SK Entertainment presents
FRIENDS! THE MUSICAL PARODY
The hilarious New York and Las Vegas hit Friends! The Musical Parody is pivoting its way to Australia!
Join your six favourite friends at your favourite café for a night of unstoppable laughs with the new parody musical that lovingly lampoons the beloved NBC sitcom!
Follow Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe as they navigate love, life, friendship and true unagi, all while reliving your favourite moments from the smash hit TV show.
“Friends! The Musical Parody will make you laugh so hard your face will hurt, your eyes will tear, and you’ll be ready to come back and see it over and over again.” – TheatreLife.com
“Made our day, our month, and even our year!” – E! News
Recommended for ages 12+
FYI may contain adult content, smoke haze and strobe lighting
Please Note:
Tickets to this event are sold to 100% of capacity. All Riverside patrons will be seated in line with current NSW Public Health guidelines, allowing patrons to be seated alongside each other. NSW Health strongly recommends you wear a mask when you are inside places where it is difficult to keep 1.5 metres distance from other people.
Please note that NSW Health regularly updates areas where there may be concerns regarding potential case transmission of COVID-19. Prior to attending your performance, we suggest patrons check the latest Case Alert Updates from Health NSW and follow the instructions regarding Close Contacts and requirements for self-isolation and/or COVID testing as stipulated by Health NSW and the current NSW Public Health Orders. Please note that patrons who have visited any identified alert area must NOT attend public performances or gatherings of any type. If you have any questions and would like to discuss this with a member of our team, please contact our Box Office staff on 02 8839 3399 or email BoxOffice_Riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
Riverside Theatres is registered with the NSW Government as a COVID Safe venue. Our COVID Safe plan was developed in line with federal and state government health guidelines, and following consultation with Live Performance Australia, other NSW venues, and various government bodies, on enhanced health, hygiene and safety measures. These measures include: defined audience capacity; social distancing; wearing face masks; mandatory Service NSW QR code registration check in; extra cleaning; increased sanitisation of high-touch surfaces; the provision of hand sanitiser, anti-bacterial wipes and hand washing facilities throughout the venue; traffic management plans to alleviate congestion in public spaces.
Please review our Patron Safety Information before you visit us at Riverside.
It is also important that if you are unwell you stay at home. We have updated our ticket conditions and our Box Office team are available to talk through possible exchange and refund options. You can contact the Box Office on 02 8839 3399 or email BoxOffice_Riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
Thank you for keeping our community safe.
MAVERICK NEWMAN (CHANDLER)
A graduate from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Maverick most recently appeared in the Australian Shakespeare Company’s 2020-21 production of The Wind in the Willows. Other credits include Louis in The King & I (The Production Company), Hanchel in Spring Awakening (Malthouse Theatre), Mr./Billy in Sunday in the Park with George (WAAPA), Lenny in Carousel (WAAPA), Cobbler in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (WAAPA), and Bailey in ’Tis the Season — for which Maverick won a Green Room Award. Maverick also appeared as the lead artist in the musical revue, The Golden Age of Broadway (FAC regional season).
As a creative, Maverick wrote and starred in Finding Felix: A Memoir which toured nationally, received 4 Green Room Award nominations, and was featured on SBS Vice. Maverick is also a recipient of the coveted Julie Michael Prize for Cabaret, for which he is the only person in the Prize’s history to have won it twice. Maverick will soon be performing his new solo show as a part of The Hayes Theatre’s 2021 season in Sydney.
Maverick is delighted to be joining the cast of Friends! The Musical Parody.
SARAH KRNDIJA (RACHEL)
Sarah’s formal training took place at Screen Actors Australia (2003-2009), before graduating in 2018 with a Bachelor of Music Theatre from the Victorian College Of The Arts (VCA).
During her time at the VCA, Sarah played the coveted roles of the Baker’s Wife in Into The Woods (dir. Gary Young), Sheila in A Chorus Line (dir. Tyran Parke) and Abigail Williams in The Crucible (dir. Danielle Carter).
For screen, Sarah has featured in the comedy-horror, Paper Cut (Dir. Virginia Gay, TROPFEST Short Film Finalist), Olivia (lead) in Sean Bell’s The Junket, and Olesya (lead) in the ADG and ADW nominated short film Something Has Died In The Forest (dir. Eva Torkkola) – for which she learnt Ukrainian.
Sarah’s theatre credits include Vivid White (Melbourne Theatre Company), Phebe in As You Like It, Lucentio in The Taming Of The Shrew (both for Melbourne Shakespeare Company), Celeste #1/Elaine in Sunday In The Park With George (Watch This), Assistant Director to Tyran Parke on Pursued by Bear’s production of Ordinary Days (Green Room Award: Best Direction), Patsy in Beautiful Girls (Gasworks), Margo Crawford in Bright Star (Pursued by Bear), Mole/Violinist in The Australian Shakespeare Company’s The Wind in the Willows, and most recently played Katherine in 50 Shades of Grey the Parody Musical (DVE).
Sarah is represented by Mark Gogoll and is a member of Actor’s Equity.
JOSEPH SPANTI (JOEY)
Joseph graduated from Victorian College of the Arts (Music Theatre) in 2018. Prior to studying at VCA, Joseph played the role of Double J in Saturday Night Fever with Melbourne Independent Theatre Company StageArt (dir. Robbie Carmellotti).
Whilst at VCA, Joseph was selected by Broadway composer Matthew Lee Robinson as a soloist in Matt’s New Voices workshop in 2017 (dir. Matthew Lee Robinson). Joseph was also a part of the ensemble of Eddie Perfect’s Vivid White at the Melbourne Theatre Company (dir. Dean Bryant), as well as playing the role of Evan in the workshop of the new Australian musical Tinder Tales presented at MC showroom.
In his graduating year, Joseph had the opportunity to play Alan Deluca in the mid-year production of A Chorus Line (dir. Tyran Parke), as well as playing the role of Cinderella’s Prince in Into The Woods (dir. Gary Young).
Since graduating from VCA, Joseph played the role of Melchior Gabor in Spring Awakening at Chapel off Chapel (dir. Cal Robinson Taylor). In 2020, Joseph played the role of Leo Rays in the new Australian musical Jack Frost: The Musical (dir. Lauren McKenna), as well as playing the lead role of Sebastian in the short film Coffee Lover (dir. Sam Lee). Joseph was also cast in a recurring role on the Netflix television series, Dive Club filmed in Far North Queensland.
Joseph is represented by Meissner Management and is a proud member of Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA).
ALI CALDER (MONICA)
Ali Calder is an actor, singer and songwriter. Ali had the privilege of playing Elphaba (alternate) in Wicked (GFO). Prior to that, Ali featured as Vivienne Legally Blonde the Musical (GFO). She has played Thea in Spring Awakening for Sydney Theatre Company and took part in the 24 Hour Play Generator for Griffin Theatre/NIDA. Ali has appeared on television in The Chaser’s War on Everything. Her film credits include Hit and Run for ManiaFilm and Newcastle for Dragonfly Pictures. Ali is also an accomplished jazz performer, and was a guest headliner at the Newcastle Jazz Festival.
TYRAN STIG (ROSS)
Tyran made a significant “pivot” in 2020 when he decided to take “a break” from his position of Executive Producer for a breakfast radio show on the Southern Cross Austereo network to pursuing his acting career fulltime.
He is an experienced vocalist and actor, having trained privately with Rachelle Schmidt at The Voice Studio, Renae Perry of Tap Dogs, and most memorably Kristin Chenoweth.
Tyran’s most recent theatre credits include Robert in The Drowsy Chaperone, Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, Lumière in Beauty and the Beast, James in The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and Rick in Away.
Tyran is so excited to be making his professional debut in a musical version of his favourite television show of all time.
BELINDA JENKIN (PHOEBE)
Belinda is an actor, singer and writer/composer. She is a graduate of NIDA 2015 (DMT) and Musical Theatre CAP21, New York.
Belinda’s screen credits include Jade in the television comedy Metro Sexual (Nine Net-work), Eleanor in Summer Heights High (ABC), feature films and multiple short films including Human Touch and Enid.
Belinda’s stage credits include 50 Shades! The Musical Parody Australian Tour (DVE), Top Gun the Musical, People Suck, Gilligan’s Island the Musical, Motor Mouth Loves Suck Face, Anyone Can Whistle, Until Tomorrow, Chronic and most recently The Musical of Musicals the Musical.
Her writing credits include several cabarets; Practically Perfect, and Kid as well as musical collaborations with William Hannagan such as the Apocalyptic Song Cycle Until Tomorrow and HouseWarming the Musical. In 2014 HouseWarming was presented at The New York Musical Theatre Festival, New York. Then under the new name The Gathering had its professional Melbourne season at fortyfivedownstairs with the support of The City of Melbourne.
Belinda is a performer for the Starlight Children’s Foundation, a proud MEAA member and represented by Expression! Arts Management.
She is very excited to be returning to the stage in 2021 for the Australian tour of Friends! The Musical Parody.
www.belindajenkin.com
CHRIS HUNTLY-TURNER (GUNTHER)
Chris Huntly-Turner is an Australian-born, British-trained actor, writer and theatre maker.
With a specialisation in Shakespeare, Chris is an Artistic Director of Bar’d Work and Fledgling Theatre Company. Chris is a Graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in London.
His theatre credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream/Merchant of Venice (Pop-up Globe Sydney), Henry V/ As You Like It (Pop-up Globe Auckland/Melbourne), Nectar of the Gods (Mongrel Mouth), The Frontier Trilogy (Jethro Compton Productions), Sonnet Walks (Shakespeare’s Globe), Hamlet (Park Theatre), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes/The Jungle Book (Chapterhouse Theatre Company).
His screen credits include: The Six Wives of Henry VIII (Channel 5), Underbelly: Badness (Screentime Australia), Short Honeymoon (Papa-G Productions), Help! I’m Trapped In A Movie (Capiche Productions), The Day Hollywood Died (Rising Pictures), Billy Balfoor (Grant Wilson Productions).
Chris was awarded the Best Supporting Actor in the ‘Broadway World Awards’ for his portrayal as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
NICOLE HERREEN (SWING)
Adelaide born, Nicole Herreen holds a Bachelor of Musical Theatre from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and a Certificate IV in Musical Theatre from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Most recently, Nicole toured nationally as a swing in the Australian production of 50 Shades! The Musical Parody (DVE). Prior credits include starring as Jo March in Little Women (The Broadway Musical), Hegel in Godspell, Serena Katz in FAME!, and Girl in Big Dreams! (Echelon Productions). Nicole has been a regular soloist in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, and on QPAC’s stage with the Queensland Pops Orchestra and QPAC Choir, she also successfully launched two original cabarets, The Bloody Truth and Twisted the Cabaret.
A proud member of MEAA, Nicole is very excited to join the Australian tour of Friends! The Musical Parody.
ELLIOT BAKER (SWING)
Elliot graduated with a Bachelor of Economics at the Queensland University of Technology before commencing the Bachelor of Musical Theatre program at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
After graduating in 2017, Elliot played Herman/Big Daddy in Sweet Charity (Woodward Prod.), Ron in Don’t Call Me Ishmael (Underground Broadway), and appeared in A Very Naughty Christmas (Woodward Prod.).
Elliot has recently returned from an 18-month stint in London where he played Basil Fawlty in the Fawlty Towers Tribute Show.
Whilst Elliot isn’t singing, he enjoys the finer things in life, like cricket and the beach.
