Meet your mentors
Meet your wonderful Fairfax Mentors for the Square Pegged program below. The vast pool of talent, experience and skill from these artists is an incredible opportunity for young people to learn from and inspire their own creative journey.
2021 Mentors
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Kayla Hamill (They/Them)
Kayla is a graduate of BAPA and the John Bolton Theatre School. In 2017, Kayla played the lead role in David Williamson’s new play ‘Credentials’ as part of La Mama’s 50th-year celebration. 2018 brought along beloved children’s author Elizabeth Honey’s play ‘That’s Not a Daffodil’, touring throughout regional Victoria. Kayla has performed in the MICF and Melbourne Fringe, receiving nominations for Best Comedy and Best Cabaret. Since 2016, Kayla has worked as a Clown Doctor, working in hospitals to ease a child’s pain and spread joy in and amongst the hospital setting.
Kayla loves all things creative, including video editing, writing and podcasting. As a keen learner, they will jump in and give anything a go.
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Rinske Ginsberg
Rinske has over 40 years’ experience as an actor trainer, director, and theatre maker.
Until recently, she was a lecturer in Acting (Actor’s Body) for VCA Theatre, University
of Melbourne. She works in the independent performing arts industry in a range of
capacities, as director, movement coach, performance mentor and dramaturge.
Rinske is an experienced communication and presentation consultant and works across
academia, business, community organisations and the performing arts, specialising in
relational, spatial, vocal, and non-verbal behaviour.
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Laura Burzacott (She/Her)
Laura Burzacott is an actor, singer and theatre maker, committed to telling new Australian stories and creating entertaining cabaret and music theatre. Laura is a driving force behind cabaret acapella group Ginger and Tonic, touring Australia in the award winning 'Desperate and Dateless' and 'For Love or Money.' As a founding member of the Present Tense Ensemble, Laura performed in 'Chants Des Catacombes' (Melbourne/ Adelaide/ Castlemaine seasons), ‘Margaret Fulton Queen of the Dessert’ (Theatre Works) and ‘Ricercar’ (Theatre Works). Other credits include ‘Blue Angel’ (big hART and Tasmanian International Arts Festival), the national tour of 'Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls' and 'Standing on Ceremony: the Gay Marriage Plays' (Ellis Productions). Laura also had the pleasure of directing the graduating year performing arts students from Federation University in the devised work Exquisite Corpse (2021,2022).
Laura has trained in New York at Lee Strasberg, the National Theatre and is co- artistic director of the Bright Cabaret and Comedy Festival.
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Kat Kats (She/Her)
Kat Kats is a writer and dramaturg who writes for stage, screen and live art. Her works have been performed in Australia and internationally. Kat holds a Masters in Writing for Performance and has trained alongside renowned Australian artists Jenny Kemp, Raimondo Cortese, and New York artists Sibyl Kempson, Mac Wellman and 7 Daughters of Eve. You can find her opinion on all things ‘mum’ and ‘life’ on ABC Everyday and mamamia.
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Lachlan Woods (He/Him)
Lachlan Woods graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2009 (BA Fine Arts - Acting). He is an Australian actor and creative practitioner who most recently played Draco Malfoy in the Australian production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Michael Cassel/Sonya Friedman Productions). Lachlan also works as a voice over artist and photographer. He has photographed some of Australia's finest actors and voiced countless local and international campaigns for diverse brands including Ford, Nintendo, Extra Gum and Coca Cola. He was an Artistic Associate of the award winning physical theatre ensemble OpticNerve.
His professional acting credits include Orsino in Twelfth Night, Lennox in Macbeth, Nino Sachetti/Mr Norton in Double Indemnity, Guildenstern in Hamlet, Dorset in Richard lll (Melbourne Theatre Company); Leonard in North By Northwest (Melbourne Theatre Company/Kay & McLean Productions) and more.
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Throughout the years, Fairfax has collaborated and worked with local, national, and international artists, including:
Asking For Trouble // Back to Back Theatre // Arena Theatre // ABC Heywire // Bar'd Work // Ginger and Tonic // Fear&Love // Chris Huntly-Turner // Elias Brown // Laura Burzacott // Lachlan Woods // Cathy Hunt // Samuel Russo // Dr. Richard Chew // Anthony Crowley // Kevin Kropinyeri // Philly // Fablice // Julian Dibley-Hall // Olivia Satchell // Yasmin Gurreeboo // Jillian Pearce // Don Bridges // Jess Fairfax // Kaarin Fairfax // Penelope Bartlau // Petra Kalive // Maryanne Lynch // Snuff Puppets // Craig Christie // and many more.