THETEAM

MADDI RÖMCKE

Maddi Jane Römcke is an actor and facilitator with over ten years of experience working with children, a Bachelor of Arts (Drama) from the University of Queensland and a Master of Business from Queensland University of Technology. She has fostered the creativity of thousands of children as part of shake & stir’s thriving after school drama program and workshops, and finds no greater joy that watching children’s confidence, creativity and empathy grow in the process. Her work as a touring actor has seen her perform across Queensland to students of all ages, in performances including: The Boy, The Bear, The Baron The Bard, Chapter 3, Great Shakes, Revolting Rhymes, Romeo and Juliet, Rewind, Terrortorial, Thrice Upon a Time and Will-I-am. Maddi can’t wait to reach a brand-new cohort of young actors and creators with INTERACT as her work as the full-time Youth Engagement Manager at shake & stir theatre co evolves into new areas.

FAVOURITE DRAMA GAME
Expert Double Figures

FAVOURITE FOOD
Tacos and Thai

FAVOURITE SAYING
“It’s all about the little things.”

FAVOURITE BOOK AS A KID
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd

FAVOURITE BOOK NOW
Goodbye Sarajevo by Atka Reid

FAVOURITE TV SHOW AS A KID
Arthur

JOHNNY BALBUZIENTE

You may recognise Johnny from shake & stir’s productions of Fantastic Mr Fox or George’s Marvellous Medicine, he was also a full-time member of the in-schools touring team from 2012 – 2016 and has performed throughout QLD, NSW, VIC and TAS in performances including: Romeo & Juliet, The Macbeths, Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, Shake Up!, Tragic Magic, Statespeare, Chop Logic, Terrortorial, Try Hard, Say it to My Face Book, Tag, and Rewind. He directed Much Ado About Nothing for the QLD Youth Shakespeare Festival in 2018, and is the Resident Director of shake & stir’s in-school touring productions and has directed: Terrortorial, Unfiltered, Troll, School Daze, Romeo & Juliet, The Macbeths, Bad Lads, Great Shakes, Bard Wired, The Boy The Bear The Baron The Bard and Chapter Three. Positions: shake & stir’s Touring Company Manager (2014 – present).

FAVOURITE DRAMA GAME
Floor changing game

FAVOURITE FOOD
Pizza

FAVOURITE SAYING
“Sing for me!”

FAVOURITE BOOK AS A KID
Harry Potter (all of them)

FAVOURITE BOOK NOW
Harry Potter (all of them)

FAVOURITE TV SHOW AS A KID
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

ABOUT SHAKE & STIR

shake & stir is one of the country’s leading contemporary theatre companies touring Australia and New Zealand since 2006. shake & stir produce an annual season of Mainstage and in-school productions as well as a collection of drama education programs, for students of all ages. Mainstage work has included: Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox, Jane Eyre, A Christmas Carol, The Australian premiere of Green Day’s American Idiot (2017 Helpmann Award nominations – Best Lighting Design and Best Female in a Supporting Role, 2017 Matilda Awards – Best Musical or Cabaret and Best Set Design), George’s Marvellous Medicine, Endgame, Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts (2016 Helpmann Award nominations – Best Presentation for Children and Best Regional Touring Production), Dracula (2016 Matilda Awards – Best Set Design and Best Lighting Design), Wuthering Heights, 1984, Tequila Mockingbird (2014 Matilda Awards – Best Mainstage Production, Gold Matilda Award), Out Damn Snot, Animal Farm (2012 Matilda Awards – Best Independent Production and Best Direction) and Statespeare (2012 Helpmann Award nomination – Best Presentation for Children). The company is widely acknowledged as a leading national touring theatre company, taking medium to large scale works to major metropolitan and regional centres, annually. shake & stir has been nominated for APACA’S Drover Award for Tour of the Year on four occasions, collecting the Award consecutively in 2014 & 2015. National Tours have included: George’s Marvellous Medicine, Green Day’s American Idiot, Dracula, Wuthering Heights, Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts, 1984, Animal Farm and Statespeare.