Alyce Fisher – Theatre on Toast
A country girl at heart who grew up a Pony-club-prize-winner, cow-pat-frisbee-slinger, Alyce Fisher is known for getting herself into some interesting situations. A graduate of the Swinburne TAFE Theatre Arts Diploma 2007, who went onto start her own company Theatre on Toast, touring the regions performing theatre & education originals and being a fairy/clown/magician at far too many kids’ parties. Quick-witted and reliably rambunctious, Alyce's personal creative focus is on sharing stories and making the people laugh, through the development of solo performance work, stand-up comedy, BINGO calling and MC duties. Presently based in Albury-Wodonga, she premiered her first solo work in 2022 ‘Tinderella & the eight unique uses of Tinder’ at The Cube and created the character of ‘Aurora’ for Rachel McNamara’s epic immersive experience ‘A Land of Snow & Ice’ in 2022/23. Alyce's varied skill set and engaging stage presence whips creative endeavours into shape and is guaranteed to leave everyone laughing.
Alyce straddles the corporate and creative realms, as the former Executive Director of Murray Arts (2017 – 2023) and South West Arts (2009 – 2013). She has years of experience in developing strategic partnerships, delivering dynamic programs and is passionate about Regional Arts Development. Alyce completed Australian Catholic University Graduate Certificate in Not-For-Profit Management in 2017 and Alpine Valley Community Leadership Program in 2020.
Brendan Hogan
Brendan Hogan is a multi-award-winning playwright and theatre-maker from Yackandandah, who is passionate about writing for young people and communities.
He was the winner of the 2018 and 2019 Martin-Lysicrates Prize for his plays, Farewell Mr Nippy and The Incomplete Works of Willow Baker (formerly Play Number Four), both of which are currently in development. Gamers for Life was a finalist in 2022 and Arty Fyshal in 2023. The Incomplete Works of Willow Baker was highly commended for the 2023 Griffin Award. His works have also been finalists for the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award (2021) and the Shane & Cathryn Brennan Prize. His most recent work, All The Shining Lights, was commissioned by HotHouse Theatre and had its world premiere in November, 2022. The Last Boy on Earth, was performed by the Yackandandah Young Players as part of HotHouse Theatre's 2019 season .His published works for children include, Scaredy-Cat (MICF, 2015), How to Beat a Bully (2016), The Last Boy on Earth (2019), all of which have been performed by youth ensembles in schools around Australia. In 2020, his monologue, Spiderweb, was one of fifty commissioned by Playwriting Australia as part of their Dear Australia project. He was part of Arena Theatre Company's Bendigo Studio.
Brendan has also worked with diverse groups to create original and inspiring theatre for regional communities. In 2016, he collaborated with Yackandandah Cemetery Trust and Yackandandah Museum to create and produce From Here To There. In 2017, he collaborated with the residents of a local aged-care facility to explore the themes of resilience and growing old to produce a new show, Living Memory.
Brendan has featured in national print, radio and television media, including The Conversation Hour with Jon Faine and Back Roads (ABC TV). He has written and directed shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and presented at several conferences and festivals as a writer and an advocate for arts in the community, including the War Widows Guild of Victoria and the Writers, Readers and Poets (WRAP) festival.