Maddie Lee | Toni
Maddie Lee has a broad range of experience across theatre, film, and television in both Australia and the UK. Her classical foundation was honed through intensive studies at the Central School of Speech and Drama and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Maddie also trained in Sydney at the Sydney Theatre School, Screenwise, with specialist training at Actors Centre Australia and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Selected theatre credits include Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night; Marlowe’s Faustus; Kane’s 4:48 Psychosis; Ken Narasaki's Innocent When You Dream; and the award-winning This Mortal Coil at the Sydney Fringe Festival, among other productions.
On screen, Maddie has appeared in the television series Underbelly: Badness, Wanted and Behind Mansion Walls, as well as numerous feature and short film projects. Maddie is so excited to be playing in REP’s production of Low Pay? Don't Pay!.
Chloe Smith | Maggie
Chloe Smith is a Performing Arts teacher who recently moved to Canberra from New Zealand and has been involved in theatre for over a decade. Back in NZ, some of Chloe’s favourite shows she’s been involved in include Death of a Salesman, Rumours, Out of Order, A Streetcar named Desire, History Boys and Deathtrap. Since moving to Canberra, this is Chloe’s 3rd show and her debut at REP, where she’s excited to be playing Maggie in Low Pay? Don’t Pay!.
Lachlan Abrahams | Joe
Lachlan grew up in the theatre. He has been involved in theatre, radio and short films in Canberra since 1991 and his first production for REP was The Fantasticks (1991). Lachlan took a long break from theatre to look after his children. They’re mostly grown up and wonderful now, so he’s relaxing - adrift on the ocean in his bathtub. Darijo Fo is a wonderful playwright and, apart from studying him many years ago at ANU, Lachlan directed his popular play Morte accidentale di un anarchico Accidental Death of an Anarchist at the Street Theatre. Having an opportunity to act in Low Pay? Don’t Pay! (Can't Pay? Won't pay! Non Si Paga! Non Si Paga!) is very exciting.
Rowan McMurray | Lou
Rowan burst onto the stage as a 17-year-old to great acclaim, winning the prestigious LHS A. Schwarzenegger Award for Dramatic Portrayal almost immediately. After many great successes he turned his back on theatre at the age of 17 following rejection from an audition simply for having not read the play, deciding that it was all too cruel for his tender heart. Too much alcohol one Friday night in 2011 led to a return to the stage in TLS’s production of The Foreigner. That production was successful in every respect (except the trap-door), and since then, he has primarily appeared on REP’s stage in bit parts ranging from a preacher to a policeman. He is delighted to have this opportunity to join such a great cast and crew in the role of Lou.
Antonia Kitzel | The Actor
Antonia knew that Australia was the land of milk and honey, and then she met a particularly handsome Australian man. However, it wasn’t until he signed her up with REP in 2015 that she packed her bags and moved from Frankfurt, Germany, to Canberra. While studying English & German literature & linguistics, she realised that exploring a character opens up unique access to the written word, and theatre has been part of her life ever since.
Favourite productions include (in Germany) Romeo & Juliet (Nurse), Blithe Spirit (Edith), Eleemosynary (Artie), The Vagina Monologues, Dickens by Candlelight (Narrator), Shakespeare Anyone? Fame & Fortune, and with REP Dr. Frankenstein (Mary), Arms & the Man (Catherine), To Kill a Mockingbird (Miss Maudie), The Governor’s Family (Helena Mountbatten) and Bloody Murder (Lady Sommerset). Antonia is thrilled to bring Dario Fo’s crazy world to life with this amazing and talented team.
ENSEMBLE
Ben Zolfaghari
Ben played a few roles on stage in high school, including one in a story from War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy, 1867). Ben is an acting and film enthusiast and took acting lessons in his 20s. He is currently studying film production at the University of Canberra. He joined REP this year, and he is looking forward to being part of the acting and performing family in Canberra.
Stephanie van Lieshout
Stephanie van Lieshout is a home-grown performer, but new to the Canberra theatre scene, with her debut performance in this season’s ensemble cast of Low Pay? Don’t Pay!. Stephanie’s acting journey started at the age of 11 in her first play, Kids in Space, in primary school. Stephanie continued this path through her time at St Francis Xavier College, doing drama classes and 2 of their musicals – Pirates of Penzance and Bugsy Malone. She has done a variety of amateur performances, including The Short and Sweet Festival and one year with the Scouts’ Gang Show in 2014. In 2015, Stephanie began her studies with Charles Sturt University, graduating with a Bachelor in Stage and Screen (Acting) in 2018. After COVID and some time away from the performing arts, Stephanie is excited to find her inner actor again and pursue a professional career in theatre and film. She is excited to make her debut with Canberra REP in Low Pay? Don’t Pay!.
Ariana Barzinpour
Although a born-and-bred Canberran and long-time aspiring actor, Ariana has only recently become involved in the lively Canberra theatre scene. Passionate about all aspects of theatre-making, they made their stage debut in The Bestiary (ACT Hub Hub Fest), their playwriting debut in The ‘Logues (REP), and their assistant director (and last-minute understudy) debut in Spider’s Web (REP). Low Pay? Don’t Pay! marks their first official cast role in a full-length production. They look forward to participating in many more productions, both on and off-stage.
Rucha Tathavadkar
Rucha is an actor and a filmmaker, having previously worked on different short films. She is a part of the ensemble for the play Low Pay? Don’t Pay! This is her first time acting for REP. She has done a few student theatre shows and local theatre back in India. She has also directed some small scenes in different showcases and a small-scale show. She has also done some improv theatre. Apart from acting and directing, she enjoys reading and playing different sports, especially cricket!
Rosemary Gibbons
Rosemary moved to Canberra a couple of years ago, and after a lifetime of involvement in amateur theatre in NZ, can be found either acting on stage or assisting anywhere backstage. She really enjoys being part of a talented team.
For this production, she has found it particularly challenging to find suitable props. She notes that she doesn’t like macrame any more than she did in the sixties!
Georgie Bianchini
Georgie is excited to work with REP for the first time on Low Pay? Don't Pay! They have appeared as Juror 3 in 12 Angry Men, and Arturo Ui in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. (Lake Ginninderra College). They played Kiosk in Canberra Youth Theatre's Work, But This Time Like You Mean It, and most recently reprised the role in their 2025 Sydney remount. Georgie deeply values experiences like this production, believing they create strong connections between people and that it is a privilege to share stories through theatre with an audience.
Paul Jackson
Although he was given a starring role in his year 6 French class drama production (where he rescued the princess with a magic apple), Paul did not, in fact, continue with a career in the theatre. An aborted attempt at university proved to him there was no romance in accounting, so he ran away to sea to become a pirate. Unfortunately, the Canadian Coast Guard carries no cannons or cutlasses on its ships, so he quit in disgust and retired to a quiet shack to raise a family with his own Grace O’Malley. Since then, the theatre has gradually lured him back. He was last seen lurking in the dark at REP in the role of SM for Bloody Murder, bullying the actors and yelling impotently into the ‘cans’ as the creatives continue to produce effervescent art, despite his best efforts to stop them from having fun. This time around he is part of the ensemble and having a wonderful time. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Sterling Notley
Sterling has portrayed Macduff in Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth; Roy in Louis Nowra’s Comedy Cosi; Sterling has also taken part in Musical Theatre with his role as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls (Radford Theatre Company), a performance that earned him the Iain Sinclair Award for Excellence in Characterisation. Sterling’s performances in 2023 lead to him winning the Tony Harris Performer of the Year Award for Drama. Recently, he played the Boy in Waiting for Godot (The Street Theatre), and Fleance/Macduff’s Son in Macbeth (Lakespeare), and Mr Bingley/Harris/Mr Collins in REP’s production of Lizzy, Darcy & Jane. Sterling has just reprised his role as Food Prep in the revival of Work, But This Time Like You Mean It in Sydney (Canberra Youth Theatre).
