STEP UP is a philosophy - a way of working in our sector that connects artists, builds pathways and opportunities, nurtures new work. A year long program supporting a team of emerging and early career artists.
The bAKEHOUSE team of Suzanne Millar, John Harrison and Andrew McMartin, supported by Charlie Vaux, work closely with a team of emerging and early career practitioners - designers, directors, writers, producers, actors, and technicians - to create a bespoke program of support.
In 2024 & 2025 this program is supported by the S,B&W Foundation
INTRODUCING
THE CURRENT STEP UP TEAM
TOBY BLOME You likely have seen Toby on stage at KXT, Ensemble, Sport for Jove, the Old Fitz, and others. Toby is one part of the dynamic team behind Everything But the Kitchen Sink festival that has been at a couple of venues in Sydney. This year Toby is focusing on developing their producing skills and to continue to develop as a writer
BEN BAUCHET has a background in comedy who now works primarily in music composition and sound design. A co-founder of young company Grow Bad, Ben aims to deepen their music practice and expand their writing: they say “I went to write about life in all its complexity and experiment with the ways you can tell a story”
CHRISTOPHER BRYANT is an accomplished Australian and international artist, touring and staging work that busts open form and content. You may have seen Christopher on stage, most recently in their 2023 season of New Balance at the Old Fitz. We’re excited to support them as they further expand their practice as a theatre maker and develop their new work, State of Play
MATT BOSTOCK is an emerging playwright, with a passion for telling socially impactful stories, and a belief that the stories on our stages can provide connection and community. Currently working between stage and screen Matt is looking to deepen his understanding and connection with theatre. In 2023 he aims to find guidance and support as he further develops his next work
LU BRADSHAW is an emerging director, most recently at the helm of Come Again staged here at Broadway as part of the Purple Tape venue takeover season. We’re thrilled to be working with Lu as they expand their directing practice and champion trans storytelling in theatre
MADISON CHIPPENDALE, CHARLOTTE SALUSINSZKY AND SOPHIE FLORENCE WARD 3 for the price of 1! Ghouls is a collective of theatre makers united by a desire to create bold new work. They will be spending the year developing a new piece of contemporary Australian theatre that blurs the line between performance and séance.
JADE FUDA was in pre production for her season as part of the KXT Pop upstairs program when COVID locked everything down. Since then they’ve performed with companies like Sport for Jove, staged their own work at popup spaces around Sydney, and co-produced last year’s hit The Face of Jizo at the old Fitz. During 2024 they will be picking up that covid abandoned project and looking to further develop their directing skills
AMELIA GILDAY is working at the cutting edge of theatre, integrating AV into design and looking at crossovers with screen and stage. Their most recent project was collaborating with a Japanese collective on an award winning film now showing in Tokyo. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about AV in live performance it’s that we need more experts with more expert skills! KXT is excited to support Amelia as they look to further establish their company Moon Bureau, expand and establish their directing practice, and build new relationships and collaborations.
SAMMY JING We first met director Sammy when they staged an early read of Rhomboid, and off the back of that read we programmed the show almost immediately, and in 2023 Sammy received the inaugural KXT Award for Emerging directors for that season. From Sammy’s application: “I like work that has a strong sense of style and personality. Work that makes you feel and think and cry and most importantly laugh. Work that has an opinion” We’re excited to see where this year takes Sammy.
EEZU TAN is a young playwright and director passionate about highlighting Asian-Australian stories and tackling the climate crisis. Eezu is spending the year strengthening their playwriting skills, further developing their current script, and building collaborations with other theatre makers. We’d also like to draw your attention to their work with arts driven grass roots organisation Climate Writers
KATE WILKINS was a part of the dynamic ensemble of Dumb Kids that took the KXT stage by storm in 2023. They’re an improv and comedy performer, with an ambition to develop original work, and intend to spend the year finding out ways to make that happen.
ADAM YOON having previously worked with Little Eggs Collective and Ninefold, Adam’s previous work has been explorative and experimental. Adam has a particular interest in working with youth at risk. Over the coming year he is looking to build collaborations, extend his interdisciplinary practice and explore ways that arts can intersect with youth support.
SPARK SANDERS ROBINSON is a director, puppeteer, and mezzo-soparano investigating new ways of storytelling and integrating diverse disciplines in performance
JANUARY 2025
The Step Up Festival
In January the current Step Up Artists take over Broadway with a showcase of new work on the stage and a program of work in development downstairs in the KXT Vault.
FEATURING
HEMLINES by Amelia Gilday
10 & 11 January
Directed by: Amelia Gilday; Devised and Performed by: Alicia Badger, Madison Chippendale, and Lana Filies
Stage Manager: Nick Vagne; Produced by: Moon Bureau
Collaborating Artists (Development): Amelia Gilday; Madison Chippendale; Lana Filies; Alicia Badger
A fresh and provocative piece of devised theatre that balances on the razor's edge between the silly and the serious inviting you to question the threads that weave our lives together and shape our identities. This thought-provoking show will enchant and enlighten you, one stitch at a time.
ANATOMY OF A SCENE from TOO HUMAN with Sammy Jing
12, 14, 15 January
drawing on a scene from the KXT2024 hit TOO HUMAN by Michael McStay, director Sammy Jing guides the audience through the process of page to stage, unpacking the work, talking about their work on the show, and doing a Q&A about how a scene is blocked.
SEA PICTURES by Spark Saunders Robinson
16th January
collaborating artists: George Wholfiel, Nathaniel Kong, Samuel Herriman, Luke Visentin, Joanna Dionis Ross
collaborating artists: George Wholfiel, Nathaniel Kong, Samuel Herriman, Luke Visentin, Joanna Dionis Ross plus more TBA
working with puppeteers, writers, musicians and actors, exploring shadow puppetry, song and text, Sea Pictures is developed from a set of short stories exploring the sea and the way in which it mirrors the human experience and our loss of humanity through the irreversible destruction of our environment. Each story relates to two of Elgar’s sea picture songs - Sea Slumber Song and Where Corals Lie sung live and accompanied by keyboard. a development showcase
Imagery below: Sea Pictures in development by Spark Sanders Robinson
LET’S UNPACK THAT by Kate Wilkins & Nick Harriott
17 & 18 January
Music and lyrics by Kate Wilkins and Nick Harriott. Songs produced by Montaigne.
Kate Wilkins is a comedian with baggage. Nick Harriott is a pianist and comedian she hired to help her unpack it - literally and emotionally. Together, they’ve written a comedy concert about moving on, moving in, and moving boxes, and it just might move you too. A work in progress.
RED LETTERS by Adam Yoon
19th January
works in development, led by Step up Artist Adam Yoon
THE LIFE OF HUNDUN_(Fragments)
Devised and developed by Adam Yoon in collaboration with Josephine Lee and Minyu Vandenberg
The Emperor of the South Sea was Shu 儵 (Fast, Quick); the Emperor of the North Sea was Hu 忽 (Furious, Sudden); and the Emperor of the Centre was Hundun 混沌 (Chaos). From time to time Shu and Hu would meet in the land of Hundun, who would entertain them most kindly. After a period, Shu and Hu deliberated how to repay Hundun’s favours.
An exploration of growing up, connection and how cities shape our imagination. A showcase of ideas and excerpts for newly devised work supported by KXT Step Up Program.
DANCING IN THE DARK with Jade Fuda
Director / performer Jade Fuda revisits Dancing in the Dark. First programmed as part of the covid-cancelled KXT2020 Popupstairs program, Jade heads downstairs to the KXT Vault for another look.
Imagery below: previous Step Up events at KXT in the Cross
KXT STEP UP TEAM 2021-22
KXT STEP UP TEAM 2018
Amy Morcom; Beth McMullen; Derbail Kinsella; Elijah Williams; Eve Beck; Hannah Goodwin; Jessica Adie; Joshua McElroy; Kate Walder; Luke Carson; Rebecca Blake; Tabitha Woo; Tom Mesker; Trishala Sharma
KXT STEP UP 2020 - the KXT COVID RESPONSE
in response to the closure of theatres in 2020, KXT moved some opportunity programs to digital, and launched additional new initiatives.
Phone A Friend is a personalised mentoring program assisting early career artists to stay connected in the time of COVID.
The Laboratory is a bAKEHOUSE / Montague Basement partnership developing work, and offering peer networking and dramaturgical support.
BounceBack is a digital program of personalised meetings guiding producers through budgets, marketing and promotional campaigns, design, personnel, and product delivery, designed to equip producers and production companies to quickly deliver quality productions when trading recommences, and investing in the success of their seasons and new work for other venues
STEP UP is a philosophy ~ a way of working in our sector that connects artists; builds pathways; nurtures new work
The Step Up Festival is dedicated to The Next Big Thing. Come meet our Step Up team and take a peek at their work. Discover new plays in development. Take a first glance at the work of some of Sydney's newest and most exciting emerging artists: writers, directors, producers, designers all testing their wings.
