Helen Garner’s first book, Monkey Grip, appeared in 1977. She is well-known for her novels, short stories, journalism and essays, and for two influential works of non-fiction, Joe Cinque’s Consolation and This House of Grief. Her most recent publications are the first two volumes of her diaries, Yellow Notebook and One Day I’ll Remember This. The third, How to End a Story, will appear in November 2021. In 2019 she received the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature.

Jane has composed original music for mainstream theatre, and the concert stage for ensembles and companies including Duo Eclettico, Ensemble Liaison, Victoria State Opera, Opera Australia, and the Melbourne International Festival. Her compositions have been broadcast by 3MBS FM, ABC Classic FM and ABC Radio National. Jane was the musical director and principal composer of the new Australian music theatre work Voicing Emily: The Life and Art of Emily Dickinson, which she devised with the soprano Helen Noonan. John Slavin, critic of the Melbourne Age newspaper described it as "a work of ravishing beauty and rare artistic distinction”. It was mounted many times with sell-out seasons at the Malthouse Theatre and the Melbourne Recital Centre. Jane’s works are published by Wirripang and Ars Publica and can be heard on Move Records, Lyrebird Productions and digital outlets such as Spotify and Apple Music. Jane has received Australia Council funding commissions for Voicing Emily with Helen Noonan, Side B: Country Crow Shuffle for Ensemble Three and Songs of the Helmeted Honeyeater from Songs from the Box and Swamp for Duo Eclettico. This most recent work for saxophone, piano speaking voice and film, with text by Theresa Borg, was staged in Melbourne at the Melbourne Recital Centre and fortyfivedownstairs in 2021. Jane’s five commissioned operas for young people have achieved considerable success and have been performed in national and state tours for Opera Australia, Lyric Opera Queensland and the Victoria State Opera. They have also toured in Japan, and in the UK including at the Scottish International Childrens’ Festival in Edinburgh. The Scotsman described Software: The Tale of a Virtual Valkyrie as “instantly appealing” saying that “Hammond is a fine and individual composing voice.” Other theatrical projects include the collaboration with Theresa Borg and Life Like Company to create a musical based on the Graeme Base book Animalia. This work was selected for workshops as part of the New Musicals Australia project at Sydney's Hayes Theatre.

Therèsa Borg is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts Masters in Theatre (Writing) (2020) and Opera Studio programs and was the 2022 Creative Arts Fellow for Australian Writing at the National Library of Australia. Therèsa wrote ‘Songs of the Helmeted Honeyeater’ with composer Jane Hammond. Her plays ‘JUMP!’ and ‘Dame and Commander’ had readings at VCA and Antipodes Theatre Company in 2020. Therèsa founded Melbourne production house TEG The Entertainment Store and Life Like Touring and over the course of 20 years wrote and directed over 20 family musicals for international studios. These shows toured mainstages and arenas globally. Directing credits include ‘Titanic’ starring Anthony Warlow at Melbourne Town Hall 2022, ‘An American In Paris’ (Resident) National tour 2021-2, ‘Sweeney Todd’, starring Anthony Warlow and Gina Riley at Her Majesty’s Melbourne (2019), ‘The Light in the Piazza’ at Arts Centre Melbourne (2016), ‘Disney Under the Stars’ at SOH/Sidney Myer Music Bowl (2016), ‘PAW Patrol Live!’ at Wembley Arena (2018) and twice voice-directing the Muppeteers from Sesame Workshop in NYC. She has played principal soprano roles for Cameron Mackintosh, The Really Useful Company, Opera Australia, and Victorian Opera including Musetta, Cosette, Christine, Jellylorum, Angelique and Zerbinetta.

Anton is an entertainment and licensing expert with over 25 years senior leadership experience. Anton was co-founder of Australasia's leader in live family entertainment. From humble beginnings, Life Like Touring and The Entertainment Store grew to become the 3rd ranked (by sales volume) businesses of their kind globally. Anton's businesses were acquired by Australian entertainment behemoth, TEG, in 2016. Anton stayed on as Managing Director until October 2019. After originally studying double degrees in Law and Arts (Politics and Economics) at Monash University, Anton found success as an Actor, Producer, Writer and Director. He established his first Production Company in 1994. Anton has a reputation as an innovator and disrupter in the fields of theatrical and experiential events within both ticketed and non-ticketed event markets.

One of Australia’s leading concert pianists, Coady Green is acknowledged as a major talent on the international concert circuit. In 2005, Coady relocated from Melbourne to London after winning almost all the most prestigious awards and prizes that his native Australia had to offer. During his eleven years in London, he frequently performed at all the major UK venues and established a prominent teaching career, including teaching posts at Goldsmiths College, The University of London and at the Royal College of Music, London. He has performed in over 20 countries, playing in major concert venues and at festivals throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and America. He is a frequent guest lecturer at numerous leading international tertiary institutions. He is currently preparing the release of the premiere recording of the complete Anton Rubinstein piano etudes and preludes for British label Toccata Classics, and two recordings of Australian works for saxophone and piano with Justin Kenealy for Tall Poppies. He is passionate about new music, and commissions several major new works from Australian composers each year. Also for Toccata Classics, he is recording the complete piano and chamber music (1992-2022) of Australian composer Professor Linda Kouvaras. He teaches and lectures at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, The University of Melbourne. Coady is the current Staff Chair of the University of Melbourne’s Pride in Action Network committee, the main voice for the University on issues relating to the LGBTIQ+ community.

Ella Ferris trained as a classical ballet dancer for many years, before pivoting to theatre and graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) from the Victorian College of the Arts. She made her theatre debut as the lead of Sunshine Supergirl (dir. Andrea James; Performing Lines, Melbourne Theatre Company, State Theatre Company South Australia) which made a national tour in 2022. Other roles include Shaz in Scrublands (dir. Greg McLean; Stan and Easy Tiger) and Archie/Alec in Tracker (dir. Rachael Maza and Daniel Riley; Australian Dance Theatre and Ilbijerri Theatre Company.) Ella loves writing poetry, singing and devising theatre with her friends.

Phoebe Briggs has appeared in concerts in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Japan. BMus (University of Melbourne). Opera Australia music staff 2002 – 2012, Head of Music at Victorian Opera since October 2012. For Victorian Opera, Phoebe has conducted Sunday in the Park with George, Play of Herod, Sweeney Todd, Cendrillon, Four Saints in Three Acts (Green Room nomination), The Sleeping Beauty (Green Room nomination), Lorelei, Black Rider (Helpmann nomination, VO/Malthouse), A Little Night Music, Happy End. Other companies: Opera Northwest, IFAC, Opera Australia, Ambassador Group, Chamber Made Opera, MTC, OzOpera.