Vision - Values - Company Aims - Company History - Staff - Board
Staff
Shopfront has four full time staff and numerous contract artists.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/ CEO: TJ ECKLEBERG
TJ is the Artistic Director at Shopfront. His projects fuse technology and multi-media across disciplines, with an immersive approach to theatre – incorporating sound design, organic approaches to lighting, design and movement. In 1999 his experiences with Welfare State International led him to create two large-scale site specific performances with boys at Birrong Boys High School – one of Sydneys tougher schools. In his time at Shopfront he has directed CODA (2003) with residents of the Juvenile Justice system; How Sachi Lost His Leg (2004 - a site specific spectacular combining puppetry and Capoeira); Wadya call me?
(2004 – in a back lane, incorporating a 4 x 4m rolling screen, puppetry, live radio broadcast, and 19m graffiti wall created during the performance);Angels in the Architecture (2005 - an aerial urban ghetto and song cycle with an integrated ensemble of performers with and without disabilities); POP UP! (2006 a massive performance installation with krumping, puppetry and multimedia).SHADOWS AND ICE (2007, a massive installation of ice, a six meter shipping freezer container at Kogarah Square) He is also a producer, poet and musician. His new album: When you get down to will be launched in June!
GENERAL MANAGER: NERIDA WOODS
Nerida Woods has been the General Manager at Shopfront since 2005. She has 13 years working in the performing arts in both the UK and Australia as a stage manager, production manager, technical consultant and Company manager. In 1990 she journeyed to the UK to study with Arts International; a one year intensive residency, where she trained in directing, performing and theatre making. This led her into work as a camera operator, editor, performer, assistant director, and company manager touring throughout the UK with various companies.
She was a stage manager at the Opera House for many years and technical manager at Star City entertainment. Following Star City she established Theatresafe – consulting on OHS and theatrical installations for performing arts organisations throughout NSW. She was production manager in the site specific Shopfront performances How Sachi Lost his Leg, Shimmerer and Wadya call me? (2004) as well as Regional coordinator of St George Artstart festival, 2003 and 2005. She has a Bachelor of Arts; Communication (Media Production)
OUTREACH DIRECTOR: CYMBELINE BUHLER
Cymbeline is the outreach director at Shopfront. She specializes in improvisation, group devising and story-telling. Her work has spanned four continents and won awards in the Yakumo International Theatre Festival, Japan ( Best Director, Best Production and Best Ensemble) and the Liverpool International Theatre Festival, Canada ( Best Director, Best International Act, and People's Choice). She hold a Graduate Diploma from the Victorian College of the Arts in Divised Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts from University of Technology, Sydney, in Communications.
She is a graduate of the School of Playback Theatre (New York) and of the Drama Action Centre ( Sydney) Her directing work includes productions for the Komaba Agora Theatre ( Tokyo) Koelner Theatre Nacht ( Germany) and Purple Brocolli ( London) ; she has performed with Flipside, A Company of Friends and Nightshift Theatre Asylum ( Sydney) Hudson River Playback Theatre ( New York) and Kuenstler A La Carte ( Germany) The workshops she has run and courses she has taken took place in 19 countries, including Russia, Poland, Holland, USA, Bangladesh, and China. She has initiated a peace building theatre project in Sri Lanka that has been running annually since 2006.