screen industries. Kala was cast as Anne Boleyn in the Australian Premiere of SIX the Musical and is overjoyed to be reprising her role!

Kala obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts where she was awarded the Lionel Gell Scholarship for Music Theatre.

Her theatre credits include: Sophie De Palma in Terrence McNally’s Masterclass; Maureen in Rent; Olivia in Twelfth Night; Anastasia Steele in 50 Shades!; Alice/Ensemble in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Alice in the Steve Martin and Edie Brickell musical Bright Star.

Kala is also a classically trained musician with a Diploma in Classical Piano. Her Musical Director credits include: Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! and Legally Blonde Junior and she has performed her original music to sell-out audiences in Melbourne.

Most recently, Kala was involved in the creative developments of two new Australian works: Orlando the Musical and WAGs.

Kala is represented by the team at Mark Gogoll Enterprises and is a proud member of MEAA.

Loren Hunter (she/her) is thrilled to be reprising the role of Jane Seymour from the critically acclaimed Australian Premiere production of SIX the Musical. 

Loren’s many other notable stage roles include: Jean in the Australian Premiere of American Psycho for Hayes Theatre, (directed by Alexander Berlage); Evelyn May Murphy in the world premiere of the musical Evie May for Hayes Theatre, (directed by Kate Champion) for which Loren was nominated for the Judith Johnson Best Actress in a Musical award; Liza Minelli in The Boy from Oz for The Production Company; Elphaba for the Free-Rain Theatre Company’s production of Wicked (directed by Shaun Rennie); Mimi in the Highway Production’s production of Rent; Ensemble for The Production Company’s Dusty (directed by Jason Langley); Liz Holt, Vanessa Cronin and Fran cover in the stage debut of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical; as well as an ensemble role in the stage show King Kong.

Loren is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where she was awarded the Finlay Award for Music Theatre.

Kiana (she/her) completed one year of Music Theatre training at Showfit under the direction of Ian and Leanne White, Mathew Frank and Scott Johnson before being accepted into the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

Kiana made her professional debut in The Boy from Oz with The Production Company (directed by Jason Langley) in 2018. That same year she also performed in StageArt’s production of Nine (directed by Michael Ralph) as part of the ensemble (understudy Sarraghina).

In 2019, Kiana landed the role of Baby in Dirty Dancing presented by Immersive Cinema, where she performed for crowds of 5000 at Flemington Racecourse (Melbourne) and The Domain (Sydney). Kiana performed a guest role in the Seven Studios series Secret Bridesmaids Business (directed by Brendan Maher).

During 2021, she joined the cast of Victorian Opera’s The Who’s Tommy to be presented at the Palais Theatre, performances were then unfortunately postponed due to Covid-19. Kiana is over the moon to be joining the Queens in SIX in 2021, after opening the show at the Sydney Opera House in 2020.

Kiana is proudly represented by Ian White Management.

Chelsea Dawson (she/her), born and raised in Brisbane, is a proud recent graduate from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University’s Bachelor of Musical Theatre. While studying, Chelsea had great delight in performing in productions such as Les Misérables (directed by Alister Smith), The Drowsy Chaperone (directed by Penny Farrow) and Elegies: A Song Cycle (directed by Jason Langley).

Before her time at QCGU, Chelsea trained with ROCKIT Productions and worked with shake and stir Theatre Co in their 2018 season of Much Ado About Nothing as Beatrice. In 2021, Chelsea made her professional debut in GFO’s production of Shrek The Musical as the Wicked Witch and was also a part of Serpentine Arts Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Chelsea is thrilled to bring the role of Katherine Howard to the stage and to be part of the Queendom. Chelsea is proud to be represented by Hansen Management.

Vidya Makan (she/her) is a critically acclaimed actor, singer and composer/lyricist and is extremely excited to be back performing as Catherine Parr in SIX. Through 2021, Vidya played KT/Meg in Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes Theatre) and Papa Ge in Once On This Island (Altitude Theatre). Vidya is currently working in collaboration with Sonya Suares on her original musical The Lucky Country, in conjunction with Hayes Theatre. Vidya is also the inaugural recipient of the NSW Musical Theatre Fellowship with Tasnim Hossain and Jonathan Ware, through which they are writing a new musical about South Asian families in suburban Australia. In 2020, Vidya directed, produced and wrote the Green Room award nominated song “I Need You To See Me”; a call to the entertainment industry for visibility and inclusion of minority voices. Vidya was nominated for Best Performance in a Leading role for her portrayal of Dot/Marie in Sunday In The Park With George (Watch This). Her other credits include Romeo and Juliet (Australian Shakespeare Company), American Idiot (shake and stir), Air Race (Arena Theatre Company), Merrily We Roll Along (Watch This) and Memphis (StageArt). Vidya is a proud graduate of Griffith University’s Queensland Conservatorium’s Bachelor of Musical Theatre and is proudly represented by Ian White Management.

Chiara Assetta (she/her) trained at Glenda Yee School of Dance and went on to graduate from ED5 International with a Diploma in Performing Arts. Chiara’s professional credits include the role of Teresita in Handa Opera Australia’s West Side Story on Sydney Harbour and Siblingship, the cabaret she co-created and performed in alongside her brother Daniel. She has also played Brian in Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens (Squabbalogic), the Bride of Frankenstein, Hip and Hop in Universal Monsters Live (Universal Studios Japan) and a Frog Choir vocalist in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Universal Studios Japan). Chiara originated the choreography for the Australian production of The Dismissal. The Broadway World Australia Awards also named Siblingship, which Chiara co-created and choreographed, Best Cabaret in 2020. On screen, Chiara’s credits include Dance Academy and So You Think You Can Dance Australia as well as campaigns for brands such as Lynx. As a vocalist, she has performed the national anthem for the opening of Bankwest Stadium and backing vocals for Delta Goodrem on The Voice and The Footy Show.

Karis (she/her) studied at Centrestage Performing Arts (Showfit) in 2016 before commencing training at Victorian College of the Arts, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) in 2019. She was a featured vocalist in Woodstock: 50th Anniversary as a part of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival in 2019, as well as in Morning Melodies (directed by Jayde Kirchert), which was presented by the Arts Centre Melbourne. Shortly upon graduating university she made her debut at the Sydney Opera House as a Swing in the first Australian cast of SIX. In 2020, she was a semi-finalist in the inaugural Artists of Colour Initiative before returning to the stage in Yve Blake's critically acclaimed Fangirls (Belvoir) 2021, in the principal role of Edna.

Shannen (she/they) graduated from WAAPA in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre). Upon graduating she played the role of Natalie in Next to Normal (Black Swan State Theatre Company) for which they won two Performing Arts WA Awards – for Best Actor and Best Newcomer. Most recently they appeared in Yve Blake’s Fangirls (Belvoir) covering the roles of Edna, Jules, Brianna and Caroline. She has been fortunate enough to have worked on several other new Australian works, including playing Kelly in The Gathering (Vic Theatre), Seela in Post: A New Musical (Something Blue Productions) and Maia in Matthew Robinson’s Atlantis. Other theatre credits include: Wendla in Spring Awakening (CPCA), and Swing and understudy Cynthia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Michael Cassel Group). Shannen was a Swing in the original Australian cast of SIX and is thrilled to be returning on stage.