● Meet the team
Shopfront is a place for Young People to explore performance, visual arts and digital arts, use their imagination and work with others to create art. Shopfront’s primary activities are to:
enable creative expression by Young People through providing artistic resources, guidance, and a theatre
produce creative works realised by Young People
provide equitable, inclusive access to all Young People to participate in artistic and cultural activity.
Shopfront has five advisory panels, which keep our organisation honest, accountable, youth-led and accessible. They were first created in 2022 and are an important part of our organisation.
Advisory Panels
Young People Panel
● Young People Panel Chair
Meet Sophie
Sophie Florence Ward (she/her) is an actor, theatre-maker, and researcher who joined Shopfront at age eleven, and has considered it a second home ever since. At Shopfront nowadays Sophie is the Young Leader, which means she acts as the conduit between the Shopfront members and the staff team. She also delivers inclusive and adaptable workshops across a range of disciplines that champion the ideas and creativity of Young People.
Sophie is a graduate of the University of Wollongong's Bachelor of Performance program, where she also received First Class Honours in Creative Arts (Theatre). She has recently graduated from Shanghai Theatre Academy with a Master of Arts in Intercultural Communication Studies; where she focused her thesis on using art and media as a tool for understanding local and geopolitical zeitgeist. Her theatre practice reflects her passion for research and the role theatre plays in the public sphere; having written and directed the documentary theatre show "Everything Working As Intended, dad" (Shopfront Arts Co-op), demystifying the Australian bugging of Timor-Leste; and having devised and performed in "Squatch Watch: LIVE" (Merrigong Theatre Company) as a founding member of Vaguely Adjacent performance collective. Sophie has also recently performed in "Lugu Lake" (Daliang Shan International Theatre Festival, China), "ZEST" (Shopfront Arts Co-op), "Where Shall We Meet?" (Shopfront Arts Co-op), and "In the Event of Moon Disaster" (Shopfront Arts Co-op). Her writing has appeared in Merrigong Theatre Company's "Final Draft" showcase, and in the Australian Theatre for Young People's "Yungstr" political satire skits. When not doing the above, Sophie can be found playing tabletop-role-play games with her friends.
● Young People Advisory Member
Meet Mabelle
Mabelle Rose is a young actress and devisor. She has been performing in the arts for 10 years, aka since 2015. Mabelle has performed at many theatre organisations such as Blacktown Arts, Shopfront Arts, Arts Unit, Sydney Festival, PACT, Performance Space and Belvoir St Theatre. Mabelle performed in The Drawing (Natalie Rose and Chris Dunstan, 2015) and The Hungry Games (Natalie Rose and Chris Dunstan, 2016) by Blacktown and Shopfront Arts. She has been in every Junior Ensemble show since 2018 at Shopfront Arts Co-op. Some of these shows include The Pecking Order (Mark Rodgers and Kevin Ng, 2018), Mums Tell Dad Jokes Too (Nicole Pingon and Tasha O’Brien, 2022) and Tender (Lana Filies and Lucy Heffernan, 2023). Mabelle helped with the creation of the 2022 Arts Unit State Drama show Consumerama by Sue Musgrove. She has also performed in Sydney Festival with Ten Minute Dance Parties (2018) and Nighttime Righttime Liveworks Festival for POST with Natalie Rose and Zoë Coombs Marr in 2023.
Her most recent performance has been POV (re:group performance collective/ Solomon Thomas, Mark Rogers, Malcolm Whittaker, Steve Wilson Alexander, Carly Young. 2024) at Belvoir St Theatre. She is doing four seasons in Rising Festival (Arts Centre Melbourne), Riverside/National Theatre of Parramatta, Bondi Festival, and Newcastle Festival in 2025.
● Young People Advisory Member
Meet Ben
Hi, I’m Ben! I’ve been doing various workshops at Shopfront for a couple years now and I’ve had a lot of fun doing them! I’ve been in the Senior Ensemble shows “Stop. Drop. And Listen.” and “When I Grow Up” and I’m super into acting, filmmaking, and technical theatre. Outside of the theatre world, I have two cats named Potato and Jellybean, and I enjoy graphic design, photography, LEGO, and binging sitcoms!
● Young People Advisory Member
Meet Mym
Mym Kwa is a Chinese Australian theatre-maker, living and working on Gadigal land. As a performer, Mym’s theatre credits include POWER (Force Majeure), Dumb Kids (KXT), Moon Rabbit Rising (25A Belvoir), Saturday Girls (25A Belvoir) and Lady Precious Stream (Slanted Theatre x Brand X). Mym has also worked as a Movement Director on Too Human (KXT). Her screen credits include Asexy (Inner Pictures), My Little Cutie (St Kilda Film Festival 2024) and Paper Daisies (Taiwan Film Festival 2024). In 2023/24 Mym joined Shopfront as part of their Emerging Arist Residency: Artslab. Through which, she created and performed her debut solo movement work The Girl is/a Glitch. Mym also loves working with young people and outside of performing, she is a disability support worker and drama teacher for ESL and HSC students.
● Young People Advisory Member
Meet Liv
Hey, I’m Liv! I was in The Lies We Were Told here at Shopfront and I also do drama, film and tech theatre workshops. I absolutely love cats and have an adorable kitten called Luna and my favourite TV show is Neighbours.
Liv is a member of the inaugural Young People Advisory Panel at Shopfront Arts.
● Young People Advisory Member
Meet Olivia
Olivia Tagg is one of Shopfronts amazing Tech Theatre whizzes! She has been working on productions since 2020. You may have seen her work in; To My Younger Self, Never Ever!, Hit Reset and The Lies We Were Told. Olivia loves Reading, Musical Theatre and most importantly, Bubble Tea! She was part of our first ever Young Company.
Olivia is a member of the inaugural Young People Advisory Panel at Shopfront Arts.
LGBTQIA+ People Panel
● LGBTQIA+ Advisory Chair
Meet Lily
Lily Hayman is a writer, director and producer from Southern Sydney who grew up on the land of the Dharawal people and now resides on unceded Gadigal Land. Lily is currently the Associate Producer at Shopfront Arts Co-Op, where she is passionate about amplifying the voices of Young People and Emerging Artists. Lily is also one half of the all female team behind Purple Tape Productions, with whom she has presented the ‘Tape Over’ Festival at KXT in May and June this year. She has also directed Expiration Date and Party Girl in 2023, for Adelaide Fringe, Meraki and KXT Seasons, as well as developing new works Dog People and Preparing for the Inevitable through the MerrigongX program this year. In 2023 she worked with Operated Coin for the Sydney Festival season of Message Bank and has a keen interest on new technologies in artistic spaces. In the past, she has written and directed Fledgling (MerrigongX, KXT) which was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award, and The Infinity Mirror (Shopfront ArtsLab, BrandX) with Palava Co in which she also acts as the sole performer. She recently co-directed Stop. Drop. And Listen with Hayden Tonazzi and the Shopfront Senior Ensemble. Lily was also the Assistant Director on DUST (Milk Crate Theatre) in 2022 and was a member of Shopfront’s Harness Ensemble in 2022, performing in the award nominated Where Shall We Meet?
● LGBTQIA+ Advisory Member
Meet Jason
Jason Liu is a mixed media artist that primarily produces work in watercolour and coloured pencils. The work that he creates typically has comedic elements or directs focus onto objects or situations deemed as mundane. Jason was an ArtsLab resident artists in 2020/21 and has exhibited with PACT.
Jason is a member of the inaugural LGBTQIA+ Advisory Panel
● LGBTQIA+ Advisory Member
Meet Astra
Astra Milne has been performing since 2018 and is a member of many Youth Theatre’s including Shopfront, ATYP and Ryde Youth Theatre. Her favourite thing about performing is collaborating and getting to be part of a team. She has been in The Lies We Were Told and TEEN ANGST! at Shopfront.
Astra is a member of the inaugural LGBTQIA+ Advisory Panel.
● LGBTQIA+ Advisory Member
Meet Miah
Miah Tito-Barratt is a performer, emerging sound and costume designer and theatre technician. They have been at Shopfront since 2018 and have performed in five productions with the company, including The Lies We Were Told, HIT Reset and Teen Angst! Miah loves to draw and listen to music. Miah is also now a teaching artist with Shopfront, teaching Outside the Lines, Art not Apart and Technical Theatre.
Miah is a member of the inaugural LGBTQIA+ Advisory Panel.
● LGBTQIA+ Advisory Member
Meet Sunny
Sunny has been at Shopfront since 2019 and has performed in three productions. She loves performed and is lets her explore being different to who she is. She loves gnocchi and sushi but never together. Sunny loves both dogs and cats and wishes she could give them all a big hug.
Sunny is a member of the inaugural LGBTQIA+ Advisory Panel.
Culturally + Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Advisory Panel
● CALD Advisory Chair
Meet Nicole
Nicole Pingon is a multidisciplinary artist, theatre maker and artist facilitator working across live performance, installation and digital mediums. Expanding across and between mediums, Nicole’s practice tends to be collaborative, curiosity-led, and process-driven. Most recently, Nicole directed Little Eggs Collective’s Moon Rabbit Rising for Belvoir 25A, and was the sound designer for Bad Taste, a new SBS podcast. She’s currently co-directing Shopfront’s Junior Ensemble Production with Tasha O’Brien. Nicole first stepped foot into the Shopfront building in 2013, and hasn’t left since! She’s thrilled to be part of the inaugural advisory panels, and to continue to grow and evolve with Shopfront.
Nicole is an accredited Youth Mental Health First Aider.
● CALD Advisory Member
Meet Albert
Albert Lin is a spoken-word poet, musician, general jack-of-all-trades, and person with a day job. His work focuses on love and wonder and joy, while exploring his life and emotions. Albert recently created an hour-long, one-man theatrical poetry work as part of Shopfront’s ‘Artslab’ residency, and has since restaged the show as part of BrandX’s ‘Flying Nun’ program. He performed in Poetry Sydney’s 2021 ‘Vessels of Love’ initiative, with the City of Sydney, and contributed 65 spoken poems and 4 written poems to the 2019 ‘Dis/location’ exhibit at Monash University. He has written a poem a day since February 2017.
● CALD Advisory Member
Meet Kevin
Kevin Tran is a performer, theatre-maker and writer currently based in South Western Sydney. He graduated at the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Creative Arts. During his study, he played a part in multiple shows and also performed in Big Shoes To Fill (UOW 2019), directed by Jane Phegan. Outside of this, he was in The Big Blue (Q Theatre, 2020) and performed in Everything Working As Intended, Dad (Shopfront Arts Co-op, 2022), directed by Sophie Florence Ward. He made his directing debut under Shopfront’s Member Show with Negotiation Tactics For The Weak-Willed (Shopfront Arts Co-op, 2022). More recently, Kevin was a part of Slanted Theatre’s annual Lunar New Year showcase as a writer in Dragon Tales (NTofP, 2024) and director in Serpent Secrets (NTofP, 2025).
● CALD Advisory Member
Meet Ayah
I’m Ayah Tayeh, a Palestinian theatre maker, dramaturg and producer who graduated from NIDA in 2019, (BFA TTSM). My work has spanned stage management, literary development, and dramaturgy, with a focus on new works that challenge dominant narratives and centre underrepresented voices. I’m passionate about creating spaces- not just on stage, but backstage and within creative leadership- that reflect the full spectrum of our communities. I believe that real representation means diversifying not only what audiences see, but who gets to shape the stories being told.
Over the last year, I’ve been working at Belvoir St Theatre as the Producer of New Work and have recently become the Literary Associate. This role has been hugely formative- it’s allowed me to work closely with writers, directors, and creative teams at every stage of the development process. I’ve had the privilege of being embedded in how new Australian theatre gets made, from first drafts to workshops to production conversations. Being in that space constantly has deepened my understanding of story, structure, and how to support artists in realising bold ideas.
● CALD Advisory Chair
Meet Gabriel
Gabriel Faatau’uu-Satiu is an award-winning creative producer, playwright/screenwriter, and creative writing facilitator. He won Best Emerging Producer for Sydney Fringe, the Open Arts category for the Pasifika Awards by the NSW Council for Pacific Communities, an award for innovation from the NSW Public Library Association for a creative writing program for young people he co-founded and co-facilitated in partnership with the HJ Daley Campbelltown Library and Greg Percival Library, and several international awards for his short film, Breaking Bread.
He is the creative director of Satiu Studios, one of the few independent production companies in Australia dedicated to amplifying the voices and stories from all regions of the Pacific. He is the co-founder of the Tagata Moana Writers Hub, a collective of Pacific storytellers (across various forms eg poetry, novelist, scriptwriting etc) based in Sydney, and currently works at the Riverside Theatres in Parramatta in the Programming and Curatorial team.
Gabriel also wrote a children’s book – Where I’m From – inspired by his nieces and nephews to empower them to remember who they are and where they come from. He is also a proud Artslab alumni, having produced an installation documentary, ‘One Ocean, Many Waves’ which included over 30+ participants from various Pacific nations across all Pacific regions – Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
Gabriel has written, developed work, and/or produced for various organisations in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. A few include South Pacific Pictures, Māori Television, Whitebait Media, Auckland Theatre Company, Westwords, National Theatre of Parramatta, Sydney Festival, Sydney Opera House, Bankstown Arts Centre, Penrith City Council, Arts and Cultural Exchange Parramatta, Pasifika Film Fest, Sydney Writer’s Festival, Madman Entertainment, Creative Australia and many more.
Currently, Gabriel is a writer in resident for Renew on Q, co-writing a feature film commissioned by the Powerhouse Museum & produced by Co-Curious, independently writing a feature film, writing a full length play with support from the National Theatre of Parramatta, aswell as developing a series with the Tagata Moana Writers Hub and Pasifika Film Fest.
People with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Panel
● People Living with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Advisory Member
Meet Amelia
Amelia Gilday is filmmaker, theatre maker, and music producer from Sydney. They graduated from The University of Notre Dame and earned their Masters at The University of New England. Most recently, Amelia stage managed Who’s Afraid at Belvoir 25A (Four One One), produced Waiting in Soho at Sydney Fringe Festival, directed Accountant From Hell at Short+Sydney’s Best of Fest Season, directed Good Talk (Moon Bureau) at Adelaide Fringe Festival and Anywhere Festival Brisbane, and production managed upcoming feature No Harm Done (Wow City Productions). Other credits include directing Illuminated (Moon Bureau) which toured Sydney, Adelaide and Darwin Fringe Festival, co-writing and directing Coming Out on Broadway (Moon Bureau), and producing Two Quarters Full at Flight Path Theatre. Amelia is also a member of the Harness Ensemble at Shopfront.
Amelia is a member of the inaugural People with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Panel.
● People Living with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Member
Meet Steve
Steve Konstantopoulos has been a member of Shopfront’s Harness Ensemble since 2014. He has performed in Dignity of Risk, The Experts, Tiny Universe and Where Shall We Meet? at Shopfront and in many more productions and creative processes beyond. He likes sports, exercising, boxing and watching movies. As well as being a member of Harness Ensemble, Steve has participated in Bus Stop Films, and in 2015 he performed in Out of Line by Shopfront at ATYP for the Cameo series.
Steve is a member of the inaugural People with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Panel.
● People Living with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Member
Meet Zoe
Zoe Ong has been a Shopfront member since 2020 and participates in many different parts of Shopfront. She has been in workshops for Drama, Dance and art-making and was also a member of our first ever Young Company. Zoe has performed with Shopfront at our scratch nights, and did work experience with Shopfront Arts.
Zoe is a member of the inaugural People with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory PanelAmelia is a member of the inaugural People with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Panel.
● People Living with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Member
Meet Blythe
Blythe has been a Shopfront member for many years, and she is only eleven now! She has attended workshops in Drama, Dance, Singing, Film and Art Making at Shopfront and is pretty much an expert on how we run things. She is passionate about making sure Shopfront is accessible for everyone to attend, and is very excited to be part of the Advisory Panel.
Blythe is a member of the inaugural People with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Panel
● People Living with Disability and/or who are d/Deaf Advisory Member
Meet Kai
First Nations Advisory Panel
● First Nations Advisory Panel Chair
Meet Callan
Callan Purcell (he/him) is a Wiradjuri theatre maker, arts facilitator and actor whose work spans continents and disciplines.
Beyond the stage, Callan’s commitment to community-driven arts has taken him across Australia, London, Asia, and America, where he has worked as a collaborator, director, and all-round boat rocker.
Callan was awarded an anonymous sponsorship to study collaborative and devised theatre at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Upon graduating in 2018, he received the John Gielgud Actor’s Award.
In 2021, Callan founded The Rad Kid Mob, a movement dismantling financial, geographical, and social barriers that prevent Young People from accessing the arts. He creates inclusive spaces for mob, LGBTQIA+ and Young People from historically marginalised backgrounds. To date, over 3,000 young people have attended theatre performances, participated in workshops, and engaged in Q&As and panels—completely subsidised or free of charge.
As actor, WHITEFELLA YELLA TREE (Griffin Theatre), BLUE (Belvoir/State Theatre Company South Australia), HAMILTON THE MUSICAL (Michael Cassel Group), JASPER JONES (LHE Productions), BRAN NUE DAE (Opera Australia).
Currently, he is being mentored by Ursula Yovich as he continues to develop his artistic practice.
● First Nations Advisory Member
Meet Amelia
Amelia Harding is a Wiradjuri actor and writer based in Sydney. She is a graduate of the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Performance and Theatre. As an actor Amelia’s credits include “Women of the Riverina” (KXT dir. Lliane Clarke), “Hello, Are You Still There?” (Shopfront Arts Co-Op dir. Natalie Rose & Margot Politis), “A Flea in Her Ear” (Siren Theatre Co dir. Kate Gaul). As a writer Amelia wrote and performed “Bunny Boiler”, a one woman show that premiered as a part of 2025’s ArtsLab Reverb.
● First Nations Advisory Member
Meet Aurielle
Aurielle Smith is a First Nations emerging artist, a descendant of the Kamillaroi people and raised on the Northern beaches. She is active in the Sydney gig scene and currently sits on the Federal Youth Advisory group for the Creative Industries and a member of the working group live and local with the Council. She recently spoke at the 2025 AIATSIS summit on youth voices.
As dancer, musician and actor she has been performing with stage and screen credits for over 10 years, her highlights include Bangarra Youth Public schools Student dance company 2021-25, Featured vocalist in School Spectacular at Quodos and Channel 7 in 2024 & 25, a speaker and soloist in the 2024 Sydney Peace Prize Awards, a featured performer at the 2024,25 Sydney Swans Marn Grook round and AFLW field vocalist. Aurielle has been a proud GO scholar since 2022.
In theatre her credits include School of Rock, Sydney Youth Musical Theatre’s ADDAMS FAMILY, BIG FISH, INTO THE WOODS, HONK & NHSPA’s Sweeny Todd. & Legally Blonde. Aurielle originated the role of Soroya in the Sydney Theatre award nominated “SCAB” with ATYP and in 2024 was chosen as one of four young people to attend the international Youth Theatre program in ITALY with ATYP/CREATE Australia.
She regularly performs as a vocal soloist and speaker with other highlights at Quality teachers conference & was honoured to be perform in a guest duet for musical theatre star Brittney Shipway’s Beyond Broadway show in 2024, and Kate Miller-Heike in 2025, in addition to performing original songs for her Excellency the Governor General at GO Foundation events. She also plays Flute, piano and guitar & bass.
In Dance Aurielle was a finalist in the 2023 FORM dance film project having choreographed and produced her first indigenous dance film & as a senior member Bangarra Youth Aboriginal Dance company 2021- 2025, Aurielle choreographed works for the company to perform at prestigious events including Public Education day for the Prime Minister and completed a secondment with Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2025.
In 2024 Aurielle won the Nangai Mai Award for outstanding contribution to Performing Arts and has a long history of youth advocacy for the performing arts. Prior to her Federal apppointment she was a member of the NSW Youth parliament 2022 and 2023 in both Aboriginal affairs and creative industries. She also served on the Y NSW First nations youth advisory board board and ATYP youth advisory board 2023.