This Tree is a Story
(about everything, including you, as told by me)

Alexis West is a Birri Gubba, Wakka Wakka, South Sea Islander and White Australian woman living on Kaurna Country. She is a writer, director, collaborator and performer in film, theatre, poetry, dance and events. Alexis is passionate about First Nation voices, the stories of people with disability, oppression, diversity and collaboration. She has worked as an Artistic Director with Karrikarrinya Theatre Collective, co-written with Elena Carapetis for the State Theatre of South Australia, written and collaborated for Kurruru Youth Arts and No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability. A single parent of now adult sons. She is silly, introverted, nerdy, inappropriate, obnoxious, thoughtful and fun (with likeminded people).

Delia Olam is an award-winning actor/dancer, director, singer-songwriter, mum of 3, theatre designer, and playwright who has collaborated locally and internationally since graduating. For over a decade, Olam has created and toured diverse cabaret works with live original music elements. Sharing stories that empower and unite are Delia’s “raison d’être”.

Edgell is a proud Ni-Vanuatu man (from Pentecost Island), now living in Adelaide. From 2011 – 2019, Edgell was a core ensemble member of internationally renowned Wan Smolbag Theatre (Port Vila, Vanuatu), who work year round, producing, devising and touring plays, films, short videos, workshops programs and educational recourses.

Elleni Karagiannidis is a local artist living and working on Kaurna land, Adelaide. As a first generation Australian from a Greek Cypriot family, Elleni has always been surrounded by music, dance and stories of wondrous places both afar and home. It was therefore inevitable that her fascination for storytelling would lead her to a love for theatre. Since graduating from the Flinders University Drama Centre in 2007, Elleni has utilised her skills, knowledge and passion for the arts, as an actor, puppeteer, director, facilitator and program coordinator. Elleni has recently returned to Adelaide with her new family after living in Melbourne for 5 years. She is thrilled to be working with Slingsby as an ensemble member of The Flyng Squad, bringing new, captivating and beautiful theatre to audiences around our gorgeous state.

Josh Campton is a Larrakia (N.T), Wadaman /Karajarri (W.A) & Gulidjan (Vic) actor, dancer & poet. He has performed with SA First Nations Dance Collective, OSCA, No Strings Attached, Tutti, Act Now Theatre & Restless Dance, & studies at Tutti Arts. He acted in Mauriceʼs Symphony (2016), Jeremy the Dud & Mutt. (2017). Josh received an Australia Council for the Arts Jump Mentorship in 2012.

Andy is a director of theatre, music theatre and opera. He has also worked as creative producer of multidisciplinary arts programs, producer of large-scale events and festival director. In 2007 Andy co-founded Adelaide based theatre company Slingsby. The company’s productions have received 16 industry awards and toured to more than 100 theatres in over 70 cities and towns across 12 countries.

Andy is renowned for creating original live performance moments that are emotionally powerful and visually bold. His work across theatre for young audiences, opera, cabaret, music theatre and symphonic concerts has pushed him to develop a distinctive theatrical form that is at once personal and epic.

Andy has directed productions, concerts and events for Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, State Opera of South Australia, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide Chamber Singers, Australian String Quartet, Windmill Theatre, Restless Dance, Tutti Ensemble, Rundle Mall Management Authority and the International Astronautical Federation. In 2019 Andy was Show Director for the World of WearableArt Awards Show in Wellington, New Zealand. Andy was Creative Producer of Programming at Carclew Youth Arts 2003-2006, Creative Producer of Family Events for Adelaide Fringe Festival 2007-2008 and Creative Director of Come Out Festival 2011.

His work includes music for plays such as The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy, and When the Rain Stops Falling; many works for orchestra that have been played in Germany, Canada, and by the leading Australian orchestras; and soundtracks for films and documentaries broadcast on the ABC and SBS. He also writes for concert performances and film, and plays in many groups: from rock to new music and, most recently wild gypsy music with Golonka.

He is co-director of The Firm, a company that presents concerts each year featuring Australian classical musicians in programmes of new Australian music along side interesting repertoire. In 2013 his first opera, An Ode to Nonsense, was premiered by Slingsby and the State Opera of South Australia.

Quincy lives in Adelaide with four dear ones – Anna, Arland, Clara and Miranda.

Wendy is an Adelaide based designer of theatre, events and spaces.

Recent productions designed by Wendy Todd (Set & Costume Designs) include Lighthouse 2020, ([Set Only] Patch Theatre) North/South 2019 (Australian Dance Theatre), Picaresque 2019 (Robyn Archer, Adelaide Festival), Seashore 2019 (Sally Chance Dance/ Dream Big), Rabbits  2017 (Steel & Brown/State Theatre Company), Emil & The Detectives 2017 (Slingsby [Set Only]),  Long Tan 2017 (Brink/STC), The Young King 2016 (Slingsby), Touch’N’Go, 2016 (Sally Chance Dance), Cabaret Opening, Closing & Family Galas 2018, 2017 & 2016 (Adelaide Festival Centre), Blinc Bar Adelaide Festival (Adelaide Festival of Arts) 2015, Babyteeth 2013, Blasted & Pornography 2012 (State Theatre Company), Land & Sea 2012, Skip Miller’s Hit Songs 2011, Harbinger 2010, The Hypochondriac 2009 (Brink Productions), Man Covets Bird 2010, The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy 2007 (Slingsby), Worldhood 2011 (Australian Dance Theatre), A Lion In The Night 2012, The Little Green Tractor 2011 (Patch Theatre Company), Cutaway II, 2012  [Vitalstatistix]. Ruby Bruise 2010 (The Misery Children & Vitalstatistix).

Event Design includes Adelaide Cabaret Festival Co-Event Designer, 2018, 2017 & 2016; Sole Event Designer, 2015, (Adelaide Festival Centre) Designer, Blinc Bar 2015, Design Coordinator of Barrio, 2013 & 2012, Lola’s, 2014, Assistant Designer Persian Garden 2008, 2006, (Late Night Clubs of the Adelaide Festival of Arts), Adelaide Guitar Festival 2016, (AFC) Bowerbird Design Markets 2013 – 2017 (Biannual Event), Adelaide Film Festival 2007.

Meg Wilson is an Adelaide-based interdisciplinary artist and designer whose practice spans installation, performance and set, lighting and costume design.

Recently she has designed set and costume with State Theatre Company of South Australia (Terrestrial  2018, Euphoria, 2021, Eureka Day 2021) and Windmill Theatre Co. (Amphibian, 2018/2021) and works extensively with Vitalstatistix (Bedroom lighting design 2021 and Progress Report set, costume and lighting designs 2021), Patch Theatre (Lighthouse, AF 2020) and Restless Dance Theatre, for whom she designed the 2018 Adelaide Festival productions of Intimate Space (2018) and Guttered (2021). She has been largely involved with the establishment of RUMPUS for whom she was venue designer. In 2016, Meg was Lead Artist Intern with The Rabble.

Meg premiered performance work SQUASH! with Arts House during the Festival of Live Art (FOLA, 2018) and has exhibited independently with Contemporary Art Centre SA (2015), BLINDSIDE, VIC; Constance ARI, TAS; Nexus Arts and FELTspace. She has created public projects for FELTspace (2014), Open Space Contemporary Arts (OSCA) (2017), and curated a public program for ACE Open (2019). In 2018 she was a resident artist with Urban Theatre Projects (NSW), hand-weaving trampolines for production Right Here. Right Now. Meg was awarded the 2019 Green Room Award for Contemporary and Experimental Performance (Innovation in Durational Performance), for SQUASH!.

Working within the area of drama and education is Deanne’s idea of a dream job. During her career in education, she has been involved in developing and writing curriculum resources across all of the years of schooling. The skills and knowledge she has developed has meant she has been able to work writing education resources for theatre companies both locally and internationally and most recently for the Adelaide Film Festival – Youth 2021. Now she is here at Slingsby – to liaise with teachers and schools and to develop education resources to support teaching and learning.

Andy Ellis is a multi-disciplinary creative who crafts beautiful, unique & thoughtful work out of his 100+ year old art & design studio, nestled amongst the vineyards in the sleepy village of Greenock in the Barossa Valley, South Australia.